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TECH NEWS

Suspension MTB specialist Whyte to launch range of road commuter bikes

Mountain bike suspension innovators to hit the road

In what is probably the teasiest product teaser announcement we've ever had, Whyte – the UK bike company best known for their high end mountain bikes – today announced they are launching a new range of commuter bikes this summer. Oh, and they sent us a pic of one of their new models, the Portobello to prove it. Well, as you can see it's more a pic of a bit of one of their new models.

What we can say looking at it is that it's aluminium, and shows a nice attention to both detail and practicallity. We like the Union Jack seat clamp and that white line, but we like even more the fact that is comes with the necessary holes to fit a rack and mudguards… that's assuming what's on offer at the front is replicated at the back. That matt paint job looks good and tough too and that deep section rim suggests that the Portobello at least is aimed at the hipster end of the commuting market.

Whyte founder, Jon Whyte started out designing suspension for F1 cars and made his name in the bike world with his innovative suspension designs on bikes like the PRST-1. It'll be interesting to see if any of that suspension knowledge is brought to bear on his commuter bikes…?

Right, we're off to wring some more information out of the Whyte marketing guy, literally if necessary, and we'll report with more pics and info asap.

road.cc's founder and first editor, nowadays to be found riding a spreadsheet. Tony's journey in cycling media started in 1997 as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - finally handing on the reins in 2021 to Jack Sexty. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes, though he'd like to own a carbon bike one day.

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4 comments

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dave atkinson | 13 years ago
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maybe that's why it's only a detail shot  1

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handlebarcam | 13 years ago
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...or they haven't fixed up a deal to bulk buy brakes from anyone yet.

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TRs Blurb n Blog | 13 years ago
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it is either running a disc brake or it is a fixed gear...

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DaveP | 13 years ago
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Very subtle detail on that seatpost clamp! B)

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