Bentonville, Arkansas’ Viral Bikes unveils its all-new Optimist, a titanium & aluminum trail bike like no other. The Optimist is a full-suspension trail bike that pairs 145mm of rear travel to a 150mm front fork. But it’s Optimist’s slick flex pivot, the electronic shift Pinion gearbox, Gates belt-drive, and mix of 3D-printed titanium up front & CNC-machined aluminum out back that make it unique.
The Optimist has been in development for three years – since we first saw it as a longer-travel carbon and titanium enduro bike project. But now it’s ready to hit the trails under you!
Viral Optimist 145 titanium & aluminum gearbox trail bike
The Viral Optimist’s front triangle showcases a beautiful combination of 3D-printed titanium lugs welded to titanium tubes for smooth curves. Then, its rear triangle gets CNC-machined from aluminum alloy, and is equally stunning in appearance.
Classic Single Pivot suspension, but with a sneaky Flex-Pivot surprise
Behind that Smart.Shift Pinion gearbox, the Optimist features a classic single-pivot suspension design with a linkage-driven shock, that Viral refers to as the “Faux Bar”. Their special take on the Faux Bar concept features a small flexible titanium plate (see below) just above the rear dropout on the seatstays, acting as a flex pivot. It actually serves two purposes. It allows the chainstay swingarm & seatstays to rotate independently, while also providing an entry point for the belt drive system. Pretty cool.
The aluminum rear triangle provides the stiffness needed to maintain belt alignment throughout the bike’s travel.
Not sure if you’ve thought about it, but belt-drives are a bit picky. They need near-perfect alignment to work smoothly, which inherently flexy titanium often can’t manage without being significantly over-built. Plus, the belts come in fixed lengths and require a significant wrap around the cog to transmit power. And they need quite high tension, so the Optimist gets a tensioner just behind the cranks to keep things taught and accommodate belt growth during suspension movement.
So, all three frame sizes use the same chainstay length to keep things simple and spinning smoothly.
Size-specific Seat Tube Angles – Optimist 145 Geometry
Designer Steve Domahidy addressed sizing & rider weight balance considerations by varying seat tube angles across frame sizes rather than changing chainstay lengths. Larger frames feature steeper seat tube angles to shift the center of gravity forward for taller riders. This helps prevent them from going over the handlebars due to their higher seat position and longer legs.
Another unique feature of the Optimist is that CNC rear triangle. It features relief structures that are located on the outside of the stays, rather than inside. Viral was purposeful in this design to make cleaning easier, suggesting that rear tire spray is more likely to fill internal voids with mud rather than external splashing.
The Optimist represents Viral’s focus on longevity, as they have reported zero bikes sent to landfills and a policy of refurbishing warranty returns rather than replacing them. A bicycle made with titanium supports this approach, as the material can be repaired if damaged rather than requiring full replacement.
“Sustainability is still very important here at Viral,” says Steve Domahidy, the designer and owner of Viral Bikes. “A titanium frame is nearly indestructible, and even if you do find a way, it can be fixed and put back into service. We have not “land-filled” a single bike. What few warranties we do get, we send back for refurbishment.”
Viral Optimist 145 Launch Edition – Retail and Detail
The all-new titanium & aluminum Viral Optimist 145 gearbox trail bike sells for $14,995 in its debut Launch Edition, kitted out with some sweet kit. Start with premium Intend suspension – a Hero Blackline upside-down fork and Hover Monocoque rear shock, Intend brakes & stem, a Chris King DropSet 3 headset, a RockShox Reverb AXS wireless dropper, and We Are One Sector carbon wheels on i9 Hydra 2 hubs.
- Viral 3D-printed titanium front triangle joints welded to titanium tubes
- CNC-machined 7075-T6 aluminum rear triangle
- max 29” x 2.5” tire clearance
- Pinion C1.12i gearbox with electronic Smart.Shift thumb shifter offers ultra-wide 600% gearing range (vs. 520% for Eagle)
(mechanical shift gearbox is optional) - 30.9mm seatpost with long dropper insertion
- 148mm Boost rear hub spacing
- IS41 upper/ IS52 lower headset bearings
- claimed 35lb complete bike weight (without pedals)
Check the link below to get more details and place an order for your own Optimist.
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