Pinnacle announce new Arkose range

Arkose undergoes major revamp for 2019

At ADVNTR we are big fans of the Pinnacle Arkose. Most of us have owned one at some point. Over the last seven years, the Arkose has set the benchmark for gravel & adventure bikes. It has always blended versatility with verve, but the changes for 2019 promise to increase its appeal to a wider range of riders.

What’s new?

The frame geometry remains similar for 2019 but new custom tubesets, dropouts and bridgeless seat-stays should improve function and comfort.

Flexibility remains the name of the game, with single and dual chainset options. Revised cable routing allows for mechanical or electronic gears.

Tyre clearances have been increased to fit 650b x 52c or 700 x 45c, so the latest all-road and gravel treads will slot straight in.

The Arkose hasn’t lost any of its practicality either. Rack and guard mounts remain and internal cable routing for dynamo lights has been added.

Even the base model D1 sports on-trend tan wall 45c tyres

With a twelve model range (five with a Women’s specific design) starting at £825 for the D1, and topping out at £1400 for the X model, there is a bike for most budgets.

Dirty Dancing

The most obvious change is the division of the range into D (dirt) and R (road) models.

They share the same frameset, but the gearing and wheelsets vary, for either gravel or tarmac riding. Dirt spec bikes come with sub-compact 48/32 chainsets, wide ratio cassettes and WTB Riddler 45c tyres. The Road bikes have 30c WTB Exposures and regular compact chainsets and close ratio cassettes . They will roll faster on smooth surfaces but can still take on lighter off-road duties.

WTB TCS rims feature across the range with most spec levels boasting TCS tyres too. Setting up tubeless shouldn’t be too much fuss for most riders.

New for 2019 a road biased Arkose, seen here in a Women’s specific R1 spec

Something new…

Two models that stand out are the X and Alfine 8.

The X features Sram Rival 1x gears and 650b wheelset on WTB Byway tyres. The Alfine 8 (unsurprisingly!) does away with derailleurs in favour of Shimano’s reliable Alfine internal gearhub.

For the ultimate no-fuss ride, the Arkose Alfine 8

Discussing the changes, Pinnacle’s product manager Scott Decker said: “As riders demand more range of use from a drop-bar bike, we wanted to show the versatility that this frame can offer the rider by designing more adaptability into the frameset itself.

With single and double chainring options as well as electronic or cable gears being a common decision, alongside axle type or wheel size or whether to fit guards and a rack or not, we saw an opportunity to design a solution that looked more complete or neat in any configuration. With the new Pinnacle Arkose, we’re proud to have created a range of bikes that help riders unearth new routes and discover new styles of riding.”

Shipments of the new models are inbound and are expected to arrive in stock in February. Full details, and the option to pre-order can be found on the Evans Cycles website.