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On show: Interbike 2009 Part 10

published 1 October 2009

Ellsworth debuts new carbon models

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Ellsworth's all-mountain wheelset uses a custom 29mm-wide aluminum rim extrusion.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Ellsworth has partnered with Atomlab to produce some extra-short stems for use on 29ers.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

The new Ellsworth Coefficient carbon fiber time trial bike features front and rear wheel cutouts and aero-profile tubing.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

The seat tube widens as it approaches the seat stays to help move air around the rear wheel.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Also new from Ellsworth is the Coercion carbon road frameset.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

The Enlightenment uses an girthy trapezoidal-profile down tube.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Interchangeable dropouts allow for geared, singlespeed and even belt drive drivetrains (the stays are split behind the upper mounting bolt).(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Ellsworth goes carbon with the new Enlightenment hardtail, which will be offered in both 26" and 29" variants.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

The swoopy top tube and down tube on the Enlightenment 29er mate up to a tapered head tube.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Ellsworth uses monostay setups for both the seat stays and chain stays.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Cables are fully internally routed on the Enlightenment - including the rear brake so you'll have to disconnect the fittings and rebleed the system to feed a hydraulic hose through.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

The Evolve 29er gets a swoopy new SST tubeset plus beefier seat stays and updated rockers.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Just in time for 'cross season comes the limited edition Ellsworth Roots.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

A flattened top tube eases the pain of shouldering.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Ellsworth's classic Truth cross-country bike gets a shapelier SST tubeset that increases stiffness slightly and adds standover clearance without adding weight.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)

Long-time aluminum devotee Ellsworth Bicycles has finally given in to the carbon fiber movement with two new carbon hardtails plus a pair of composite road bikes for 2010.

On show: Interbike 2009 Part 12

The versatile new Enlightenment will be offered in both 26" and 29" variants, both with monostay-style seat stays and chain stays that Ellsworth claims smooth out the ride a bit relative to conventional hardtails. Interchangeable and interlocking CNC-machined dropouts allow for either geared or singlespeed drivetrains – or even a belt drive thanks to a split driveside seat stay.

Ellsworth fits the 29er version with a notably swoopier tubeset up front plus a tapered head tube to better handle the longer fork legs. Both frames also use fully internal cable routing – including for the rear brake.

'Swoopy' is also the theme for the revamped Truth, Epiphany and Evolve platforms, all of which get all-new front ends that yield a tad extra stiffness and standover clearance as compared to the old round-tubed versions without adding weight. New seat stays assemblies and rocker arms are included on all three model ranges for 2010 as well.

Carbon fiber is also used for the new Coercion road and Coefficient time trial bikes. The former is a fairly traditional-looking rig with a large-diameter roundish-profile front triangle matched to slimmer chain- and seat stays for a comfier ride. Claimed frame weight is around 940g.

The Coefficient, on the other hand, uses more aero-shaped tubes plus cutouts for both the front and rear wheels. Internal cable routing is used throughout and the included aero carbon seat post can be configured in 76 and 79-degree seat angles depending on the application.

Got mud? Ellsworth also has its Roots 'cross bike ready just in time for the season. The shaped aluminum front triangle – with a flattened top tube for less painful shouldering – is matched to a carbon rear end for more comfort and traction. Mud clearance is generous top and bottom and dual bottle mounts are on hand, too, just in case you decide to use the Roots for more than just racing.