Description
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This is Not a Complete Bicycle – What’s Included:
What’s listed in the drop down menus that you choose
What’s stated as being included in the specs
LVN160 Chromoly Steel Mountain Bike Frame | USA Built Steel Full Suspension MTB Frame
Linkage Driven
Single pivot is fun but when you add a link, it, it transforms into a something more fun and more competitive. Single pivot steel frames are said to pop, send, fly and jib better than the rest. They maintain composure and handle the rough stuff like the best but float over top of the rocks, roots and bumps. When a link is added to that equation, you have a platform that better resists bottoming out and allows for easier shock tuning, without all the multi link maintenance headaches.
Crushes Climbs
The LVN160 will take on any techy hill you want to throw at it while still having enough travel to soak up the drops, roots and boulders. The Pivot Point on our LVN160 was optimized and obsessed over to bring to you a bike that delivers over 100% Anti-squat through it’s travel. When you pedal, you want your bike to put all the power into the ground and not into the suspension to go to waste. Every pedal stroke can force the system to soak up some of that energy causing you to wear yourself out faster. The biggest factor that determines pedal efficiency is the Pivot Point. Looking at our Anti-squat curve, you’ll see that the LVN160 delivers over 100% Anti-squat throughout it’s travel.
Mid Pivot
We discovered a balance that others are just now starting to find. Our Pivot Point works magic on the trails. The first part of the axle path is regressive, meaning it grows to counteract a shrinking wheelbase. When descending the chunk, having a bike shrink on you can alter your handling and negatively effect your ride. The opposite of that is having too regressive of an axle path can cause your wheelbase to grow too much in corners throwing your corner speed off and causing an unpredictable handling characteristic in the twisties. Our mid-high pivot is the balance that others are just now realizing is working for them better as opposed to going with either ends of the spectrum.
CNC Machining
We opted for CNC machined shock mount/pivot arms to help give our frame it’s high end feel. Nothing says “high-end” more than CNC machined parts, especially our 4140 chromoly arms which are not kind to tooling and extremely expensive to machine. We spared no expense to offer a frame that despite it’s simplicity, it’s overachieving compared to bikes that cost a lot more.
Single Pivot Steeze and Durability
Stainless steel pivot axle and quad 6001-2rs bearings double stacked for longevity and rigidity where it matters most. Thanks to modern suspension technology, single pivot is back. Why single pivot? Easy maintenance and easy on your wallet. The ride is predictable and it doesn’t get hung up as easily on impacts which allows you to carry more speed on those steep descents. It offers a brilliant balance of amazing ride characteristics, simplicity and durability.
Adaptable
Slider Dropouts enable fine tuning of rear wheel adjustment due to wildly variable tire manufacturer sizing measurements. We think outside the box, so we offer a solution to fitment of your favorite size wheels and tires without sacrificing anything you’d love in a chromoly steel frame.
Modern Specs
Made for 73mm BSA bottom bracket, 148mm boost, internal cable routing for dropper seat posts, tapered forks. All your modern mountain bike specs in a more exciting steel frame packge.
Joe Bikes (verified owner) –
Review of the LVN160: A USA made steel full suspension with hardtail characteristics. Stiffness when you want it, suppleness when you need it… and a cloud like ride over chunk and chatter. The LVN160 rides like a dream! Full review below *spoilers* It’s awesome! This bike is meant for jumping and sending down chunk. But it does surprisingly well on single-track too! If you’re on the fence, just buy one now!
The feeling I had when I discovered Ferrum was nothing short of magical! A USA made steel full suspension frame, with a linkage, and excellent modern geometry? I felt like I found a bit of heaven on earth. With that said – throughout the magic of first discovery – I was also thinking: “well… it is USA Made… but will it hold up? Is the quality there? How are the welds? The paint? What about that short stroke length? And just how heavy will my build be?!?!?”
Well I can say with full confidence that the quality is there! And that build quality transfers to an incredible ride quality.
-Build Quality, Frame:
One word to describe the build quality of this frame: Stunning! Beautiful welds. No pooling, no pits or valleys, and nothing short of perfection. Speaking of perfection… the machining is beautiful! There are several machined parts on the LV160. The linkage is billet aluminum, and the seat-stay stiffener bar is also machined. I have nothing but praise for the build quality. The lines, the bends, the overall aesthetics, and the way everything bolts snuggly together is perfection. The LV160 is a work of art!
Another word to describe the frame build quality is Beefy. The tube thickness is just a bit thicker than other steel frames out there, which does add to the weight, but not in an unmanageable way. My build is around 37 pounds. I also have this to say: this thing would survive a 10 megaton blast.
One minor complaint regarding build quality is the location of the bottle cage mounts under the top tube. On my build, my water bottle rubs on the piggyback of the shock. I’ve spoken with Matt about this… I think a simple solution is moving the bolts towards the headtube by 20 or 30mm.
-Build Quality, Paint:
Moving on from that, I need to mention the paint/finishing quality. Matt has partnered with a company called Black Label Coatings that does this work for him. Their paint quality equally matches the frames quality! Incredibly smooth surface, no valleys, no hickies, perfect and even color distribution throughout the frame. The paint is perfection. I clear wrapped my frame before it hit dirt, so I cannot comment to durability. But I have no doubts the finish will hold up to abuse within reason.
-Build Quality, Geometry:
Geometry and fit was perfect for me. I am 6ft 3in. I purchased the size Large frame. It fits like an XL to me. Perfect reach. Perfect wheelbase. Meant for playful jibs, while also offering great stability at speed through the chunk.
-Customer Service:
Curious about their frames, I sent Ferrum a message over Instagram. I had a bunch of questions about sizing, leverage ratios, and other technical stuff. I also had a lot of questions about paint and finishing. I wanted to make my masterpiece… my magnum opus of a bike, and Matt – the mastermind behind this operation – happily guided me every step of the way over my 2-week decision period.
I would say the customer service was nothing short of spectacular. Matt treats you like royalty, and this penchant for perfection and excellent customer service is shown in the build quality of his frames!
When I ordered my frame in September, Matt kept informed on its build status. Now due to some supply issues and various logistical things, there were delays on my frame. I was in no rush, and again Matt kept me informed on the build status. It took roughly 3 months to get my frame from ordering date to shipment. Ordered Sept 23rd, received Dec 30th.
-The Ride (riding location: Northwest Arkansas)
The build quality is all well and good, but the most important thing about any full suspension mountain bike is: How does it ride?
Like a dream.
-Downhill:
Stiff where it needs to be. Compliant when it needs to be. Supple and poppy off jumps. The LVN160 likes to fly but it also tracks the ground well! I mentioned earlier that I was concerned about the short stroke length, but I can honestly say the back end feels magically bottomless when you need it (i.e, casing a 20ft jump). It never feels harsh, it always feels like the bike can give so much more than I throw at it. The suspension curve provided through the pivot linkage is so plush and it truly feels like riding a cloud!
This has been my first time riding a steel bike, let alone a steel full suspension. One way I can describe the ride characteristic is this: “Like riding a hardtail with suspension in the rear.” What I mean by this is that it feels very direct. The power transfer in each pedal stroke is immediate, very much like a hardtail. Don’t get me wrong, it is still clearly a full squish out back. It absorbs chunk when you want it absorbed, and it does that very well! The back end does not get hung up on anything whatsoever. But when you are just pedaling it up a climb or through a flat section… the back end does not bob around and it does not flex.
This is a feeling that I can only assume is a quality of steel. It feels like the most compliant hardtail, while also still remaining a full suspension bike that soaks up the chunk (Northwest Arkansas rocks are no joke). It is a strange and magical feeling for sure. One that I am in love with!
One minor issue that I personally fixed about my riding style is how close my calves were to the frame. I am 6ft 3in and… let’s just say… big boned. The back end of this frame is wider than I am used to; on my first few rides my calves would rub on the seatstay pivot bolts. This is more than likely a me issue but I will say the back end is wide so it is worth nothing. So this may be an issue for you also if you are around my size. It was an easy fix for me, I just learned to keep a wider stance when riding. But occasionally my calves will still rub against those pivot bolts which protrude just a bit more than the rest of the frame.
-Climbing:
It is heavy (my build is around 37-38 pounds). Not unmanageable. I will say this: do not do a disservice to this bike’s intentions. It was not intended for meandering singletrack, although it does perform well on it (more on that below). Flat singletrack is not the MO of Ferrum bikes. This bike likes it fast, loose, and wild. Send er’ downhill and you’ll be smiling all the way back up the climb to do it again!
Steep uphill sections take more effort compared to modern carbon framed-carbon copies, but again, it is not unmanageable. If you are the type wanting to get PR’s on your local flat single-track track, Ferrum is probably not for you.
I get it though… sometimes we cannot make it to the bike park or local session zone. This is me most of my week. So you may still be asking… just how good does the LVN160 handle meandering singletrack? It handles it surprisingly well! There is little pedal bob, it is easy to accelerate on the flats, and the vibration dampening characteristics of steel soak up more of the chatter on rocky singletrack trails. Which reduces overall arm and leg fatigue, and fatigue on the unmentionables. All in all making this a pleasant riding bike for the local singletrack.
-Closing:
I have been riding my LVN160 for a little over 2 months now. Every-time I get this thing out, it brings a massive smile to my face because I know I’m about to have an incredible time! I will say… I want to keep this bike perfect. it is my garage queen. The paint is so beautiful! It’s my good weather with the top down Yellow 68 Mustang Convertible. I don’t want to ride it in the mud. Or even through a puddle. This thing is way too nice for that! That’s not to say I haven’t sent it to flat a few times. Just this week I launched my LVN160 off a 12ft drop, a first for this bike. It handled it perfectly.
-Positives: Incredibly playful and poppy on jumps and features. While also remaining composed and soft through the chunk. The LVN160 combines all the joys of riding a hardtail but with suspension in the rear. It is an odd feeling for someone who hasn’t ridden a steel bike before, but this is a true characteristic of steel. It is also a testament to an incredibly well built frame with great suspension kinematics. It’s not harsh in the slightest. It glides over chatter and it plows right through chunk without breaking a sweat. The back end does not get hung up on anything whatsoever. When it comes to jumping or railing a berm… the LVN160 inspires a tremendous amount of confidence. The stiffness of the frameset, combined with the modern, slack/long geometry just makes me want to throw this thing around with wild abandon. I will quickly mention the build quality again. It is perfect. No complaints. The LVN160 is truly a work of art and true American craftsmanship.
-Negatives: Top tube water bottle bolt locations are not ideal, but that can be fixed on future builds. Minor issue, may not be an issue for everyone: back end is wide and the seatstay pivot bolts protrude more than the rest of the frame.
Build spec (Size Large, 27.5 wheels):
Fork – Rockshock Yari 170mm
Shock – DVO Topax Air T3
Brakes – Magura MT5 HC, 203 Rotors
Cockpit – Fasst Flexx Carbon Bars, ODI Grips, Wolf Tooth Dropper Lever, 35mm Industry Nine Stem, all American Made
Drivetrain – 165mm cranks. SRAM GX ish (still have NX cassette). Works Components Oval Chainring.
Pedals – 5Dev All Around Trail
Wheels – Roval Traverse SL Carbon Fattie
Tires – Front Michelin Wild Enduro 2.8. Rear Specialized Butcher 2.5.