K2’s Linear Link Design

Hey guys, check out the improvements to the K2 T:Nine women's line.

K2’s Linear Link design delivers light-weight, efficient suspension for smaller riders

K2’s Linear Link design delivers light-weight, efficient suspension for smaller riders
For the introduction of the first K2 T:Nine bicycle collection in 2005, we did not have enough time to develop unique rear suspension systems to suit smaller, lighter women riders. Like most other bike brands, our first women's full suspension bikes were adaptations of our existing unisex/men’s suspension designs. While the Small and Medium sizes of the resulting Myste Mountain and Spire Mountain bicycles were faithful to the K2 T:Nine Fit System, this approach did result in some compromises.

• Extra Small were impossible to create due to the position of the suspension components inside the frame tubes
• Most suspension components were overbuilt for lighter women riders, resulting in higher than optimal complete bicycle weights
• The Spire Mountain's long travel resulted in women riders sitting higher off the ground when seated, and almost resting on the top tube when stopped

For 2006, we developed our new K2 Linear Link suspension system to address all of these issues. The low leverage ratio inherent in this system allowed us to reduce the weight of many parts of the frame. The horizontal position of the shock in the frame allowed us to lower the top tube on all models and create an XSM size true to our K2 T:Nine Fit System.
Our 2006 T:Nine Summit proudly features the K2 Linear Link suspension design, developed specifically to provide light-weight full-suspension performance to women mountain bikers across our whole T:Nine sizing range. In the future, we hope to trickle this technology down through our line so that more aspiring women riders may also benefit from its advantages.
Ironically, when we tested the early prototypes of the Linear Link design, smaller male riders also found its blend of light-weight and efficiency addictive. In what may be a first in the cycling industry, this women’s-specific full suspension design was later stretched and strengthened to create the K2 Apache design to suit taller, heavier male riders. In order to maintain the quality of suspension performance on larger Apaches, we had to slightly reduce the quantity of suspension travel, meaning for once that it’s the men who will have to compromise!