Belts and Gearboxes Go Viral
Bike industry veteran Steve Domahidy hopes his new brand will go viral. Domahidy, one of the founders of Niner, has launched Viral Bikes. His first Viral model is the “Skeptic,” a titanium all-mountain hardtail frame featuring a drivetrain kit with a Pinion gearbox and Gates Carbon Drive system. Popular in Europe, the Pinion-Gates combination produces an incredibly low-maintenance drive. The Pinion P1.12 has a gear range of 600 percent and can be shifted while coasting or stopped. The Skeptic frame features 148mm Boost rear hub spacing for tire widths of up to three inches. “This bike is going to appeal to the rider who is not very good with maintaining a full suspension bike, someone who wants to shred and not worry about derailleurs and chain slap and chain maintenance,” says Domahidy, whose resume includes design work for multiple brands including Faraday and Budnitz.
Outside Magazine writer Aaron Gulley called it “one of the most forward-looking bikes we’ve ridden in a while.” Buyers who pre-order the Skeptic will get a free set of Backcountry 27.5+ or 29-inch Trail wheels from Industry Nine, with an option to choose spoke and hub colors. Every Viral frame purchase will also come with a one-year membership to IMBA, the International Mountain Biking Association. www.viral.bike
