Knolly’s Chilcotin is the latest MTB to get the brand’s generation 6 frame updates, but that’s not all that’s been revised for 2024. Aside from new frame features the Chilcotin now offers a tad more travel, updated suspension kinematics, and revised geometry.
Knolly has massaged the Chilcotin into an overall more aggressive bike, making it the obvious choice within their lineup for Enduro riders. As with the previous Chilcotin Knolly offers two rear travel options, now at 155mm or 170mm. Good news for shorter riders is the Chilcotin is now available in a small frame size, as it used to range from M-XL.
Knolly Chilcotin – Key Specs:
The new Chilcotin frames are made from 6066 aluminum. This bike is only sold with 29” wheels… Knolly did not provide geometry for a mixed-wheel setup, but they confirmed there’s no reason you can’t run a 27.5” rear wheel in the Chilcotin.
The Chilcotin’s rear travel has been slightly bumped from the previous generation’s 151/167mm options to 155mm or 170mm. The 155mm bikes come with 160mm forks and the 170mm models are fitted with 170mm forks. Knolly does note that either model’s frame (as they are identical) can handle forks between 160-180mm travel.
The Chilcotin features Knolly’s well-established Fourby4 suspension linkage, which has been updated for all the Gen 6 bikes. The revised linkage offers increased pedaling dynamics, providing a 15% improvement in pedaling response. The leverage curve has also been refined to provide more sensitivity and slightly more bottom-out resistance. Knolly tuned the new bikes so the shock’s mid-stroke will offer solid support for efficient pedaling without sacrificing traction.
Frame Details:
The Chilcotin continues with Knolly’s Trail 157 rear axle spacing, and the rear end can run up to 2.6” wide tires. Gen 6 Knollys are now SRAM UDH compatible, and they come with the brand’s own CNC-machined aluminum UDH hanger (which is stronger and stiffer than SRAM’s).
Along with Knolly’s other 6th-generation frames, the Chilcotin now offers size-specific chainstay lengths. One other update is straighter top tubes for a low standover height and better aesthetics. Knolly also went to a one-piece monoblock rocker link, which increases stiffness and reduces lateral stress on the shock mount. While the straighter top tube stands out visually, nearly every tube has been updated for the Gen 6 bikes.
Knolly’s new frames now employ Enduro bearings in all pivot points and feature flat tooling at bearing locations to make removal and servicing easier. Also, the updated lower shock mount now uses a 30mm axle so it’s compatible with Fox’s Roller Bearing Shock kits.
With a completely straight seat tube, the Chilcotin offers excellent dropper post compatibility. A small frame can run a 175mm travel post, and sizes medium and up can run 200mm+ posts. The frames’ seat masts accept 31.6mm diameter posts.
Other details include a 73mm threaded BB shell with removable ISCG-05 tabs and 180mm brake post mounts. The frames feature internal cable routing and interestingly – a compartment for a Shimano Di2 battery.
The Chilcotin has one water bottle mount on the down tube, and Knolly has added an accessory mount on the bottom of the top tube for on-bike tools, etc.
Geometry:
The Chilcotin offers two geometry settings via Neutral or Slack positions for the lower shock mount. Switching between the two alters the head tube and seat tube angles by 0.5°, and alters BB height by 10mm. There are very minor effects on other geo figures that aren’t shown in the charts.
Chilcotin 160/155 Geo:
Apparently, Knolly has decided to go pretty long with reach numbers, as the medium frame now measures a whopping 487mm. I currently own a 5th generation Chilcotin (medium) so I immediately noticed the reach has jumped considerably from 466mm.
The new frame’s head tube angles are marginally slacker at 64.25/64.75°. Chainstay lengths are now size-specific, but the 442mm length on the new medium is 4mm longer than my 5th-generation frame.
Interestingly, while Knolly says their straighter top tube keeps standover height low, it has actually increased on the Chilcotin. Where my Chilcotin’s curvy top tube offers a standover height of 710mm, the new frame is listed at 730mm. Stack height stays exactly the same at 626mm, and the new Chilcotin’s BB remains quite low at 336/346mm for slack/neutral settings. See the above chart for all other figures.
Chilcotin 170/170 Geo:
There are a few differences in geometry between the longer and shorter travel Chilcotins. First off, the 170mm model has half a degree slacker head tube angles at 63.75/64.25°. The seat tube angles are also 0.5° slacker.
Reach numbers are 4mm shorter on the 170/170, but rear-end lengths do not change between the two bikes. With a longer fork and shock, the Chilcotin 170/170’s BB height is 3mm higher, its standover height goes up by 3-4mm across all sizes, and its stack height is 630mm. These are just some examples of slight differences between the two models, check out the charts to crunch all the numbers.
Model Lineup:
Between the two travel options and four different build kits, there will be eight models of the new Chilcotin. For complete specs visit Knolly’s website; the model names indicate the componentry level of each.
Chilcotin 160/155:
- Deore: $4499
- GX/PSE: $5299
- GX/Factory: $5499
- XT: $5799
Chilcotin 170/170:
- Deore: $4499
- GX/PSE: $5399
- GX/Factory: $5599
- XT: $5899
The new Chilcotin will be available in four colors: Raw, Laguna Blue, Kelly Green Fade to Black, and Ano Black. Please note the pink Chilcotin shown in the photos is a team model only.
