Test: With the Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz, we tested a bike that was unusual in many respects. With additional elastomer damping in the rear and a wheel size that is unusual for an XC race bike, it stands out from the crowd and we were curious to see how it would prove in practice.
Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz: frame and geometry
Right at the beginning we look at one of the big highlights of the Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz - namely the frame. The first medium-sized surprise is Corratec's decision to put its thoroughbred cross-country bike on 650b wheels and thus clearly swim against the tide. After all, 29″ bikes are now standard in the XC and marathon sector, and for good reasons. Of course, we were all the more excited about the driving characteristics of the approx. 11kg carbon fullies.
What the heart of the Upper Bavarian racing file has to offer is already in the model designation. Let's start at the beginning: Inside Link is the name of the rear end concept from the manufacturer from Raubling, which has been used on fullies for years. Translated, Inside Link means "inner joint" and that's where you hit the nail on the head: The rear end rotates around a virtual pivot point located in the area of the rear frame triangle. Other very successful kinematic concepts such as VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) or Giants Maestro rely on the same principle. The big advantages lie in a very high anti-squat value, which prevents seesaw through a lot of chain tension and in the complete decoupling of the rear triangle from the overall system. The latter means that the response behavior does not change even during braking. The rear end of the Inside Link Carbon 10hz provides 80mm of spring travel – plus 15mm of “additional spring travel”, which we will take a closer look at in a moment.
Let's skip a word that should be self-explanatory for most bike aficionados; the frame of the XC-Fullies is made of carbon in all equipment variants. The construction is complex and beautifully executed: The cables and lines run in the down tube of the main frame and from there are routed to their destination on the outside. The workmanship of the bike, which in our case costs almost €5.000, is impeccable and the design is quite successful. At first glance, the voluminous connection between the seat and chain stays takes some getting used to, and it also limits the tire clearance somewhat – in most cases, 2,25″ is the end. Of course, thru axles are now de rigueur - contrary to the current trend, Corratec still relies on the proven 142mm axle standard and does not use Boost.
Continuing with the Corratec nomenclature: Now it's the turn of the appendage 10hz. This is an elastomer that sits between the damper and its mount on the frame. You read that right: an elastomer! But stop - before you continue clicking and trying to distract yourself from the dark memories of elastomer suspension forks 20 years ago. In the case of Corratec's 10hz technology, the small and inconspicuous rubber buffer serves as an additional damping or rather spring element in addition to the existing damper. But why? Well, the train of thought of the developers is understandable: bumps on the ground first end up on the tires, which - depending on the air pressure and width - cushion some of them. The 'other' shocks are passed on and normally end up in the suspension fork and damper. The problem: Fine bumps and vibrations that the tires cannot absorb but are not strong enough to overcome the breakaway torque of modern air shocks end up on the driver. This is exactly where the elastomer should show its advantages and absorb exactly these shocks, vibrations and oscillations. The goal is smoother driving behavior and less fatigue.
So much for the technical values of the Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz frame - but an appropriate geometry is at least as important for balanced handling. The first thing you notice here is that the bike is only available in three sizes; Although you can balance one or the other with the stem length or spacers, we would still have welcomed another in-between size. Otherwise, the numbers clearly show where the journey is headed: The bike is pretty racy and designed for a lot of propulsion: The steering angle is very steep at 71°, a short head tube and low stack ensure a stretched seating position with a lot of saddle elevation.
Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz Geometry
44 | 49 | 54 | |
seat tube (in mm) | 440 | 490 | 540 |
Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 593 | 610 | 633 |
head tube (in mm) | 105 | 115 | 125 |
chainstay (in mm) | 445 | 445 | 445 |
Wheelbase (in mm) | 1095 | 1141 | 1159 |
Steering angle (in °) | 71 | 71 | 71 |
Seat angle (in °) | 73 | 73 | 73 |
Reach (mm) | 424 | 441 | 459 |
Stacks (in mm) | 570 | 580 | 589 |
Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz: Features
frame | Inside Link Carbon 10hz |
suspension fork | Rock Shox Reba RL |
Suspension shocks | Rock Shox Monarch R |
Wheels | ZZYZX Cross Attack 650b |
Tire VR | Continental RaceKing 2,2 folding tire |
Tire HR | Continental RaceKing 2,2 folding tire |
derailleur | Shimano XT 11-speed |
Gear levers | Shimano XT |
Crank | Shimano XT |
Front derailleur | Shimano XT |
Brake | Shimano Deore M615 |
Brake discs | Shimano RT56 180/160 |
Seat post | ZZYZX Aluminum 31.6 |
Saddle | Corratec Race |
Stem | ZZYZX 31.8 |
Links | ZZYZX 6 Series 720mm |
We tested the €4.999 XT version of the race bike. Alternatively, there is a slightly cheaper model with an SLX/XT mix but just as high-quality chassis and the top model with XTR gears and RS-1 Upside Down fork from Rock Shox. The latter, however, also tears a decent hole in your wallet at just under €8.000. Our mid-range variant already comes with a powerful suspension from Rock Shox. At the front, Corratec installed the proven Reba with 100mm spring travel and the rather simple RL version with lockout on the handlebars. In the rear there is a Monarch R damper, which can also be lured for long climbs - but in this case only with a thumb lever on the damper itself.
As the name already tells us, the entire drive comes from Shimano, more precisely from the XT series of the Japanese component giant. Here one has not saved on hidden places and only components from the current 11-speed group are installed from the rear derailleur, front derailleur, chain, cassette and shifter. The brakes are a small exception: The M615 stoppers from the Deore group are used here, but experience has shown that they are only slightly inferior to their XT counterparts and only weigh a few grams more. With a 180 mm disc at the front and 160 mm at the rear, you are prepared for all eventualities given the area of application.
The wheels come from Corratec's own brand ZZYZX. The Cross Attack 650b offer solid fare with the aluminum rims (internal width 21,5mm) and a weight of around 1.750g, but they are not a highlight either. The problem-free conversion to tubeless is a positive feature. The tires from Continental are supposed to provide traction on the ground - with the Race King you are relying on a tried-and-tested tire that rolls incredibly well, but is not for difficult terrain. It is also incomprehensible to us why such a high-quality bike is based on the cheap rubber compound instead of the great Black Chili Compound.
All attachments are made in-house: The 720mm wide handlebars, stem and seat post are from ZZYZX, the saddle is from Corratec itself.
Corratec Inside Link Carbon 10hz: On the trail
After so much theory, of course, the driving impressions from practice should not be missing. I have to say that it's been a long time since we had such an agile and efficient uphill bike like the Corratec Inside Link Carbon. The taut rear end doesn't teeter at all, even with the shock open, but remains active enough to iron out bumps. The very steep steering angle and the rather long chainstays mean that the bike literally sticks to the ground, even on steep ramps. Rising front wheel? Definitely not here. But it also has to be said that the bike probably has even more potential: If things get a bit more technical uphill or downhill, 29″ wheels would certainly tease out a little bit more.
The same applies to longer, flat stretches, which are well known from MTB marathons. The Corratec does a great job here, too, but it feels like there's still room for improvement. The 10hz elastomer can best be experienced on such forest highways. While other bikes tend to have unpleasant vibrations that you hardly notice, but become unpleasant over time, the Corratec remains largely silent. The difference isn't huge, the elastomer isn't revolutionary, but it's definitely noticeable for everyone.
As expected, the wide gear ratio and the impeccable drive did an absolutely reliable job and worked in all conditions without a murmur - the same applies to the brakes, which also made a positive and unobtrusive impression. The Inside Link Carbon quickly reaches its limits on somewhat rough passages and when the descent is more or less steep: On downhills, the rather short main frame and the very steep steering angle mean that the bike quickly becomes nervous and demands a lot of work from the driver. However, the rear end was also very positive here: Always active and firm but with noticeable reserves, the 80mm felt like a lot more.
The tires sometimes proved to be a fun brake – especially when it got a little wet, they tended to slip quickly, especially on stones and roots. In addition, the RaceKing offers very little cornering grip at the front - if in doubt you have to slow down a bit here. Anyone who likes to travel a lot off-road should therefore think about a set of more powerful tyres; our choice would be, for example, the Conti XKing in Black Chili mixture - preferably as a protection variant, then the Corratec can also be quickly converted to tubeless.
So all in all a really good, light XC bike for fairly easy terrain and people who enjoy going uphill at least as much as going downhill.
Alex says
I drive a 10hz myself and can only confirm the positive impressions. I also think that it is a beautiful bike and that the service at corratec is top notch! I cannot understand the criticism that it is not a 29er. For me, 27,5 is the optimal size - 29er is not possible! So it's definitely a matter of taste...