The new carbon Full Tilt Boogie frame from Van Dessel.
Last year, we saw Van Dessel racers Laura Van Gilder and Mike Garrigan hitting the courses on their new aluminum Aloominator frames from Van Dessel. This year, the carbon Full Tilt Boogie (full review in Issue 21) is back with some changes for 2015. Van Dessel gave us a sneak preview with some 3D renderings and a few details about the new frame.
“We are still testing layup, so final weight is still not exact, but it will be lighter than the previous Full Tilt Boogie by at least 100 grams,” Van Dessel’s Edwin Bull told us. The frame will be available in five sizes, but the smallest size has been reduced to a 48cm, with the sizes in between evened out between that and the largest 58cm size.
The 2011 version of the Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie. © Cliff Lee
“This is a completely new frame and fork that I’ve been working on for the past two years,” Bull says. “These frame and fork are 100% our own new molds and design.” The framesets are available as disc brake-only, with interchangeable rear dropouts that are 142×12 and 135mm quick release compatible. “We will have two forks—one thru axle, and one standard quick release,” Bull says, showcasing the growing trend of thru axles for cyclocross, including Raleigh and Focus. “We will have framesets and complete bikes available, as well as our own thru axle wheels in three levels: OEM clincher, alloy tubular, high end carbon tubular.”
The new thru axle version of the carbon fork for the 2015 Full Tilt Boogie from Van Dessel.
The frame will be compatible with front and rear through axle or quick release wheels, with 40mm tire clearance (good for gravel racing!) and disc brake post mounts front and rear, for 140mm front and rear rotors (an interesting choice since most bikes are coming with 160mm front rotors). Unlike past models, Full Tilt Boogie won’t be disc and canti-compatible, and will be available as disc-only. The bike will have internal cable routing for both mechanical and electric shifting and a PF30 bottom bracket.
Pricing and full specs haven’t been finalized, but will be soon, since the ship date is slated for July.
“We haven’t finalized our fall race program yet,” Bull said, “but we will be out at the races from Nittany through Nationals and Worlds and expect to have Laura Van Gilder and Mike Garrigan riding for us on these frames.”
