The Straight 6 is an ‘extreme XC’er’ with teeth. The Lawill design (rather than designed, Mert Lawill designed the rear end on the 8 and Schwinn handed it down to the 6) linkage rear end is controlled with a Fox Vanilla R through a full six inches, matron. With five inch travel single-crown Rock Shock Psylos (most talked about fork of the year?) up front.

The Straight 6 is very nicely specced; XT discs and cranks, a sprinkling of XTR, the aforementioned Psylo forks, etc, but then £2,499 is a lot of dosh by anyone’s standard. While the bike is gorgeous you can buy more for less. Importers Schwinn/GT, 0117 952 8650, are going to make the available frame only for £999 if you’ve already got a pile of bits.

Just in case you were wondering: the Straight 8, Schwinn’s top of the pile, four bar linkage, DH’er , comes as frame only next year. Those of you who fancy on will be pleased to hear that they can join the ‘eight inch club’ for the not inconsiderable sum of £2,299! Non-Lottery winners among us might like to stare at one for a while…

It’s all on the Schwinn website you know, trouble is the site seems to down as much as it is up, rats.