Whyte have taken the E-120, which was the company’s first all-carbon full suspension bike, and used it as a basis to build a new 146mm travel bike with a frame that is actually lighter than the shorter travel E-120.

This weight saving has been made possible with a new monocoque frame that adopts the increasingly standard tapered headtube to increase stiffness. The bottom bracket has press-fit 30mm bearings and there are ISCG mounts. The Quad-Link suspension design is still used, housed cosily inside the frame above the massive downtube and underneath the wide swingarm. To remedy the annoyance of whacking your knees on the front link, it has been made narrower.

At the end of the swingarm are new removable dropouts which are held in place with three socket head cap screws and on the disk brake side they feature post mount with alloy trunion nuts. So in the event of a stripped thread you won’t be faced with an expensive repair bill. The axle is Shimano’s 142mm E-Thru system.

The frame comes fitted with three hose guides for a remote “dropper” style seat post, and the 146 Works model will actually come specced with a new Rock Shox Reverb seat post as standard. The rear disc hose and derailleur cables are routed underneath the downtube with Rivet Nut style clamps to securely hold them in place.

Two models, the 146 S and 146 Works will be available. The Works will be fitted with a Fox Float 150 RCL Fit fork with QR15 axle, SRAM XX groupset and Easton EZ90 wheels with RockShox’s Reverb dropper seatpost, while the S will make do with the non too shabby SRAM X-9/X.O groupset and Fox Float 150 RL Fit fork.

Expected availitably is October. A frame only option will be available too. Prices TBC. More info at www.whytebikes.com