QUICK HITS
• 200mm High Pivot Suspension
• Pinion C1.6 6-speed Gearbox
• Pinion Smart.Shift
• Mixed Wheels (29” F / 27.5” R)
WE DIG
WE DON’T
ABOUT THE ZERODE G3 DOWNHILL
The third generation of Zerode Bikes’ downhill mountain bike, the G3, sees some significant modernization to bring it to the forefront of downhill performance. With a Pinion C1.6 6-speed Gearbox shifted with their electronic Smart.Shift system, and a Gates Carbon Belt Drive in place of a chain, the G3 performs well on a “DH desirables” bingo card.
FRAME AND FEATURES | Zerode manufactures the G3 from aluminum alloy, integrating the Pinion gearbox neatly. A mixed-wheel setup (29” F / 27.5” R) features across all sizes, with no 29” rear wheel compatibility. The gearbox system sees no derailleur or tensioner mounted to the 142mm wide rear end; instead there’s a tensioner mounted to the front triangle. This tensioner takes up the slack on the Gates Carbon Drive belt as the suspension moves through its rearward travel. A small tab on the rear end helps to keep the belt in check, and the central ridge of the belt meshes with the three cogs to keep it running straight.
The Zerode G3 is built around a Pinion C1.6 6-speed Gearbox, which offers a 295% range – imagine a 10T to 29T cassette. This Pinion Gearbox can be shifted either with the mechanical Grip Shift system, or Pinion’s Smart.Shift electrical system which uses a trigger shifter on the bars. Both of these systems are routed internally through bolt-on ports at the head tube, as is the rear brake.
On the head tube there are bolt-on bumpers to keep the frame and fork safe. As mentioned, rear end spacing is 142mm with a 12mm axle, and the rear hub is a single speed unit to give balanced spoke tension for a stronger wheel. The seat post is interrupted by the shock placement, meaning that a dropper post would be a struggle – not that you’d want to do much pedaling uphill with this gearing setup. Finally, the rear brake’s 203mm post mount solidifies the G3’s downhill intentions.
SUSPENSION | The Zerode G3 may appear to have a Horst Link suspension system at first glance. However, the placement of the brake on the “seat stay” that is directly connected to the mainframe means it is in fact a linkage-driven single pivot system. The chainstay pulls on a rocker link inside the front triangle, which drives the shock. This linkage setup delivers a relatively high level of progression, with the leverage ratio going from 3.3 to 2.37 between 0mm and 150mm and leveling off at this low ratio for the remainder of the travel. This amounts to 28% progression overall. Bottom outs? You’re going to have to try for them.
The Anti Squat is consistent throughout the gear range thanks to the gearbox system and high pivot idler, sitting at 100% at sag and dropping off slightly towards bottom out. Anti Rise is very high due to the high single pivot, at around 160% at sag and dropping slightly to 130% at bottom out. This will force the suspension into its travel when using the rear brake, keeping the head angle from steepening excessively at the expense of suspension “freeness”. In practice, this may not be as much of an issue as it sounds, depending on the rider, as the Zerode ranks up there with the free-est suspension of them all.
GEOMETRY | Zerode offers the G3 in a choice of three sizes: Short, Medium or Long. All geometry figures are consistent outside of the reach and resulting wheelbase. Short has a 435mm Reach; the Medium tested had a 460mm, and long goes to 485mm.
Head Tube Angle is 63°; Stack is low at 615mm, and the bottom bracket sits 4mm below the axles giving a 350mm bb height at rest. The chainstays are 440mm long un-sagged but grow considerably through the travel due to the high pivot.
BUILD SPECS | The G3 can be purchased as an “origin” kit; with frame, shock and drivetrain for NZ$6000. Alternatively, the decked-out full build tested will run you NZ$10,300, with the Pinion Smart.Shift system running another $675 that we’d highly recommend spending.
The full build features a Fox Factory suspension package, with the Grip X2-equipped Fox 40 and a DHX2 coil shock. There’s a DT Swiss wheelset, running the 350 single speed rear hub and burly FR541 rims. These were wrapped in a Maxxis Assegai DH and Minion DHR2 DH tire combo.
The finishing kit is provided by Title, with their Alloy 25mm rise bar and 50mm Direct Mount stem; alloy seatpost and MS1 saddle. Rounding out the dialed specs are a Hayes Dominion A4 brake set, stopping on a pair of 203mm rotors.
All said and done, the Medium Zerode G3 full build weighed in at 18.9kg (41.7lbs).
THE DIRT
My testing period amounted to three sweet days spread across three different bike parks close to Queenstown, New Zealand. From berms with hero dirt to blown out hole-ridden downhill tracks that should have been a nightmare, the Zerode G3 saw it all, and came out the other side laughing. This laughter was at me…as it turns out, I simply don’t possess the balls to get the G3 past its limits.
SETUP | I was provided with the G3 in its stock full build setup, with a 475lb rear spring. As a 100kg (220lbs) rider, this delivered 25% sag on the shaft, however this amounted to just a shade under 30% at the wheel due to the progressive leverage ratio. A happy place to be. With 100psi in a slightly sticky Fox 40, it was down to the damping to do the rest of the work.
I was initially inclined to ask for the medium size, and it’s a good job – Zerode didn’t actually have a Long to give me at the time. That said, the Large would have been the better choice for my 6’2” (189cm) stature in hindsight, even with my preference for shorter bikes than convention and my shorter torso than most riders my height. The stock 25mm rise bars combined with the low 614mm Stack height didn’t help the fit, but things improved once a taller 35mm rise bar was fitted. With 10mm reach adjustment headsets possible with the straight steerer tube and large 56mm headtube, I could have dialled in the fit on either the Medium or Long to my preferred 470-480mm range for downhill bikes.
I was already familiar with the Pinion gearbox system, following an extended testing period on their Katipo enduro bike. That bike was equipped with the mechanical grip shift, which had its merits but ultimately wasn’t my favorite system to use. The Smart.Shift electrical trigger shifting on the other hand was an absolute pleasure to use. I’d suggest that most riders are going to find it fairly intuitive – its only limitation is shifting under load. The system is smart indeed though and will time a shift for when your cranks reach the top of the stroke, and your power output therefore drops to near-zero momentarily. I left the Pre.Select and Start.Select functions turned off throughout testing, however those seeking increased autonomy for their riding may enjoy their ability to shift automatically.
HOW DOES THE ZERODE G3 PERFORM?
There’s no doubting it, the Zerode G3 was an excellent machine when pointed downhill. However, it was not infallible. The high pivot with gearbox suspension characteristics were simply excellent for 90% of the time, but there was 10% where I struggled with the braking character caused by the extreme anti rise. I’ve struggled with high single pivots such as the Deviate Claymore in the past for the same reasons. Once acclimatized, a switch up to my riding style mostly eradicated the problems, but that’s not to say that every rider will be able to do the same.
The effects of the high anti-rise and its tendency to pull the bike into its travel typically presented themselves on rough extended flat corners, where it was difficult to let off the brakes. In these scenarios, the bike would hunker down varying amounts depending on the level of brake pull. Similarly, consecutive tight and steep corners where mid-corner braking was almost essential led to some struggles with predictability of the geometry – the braking combined with a g-out in the corner led to the rear end growing rapidly, offsetting the balance. A more considered and deliberate braking approach solved it, at the expense of maintaining flow. Typical berms and brakes-off flat corners yielded no such concerns with the Zerode G3 though. In fact, it was a delight to slap a groomed berm or to blast through mid-turn braking bumps.
With a lot of the testing period conducted on unfamiliar trails, there was a lot of trail braking going on, highlighting this character further. Does it matter for a downhill racer looking to eke out every last bit of speed from a track they know off by heart? I’d wager not – they would be able to seek out braking zones and let off the brakes otherwise.
Don’t get me wrong through, the rear end still feels pretty damn good when you’re on the brakes. This is a testament to just how good it works – it still feels good when it’s compromised, just not as excellent as when you’re death-gripping.
Jumping initially presented some issues, especially on smaller lips where pop was required to make a gap. The growing rear end was producing a notable forward bucking sensation, leading to some extremely nose-heavy landings. Some setup tweaks such as faster fork rebound helped somewhat, but a technique adjustment was required, pulling that little bit harder off the front end. Bigger jumps were no issue, and the G3 performed amicably in a bikepark setting with bigger lips. I regularly found myself deliberately going to flat or pulling up into a rock garden or braking bump-infested landing to make the best of the Zerode’s incredible hit taking abilities.
So then, that leads me into what’s so incredible about the Zerode G3: the rear suspension, at least when you’re not being a p**sy and trail braking. Combining the high pivot with a lighter rear wheel and low pedal kickback, you’re left with an insane amount of comfort and traction. The rear end simply absolutely eats up rough terrain, without removing all feeling of what’s happening at the rear wheel. There’s also just about enough support to keep this big rig moving through mellower terrain, though it’s by no means the peppiest downhill bike. The progression on the rear end kept me off the bottom out bumper and charging mindlessly through the chunkiest of chunk though, almost giddy at its bump eating abilities.
The belt drive and single speed system ran absolutely silently and produced no perceivable vibrations, giving the bike an extremely calm overall feel. The frame errs on the stiffer side for an alloy mountain bike, but there’s enough comfort and traction-seeking flex to keep the G3 on track. I truly believe the performance of the Zerode G3 when you’re off the brakes is unmatched, at least compared to anything with a chain and derailleur.
Aside from the medium being a little small for this large man, I’d say the geometry was all very sensibly selected by Zerode to give the stability required to push hard without removing all agility. With the higher rise bar fitted there was a solid “in-the-bike” feeling, and the balance between the wheels was excellent.
FINISH AND VALUE | If you’re in New Zealand, the Zerode G3 seems like pretty good value. Elsewhere the conversion, shipping and taxes may bump that pricing up, but the overall pricing and quality don’t feel too far out there for what you’re getting and how it’s likely to hold up.
The Zerode G3 frame is well finished, with all of the details covered and a generally high level of user friendliness. Getting the rear wheel in and out is a little tricky, with the belt drive tensioner taking a little fighting to get the belt off. But otherwise, it all went together easily and was simple to work on.
I suffered from some cable rattle initially, but managed to resolve it with a little attention. The raw paint finish looks as if it’s very durable, with no evidence of the abuse it’s sustained from myself and the prior riders. Taking the shock out, everything was well aligned and ran smooth. Trying as hard as I could, I couldn’t force any rear tire rub on the chainstays, highlighting the plentiful clearance in the rear end.
In a dream world, there would be length-adjustable chainstays on the G3, or at least size-specific stays. A flip chip or headset insert would be nice too to tweak the handling to the race track at hand, but on the other side I appreciate the simplistic approach overall.
COMPONENT REPORT
The build kit Zerode put together for the G3 left very little to be desired. Quality suspension that’s highly adjustable, solid brakes and wheels. Other than switching out the handlebar due to preference, it was ready to rally.
Pinion C1.6 w/Smart.Shift | There’s no denying that the Pinion gearbox has increased drag compared with a clean and well-lubed chain and cassette. However, on a downhill bike I’d wager that the improved reliability and weight balance is well worth the compromise. The energy that you may lose from the increased drag is likely to be repaid in the reduced energy needed to keep the bike on track through the rough. And with no derailleur to rip off or mech hanger to bend, the Pinion system is likely to stand up to the abuse notably longer.
Shifting with the Smart.Shift system is a pleasure. It won’t shift under a hard sprinting effort, however you can shift to your heart’s content while you’re coasting, which is incredibly useful once you’ve trained your brain. And every single time you stamp on the pedals, you can do so with all of your might, without worrying about gears skipping or snapping a chain from cross-loading. I went through my three days without any concerns about the Pinion system or the belt drive – no lubing or even cleaning the belt was required; and the battery in the Smart.Shift system still has plenty life. Consider me very impressed.
The Wolf’s Last Word
If you’re a rider who can read the trail ahead and brakes with purpose, the Zerode G3 is a simply incredible example of downhill performance. Even for riders with a tendency to drag the brake it’s a solid performer, however its braking character will slightly compromise the suspension performance if you struggle to get off the brakes like me. 
Price: NZ$10,975 / €8,690 (Full Bike w/Smart.Shift – Tested)
Website: Zerodebikes.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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