?unique=97c9b50)
Overview
The Katana is a new bike offered by Lal Bikes. It combines an innovative suspension system, unmatched drivetrain durability, and a dialed ride feel. It has 150mm of front travel and 130mm of high-pivot rear travel. The front triangle is made of steel for stability and ride quality, and the swingarm is made of carbon for its low weight and high stiffness.
The Katana is for the rider who wants a playful bike that balances the ability to hold a line, rail corners, and charge at high speeds. It’s for those who crave the performance of high-pivot suspension without sacrificing pedaling efficiency. And most of all, it’s for riders who want to have fun.
The Katana isn’t just another high-pivot mountain bike—it features the Supre Drive. This drivetrain has the reliability of a gearbox combined with the efficiency and low weight of a derailleur drivetrain. The hydraulically damped chain tensioner keeps the drivetrain dead silent, while the Supre derailleur, with its ground clearance, eliminates the risk of bent derailleur cages.
What's included
- Katana frame
- seat collar
- rear axle
- OneUp Bash Plate
- Supre Derailleur
- Supre Chain Tensioner
- Supre Idler Pulley Kit
When completing the purchase right before shipping, there will be an option to add a shock and other parts. You can also ask us about getting a fully custom build.
Product details
- Travel: 130mm may seem like a small amount of travel, but it’s high-pivot, so it punches above its weight and pairs well with the 150mm up front. This combination makes the Katana a do-it-all type of bike—a true all-mountain bike.
- Carbon swingarm: The swingarm is made of carbon fiber for its low weight and high stiffness. The swingarm is unsprung weight, just like the wheels and everything else that moves with the suspension. Decreasing unsprung weight improves suspension performance by allowing the wheel to react more quickly to bumps, maintaining better traction and control.
- Steel front triangle: The front triangle is made from high strength Reynolds 853 tubes. This steel front triangle has an excellent ride feel. The ideal amount of unsprung weight is zero, but the ideal amount of sprung weight (like the front triangle) is not zero. We believe that steel hits the sweet spot for sprung weight.
- Flex stays: The Katana uses flex stays, where engineered flex in the carbon swingarm replaces a traditional pivot. When designed correctly, flex stays are mechanically elegant—they simplify the bike, eliminate bearings, and reduce weight. We designed the Katana’s suspension with just 3 degrees of flexing. The resistance builds up progressively with practically no flexing early in the travel so that the suspension is supple.
- Durability: The Supre Drive is the Katana’s core durability advantage because the derailleur is tucked far from the ground. At the same time, the Katana has huge main pivot bearings (double row, 13mm wide, 3002 LLU), and there are secondary o-ring seals for protecting the pivot bearings from contamination.
- Colors: For the founders edition of the Katana, the front triangle is powder coated black and the aluminum parts are clear anodized.
- Wheel size: The bike can be purchased as a mullet or full 29er. The change is made by swapping the rocker link that will also be available by itself.
- Shock size: 195x45, standard eyelets
- Hub spacing: Super Boost 157, for reduced cross-chaining angles in the climbing gears (like the We Are One Arrival)
- Weight of frame: 3.5kg (size S3, no shock)
- Water bottles: Big water bottles fit in the front triangle.
- Dropper insertion: The seat tube is short and straight all the way down to the bottom bracket shell for excellent dropper insertion capability.
- Cable routing: Shift and brake cables are fully external. (The designer of this bike was once a local bike shop mechanic.)
- Drivetrain part compatibility: The current version of the Supre Drive is compatible specifically with Shimano 12-speed chains, cassettes, and shifters. The chainline is 52mm and the rear hub is Super Boost (like the We Are One Arrival) for reduced cross-chaining angles and an increased drivetrain lifespan. The tensioner arm works with chainring sizes from 28 to 34 teeth, and it requires a T47 bottom bracket (threaded).
- Lifetime warranty: We’ll repair or replace any Katana frame or Supre part that we determine to be defective in materials or workmanship. This warranty is for the lifetime of the frame or drivetrain part and is available only to the original owner.
Kinematics
Anti-squat
The Katana has a lot of anti-squat but with normal pedal kickback because of the magical effect of the idler pulley. The anti-squat increases in higher (faster) gears for more support when pedaling out of the saddle.
Leverage ratio
The leverage ratio is moderately high for a less damped and more energetic feel. The shape and height of the leverage ratio curve is similar to that of the We Are One Arrival.
Anti-rise
Although the Katana has a single-pivot high-pivot suspension system, the anti-rise is low because of the forward placement of the main pivot. Moving the main pivot forward reduces brake caliper rotation, bringing anti-rise in line with other state-of-the-art suspension designs.
Axle path
The axle path has a maximum horizontal travel of 15mm which we believe is the sweet spot for high-pivot bikes. This gives the benefits of high-pivot suspension—including square-edge bump absorption, maintained momentum, a stable wheelbase, and low pedal kickback—without excessive change in rear-center.
Geometry
The Katana will initially be offered in four sizes, with the reach ranging from 445mm for the size S1 to 505mm for the size S4.
Preorder terms and conditions
Thank you for your interest in preordering our Katana frame with Supre drivetrain components. These products are the result of years of design and testing, and we're excited to bring them to riders who demand next-level performance and innovation. Please read the following terms carefully before placing your preorder.
Preorder overview
By placing a preorder, you are reserving a Katana frame equipped with Supre drivetrain components (or a complete bike, depending on your selection at checkout). This is a limited-production item with an estimated lead time of up to 12 months from your preorder date.
Deposit and total price
Deposit Amount: 500 CAD (refundable at any time)
Total Product Price: 4,850 CAD
Balance due: 4,350 CAD (plus applicable taxes and shipping), payable when your Katana frame and Supre Drive is ready to ship.
Your preorder is not a full purchase but a reservation. The deposit will be applied toward the final purchase price.
Refunds and cancellations
You may cancel your preorder and receive a full refund of your 500 CAD deposit at any time before the final invoice is paid. To request a refund, contact us at cedric@lalbikes.com. Once the final payment has been made and your order has shipped, the standard return policy applies (to be provided separately).
Final payment and delivery
You'll be notified via email when your product is ready. At that time, you'll receive a secure payment link for the remaining balance. Once payment is received, we will ship your product to the address on file. If final payment is not received within a month, your preorder may be canceled, and your deposit refunded.
Estimated Fulfillment Timeline
We estimate product delivery within 12 months of your preorder date. This is an estimate and may be subject to change based on production, supplier, or logistics factors. We will provide periodic updates throughout the process.
Product Changes
Due to the nature of prototype-to-production development, some design or specification changes may occur. We commit to maintaining or improving the performance and quality of the final product and will notify you of any major changes.