DT Swiss, and its UK distributor, Hotlines, invited BikeRadar out to sunny Scotland to sample some wares, namely a new fork, shock, and wheelset. In the now famous Tweed Valley, we were given the chance to try out the new gear on some of the technical trails that made up the Scottish round of the Enduro World Series. We were also privy to some tantalising hints as to the future plans of the company.
Available with 100-150mm travel, the OPM is designed to cater for the XC/trail/all-mountain expanse of the MTB spectrum. The 'E word' is not to be used here! The ODL model (£750) offers the now familiar trio of preset platform modes – here given the names Open, Drive, and Lock. The open mode can be fine-tuned via a low-speed compression adjuster, offering 20 clicks to play with. The locked-out mode is a full-on, no-nonsense lock for maximum efficiency, while the Drive mode that sits between the two offers a firm platform that still allows a little movement. An OL version is available (£530) that lacks both the intermediate setting and the fine-tuning of the Open mode.
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The 32mm stanchions, 15mm axle and one-piece magnesium lower are designed to impart enough stiffness for all-mountain riding, while keeping the claimed weight at a potentially impressive 1620g (100mm travel 29er). SKF wiper seals are intended to reduce friction and increase longevity too.
On the trail, the fork was noticeably supple over small bumps, with a usefully progressive air spring that handled larger hits without excessive bottom-out. The Lock predictably mode gave a completely rigid feel, while the Drive option added some of this efficiency without being excessively jarring. In the open mode, the compression adjuster allowed a good balance of support and sensitivity to be found (six clicks from open for our 85kg tester). On our short test ride, we could detect no significant bushing-bind or flex from our 150mm-travel, 650b sample. A full review would be required to determine how the performance of the OPM compares with its competitors, but its showing on this test ride was certainly promising.
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