The Forbidden Dreadnought is renowned as a genuine trailblazer, forging a path for high-pivot performance bikes. The original Dreadnought is one of the best enduro bikes around and has proven itself ready to tackle anything from the rigors of the race track to all-day bike park laps, and just about everything in between, offering riders a bike with loads of versatility.
Forbidden has now launched the Dreadnought V2 and it gets the brand's next-gen high-pivot suspension platform featuring 160mm of travel paired with a 170mm fork. Forbidden has taken its next-gen suspension first seen on what they say is the class-leading Forbidden Druid and Supernought, and added it to the Dreadnought. Forbidden adds they have overhauled every detail of its rowdy bike park brawler and Dreadnought V2 is a mountain bike that blends the Druid's agility and pop with the Supernought's speed and stability.
During the design process of the new Dreadnought Forbidden have collaborated with its factory race team and its team of test riders to pull in as much feedback on the original Dreadnought and the current V2 platform bikes. They say that the feedback gathered has allowed them to opt for a more centered weight distribution on the Dreadnought which is claimed to deliver 'sweet spot' handling in nearly all situations, and they add it will give riders more confidence and comfort to trust both the bike and themselves when things get rowdy.
Forbidden says another goal for the new Dreadnought V2 was to maintain its ability to plough through the roughest of terrain. So V2 like its Druid sibling now gets an updated version of the Trifecta suspension system which gives the Dreadnought the rearward axle path that Forbidden is known for. They also claim to have improved small bump sensitivity and grip, added mid-stroke support, improved bottom-out control, and optimized pedaling and braking performance.
The Dreadnought V2 is available in MX (a 29-inch front wheel with a 27.5-inch rear) or 29er options and customers will be able to make wheel size configuration changes via the modular dropouts that come in 27.5in +10mm, 27.5in -10mm, and 29in +10mm options. This gives owners the ability to customize weight bias and handling characteristics to suit riding style or terrain and make meaningful geometry adjustments too. 200mm direct brake mounts are included as standard and the Dreadnought framesets are sold with MX and 29er dropouts.
Forbidden says they are still the only MTB bike brand that offers truly proportional sizing and the rear centers change in proportion to the front center measurements. The underlying philosophy is to ensure that riders of different sizes can experience the same intended weight balance and ride characteristics of their bikes.
Sized from S1 to S4 they add the S1 sizing has some of the smallest reach and rear center measurements of any dual 29er MTB in the best enduro bike category which is 435mm to 495mm on the 29er and 430mm-491mm on the MX. Elsewhere the geometry has also seen minor changes with the head angle being 63.5 degrees on the 29er and 63.1 on the MX. The seat tube angle is 77.5 degrees on the 29er and 77.1 on the MX.
Pricing, specs and availability
The Forbidden Dreadnought V2 will come in three build options and two colorways named – Bloody Sabbath (named after a Black Sabbath album) and Fatty T (a beer). The top-of-the-line Dreadnought X0 RockShox Ultimate spec highlights are the SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission, a RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork and a RockShox Vivid Ultimate shock. SRAM Maven Ultimate brakes and Crankbrothers Synthesis 11 Carbon wheelset. Pricing at $9,299 / £9,299 / €10,999.
The Dreadnought GX RockShox Select Plus build features a SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission, a RockShox Zeb Select+ fork, and a RockShox Vivid Select+ shock. SRAM Maven Silver braking and Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Alloy wheels, priced at $7,299 / £7,299 / €9,099.
Finally, the Dreadnought GX RockShox Select build has a SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission, a RockShox Zeb Select fork, a RockShox Vivid Select shock. SRAM Maven Bronze brakes and Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Alloy wheelset. Pricing is $6,499 / £6,499 / €7,899.
All builds come in the choice of a 29er or Mixed (MX) wheel configuration and is also available as a frameset-only option with a RockShox Vivid Ultimate shock, 29er and MX Dropouts (0mm) and 200mm Brake Mounts priced at $4,299 / £3,899 / €4,399
Check out all the details and ordering information at ForbiddenBike.com.
Paul Brett
Staff writer
Paul Brett is a staff writer forBikePerfect.com. He has been an avid cyclist for as long as he can remember, initially catching the mountain biking bug in the 1990s, and raced mountain bikes for over a decade before injury cut short a glittering career. He’s since developed an obsession for gravel riding and recently has dabbled in the dark art of cyclocross. A fan of the idea of bikepacking he has occasionally got involved and has ridden routes like the North Coast 500, Scotland and the Via Francigena (Pilgrim Route), Italy.
Current rides: Marin Alpine Trail 2, Ribble 725, Cube Stereo 160
Height: 175cm
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