Kavenz VHP 16 V7
Wheel Size: 29’’ front / 27.5’’ or 29’’ rear
Travel: 160 mm rear / 160–180 mm front
Geometry Highlights:
- Sizes offered: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Headtube angle: 64°
- Reach: 480 mm (size Large)
- Chainstay length: 425 mm, with +0, +10, and +20 mm dropout options available
Frame Material: Aluminum
Price:
- €2,795 incl. VAT / $2,655 USD excl. VAT (frame only, no shock)
Intro
Born from the 77-Designz component brand, Kavenz has done things a bit differently from the start. With the V7, Kavenz has transformed the VHP (“virtual high pivot”) frame design into a modular platform that can become six different bikes with the simple swap of a shock and shock mount — from the 120 mm VHP 12 aimed at the short travel crowd to the 184 mm travel VHP 18 Downhill bike.
The VHP 16 is the heart of the platform, and is a bike we tested (and found quite impressive) back in 2022. The updated version keeps a similar frame silhouette and design but adds some new features and a lot of adjustment options. Let’s dig in to find out what Kavenz has cooked up.
The Frame
Kavenz was notably transparent in the development of the initial VHP 16 frame design, with their social media channels featuring videos of frame testing and a deeper look into the intricacies and challenges of the ground-up frame design. Kavenz hasn’t changed the basic silhouette of the VHP platform since that initial VHP 16 development, keeping a fairly traditional front triangle shape (hooray for easy water bottle fitment) paired with a high pivot suspension design and elevated chainstays. The frame is still made in Germany and uses 7020 aluminum for the front triangle and 6061 aluminum for the rear.
Kavenz is quite forthcoming about the specific metrics of the suspension layout and kinematics. We covered many of those traits quite deeply in our review of the prior version of the VHP 16, but in short, Kavenz has used a Horst Link layout in concert with a high pivot design in order to get some of the rearward axle path benefits of a high pivot while avoiding some of the drawbacks that come with the very high anti-rise often accompanying high single pivot designs.
The prior VHP 16 we tested had an impressive combination of suspension traits that made for an efficient climber and confident but playful descender. Kavenz has kept the same suspension kinematics with the VHP 16, with anti-squat sitting at a high 140% at sag and anti-rise at just over 90% throughout the travel. The use of an idler allows that high anti-squat to be accompanied with fairly low pedal kickback, maxing out at 6.5°. The rearward axle path creates about 15 mm of rearward axle movement, peaking 100 mm into the rear wheel travel — running the MX configuration bumps that rearward axle movement to just over 20 mm. The leverage curve remains the same as the prior VHP 16, going from 2.85:1 to 2.2:1 in a fairly linearly progressive fashion. One structural update here is that Kavenz has redesigned the rocker link to drop some weight with this V7 iteration, with that link now weighing in at just 270 grams.
Note that the numbers above are for the 29” version of the VHP 16. Depending on your selected suspension characteristics do change in the other permutations of the frame, such as the VHP12 or VHP18, but Kavenz publishes those curves as well within their charts if you want to geek out further — see those graphs below.
Speaking of those other iterations of the VHP frame, Kavenz has managed to pack a ton of modularity into the frame design. The VHP 16 has, as the name suggests, 160 mm of travel — the VHP12, VHP15, and VHP18 all feature 120 mm, 150 mm, and 184 mm of travel, respectively. The VHP 16 and VHP18 are available in MX versions as well with a 27.5” rear wheel. In all cases, the front and rear triangles are the same, with the changes being managed by swapping to a different shock stroke and/or a different lower shock mount. The fact that Kavenz offers this level of customization with such a (relatively) minor change is very unique and creates a whole lot of potential within a single frame. As an example, a rider who is so inclined could keep the bike in VHP 16 mode as a daily driver, but then make a simple swap to a dual crown fork, longer stroke shock, and different shock mount for smashing bike park laps.
Beyond the numerous travel configurations, Kavenz also now offers interchangeable dropouts, which we’ll talk about in the geometry section below. Those updated dropouts use a UDH interface, making sourcing derailleur hangers quite simple while also allowing for the use of SRAM’s T-Type groupsets. The idler pulley has been updated from 14T to 16T, likely reducing drag a bit, and it’s also made of a longer-lasting steel for lower maintenance down the road. The bearings used on the frame are now Enduro’s higher-end Black Oxide offering, which should help keep things rolling smoothly for a bit longer in harsh climates.
Fit & Geometry
Kavenz has largely stuck with the same geometry as the prior version we tested, and from our perspective that’s a good thing. The big update here is the modular dropout system, which allows for +0, +10, and +20 mm dropout options. Despite the 15 mm of rearward axle path due to the high pivot placement, the 425 mm chainstays on the prior version we tested were quite short, and while the rear center didn’t feel particularly short on the trail, that shorter rear center likely contributed to the bike’s notably quick handling. From a baseline of 425 mm (in the 29er setting, or 419 mm in the MX one), the chainstays have held steady with the +0 mm dropout option and grown substantially with the +10 and +20 mm ones. This means more proportionate rear centers are now possible in larger sizes, but it also opens the door to lots of customization for riders who might prefer a longer, more stable-feeling rear center.
In addition to the six sizes offered (XS – 3XL), Kavenz still offers semi-custom geometry at no additional upcharge to help riders find exactly the fit they’re looking for. The stock size Large, for example, is very much in line with other modern Enduro bikes: 480 mm reach, 639 mm stack, 450mm seat tube, 64° head angle, and 435 mm chainstays. Customers who like that reach measurement but are looking for something slightly different can choose a longer or shorter seat tube, choose a longer or shorter dropout, or bump the stack measurement by going for a 125 mm head tube instead of the standard 110 mm one on the Large.
When accounting for the different travel and wheel size options, Kavenz claims that the frame offers 576 different possible configurations of travel, rear center, front center, stack, and seat tube length. That is certainly impressive, but because Kavenz relies on conventional sizing as a baseline, it also makes the level of customization feel quite approachable.
The Build
Kavenz doesn’t currently offer complete builds — it’s a frame-only affair, with the option to purchase a shock and/or fork to complete the package. Kavenz offers Fox, EXT, and Intend shock options along with Fox forks; check out their website for the details.
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) The Kavenz VHP platform is impressively versatile, with different travel, wheel size, and chainstay options easily customized by a few modular parts. How easy is it to swap between shock mounts and chainstay lengths though, and how useful is all of that adjustment potential?
(2) The prior version of the VHP 16 had very short chainstays on larger sizes, but how will the longer rear-center options of the V7 change the bike’s personality?
(3) The VHP 16 is positioned as a race-ready Enduro bike by Kavenz. How does it compare to other aggressive (and aluminum) bikes like the RAAW Madonna V3 or Privateer 161 Gen 2?
Banshee Titan a relevant comp?