Prototype AON Racing x Gamux Gearbox DH Bike Hides Many Secrets on the World Cup!

AON Racing and Swiss CNC bike manufacturer Gamux have unveiled a striking new prototype downhill bike featuring a belt-drive and gearbox system, which has been making waves in the World Cup circuit. The bike, ridden by AON Racing team members including Reece Wilson, Henry Kerr, and Stan Nisbet, showcases a radical design departing from conventional downhill rigs. Central to its innovation is a Pinion gearbox paired with a Gates belt-drive, integrated into a high-pivot, four-bar Horst-link suspension layout. This combination aims to lower unsprung mass and protect drivetrain components, enhancing performance on demanding gravity courses. The prototype’s frame construction is particularly notable for its all-aluminium, CNC-machined monocoque design, dominated by a single massive U-shaped beam that replaces the traditional front triangle. This open-top structure incorporates intricate honeycomb relief machining on the underside, optimising stiffness and strength without adding unnecessary weight. The modular bolt-on seat mast allows for geometry adjustments and simplifies production, while the suspension system offers flexibility with interchangeable linkages and stays to accommodate various wheel sizes and tuning preferences. Such bespoke engineering highlights the team’s commitment to pushing downhill bike innovation beyond established norms. AON Racing, founded by 2020 DH World Champion Reece Wilson, operates as a pure prototype race team free from conventional bike sponsor constraints, enabling them to develop cutting-edge technology. The partnership with Gamux allows for bespoke bike builds tailored to each rider’s needs, with the current prototype differing significantly from Gamux’s existing Sego model. While the bike ridden by Harriet Harnden in Korea garnered attention for its performance, the team is keeping many details under wraps, especially regarding unreleased components on Wilson and Kerr’s machines. Nonetheless, the shared images of Nisbet’s bike reveal a host of new tech, including novel fork and shock designs, brakes, grips, and cockpit setups. The bike’s unique cockpit configuration further emphasises its avant-garde approach, featuring unusually high and set-back stems, possibly including prototype negative setback stems, which contribute to the riders’ control and comfort. The combination of the Pinion gearbox, Gates belt-drive, and the high-pivot four-bar suspension system positions AON Racing as a serious contender for the 100,000€ Gates Belted Purse, awarded to the first Elite rider to win a UCI MTB DHI World Cup on a belt-drive bike. As the team continues to refine travel figures and geometry, this prototype could signal a new direction in downhill bike design, blending mechanical innovation with precision engineering to challenge traditional paradigms in gravity racing.