2021 Commencal Clash 650b park bike wants you to venture out of bounds

Commencal's Clash follows in the footsteps of the new Meta AM 29 and receives significant geometry and suspension kinematic updates for 2021 to boost its potential.

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If you’re a bike park shredding, big-hit sending, gravity-fuelled two-wheel junkie, it’s likely you’ll have heard of Commencal’s 650b-wheeled Clash.

At first glance, the Clash occupies a niche corner of the market, but Commencal is trying to broaden its appeal by claiming it can pedal to the top of the hill and conquer enduro tracks as well as handle big sends in the park.

Although the outgoing model promised to do these things too, the new bike that replaces it looks like it has a good chance of nailing the Andorran brand’s goals of increased versatility.

2021 Commencal Clash updates

Although the Clash's 2021 frame looks almost identical to the outgoing model, it has received an extensive overhaul despite the lack of obvious visual differences.

2021 Commencal Clash suspension updates

The keen-eyed among you will have noticed that the concentric axle and pivot of the old bike has moved up and forwards to now join the seatstays and chainstays just above the rear axle.

Its rear wheel is mounted to the chainstay and not the seatstay – as seen on Horst-link suspension bikes. This means the new 2021 Clash has a single pivot, linkage-driven suspension design.

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The new Clash ups rear wheel travel by 5mm to 170mm and has a more linear suspension kinematic that Commencal claims should improve comfort on rough tracks and “ground feel” on steeper terrain.

Thanks to a flip chip on the front-most linkage pivot, the Clash has two settings: Sensitive and Dynamic.

Sensitive is designed for downhill and freeride-style tracks, where grip and comfort are important, and Dynamic is claimed to be better for smoother tracks or large jumps.

The Sensitive setting should be more linear, letting the bike use its travel more easily, while the Dynamic setting is more progressive, making the bike harder to bottom out.

2021 Commencal Clash geometry updates

Along with the suspension, the Clash’s geometry has been overhauled.

Commencal says it's enhanced the uphill riding position by increasing the top-tube length and steepening the seat-tube angle.

Top tube figures across the sizes only increase by between 2mm and 5mm, but the seat-tube angle has increased from 75.5 degrees to 77.2 degrees (or 77.1 in a size XL) across the range.

• The ultimate guide to bike geometry and handling

But it’s the reach figure that’s really grown, which is most important when the rider is standing and the bike is pointed downhill. The 2021 size large Clash now has a 490mm reach, which is up by a whopping 23mm on the outgoing size large.

The head-tube angle has slackened to 64 degrees and the bike’s wheelbase has also grown – 1,265mm on the large – an increase caused entirely by the front centre getting longer.

The chainstays remain unchanged, at 434mm across the sizes.

The Clash is also designed around shorter offset forks, a change driven by riders wanting calmer handling bikes.

Commencal claims the Clash is also built around shorter stems, needed to counter the growth in reach figures.

2021 Commencal Clash frame updates

The frame’s seen some updates, too. Although none of the changes drastically change its look, they should refine performance.

An updated rocker has let Commencal improve its finish and makes access to the shock easier.

The top of the seat tube has also been lowered, while the maximum insertion depth has been increased. This means longer travel dropper posts can be installed, so the seat is easier to get out of the way.

2021 Commencal Clash models and pricing

The 2021 Clash is available in five models, ranging in price from €2,199 / $2,299 / AU$3,499 for the Origin model up to €4,999 / $4,799 / AU$7,499 for the Signature model. No UK pricing is currently available.

2021 Commencal Clash Signature

• Frame: Clash, 170mm travel
• Shock: Fox DHX2 Factory
• Fork: Fox 38 Factory FIT GRIP2, 180mm travel
• Groupset: Shimano XT 12-speed
• Brakes: Shimano XT four-piston 203mm rotors
• Wheels: DT Swiss EX 511 rims on DT 350 hubs
• Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 2.5WT, 3C, EXO+, TR (f), Maxxis Dissector 2.4WT, 3C, EXO+, TR (r)
• Price: €4,999 / $4,799 / AU$7,499

2021 Commencal Clash Race

• Frame: Clash, 170mm travel
• Shock: RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate
• Fork: TBC
• Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle
• Brakes: Shimano SLX four-piston 203mm rotors
• Wheels: Spank Spike Race 33
• Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary 2.4in Super Trail (f), Schwalbe Big Betty 2.4in Super Trail (r)
• Price: €3,999 / $3,999 / AU$6,399

2021 Commencal Clash Essential

• Frame: Clash, 170mm travel
• Shock: Float X2 Performance
• Fork: Fox 38 Performance GRIP, 180mm travel
• Groupset: Shimano SLX 12-speed
• Brakes: Shimano SLX four-piston 203mm rotors
• Wheels: DT Swiss E 532 rims on Formula hubs
• Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 2.5WT, 3C, EXO+ (f), Maxxis Dissector 2.4WT, 3C, EXO+, TR (r)
• Price: €3,499 / $3,499 / AU$5,499

2021 Commencal Clash Ride

• Frame: Clash, 170mm travel
• Shock: RockShox SuperDeluxe Select
• Fork: TBC
• Groupset: SRAM SX Eagle
• Brakes: SRAM Guide T 203mm rotors
• Wheels: e*thirteen LG1 DH Base rims on Formula hubs
• Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 2.5WT, 3C, EXO+ (f), Maxxis Dissector 2.4WT, 3C, EXO+, TR (r)
• Price: €2,799 / $2,699 / AU$4,199

2021 Commencal Clash Origin

• Frame: Clash, 170mm travel
• Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+
• Fork: RockShox Yari RC, 180mm travel
• Groupset: Shimano Deore 10-speed
• Brakes: SRAM Guide T 203mm rotors
• Wheels: e*thirteen LG1 DH Base rims on Formula hubs
• Tyres: Vee Tire Co Snap WCE 2.35in (f), Vee Tire Co FlowSnap WCE 2.35in (r)
• Price: €2,199 / $2,299 / AU$3,499