Privateer bikes has launched the Privateer 141, a trail bike with shorter travel than the Privateer 161 which came out in April.
The 161 was designed for the needs of Enduro World Series riders, but at a price privateer races could afford (hence the brand’s name), while the Privateer 141 takes the concept of the 161 but is built for less extreme terrain – think local trail loop, park laps or a local enduro race.
The Privateer bike range comes from the team behind Hunt Bike Wheels.
A less extreme 161
Compared to the enduro 161, Privateer has stretched out the seating position slightly on the 141 with a 5mm shorter reach across the sizes and a longer top tube.
The head-tube angle has steepened from 64 degrees to 64.5 degrees and the effective seat-tube angle slackened to just over 78 degrees, compared to the 161’s 80-degree angle.
Again, like the 161, the smallest P1 frame of the Privateer 141 is sized for 27.5in wheels, while the three larger frames take 29in wheelsets.
The chainstay length increases from 434mm to 452mm as the frame size increases, something that we're not used to seeing on many brands’ bikes – they are usually consistent across sizes. The recommended fork offset is 37mm for the 27.5in P1, rising to 42mm for the 29ers.
Other features of the 161 are carried over into the Privateer 141; it’s made of 6066-T6 alloy in Taiwan and designed for serviceability, with a threaded bottom bracket shell, three-pivot main bearings and a one-piece rocker arm, for longer bearing life and increased stiffness and strength.
And, like the 161, there’s a mix of external and internal cable routing for ease of servicing. Privateer includes head tube guides to help avoid cable rattle and there’s an ICSG 05 chainguard mount. The frame is designed for long-travel dropper posts, with space for 150mm droppers in the P1 frame size up to 200mm in the P3 and P4.
With a similar linkage design to the 161, as you’d expect, the new frame’s kinematics work out pretty similar too. So anti-rise peaks at around 50 per cent, roughly 70mm into its travel.
Anti-squat figures are comparable too, which should lead to efficient pedalling dynamics, while the leverage ratio shows a peak towards the start of travel, and there’s a similar initial 2.5mm rearward arc for the rear wheel.
Have a look at our article on the Privateer 161 for more details of the Privateer frames and their kinematics.
Privateer 141 pricing and availability
You can get your hands on a Privateer 141 frameset for £1,489 or £2,989 for a complete build with Fox 36 fork, Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, Magura MT5 brakes, OneUp V2 180mm dropper and Hunt Trail Wide wheelset.
Availability for the frameset is slated for November, with the complete bike available from January 2021. You’ll be able to buy the Privateer 141 in raw alloy, charcoal grey or heritage green colour options.
Privateer 141 frameset specs
Shock: Fox DPX2 Performance Elite Headset: Sealed cartridge bearings Price: £1,489 / €1,739 / $1,759 Availability: November 2020
Privateer 141 complete build
Fork: Fox 36. Performance Elite. Grip 2. HSC/LSC, HSR/LSR Shock: Fox DPX2 Performance Elite Brakes: Magura MT5. 203/180 Storm HC rotors Drivetrain: Shimano 12-speed SLX with XT shifter Dropper: OneUp V2 180mm Cockpit: Race Face Turbine R 800x20/Aeffect R 40mm Contact: Fabric Scoop Elite / FunGuy Grips Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary. Super Trail Soft/Hans Dampf Super Trail Soft Wheels: Hunt Trail Wide Price: £2,989 / €3,489 / $3,719 Availability: January 2021
