Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The new Forbidden Reya is a full-suspension downcountry bike designed for big days on backcountry trails, cross-country tech, and everything in between. And you won’t find an idler or a high pivot, a first for Forbidden. Learn more about the Reya here…
Forbidden Bike Company in British Columbia is on a roll with new releases that are an obvious departure from their unconventional chain-routed full-suspension bikes. Earlier this year, they released two limited-edition titanium hardtails, and today, they’re expanding the lineup with their shortest travel full-suspension mountain bike to date.
If you’ve seen a Forbidden out in the wild, you’ll understand that the new Reya has that unmistakably Forbidden look. Despite its familiar chunky carbon design, the Forbidden Reya is a totally different beast, with no idlers or high pivots. The Reya is Forbidden’s take on a modern downcountry bike, designed around a carbon frame, a 120mm-travel shock, and a 130mm-travel fork. It has clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires, uses a Horst-link pivot, and a suspension kinematic they call “TRIFECTA.” In short, Forbidden says the goal was to “Squeeze every ounce of performance out of 120 millimetres of rear wheel travel, whether you’re climbing, sprinting, or pointing it downhill. No flex stays here. No compromised suspension characteristics. No loss of sensitivity. This is a proper linkage-driven bike.”
The Reya has a set of mounts under the top tube for a mini cargo mount or pump, and a single standard bottle cage mount on the downtube. They say they prioritized shock placement over additional bottle mounts for a stiffer base and reduced torsional loads compared to top-tube-mounted shocks. It also keeps the shock mass lower in the frame. It relies on internal cable routing, a 31.6mm seatpost diameter, and a 73mm BSA threaded bottom bracket.
The Reya is available in four sizes. All sizes feature a 65° head tube angle, a 42mm bottom bracket drop, and proportional rear centers ranging from 420mm to 464mm. Dig into the complete (unsagged) geo chart below.
Forbidden Reya Geometry Chart
| Size | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 435 | 455 | 475 | 495 |
| Stack | 598 | 612 | 625 | 639 |
| Horizontal Top Tube Length | 573 | 596 | 619 | 642 |
| Seat Tube Length | 400 | 420 | 440 | 470 |
| Seat Tube Angle (effective) | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| Seat Tube Angle (actual) | 68.9 | 71.3 | 73.4 | 75.2 |
| Head Tube Length | 90 | 105 | 120 | 135 |
| Head Tube Angle | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| Front Center | 743 | 769 | 796 | 822 |
| Rear Center | 420 | 435 | 449 | 464 |
| Wheelbase | 1163 | 1204 | 1244 | 1285 |
| BB Drop | -42 | -42 | -42 | -42 |
| BB Height* | 331 | 331 | 331 | 331 |
| Standover Height* | 715 | 717 | 719 | 721 |
| Fork Length | 541 | 541 | 541 | 541 |
| Fork Offset | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 |
The Reya is offered in three complete build kits, ranging from the top-end Tier 1 build at $10,499 USD ($12,999 CAD) down to the Tier 3 build at $6,299 USD ($7,699 CAD). Frame kits are on the way and will be priced at $3,399 USD ($4,199 CAD). There are two color options: Golden Brown or Grey Chapter.
The Reya is available now. Visit ForbiddenBike.com to learn more.
Further Reading
Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.
