Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The new Viral Dérive CR is the brand’s chromoly steel variant of their already fantastic Dérive titanium. With clearance for 29 x 2.6” tires, the same great versatile drivetrain options, a choice of rigid or RockShox Pike fork, and frameset-only purchasing, the Viral Dérive CR provides greater accessibility to a solid silhouette. Read on for details…
New from Viral Bikes is the Dérive CR! Maintaining the same bikepacking-oriented geometry of the company’s titanium version we reviewed in 2023, the Viral Dérive CR is a more affordable steel iteration of their existing model. Available with either a color-matched Viral Carbon Boost fork or a RockShox Pike Select with 120mm of travel, the Viral Dérive CR comes with a whole host of features that emphasize comfort and versatility. The Dérive CR will fit 29 x 2.6” tires and, for the first time in Viral’s history, is available as a frameset-only offering.
That said, the Viral Dérive CR can also be purchased with either a mechanical or Smart.Shift gearbox. Complete bikes will feature a build spec that include the fork options mentioned above, a PNW cockpit and dropper post, Ergon saddle and grips, and Industry 9 1/1 Enduro wheels. The Dérive CR frames will start at $1,695, with complete bikes starting at $5,895 for a Smart.Shift rigid bike or $5,995 for the Pike Select Smart.Shift bike. Manual gearboxes will also be available for complete bikes, but reach out to Viral for that pricing.
Initially worried about the weight of a steel model, Steve Domahidy insisted on the company’s ability to find an affordable way for more people to experience the Viral brand. With the new Viral Dérive CR, Viral is giving customers a complete version of the Dérive that’s nearly half the price of their titanium offering. We’re glad to see the company succeed in delivering a more accessible option with the same attention to detail.
| Size | V3 | V4 | V5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Tube Length | 415 | 432 | 450 |
| Top Tube Length – Effective | 596 | 627 | 653 |
| Head Tube Length | 105 | 115 | 130 |
| Chainstay Length | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| Front and Center | 748 | 776 | 812 |
| Wheelbase | 1175 | 1205 | 1241 |
| Seat Tube Angle | 77° | 76.5° | 77° |
| Head Tube Angle | 66.5° | 66.5° | 66.5° |
| Stack | 632 | 636 | 645 |
| Reach | 450 | 475 | 505 |
| BB Drop | 65 | 60 | 55 |
Delivery of the Viral Dérive CR frames and complete bikes is expected in August this year, with pre-orders available right now. Pre-orders require a 50% deposit, and customers who do so will receive 10% off the retail price! For more, visit Viral.Bike.
Further Reading
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