ROSSIGNOL HERETIC

DESIGN & DEVELOPPEMENT OF THE NEW MTB PLATFORM

Rossignol, the famous ski brand, has contacted KBDL in 2021 to develop a new enduro bike. This product would symbolise a new adventure. Redesigning their MTB offer was necessary to strenghten their market positionning, with new models, more performant and more suited to a wide pannel of users.

The first challenge was to imagin what could Rossignol’s products identity in a very competitive market such as MTB. Together we chose a simple and fun design language, to follow their strong DNA from their ski background.

 
  skillsets & services

 · bike design expertise

 · 2D exploration

 · DESIGN MANAGEMENT

 · 3D modelling development

 · Digital communication

Commercial launch : 2025

The birth of a long partnership

It was a pleasure for us to work with this local actor, we all remember Rossignol products when we were learning skiing as kids. We worked closely with the Rossignol Bike Division as a whole team, from the genesis to the press launch.

GEOMETRY & KINEMATICS

For this new Heretic, we worked on a modern geometry based on full 29’’ wheels. The goal was to offer a bike that's fun to ride while keeping in mind athletes who want to race it at a world-class level.

The choice of a 4-bar linkage was a natural one to achieve the desired performance, while also considering the production constraints. The test sessions leaded with the Rossignol team also provided valuable inputs into the characteristics targeted into this new platform. A 2D exploration phase has been done in order to validate the shock placement.
As cliché as it sounds, we aimed for sensitivity at the beginning of the stroke for comfort, good support for most of the ride, and finally, strong bottom out resistance to save you from the wild moments. This is combined with an optimized anti-squat level to offer good pedaling performance, as well as constant anti-rise values throughout the entire travel, providing a good balance between support and comfort during braking.
Altogether, this results in a bike that's easy to handle, high-performing, adaptable to different terrains, and has already proven itself in numerous races in the hands of the Rossignol team riders.

DESIGN & OPTIMISATION

During the kickoff, we identified three main areas to focus on: weight/stiffness ratio, maintenance/durability, and protection.

We applied all our expertise in aluminum frame design and manufacturing processes to optimize each component of the frame. This work allowed us to save around 800g compared to the previous generation, while also increasing stiffness. We optimized it by playing with the shape of the tubes, their thicknesses, and the various junctions to achieve a bike that is stiff yet comfortable.

The choice and assembly of the bearings were made to ensure the best possible durability without adding unnecessary weight. As a nice bonus, only two bearing references are used across the bike.

We also spent a lot of time designing the most advanced frame protections to ensure high impact resistance and a quiet ride. We included generous chainstay protections combined with seatstay protection to reduce chain noise. A large protection under the downtube shields it from debris and contains an 8-in-1 multi-tool and a built-in tire lever.

During this design phase, numerous 3D prints were made to help validate concepts or simply check clearances between the different sub-assemblies.

INDUSTRIAL FOLLOW UP

We closely worked with Rossignol as a part of a whole team.

An alluminium MTB frame require a lot of attention in its conception, and our role could not stop at the 3D file delivery. That’s why we have been in touch with the factories during the whole industrialisation process. We also assisted Rossignol untill the industrial and quality control in Asia.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

IMPACTFULL ANIMATED CONTENT

Our Digital Lab has created all the animated imagery for the commercial launch. Our team also realised the entire video animation to highlight all the key features of the frameset, as well as the short animated features highlight.

CONFIRMED BY THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS

““Compared to the last bike, the all-new Heretic is a night-and-day improvement. It’s calmer through and through - a culmination of a stiffer frame and revised kinematics.””

— Pinkbike

A NEW ERA FOR ROSSIGNOL BIKE

The new Heretic has been confirmed by most of the journalists for its performance. It marks the begining of a new era for the Rossignol brand, and a milestone for the futur product development.

“I think the bike looks spectacular with its well thought out lines and excellent colourways. The suspension performs well and is adjustable enough to change the character of the bike to suit the rider.”

— NSMB

Photographies : Kairn Bike Design Lab / Jean Meybeck

BUY THE HERETIC

ROSSIGNOL HERETIC

DESIGN & DEVELOPPEMENT OF THE NEW MTB PLATFORM

Rossignol, the famous ski brand, has contacted KBDL in 2021 to develop a new enduro bike. This product would symbolise a new adventure. Redesigning their MTB offer was necessary to strenghten their market positionning, with new models, more performant and more suited to a wide pannel of users.

The first challenge was to imagin what could Rossignol’s products identity in a very competitive market such as MTB. Together we chose a simple and fun design language, to follow their strong DNA from their ski background.

The birth of a long partnership

It was a pleasure for us to work with this local actor, we all remember Rossignol products when we were learning skiing as kids. We worked closely with the Rossignol Bike Division as a whole team, from the genesis to the press launch.

GEOMETRY & KINEMATICS

For this new Heretic, we worked on a modern geometry based on full 29’’ wheels. The goal was to offer a bike that's fun to ride while keeping in mind athletes who want to race it at a world-class level.

Altogether, this results in a bike that's easy to handle, high-performing, adaptable to different terrains, and has already proven itself in numerous races in the hands of the Rossignol team riders.

DESIGN & OPTIMISATION

During the kickoff, we identified three main areas to focus on: weight/stiffness ratio, maintenance/durability, and protection.

The choice and assembly of the bearings were made to ensure the best possible durability without adding unnecessary weight. As a nice bonus, only two bearing references are used across the bike.

During this design phase, numerous 3D prints were made to help validate concepts or simply check clearances between the different sub-assemblies.

INDUSTRIAL FOLLOW UP

We closely worked with Rossignol as a part of a whole team.

An alluminium MTB frame require a lot of attention in its conception, and our role could not stop at the 3D file delivery. That’s why we have been in touch with the factories during the whole industrialisation process. We also assisted Rossignol untill the industrial and quality control in Asia.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

IMPACTFULL ANIMATED CONTENT

Our Digital Lab has created all the animated imagery for the commercial launch. Our team also realised the entire video animation to highlight all the key features of the frameset, as well as the short animated features highlight.

CONFIRMED BY THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS

A NEW ERA FOR ROSSIGNOL BIKE

The new Heretic has been confirmed by most of the journalists for its performance. It marks the begining of a new era for the Rossignol brand, and a milestone for the futur product development.