Knolly’s GEN6 Endorphin Is a Playful Trail Bike Focussed on Smaller Riders
Knolly’s Endorphin is back in their stable. First debuted back in 2014 the original Endorphin was a fun, short-travel 27.5” wheeled bike, and the brief for the new Endorphin wasn’t far off that mark. The new Endorphin is still a fun, playful trail bike, but in a more modern package and, seeing a gap in the market, designed around riders on the smaller end of the spectrum.
The Gen 6 Endorphin comes as either a full 27.5” bike, or mixed wheel - 29” up front and 27.5” out back, with 135/140mm travel in mixed wheel configuration and 150/160mm travel in the 27.5” guise. Both configurations are available in four sizes from XS through to Large, and three colours - Raw, Seafoam and Champagne.
The new Endorphin is the first in the line of Knolly’s Gen 6 bikes - yes that means there are more coming. Gen 6 is a rolling change through all of their bike models, and starts with the straight top tube aesthetic, cleaning up the look of the bike in line with more modern aesthetics, and giving more room for long-stroke dropper posts. Next is Enduro bearings throughout the linkage instead of bushings, making for a lower maintenance, fuss-free suspension linkage. Finally, the upper link is a “monoblock” design, meaning rather than two pieces, it’s machined from a solid block of aluminum, increasing frame stiffness for a better ride and longer bearing life. We love it.
Frame Features
The new Endorphin comes with some sweet frame features to bring the bike in line with expectations of the modern rider, including UDH dropouts, meaning it can run either a Universal Derailleur Hanger or SRAM’s new T-Type drivetrains. A Shorter seat tube means every size can fit a 175-200mm dropper post - even XS. While it might not have in-frame storage, under the top tube it has tool-mounts, so you can carry your spares without scratching up the frame. There are also some old favourites mixed in there, including 157Trail rear end spacing, a threaded BB, and Knolly’s signature Fourby4 linkage for incredible traction, no matter what.
Geometry
With two geometry settings to choose from - neutral and slack, there’s the opportunity to fine tune your Endorphin. The MX version sits at a 64.5º/64º head angle, with BB height of 343.5/333.5mm and seat tube angle at 76º/76.5º respectively. Stand over is super low at 691mm in an XS up to 728mm in a L, reach starts at 415mm and goes up to 490mm and chainstays start at 428mm and lengthen to 436mm in a large.
The 27.5” bike has the same head tube angle, seat tube angle and BB height, but is a little longer in the reach at 419-494mm, standover drops to 688mm-725mm, and chainstay lengths stay the same.
See the full geo chart on our product listing pages - here.
Who is it for?
The Endorphin is built to be a fun and playful bike for riders of most sizes, leaning towards the smaller end of the spectrum. With solid trail/enduro bike geometry, and mid-travel, the Endorphin is perfect for those folks that want to climb without much trouble and shred the descents on a more poppy/playful bike that can handle a bit of rough and tumble, rather than a big enduro sled that’s a handful up and down. Perfect for all-around trail riding, perfect for the solid blue and occasional black trail rider, the Endorphin is all about fun.
Build & Spec
Knolly know that suspension matters, that’s why they always start with killer suspension and go from there. The 27.5” bike is only available in one Deore/Z1-level spec currently, with a Marzocchi Bomber Z1 160mm fork, Bomber Air shock, Shimano Deore 12sp drivetrain and 4-piston brakes, and Race Face finishing kit - the perfect build for the young ripper or the budget conscious.
The MX bike comes in a Deore/Performance-level build, as well as an XT/Factory-level build. The Deore Performance build comes with a Fox 34 Performance 140mmm fork and Float X Performance shock, Shimano Deore 12sp drivetrain and 4-piston brakes and Race Face finishing kit. The XT build features a Fox Factory 34 fork and Float X shock, Cane Creek headset, Shimano XT 12sp drivetrain and brakes, and Spank finishing kit. A sweet build for a sensible price at $7,299.
