Unchained bicycles – Enduro. The future. Made in Switzerland.
Reading time: 12–15 Minuten
New ideas are currently emerging from the Old World. Unchained is the fitting name of a new bike concept. Originally born as a “just imagine this…” idea between riders chatting at the coffee machine, it has now quickly become something real and concrete. Axel and Laurent had a vision of an enduro bike with plenty of travel, worry-free shifting, and pure fun to ride. Sounds simple? Apparently for them it was, because their first prototype can easily keep up with just about any boutique bike on the market. Curtain up for a concept and a brand that we will be seeing more often in the future.
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the Unchained Story
The story of Unchained, as we know it, begins much earlier than one might think—back in the 26-inch era in the Ruhr region. Mountain bike riding was still called mountain bike downhill, and a much younger Axel Lehmkuhl was racing incredibly fast on a Wheeler at downhill events, pulling off the wildest stunts like 18-meter double road gaps and backflips during the jump contest at the downhill race in Ilmenau. Later, he decided that Germany’s mountains weren’t high enough, and he moved to Switzerland, settling by Lake Geneva.
Axel doesn’t do backflips anymore these days. But out on the trail, he’s still extremely fast.
Our paths crossed again in the era of what Germans calles “bike-bergsteigen” – something you could describe as carry your bike to the peak and ride down a super technical and steep trail. Axel gave this discipline his very own twist. While some lovingly and jokingly call this style of riding “stumble biking,” Axel added a kind of racing component to it — riding by sight, full commitment. The amount of vertical descent he has accumulated over the years is likely well into the eight-digit range, and his experience in demanding terrain runs just as deep.
Anyone who has ever been on an Axel tour can relate to Harald Philipp’s famous line: “I have never ridden a bike so fast in my life as when I tried to keep up with Axel!”
The Office Coffee Machine: The Cradle of Unchained Bicycles | Axel Lehmkuhl and Laurent Alby
So what happens when a guy like that gets lucky enough to team up with another full-on enthusiast with an engineering background? During their coffee break nerd sessions, he suddenly has someone to talk to who doesn’t get bored by deep bike talk.
“Would you be interested in building our own bike?” — Laurent’s question to Axel set everything in motion. Both started thinking about what the ideal enduro bike should look like. It certainly helps when your colleague not only designs machinery but also worked on test-bench studies for SUNN in his early days working as an engineer.
What started as “Let’s build two bikes just for ourselves” turned into the classic bike-brand origin story by the end of 2024. Axel and Laurent didn’t work on their project in secret—quite the opposite. They openly shared their progress in various bike forums. The feedback was extremely positive and plentiful. Inquiries about the purchase price started coming in.
We wanted to build a bike that’s simply fun to ride. It doesn’t have to be the fastest — the width of the grin on your face at the end of the trail is our metric.
– Axel Lehmkuhl | Unchained
Meanwhile, Laurent tackled the integration of the gearbox and the suspension kinematics, while Axel drew from his experience in the metal industry. This allowed them to find manufacturers capable of drawing the right tubes and milling the lugs.
In just 14 months, this two-person team had the first prototype ride-ready—completely self-funded. “Developed during nap times!” Laurent jokes when asked how they managed to accomplish all this in such a short time while balancing family life and regular day jobs. Either the kids have a healthy sleep routine, or the two know exactly what they’re doing, because the prototype is very impressive in person.
Though “prototype” should be in quotation marks, as the look and finish can compete with any high-end production bike.
Unchained 1.0 – A prototype with a finish that makes even some production bikes look dull.
A mid-high pivot point is currently the benchmark for some manufacturers. While a “true” high pivot brings certain variables that can be disadvantageous in practice (such as a significantly lengthening chainstay during compression), the lower pivot provides the best of both worlds. Impact absorption is improved, and the bike’s center of mass is further optimized.
A variable shock mount allows the use of either coil or air shocks with alternative kinematics.
Currently, the prototype uses a mullet setup (29" front / 27.5" rear), but a full 29-inch version will also be available.
The rear is supported by a Öhlins TTX and generates plush 175mm of travel
The front is ready to eat with a RXF38M.3 and 170mm of travel
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Travel (front/rear) |
|
| Frame material | 7075-T6 alloy – bonded custom threaded tubes and lugs. |
| Wheelsize | 29/27.5 – optional 29/29 with different dropouts and a longer belt (under development). |
| Gearbox | Pinion C1.12 Smart Shift. |
| Rear hub width | 148mm. |
| Shock size | 205 × 65mm (trunnion mount). |
| Shock compatibility | Coil or air (Flipchip compatible). |
| Bearings | Enduro bearings. |
| Sizes | Currently available in size L. Size M under development, others to follow later. |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty for first owner + crash replacement policy. |
| Weight (complete bike) | Just under 18 kg in size L, race-ready with Enduro casing, rear insert, and pedals. |
| Price | Starting price to be confirmed – first series will feature a top-of-the-shelf build. |
| Availability | Spring 2026 (pre-order). |
Where to buy Unchained Bicycles?
Current status? Will there be a production bike? First things first: the bike was presented to the public as a prototype at the Craft Bike Days 2025 and is currently being tested. Axel and Laurent have also started posting on their Unchained Instagram and are working intensively on their website.
Anyone who wants to stay up to date should subscribe to their channel and sign up for their newsletter.
Spec: Unchained 1.0
| Component | Brand | Model |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Unchained | 1.0 |
| Wheels | DT | EXC 1200 3DEC |
| Brakes | Trickstuff | Maxima |
| Rotors | Trickstuff | 223/203 mm |
| Fork | Öhlins | RFX 38 M3 AIR |
| Damper | Öhlins | TTX2Air m.2 205x65 TM |
| Gearbox | Pinion | C1.12i Smartshift |
| Cranks | Pinion | 165 mm |
| Belt | Gates | CDX 11M-125T-12CTS BLACK |
| Belt tensioner | Unchained | Own construction |
| Handlebar | BikeYoke | Barmate Carbon 50 mm rise |
| Stem | BikeYoke | Barkeeper RFF 35mm |
How the Unchained enduro is made?
Bonding lugs and tubes is making a comeback and is now considered a (re)established manufacturing method. Numerous manufacturers use it for both prototyping and production frames. The technique offers several advantages over welding, though it is more expensive.
The Unchained 1.0 is not yet a production model and is still being optimized. A test at EFBe is planned. Axel and Laurent focus on uncompromising development and firsthand experience, as they are already riding the frame themselves. With 7075-T6 tubes at 2mm wall thickness, the frame can easily withstand the harshest abuse. This wall thickness is unusual for production bikes, which means there is still a lot of potential for weight savings in a series production. The lugs were designed specifically for their needs and manufactured individually. Currently, the frame is entirely “Made in Switzerland.”
The tubes are additionally not just bonded: threads are integrated into the lugs. A right-hand thread on the head tube and a left-hand thread at the gearbox interface allow the tubes to be precisely screwed in after the adhesive is applied.
This construction provides double safety. First, through the anodized surfaces. Because aluminum quickly oxidizes invisibly in air, which can create weak spots for bonding, anodizing prevents this effect. Additionally, it keeps the pores in the material open so the adhesive can penetrate later, resulting in a stronger bond. Technically, the threaded connection isn’t strictly necessary, but it provides peace of mind.
The adhesive used, from aerospace and high-performance boat racing, cures within seven days at room temperature. No later frame alignment is required.
Sounds great, right? So let’s find out if this plan actually worked. But first, let’s take a look at what makes this bike so special: the Pinion Smart.Shift drivetrain.
Unchained 1.0 + Pinion Smart.Shift Gearbox
The name Unchained had been chosen due to its literal meaning: they are done with the chain. Gates Carbon Drive naturally also means a gearbox. In the 1.0 prototype, a Pinion Smart.Shift finds its place. The belt tensioner was directly developed by the two guys themselves and combined with the massive bash guard. The goal was to maintain consistent tension in the Carbon Drive throughout the suspension travel. The intended result: longer lifespan of the belt and less stress on the entire system.
In the end, both still live in Switzerland, and the trails around Lake Geneva offer plenty of opportunities to put the bike under a bombardment of upkicked stones.
No derailleur. No huge cassette. Clean, uncluttered look. Reduced unsprung mass. The cutouts are designed to balance flex and precision in cornering without making it too heavy.
What is special about a Gearbox?
A gearbox offers several unique features and advantages. Whether it’s the right solution for you is, of course, up to you to decide:
Weight: Some components, like the large cassette and derailleur, are eliminated, but the gearbox still adds a bit more weight at present. However, the central weight positioning usually benefits the rider’s downhill performance.
Centralized weight distribution: The bike feels lighter and more planted.
Reduced unsprung mass: The rear suspension responds more easily because the impact coming from the ground has less mass to move.
Peace of mind: Derailleurs are a vulnerable point on a bike. Most of us have probably snapped or bent at least one from hitting a rock. Even the newest and toughest options on the market aren’t invincible. A gearbox keeps the rear end clean, gives you more clearance from the ground, and reduces exposure to damage.
Shifting: With the Pinion gearbox, you can shift under full load as well as while coasting (without pedaling). This provides advantages both uphill and downhill.
Quiet bike: Thanks to the short, tightly tensioned chain, you glide almost silently over the trail, only hearing your tires.
Efficiency: A chain drivetrain is still the platinum level due to its high efficiency. Even when the chain runs at an angle toward the cassette, you’ll be slightly more efficient than with a gearbox, where many internal components spin with each pedal stroke, and friction simply costs energy. With a chain, efficiency is a little higher than with a belt. The gearbox is supposed to “run in” and become smoother after about 1,000 km.
The insight of a Pinion Gearbox
Geometry Unchained 1.0
Again, don’t be fooled by the current finish of the Unchained—it’s not yet a production bike. Accordingly, the Unchained 1.0 currently exists only in a Large frame size. How the other sizes will look has not yet been determined. We’ll keep you updated.
| Reach | 475mm |
| Stack | 630mm |
| Wheelbase | 1270mm |
| Head Angle | 63.5° |
| Seat Angle | 77.5° |
| Chainstay | 440mm (27.5 rear wheel) 460mm (29 rear wheel) |
| BB height | 345mm (based on rear wheel axle height) |
| Head Tube | 120mm |
| Top Tube | 618mm |
| Chainstay growth | 18mm – max. elongation during rear wheel travel |
| Anti Squat | – |
The Testpilot’s take
The Unchained brand reflects Axel and Laurent’s philosophy: they consistently forgo the traditional chain and rely on gearboxes as the next logical evolution in mountain biking. Even though gearboxes aren’t yet light enough for trail and cross-country bikes, the first prototype already provides objectively measurable advantages in suspension performance, weight distribution, and maintenance freedom.
The interplay of manufacturing concept, technical innovation, geometry, and a clearly defined area of use appears coherent and promising. Despite the currently challenging market situation, the project already stands out significantly from the largely uniform portfolios of established manufacturers. Axel and Laurent follow a clear vision—with good chances of successfully bringing the brand to market.
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Author – Jens Staudt
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 98 kg
Riding style: With his racing background, lines are always planned, even when it gets rough. Whenever possible, sections are jumped. The entire width of a trail should be used. Others might call it uncompromising.
Motivation: A product should work reliably and last as long as possible. The less time spent tinkering, the more time can be spent riding. He enjoys tinkering and looking for ways to further optimize the bike.