BOLD LINKIN 150 ULTIMATE

£10,099 / 29in / boldcycles.com

Swiss brand Bold launched its first bike back in 2015 with a frame that was as clean as a glacial stream and a hidden shock that was better protected than a Geneva bank vault. With a single showroom in Beil, it remained an exclusive proposition, but in May 2019 Scott Sports bought a majority stake in the boutique brand, unlocking access to Bold’s patented Internal Suspension Technology. Then, a year later, Scott launched a new Spark XC bike with, you guessed it, a hidden shock.

At that point, I was convinced that was the end of the line for Bold, as Scott took this unique suspension configuration and applied it to as many bikes in its range as possible. However, and not for the first time, I’ve been proved wrong, as Bold is very much still alive and kicking. Indeed, this new Bold Linkin is proof that its “strategic partnership” with Scott