If they're good enough for F1 cars, flat-plate pivotless suspension arms should be okay for cycling. Ti-Cycles, as ever looking to incorporate clever thinking into its designs, approached the esteemed engineer John Castellano to adapt his Flat-Plate chainstay for 3" tyres.

This is a candid, insider view to the development of a new frame design. Sam Whittingham, designer and builder at Naked, wanted to experiment with what's extreme for a well-rounded trail bike. This is his first prototype in that line.

Seen at NAHBS in the New Builder section, the upbeat German builder Alexander Clauss caught the eye of many with his religious-themed steel trail bike inspired by a crowd project run by mtb-news.de.