Foundry Cycles recently sent over their brand new Tomahawk carbon fiber hardtail race bike for review. The Tomahawk is an evolution of Foundry’s well-tested Broadaxe 29er hardtail, but rendered in new the Koolaid flavor of 650b.
Like the entire Foundry product line, the Tomahawk is constructed from carbon with a matte finish that incorporates understated graphics. The few times I have taken it out so far, it has definitely evoked the, “Dude, what bike is that?” response from other riders encountered on the trail. The “G-3” build that I received features a mix of Shimano drivetrain and brake parts centered around a 2×10 setup. The cockpit bits are alloy components from FSA with grips and a saddle from WTB. The fork is the tried and true Rockshox Reba with a tapered steerer, remote lockout and 15mm axle, and Maxxis Ardent tires maintain contact with the trail.
Quick Specs
- Fork: Rock Shox Reba 100mm, remote lockout
- Shifters: Shimano SLX
- Crankset: Shimano SLX
- Derailleurs: Shimano XT Shadow +
- Brakes: Shimano Deore with 160mm Centerlock rotors
- Wheelset: Stan’s Rapid rims laced to Shimano hubs
- Cockpit: FSA XC mix
- Saddle: WTB Silverado
- Tires: Maxxis Ardent 27.5 x 2.25
- Weight: 23.50 lbs without pedals, 24.18 with Crank Bros Candy 3
Out of the box, my previously demo’ed Tomahawk was already set up tubeless, and I certainly hope that it ships that way in production. It’s just time for this to be the standard. The bike was quickly assembled, tires inflated, and air fork brought up to pressure, and it needed some fine tuning of the rear shifter’s barrel adjuster to dial in the indexing.
Out on the trail
For the full verdict, you’ll need to stay tuned for the final review in a couple of weeks. So far, however, I can tell you that with this bike I have destroyed every Strava PR on every trail segment I have taken it on. It’s hands-down the fastest bike I have ever ridden!
MSRP: $2,050 for frame, $3,175 as built here.
Many thanks to Foundry Cycles for sending the Tomahawk down for review!
