2011 Tomac Vanish 160 Frameset

There was a pure moment of clarity for us. We were riding down lower Mormon Trail in South Mountain, Arizona. We were all riding Snyper 140s and having a really good time.

Then, we came to a really rough section near the bottom, with rock slabs going different directions and big holes between craggy boulders. We all stopped after the section, and almost simultaneously said, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a little more? Just a little more travel, but not take away from the neutral feel and the good pedalling efficiency?"

Such began the creation of the Vanish 160, a bike that like the rest of the Tomac line came out of a riding experience and a riding need. We quickly decided the bike would need to be relatively lightweight, maybe only a pound more in the frame than a Snyper. But it would need to be burly, able to handle whatever you could throw at it. We wanted it to pedal with the upmost efficiency, but float through the rough like a freeride bike, and really not be bothered by anything.

The first thing we started with was the suspension. We wanted a system that would be simple to enable the frame to be stiff, but also very active so that it would easily absorb anything that got in its way. We designed an entirely new suspension system for the Vanish in the process, one that improves overall suspension action without sacrificing pedalling efficiency or rear end stiffness. The new Instant Active Suspension system met all of our needs. It's quick, consistent and so simple that it allows you to concentrate on your riding rather than what your suspension is doing.

We use a Fox RP23 shock with XY secondary air canister, which fits the needs of this bike perfectly. It's light, highly adjustable and packs a lot of performance in a small package. After we configured suspension layout, we worked hard with Fox ensuring that our custom tuned shock would perfect match the feel of the bikes. In the end, we went through 10 completely different iterations, finally perfecting the settings that we know you will love.

Beside the suspension, you can also see a lot of thought went into the Vanish 160?s design. Just take a look under the chainstay yoke and see the detailed CNC milling work that went into the design. Or check out the Maxle Lite rear axle system: combined with a 20mm through axle fork, this system provides the amount of stiffness you need without any unnecessary bulk. We custom butted the top and down tube to ensure maximum stiffness and lightweight and then capped it off by adding a 1.5 head tube (allowing for a tapered or 1.5 steerer). For you freeriders, there?s even an ISCG-05 mount.

It will take a ride on the Vanish to really recognize just how good this bike is. For every test rider who throws a leg over it, there was that moment of surprise, and then delight. It was the moment when they realized they were riding a 160mm bike that could BOTH climb and descend well. The Vanish is a bike that will thrill you.