Own-brand marques and direct-sales brands have made bikes cheaper than ever, but Tornado Bicycles intends to lower the price tag even further.

>>> The best cheap mountain bikes in 2020

How? By only taking pre-orders via crowdfunding. While this method is not without controversy (mainly previous other campaigns not delivering a final product), the proof will be in the pudding, the pudding being whether the public go for it or not.

4-bar suspension design

Rolling on 27.5in wheels, the bike itself looks like a fairly trad 4-bar suspension layout but the main thing with this bike is going to be specification and, often overlooked with budget bikes, its geometry.

You can see the specification for yourself below. It all looks pretty good and sensible with no glaring oversights or errors. RockShox suspension, wide-range 11-speed drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, 30mm wide rims, short 35mm stem, wide 780mm handlebars and there will be an internally routed dropper on there… but Tornado don’t quite yet know which model it will be.

Geometry

Geometry-wise, there will only be two sizes available to order (Medium and Large). The geometry itself is not the most prgoressive out there. It’s not way-off or wholly outdated but it’s definitely not the geometry you’ll find on other 150mm travel trail bikes in 2020.

11-46T SunRace cassette mated to Shimano SLX

66° head angle, 74.7° seat angle, 465mm reach on the Large, 435mm chain stay length, 1,198mm whelebase. There’s no BB height/drop listed currently.

RockShox Monarch R rear shock

The standover looks pretty good but our eyes are drawn to the extended seat mast and the kink in the seat tube, which makes us wonder what length/drop dropper seatpost would be able to fit in the bike.

3C MaxxGrip High Roller II tyres are a spec highlight

All in all though, it’s great to see another full suspension trail bike being offered for around the £1k mark. The Tornado Attack joins bikes such as 140mm travel Boardman MTR and Voodoo Canzo, not to mention shorter travel bikes like the 120mm Jamis Dakar or the ubiquitous 130mm Calibre Bossnut and the recently released 130mm Vitus Mythique.

Shimano MT500 disc brakes, 180mm rotors front and rear

Tonado Attack specification

FRAME: Hydroformed aircraft-grade 6061 aluminium. Tapered headtube, 148mm Boost bolt-thru rear axle. Trail-specific geometry. Available in Medium or Large size. 154mm of rear travel.

Front view

FORK: RockShox Recon RL 150mm Solo Air Boost fork. Motion Control RL damping, external rebound, low speed compression to lock.

REAR SHOCK: RockShox Monarch R. External rebound damping.

35mm stem

BRAKES: Shimano MT500 levers and calipers, with Shimano 180mm discs front and rear.

REAR DERAILLEUR: The latest Shimano SLX M7000 Shadow Plus 11 speed with clutch.

CASSETTE: Sunrace 11 speed, 11-46 teeth.

CRANKSET: Wheeltop SR11A Boost width, single narrow-wide chainring, 32 teeth.

CHAIN: KMC X11R.

BOTTOM BRACKET: Wheeltop threaded.

RIMS: Alex Rims MD30. 30mm wide, Tubeless Ready.

HUBS: Nautilus 15mm x110mm axle Boost front, Nautilus 148mm Boost bolt-thru rear.

TYRES: Maxxis High Roller 2 3C EXO 2.4″ front and Maxxis High Roller 2 DC EXO 2.3″ rear. Foldable and tubeless ready. (They come with Maxxis inner tubes.)

SPOKES: Stainless with brass nipples.

SEATPOST: Internal routing dropper Post, 150mm travel with remote

SADDLE: Velo mtb saddle.

SEATPOST CLAMP: Alloy 4mm bolt.

STEM: 35mm long aluminium stem with 35mm diameter clamp.

HANDLE BAR: Aluminium 780mm wide, 20mm rise, 9 degree backsweep, 5 degree upsweep. 35mm clamp.

GRIPS: Lock on grips, 120mm long.

HEADSET: FSA Orbit for tapered headtube.

PEDALS: Included.