ORIGINS: THE PSALM 150 CNC FRAME
This is where it all started.
Our goal to create new bicycle designs started with fully CNC machined frames, precision machined from two blocks of billet 7075-T6 aluminum and then bonded with adhesive usually used in the aerospace industry. These original Psalm 150 frames were built around my patented, ultra-sensitive but extremely efficient 3VO dual-link suspension system. Every part of the frame was CNC machined from 7075-T6 aluminum. Each hollow frame and swingarm were prepped and bonded by hand by me in Vancouver, WA. I've been test riding two prototypes since September 2022. As the design progressed, our manufacturing methods evolved. The current version of the Psalm 150 features custom carbon fiber tubing bonded to CNC machined lugs with special asymmetric lip double lap joints.
What's up with the company and the name?
The name Ministry Cycles comes from my belief in bicycles as a force for positive change and my unhealthy affection for '80s industrial music (not necessarily in that order). Endless hours spent calculating kinematics and geometry are no different from the hours spent sketching shapes. I am obsessed with every little detail of this frame. From the moment I first rode a mountain bike in the late 1980s, I’ve never stopped asking myself how to create something better. I wanted a bike that let me descend faster, climb faster, was nearly indestructible, and was easy to own. Utterly distinct, bombproof, and fast as hell. There is nothing else like a Psalm 150.
When can I get a bike or frame?
While we focus on making more affordable frame designs available, development continues on this, our most ambitious frame design.
SPEC & GEOMETRY
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Control Freak: 3VO Suspension
High sensitivity and a coil-friendly super-progressive leverage ratio let you rail corners without blowing through travel and flow through high-speed gnar with confidence. I obsessed about keeping the bike responsive and fun to ride in technical situations, while being able to absolutely erase impacts when it’s time to get down. This is a frame that sees every small lip and obstacle as a good time, but punches well above its 150mm travel when you need to let it roll. As sensitive as the suspension is to even small impacts, this is also a bike that doesn't mind the climb to the top. Unlike a lot of designs that cheat on center of gravity location or gearing, the 3VO suspension has well over 100% of anti-squat even when you’re in the largest rear cog, and even if you choose to run a 34-tooth chainring. When it comes to climbing, very few systems can match the efficiency of a 3VO bike. When it comes to balancing sensitivity, responsiveness, and efficiency, nothing is even close.
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Rear Travel:
150mm
Recommended Fork:
160mm or 170mm
Wheel size:
29"
Bottom Bracket:
73mm BSA Threaded
Rear Hub Spacing:
12x148mm
Headset:
IS 44/56
Seat Post Diameter:
34.9mm
Seat Post Collar Size:
38.6mm
Derailleur Hanger:
SRAM UDH
Minimum Rear Rotor Size:
180mm
Recommended Fork Rake:
44mm
Recommended Fork Axle to Crown:
571mm-581mm
Shock Specifications:
205x60mm Trunnion
Recommended Crank Arm Length:
150-170mm
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Leverage Ratio
When it comes to ride quality, nothing can touch a smooth, progressive leverage ratio. The 3VO system is optimized for coil spring shocks and high-volume air shocks. This progressive leverage ratio allows for instant initial reaction to small bumps and square edged impacts, even when climbing. True mid-range support means you can rail corners and hunt for fun on every little trail feature. Excellent bottom-out resistance means you can find your limits while keeping things under control.
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Anti-squat
High anti-squat counteracts the pedaling forces that cause a bike to bob up and down under power. To calculate anti-squat, designers have to choose a center-of-gravity point. The truth is nobody ever asks what number they used, so it's easy to claim all sorts of numbers. It's also easy to display really high anti-squat numbers if you measure with the chain in the smaller cogs and a with a small chainring. I use a center-of-gravity point 1150mm above the ground, and I measure in with a 32t chainring and a 50t cog, because that's a gear you'd actually use when climbing the worst climbs. Most importantly, 3VO is able to generate this high anti-squat while still keeping pedal kickback to a respectable minimum.
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Anti-rise
Anti-rise is all about balance: too much, and you begin to compromise sensitivity and traction; too little and your rear suspension extends under braking, pitching you forward. Here's the thing about anti-rise: any time you're descending while squeezing the brake, your weight is shifting forward, which causes your fork to dive, which causes your body to shift forward even more. I'm all about neutralizing anti-rise and helping keep your weight rearward and low. An anti-rise range with 100% near suspension sag point is the single best way to preserve geometry without compromising traction.
