History

ELEMENT HISTORY TIMELINE

Element is one of the longest lasting and most prolific mountain bike platforms in history, winning races and putting smiles on faces all over the globe. Here’s a glimpse into its rich heritage.

  • 1996 – First Element introduced. One of first lightweight cross country full suspension race bikes available.



  • 1997 ————————————————————————————————————————





  • 1998 ————————————————————————————————————————





  • 1999 ————————————————————————————————————————





  • 2000 – Element Race is chosen Bike of the Year by Mountain Bike Magazine Germany.




  • 2001 – First Element offered with Easton Scandium tubeset.




  • 2002 – Lesley Tomlinson and Gretchen Reeves win the TransAlp Challenge aboard Element.




  • 2003 – Element again on top of the podium of the TransAlp with Karl Platt and Christoph Listmann.



  • 2004 – Element pivots changed from top-hat bushings to sealed bearings.




  • 2005 – Element wins TransAlp under Karl Platt and Carsten Bresser.




  • 2006 – RMB releases limited edition 25th Anniversary Element Team Scandium. It was an instant collector’s item.



  • 2007 – Element 70 wins Bike of the Year from Mountain Biking Magazine.




  • 2008 – Element wins TransAlp under Pia Sundstedt and Alision Sydor.




  • 2009 – Element Team bumped from 80mm to 100mm rear travel.




  • 2010 – TransAlp win for Element with Pia Sundstedt and Daniel Gathof.




  • 2011 – First ground-up redesign of Element since introduction with carbon fiber Element RSL & Element MSL. Introduction of ABC™ Pivots and SmoothLink™ Suspension to Element. Element RSL wins BC Bike Race under Chris Sheppard.


  • 2012 – Element 29 RSL and Element 26 introduced featuring same frame configuration as Element RSL and MSL. Intro of RTC-29™ Geometry.