Tess’s 2025 Commencal FRS DH bike

I’m Tess, a Customer Service Rep at NOBL.

I chose my Commencal FRS Ohlins Edition because I now live close to Mt. Washington—a lift-access bike park about a half hour from the NOBL HQ here in Cumberland, BC—and wanted a playful bike for park laps all summer.

The FRS (or Furious if you believe in vowels) specifically interested me due to its full 27.5” wheel setup: I like 27.5” wheels for a playful ride and ability to eat up laps at the park. With the popularity of larger-wheel bikes on the market, options felt a bit more limited, but I’m glad there are still a few out there!

I can’t wait to ride my FRS at Mount Washington Bike Park all summer, especially my favourite trail, Back in Black!

I chose this Ohlins Edition due to its smart component choices. I don’t need any fancy shifting on a downhill-focused rig, so the SRAM GX 7-speed drivetrain fits the bill. It’s durable and relatively inexpensive to replace parts when the inevitable crash happens… Strong TRP DH-R Evo brakes keep my speed in check, and the sweet Ohlins suspension keeps me comfortable and in control through the rough sections. I’m also sure it will bail me out when I misjudge the speed it takes to make a smooth landing.

I chose the TR38 rims for their playfulness and ability to take laps of bike park abuse. Their hefty layup is well up to the task of DH park riding, and the 31mm internal width allows me to run pretty much any tire width I would want!

For hubs, I decided on the Hope Pro 5s due to their smart balance of durability, engagement, and affordability. They are also future-proof, should I ever trade in this DH frame for an enduro. By swapping end caps, I can convert this wheelset from its current 110×20 DH Boost / 150×12 DH hub spacing to the more common 110×15 Boost / 157×12 Superboost spacing found on many Enduro bikes.

To hold everything together, we’ve got Sapim Race spokes and Sapim alloy nipples, and Gold Peaty’s MK2 valves.