Cortina Cycles

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Cortina Europa FS Frameset

Cortina Cycles is a bicycle frame manufacturer based in Santa Barbara, California.

Cortina Cycles.
Type	Private
Founded	1955
Headquarters	2024 Mountain Ave, Santa Barbara, California 93101, USA
Key people	Raul Cortina, Esteban Cortina, Adrian Cortina, Daniel Cortina
Industry	Bicycles
Products	Bicycle Frames
Parent	Bici-Cortina (Mexico)
Website	www.cortinacycles.com

1 Background
2 Frames
- 2.1 Production Frames (By Year)
- 2.2 Other Prototypes (By Year)
3 Technological Innovations
4 External links

[edit] Background

Cortina Cycles was originally started in Mexico in 1955 by Raul Cortina, and his brother and uncle in a small bike shop in Mexico City. As time progressed, Cortina Cycles had many factory outlets within Mexico selling Cortina frames, and later moved into the factory that they still own in Mexico today. During that time Cortina Cycles built private label frames for high end Italian road bike companies such as Bennotto, and Gios.

During the 1990s, Raul Cortina's son Esteban Cortina started designing mountain bike frames after graduating from college and subsequently created Cortina Cycles USA in Santa Barbara, California along with his brothers Daniel and Adrian Cortina who are professional racers and well-known riders in Santa Barbara. The initial frame designs were ground breaking, and Cortina became one of first manufacturers to produce a downhill frame with 8 inches of rear travel in 1994. Cortina have gone on to produce many more high end frames that cover all cycling disciplines from BMX to tandems, and have gained a cult-like following internationally (particularly in the UK, Japan, and Canada). They still remain however, a small-scale family run business who are now renowned world-wide for their high-quality and innovative hand-built mountain bike frames.

[edit] Frames

[edit] Production Frames (By Year)

(Please add information if you can help)

DH-8 (1998)	Specs: Rear Wheel Travel: 8.0" Notes: Rear linkage is a forerunner to the semi-parallel linkage of the DHExtreme-8.
DHExtreme-8 (1999), also known as 'DHE-8'	Cortina DHExtreme-8 Specs: Effective top tube: md/lg 21.0" sm/md 20.0" Head Tube Diameter: 1.125" Head Tube Length: 4.5" Head Tube Angle: 69.0 degrees Seat Tube Angle: 61.0 degrees Seat Tube Diameter: 27.2 mm Wheel Base: 45.0" Chain Stays: 18.5" Bottom Bracket Height: 15.0" Bottom Bracket Width: 73 mm Rear Wheel Travel: 8.0" Suspension Type: Semi Parallel Linkage Notes: Hydro formed front triangle, heat treated 6061 T-6 Alcoa aluminum, Disk brake compatible only, universal standard disk brake mounts, recommended fork with minimum 180 mm travel. Single piece bottom bracket/ pivot juncture, needle bearings in all pivots, Igus bushings in smaller pivot area, standard 135 mm spacing for rear wheel. 12 mm Rear axle (supplied with frame), Adjustable wheelbase up to 1 inch. 14 Pieces total on precision CNC mill work. Integrated set screw to supply tension to drop out tabs. 1.0" Square tubing used in rear swing arm to keep the up sprung weight low. Motion Ratio 2.91 : 1 allows for better rear shock damping and less stress on the rear shock. Replaceable seat tower. Avalanche Team bike Avalanche Team bike Cortina modified the DHE-8 for the Avalanche Downhill Racing 1999 team bikes. An Avalanche MTN-3 shock was fitted by replacing parts of the linkage with specially designed parts to accommodate the larger shock which gave the frame a total of 10" of travel (which although it is fairly common now, was unheard of in 1999). The large oil reservoir of the avalanche shock can be seen attached to the downtube.
Europa-DS (2000), also known as 'Slalom', 'Europa', 'Europa-Dual'	Cortina Europa DS (QR Version) Specs: Effective Top Tube: 21.5" Head Tube Diameter: 1.125" Head Tube Length: 5.0" Head Tube Angle: 70.0 degrees Seat Tube Angle: 73.0 degrees Seat Tube Diameter: 27.2 mm Wheel Base: n/a Chain Stays: 16.5 Bottom Bracket Height: 13.0" Bottom Bracket Width: 73 mm Notes: 6061 T-6 Aluminium, oversized round tubing in the front triangle with a laser cut gusset bridging the head tube, down tube ,and top tube. 1.0 Square tubing in the rear with our trade mark "no yoke" tire clearance cut out. Precision CNC milled drop outs. Europa frames are disk brake compatible only, and have an adjustable wheel base up to 1 inch, they use the same 12 mm trough axle technology as the DHExtreme-8 system. The frame uses the same measurements as the Europa with the exception of using the standard quick release (CNC) drop outs.
XCO (2000), also known as 'Cross-Country'	Cortina XCO Specs: Effective Top Tube: 23.0" Head Tube Diameter: 1.125" Head Tube Length: 5.0" Head Tube Angle: 71.0 degrees Seat Tube Angle: 73.0 degrees Seat Tube Diameter: 27.2 mm Wheel Base: 42.0" Chain Stays: 16.5 Bottom Bracket Height: 13.0" Bottom Bracket Width: 73 mm Frame Weight: 3.5 lb. Notes: 6061 T-6 Aluminium, oversized round tubing in the front triangle. 1.0 Square tubing in the rear with our trade mark "no yoke" tire clearance cut out. Precision CNC milled drop outs. Cantilever brake mounts or disk brake mount options available (universal standard only) Standard 135 mm rear wheel spacing. Dual water bottle mounts.
Joyride (2001)	Cortina Joyride Specs: Effective Top Tube: md/lg 23.0" sm/md 21.5" Head Tube Diameter: 1.125" Head Tube Length: 4.5" Head Tube Angle: 71.0 degrees Seat Tube Angle: 65.0 degrees Seat Tube Diameter: 27.7 mm Wheel Base: 43.0" Chain Stays: 16.75" Bottom Bracket Height: 14.0" Bottom Bracket Width: 73 mm Rear Wheel Travel: 4.0" Suspension Type: Independent live eyelet Notes: Hydroformed front triangle, Disk brake compatible only, universal standard disk brake mounts, recommended fork with minimum 100 mm travel. single piece bottom bracket/ pivot juncture, needle bearings in rocker pivot, standard 135 mm spacing for rear wheel.
Europa-FS (2001), also known as 'Europa-DS'	Cortina Europa FS Specs: Rear Wheel Travel: 5.0" Notes: None
Triton-DS (2001), also known as 'Cromoly Project', '4130 Slalom'	Cortina Triton DS Specs: Effective Top Tube: 21.5" Seat Tube: 16" Bottom Bracket Width: 68 mm Head Tube Angle: 69 degrees Seat Tube Angle: 71 degrees Weight: 5 lb Notes: This frame is hugely popular due to its high durability, great geometry and low cost. Along with the Triton DH, this frame was the first to be manufactured in Mexico after Cortina Cycles USA was set up. The low manufacturing cost and ability to produce a larger quantity of frames in a factory proved to be a breakthrough for Cortina, with the frame reaching a world-wide market.
El Heffe BMX (2002)	Cortina El Heffe Specs: Unknown Notes: None
Triton DH (2003)	Cortina Triton DH Specs: Rear Wheel Travel: 8.0" Notes: The Triton DH showed an important move away from the complex linkage designs of the DHE-8, Joyride and Europa DS, and move towards a simpler and more durable design utilizing a one-piece rear triangle and 4130 Cromoly.

[edit] Other Prototypes (By Year)

Unnamed, MX-style DH Frame (Year Unknown, c.1997?)	MX-style Prototype Specs: Unknown Notes: Linkage possibly copied by Tomac for the 204 Magnum MKII.
Unnamed, Tandem (Year Unknown)	Tandem Specs: Unknown Notes: Notes
Unnamed, Trials Frame (2002)	Trials Frame Specs: Unknown Notes: Hydroformed front triangle of the DHE-8 is recognizable.
Omega 7 (2003)	Specs: Unknown Notes: Notes
Aluminum Triton (2005)	Aluminium Triton Prototype Specs: Unknown Notes: Notes
Triton 4X (2006)	Triton 4X 4x Prototype 4x Prototype Specs: Unknown Notes: This new Prototype was seen at the 2006 Sea Otter Classic in April. Shown here with Adrian Cortina, the frame is constructed from aluminum, with a monocoque top tube. It utilizes a short travel version of the triton linkage (one-piece rear triangle). The frame has an integrated headset.
DJ 4X (2006)	DJ 4x Specs: Unknown Notes: New Aluminum 4X hardtail frame
'06 Triton (2006)	'06 Triton Specs: Unknown Notes: New 2006 Aluminum Triton with stiffening pivot

[edit] Technological Innovations

Semi-Parallel Linkage of DHExtreme-8. This unique linkage design enables the rear triangle to move up and down on an almost vertical plane rather than pivoting about the bottom bracket conventionally. It therefore enables better tracking on the rear wheel.

Semi-Parallel Linkage

Fully Floating Linkage Design. This linkage design features on the Joyride and Europa-FS (semi-floating). This unique variation on the 4-bar linkage delivers progressive suspension whereby the ride becomes firmer as the shock is depressed. The shock is not attached directly to the static part of the frame at any point, hence 'floating'.

Fully-Floating Linkage

Adjustable Wheel Base on 12 mm Thru-Axle. This axle setup features on the DHExtreme-8, Europa DS (12 mm version), Europa FS, and Triton DH. The Wheelbase can be adjusted horizontally by 1 inch to effect the handling of the bike. The axle is tightened with a 9 m allen key and memory locked with two smaller horizontal allen bolts, creating a very stiff wheel base. The disk-brake mount and derrailleur hanger make up either side of the moving section, and can therefore be replaced if damaged.