Seven Cycles SolaRay: 36 Custom Geos Redefine Hardtail

James Moore · 2026-07-04

All photos courtesy of Seven Cycles Seven Cycles has introduced the SolaRay, a titanium hardtail mountain bike that pushes the boundaries of frame design. This isn't just another pretty bike—it's packed with features that deliver real performance benefits beyond looks. The SolaRay uses a distinctive truss design at the bottom bracket for stiffness, paired with a "FlowState" rear end and asymmetrical dual-diameter stays for improved traction and vibration damping. Plus, buyers can choose from 36 different geometry configurations for a near-custom fit. ### A Frame That Breaks the Mold Let's be honest: most hardtails look pretty similar. But the SolaRay stands out immediately. At the front, you'll find an external headset, which is common on titanium bikes. But then the top tube drops down at a much more aggressive angle than anything else in this category. It almost looks like a dirt jump bike, not an XC hardtail. That gives the SolaRay an aggressive, purposeful stance with a tall front end. Moving back to the seat tube, things get even more interesting. Instead of heading straight down to the bottom bracket, the seat tube curves back and meets the downtube several inches above it. Another piece of titanium tubing, bent in the opposite direction, is welded in above the bottom bracket. The result? An S-shaped illusion that's both beautiful and functional. ### The Truss Design: Stiff Where It Matters Rob Vandermark, who owns Seven Cycles with three business partners, calls this their "truss" design. And while it looks unique, he says it adds significant stiffness at the bottom bracket. That makes the bike quick and responsive to every pedal stroke. No wasted energy here. ### FlowState: Not Your Typical Rear Triangle This design also lays the groundwork for Seven's "FlowState"—their term for the rear end. But they intentionally avoid calling it a triangle. Why? Because the FlowState acts more like a parallelogram. "Fundamentally, most of the benefits come from the vertical travel provided by the compact rear end," Vandermark told Singletracks. "This 'flow' improves tire traction because the vertical movement helps keep the tire in contact with the terrain." - **Moto Stays**: These seat stays feature an S-bend in three dimensions, not just two. That means a smoother ride and better traction. They're also asymmetrical, with the non-drive side sitting significantly higher. - **Dual-Diameter Stays**: Seven uses 25mm tubing on the non-drive side and 19mm on the drive side. They claim a 40-60% increase in stiffness compared to single-diameter stays. The larger tubing doesn't affect tire clearance, chainline, or chainring clearance, and it adds only 24 grams. As Vandermark put it, "The benefits far outweigh the weight." ### EightEx Effect: 36 Ways to Get the Perfect Fit Like all Seven Cycles bikes, the SolaRay offers multiple geometry options. They call it the EightEx Effect. Essentially, there are 36 different sizes of the same bike, depending on the configuration you prefer. That means no more clicking "Size: M" and hoping for the best. You get a near-custom fit without the custom price tag. "We've been building the SolaRay for a few years, without a way to order them on the website," Vandermark said. The wait is over now. All Seven Cycles bike frames are handmade in the U.S., and the SolaRay is no exception. ### What About Fork Travel? Vandermark didn't mention fork travel numbers specifically, but it's likely the SolaRay will come in around 130mm. That puts it squarely in the trail hardtail category—capable enough for aggressive riding but efficient enough for long days in the saddle. ### Bottom Line The Seven Cycles SolaRay isn't just another titanium hardtail. It's a thoughtfully engineered machine that combines unique aesthetics with real performance gains. From the truss bottom bracket to the FlowState rear end and the 36 custom geometry options, every detail is designed to take the "hard" out of hardtail. If you're in the market for a bike that's as functional as it is beautiful, the SolaRay deserves a closer look.