Above, Kuat introduced their Ibex overland collection for pickup trucks, with a telescoping design and multiple frames to fit different trucks from Toyota, Dodge/RAM, Ford, Chevy/GMC, Nissan, and more. It’s designed as a shell, with plenty of accessories to customize it however you want.

Cross bars fit any of their roof trays, holding bikes, skis, snowboards, etc., and MOLLE-style side panels can be added to fit other gear on the inside and outside. You can even attach a single-bike tray to the side to keep it lower for (slightly) better gas mileage and (much) easier loading.

Their new HUK tailgate pad comes in five sizes to hold from 2 to 6 bikes, with straight and curved models to fit different truck beds more precisely. It has a soft-touch backing with and extra 1″ of padding along the top to keep your bike safer, and a flip-up panel maintains back-up camera visibility when needed.

A looped strap system lets you position the bikes where you want, and have metal G-Hook buckles for quick attachment and release. It’s a welded construction with smooth-touch finish, has a 3-year warranty, and when it’s finally worn out, it’s fully recyclable and biodegradable!

The new Piston rear hitch rack launched prior to Sea Otter and uses their easy-release pneumatic wheel cradles, just without the Kashima coating and rear lights to bring the price down. Check our full coverage for all the details, but here’s a closeup of the quick-adjust arms that let it fit everything from full-size mountain bikes to 20″ kids bikes, with a fender adapter placement to more easily hold bikes with a front (or rear) fender.

There’s an e-bike ramp accessory that telescopes to provide an easy way to roll heavier bikes onto the ramp, and Kuat’s smooth, consistent tray shape makes it really easy to roll the bike all the way into place. Then just pop the ramp off and throw it in your trunk. If you have e-bikes and routinely carry more than 2 bikes, this makes it much, much easier to get those first bikes on versus trying to maneuver the bike and yourself around a 3-4 bike rack.

Railias

Upstart Railias has a unique take on the truck tailgate pad. You can use it like normal, with soft, shaped cradles cuddling your downtube as it rests on the tailgate. Or, use their strap in mounts to attach fork mounts, a shade tent, or a repair stand:

The repair stand clamp telescopes, and can pop in and out of the mounting tray easily, so you can secure it inside the vehicle when you’re out riding, but make easy repairs when necessary. Note the small storage pockets integrated into the padding, too…great for keeping brake pad spacers on hand.

The design is more clever than it looks. Without the repair stand there, you can position the fork’s axle higher up on the tailgate (or not), and then just close the tailgate and it rolls your bike backward into the bed. So, you don’t have to drive with the tailgate open if you’re storing other stuff in the bed, too. Other accessories let you mount base plates to a wall or van floor, too, so you can use the same fork mounts and accessories elsewhere.

Inno Racks

Inno Racks has a new base rack system coming, using a modular approach that makes it really easy to move and remove bike trays, letting you position them to more easily nest two bikes together. But, it also lets you use the same base for cargo:

Using lockable quick release clamps, you can add a storage box to the rack, too.

A similar system is coming for their roof rails, too, starting with a base tray that can hold bike trays or this locking cargo box that…

…slides off and has wheels and a handle for easy transport. Sized like a large suitcase, it could make family travel and camp setup a lot easier by being able to take everything down for easier access, or just rolling it right into the hotel or rental. Price and availability TBD.

North Shore Racks

North Shore Racks had a few new items and updates, like this small two-bike model of their original hanging hitch rack.

Their proprietary fork crown cradle gets updated to fit the larger diameter crowns coming on enduro and e-MTBs, reinforced to handle heavier bikes.

That cradle design has always been specifically for suspension forks, leaving roadies out of the picture. But now they have a fork-mount adapter that lets you attach your road bike with the thru axle, then hang the adapter in their cradle and strap it into place. Works for gravel bikes, too…or any bike with a thru axle front and non-suspension fork.

Yakima

Yakima wasn’t showing brand new racks, but had a few things I hadn’t seen before, like the SafetyMate light-and-license plate kit for their StageTwo hitch mount bike rack. You’ll want (need) a trailer wiring harness to make it work, but it adds better visibility (and possibly legality) to your tray rack.

Their OnRamp is designed specifically for e-bikes, with a 66lb-per-tray load capacity and single-pole clamp system that can be adjusted for oddly shaped and sized bikes. That design works particularly well for the popular compact cargo e-bikes that have fenders, lights, racks, and other things that make wheel cradles unusable. A built-in ramp makes loading easy.

The new SkyBox NX has an easy-mount system that fits almost any cross bar, but its real trick is the nearly perfectly flat bottom. A full metal handle and SKS locking system secures things inside and makes it easy to open and close, and it holds 16 cubic feet of stuff.

Thru.bike

Thru.bike isn’t a rack company, it’s a bicycle shipping and delivery service. Originally created for triathletes that didn’t want to pack and ship their bike, they’ve now expanded their van network to carry any bike for anyone, even brands. They pick up the complete bike, load it into their custom-outfitted moving vans, and deliver it where needed, fully intact.

Brands can use it to deliver customer bikes fully built, and you can use it to get your bike to a race or vacation destination without having to do so much as loosen a single bolt. They use a hub-and-spoke delivery system, much like UPS or FedEx, so it may move between multiple vans, but their custom-built wall racks keep the bike safe and secure in transit.

Thule

The new Thule Epos rear rack has a very European look, with integrated lights and a folding design with wheels to make it easier to transport and store when not on your car.

Rather than the usual wheel cradles, it straps an arm to the top of the rear wheel to stabilize the bike, with wheel straps in the tray to keep the bike on board. Longer straps are available separately for fat bike wheels.

Abus cable locks, e-bike ramps, and other goodies are available to customize the rack to your needs. Hit that link for our full tech coverage.

Bike eRack

If you love hanging racks but have heavy e-bikes (or even motos!!!), the Bike eRack has a wireless remote controlled electric rack that lowers to make it easy to load them, then raises with the flick of a switch.

It lowers to the ground so you can just roll your front wheel into the cradle, strap it in, then effortlessly raise it up until the rear wheels come to rest on the bottom bar. Strap those on and you’re ready to go. You can even partially lower it with bikes fully attached to access a rear lift gate, and they offer a variety of anodized colors to match your rig.

Saris

Saris’ MHS Rack uses clamp-on attachments to make it really easy to add or remove bike trays, cargo baskets, and anything else they think of down the road. We reviewed this a while back, but the cargo basket is new (and coming soon).

The other big news for their MHS (Modular Hitch System) racks is that they’re now rated to carry bikes up to 80lbs when put on a standard vehicle with 2″ hitch, or up to 230lbs total with the three-bike base plus 1 bike attachment (4 bikes total). The bolt-on extra bike mount is limited to 35lbs. And it’s also now rated for RV use with up to two bikes (160lbs total).

The rack itself didn’t change, they just put it through more testing to see what it was capable of, so if you already own one, go nuts.

Bike Rac

The Bike Rac claims to be the most versatile wall-mounted bike rack in the world. It’s angle adjustable and uses a simple two-bar, gravity-fueled design to hold your bike without clamps. The base bolts into your wall studs (or anywhere you feel secure bolting it).

1UP USA

1UP’s new XD Rack’s name means “Xtreme Duty”, and to test that, they took their modified Porsche Cayenne off-roading for the photo shoot. Designed to carry up to 150lbs per tray, it’s overbuilt and rated for holding e-motos while overlanding.

Deeper trays, thicker ratchets, and extra bolts and thicker beams give the all-aluminum tray a much bigger, stronger appearance to match its capability. Price and availability are TBD.

Wanna check out that Porsche? We have a full roundup of overland, vanlife, RV, and tricked out show cars from Sea Otter!

The post Rack Roundup! New Hitch, Roof & Home Bike Racks appeared first on Bikerumor.

The cassettes use their two-piece design, with the two largest cogs being aluminum, and the main cluster being machined from steel. They fit to a SRAM XD freehub body, and if you already have the 9-50 cassette, you can swap in the new 43-52 alloy bit to get the increased range.

But the more interesting one might be this “close range” cassette that starts at 13 and goes to 52. That’s a narrower range, but it gives them smaller gear steps, which they prioritized putting near the top (big) end of the cassette for easier cadence management.

The idea is to give e-mountain bikers a more useful cassette that shifts easier under load, but it also works just fine for 100% human powered bikes, too. Here’s how it compares, cog by cog:

• Helix Race Close Ratio: 13-15-17-19-22-25-28-32-36-40-45-52
• Helix Race Wide Range: 9-11-13-15-17-20-23-27-31-36-43-52
• SRAM Eagle 10-52: 10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-38-44-52

And here’s what that looks like in a chart:

The new wide range cassette weighs in at 392g, and the close range is 467g as the cogs are bigger and it’s reinforced for e-bike use. Both come in five anodized color options, too.

In other news, they’ve expanded their chainring lineup to include e-bike chainrings for Bosch, Fazua, Brose, and Shimano. They, too, will come in all the colors, so you can match your drivetrain up…

…with new anodized color options for their dropper seatpost collars and top clamps, too.

Their new Schrader Quick Fill valve stem uses a modular design that converts from Presta to a valve-free, Schrader-sized port for easier tubeless setup…or just using it with any pump you have available.

Their first entry into the tool category is a tire lever that splits open to give you two levers and reveal a tire plugger tool inside, complete with valve core remover.

The new e-Thirteen Optimus is their XC/downcountry tire, with a lower profile center section of tightly spaced knobs transitioning to taller side knobs for hard cornering. It comes in two versions, a 120tpi XC casing for the most supple performance, and a Trail version with more supportive 72tpi casing and nylon breaker under the tread cap for added puncture protection.

Claimed weight is 812g (XC) and 852g (TR) for 29er, and 698g / 766g for 27.5, all available only in a 2.4″ width. It’s a dual compound rubber with 50a side knobs and 56a center section. MSRP is $64.95.

eThirteen.com

The post eThirteen debuts Close Range Cassette, XC tire, neat tools & more appeared first on Bikerumor.

Gates Belt Drive’s booth usually has some unique bikes on hand to show off their chain-free drivetrains. This Instintiv Reebok M was mounted to a sleek Zero electric motorcycle, and the combo was like a magnet to me.

Instinctiv builds their bikes with a Pinion gearbox, and can be run with a chain or the Gates system. Their suspension separates the rear shock from the main linkage, eliminating side loads to keep it sliding freely. This model has 130mm rear travel and is designed for 140-150mm forks.

Pole Onni prototype DH/Enduro bike

Conveniently named after their sponsored rider Onni Rainio, the name also means “luck” in Finland, where Pole is based. The Onni is a new model designed as a DH bike, but it can (and will) double as an enduro race bike for them, which is how this one is built up.

It features a massive 200mm rear travel from their distinctive high pivot, articulating design. It keeps the CNC’d frame, which makes each tube in two parts and then bonds them together.

Unlike the other models, this one’s downtube stays high, in line with the “chainstay” for a more streamlined look. That means an extension to hold the BB and cranks, which gives the bike a very unique look.

Mounts can be added across the frame as needed, here giving them the necessary accessory points for tool & tube storage for enduro racing, but could be left off on a DH build. No word on price or final availability, it’s not listed on their website as of this post going live.

Foes Racing refines their top models

Another brand that does CNC’d (and hydroformed) aluminum is Foes Racing, and they’ve been doing it for a long time. Rather than bond the shells together, Foes welds them, showing off their skills at metal fabricating (that’s lately extended to creating offroad suspension and overland bits for the Ford Transit, too!)

The Mixer is their mixed wheel enduro bike with a 29er front, 27.5 rear wheel setup and 165mm rear travel. For 2023, it gets a sleeker hydroformed top tube and updated downtube shape with a sleeker, larger bottom bracket area. Overall, the changes give it a more modern appearance with improved cable management and removable guides, plus a UDH compatible rear end.

The 2023 Ridgeback is their 135mm travel 29er trail bike and doesn’t change much structurally, but the geometry is updated with a longer top tube, slacker head angle, and steeper seat tube. There’s also a new one-piece machined lower shock mount and pivot section that’s stronger and lighter than the prior model.

It also uses a different layout of their linkage driven single-pivot designs than the Mixer, but gets the new cable guides for easier routing. All frames are made to order in the USA.

Lastly, the Foes Fat-e switches from a Shimano motor to the Bosch CX drive system.

It let them make the frame a bit sleeker, too, and now I really, really want one of these for goofing off in the winter. Check them all out at FoesRacing.com.

Fezzari colors up their enduro bikes

The Fezzari La Sal Peak is getting a new Ochre Yellow color…

…and for the first time, it’s also getting Shimano builds. Two Shimano-equipped models of their enduro bike will be offered, the Comp with SLX ($3,599) and Elite with XT ($4,599).

They’re also playing with some two-tone paint schemes, these being custom jobs for some of their ambassadors.

While these (and a sweet custom-painted Shafer gravel bike to show off its compatibility with SRAM Transmission) were handpainted by Elements, they’re working on adding more artsy options to their stock lineup. And they’ll have plenty of bikes to choose from, rumor has it they’re launching a LOT of new bikes over the next 12 months.

Norco’s custom DH bike for Gracey

Norco made this custom-painted Range HSP enduro bike for pro rider Gracey Hemstreet to celebrate her growing list of World Cup wins.

The faux rust wear over shiny silver gives it a unique battle-worn look, but underneath is the same carbon frame you can buy.

11 podiums and counting…

Prototype Marin DH bike

Marin is working on an alloy downhill bike, and they’re switching up the suspension for the longer travel. Where their current lineup uses their MultiTrack suspension platform, this one switches to a Horst Link design…and it gets mixed 29er front, 27.5″ rear wheels.

Flip chips at the back of the rocker arm and chainstay let them tweak the geo, possibly just for testing, possibly to switch wheel sizes, and possibly it’ll all make it to production bikes, too.

Clean internal routing and plenty of tire clearance round out the package.

For those in-between days, there’s a new electric version of their Fairfax commuter/city bike. Price is TBA, but it’ll be affordable as it’s using a rear hub motor rather than a mid-drive like their Sausalito (shown in back). It’ll come in standard and step-thru frames.

Sage Titanium continues their awesome custom paint

As a smaller brand, Sage only releases one or two new models per year. But they routinely bring some amazing customer and show bikes to Otter every year to show off what’s possible.

This Storm King had a gorgeous space galaxy them that faded away toward the back of the bike.

This one’s their dirt jumper, because who wouldn’t want a very expensive titanium DJ bike?

Most people don’t completely cover their titanium bikes with paint, but if you’re gonna go for it, might as well go big.

The new Powerline “downcountry” hardtail launched just before the show, and the custom Cerakote-and-anodized finish didn’t disappoint in person. Check out the full tech details and closeups in our launch coverage.

Ritte Esprit carbon road bike

Having been teased so much by Ritte that the launch may have actually come and gone and we couldn’t tell, their new carbon fiber Esprit road bike has a lot of internal hype behind it. From aerodynamics to comfort, speed to handling, they’re saying it’s basically the ultimate road bike. You can reserve one now for $500 and choose your build later (they start at $7,999).

FiftyOne’s limited edition 90’s themed Assassin Gravel frameset

Feeling nostalgic but still want the latest and greatest? FiftyOne Cycles is producing just 25 of these retro-inspired OG Assassin gravel bikes, painted like the top bikes from the 1990s, particularly the Lemonds from ’90-’91.

Each one’s individually numbered (you get to pick the number) and comes with its own coffee table book detailing the production process. Framesets are €4,500 / $4,500 / £3,850, and they can be built into complete bikes.

3T

3T was showing off their extremely limited edition Exploro Racemax x Huracán Sterrato bike in a whole new way. The Lamborghini collaboration bike (shown at bottom of post) uses the same made-in-Italy, filament-wound frame as this unpainted one, and they gave us a closeup look at all the details.

It’s also available as the 3T Exploro Racemax Italia, as shown here, which is made entirely in house with a woven process that yields a gorgeous frame. This deconstructed frame shows how the fibers are wound together rather than just laid up in sheets like most carbon bikes. Full details in this story with glossier photos.

The Racemax Italia frames ditch the UD outer layer, revealing the structural design.

It’s available as a frameset for €4,999…

…and as complete bikes from €8,199 to €11,999.

The Lambo collab bike is a special build you can get for $15,000, which would be a couple month’s payments or a year’s worth of gas on the 16mpg, $235,000 Lamborghini Urus shown behind it.

The post Mega Bike Roundup! 17 killer new & custom bikes from Sea Otter appeared first on Bikerumor.

Cascade Components, which got its start making rear suspension linkage swaps for bikes like Santa Cruz, Forbidden, Specialized and now a whole lot more, was showing off their brand new North Fork four-piston disc brake calipers.

Originally designed only for SRAM Code levers and DOT fluid, the North Fork calipers are adding a Mineral Oil version to work with Shimano and other levers, too. It’s not out yet, but the 18/16mm piston combo and oversized body and hardware will carry over.

They use standard bleed hardware, same as the stock calipers they replace, and claim to have ~20% more power.

If you haven’t seen them, here’s an example of their replacement linkage for a Specialized Stumpjumper EVO, which increases travel (without changing ride height) and progression.

Marzocchi adds white finish

Currently only offered to their pro riders, Marzocchi will be making this white color available on all of their forks a little later this year. For now, you can choose from Red or Black.

asdf

Over the past couple of years, Ceramicspeed has added Cerakote finishes in limited editions and special colors, all of which carry a ~$200 premium. Now they have two new colors (Fiery Orange and Icy Blue) and fresh “X” branding to convey their toughness and readiness for mountain biking that some of their sponsored athletes were already taking advantage of.

The products are the same, other than being designed to fit Shimano and SRAM’s top groups. MSRP from $839, for 1x drivetrains only…but they do also offer “X” series units for 1x and 2x gravel groups.

And answering the question “Will these work with SRAM’s new T-Type Transmission group?” without actually having to say anything was this display bike. They suggested the standard Eagle AXS derailleur works just fine with the new T-Type cassette and chain, though you’d be missing out on the added stiffness and durability of the T-Type derailleur. But, you know, if you can only afford some of the group or already have an upgraded derailleur…

Kogel OSPW Aero Cage & Purple Pulleys

Kogel has been working on their Kolossos Aero pulley cage, which uses the aero fairings as the structural element, hiding much of the chain and pulleys from the wind. It’s available for pre-order now with a $10 refundable deposit as it’s still in the “rideable prototype” phase, available in raw and black.

For purple ano fans, they’re now offering it in a limited edition batch to fit most popular current road and mountain bike derailleurs and their own complete Kolossos OSPW cage.

They also had this shiny gold-wrapped bike with gold anodized pulley cage.

Crank Brothers Highline 11 dropper post returns

Coming back to their catalogue this summer, the Crank Brothers Highline 11 with carbon shaft will give them a top-level option with improved durability. The main update is that they’re switching to an alloy head rather than carbon. It adds just 15g, but is more reliable and easier to manufacture.

It’ll come in 60/80/100/125/150/170mm travel options with 30.9 and 31.6 diameters. They’re working on 27.5, probably up to 125. It should be shipping this summer and come in about 50-70g lighter than the Highline 7, depending on size.

Magura Vyron Wireless Dropper 3.0 finally in the US

Announced last fall, the Magura Vyron V3 promises faster actuation and return, with a more responsive wireless connection. North American availability was delayed while they finalized their Bluetooth transmission licensing, and now it should start shipping in Q3 2023 for $649 with pre-orders opening in late Spring or Early Summer.

The post is powered by a replaceable CR2 battery…

…and the remote uses standard CR2023 coin cell batteries. It’ll come with a standard band clamp and Magura’s Shiftmix clamp that fits their MT-series brakes.

Topeak has new pumps, stands & Ninja tools

The new Topeak Lineup Stand Max will accommodate tires up to 29×2.35 and bikes up to 65lbs, perfect for heavier eMTBs with big tires.

The Joe Blow lineup gets a visual refresh with easier categorization by discipline designated by name and max air pressure ranges. Two mountain bike versions are offered, both with oversized 44.4mm barrel diameters to move lots of air, but with different pump heads (both compatible with both Presta and Schrader).

They also get bigger 3.5″ gauges and numbers to make them easy to read. MSRP $50-55 each.

Their Ninja line of hidden tools add new flat bar kits that features hex and torx bits on one end, and a tire plugger kit on the other. Fold out handles make them easy to pull out of the bar when needed.

There’s also a chain breaker/mini tool option, and this new Tool Roll that we first saw at Taipei Show (along with some other really cool stuff from their booth).

Lastly, there’s this new tire lever set with chain breaker, quick link pliers, and chain hook to keep it together while you remove or insert a link.

Clever Standard COtools adds more ways to upcycle spent CO2 cartridges

If you hate the idea of chucking perfectly good metal after a single use, then Believe In Bikes’ Clever COtools repurposes spent threaded CO2 cartridges as tool handles.

Their newest (upcoming) thread-on base can hold standard hex/torx bits to create a wrench. Add the one-way ratchet to extend it or make the job quicker. Thread in the tubeless plugger spear and thread on the stop to safely repair a puncture. Topping it all off, the base comes in multiple colors and doubles as a valve core removal tool and spoke wrench and can even help true a brake rotor.

Bring along a piece of string and you can even use it to tie your e-bike’s crank to the chainring, allowing you to backpedal for easier tuning and chain cleaning (because many mid-motor e-bikes disengage when backpedaling, so you can’t turn the cranks backward to move the chain in reverse).

Their new Adaptor 2.0 comes in lots of colors and combines a valve core removal tool with Presta-to-Schrader adapter. It works great as a Presta valve cap, too, so you can add some bling and be ready for whatever pump you may find in a pinch, even if it’s at a tire center.

Last up are their tire plugger ends, which fit over a small allen tool and basically turn any multitool into a puncture repair kit. Preload a few fits and keep them in a little bag and you’re ready to go. Multiple sizes accommodate different thickness “bacon strips”.

Selle Italia Smart Tape handlebar tape

Selle Italia’s new pre-capped Smart Tape has integrated caps made from the same grippy material as the tape, just slide it on and start wrapping. The backside uses a micro-suction cup-like material to hold onto your bar and prevent slipping, eliminating the need for sticky tape.

That means it’s reusable, and easy to rewrap as many times as you need to get it just right. It not only starts off looking tidier, but they say it saves about 20% of the time it normally takes to wrap a bar. It’s 2.5mm thick and will retail for just $20 when it goes on sale in mid/late May.

asdf

Elevation Wheel Co. is a Colorado-based custom wheel builder, and founder Chris is always looking for ways to make it easier to build wheels (and teach others how to build wheels…he hosts online classes now and then).

His latest invention is the Arm Bar, a magnetic truing stand indicator lock, which snaps (magnetically) onto the end of a Park Tool truing stand and adds plunger-like pins that you can push in to hold the rim guides open. This makes it way easier to remove a wheel and much quicker than turning the dial all the way open…just pull the guides out and press the pin to hold it wide open. MSRP is $80-100 depending on whether you want custom etching on it.

His Nipple Shuffle Box is a 3D-printed (also in Zach’s 3D-printed tech roundup) try that holds spoke nipples in an organized, easy to grab slot, helping speed up wheel building. MSRP is $25-$30.

Want more? Check out my Bags / Gear and Overland / Vanlife roundups, too!

The post Tech Roundup: Forks, Brakes, Tools, Oversize Pulleys & more! appeared first on Bikerumor.

Kicking things off, Osprey gave us a sneak peek of their prototype bikepacking setup, which includes a saddle bag, handlebar bag, frame bag, and top tube bag. They’re still being tested and refined, but looking at a release later this year.

Several sizes of frame bag will be offered, and it and the top tube bag get waterproof zippers with garages to hide the hardware while leaving the pull tabs visible and accessible.

The handlebar bag uses roll closures on either end with compression straps separate from the attachment straps, plus loops to attach smaller packs, fine tune it’s position, and secure it to the stem or headtube if necessary. But firm rubber mounts add some space between it and the bar so it won’t take up hand positions and will clear drop bars better.

The saddle bag gets a wrapper that mounts to the saddle and post with a very wide, secure Velcro strap around the post to help stabilize it. The roll-top dry bag then slots into it and secures with a strap running around the back, through the roll-top’s closure, so it won’t come out. Plenty of compression points and a one-way air valve help you get it packed tight. It should be big enough to hold a one-person bikepacking tent and some clothes. No word on pricing or ship dates yet.

Cedaero fork bag and custom frame bags

The new Cedaero Fork Lift bag ($89.95) is designed to slide and strap onto the 3-bolt King Cage fork cage.

Unlike all the roll-top fork bags, this one uses a long zip to create a wide-opening flap that makes it much quicker and easier to access the goodies inside, and the design makes it really easy to remove so you can carry it inside or to your camp.

They also have a wide range of stock bags for every part of your bike, and will make custom bags to fit specific bikes, including full suspension mountain bikes.

Their saddle bag has a firm plastic band inside that maintains the shape so it’s easy to see the stuff inside, or you can can remove it if you want to cinch the strap down tight to compress it.

And they have top tube bags in every color of the rainbow and then some.

KOM Cycling saddle bag with Garmin Varia mount

KOM Cycling has a new saddle bag ($40) with a direct mount for the Garmin Varia rear radar light.

If you’ve ever tried mounting one on a bike without much seatpost extension, then you know how great of an idea this is. For shorter riders, it’s an easy way to add the safety device, but also just a great spot for it for any rider.

They also have a new direct stem bolt mount version of their outfront computer mount with quick-release accessory mount. It uses the same two-prong attachment as all GoPros, so there are a lot of lights and action cams that fit, and you just twist it off for easier charging or filming.

Blackburn side marker lights and other mounts

Blackburn’s GRID head and tail lights are awesome, I’ve been using them for some time. What’s unique is the addition of a side marker light set, letting you add more visibility from all angles with yellow/amber lights that attach to both sides of your frame or fork.

They were also showing off a stretch strap that holds a CO2 or any of their mini tools that are shaped like a CO2 to your shock’s air canister. Their MTB mini frame bag has been in the line for a while and offers a bit more storage on some frames (I’d suggest making a paper template and seeing if the shape works for your bike before buying).

The GRID handlebar bag is a recent addition to their line of city and bikepacking bags, which includes a fantastic saddle bag that I’ve been using for quite some time, as well as their Outpost top tube bag.

Ornot XL handlebar bag and artist prints

Ornot has just added a new XL version of their handlebar roll bag, shown here next to the Mini. It adds more external lash pints, but isn’t quite for sale yet. As they say, you could get on their email list, ornot.

They were also showing off Artist Series versions of their Trail Shirts, which you should probably reach out to them about because they’re not on the website yet.

Mend It Kit MTB-ready first aid kit

The Mend It Kit is a mountain biker’s first aid kit that can strap to your frame, however I’d probably just throw it in a pack due to the somewhat open design…but that design is intentional, every part of it serves a purpose, without a pouch or anything to add weight or bulk.

The orange outer wrapper is a splint, and the black Velcro strap is the tournequet, with all supplies contained inside two waterproof packets to keep them together. The black mesh thing on the top left is a 3D printed carbon fiber finger splint, which is designed to bend in one direction (to curve around your finger), but not in the other (to keep your finger straight once it’s taped in place). Pretty cool design, and just one of many 3D-printed things Zach found for his roundup.

Restrap’s race frame bags

If you’re rolling fast and light, or “credit card bikepacking”, Restrap’s race line of frame bags are fantastic looking. I’ve only tried the top tube bag, and I love it. Hoping to give the rest a whirl this summer. These aren’t new, but they will have some fresh options coming later this year.

Orucase adjustable cardboard bike box & duffel bags

The new Orucase Telescoping Bike Box is a thick, tough cardboard box for packing and shipping your bike that has a few tricks. First, it comes in two parts that nest together, so you can slide them to adjust it’s length to fit you bike. Once you’ve got it dialed, you can use straps to contain it, or just select one of two fixed positions (Short 48″, Long 62″) and use the integrated flaps on top and bottom to lock it into position.

The ends use multi-part closures, so you don’t have to use tape if you’re not actually shipping it, and the whole thing ships inside a very small box that can be reused for storage. Retail is $50 plus $15 shipping.

Their new Janus Duffel bag was originally introduced as house-made options to test the market, and now they’re made overseas and come with a healthy $100 price drop to $150.

It’s purpose built for athletes with multiple pockets separate shoes and sweaty things, plus a few small internal organizing pockets keep stuff tidy. The top flap’s internal zip pocket can even fit the smallest MacBook Air or iPad Pro, but there’s no padding to protect it.

The new model also adds convertible backpack straps, and keeps the oversized grab handles. Zippered end pockets have a second zippered mesh panel to help things breathe…or drain.

They also make a lot of on-bike bags, and the Mini Frame Bag was redesigned earlier this year, made with a durable sailcloth material, foam reinforcement, and YKK Aquaguard zipper. Available in six colors, it also has two outside pockets on the sides, reflective details, and runs $75.

Kali Cascade trail helmet gets even more eco-friendly

Introduced last year, the Kali Cascade introduced a lot of green features, from a visor made of reclaimed ocean plastic to recycled EPS foam to straps made from recycled PET to padding that uses Bamboo.

Now, they’re starting to take things a big step further by incorporating post-industrial waste materials from their factory. The colored insets shown around their vents are scrap material left over from making other helmets, which not only looks cool but means every helmet made this way will be unique, and it keeps that material from going in the trash.

Inside, the foam padding is cut from scraps, too. These are still proof of concept helmets, they’re still working on how this could happen at scale, but we love seeing the creativity and problem solving Kali brings to the table.

For now, the Cascade is available in black and this new Green Feathers edition.

Silca rainbow anodized ti bottle cage

Ya know what would look great with that Kali helmet prototype? This rainbow anodized Sicuro Ti Unicorn bottle cage, which is available now for $85.

The post Gear Roundup: Bikepacking bags, frame bags, lights & more! appeared first on Bikerumor.

Above are several new flavors from vegan sports nutrition brand Cranked Naturals, inspired by popular Hispanic drinks. Look for Horchata, Tamarindo, and Jamaica (hu-my-ka, not the island of Jamaica), which sound perfect for hot summer rides. I tried the Jamaica and it was delicious.

Skratch was showing off new Pineapple and Raspberry Limeade sports drink flavors, and a new Salted Maple + Mallow crispy rice cake. Immediately following Sea Otter, I headed to an even in CO and got to try their breakfast burrito with kimchi and it’s quite tasty…definitely worth checking out their new Boulder cafe if you’re in the area.

SaltStick’s high-sodium electrolyte drink mix now comes in 40-serving canisters in addition to the single-serve stick packs they started out with. They’re part of Alete Nutrition, which also owns…

…Bonk Breaker, which was showing off new Rainbow Blast and Green Apple chews, joining Cola and Root Beer, and…

…JoJé energy bars, which are made with whole food ingredients and were some of my favorites for the weekend. The brand was founded by Jess Cerra, who co-hosts The Last Best Ride gravel race in Whitefish, MT, which is now on my bucket list.

CarboRocket has moved to small canisters for their Rocket Red pre-race nitric oxide booster, which I like a lot, making it easier to scoop out than the bags they used before. Their Shroom Sport is a plant-based protein powder with a blend of six different mushroom powders that claim to boost your VO2 max with a few weeks of daily use.

Speaking of ‘shrooms, Twisted Spoke’s new Cordyceps supplement uses 200mg of pure Cordycepin extract (not just a full spectrum mushroom powder, so the ingredients are standardized per dose). It, too, claims to boost VO2 max with regular use, with general studies supporting such claims in addition to reduced inflammation. (They also make CBD and related products, including a very excellent chamois cream, and I interviewed them for the podcast about all that.

Speaking of CBD, Floyd’s of Leadville has new Cotton Candy and Red Raspberry flavors of the CBD gems, the difference between the two packages being black is Full Spectrum, and white is Isolate. They’re pretty much just gummies, no real electrolytes to speak of, but if you like sugar while you ride and you like CBD, well… it tastes like Cotton Candy, so what’s not to like?

OMSO’s new Power Fuel comes with or without caffeine and is a flavorless source of carbs that you add to any sports drink you want. Comprised mostly of clustered dextrin, a carbohydrate that packs more energy but empties through the stomach quickly so you can get more fuel into your system without upsetting your stomach. It also contains a bit of fructose and sodium, too.

I’ve tried it on a few long rides now and it seems to work well, without getting overly thick or sticky or weird tasting like some other products I’ve tried with the same carb source.

Fluid has just added a pure whey protein isolate product to their line, making it easy to add protein to shakes, smoothies, recovery drinks, etc. If you’ve tried upping your whey protein and been extra gassy, it’s probably because you cheaped out and bought whey protein concentrate. I’ve been there. It’s fun, but only for you, and only until it’s not. Whey Isolate doesn’t (usually) have the same hilarious side effects and it delivers more protein per gram, but it costs more.

Their Tactical lineup is aimed at active folks (think firefighters, field workers, etc.) but not athletes specifically since they add Sucralose as the main sweetener, which makes them slightly more affordable than some other electrolyte tablets that use Stevia or other natural sweeteners.

DripDrop makes high-electrolyte powders for rehydrating you, making them a good option for before or after really hot rides or really long nights. Or days. No one’s judging.

GU’s latest flavors are Lemonade Chews and Raspberry Lemonade gels, the latter not really being my favorite flavor but they support a good cause.

Ryno Power’s Mana gels are mostly maltodextrin and add Himalayan Pink Salt, but it’s their bars that are more interesting. Made with 100% non-GMO and mostly organic real food ingredients, they also have 10g of protein with the 29g of carbs and 4.5g fat, making them longer lasting than high-sugar, all-carb bars.

Chargel had absolutely nothing new, but they were chilled handing them out like candy. If you haven’t tried these, they’re like half sports drink, half gel carb-and-fluid source. Imagine sucking Jell-O thru a straw and you get the idea, except it’s a little easier than that so you can do it while riding hard, and definitely easier and more hydrating than an actual gel. I like them way more than I thought I would.

The most surprising snack that I also liked way more than I thought I would, even though I really like high-protein snacks, were the Wilde Protein Chips. They’re made from chicken. Not chicken flavored, but actual chicken.

They were only sampling the Nashville Hot flavor, but the Chicken & Waffles and Salt & Vinegar would probably have been my preference.

Laird Superfoods gets a brand refresh for their Superfood Creamers (which are great), and they’ve added a new Daily Greens supplement. It’s exactly what you think it is, and if you’ve ever had Athletic Greens, it tastes kinda like that but less pineapple-y, and it’s more affordable. It comes in 30-serving bags and 15-pack single servings for about $2/serving.

Picky Bars are delicious, and their new(ish) Nut Butter Bars are more delicious. They make a great mid-ride snack, but are probably best stored in a top tube or handlebar bag, they won’t really get melty, but they might get a little soft in your jersey pocket on a hot day.

My favorite snack of the show was the new Honey Stinger Oat + Honey bars. They have a nut butter center coated in crunchy oats and are freakin’ delicious. They also introduced their first caffeinated energy chews, too.

Shout out to Best Day Brewing for keeping everyone (and, seriously, I mean EVERYONE) hydrated with their delicious non-alcoholic beers all weekend. Every booth had some, and they kept the cooler full every time I walked by. Good stuff and highly recommend if you’re trying to cut back. I forgot to take a photo of their beer, so this one’s from their Instagram. Cheers!

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And for the track racers turned gravel, they’ve created something very unique with the Little Wing Disc, a disc brake version of their titanium track bike that adds tire clearance to fit light-gravel tires.

No. 22 Drifter Adventure gravel bike

For racers, there’s the Drifter X, a no-frills, tight-handling gravel bike built for speed. For regular riders, there’s the Drifter, with top tube and rack mounts, but with the same 700×45 tire clearance.

Ffor riders who want to get further away from groomed roads and smooth trails, there’s this new Drifter Adventure, offering a bike at the other extreme of their Drifter series that boosts tire clearance to 700×50, adds integrated dynamo wire routing to the fork, and expands cargo options.

The carbon fork adds three-bolt cage mounts with replaceable dropouts so you can customize the trail.

Unlike the others, this one’s only compatible with 1x drivetrains. Both the fork and frame have fender mounts onboard. Geometry is a bit more relaxed for stability when loaded and comfort when covering long miles.

Like the rest of their bikes, as new models come out or existing ones are updated, they’re getting No.22’s new 3D-printed dropouts. And you can opt for the new 3D-printed stems, which allow for completely integrated cockpits and full internal routing. (Check out our podcast with No.22 co-founder Mike Smith about why they’re using 3D-printed titanium and the benefits it offers)

Framesets start at $5,749 and complete bikes are available with SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo groups.

No.22 Little Wing Disc

Because disc brakes (any brakes, really) on a track bike are kinda pointless if you’re only using it on the track, No.22 added a little versatility to their Little Wing Disc to breathe new life into it. Dirt Track Racing, anyone?

3D-printed 12×142 thru axle dropouts hold stealth fender mounts, but keep the tires unsheathed and you can fit 700×38 in there, perfect for oversized cyclocross tires or big road tires for urban assaults…up to you whether you go fixed gear or singlespeed.

Like their other bikes, this one uses a threaded T47 PF30 bottom bracket shell with an eccentric BB so you can adjust chain tension.

The titanium frame is custom, with all butting and shaping done in house, and starts at $6,099 before paint, anodizing, and Cerakote options. Full internal routing with or without their stem is available as an option.

22bicycles.com

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They’ve had a new owner for about a year, and they’ve set up a US warehouse in Asheville and headquarters in Austin. All of the bikes, however, are still made in the same Italian factory that they’ve always been, and the Nemo Tig is still made from custom oversized Columbus Spirit HSS steel tubes.

Clean, tiny welds connect the head tube, with internal brake hose routing constrasting the classic external shift cable routing.

It keeps the seat binder lug…

…and winged dropout for a classic look. The carbon fork has integrated fender mounts, and the bike is rated for bikepacking, albiet with strap-on frame bags since there aren’t many extra mounts beyond the top tube bag bolts. Tire clearance is 700×40 with an all-road geometry.

Available in 37 different colors, with your choice of white or black decals. Some colors (Green Special, Pearl White, and Champagne) are stocked and ready to ship from Asheville, but all frames in Italy are prepped for paint and waiting for the customer’s selection, so there’s no charge to select any of the colors if you don’t mind waiting about six weeks to get your bike.

The Cinelli Zydeco Lala is their base build of their original gravel bike (and also a cyclocross model for them, but with 40mm tire clearance). Built with more mounting points for a rear rack, top tube back, and partial internal shifter routing, it’s triple-butted Columbus Zona Aluminum tubing is ready for just about any adventure, even if it’s only in the urban jungle.

Cinelli-Milano.com

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Clearly labeled as a prototype, the Notch is the more secretive of the two bikes. Salsa wouldn’t give us any details other than the fact that they’re working on an e-MTB, and what we can see – like the Split Pivot suspension design. Equipped with a Bosch motor and battery system, the Notch prototype had 29 x 2.6″ Teravail Kessel tires front and rear and a Rockshox ZEB suspension fork that looked to be in the realm of 160-170mm of travel.

Confluence Gravel Prototype

More is known about the Confluence gravel bike, even though it is still a prototype – the color and spec above are not production, but close. Built with a MAHLE SmartBike X35 system, the bike is a Class 1 with a 20mph top assisted speed, with 40 Nm of torque and a 250 Wh battery in the downtube. Like other MAHLE bikes, it will be compatible with their 208 Wh range extender to increase total battery to 458 Wh.

Designed around a 6061-T6 aluminum frame, the Confluence will be offered in six frame sizes for dropbar builds, and five frame sizes for flat bar builds. The frames will include a Confluence-specific full carbon gravel fork with a 12x100mm thru axle, and the bikes will have a 700c x 50mm tire clearance.

Other frame details include internal droper post compatibility, 68mm threaded bottom brackets, rack and fender mounts, and cargo mounts. Complete bikes will start around $2,499 with availability TBD.

salsacycles.com

The post Salsa Cycles Crank Up the Heat with Prototype eMTB & Gravel eBikes! appeared first on Bikerumor.

With notes calling out frame features blended with fun quotes and a reminder to stay focused, it’s probably the prettiest way a brand has ever highlighted a product’s features. Click any photo to enlarge.

“Let Op” is Dutch, essentially translating to “Look Up!” or “Look Out”, just a friendly reminder to keep your head up during a race.

The backside of the seat tube was signed by the builders and painters who helped make this bike.

Alexey says he prefers a 2x drivetrain for the smaller gear steps, which helps keep a more consistent cadence, especially important in an event like Unbound where winds and mild elevation changes benefit from a more refined approach to one’s output.

The braided sleeve over the Di2 wire is something ENVE does for all such builds, just adding a little extra protection against snags and tears…for now.

It’s a lot of work being a brand ambassador…Willie was a tired boi.

ENVE’s other booth bikes were a custom painted ENVE MOG showing off other (likely much more affordable) options for customer bikes.

They also have a new Aegean Blue color option for their road bikes, which can have a matte pearl or full gloss finish…or a mix of the two to add a bit more visual interest without adding graphics.

ENVE.com

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Even though it is technically visor-free, the Crossframe Pro still has a pronounced brow. Kind of like a visor that’s integrated into the EPS foam. On the underside of that brow, there are functional vents that are part of the 22 total vents on the helmet.

Inside, you’ll find a MIPS liner with a BOA retention system, as well as dual-density Varizorb EPS foam for improved impact protection. The helmet also features premium features like a removable and washable Ionic+ liner, rubberized sunglass grippers, and a Fidlock SNAP helmet buckle. Claimed weights are listed as 330-390g for S-L, with our medium pre-production sample weighing 346g.

Along with the Crossframe Pro Helmet, Fox is introducing a line of clothing for the same category in the Flexair Ascent line. Somewhere between baggy and tights, the clothing has a more aerodynamic cut than typical Fox clothing. Designed to be ultra light and cool, the shorts feature a fairly short 10″ inseam, and jerseys will be offered in SS & LS.

We got an early sample to check out and so far both the clothing and the helmet have been surprising in a good way. The fit on the clothing is excellent, and it all feels incredibly comfortable. I’m looking forward to getting some more miles on these this summer.

Dropframe Pro

The new downcountry/gravel gear may have been the star of the show, but the new Dropframe Pro is worth a look as well. Previously, Fox updated the Proframe RS with many of the features from the Proframe, and now those updated trickle down to the Dropframe Pro as well.

The 3/4 shell has an updated headform with a BOA fit system and MIPS, and meets the NTA-8776 eBike helmet certification. The visor has three poisitons and is compatible with goggles, and you’ll find an Ionic+ anti-microbial liner and cheek pads plus a Fidlock magnetic buckle. Claimed weight is listed as 620-710g.

All of the products above will be available later this year with pricing to be announced.

foxracing.com

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Assuming you have a SRAM drivetrain and wanted to go single, then that’s one problem solved.

The second is the elimination of marring that some single-speed cogs can do on a Shimano-style HG freehub body. With all of the torque only driving one single gear, some designs can dig into the teeth on the freehub body, making it difficult to remove them.

The design uses a base sleeve that threads onto the XD body, just like you would with a cassette, and then the spacers and cog slide over that with a lock ring holding those in place.

It’s still in development, with a target launch date of August 2023. Pricing is TBD, expect them to have all the same color options as their headset spacers and other accessories.

They’re also playing with limited edition colors for their tools, with this multi-color anodized finish called Mystic.

Last up, they’ve made a cassette lock ring tool specifically for Bafang e-bike hubs, which have a big metal plug sticking out from the axle. Typical cassette removal tools won’t fit over it, so this one has a larger center bore that will. This one’s actually available now for $35.

WheelsMFG.com

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1UP rack’s customized Porsche Cayenne was one of my favorites as I’ve been dreaming of building up a light-duty rally car lately, but hadn’t considering going full SUV on it.

While a 20-year-old Cayenne can be found for under $20k, there’s probably $20-30k worth of work done on this one. This build was done by Berg Performance, which offers full custom builds and has some previously built Cayennes for sale, too.

Work includes a 2″ suspension lift with reprogrammed air suspension so you can bring it down for highway driving, a custom front brush guard and skid plate, BRAID wheels, Baja Designs lights, and roof and hitch rack with 1UP trays and bike carriers.

Falken Tires had a lightly customized Toyota Highlander TRD to show off their Wildpeak A/T Trail tires.

Toyo Tires went a bit bigger to show off their Open Country R/T Trail tires, which can be had with appropriate load ratings for heavier vehicles like these. (Falken offers H/D tires, too, btw)

Thule was showing off a custom Subaru Outback built by CA Tuned, which makes bumpers and other accessories for a variety of vehicles.

Their new Subaru Wilderness Brush Bar is available for pre-order, with or without a front hidden winch mount…Baja Designs lights sold separately.

Naturally, they were showing off their rooftop tents and bike racks, too. We’ll have a separate roundup of all of the new bike racks with more details on those.

Transit Offroad, which is owned and fabricated by Brent Foes (of Foes Bicycles), started off with a modified lower control arm and spacer kit that gave a Ford Transit a 2″ lift. Now, he has a much wider variety of accessories and vastly improved lift kit on offer.

Starting at the front, his billet aluminum bumper light mounts give you a corner mounting spot for offroad lights on 2015-19 Transits.

The tubular full front bumper is lightweight, but wraps around and provides a perch and mounting plate for offroad lights. There’s no winch mount, though, but they do offer a smaller, less expensive version that makes a great light bar mount.

Their skid plate protects the intercooler, oil pan, transmission housing, and all water and oil lines. It’s made of 3/16″ thick 5052 aluminum and comes in two pieces for easier shipping. They bolt together, and then it bolts directly to the vehicle with just six bolts (some drilling required).

The new 2″ Lift Kit comes with adjustable control arms, letting you correct wheel camber for a full alignment. The original was a modified stock control arm that corrected the camber when adding the 2″ spacer blocks above the strut, but this new model is a completely custom piece with a sliding plate that lets you (or your mechanic) adjust the camber.

The kit replaces the rear bushing with a heavy duty steel spherical bearing, and includes the anodized spacer blocks for front and rear. It’s available for RWD and the newer AWD models, allowing you to add the Bilstein B6 struts without having CV binding issues.

Out back, his heavy duty bumper integrates the tow hitch, which both raises it higher for better rear ground clearance and improved departure angle, and also starts it out a bit further back so your rack is more likely to clear a spare tire or other accessories.

The rear tire mount looks minimal but adds a full frame running up the outside edge of the door where you can mount a ladder or other things.

The real trick is the installation method and attachment points, though. It uses the stock door bolts and (somehow, I couldn’t quite follow along how) you can install it without having to remove all bolts at once, so it’s a one-person job that doesn’t require a friend to hold the door in place while you try to bolt it all back together. This should also help maintain door alignment so it all closes and seals properly, too.

Lastly, he’s working on a swivel-out table that would mount just inside the door. Brent also makes the grab handles that mount inside the side and rear doors, too.

Winnebago’s eRV is built on the electric Ford Transit and has its own separate power supply for internal accessories. Range is still fairly short, but it’s also still a concept vehicle that’s being tested out in the wild.

Space for bikes inside it is fairly limited, but it could easily handle a hitch rack to bring more along. Read my full story about the eRV concept for more tech details and photos.

Winnebago builds on all three van chassis – Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, and Dodge Ram Promaster. The one above is fairly standard, not like their Revel adventure series van, but shown here just to show what’s out there.

And this is another once’ interior, which has more space under the bed for bikes and gear.

But the Adventure Wagon is more purpose built for offroad adventures. Modular framing lets you add various accessories and reposition, remove, or add things as needed.

Two jump seats can come in or out, and plenty of bikes can fit under the removable bed.

Outside Van offers custom and pre-built camper vans with all the things you’d want, with two pre-built options expanding their capacity and speeding up delivery from just 100 custom vans per year to, well, we’ll see…but they have five locations in the US now.

MOLLE boards and door ladders with mounting points let you hang more gear, like a road bike rack that holds two per ladder from their handlebars.

In addition to rooftop tents and bike racks, Yakima has a range of overland and truck accessories. Hidden in the back is a pressurized RoadShower tube that holds 4 gallons and fits any standard roof rack.

The new Major Shady mounts like a typical awning but opens out to provide 270º coverage, offering much broader protection from the sun as it changes angles and position in the sky.

Their EXO camp kitchen container fits your utensils, flatware, bowls, etc., and mounts to their EXO system hitch racks. Available legs and side tables provide more room for cooking and wash stations.

Hitchfire was showing off a prototype cook-and-sink combo that slots into their grill tray. It’s the beginning of a more modular system of accessories that fit into their existing swing-away hitch mount.

The original grill kit is shown on left, and on the right is the rear access panel for the sink kit that would let you hook up a fresh water source and a drain pipe so you could use the sink like normal.

Separately, they’re also working on a flip-flop design for the swing-away hitch mount so you won’t have to commit to left or right at time of purchase.

Vanlifers have known Dometic for their electric coolers, which are awesome, but they’ve recently added a complete line of camping equipment and accessories. The chairs and bamboo-top tables are both sturdy and comfy, and the range of (non-electric) coolers look solid, too.

They even have water jugs with separate powered pumps, making it easy to wash off or fill a bottle. The pumps can mount directly to their jugs, or you can slip the hose in and use them with any container. They have a magnetic base, so you can stick them to any metal surface, and an included metal puck can be mounted to whatever wood or plastic table you may have so you can stick it anywhere.

New battery packs make it easy to power the faucets and other gear, and charge phones, remotely.

Skinny Guy Campers make self-contained truck bed camping toppers with some very unique features. This one puts a well-equipped living quarters on top with a recessed base adding room for a seating area with a cooler, etc., but still leaves the bed of the truck empty for hiding other gear.

Flip the tent open and the sleeping area is in the back, with multiple struts to support it even when loaded with people, and the front has room for bags, coolers, etc.

MOLLE boards on the rear and other sections let you attach other stuff, but the really neat aspect is the flip out solar panel. It flips down from the roof top tent’s top when it’s opened up so it still gets sun, and then flips back on top when you close the tent up so it’s able to get sun while you’re driving, too. Very clever.

Luno still makes their inflatable sleeping pads for car camping, with shapes that fit in wagons and SUVs for single and double occupancy. They also make that inflatable cab bed shown in one of the Winnebagos earlier in this post.

They’re working on smaller inflatable supports that go behind the front row, used to keep the head of the beds from drooping down in that gap. But they say some folks like to store their gear there, so they’ll have partial sizes to fill in any gaps your bags don’t take up.

Go Fast Campers makes truck bed platform campers that put a very slim pop-up tent atop a frame that you can customize. The Rooftop Tent is also available on its own for SUVs and vans.

The platform comes in both an open-air and closed topper design, with or without the tent attached. It’s all metal construction, with the topper getting gullwing panels so you can lock your goodies inside but still easily access them.

The Chase Frame has more mounting points and keeps things open for a more rugged overland look.

Tin Cup Whiskey had this jeep on display, which worked as a nice magnet to pull folks to their booth for afternoon samples.

And Ford was showing off their new Bronco and Bronco Sport, with this bright red Raptor edition sitting out front. Buying a Bronco (at least the full sized ones, not sure about the Sport) gets you a weekend in Moab to learn how to drive it offroad. Of the two friends I know that have done it, it’s supposedly an amazing experience…but I have yet to talk either of them into taking their own Broncos off road yet.

They also had this beautifully restored ’66 Ford Bronco on display, which Ron also really liked and put into his roundup of awesome things he saw at Sea Otter.

The post Roundup: Best Overland & Vanlife vehicles from Sea Otter 2023 appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Norton

The Norton was launched about a month ago and this is the first time I’ve seen it up close and personal. This is Poseidon’s first bike that breaks through the $1000 threshold, retailing for a bit more at $1299. It is a 27.5″ wheeled hardtail that has modern geometry.

The aluminum frame features a tapered head tube and routing for a dropper post (dropper not included though). It’s got internal cable routing as well with an option to externally run your rear brake cable or hose if desired. The Norton also has thru-axles front and rear, with standard 12 x 148mm Boost spacing out back.

I thought one of the highlights of the new Norton’s spec sheet were the brake calipers. Poseidon used the very capable Juin Tech Hydraulic/Mechanical Disc Brakes.

The Norton comes in either Electric Green or Matte Black colors and is available as a frame only as well ($449.99 frame-only). The Norton’s frame uses smoothed-out welds for a neat and clean aesthetic.

Let’s see what else the Norton MTB has on the spec sheet.

Norton Specs

It has a decent spec that could grow with the rider by offering a good starting point to upgrade as needed.

• Frame: 6061 double heat-treated aluminum with tapered headtube (lifetime warranty)
• Fork: Suntour XCM34 Boost suspension fork w/ 130mm travel, tapered steerer (27.5 specific)
• Seatpost: 31.6
• Shifters: Flatbar microShift Advent X 10-speed
• Pedals: Plastic platform pedals
• Handlebars and Stem: 780mm flat bars with a 60mm stem +/- 7degree rise
• Tires: 27.5 x 2.35 Kenda Slant Six
• Brake levers: Tektro Flatbar Brake levers
• Wheels: 27.5 Thru axle set up with 15×110 front spacing and 12x148mm rear. Tubeless combatible
• Rear Derailleur: microShift Advent X 10-speed
• Bottle Bosses: One bottle cage boss per frame
• Brakes: Juin Tech Hydraulic-Mechanical disc brakes
• Crank: Prowheel 32t narrow wide chainring, 104BCD, and 175mm crank arms
• Disc rotor size: 180mm
• Chain: KMC 10
• Bottom bracket: Square taper 73×113
• Cassette: 11-48 Advent X 10-speed cassette
• Weight: 30lbs

Frame Details

• 6061 double heat-treated aluminum (lifetime warranty)
• 1 1/2 – 1 1/8 tapered headtube
• Standard boost spacing 12 x 148mm rear. (thru axle not included)
• 73mm BSA threading for bottom bracket
• IS 42/52 headset included
• Seatpost collar included, made for 31.6 seatposts
• Stock build uses 180mm rotors and IS mount disc brakes
• Frame is specific to 27.5″ wheels but is 29er compatible up to a 2.1″ tire in the rear.
• Frame offers both internal and external routing for rear brake cables.
• Internal routing for rear derailleur and dropper post.

Norton Geometry

Check out the other low cost, well spec’d bikes that Poseidon Bikes offers below.

PoseidonBike.com

The post The Poseidon Norton Takes a Stab at Affordable Hardtail MTBs appeared first on Bikerumor.

But, upon visiting Old Man Mountain’s booth at the Sea Otter Classic last week, I was excited to see some other new bikepacking-specific panniers, a trunk bag, a headlight mount, and a pizza rack added to the “new things to see” list.

The Ponderosa Panniers

These panniers are well thought out and purpose-built for some serious adventure. To start, they are 100% waterproof using TPU fabric with welded seams and Hypalon reinforcements.

They use camming velcro straps that loop through the rack to help keep your pannier tight to the rack. All of the Ponderosa Panniers compression straps are replaceable and easy to swap out if need be.

On the inside of the pannier, the side next to the rack, you’ll see that there is the typical frame sheet. But, on the front side of the pannier, there is another frame sheet. This second one helps the bag compress evenly to give you the slimmest profile bag possible with what you are carrying.

One thing I noticed, and am a huge fan of, is the new pannier’s subtle branding. The Old Man Mountian logo is on a patch that can be completely removed if you like, leaving room for the patch of your choice.

Ponderosa Pannier Features

• 13 Liter capacity per pannier
• Fully welded and waterproof construction
• Dual frame sheets; front and back of the bag
• Roll top enclosure (secure down the side or to itself at the top)
• Removable and replaceable straps
• Minimal branding on velcro patches
• Lower attachment/compression strap stays under load to prevent the flapping of the bag
• Hypalon reinforcements at all attachment points that are abrasion resistant
• Clip light slots on back
• Lightweight (0.8096 lbs)
• Great fitment on all racks designed for panniers (perfect on OMM pannier racks)
• Available in June or July ’23

Juniper Trunk

This unique rear (or front) bag is also geared up for some adventuring. It uses the same 100% waterproof construction as the Ponderosa Pannier. It uses TPU fabric and welded seams with Hypalon reinforcements.

The Juniper Trunk is held in place on the top of your rack with four cam lock strapped buckle, so it stays put on the rough stuff. It’s got a waterproof zipper pocket on the outside and a roll-top main closure.

Again, Old Man Mountian uses the same branding as on the Ponderosa Panniers, with minimal banded velcro patches.

Juniper Trunk Features

• 10 Liter capacity per bag
• Fully welded and waterproof construction
• Roll top enclosure
• Waterproof zipper pocket on the outside
• Minimal branding on velcro patches
• Hypalon reinforcements at all attachment points that are abrasion resistant
• Clip light slots on back
• Great fitment on all racks with a deck (perfect on OMM pannier racks)
• Available in June or July ’23

The OMM Basket

This aluminum basket is hardy. It’s powder-coated black and looks very rugged. Even though it looks super tough, Old Man Mountain says that it’s still lighter than the alternatives.

The OMM Basket is made to be bolted directly to Old Man Mountian racks to eliminate any rattling or chatter. The Basket is Molle compatible allowing for the attachment of your fave accessory pouches.

The OMM Basket is designed purposefully in the size of the uber-popular Wald 137 basket, making it compatible with all of the basket bags on the market designed to fit the Wald 137.

If you haven’t tried “basket packing” or were thinking of running a rack and basket on your bike, the OMM Basket would be a great place to start.

OMM Basket Features

• Stamped and welded aluminum construction is corrosion proof
• Molle compatible
• Compatible with all “137” basket bags
• Bolts directly to OMM racks
• Hardware included for attaching to all current OMM racks
• Durable black powder-coated
• Weight 499 grams 17.6 oz
• Backed by Old Man Mountain’s Lifetime warranty
• Retail: $80 (available in June or July ’23)

The Old Man Mountian Headlight Mount

This small unsuspecting little piece of 6061 aluminum gear is immensely useful. The OMM Headlight Mount is purposely wider than similar offerings from other component brands.

The extra width helps accommodate larger and wider lights. The mounting hole is big enough to fit a 6mm screw through it making it a snap to mount seamlessly onto OMM racks.

OMM Headlight Mount

• Fits all OMM racks: Divide, Elkhorn, Pizza Rack, and Classic Racks
• Will likely fit other brand bike racks
• Made of 6061 aluminum
• Powder-coated black
• Longer than alternatives to fit larger lights
• Comes with 5mm and 6mm hardware
• Retail $20 on backorder

The OMM Headlight Mount is available now, although the site says”on backorder”. All other above products will be available in June or July ’23. Go to the link below to sign up for their newsletter to get a heads-up when they’re in stock.

OldManMountian.com

The post Old Man Mountain Has a New Basket, Pannier & Trunk Bag + Velcro Branding! appeared first on Bikerumor.

The start list was jam-packed with potential favorites from all disciplines of cycling. Former short track world champion Chris Blevins made the trip, same with current cyclocross national champ Curtis White, and of course, so did former Fuego XL winner — Keegan Swenson.

The course for the Fuego XL is technically a mountain bike race but has many road climbs and gravel sections. The Fuego XL course is 60 miles with over 8,000 feet of climbing—the hard-packed uber dry course, mixed with many road miles, made for exciting bike setups.

As a former winner, Swenson knows what a bike needs to perform in the dusty Monterey conditions.

The Race — Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL

From the gun, the race was full gas; Chris Blevins was fresh off the win at the Cape Epic and had the legs to roll all day. When the front group entered the single track, Blevins again pushed with pace, eventually forming a seven-rider group off the front.

After the first lap, Blevins, Swenson, Finsterwald, Alex Wild, Howard Grotts, Andrew L’Esperance, and Cole Paton crossed the line working well together. After the laps ticked away and the pace stayed high — the group began to splinter.

Later in the race, the group was down to four riders; Swenson, Blevins, Finsterwald, and Paton. As the final miles passed, Blevin attacked relentlessly, with the group responding and following. The final climb is where the four riders became two, as Swenson and Finsterwald battled over the climb to the finish.

After 60 miles, trading blow for blow, the finish came down to a sprint, and Swenson had just enough left in the tank to edge out Finsterwald at the line.

Keegan Swenson’s Fuego XL winning Santa Cruz Blur

The demanding course and not-so-normal cross-country conditions of the Fuego XL made for some exciting bike setups. Swenson rode his Santa Cruz Blur full suspension setup, though many riders chose hardtails.

Swenson’s setup was one of the most dialed of the weekend; he had just enough grip with the Maxxis Arden Short Track tires and a wide range of gearing with the new SRAM Eagle Transmission.

The bars and tape setup allow Swenson to “rest” slightly while hammering on the single track, freeing up some space in the lower back and taking up minimal bar real estate.

Rock Shox Prototype SID Fork and Shock

Swenson’s Blur had some trick gear, but those prototype stickers really caught our eyes. The new SID or SID SL fork and shock appear to have changed very little from the current version.

A new RockShox twist-lock is coming to market soon, with a slimmer profile and slightly longer grip action.

Swenson wouldn’t let us know more than the basics about the new suspension, but it clearly performs well.

Pro Bike Check: Keegan Swenson’s Santa Cruz Blur

• Frame: Santa Cruz Blur
• Fork: Rock Shox SID prototype 120mm
• Shock: Rock Shox SID prototype
• Lockout lever: RockShox TwistLock Prototype
• Brakes: SRAM Level ULT
• Groupset: SRAM Eagle XX Transmission
• Wheels: Reserve 30 SL
• Saddle: Prologo Dimension NDR
• Stem: Zipp
• Seatpost: Syntace
• Bars: Syntace
• Pedals: XTR
• Tires: Maxxis Aspen ST

For more information about Keegan Swenson and his race schedule, check out: Santacruzbicycles.com

The post Pro Bike Check: Keegan Swenson’s Santa Cruz Blur w/ Prototype RockShox SID appeared first on Bikerumor.

Taking advantage of the newer super-fast Bambu X1C printer, OutsideBrendan was at the Marin Cycles booth printing on-site. Those attending the show could snag one of his BananAdapters while checking out some of his creative chainring designs or a Lego saddle?

Selle Italia

Speaking of saddles, 3D printing is becoming a lot more common to create performance-oriented models. The use of 3D printing allows companies like Selle Italia to build up the padding using lattice construction that can be progressively tuned – meaning the back of the saddle can be made more firm than the front when you need more cushion.

Above is the new Novus Evo saddle which is 3D printed using a Carbon L1 3D printer – the same printer which is being used for other products like the Specialized Mirror saddles and Adidas 4D midsoles. The covers are printed two at a time and take a few hours to complete, and are then glued to the base. The Novus Evo uses its own pattern for the cover, and isn’t available for sale just yet. When it is, it will be offered in one size with carbon or ti rails and is fully made in Italy.

Abbey Bike Tools

Known for their incredibly precise machining, Abbey Bike Tools was also showing off some 3D-printed parts. If you own a Crombie tool, chain whip, HAG, or Decade chain tool and you’d like a 3D-printed tool hanger for pegboard, you’re in luck (click link for each tool for the corresponding holder). Abbey will be offering these files for free, so you can download them and print them at home on your own printer. They’re also taking feedback on the designs if you think there is a way to improve them.

Abbey is also selling their new PreHag tool which is also 3D-Printed. What’s a PreHag? Think of it as a precursor tool to use of the HAG (Hanger Alignment Guage). The PreHag fits onto the largest cassette cog, and acts as a visual gauge to see if the derailleur cage is roughly in parallel with the cassette. Essentially it’s a visual aid that will let you know if you need to bust out the HAG for some hanger alignment (assuming you’re still running a traditional derailleur hanger).

Elevation Wheel Company

Chris Murray of Elevation Wheel Company has been producing tools for a while now, including a number of 3D printed items like their nipple shuffle box. The time-saving box allows you to dump nipples in for a wheel build, give it a shake, and they all end up pointing down so you can load them up on a nipple lacing tool and build your wheel. They even had miniature versions made into keychains at the show.

Other 3D printed items include a hub press adapter for the wheel spoke stressor, wrenches for their spoke tension calibration tool, and replacement jaw pads for repair stands.

Chris also put the printer to work printing out display items for Twisted Spoke CBD who was sharing the booth.

Mend It Kits

Moving from tools for your bike to tools for your body, Mend It Kits are an interesting take on the first aid kit that you strap to your bike. Everything shown on the board is included with the kit, including…

…these 3D-printed finger splints. The printed design makes them flexible in one direction, but not the other. Place it around your finger, trim to size if needed, and tape it up.

KAV Helmets

When it comes to 3D-printed helmets, we’ve been following along with the KAV development for a few years now. Every time we see them, the helmets feature impressive improvements, with quick design changes one of the main benefits of 3D-printing. Not only is KAV preparing to launch different color helmets later this year, but the helmet itself has seen updates including a new brow-liner sweat-management pad. You’ll also find larger front vents for better airflow and improved spring-loaded pads with more comfortable surface materials.

KAV will begin to offer solid color helmets in Q3 of 2023, followed by their custom Color Exploration Program which will allow riders to select different color panels.

SRAM Blackbox

We don’t have much info on this, but these appear to be prototype SRAM brakes with 3D-printed Blackbox shields. Are the shields there to hide something from view? Are they to protect the brake, or the rider from the brake? Perhaps some sort of cooling device?

Whatever the case, they were on Kyle Strait’s Vitus Dominer DH bike which also had some prototype tires from Kenda.

Neuhaus Metal Works

From components to frame components, the relatively new custom bike brand Neuhaus Metal Works is using 3D printing to create ‘lugs’ and other frame parts for their steel and titanium builds.

The Neuhaus frames use four different 3D-printed pieces on the complete build. The seat post cluster is printed so it wraps around the seat tube allowing for better and stronger welds and better frame alignment. The chainstay yoke is printed to provide the most tire clearance and weld surface to the bottom bracket. There’s also a water bottle bracket that allows you to use a full-size water bottle bolt without interfering with the dropper post insertion. Finally, the dropper port plug is printed with an insert that holds the cable in place and prevents it from rattling.

Each bike is handmade by Nick Neuhaus in Marin, California, and is available as the Hummingbird downcountry model or the Solstice 29 aggressive trail bike.

Rise Bikes

Also using 3D printed titanium is the Grizzly fat bike from Rise Bikes. This beauty uses a 3D-printed head tube, dropouts, and chainstay yoke made from 6Al/4V Titanium by Selective Laser Melting. The 3d printed chainstay yoke allows for 26 x 4.8″ or 27.5 x 4.3″ tires on 85mm rims while keeping chainstay length to an impressive 434mm.

Sage Cycles

Sage Cycles is also using 3D printing to develop a new dropout that is shaped to look like the Tron Lightcycles’ wheels, where the axle looks like the hub from the original movie, but the shape is from the sequel. The dropouts are designed specifically for the Robert Axle Project thru axle.

Revel Bikes

I lost most of my images for the Revel Rodeo, so I had Adam Miller send me a snap from his booth. This roundup wouldn’t be complete without the prototype Revel Rodeo – a 3D-printed thermoplastic downhill mountain bike. Rather than just printing a few components of the frame, the Rodeo frame is printed with the main triangle split into two halves, and then bonded together. Simply a design exercise for now, the Rodeo could point toward the future of 3D-printed manufacturing in the bike industry.

Silca

We’ve seen a lot of 3D-printed products from Silca, and this chainstay above is simply a proof of concept. Are many (any?) brand 3D printing an entire chainstay assembly? No, but you could…

Hunt Wheels

A lot of these products are actual production items that have been 3D printed, but additive manufacturing is just as, if not more useful for rapid prototyping. Here, Hunt shows us some rim sections from an upcoming wheel along with a jig they designed to help test spoke pull-through strength of the rims.

Outbound Lighting

Along those same lines, Outbound Lighting has been using its new Forum Labs Fuse SLS printer to develop its next headlight. Most of the hobbyist printers including the Bambu X1C above use FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printers, but some like the one Outbound is using rely on SLS (Selective Laser Sintering). These printers can create incredibly precise and intricate models with very little post-processing.

The light above is a new MTB light coming this fall, and all the printed pieces could be snapped together to create the final form.

The post 3D Printed Roundup: Helmets, Saddles, Bikes & Banana Holders appeared first on Bikerumor.

Well, it’s not.

Stashed SpaceRail Bike Storage is actually a very clever system of weighted/sliding/rotating hooks. Plus, it’s versatile and flexible in its mounting options. It can be used on a wall or hanging from the ceiling (flat or angled), or you’ll eventually be able to purchase a freestanding support rack like the one shown above.

This prototype was originally built just for the show, but due to consumer demand, Elliot says they’re going into production. Expect the frames to be hitting stores by the end of the year, or into early 2024.

We’ve covered the system before, but it’s still worth another look if you’re new to the system. Their hooks aren’t just any ol’ hook. They have an ingenious mechanism that allows the hooks to not only Auto Lock when unweighted but roll with ease once the bike is loaded. They fully rotate as well, allowing for angular bike “stacking”. The hooks come equipped with a built-in little side hook on them as well to store your helmet or what have you.

They have some neat accessories for the storage of kids’ bikes and fat tire bikes. There is the Double Hook (above photo in green) that allows you to hang a kid’s bike from the back wheel of another kid’s bike… and voilà, two small bikes in the space of one larger one.

The strap attached to the blue fitting (above photo, under the green hook) is their Fat Tire Adaptor. This simple wraps around the fat tire bike’s front wheel/tire leaving the blue fitting to attach to the racks hook, providing a simple solution for fat bike storage.

Another neat accessory is their Pedal Wrap. This simply wraps your pedal with a Velcro closure so you can slide your bikes snuggly close without causing frame damage by a neighboring pedal. The Pedal Wrap comes in small, medium, and large for a neat and simple solution.

Stashed SpaceRail Pricing

One complete storage kit comes with a single SpaceRail (1200mm/4ft) that can hold a total of 120kg (30kg/65lbs) per hook.

• One SpaceRail storage system for the ceiling: $203 (includes rail, 1 hook, and mounting hardware)
• One SpaceRail storage system for the wall: $394 (includes rail, 1 hook, and wall mounting hardware)
• One SpaceRail storage system for angle: $254 (includes rail, 1 hook, and mounting hardware)
• Additional Spacerail Bike Hook: $77
• Freestanding Rack: TBD

Check out all the storage options Stashed has to offer by clicking below.

StashedProducts.co.uk

The post Stashed SpaceRail Bike Storage Gets a Freestanding Prototype appeared first on Bikerumor.

So, I met him back at his booth and took some photos.

Blackheart Bikes has made it its mission to “support individuals working to make cycling a more welcoming and inclusive sport”. I can get 100% behind that.

Blackheart Bike Co Road Ti

Zach told me that this new model is all about standing on its own as a truly modern road bike. He didn’t want to simply add to or make a slightly different iteration of an allroad bike that already exists.

He wanted to create a bike that didn’t just recall a classic road bike design, instead, he wanted it to embrace the fully modern road bike in both look and feel.

The Ti frame is made of 3/2.5 titanium tubing with a double-butted seat tube. I have to say the bike looks fast just sitting there. It’s got a subtle Kamm tail downtube and a one-piece carbon cockpit with not a cable in sight.

Zach says the ride is smooth and snappy. It has slippery lines and light understated branding, something that Zach says will be the new branding aesthetic going forward.

Road Ti Geometry

Road Ti Features and Retail

The frame will come in 9 sizes to fit you better, from 5’0″ to 7’0″.

• Fully integrated cables
• Electronic only
• One-piece carbon cockpit
• Carbon fork and seatpost (31.6)
• Flared top tube
• Dropped seat stays
• 32mm tire clearance
• T47 bottom bracket
• SRAM UDH

Frame weight (size 54): 1653 grams

Fork weight: 480 grams

Frameset with carbon fork and seat post: $3000

Frameset with carbon fork and seat post and integrated handlebar: $3300

SRAM Force AXS build w/ Hunt 44 Aerodynamicist carbon wheelset: $7,100

You can check out more details and the other bikes Blackheart has to offer by hitting the link below.

BlackheartBikeCo.com

The post Blackheart Bike Co’s Slick New Titanium Road Rocket appeared first on Bikerumor.

More than just a color swap, the parts are designed to offer functional benefits. The high speed compression adjuster bezel has bigger nubs and grooves to make it easier to turn with full finger gloves.

The air valve cap does more. The cleverly angled ridge intentionally limits purchase when installing it so you can’t over tighten it. But the backside is taller and flatter, making it much easier to remove it. They’re available in 10 colors with more coming, and fit 2015 and newer Fox 36/38/40 forks with GRIP2 dampers.

They say that titanium is about half the weight of stainless steel, and stronger (but slightly heavier) than alloy, so it makes the perfect bolt material. Their designs do more than just save a couple grams, they’re designed to improve the part in many cases.

Not shown, the brake pad retention bolt for Hope brakes uses a slightly oversized diameter to better fill the space in the pad clip to prevent it from rattling. It’s a small thing, but a nice one, and just one example. It’s worth perusing their site to see all the options.

They have a variety of colors available for most bolts, too, helping you match almost anything on your bike.

BetterBolts.com

The post Better Bolts adds color-matched compression knobs & upgraded Ti bolt kits appeared first on Bikerumor.

The 29er Yowie has been put through its paces under Eric Porter in the Utah mountains, logging about 1,000 hours of ride time on it with another tester getting about 1,000 more up in the Pacific Northwest. Which is partly why it’s taken so long for the Yowie to come out, but the idea was born from Eric’s time spent coaching his kids’ NICA league.

A lot of kids (because, you know, it’s Utah’s Wasatch Crest area) had longer travel bikes designed for the amazing lift-served trails near Park City. Which is too much for XC racing, but it’s hard to commit to a pure XC race bike when so many big trails are literally out your back door.

So, the Yowie was designed to have just enough travel to keep it fun and playful on many of them, but efficient enough for racing, too.

It helps that XC racing itself has gotten more aggressive, with “downcountry” almost becoming the new “cross country”, and riders looking for bikes that can tackle big rock gardens and mountain resorts. So, the Yowie’s 130mm fork paired with a 110mm rear end makes a lot of sense.

It’s a 29er, so it rolls fast for XC and epic marathon rides, with a 67º head angle sitting squarely at the XC end of the spectrum, and a steeper 75º seat angle and 435mm chainstays put the rider in a good pedaling position.

Their Level Link suspension keeps the lower link in line with the chain throughout its travel, and the upper link is parallel to that at the sag point, keeping it supple over the small stuff while minimizing the impact of pedaling forces.

It’ll come in carbon and alloy models ranging from $3,100 to $5,550, shipping this summer. Read their development story for more details.

Diamondback Haanjo gravel bike updates

The new Diamonback Haanjo upgrades the frame and features to become one family of bikes for almost any rider. Also available in carbon and alloy, spec will range from a very simple, beginner friendly option for just $1,000, up to fully equipped bikes with suspension, droppers, and more topping out at $5,700.

The un-suspended bikes get a new carbon fork with three accessory mounts plus fender/rack mounts, and two models get suspension forks – one with a 40mmm Rockshox Rudy, and the other with a 60mm SR Suntour GVX32 – with geometry designed to work well with those suspension forks.

There’s surprising spec on some models, with dropper seatposts, suspension stems, and even the new WTB Gravelier saddle. More mounts on the seat tube, downtube, top tube, and dropouts add a lot more cargo capacity than the prior model.

Full details on the bikes and models will be released soon, and they’ll start shipping later this year. For now, check out this retro-painted version they had on display at Sea Otter.

Diamondback.com

The post Diamondback Yowie short-travel MTB looks rad; Haanjo gravel bikes updated appeared first on Bikerumor.

This is not a complete list of all of the cool stuff at the event… just the stuff that caught my attention that I actually noticed floating around in the extremely large ocean of people attending. This will also be much different than last year’s gallery of Sea Otter bikes.

We are going to keep most of it to the gallery format, so you guys can just enjoy the splendor of it all. Let’s get started and kick off with this…

I think we were all excited to see the 6th annual Paul Component x Sierra Nevada Bike!

The Paul Component / Moné Bikes / Sierra Nevada Klunker

The star of the show, the bike that everyone was talking about, and was extensively covered by many. For the last 6 or so years, the Paul Component / Sierra Nevada Brewing Collaboration bike has become an anticipated part of Sea Otter for many, myself included. This year’s bike was dubbed the Sierra Recycler and this time around the bike was made from repurposed or recycled parts, starting with a 1949 Schwinn and finishing with environmentally conscious component companies.

The Surly Donger

Not much to say about this wonder steed. The Surly “Donger”, I was told will not, I repeat, will not be going into production any time soon. It was, however, made from an old Surly Instigator and available for a test ride, which I partook in. It really handled great and would be ideal for the unserious cyclist looking for a solid bike to do some commuting, ‘cross, light dirt touring, or any type of unracing event you deem worthy of this magical ride.

Ol’ Swivel Bike

I’ve seen a few of these in my days, I see them mostly on the boardwalk down by the beach as a beach cruiser type. This one ticked the nostalgia box for me as it kinda reminded me of my old Schwinn Apple Krate of yesteryear. It looked like it had some age to it, or “beausage” as Mr. Petersen would call it… that’s a mix of beauty and usage kids.

Anywho, this thing was neat, check it out.

Custom 50th Anniversary Ritchey Outback

This bike was built by Nolan Tsuchiya of the YouTube channel, Bike Sauce for a giveaway through Russ Roca of Path Less Pedaled fame. It was a really sweet build and caught my eye immediately. It had a lot of attention to detail that was right up my alley. Check it out.

The Tall Bike

This is obviously a custom endeavor as I don’t know of any tall bikes that are currently in production. It seemed very stout and pretty well built. Sure, it wasn’t the prettiest bike of the bunch, but it was for sure one of the more unique bikes of the event. The rider was very cool, and let me shoot some quick shots of his super steed as he rode through the event. He even popped a wheelie for me… thanks tall bike rider guy! 🙂

Custom Gary Fisher

This Gary Fisher is a great example of a custom-painted XC race machine. The negative rise stem looks fast even when sitting still. This bike was on display at the 12 Speed Products booth and was donning their latest stem cap garage door opener (see below, left photo). The bike has a wild fork on the front meant to resemble a vintage RockShox Judy SL which looks to be a mash-up of Manitou, Fox, and RockShox?

A Flock of Bourdeau Adventure Bikes

I ran into Jarod Bourdeau on the last day of the event. It turns out that he works at a local bike shop in Monterey called Work Horse Bicycles. He makes these frames specifically for the area they live in. They are purpose-built to fish and get out for some S24O’s. One of the bikes was Running a Jones Bikes Ti truss fork, while another had a steel fish emblem brazed to the top seat tube.

Jarod even built a basket that was made out of spokes. Very cool! Anywho, The bikes looked great and looked to be ready for some action. Check ’em out.

SeaOtterClassic.com

The post Ron’s Roundup: Awesomely Interesting Bikes of the 2023 Sea Otter Classic appeared first on Bikerumor.

While the Box One chain remains unchanged, the shifter, rear derailleur, and cassette bring some substantial new advancements to their wide-range 9-speed group.

Let’s see what’s new.

Box One Shifter 2nd Gen

The new Box One shifter has been refined with the following features:

• Metal injection gears: Tougher and harder which increases service life and offers crisper feedback when shifting.
• Magnesium top shell: The new shell adds strength without adding weight. Box says this also adds to crisper feedback.
• Magnesium pull-lever: Adds strength without adding weight offering a stiffer lever for crisper shift feedback.
• No-loss gear changes: Immediate engagement with shorter & faster gear pulls
• Tactile pull-lever pad: Box says the increased friction means no more missed gears

Box One Rear Derailleur 2nd Gen

The following improvements have been added to the new generation of Box One rear derailleurs:

• New geometry: 100% horizontal actuation means lighter ger pulls and less ghost shifting
• Tri-Pack 2.0 clutch larger discs and finer threads: Increased torque and adjustability equate to less chain slap and easier set-up.
• Set-up management: Out-of-sight cable, cable pully and adjustment screws, and laser B-gap mark equals clean and simple set-up
• Wide offset cage: More pully offset and cage surface makes for tougher cage and snappy shifting
• titanium hardware: Strength, corrosion resistance, and less weight lead to a longer service life

Box One 2nd Gen Cassette

When talking with Toby Henderson about the new cassette, he mentioned that the new cassette has a machined all-steel unibody lattice, with the support disc being made of alloy. It also has a:

• Brand new tooth shape: Exact fit radii for Prime 9 chain rollers means much higher load capacity and longer service life
• New tooth profile: Wider leading edge also yields a much higher load capacity and longer service life
• New hardening process: 2x harder than Gen1 which also contributes to higher load capacity and longer component life span
• New shift ramps: Adjusted shape and position means crisp and fast shifting

The new group isn’t quite ready for sale, but it’s coming soon. For more info on future pricing and availability for the new 2nd gen Box One hit the link below.

BoxComponents.com

The post Box Components Refines Flagship Box One 9-Speed Drivetrain appeared first on Bikerumor.

One of the most visually unique features is the deep crown, coming far down the alloy upper legs. He says the moto industry figured it out long ago that the way to make an inverted fork stiff enough is the relationship between the crown and the legs, and tapering the legs appropriately.

Another critical part is keeping the stanchions sliding in tandem, and oversized dropouts with a pinch bolt design. Thick dropouts mean longer axles, which means more overlap on either end, which will also improve stiffness.

We’re guessing it’s sticking with the common 15×110 Boost dimensions, but would also guess it’ll be a floating axle design to keep everything perfectly aligned.

The dropouts bolt to the stanchions, too, which could allow for a modular design. Rebound (presumably) controls are on the bottom…

…and compression controls up top. Both have surrounds that look to thread out, making it easy to remove any damping cartridge, likely without having to disassemble the entire fork.

Another interesting little bit is this bolt on the backside. We’re thinking it’s one of three things:

• It holds a lower bushing/seal/cup in place that captures the lowers in the uppers, which could also act as a top-out bumper.
• It’s a lube/grease port
• It holds a “key” in place and the stanchions have a (or likely multiple) flat face or slot inside the upper that prevents the lowers from spinning around when the wheel and axle are removed.

It’s a hex bolt, so it’s probably not a pressure release valve. Any other guesses?

The brush guards shown here are 3D-printed to dial in the fit, but production versions will be injection-molded plastic.

No word on travel or price, but it should be available this summer. It’s shown here on the Trek Fuel EX-e (150mm fork) and We Are One Arrival, which comes in 152mm and 170mm rear travel variants, so it’s aimed at Trail and Enduro riders. Official specs will be available when they formally announce it, which could be as early as May.

PushIndustries.com

The post PUSH teases moto-inspired inverted suspension fork appeared first on Bikerumor.

2023 GVX gravel fork

The new GVX suspension fork gets two big updates from the original. A hollow crown drops ~120g, putting it at a claimed 1600g, and it’s still rated for e-bike use. A bigger negative air spring gives it the largest ratio of any of their forks, providing much better small bump performance. They say it takes away that small vibration buzz at the handlebars, even though you’ll need run higher air pressure.

It also gets their PCS damper, which uses a coil spring pushing the IFP, rather than a bladder or nitrogen chamber, so there’s less friction for smoother actions Available in 40-50-60mm travel with 32mm stanchions, coming this summer. MSRP is a very reasonable $549, or $579 with a remote lockout…bolt-on fender included.

Raidon 34 JR dual-air kids forks

The new Raidon 34 is a full air fork for 20″ and 24″ wheeled bikes. It uses a traditional dual-air chamber with check valve (which is how most air springs work) that automatically equalizes the positive and negative, making it easy to set up sag appropriately for any weight rider.

It’s essentially a shortened version of their full size forks, with magnesium lowers, 34mm stanchions, and a simplified Open/Firm compression damping adjustment, and they say the “Firm” mode is perfect for pump tracks. Mini fender mounts are on the back side. Claimed weight is 1,920g for 20″.

SR Suntour Auron enduro fork updates

Yeas ago, their R2C2 damper provided hi/lo speed compression and rebound damping adjustments. Then they simplified it to RC2, eliminating the lightly-used high-speed rebound control knob along with some internal circuit refinements.

Now, the new RC+ damper gets the larger piston diameter like the prior R2C2 for more fluid movement, but loses the high speed external compression adjustment. They say about 90% of riders would set it to the same position (generally pretty open), so they just made the damper fixed in that position, but left the most often used low-speed external adjustment.

The other big change is the addition of “splash lube” sitting in the lowers, able to slosh around and keep the damper’s piston well lubricated. But, because this type of system will inevitably ingest bits of that lube oil into the damper over time, there’s a new overflow port up top to let excess oil escape.

The chassis increases stanchion diameter to 36mm stanchions, up from 35, and uses their lightweight Hollow Crown and EQ air spring. Pricing and final weight is TBA, should be available later this fall in 27.5 & 29er with 150-160mm travel.

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The beast of the bunch is the new GravelKing SK in the 29 x 2.1″. Not only is the SK version of the GK the most aggressive of the bunch, but now with this new bigger size, you’re sure to increase the traction with a larger footprint when you’re puttin’ the horses down.

The other new addition to the GK family is the 700 x 43c in the OG GravelKing tread (slick). Just as tough as the original segment starter, this new size offers the 700c crowd extra volume, making it exceptional for the roads less traveled.

New Tougher/Lighter Agilest Tires

Continuing to be a prime example of the “Panaracer Ratio” with its balance of performance, puncture resistance, and grip while excelling at low rolling resistance, the Agilest Lite has added lighter compounds for sizes in the 700c x 28, and 25. The 700 x 28mm is weighing in at 190g, while the 25mm clocks in at a superlight 165g

Also added to the Algiest line are a tubeless (TLR) version of the tough DURO as well as two new sizes: 700c x 30 and 32mm both available in tan or black wall.

Panaracer.com

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They’ll also sell the attachment kit separately, which will bolt into any of their computer mounts except the aero ones for Wahoo Bolts. It comes with a stack of spacers to clear their deeper mounts that recess the puck slightly, with different length bolts so they’ll all fit no matter how many spacers you need. Pricing and availability are TBD, but it’ll be ready soon.

They have a new direct mount for Roval’s one-piece handlebar/stem…

…the bolts straight into the front of the bar.

There’s also one for the latest Trek Madone SLR one-piece bar/stem units, too. Apparently the curve of the bar changed and teams were moving the mounts over to their new bikes and found a gap, so K-Edge got to work to make a new mount that sat flush. And now it’s available for everyone.

They’ve expanded their laser etching designs and options, too, letting you dress up your bike with subtle accent points. Available in several colors, with seasonal and limited edition colors popping up occasionally.

They can also do custom versions for brands, events, etc.

K-Edge.com

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Wolf Tooth Components already offered one of our favorite dropper post levers on the market, but now they’ve kicked it up a notch (or two). One of the most notable changes comes from the adjustable lever starting position that is independent of cable tension. According to Wolf Tooth, this is an industry first. There are other levers that allow for some adjustment of the starting position of the lever, but not without making changes to the cable and cable clamp. The ReMote Pro offers 48º of lever starting point rotation, without having to adjust anything else.

Combine that with 12mm of horizontal adjustment, plus the vertical adjustment of the eight different clamp options and you have a lever that should be ideally suited to your needs.

Like the original ReMote and ReMote LA, the ReMote Pro lever rides on a sealed bearing for a silky smooth lever feel. Unlike those original levers though, the Pro gets a variable leverage (oval) cam. This provides more leverage at the start of the lever throw to make it easier to actuate. The leverage then drops to a level between the ReMote and ReMote Light Action toward the middle of the stroke.

It should also be mentioned that the new design makes it much easier to change the bar clamp, or to install the round bar. That’s due to the fact that the original levers used one bolt through the bearing which then threads into the bar clamp. The new Pro model holds the bearing assembly together with a chainring bolt, so the bar clamp attaches to one of three separate threaded holes.

The new ReMote Pro lever is more rounded at the edges and is still machined from aluminum at Wolf Tooth HQ in Minnesota. An all-metal construction includes a machined lever, cable pulley, base, and clamp; three stainless steel bolts; and a chainring bolt to hold it all together (which we assume will allow some color options down the road).

While that durable metal construction means it’s unlikely you’ll need to replace any parts, the lever is part of the Wolf Tooth Right To Repair which means each individual part can be purchased separately if you do manage to mangle it.

The ReMote Pro weighs in at 39g without the clamp, and will sell for $69.95 with bar clamp options to fit Shimano, SRAM, Magura, Hope Tech, and Hayes brakes plus round bars. ReMote Pros are avaialable now through WTC direct, or stocking dealers, and the ReMote and ReMote Light Action prices have been reduced to $54.95 and will continue to be offered.

wolftoothcomponents.com

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Unlike previous years, this time there are minimal new parts used in the build. Wanting to create a conversation starter that would center around sustainability and environmental thoughtfulness, the team thought, “What if we built a bike out of as many repurposed, recycled, or reused parts as possible?”

The result is the Sierra Recycler. A bike that will be raffled off to benefit Outdoor Alliance and one that you will definitely want to see in person.

The build started with a phone call to New Mexico frame builder Cjell at Monē Bikes and a 1949 Schwinn Cruiser. Already known for chopping up vintage cruisers and repurposing them into modern mountain bikes, Cjell whipped up this beauty that can now clear a 29 x 2.6″ knobby tire. There’s even a Sierra Nevada can used as a shim. Because of course, there is.

The theme didn’t stop there. The build includes recycled rubber grips by Björn Bikes, recycled aluminum components by Velocity, White Industries, and PAUL Components, a headtube badge made from leftover scrap metal by Jen Green, an old B72 saddle chassis that has been re-upholstered by Jerry Smith, and even some custom bags made from an old Sierra Nevada billboard by Outershell!

As Travis from PAUL Component Engineering puts it, “We don’t think there are necessarily any easy or final answers when talking about sustainability and environmental thoughtfulness in the bicycle industry, but the first step is asking questions, and the second step is trying new things.”

Stop by the Sierra Nevada beer tent to see the bike at the show, and donate $5 or more to Outdoor Alliance by May 31st for a chance to win the Sierra Recycler. 

The post The Sierra Recycler is Built from Recycled & Reused Parts: You Can Win it at Sea Otter! appeared first on Bikerumor.

Also, not that it matters much, but you may notice that my photos in this story are from back in April at Sea Otter.

Aeroe is at Euro Bike right now, spreading the word and showing off their goods.

Aeroe Spider rear rack/frame attachment

It’s been 10 years since they designed their freeload rack system that was eventually acquired by the Swedish company Thule.

Aeroe says their latest offering, the patented Spider Rear Rack system, has won the recent Design and Innovation Awards in Germany for 2022. This rack looks to be a simple and secure way to attach and carry your bag or tent on your bike.

They say it easily mounts to the seat stay of just “just about any type of bike from full-suspension mountain bikes, to gravel bikes, commuter bikes, and ebikes (including bikes without “in-built” eyelets).”

This type of attachment, to the seat stay, would make swapping between bikes pretty easy.

The Aeroe Spider rear rack comes with one cradle which has straps that are “in-built” into the cradle itself that can carry a plethora of different dry bags, tents, sleeping bags, or anything else that can be strapped to that spot.

You can also buy extra rear cradles to add to the rear rack and carry items on the side of the rack as well.

Retail

Rear Spider Rack: $129

Extra rear cradle: $84

12-liter heavy-duty dry bag (black): $72

8-liter heavy-duty dry bag (orange): $59

Check out all of the ways Aeroe can help you get out on your own adventure at the link below.

aeroe.com

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