Orbea also has its own all-new lightweight cross-country race bike in the works. And this prototype we spotted in Nove Mesto over the weekend looks quite familiar, just not like the Orbea Oiz that we know.

Even though it shares the same core single-pivot layout as the current 120mm Oiz, this new OO Lab prototype mountain bike repositions its rear shock, tucked inside the lower half of the toptube for a more integrated, more lightweight look. But what can we tell from our sneak peek?

2026 Orbea Oiz XC bike prototype spotted in Nove Mesto

Unlike Scott-SRAM Racing, who were pretty much openly showing off their new unreleased Spark, the Orbea Factory Team were being a little more coy with their prototype OOLab XC bike.

In fact, the Orbea mechanics had this pretty slick custom wrap to cover up what may be a version of their unreleased Oiz, already finished in the official Orbea Factory Team paint job? That would suggest that even though some of the raw carbon OOLab-labelled prototypes still looked like a ‘work in process’, this painted bike would suggest a launch very soon!

Besides that bike hidden under wraps, we still spotted a couple versions of the new prototype out in the open as it was being set up, worked on, and raced over the weekend. But most of the Orbea riders were still racing on the existing Oiz.

What do we know about the prototype?

The nice bike we got the best look at was being raced this weekend by #69 Simon Andreassen.

The all-new bike design takes Orbea’s in-line shock layout one step further, tucking the rear shock up into the lower half of the top tube. It still has a shortened link to drive a normal shock, but overall, the raw carbon prototype frame appears more slender and visually lighter than the bikes the majority of the Orbea Factory Team were racing at the Czech round of the XC World Cup.

It’s also a frame design that looks very familiar. We’ve seen several bikes align a toptube-mounted rear shock into the actual tube over the years, including the likes of Commencal, MMR, Trek, and… Yeah, this looks a lot like a Specialized Epic World Cup to me.

This Orbea Oiz prototype looks a lot like the current S-Works Epic 9 that launched just last month, but maybe it’s even closer in appearance to the 3-year-old Epic World Cup.

Even down to the way the short linkage attaches from below to the smooth-ended seatstays and the one-sided upper shock mount bolt.

Tech details we can see?

We don’t know how much travel this new bike gets. A short link only gave the Epic WC 75mm and the latest link-less Supercaliber, just 80mm. In an age of more aggressive cross-country racing, we find it hard to imagine Orbea introducing a new XC race bike with any less than 100-120mm of rear wheel travel.

That little silver link does appear to be longer, more in line with the current 120mm Epic 9, so fingers crossed. than the Epi

I’m genuinely really curious to find out more about this machine.

Until then, we’ll have to speculate beyond the simple facts that we do know. That this next-gen Orbea Oiz will keep a threaded bottom bracket, UDH dropouts, fully integrated internal cable routing through the headset, and 2 sets of bottle cage mounts inside the main triangle.

Is a new Orbea Oiz coming soon?

As for when a new Orbea Oiz XC race bike will drop? We don’t know that yet.

Some signs, like that team-painted bike being hidden from view, point to an imminent launch. This dusty unfinished, raw carbon frameset spotted waiting in the Orbea Factory Team paddock at Nove Mesto World Cup could suggest there’s still some time to wait. But it also has what looks like a more-finished black anodized short link, hinting of a more commercially-ready product than the raw machined link that Andreassen appears to still be testing.

I guess we have to be patient.

Oreba.com

The post Prototype OOLab Orbea Oiz XC Bike Raced At Nove Mesto World Cup Looks Pretty Epic! appeared first on Bikerumor.

Nino Schuter may be out of the racing game, but we’ve still spotted another all-new prototype evolution of the Scott Spark – the single pro XC we’ve featured more than any other over our years covering World Cup cross-country race tech. The new bike bears a striking resemblance to the current Spark – Scott’s first Bold-inspired XC bike design with a hidden internal rear shock that I first rode and wrote about 5 years ago.

But there are a number of significant changes that we can spot in this unreleased prototype. The first being that the rear shock isn’t quite 100% hidden inside anymore.

So why is it peeking out?

Scott Spark RC prototype World Cup XC race bike

The only semi-hidden out shock was the first thing we noticed. It looks like an opening that gives easier, quick access to the AXS battery on the Flight Attendant rear shock.

But really, a closer reveals that this is actually a completely new suspension design. And hiding the shock inside the frame is maybe the only real similarity with the current model.

There’s quite a lot more going on here…

Plus, Scott isn’t really hiding the bike at all. So, it’s likely we’ll have the full technical details in the very near future!

What new tech is coming soon?

Let’s start off with the basic suspension design.

The current Spark is a single-pivot with flex stays and a linkage that drives the internal shock. This new prototype Spark appears to effectively be a virtual 4-bar with an external short link concentric around the bottom bracket and again relying on flex in the rear stays. (Or is it a high-single-pivot(?) depending on whether rear-end flex is in the seatstays of chainstays, I guess? Do we think that distance between that upper pivot and the dropout changes are the seatstay/swingarm flexes through its travel?)

We can’t see what’s happening inside the frame. But because there is a plastic cover over the internal shock with an opening for the AXS Flight Attendant battery, we can see that the rear shock is oriented almost perfectly horizontal. That’s a big shift from the current solution, which is essentially in-line with the slope of the downtube.

Presumably, this would help lower weight in the frame for more stable handling. But importantly, it all still appears to exist quite a bit above the center of the bottom bracket, suggesting ground clearance won’t be an issue.

There’s also very clearly a second access cover behind the seattube, suggesting access to the hidden shock will be much easier on this new bike.

From the driveside, the entire suspension setup of this prototype looks even simpler and ‘cleaner’ than the current Spark. But a glance at the other side reveals a complex multi-part short link around the bottom bracket, that we can only imagine will get filled up with dirt, mud & debris, and will certainly add more maintenance complexity.

Other key tech we can see…

At least it’s nice to see a threaded bottom bracket there, though.

There’s also a new seatpost clamping mechanism. More like we’re used to seeing on road & gravel bikes, this bike looks to get an internal, wedge-style expander.

Unsurprisingly, this prototype appears to be made from Scott’s top HMX SL-spec lightweight hi-mod carbon, based on the writing all over these frames. All other text on the frame appears to be prototype marketing gibberish.

It is not 32″, but there are some new Syncros carbon wheels here!

And lastly, we can confirm that it does not fit 32″ wheels. Only room for 29″ wheels here.

But for quick detour on those 29″ wheels…

For XCC short track, the team were on existing one-piece molded carbon Syncros Silverton SL wheels, known for ultralight weight and supreme stiffness. But for the longer and more technical XCO race, they were riding a new unnamed set of Syncros wheels with conventionally laced (hidden nipples) carbon spokes and silver CNC-machined alloy hubs.

Likely, they will launch with this unreleased 29er Spark RC soon…

Now back to your regularly-scheduled 32″ rant…

Scott-SRAM MTB Racing were, in fact, one of the biggest drivers behind the push to 32″ in racing development. Rumors suggest Nino was one of those strongly pushing Maxxis to make a 32″ option in his favorite Aspen tread for several years, always looking for a technological edge in XC racing.

But the new wheelsize is clearly still being developed. And while we’ve seen working prototypes being developed & tested – and even raced – by several big bike brands, it’s only been this spring where we’ve seen major fork markers with anything close to production-ready. Scott-SRAM’s suspension supplier RockShox has been noticeably absent, so far. And that has to be a limiting factor for a large portion of pro XC racing teams at the moment.

We’re sure there’s a 32″ SID in development, but we haven’t seen it yet.

Maybe soon?

The post All-New Scott Spark XC Bike Prototype in Nove Mesto Teases a Glimpse of Its Hidden Shock appeared first on Bikerumor.

The latest example? Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) showed up to the Nové Město World Cup with a LAB71 Scalpel sporting a set of Reserve 48|53 GR aero carbon gravel wheels. Deep-section gravel wheels. On a World Cup XC bike. At one of the fastest short-track courses on the calendar. In fact, these are deeper aero prototype wheels that aern’t even available for gravel bikes yet!

You can see all the details on the RideCannondale Instagram.

Cannondale LAB71 Scalpel with custom unreleased Reserve 48|53 GR aero gravel wheels

According to CFR, they’re the first team to race aero gravel wheels in short track, possibly the first in top-level XC racing altogether.

In fact, the Reserve 48|53 GR wheelset deosn’t even exist yet. We’ve covered their shallower, ultra-wide GR 40|44 aero gravel wheels before. So, we can only assume that they are the same front 27.4mm & rear 27mm internal widths. Reserve already offers the shallower GR rims separately, and lets buyers pick from a couple of different hub options. So, it was likely no issue for the CFR team to lace them in Lefty & MTB rear-specific hubs for XCC racing.

Although, interestingly, these 48|53 GR wheels are laced with 28 spokes front & rear, unlike the 24 on the existing 40|44 GR gravel wheels. So, maybe it wasn’t as simple as you might think!

The XCC race-ready wheels in question are paired with Shimano’s new XTR Di2 drivetrain and an aggressively fast Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 tire setup, which tells you pretty quickly what the goal was here: outright speed.

Prototype Deep Aero Gravel Wheels on an XC Bike?

At first glance, the Reserve 48/53 GR wheels look a little ridiculous on a mountain bike. Deep carbon rims usually belong on aero gravel bikes or road bikes built by people who know exactly how many watts their socks save (I’m that guy… and it’s 2-12 watts, sock-dependent).

But short-track cross-country XCC has changed, and it’s all about the demands of race day.

Teams can’t swap frames between events, but they can change almost everything bolted onto them. Narrower bars, shorter-travel suspension, firmer setups, and even gravel tires are becoming increasingly common. Chris Blevins won the Nove Mesto short track race last year, running a Specialized gravel tire, so the line between modern XC and gravel equipment is already getting blurry.

Today’s short-track courses are smoother, faster, and much more draft-heavy than traditional XC racing. Riders are spending long stretches above 20mph, and once speeds reach that level, aerodynamics start to matter, whether mountain bikers like it or not.

That’s what makes this setup interesting. Reserve didn’t design the 48/53 GR wheels specifically for XC, but modern gravel racing and modern short track are starting to ask for similar things:

• high sustained speeds
• quick accelerations
• smoother terrain
• tight packs
• and efficiency over outright forgiveness

XC keeps drifting toward gravel, gravel keeps drifting toward XC, and somewhere in the overlap, you get bikes like this.

The Wheel Choice Is the Story

The wheel setup itself is the headline:

• unreleased prototype Reserve 48/53 GR aero carbon wheelset
• 48mm deep front rim / 53mm deep rear rim
• ~27mm inner width
• Schwalbe Thunder Burt 29 x 2.1″ SPEED tires

That combination isn’t about surviving rough terrain. It’s built for fast laps, rapid accelerations, and carrying speed once the course opens up.

And visually? It works way better than it probably should.

The deep rims tucked into the LAB71 Scalpel make the bike look equal parts futuristic and slightly questionable – I love it. Plus – it feels pretty close to where elite XC equipment is heading anyway.

Cannondale Factory Racing Nove Mesto Build

Cannondale Factory rounded out the build with:

• Shimano XTR Di2
• Fox Float SL rear shock, with remote lockout
• Fox Transfer SL 75mm dropper
• FSA KFX carbon cockpit
• Prologo Nago 3D saddle

The slammed -12° FSA KFX stem really finishes the look for me. Combined with the deep wheels and low-profile tires, the whole bike gives off a very clear “we are absolutely not wasting watts today” vibe.

Aero Is Just Part of XC Now

The bigger takeaway probably isn’t the wheelset itself; it’s what it says about where XC racing is going.

For years, aerodynamics sat pretty far down the mountain bike priority list. Weight mattered, and suspension needs to be dialed, same with tire choice. Aero was mostly road-bike territory. That’s changing.

As XC speeds keep climbing and courses keep getting smoother, teams are becoming much more willing to experiment with equipment that would’ve looked completely out of place only a few seasons ago.

This won’t seem weird for very long.

Because once a factory team shows up with deep-section gravel wheels and proves they work, somebody else is going to copy it. That’s usually how these trends start. I’m guessing it’s about 3-4 weeks out from hitting your local short track series.

Oh, and also don’t forget, even the shortened Nové Město XCC track has some proper jumps on it. So these prototype gravel wheels are gonna see some serious airtime this weekend!

I bet Reserve’s gravel “Guaranteed for Life” policy is at least a little nervous…

Update: Does riding like Cannondale Factory Racing void your Reserve GR carbon gravel wheel lifetime warranty?

The post Cannondale Factory Racing in Nove Mesto on Prototype Deep Aero Reserve Gravel Wheels appeared first on Bikerumor.

After seeing Harriet Harnden finish first in qualies in Korea, then 4th overall in the DH finals, we started digging into her AON Racing Gates belt-drive bike setup, quickly finding these prototype Gamux gearbox downhill bikes under the three men on her team. Completely CNC-machined with a single massive open U-shaped frame member, it’s one of the wildest race bikes we’ve seen – beyond the high-pivot, gearbox & belt-drive setup.

Plus, the AON Racing team are hiding a lot of unreleased kit on these gravity sleds. New fork & shock tech, new brakes, new grips, wild stems, and more! Let’s dig right in…

AON x Gamux DH Prototype belt-drive, gearbox downhill bike

OK, so first off, a micro-refresher on AON Racing.

The team was established just last year by 2020 DH World Champion Reece Wilson to create a “pure prototype downhill race team” free from bike sponsor pressures, allowing them to develop innovative race bikes and components.

Swiss CNC bike maker Gamux was a core partner, enabling the AON team to develop what they thought could be the best DH race rig, without being locked into an existing commercial bike model. Sure, Gamux already had the Sego. But even that bike allowed them to customize the platform tailored to the racer, just like the bike Harnden raced isn’t exactly the same as the one you would buy directly from Gamux.

Now onto the next new bike…

Again, built around a Pinion gearbox to get weight low, protected, and to drop unsprung mass. And again, a high-pivot design, driven by a Gates belt-drive system with an idler pulley and a belt tensioner, which put AON Racing in the running for a shot at the 100,000€ Gates Belted Purse offered to the first Elite man or woman to win a UCI MTB DHI World Cup on a Gates belt-drive bike.

But that’s where the similarities with the previous Sego end. Everything else has changed.

unnamed AON Gamux Prototype DH race bike

Ridden by the 3 guys on the AON Racing team – Reece Wilson, Henry Kerr & Stan Nisbet – the prototype bike doesn’t have a name yet. Actually, a contact inside the team confirms that it does have a name, they just aren’t ready to go public with it yet.

But while the team couldn’t officially share photos of Wilson or Kerr’s bikes because of how many secret unreleased products are on both, they were happy to share still photos of Nisbet’s rig. And don’t worry, it has plenty of tricks up its sleeves, too.

I’s a wild-looking bike, so we have plenty to talk about without a name. First off, it looks more like some kind of off-road cruising moto than a bike, right?

The heart of the AON Gamux Prototype is the completely new, all-aluminum CNC-machined construction, opting for a single monolithic but hollow main frame tube instead of a more conventional front triangle. Then, a seat mast gets bolted on top, the gearbox hung down below, and an all-new high-pivot 4-bar suspension system bolted onto the back.

Pinion gearbox + Gates belt-drive

While the Sego is a high single-pivot with a linkage-driven shock, this new AON Gamux Prototype is a more classic Horst-link, four-bar. It’s still a high-pivot, maybe even a tad higher if my eyes don’t deceive me. And it still has a chainstay-mounted i-track idler pulley, plus a quite complex belt tensioner pulley to keep the Gates connection happy and tight.

No official word on length of rear wheel travel, other than that the team is still tweaking and playing with different figures via various link and shock setups.

It also appears to get a decently low bottom bracket height, and has tons of travel. So North Shore Billet supplies their short and strong Talon cranks to put power into the Pinion gearbox.

Of course, the bike also gets a bashguard / skid plate that wraps around the gearbox for protection, as well.

Intricately CNC-machined U-shaped main frame beam

But much of the beauty of the bike comes from the intricate CNC machining by Gamux. Instead of a simple I-beam structure reinforced with bonded-in carbon, this new AON Gamux Prototype is 100% Swiss CNC’d aluminum.

The main frame is a single massive U-shaped beam.

Completely open on the top, it forms the wide backbone of the downhill bike.

The sides of the mainframe tube are mostly smooth, just with wider reinforcing ribs along the upper edge. But the underside of the downtube(?) features a honeycomb relief machined into the main U-shape, before ribs taper out to form the mounting points for the gearbox and skid plate.

The team explains that this externally relieved design allowed Gamux to significantly increase/control the frame’s torsional & directional stiffness and strength, without adding unnecessary weight. And it also lets them showcase some sweet machining style.

Plus, the external honeycomb machining makes it much easier to manufacture, allowing Gamux to smoothly machine out the inner well of the frame, only keeping a few side-to-side ribs remaining inside for stiffness.

Gamux kept the AON Racing team prototype a bit simpler by designing a modular bolt-on seat mast. That gives them freedom to tweak geometry a bit. But it also simplifies production again – keeping the overall height of the CNC-machined part low, and allowing the frame to remain completely open on top.

Then with a single mainframe member, AON & Gamux are free to tweak the ride and performance of the prototype DH bike by iterating separate suspension parts, like: the rocker link, various length seatstay bridges for different wheel sizes (all mullets so far, but full 29er will be possible, too), or different chainstays and seatstays to fine-tune geometry or rear end stiffness.

Weird and wild cockpit setup

Continuing the wild-looking concept, Nisbet and his teammates were riding various high, set-back cockpit setups.

Prototype negative setback stem?

Here, it looks like Nisbet is riding a ~80mm tall stem with -40mm of offset relative to the steerer tube. That’s also holding a high-rise Ergotec 70mm rise handlebar for a very upright and back position. The unconventional cockpit is uniquely set up to race super steep tracks, on a bike with longer frame Reach designed that way for extra high-speed stability.

We only slightly get a peek at it, but that big silver headset suggests (unsurprisingly) that there’s also plenty of space available for head angle adjustment to further fine-tune geometry to each track.

AON Racing works closely together with the Hayes group – which means Hayes brakes, Manitou suspension & Reynolds wheels. And the team generally has raced on purple Hayes Dominion A4 brakes, plus Sinter brake pads. But those rotors aren’t from the Hayes line-up, though.

They appear to be 2.3mm Hope Fixed Rotors, instead.

Prototype RevGrips with integrated bar ends?

Next to the purple Hayes brake levers, we also spot a curious unreleased product on the AON x Gamux Prototypes.

Medium shock-absorbing RevGrips get fitted with an external bar end flange, designed to let racers push outward on the bars for added control. And they claim to allow a looser grip in the roughest sections of a DH track, without worrying about your hands slipping off the end of the bars. It’s a concept that seemed niche until a few weeks ago, when Joe Breeden and Wolf Tooth made a strikingly similar setup more readily available.

Many more unreleased secrets on Reece Wilson & Henry Kerr’s bikes…

We didn’t get still life bike pics from the other guys, but there’s still plenty of Mona Yongpyong, South Korea World Cup race photos to spot more prototype tech on AON bikes.

Prototype Hayes Dominion brakes?

First, notice that there are no purple Hayes on either of these guys’ bikes.

A closer look reveals the brake lever bodies are, in fact, hidden under what looks like a soft neoprene cover. The silver brake calipers on both racers’ bikes look to have the same layout as the 4-piston Dominion A4s on Nisbet’s bike, but with sharper edges. And the silver levers have a gold piece visible that looks like the end of the tool-free reach adjust on current Dominions.

Perhaps these are the more premium set of Dominion brakes we’ve heard rumored for a while?

Both bikes also appear to have that same mysterious extra wire run along the left/rear brake line like Nisbet’s. We’re guessing it’s just an easy access to charge the Pinion Smart.Shift battery that is tucked inside the frame, right?

Prototype Manitou Dorado fork?

One last key secret we can clearly see is a big piggyback hanging off the damping side of Reece Wilson’s Manitou Dorado fork, with a special blue anodized fork end screaming, “Look at me!”

The standard Dorado puts external TPC+ (Twin Piston Cartridge) high-speed compression damping control at the bottom of the right fork leg. The bottom of Wilson’s fork is clearly missing that adjustment, which likely moved into an extra external piggyback reservoir for more oil volume, adjustability, and control.

What’s also interesting, though, is that Wilson didn’t race exclusively with this fork prototype. So clearly, it isn’t yet the best solution for all DH racing situations, just yet.

Also, all of the team are on Manitou forks labeled as Dorado Pro, which would normally come with carbon upper legs, but they all have alloy upper legs. AON confirms that these are all MRD (Manitou Racing Development) prototype forks using alloy uppers that the team riders are testing for Manitou R&D.

And lastly, what could be hiding under that sock over Wilson’s rear shock, tucked inside the top of the frame? It definitely isn’t the same Mara PB Pro air shock that’s on Nisbet’s & Harnden’s bikes.

Could it finally be a Mara Coil shock from Manitou?

Who knows for sure, but we’re going to keep on the lookout!

AONracing.com & GamuxBikes.com

The post Prototype AON Racing x Gamux Gearbox DH Bike Hides Many Secrets on the World Cup! appeared first on Bikerumor.

In the first World Cup Downhill qualifier of the season, the three fastest women’s times were set on two different belt-drive, gearbox DH bikes. Then on race day, those three all ended up in the top-5 overall, with Gloria Scarsi of MS Racing just a half second off of the World Champion to take the second step of the podium. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a belt-drive bike on a World Cup DH podium, but it looks like the elite downhillers are edging even closer to nabbing Gates’ promised 100,000€ bonus!

Belt-drives shine in Korean World Cup for MS & AON Racing

This weekend’s UCI World Cup racing in Mona Yongpyong, South Korea was exciting and eventful on many levels – from hardtail controversy on the dusty, rocky DH track to wildly wet & muddy XC racing just a day later. But what really stood out in my mind were the Elite Women of the DHI and the bikes they were riding.

Already in the first round of qualies on Friday afternoon, three women set the first elite benchmarks – Harriet Harnden of AON Racing and Valentina Roa Sánchez & Gloria Scarsi, both of MS Racing – all racing downhill bikes with electronic Smart.Shift Pinion gearbox bikes and Gates belt-drives. Those three fastest times in Q1 landed the trio the coveted last start positions, setting up for a nail-biter finish that would see them all end up in the top 5, but with Scarsi missing out on the win by just 0.573 seconds to 4x and current World Champ Vali Höll.

It’s a solid start to the racing season for belt-drive bikes. And Scarsi mused after the race that it’s a huge motivation “to work more, because we want the first” and of course “the 100k” that comes with it.

Let’s take a quick look at the two belt-drive bikes of the Elite Women’s top-5…

Zerode G3 of MS Racing

Just a couple of months ago a belt-drive Zerode G3 bike won Red Bull Rampage. Now, both Gloria Scarsi and Valentina Roa Sánchez set new personal World Cup bests on the same bike.

This high single-pivot aluminum gearbox bike with an idler pulley and tensioner appears unchanged from the G3 bike that consumers could already buy from the start of last year. But that’s not to say the MS Racing team isn’t continually refining the bike and its suspension. It is unique in that the 200mm travel mullet bike features a narrow 12x142mm rear end – like thru-axle road & gravel bikes – which works with a stronger, symmetrically-dished rear wheel thanks to needing just the one belt-drive cog.

I only spy two obvious differences for the MS Racing rigs. The team bikes feature a more neatly integrated, and more machined this year, red plate securing the idler & tensioner at the main & linkage pivots. And they also get a more robust skid plate setup that protects the gearbox from DH racing impacts, also serving a bit as a bash guard for the Gates belt-ring up front.

The team bikes are otherwise built up with SR Suntour Rux 38 & Voro Coil suspension, Hope brakes, cranks, hubs & wheels, Michelin tires, Crankbrothers pedals, Renthal cockpits, and SDG saddle+ seatpost combos.

ZerodeBikes.com

Gamux Sego carry-over prototype of AON Racing

Harriet Harnden of AON Racing finished in 4th place, just over 2 seconds back from Höll, on a belt-drive Gamux Sego that looked a lot like the bikes her team was racing last year. It is a combo of Swiss CNC’ed aluminum with boxy carbon tubes bonded in strategically for stiffness.

Each of the team riders’ bikes has always been uniquely machined to fine-tune stiffness for their size/weight/riding style – with more or less material removed, or more or fewer ribs and struts added. So Harnden’s bike has less-intricately machined chainstays than the other guys on her team had raced last year.

Besides the Gates belt and Smart.Shift Pinion gearbox, the AON Racing team rides on Manitou Dorado inverted forks and Mara Piggy Back air shocks, purple Hayes Dominion brakes, Hope cockpit, and custom Reynolds Blackline carbon wheelsets. Plus, do you see her high-ride, negative offset stem!?

…and a next-gen Gamux prototype, too!

Interestingly though, the guys on her team – including Reece Wilson (20th-place Elite Men), Stan Nisbet (7th in Junior Men) & Henry Kerr, were all riding a completely different Gamux prototype. One with a completely CNC-machined massive single downtube with modular bolt-on bits, and a wholly-redesigned Horst-link high-pivot suspension design.

Talking with the AON team on the World Cup last season, they described their partnership with Gamux as a way to continue to innovate their DH race bikes. 2020 DH World Champ Reece Wilson established the team, specifically for the freedom to pursue new technologies in their bikes, investing in the “niche” Swiss CNC mountain bike maker.

GamuxBikes.com

The post Gloria Scarsi Nearly Cost Gates €100K, As Both MS & AON Close In On the Belted Purse appeared first on Bikerumor.

I can’t remember when my first Sea Otter Classic experience was, but it was at least 12 years ago. That’s a long time, but it pales in comparison to many that have called the show their own bike industry family reunion for 30+ years. That’s part of what makes the “tradeshow” so special. It’s not really a show so much as a gathering of like-minded people who want to ride bikes, race bikes, talk about bikes, and look at bikes. I’ve already emptied out a bunch of photos of 32″ gravel bikes, bicycle electronics, composite spokes, full suspension kid’s bikes, sneaky new hubs, and more, but of course, there’s still plenty to see…

Why Was the Pond So Blue?

As mentioned, I’ve visited Laguna Seca many times for Sea Otter, and the water in the pond has never been a hot topic. For some reason, this year, the water was very blue. Like opaque chemical toilet water blue. Come to think of it, there are a lot of porta potties at Sea Otter…

Light Bicycle’s “Pregnant” Rim

Light Bicycle had a number of interesting things on display (including 32″ MTB wheels), but this AG48 Aero Gravel rim certainly caught my attention. Jokingly referred to as the ‘pregnant’ rim, the bulbous profile features a 35mm internal width which flares out to a massive 48mm wide at the widest point. Built with a “hybrid hook”, the rims are optimized for 55mm or 2.1″ tires, and have a claimed weight of 460g.

For something a bit more normal, the WG44 Wide Aero Gravel Wheel is still wide, but not that wide. With an internal width of 30mm and again with a hybrid hook, the rims are 44mm deep, 38mm wide externally at the rim, and 40mm at the widest point. Claimed to be 450g per rim, you can actually buy these ones now starting at $289 per rim.

LIght Bicycle also had some very light one-piece cockpits on display that claim to start at just 250g. Available in road or gravel configurations, there’s even an upgraded 3D printed titanium computer mount option. These start at $410, check out the Light Bicycle site for details.

Bushnell’s BiNOCulars

I feel like I’ve seen these before… Clearly taking some inspiration from NOCS, Bushnell is joining the brightly-colored-rubber-coated binocular game. The Bushnell A series includes the A1 binoculars, A3 monocular and binocluar, and the top of the range A5 binocular. Prices start at $129, and seem to be about $20+ more per model than a comparable NOCS – though the 42mm A5 is substantially more than the new NOCS Field Issue 42 at $329 vs. $199. The Bushnell models do include color-matched cases and some premium touches though.

Performance Enhancing Sunscreen

It’s easy to get burned at Laguna Seca, so I’m always on the hunt for sunscreen. I actually smelled the sunscreen from Pelotan before I saw it – summery with pop of coconut, it’s fantastic. Better still, this isn’t your typical sunscreen, it’s specially formulated for cyclists. What does that mean? It means it’s designed to not clog your pores for better temperature regulation. Unfortunately for us in the U.S., we don’t get the version offered in Europe that provides 8 hour protection at SPF 30. Instead, the U.S. version (with different ingredients) has the highest FDA water and sweat resistance rating of 80 minutes.

It was also interesting to hear about the company’s take on sunscreen as a performance enhancer. Because of the effects of the sun on your skin during long days in the saddle, they are apparently working on an app that will put that in terms of watts lost or gained based on your sunscreen use. A fascinating take on something we all probably take for granted.

Backpacks for Balance Bikes

If you’re a parent with a kid on a balance bike, you’ve probably done the ride-with-one-hand-while-carrying-a-balance-bike-in-the-other routine. Kids get tired. Or maybe you want to ride to a safer spot with kiddo on your Shotgun Seat. Whatever the reason, Kids Ride Shotgun has a new method for carrying that balance bike so you can ride with both hands.

The new $129 Uplift Balance Bike Backpack allows you to carry a bike comfortably with it sitting off your back, and includes an actual backpack portion for storing gear, a helmet, etc.

FIDLOCK + Twiceme

Twiceme is a way for first responders to scan your helmet and get your important medical details. Now, FIDLOCK has partnered with Twiceme Technology to integrate those digital safety features directly into their magnetic helmet buckles. This should allow helmet companies to add the tech without having to redesign their helmets, and the user gets a better buckle as well.

Fidlock is known for their cage-less bottles that snap on with magnets and easily twist to unlock. Now they’re bringing that same style to insulated bottles. Obviously, more of a stop-on the-side-of-the-road-to-take-a-drink situation, the bottles should provide another option for those who would prefer not to drink out of plastic.

Boyd’s Beer Inspired Hubs

What’s better than a Tripel hub? A Sixtus, of course. Continuing on the Belgian beer-themed hub names, Boyd Cycling was showing their newest MTB hub line called the Sixtus – named for the St. Sixtus brewery. The new hubs will offer either 3º or a minuscule 0.5º freehub rotation, depending on the freehub internals. More on these soon.

Abbey Bike Tools Goes Soft (Sided Tool Bag)

Abbey Bike Tools offers one of the best curated cycling toolboxes money can buy. But because it includes a number of tools that Abbey doesn’t control the prices on, the price has crept up to $1,850. Wanting to offer something more accessible to more people, Abbey has just introduced their Soft Sided Toolbox.

Using bags made in Bend, Oregon by Cloud Chaser Bags, the Soft Sided Tool bag will be offered as a standalone bag for $225 or as a complete tool kit for $675. The bag itself is made from 500d and 1000d Cordura with YKK zippers and light foam for structure. Inside, you’ll find four removable bags that velcro to the inside.

Tools included:

On the bikepacking front, EVOC has some new additions to their on-bike bag line including BOA and non-BOA options. There are also new Panniers with smaller options that are perfect for fork mounts, or the full-size rear with Quick Fix attachment.

Eagle Bear Goes Mountain Biking

The Foxtrot full suspension kid’s bike wasn’t the only MTB news at the Prevelo booth this year, as their sister brand Eaglebear was showing the new ZULU Twenty Nine. As a refresher, Eaglebear is the adult version of Prevelo – affordable bikes with excellent spec.

To be priced at $2,399 when launched later this fall, the triple butted aluminum frame includes adjustable UDH dropouts to allow for single-speed use, along with internal cable routing, a forged chainstay yoke, and a CNC engraved headtube logo. The build kit will include a Mazocchi Bomber Z2 with 140mm of travel, SRAM Eagle 70 mechanical drivetrain, TRP Slate Evo Comp 4 piston brakes, and a KS Vantage adjustable length dropper plus Maxxis 29 x 2.5/2.4″ WT trires.

Jordan Raced a Brompton

Jordan is the member of our crew who just can’t help himself when it comes to riding at Sea Otter. He rides into the show. He races the gravel race (and takes 2nd in the Men’s open 30-mile race). He also took part in the California Brompton World Championships and took 5th. He probably would have been on the podium if he knew how to unfold a Brompton, and had both shifters working…

The post Zach’s Sea Otter Randoms: A ‘Pregnant’ Rim, BLUE Ponds, Performance Enhancing Sunscreen & More appeared first on Bikerumor.

During my yearly pilgrimage to the Sea Otter Classic, I was asked to take a detour before the bulk of the event to check out a new off-road bike from Specialized. I wondered what this new bike would be, certainly not an Epic… the Epic 8 just came out two years ago, and its kinda the bike for most racers. So I set my heart for a new Epic HT, and thought “this is what’s coming”, some magic gravel middle super hardtail…. Boy, was I wrong. 

Meet The New Specialized Epic 9 

I found myself face-to-face with an all-new Epic design, one that looked different from the Epic 8 but had the same calling cards. I wandered over to the bike, with no real information given just yet, and, as most riders do… lifted it up. Truthfully, I was kinda shocked and very excited to see what Specialized couldn’t wait another two years to launch. 

How did we get here? The Specialized Epic is a bike that is easy to spot and easy to understand. If you were a mountain biker from the 90s, frozen in time (ENCINO MAN style), and brought back to the current… you’d see the Epic 9 and say, “Well…that must be the top of the line Specialized full suspension race bike” – amongst other hilarious 90’s weezing the juice style one liners (hopefully).

The reason is that Specialized kept the Epic name (and trademark) synonymous with racing and performance. They never ventured off the path, bounced around new names, or deviated from the plan. So when the design team thinks they can improve it, they push out a new one as quickly as possible.  

The thing that works about the Epic being the same but fluid is that it’s always changing toward what XC/marathon riders are looking for. Nearly every iteration forecasts the trends and nails it. I can say that about nearly every Epic (Epic WC really wasn’t my jam, though). The S-Works Epic 9 follows all the lines laid before it, but makes some of its own. 

S-Works Epic 9 Recap 

If you missed the tech and news piece, you can check out all the details here – as I’m gonna mention the hits to get to the ride impressions faster. 

Specialized has taken the current Epic formula, shaved off a meaningful amount of weight, and made the suspension calmer and more active. They kept the handling modern without turning it into some confused downcountry detour, but also kept the platform open enough for a 130mm fork – allowing for a “make your own EVO design”.

Impressions: S-Works Epic 9 

My bike for the two days of mixed XC riding was the S-Works Epic 9. This is the same model the Specialized Factory Team will be racing all season, and the same one they helped to develop. It sits right at the sharp end of the new lineup, and unlike the even lighter LTD UL build, this one feels like the more complete expression of what the bike is meant to do.

The LTD UL is lighter (and slightly less expensive) but has less travel and no RockShox Flight Attendant. The S-Works Epic 9 has everything that you’d need to be the fastest: S-Works FACT 12m carbon frame, RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant fork, RockShox SIDLuxe Ultimate Flight Attendant shock, SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission, Quarq power meter, Super light Roval Control World Cup wheels, SRAM Motive Ultimate brakes, and a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper. The whole package weighs 21.29 lbs without pedals – bonkers. 

The S-Works Spec

If you’re looking for more in a spec, you don’t need it. That is, unless you’re looking for Shimano shifting or Fox suspension. The Epic 9 comes with all the top kit from SRAM on the mountain side. I love seeing the high-power Motive Ultimate brakes on a cross-country build, and I believe this will be the standard moving forward. 

As for wheels, you can’t find many (production-wise that I know) lighter than the Roval World Cup wheels (the 993g NOBL Ethos 180SL is one such example, though it’s not clear if that includes tape and valves like the 998g Roval World Cups). They are under 1000g, and you can beat the heck out of them. 

As for touch points, the S-Works Epic 9 arrives with the newly minted S-Works EVO Mirror saddle and some very new (launched with the Epic 9) Roval Control SL MTB bars. If you’re a fan of the older version of the Control SL bars, you’ll like this one more, I promise. 

New Bars – Who Dis

The new Roval Control SL integrated cockpit looks like Specialized took the old one-piece bar/stem and gave it a little less World Cup chiropractor energy. The big shift is the stem angle, which moves from a very aggressive -12° on the previous setup to a more livable -6° on the new Epic 9. 

The upsweep bumps from 1° to 2°, backsweep stays at 8°, and stock width remains 760mm, so the overall feel is plenty racy, just not quite as slammed and severe at the hands. The new bar keeps the sharp XC intent, but with a slightly more neutral wrist position. This creates a front end that will be easier to get along with for more riders over longer days. 

S-Works Epic 9 – Ride Impressions 

Sometimes, at press events and other rides, it’s hard to separate the location from the bike or gear you’re riding. For this launch, we were in Monterey, near the Sea Otter Classic XC course, and as an East Coaster, I was more than excited to get out of the cold. 

However, riding in new locations and unfamiliar terrain takes you out of your comfort zone. It lets you see what the gear can do, because you might not know exactly what’s coming, and that’s what happened to me on most of the riding. 

My Bike

First, throwing a leg over the Epic 9 (after getting my fit numbers in) felt like I was riding my own bike after a tune-up. A very comfortable feeling – one that I’m used to. As I mentioned, I know the Epic well, and this feels like the Epic 8 from the saddle. Once the ride kicked off, I needed that familiarity, as Matt Beers was a ride guest and everyone wanted to see just how fast he was. After a long morning flight, I was biting the stem to keep my spot. 

I quickly learned that the new Epic 9 is an all-out race machine, but allows the rider to roll with the punches (and I felt like I took a few). The very first thing I noticed was the weight. It’s not all the wheels, but they play a central part in the equation. Paired with the stiff lockout of the Flight Attendant and the one-piece bar, the 998g wheels sing uphill. 

Then you notice that extra bit of confidence in the way the bike’s geometry and vibe. It’s hard to describe; it’s like a good cup of coffee. You feel like, “yeah, I’ll gap that” and put a bit more intention into the trail features. This sensation is a mix of the slightly tweaked geometry and suspension feel. The updated suspension design is a huge part of what makes the Epic 9 a threat in the tech. 

Welcome to the Magic Middle

The Specialized design team says this new Epic has 11% less stiction than the Epic 8 suspension. You can feel it in the slightest bits. The suspension is active but buttery-smooth, so you really don’t notice it. It adds to the climbing, the traction, and more importantly, the way the bike feels on most of the riding you’ll encounter. 

Oh @#$! Mode

As for the fully open mode, it comes on when you least expect it, and when you need it. I never bottomed out the travel, but the sensation on the trail makes you feel like you might. When ripping down hill over the roots and rocks of the Santa Cruz trail systems, it was point and shoot. On the gnarlier bits you crawl, the suspension is active, constantly adapting with Flight Attendant input. 

I noticed the fully open mode, especially when I brake-checked some unfamiliar features. These were drops and gaps that were new to me. I didn’t bail, but I could have had more speed if you know what I mean, and the lines I took would make most cringe. But the Epic 9 ate it up; it enabled me to pull myself out of a tailspin without pogoing me off the front end or making me feel like I was jumping on a blown-out mattress. I was greeted with positive suspension feedback and, to my surprise, no bottom-out knock. 

As for the fully locked mode, there’s not much to say. It’s there when you need it, like at the start of a race, hitting the pavement on climbs, long open sections, and a sprint for the line. The one thing I noticed is that the combo of the bar/stem, lightweight wheels, and lighter overall package puts an exclamation point on the lockout’s efficiency. 

There are more ride notes to take, and we hope to include more than “it’s faster” in the full review. In every way except one, the new Epic 9 feels like an excellent successor to the short-lived Epic 8 series. That one glaring detail is the price. 

The $15,250 Elephant in the Room 

If there’s one thing that can change the tune of a great product, it’s the price. Now, that doesn’t mean the product isn’t worth the asking price; it’s that the pricing itself might be out of control. In this instance, $15,250 for a cross-country race bike feels like it’s too much. Just like the $25,000 Factor Bugatti and the new Colnago C72 – especially with how much we have going on in the world currently. But again, this is the race bike, the halo build, the factory team spec. 

The Pricing Trend

But looking at the trend in Epic pricing from the past five years, the trend is pretty clear: Specialized’s top-end XC race bike has gotten a whole lot pricier, and they set the standard. 

The 2021 S-Works Epic landed at $12,000 (this was a big pill to swallow at the time), the 2024 S-Works Epic 8 jumped to $14,500, and the new 2026 S-Works Epic 9 now sits at $15,250. 

• 2022 S-Works Epic — $12,000.
• 2024 S-Works Epic 8 — $14,499.99.
• 2026 S-Works Epic 9 — $15,249.99.

The big picture doesn’t need much help: in just a few seasons, the halo Epic has gone from “painfully expensive” to “yeah… that is a used-car conversation,” with the new Epic 9 now about $3,250 higher than the 2022 S-Works Epic, or roughly a 27% jump. 

I understand that the Roval World Cup wheels are $3,000 compared to the previous SL model’s $2,000, but it’s still hard. The same goes for the inclusion of Rock Shox Flight Attendant suspension, I know, that’s another added layer of cost. 

The lower-spec models are not much of a price break; the Epic 9 Pro lands at $12,000, and the Epic 9 Expert at $7,500 (no Flight Attendant). 

For Who Then?

I guess the larger discussion is, are we still willing to pay for bikes this expensive? For the “XC racer at all costs” crowd and the Triple A Jr Squads with team buses, yeah, I’m sure they have them with a few to spare in the trailer. But for the working racer, this lineup is hard to navigate and justify. The prices are too much for anything else in the race budget. 

But Specialized knows this bike has a buyer, and eliminating the Evo and World Cup versions will undoubtedly push them towards one of these models. 

More to come in a long-term review.

The post Specialized S-Works Epic 9 First Ride Impressions: $15k Buys a Very Fast, Light Bike appeared first on Bikerumor.

The 2026 Sea Otter Classic wrapped up a week and a half ago, and we’ve been doing our best to report on all of the cool new bikes, components, and accessories we saw at the expo. From 32″ everything to instant coffee, there was no shortage of interesting products to find in the booths at the Laguna Seca Raceway. But to wrap up my Sea Otter coverage, here’s a collection of things that caught my eye and that I feel deserve mention.

Below you’ll find a seemingly never-ending supply of anodized parts, more mountain bike tires with radial casings, the most beautiful bike at the show (in my opinion), entrepreneurs with new products trying to get noticed, and more.

And not a single additional mention of 32″ wheels, tires, or bikes (except this disclaimer), I promise. Check it out.

The Best Looking Bike at Sea Otter

We’ve seen this titanium masterpiece before. In fact, we covered this Ogle bike in detail after seeing it at MADE last fall. But I wasn’t there, so I didn’t get to see it in person. Now that I have, I’m going on record as saying it was the best-looking bike I saw at the Sea Otter this year. Obviously, the lines, titanium tubing, and gold logos matching the Kashima on the suspension are eye-catching, but it’s the detail in the 3D-printed lugs that really seals the deal. Hit the link above for a deeper dive and more detailed shots taken with a nicer camera than mine.

Respect the Hustle

It’s never easy to start a new business, and that seems particularly true in the cycling industry, especially since COVID. Which is why I was impressed to see a couple of smaller, up-and-coming brands at Sea Otter, doing their best to get noticed in a sea of exhibitors. Not to mention that their products looked pretty darn interesting and somewhat unique in the marketplace.

Nadive Tailgate Pads

Nadive’s owner, Justin, reached out via email before the show, but I didn’t have specific plans to meet up with him. Fortunately, I happened to be passing by his booth when he grabbed my attention. With his tailgate pads, Justin has essentially distilled the concept down to its simplest form. He makes two models, the strapless COMPACT and the strap-on COMPACT+, both of which fold down to a very compact size when not in use, and look incredibly easy to install and remove.

The Nadive pads appear to be a big step up from using a towel or moving a blanket over your tailgate, but just as convenient. They are made from a PVC-coated tarpaulin shell covering 3/4″ EPE foam padding to protect your bikes and your tailgate. A silicone dot print on the inside of the pad adds grip and stability in transit. Both pads are 26″ wide, cover a bit less than half of a truck tailgate, and look like they’ll fit 2 bikes easily.

The COMPACT ($57) is strapless, so it installs in seconds by simply draping it over your tailgate. The COMPACT+ ($88) has two straps with metal g-hooks to secure it under the tailgate, plus stitched-on daisy chains and two Voile straps to secure your bikes to the pad. When not in use, the folded pads are tiny and will essentially disappear in your truck or garage until you need them. Nadive is taking preorders now with pads estimated to ship in June.

nadive.com

Rockinator Body Armor

I was walking out of the media center when Pau from Rockinator approached me to check out some new body armor. I don’t personally wear body armor, but if I did, I’d sure as heck want it to be breathable, which appears to be one of the design priorities with the brand’s modular system. The system includes the zippered, armored vest and a base layer with integrated shoulder pads. Pau was wearing a 3/4 sleeve baselayer, which also had elbow pads, but that doesn’t appear on their website yet.

The body of the vest and the optional padded baselayer are made from a breathable mesh-like fabric. The vest includes eight pads covering nearly the entire torso, including the chest, upper and lower back, ribs, and abdomen. All of the armor panels appear to be highly breathable with a very open structure, yet they are all rated CE Level 2 for impact protection. In addition to providing fairly comprehensive torso protection, they included pockets on the lower back so you can stash some items in there while you ride.

The Rockinator armor looks highly breathable, relatively comfortable, with a streamlined fit and thoughtful design. It’s currently available with special launch pricing of $245 for the vest and base layer combo through the Rockinator website.

rockinator.com

More Radial Tires

Given the success of Schwalbe’s Radial tires, we figured it was only a matter of time before other brands got on board the Radial casing train. This year, we’ve already seen Specialized, Vee Tires, and most recently, e*13 introduced new tires with Radial casings. Though we’ve already heard about all of these, it was good to see them at Sea Otter. As a fan of the enhanced grip and control of Schwalbe’s Radial tires, I’m excited to try some more options from other brands.

Vee Tires

Vee Tires was showing its new Radial casing lineup of gravity-oriented tires. These were introduced a couple of months ago and should be hitting the market pretty soon. Dubbed RAD-Core, the radial casing will be coming on the three tires in the photo above to start. I’ve got a set of the Attack HPL and the Attack FSX (as a front/rear combo) lined up for testing, and I’ll share my impressions once I get some time on them.

veetires.com

e*thirteen Grappler Radials

We posted a piece on the new Grappler Radial tires from e*13 yesterday, so I won’t bore anyone with the details here. Long story short, they’ve got three models with radial casings that appear to be aimed at aggressive riders and terrain, with tread patterns that look chunky and strikingly similar to the Vee Tires above.

ethirteen.com

Kitworks

I got my hands on a Kitworks MTB tote late last year, and I’ve been loving the modular system, tough materials, and new level of organization that it has brought to my cycling gear. Turns out, the brand makes more than just heavy-duty tote bags. I swung by the Kitworks booth to check out some of their other gear organization solutions. The Gear Box above is more structured than the tote, making it stackable (apparently up to 250 lbs), but it is collapsible when not in use. It has a modular design, so you can compartmentalize the storage however you like, with loads of system accessories like pockets, cubes, and dividers to choose from.

I wish my camp kitchen were anywhere near as organized as the Gear Box in the photo above. Kitworks’ selection of gear cubes, accessories, and even the Velcro gear ID labels is well developed to dial in your setup.

The Adventure Duffel employs the same durable materials and modular storage design as Kitworks’ other products, but turns it into a more travel-friendly duffel bag package. The top opens all the way and is designed to hold its structure, so you can easily see and access your gear. The Laminated shell material is tough and weather-resistant, as is the YKK Aquaguard zipper. It has reinforced carry handles, removable backpack straps, and it comes in 60L and 90L sizes.

mykitworks.com

SQlab LTD. Saddles

If you’re tired of your bike saddle color options being black and black, SQlab has a few interesting LTD versions of its ergonomic saddles to choose from. The Mike Metzger saddle with the eyeballs is undoubtedly going to attract some attention, but if you’re familiar with freestyle motocross legend Mike Metzger, the design seems pretty appropriate. The ION saddle is part of a collaboration with SQlab and ION, which includes ergonomic mountain bike grips in the same colorway. The Escape saddle is also part of a collection that includes an off-road drop handlebar and handlebar tape that comes in the same sand and green colors as the saddle.

SQ Lab was also showing a new 614 ERGOWAVE Active 2.1 saddle with carbon rails. The rails are the biggest update to the saddle and increase the price to $219.

sq-lab.com

Drift Shoes

Drift shoes are set to officially launch in the next week or so, but we got a sneak peek at Sea Otter. Formerly a brand known as DZR, Drift is starting out with a new model called the ARC (pictured above), which they are referring to as an SPD-compatible cycling sneaker. It appears Drift is trying to set itself apart from the competition with the feel of the full leather upper and skate shoe-esque aesthetics.

Inside the somewhat casual-looking shoe is a waterproof membrane for weather protection and a reinforced toe box to shield against rock strikes. Underfoot, a composite shank provides a pedaling platform, and there’s a full-coverage rubber sole with 2-bolt cleat compatibility. We’re told they’ll be available in five different colorways, and should be available May 5th.

drift-sports.com

Anodized Everything

As usual, there was no shortage of anodized parts on display throughout the Sea Otter expo. I’ve never been one to color-coordinate everything on my bikes, mostly because I can’t afford it, but I appreciate it when other people do. Plus, I’m easily distracted by bright colors and shiny things. Below is just a fraction of the anodized parts to be seen at Sea Otter.

Race Face

Race Face has been in the color game for a long time, and they were showing off their matching Atlas handlebars and cranks, Vault hubs, Turbine stems, and an entire tree made of colorful pedals.

raceface.com

Wolf Tooth Components

Wolf Tooth Components offers a wide range of anodized colors, available across a deep selection of their parts and components. If you’re interested in matching as many parts as possible on your bike, Wolf Tooth is probably your best bet. Check out their Color Shop the next time you’re doing a custom build. There’s a heck of a lot more than what’s in the pictures above, including some soon-to-be-released hubs.

wolftoothcomponents.com

Freedom Coast / Better Bolts

I got turned onto Freedom Coast’s products when I learned about and tested their 90-degree Pod Clamp last year. The brand also makes a huge range of colorful brake mount adapters (left), brake lever upgrades (middle), and even some slick air cap and compression dial replacements for Fox forks (right). That’s in addition to the truck bed and camper van rail systems and fork mounts they sell.

freedomcoast.net

And if you’re really going all-in on colorful bits, Freedom Coast and Better Bolts are basically the same company. Better Bolts offers a huge array of colorful titanium bolts to fit nearly everything on any bike (see the photos above). They make pretty much any bolt you could possibly need in gold, black, silver, copper, and rainbow (oil slick).

betterbolts.com

White Industries

White Industries didn’t have anything white to show at their booth, but they did have anodized red, blue, gold, and purple hubs, headsets, spacers, BB shells, rotor lockrings, and more.

ZENO

We’ve written about a few innovative products from ZENO before. Most recently, we featured the brand’s Q-Connector V2 Hydraulic Quick Coupler, which they had on display at the booth. We’ve also talked about innovative designs like their Reaction EX Floating Brake Rotors. But what really caught my attention was the well-organized display of colorful brake rotor adapters, dropper levers, and mechanical disc brake calipers. ZENO’s Speedclip Dual Mechanical Disc Brakes actuate both pistons simultaneously for even, smooth, and consistent braking performance. They come in a variety of colors, as well as flat-mount and post-mount versions.

zenocycleparts.com

And Many More

There was so much more anodized goodness to see; this post could honestly go on forever, but it needs to stop somewhere. I’ll wrap up the anodized gallery with a couple of the best in the business. Cane Creek (left) offers a huge range of its parts in anodized purple, silver, gold, blue, and red (plus black), and makes them easy to find and coordinate in its Chroma Studio.

canecreek.com

Likewise, Hope Technology has been putting out colorful parts of all kinds for years, helping riders bling out bikes with their beautifully machined and engineered components of all kinds. From bottom brackets to pedals, brakes to dropper levers, Hope’s products are a classy and high-performance addition to any build.

hopetech.com

Cheers to NA Beers

There was no shortage of regular beer to be found at Sea Otter, but it might have been even easier to find non-alcoholic beverages at the expo. Don’t get me wrong, I love beer, but I am 100% in favor of the growing popularity and growing number of great-tasting non-alcoholic beers. Best Day Brewing was in attendance, providing folks with their whole range of NA beers. The Electro-Lime Cerveza was super refreshing and my personal favorite of the brand’s varieties. Athletic Brewing was also on hand, offering attendees their full lineup of NA beers and mocktails. Athletic’s Tucker’s West Coast IPA might be my new favorite.

Either way, the NA Beer revolution is here, and I’m happily incorporating more of them into my post-ride routine. Not gonna lie, it’s pretty nice to crack a cold one at any time of day with zero guilt and a clear head.

And on that note, cheers to bikes! Til next year, Sea Otter.

The post Sea Otter Wrap-Up: Anodized Parts, Radial Tires, Gear Storage, NA Beers, & More appeared first on Bikerumor.

Along with unreleased hubs, WTC had another sneaky new product hanging around their booth. Bar ends. But these aren’t your average bar ends or ‘bark busters.’ Instead, these are meant to help you ride faster with less arm pump and hand fatigue.

Pro DH racer Joe Breeden has been pioneering the DH bar end for a few years now with the idea that something on the end of the bar allows you to push into it with the side of your palm for additional steering input while also acting as a way to loosen your grip on long descents without risking your hands coming off the bars.

Up to this point, Joe has been making his own grips under the AXESS UNLTD banner. The current ‘Get a grip’ bar ends are either full or half circle grip sections that bolt into the end of your bars adding to your current grips.

Now, Joe has partnered with Wolf Tooth Components to take that design to the next level with a fully molded design that looks like it will ‘cup’ the end of your hand for even better control (and provide a bit of protection for your pinky finger/knuckle). The only catch is that you have to have an open ended grip, so you’re either limited in grip choice or you have to figure out how to cut a hole in the end of your non-open ended grips.

While Joe set out to find a solution for top-level DH racing, Wolf Tooth thinks the tech could be useful for e-bike riders pushing around heavier bikes as well. WTC expects these to run $35 a pair and will be available likely by the end of May.

wolftoothcomponents.com

The post Wolf Tooth Works with Joe Breeden on New Bar Ends to Decrease Arm Pump & Fatigue appeared first on Bikerumor.

There are some really good kids’ bikes these days. And thanks to brands like Prevelo and Kona, which will soon include incredible new full suspension bikes for the little rippers as well.

Prevelo Foxtrot Prototype Kid’s Full Suspension

Technically still a prototype, the Prevelo Foxtrot gives us a look at the future of full suspension from one of our favorite kids’ bike companies. While many kids are just getting the hang of two wheels at an early age, some, like Elliot Honeycutt, are already going full send. For those kids (and those who aspire to be like Elliot), Prevelo is about to release a real-deal full suspension bike with wheels as small as 20″.

Built with a hydroformed aluminum frame running a Horst Link suspension platform, the frame features Boost spacing, internal cable routing including dropper post, and a UDH dropout. There will be three Foxtrot models total, with the Foxtrot Three running 20″ wheels, the Foxtrot Four on 24″ wheels, and the Foxtrot Five on 26″ wheels. Travel gradually increases as well:

• Foxtrot Three – 20″ Wheels, 120mm rear travel, 120mm front travel
• Foxtrot Four – 24″ Wheels, 120mm rear travel, 130mm front travel
• Foxtrot Five – 26″ Wheels, 130mm rear travel, 140mm front travel

Front suspension duties are handled by the Manitou JUNIT Comp or Expert forks, and an RST Mono trunion rear shock provides suspension in the rear. Both components are custom-tuned to actually work with the weight of small children.

Like the Zulu hardtail series, the Foxtrot bikes are equipped with legit MTB components, including a MicroShift Advent 1×9 or 10s drivetrain, tubeless-ready rims and tires, Shimano Deore hydraulic disc brakes, and Prevelo’s HEIR Pivotal saddles and handlebars with smaller grip diameters.

Pricing is TBD, but you can expect these to go on sale later this year in time to potentially put one of these under the Christmas tree of your aspiring rider.

prevelo.com

Kona Process 246

For slightly bigger kids, Kona will soon have a new bike in its lineup called the Process 246. Those numbers refer to the wheel size as the bike ships with a mini-mullet configuration with a 26″ wheel up front and a 24″ wheel in back. However, the frame is built to accommodate a 26″ wheel in the back as well, so as the child grows, you can move to a 26/26″ setup down the line.

Pricing and availability for the Process 246 are TBA.

konaworld.com

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