Another collection of bits and pieces we’ve found on our laps of the Sea Otter pits (you mean there’s racing here too? We didn’t see any… just the pits) and presented for your approval (or internet dislike)
MRP – Paul from MRP, who featured in our SRAM story with the new XO-badged G2 deraileur here models the ‘in-testing prototype’ G2 chain device with a carbon backplate, designed to be the lightest device that still offers a skidplate and upper and lower chain guides. MRP is also working on a chain device that’ll work securely with a 2×10 system… Watch this space.
Specialized ‘Black Lite’ Command Post. Designed at the request (so therefore a decree) of top racer Ned Overend, this version of the Command Post uppy downy post is aimed at XC riders and racers. It offers three positions: Normal, Cruiser (1in down) and Dropped, but only has 75mm of travel. This makes it a lot shorter in height and will therefore fit onto smaller frames where there isn’t that much post showing. The 1in Cruiser setting is great for nadgery trails where you still need to pedal, while the 3in drop is enough for many trail riders. It’ll come in 30.9 and 31.6 in June and Specialized reckons that it has spec of 10,000 dropper posts for the next year. It’s catching on…
Up!
And the cutaway. It's purely mechanical. No hydraulics to keep it simple and light.
Light and Motion showed us some new lights. First up we can see the Solite 150 which offers 150Lumen max (and 75/20Lumens) a USB charger and a versatile mount that lets it run as a torch, helmet mount or on a head strap.
It's a torch!
It's a camping light
Here's the Urban 250 - 108g and 250 Lumens. Designed for commuting (with 9Lumen side lights) and a 'gas gauge' accurate to 10%. Expect it to be around £150 with the 150Lumen version £99
The Solite as helmet light and torch. It comes with the mounts and also come with the headstrap in the box.
Off Road Toad is back! And suitably fuschia.
Replaceable dropouts with a horizontal option.
Blatant 'cross plug. The Ritchey Swiss Cross is back!
Sharing the same forged and machined head tube as the P29er
Very neat straight blade fork
It looks like an extended seat tube from a distance, but it's just a red seatpost. Neat (and it'll actually match in production...)
Another Tom-built prototype then. Production frame and fork will be $1299
Syncros summer/park tyre
Syncros fully carbon rigid fork. In 26 and 29in natch.
It's a shy Zeppelin...
Gloss black prototype cross frame from New Zealand company Grammo
And post mount rear brakes. One of the first carbon frames with them.
The whole thing. Grammo should be available in the UK soon if not already.
With 22 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)
Always wanted an Off Road Toad!
These Ritcheys are looking really nice.
Is he planning a usable normal mountain bike (like a 100-120mm 26″ hardtail)?
Love the Ritchey CX bike. Gimme, gimme, gimme!
That Foes looks lovely!
The off road toad colour reminds me of my 1st MTB, Raleigh Apex circa 1991/2.
It’s a shame that Kirkham is only doing “brand direction”. It looses some of the appeal as another brand engineering exercise.
http://offroadtoadbikes.com/
That swiss cross is beautiful
a dropper post with 1″ and full (75mm=3″) drop? Like gravity dropper have made since time began?