Sea Otter Classic 2017: Bits and Pieces
Originally posted on April 26, 2017 at 10:09 amA few of the interesting things we saw at the 2017 Sea Otter Classic:
WTB
Byway
The Byway is a 27.5×47 tire, part of WTB’s “Road Plus” line. With the same casing as the Horizon, this new tire has some cornering knobs and file tread for better dirt action. We’ve got a set in for review, so expect first impressions soon. They’re available now, $68, tubeless ready, swank tan sidewall. These are the same diameter as a 700×30, so they might slot in nicely to that disc road or cross bike that isn’t quite shreddy enough for your dirt road dreams.
Bridger
Not a huge announcement, but for riders destroying plus tires on a regular basis, you can get a 27.5×3.0 Bridger with a WTB’s reinforced Tough casing starting soon.
Atomik Wheels
Magnetic Freehub
This might look like a normal ratchet mechanism, but instead of springs pushing the rings together, magnetic attraction does the work. Said to be simpler, less affected by contamination and quieter, Atomik is working to bring this technology to road hubs first, and mountain bikes later when a higher engagement freehub is developed.
AM 35 rim
This is a hookless carbon rim with a 28 mm internal width. Atomik is marketing it towards tires between 2.2 and 2.5 inches wide. There will be 29 (480 grams) and 27.5 (460 grams) versions. Rims are available separately for $435 each, or wheelsets starting at $1,350. Notice the beefy sidewall, which is said to provide much-improved impact strength in an area that is often the weak point on carbon rims.
Chubby 43
This is a wide “single wall” rim, but the two voids in each side are filled with engineered foam with is claimed to at stiffness, strength and some impact damping. The super low profile also helps to prevent the rim from sideways rock strikes. While the inner diameter isn’t wide by today’s standards, Atomik is aiming this rim towards rides on 2.5 to 3 inch tires. Available in 27.5 only, this rim will weigh about 470 grams, cost $545 each, and come as a complete wheelset starting at $1,660 with DT hubs and Sapim spokes.
FUNN and Granite
Funn is making a go of it in the US aftermarket again and releasing a new brand; Granite.
Kingpin and Black Ace bars
Funn had a bar named the “Fatboy.” Three guesses who sent a cease and desist letter for that name… Now known as the Kingpin, this new bar is about 295 grams in a 35 mm clamp. 810 mm width and 30 mm rise. Both 35 and 31.8 diameters will be available, in 810 or 785 width and 7, 15 or 30 mm rise.
Black Ace is the carbon version of this bar, and will come in at 205 grams in the heaviest 35/810/30 option.
Slingshot 50T Shimano Cog
Feeling outgunned by Eagle? Maybe an add-on 50 tooth cog will compensate for cog envy. No word on how a Shimano derailleur will handle a cog this big, but these sure look nice.
It is very hard to capture the bend of flared drop bars in pictures, but we gave it shot. These are pretty sweet looking for those looking for some dirt drop action. They will be ready soon and in some big widths.
Need a chain guide? Funn has one for almost any bike, including your e-bike.
Funn launched a new brand at Sea Otter: Granite. The first product is this folding bottom bracket stand. It is show with a Shimano road crank adaptor, but will also come with a smooth insert for most SRAM and other brands cranks. Anyone who has struggled to reassemble or tune a race bike in a hotel room or out of a rental car in a parking lot will understand why this exists. It folds flat and weighs very little, so it can slip into a bike travel case with no issues. $80, and ready soon!
Abbey Bike Tools
RockShox service tools
These tools were developed in collaboration with RockShox, and you’ll see these in the tool boxes of factory mechanics. The top cap sockets are designed specifically to engage with the shallow wrench flats on suspension forks. The larger wrenches are designed to service Reverbs, Charger and Charger 2 dampers. The same press on the right is to install and remove rear shock eyelet bushings, and the tool at the top left is to install seal in 35 or 32 mm stanchioned forks. The cassette lockring socket is to remove the Charger 2 damper (or, if you want, a cassette).
The green plate on top is a saddle position measurement tool. If you don’t know what this is for, you don’t need it. If you do, it is $150 and will probably make your life a lot easier for a lot less money than something fancy with lasers and computers.
Douche Bags
Travel Case
If this bag wasn’t so well thought out, I wouldn’t bother covering a company with such a terrible name. It does seem that everything in the booth was branded with “Db,” so maybe you won’t have to look like a DB in the airport. But, whatever. Well thought out, simple, folds flat, seems to have all the bases covered. It retails for $699, and there is a road version with a metal frame in the bottom to lock the frame and rear dropouts in place. It is tall and wide enough to handle a race bike with the seat all the way up and the handlebars still attached.
OttoLock
Imagine a very strong zip tip with a combo lock and you’ve got the idea for the Ottolock. Those are 18″ bolt cutters, and they couldn’t go through the three steel bands and Kevlar fabric under the rubber coating. Tiny enough to fit in a jersey pocket, hip pack, backpack or bikepacking rig, this is a very interesting product. Three sizes: $55 (18″ Cinch Lock), $60 (30″ Cinch Lock), $75 (60″ Cinch Lock)
Kona
Yes, it hurt me a little bit to see, but Kona has an e-mtb now. But instead of giving one to Aggy or Ferron to make some shreddy but sad video, Kona is looking at the trail builders out there. And hunters and anglers and general outdoors people who aren’t ever going to watch a DH race on Red Bull TV.
