Wheels, tires, transmissions, saddles and bearings
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The resurrected WTB Moto tire sports a very squared-off profile.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The tapered nose on the Prologo X-Zero saddle is angled to reduce snagging on baggy shorts, though the point at the bottom might still be problematic.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Prologo X-Zero saddle is aimed as cross-country riders with a tapered tail and slightly drooped nose for better manueverability.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Prologo's new team replica saddles feature giant logos, extra stiff shells, and much firmer padding - supposedly just as supplied to the pro riders.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Scuff guards on the rear edge of the Prologo Nago Evo X8 guard against wear and tear.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Prologo Nago Evo X8 saddle features a slightly rounded shell that falls in between the Scratch and Nago shapes. Aimed at the mountain bike crowd, the wider nose is designed to be more comfortable when tackling steep grades.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Prologo's new Nago Evo X8 saddle uses triple-density foam padding.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
New from Onza is a 29er version of the Lynx race/marathon tire. Curiously, the tread pattern differs heavily from the 26" version.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Onza Ibex tire is offered in both XC and DH variants, both with very open tread patterns for use in loose conditions. (Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Onza Greina's big, openly spaced knobs are designed to pierce soft ground.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Onza Canis is designed for all-around use with its mix of tightly packed center knobs and widely spaced shoulder knobs.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
ODI integrated SDG's logo into these new grips, offered in both single-ply and lock-on variants.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new ODI Patriot grips will be available in lock-on only but buyers will get their choice of US or UK-specific etching.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
ODI's new Census grips are similar in feel to the old mushroom pattern but with a more modern, wavy look. ODI will offer it in both single-compound and lock-on varieties.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
IMG_4403 - The peloton pass the early 2 km from the start(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon rails seem to have gotten consistently strong enough to use regularly off-road.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Prologo X-Zero saddle is very flat, both from end-to-end and from left-to-right.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Prologo has updated the Zero - naturally now calling it the Zero 2 - with a new, slightly narrower shell, a more tapered nose, and a cutout in the shell.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
WTB's resurrected Moto tread is designed for soft conditions. Knob spacing is more open than on the original version.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Stan's NoTubes has offered 650b rims since 2008. Back then, the initial production run of 500 rims lasted two years but the Italian distributor just bought 700 rims two weeks ago. Currently, consumers can purchase either the Crest or Flow rims in that size but more models are pending.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Spank Spike Ultralite boasts a very thin 12mm profile.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Spank's Spike Ultralite pedal weighs in as low as 400g per pair.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Spank has switched to a nutted axle on the Spike Ultralite flat pedals.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
You can just barely make out the plug that fills in the shaft drilled into the Rotor 3D crankarm.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rotor's new SRM-equipped mountain bike crank at Sea Otter was built around a BB386 spindle for compatibility with BB386, BB30, BBright, and standard threaded bottom brackets.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rotor showed off this new mountain bike crank at Sea Otter complete with an SRM power measuring spider.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rotor launched new mountain bike Q-Ring sizes at Sea Otter for 104/64mm BCD four-arm cranks: a 38/25T combo for 29ers and a 40/27T pair for 26" bikes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Rotor 3DF cranks are built with forged arms that are later drilled longitudinally to effectively create a hollow structure.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rotor built these 3D+ two-ring cranks specially for Open with more subtle graphics to go along with the frame's stark aesthetic.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Spotted on a Lapierre 'cross bike at Sea Otter was a yet-to-be-announced Ritchey Shield tire, here in a 35mm-wide clincher version with a WCS casing.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The redesigned Prologo Zero TT is built with a short, blunt nose to more easily pass UCI position rules. Generous padding up front and a textured cover are designed for lots of time on the nose.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The revamped Prologo Zero 2 saddle is totally flat. New for 2013 is the added clip system for easy attachment of lights and bags.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Industry Nine i25 rim is now tubeless compatible.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Colors are a big part of Industry Nine's appeal - multiple hues are offered to suit your style and tastes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Industry Nine has switched to a new rim for the i25 road wheels that was designed in house instead of bought from HED.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new DT Swiss Spline collection of mountain bike wheels will all use straight-pull stainless steel spokes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new DT Swiss Dicut RR21 road wheel is built with an asymmetrical rear rim to help further equalize spoke tension in conjunction with the wider flange spacing.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The rear hub internals on the new DT Swiss Dicut RR21 aluminum road clincher is based on the 240s. Threaded metal shields lend a finished look and are removable in case a spoke needs to be replaced. The alloy freehub body dimensions are compatible with Shimano's upcoming 11-speed Dura-Ace group.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
DT Swiss's new RR21 Dicut aluminum road clincher wheels feature an innovative hub layout with unusually wide-spaced flanges, straight-pull spokes, and a claimed weight of 1,460g. Suggested retail price will be around $1,200.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new DT Swiss Spline collection of mountain bike wheels will all use straight-pull stainless steel spokes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new DT Swiss X 313 rear shock features three compression damper settings: locked out, platform, and fully open. DT Swiss will offer the shock with either a manual lever or handlebar-mounted remote.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
DT Swiss is adding platform valving to the new X 313 rear shock. Claimed weight is 198g for the lightest variant without mounting hardware.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
IMG_4403 - The peloton pass the early 2 km from the start(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Crankbrothers revised for 2013 the first product the company ever introduced. The new "Speedier Lever" includes a knuckle guard and specific tabs for removing or reinstalling tires.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Crankbrothers' unique rim design features paired spokes joined to small tabs at the base of the extrusion plus a sealed outer rim wall for easy tubeless compatibility.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Crankbrothers Iodine 3 29er wheels gets convertible hubs that can be used with either 9, 15, or 20mm fitments up front and 135 or 142mm sizes out back.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Crankbrothers adds three new Iodine 29er trail wheels to the range for 2013.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Crankbrothers has added new colors of the entry-level Candy pedal for 2013.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Continental adds three new 29er sizes to the Revolution Tubeless Ready collection of tires: the Race King, the Mountain King, and the X-King, all in 2.2" widths.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
DT Swiss's new Spline collection of mountain bike wheels will cover all three wheel sizes, each with three price points each: US$1,000, US$700, and US$500. The top two models get star ratchet rear hub internals while the entry-level version gets DT Swiss's two-pawl guts.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Spoke flanges are a curiously small diameter on the new DT Swiss Spline wheels but the tangential pull angles supposedly minimize the effect of spoke tension on the bearing seat dimensions.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The aluminum clincher rims on the DT Swiss's new Spline mountain bike wheels feature single-eyeletted construction. Tubeless compatibility will come courtesy of a DT Swiss add-on kit.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
FSA's clever Patterson two-speed crank transmission works with virtually any shifter and the routing has been updated so that you no longer have to have a stop on the down tube, either.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
FSA will soon have a belt version of the slick Patterson two-speed crank available. The production version will have a larger-diameter cover to better conceal the larger chainring.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
A clever spline setup allows FSA's K-Force cantilevers to be converted between wide and narrow profiles.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
New from FSA is the Ice Grey finish on Gravity Light components.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
IMG_4403 - The peloton pass the early 2 km from the start(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Two FOX shocks - a DHX Air and a Float - are used in this incredible prosthetic leg. Tuning strikes us as being a bit tricky here…(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Think FOX shocks are only for bikes? Think again.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Enduro's shock eyelet needle bearing tool (made by Sonny's Bike Tools) can also be used for standard DU bushings.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Enduro has offered these needle bearing shock eyelet kits since 2008 but longer travel applications and new suspension designs are making them more applicable than ever.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Not keen on Shimano's cheap plastic Hollowtech II bearing preload tool? Enduro's version (made by Sonny's Bike Tools) is certainly much nicer.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Still running strong are Enduro's polyurethane suspension fork seals. Some of the kits have been upgraded with new main seals, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Enduro will soon offer angular contact replacement hub bearings with higher load capacities than conventional radial cartridges.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Spotted on one of the Calfee bikes at Sea Otter was the latest version of Craig Edwards' stunning eecrank.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Continental introduced the new Revo Sealant at Sea Otter, mixed with an ammonia- and protein-free synthetic latex base plus four different sizes and shapes of "micro particulates" to seal punctures. Conveniently, the applicator tip is sized to fit right into presta valve stems once the core is removed.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Sea Otter's wealth of exhibitors has turned the event into the de facto location for early-season product introductions. We've covered a number of the new bikes already (with more yet to come) but here's a look at some of the components that caught our eye over the weekend.
Wheels and tires feature heavily in this first round-up, with new Dicut aluminum road clinchers and a new range of mountain bike wheels from DT Swiss called Spline on show. We also came across revamped 25mm-deep aluminum road clinchers from Industry Nine with new tubeless-compatible rims designed in-house, and new Iodine-level 29er wheels from CrankBrothers with tubeless rims, convertible hubs and the company's trick aluminum and steel spoke design.
New tires include a redesign of WTB's soft-conditions Moto mountain bike tire, tubeless-compatible 29er treads from Continental with proper UST beads and lightweight sidewalls, and the return of the Onza brand name (courtesy of a Swiss buyer) with a range of new tires for a wide range of conditions. And yes, there are lots more 650b options coming, too – more on that later.
Speaking of Continental, the German company also launched their own tire sealant using an ammonia- and protein-free synthetic latex base and four different shapes and sizes of particulates to help plug holes. According to Continental's Brett Hahn, the new formula is designed to clot like human blood and the bottle's nozzle is conveniently sized to inject right into a Presta valve.
Rotor unveiled several new sizes of mountain bike Q-Rings, a new SRM-equipped mountain bike crank and a less expensive forged version of their 3D hollow drilled road crank. FSA showed a belt-compatible version of their intriguing Patterson two-speed transmission, and Prologo offered a sneak preview of their 2013 saddle range.
Finally, Enduro displayed a needle bearing upgrade kit to replace the standard DU bushings in shock eyelets. This isn't a new item – it's actually been around since 2008 – but today's crop of longer-travel bikes and more complicated linkage systems make it more applicable than ever. Enjoy this first round of component coverage but rest assured that if you don't see something here, you're bound to find it in one of our upcoming installments.
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