Sea Otter Randoms - Part 2

Apr 22, 2012
by Mike Levy  
One Ghost Industries at Sea Otter
One Ghost Industries is at Sea Otter, both in support of their racers and to show off their wares, including the Musashi downhill rig pictured above. Named after Musashi Miamoto, the greatest swordsman who walked the earth, the bike offers 203mm of travel via a dual link design that creates a virtual pivot point. The $2300 USD frame weighs in at 9lb 2oz without a shock, and the team bikes are being built up right around the 36lb mark.
One Ghost Industries at Sea Otter
The bike's 'Moto*GP' dual link suspension features quite a low leverage ratio of just 2.46:1, and also acts as both the upper and lower shock mounting locations to creating a floating shock. FOX's Kashima coated RC4 comes as stock, or for the same price riders can also spec the Musashi with a 'race tuned' Elka shock that is valved to keep the bike glued to the ground for maximum traction.
One Ghost Industries at Sea Otter
The Musashi was fitted with Candy Components' BigHead headset that uses massive sealed bearings and a deep cup depth to prevent ovalized head tubes.
Shimano Saint at Sea Otter
Shimano's new Saint component group was hanging from the Musashi, as well as the great looking cSixx 150gm chain guide. The guides name comes from its weight, which is a very competitive figure when you take into account that the 150gm provides full protection, thanks to its carbon/kevlar construction (including both the upper and lower sliders) and aluminum hardware. A sealed bearing lower pulley provides chain tension.
One Ghost Industries at Sea Otter
One Ghost Industries' David Meredith shows us their Tonto hardtail that was inspired by the old twin top tube Torker BMX bikes. The Tonto features a burly 12 x 135mm thru-axle rear end with sliding mounts to adjust the chainstay length. The $579 USD frame weighs 5.2lb (including the rear axle) and yes, that is a bottle opener between the dual top tubes.
Intense s 27.5 Tracer at Sea Otter
27.5'' wheels, otherwise known as 650b, are truly everywhere this year. Intense built this beautiful blue Tracer prototype specifically for its 27.5'' wheels. Travel sits at either 5.5'' or 6'' out back, and a 27.5'' compatible RockShock Revelation fork offers a full 150mm travel(the 29er model sits at 140mm)
Intense s 27.5 at Sea Otter
There is no mistaking which wheel size this particular Tracer has been designed for. It's shod with Kenda's meaty looking 27.5'' x 2.35'' Nevegal tires.
Suntour s RUX fork at Sea Otter
We were the first to show you Suntour's prototype Rux downhill fork back in March when Knolly's Garett Buehler stopped by Pinkbike HQ for a visit, but they also had it out for Sea Otter. The 8'' travel fork uses an air spring combined with a spacer system that allows you to adjust how the stroke ramps up through its travel - adding spacers equals a smaller air chamber and a more progressive stroke. Damping adjustments include rebound, and both high and low speed compression.

The Rux's 20mm thru-axle uses a pull out lever that makes wheel removal a tool-free affair. It also threads into a replaceable insert on the non-drive side, meaning that your lowers won't need replacing if you damage the threads. A production run is still a little ways out, though, with Suntour referring to the Rux as a 2013 product.
Suntour Duro at Sea Otter
Suntour also had something new for the dirt jumpers out there with their new Duro Air. The sturdy looking fork now uses a sealed damping cartridge (last year's model featured open bath damping) and weighs in at 1950 grams. There will also be a 2100 gram model that employs a single coil spring, and a dual coil offering that comes in at 2500 grams.
MRP at Sea Otter
If you've spent time on a single chain ring setup you already know that it can be ideal to keep the fitness up and to simplify your bike, but both 29er riders and those who frequent hilly terrain may have been put off by the limited range (chain ring bolt circle diameters keep most middle positioned rings from being any lower than 32 teeth). MRP's new Bling Ring takes a different approach to the problem with its spider-less design, a layout that it very similar to what you'd find on many BMX cranks. The hole machined at the center of the ring is shaped to match up to the spider mounting spline on certain SRAM's cranks, replacing the spider entirely. Sizes will include 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 tooth options, although they are still a little ways out from hitting the production line.

MRP has also designed a new, smaller G2 Micro SL that will work with the compact 28, 30, and 32 tooth rings. The guide features the same polycarbonate skid plate and 5mm thick backplate as the larger model.
Canfield at Sea Otter
A Canfield Nimble 9 was hanging out at the MRP booth fully decked out with, you guessed it, MRP and White Brothers goodies. The steel frame sports impressively short chainstays for a 29er that are adjustable between 16.25'' - 16.9'', as well as a slack-for-a-29er-hardtail 70 degree head angle when fitted with a 480mm tall fork. $650 USD gets you one of these interesting rigs.
Spank Spike pedals at Sea Otter
Spank's Spike pedals are a staff favorite here at Pinkbike, but Spank is now offering an updated axle and nut layout that will eliminate the squeaking that some users may have experienced. The cause of the noise was simple: shoes with really pliable soles were flexing enough that they could rub on the older design's axle bolt. The updated model includes a new axle that uses lower profile nut (instead of a bolt) to hold the pedal body on, as well as a small diameter bushing. It's all about the details!
Spank Spank stem at Sea Otter
The curvy Spike stem comes in a short 35mm length that tips the scales at just 135 grams, and 50mm option at 150 grams. MSRP is $69.95 USD.


Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

79 Comments
  • 14 1
 Loving the look of that Suntour RUX fork... another major player in the fork game. Nothing like some healthy competition. I think that they have been manufacturing forks for Marzocchi and Rockshox for a number of years?
  • 9 0
 Im pretty sure they have but lots of people dismiss them immediately just because they are suntour.
  • 7 0
 seems like that is slowly changing now.
  • 6 0
 Hopefully.
  • 1 2
 I can tell you that I swapped out my Fox forks for a Durolux and I couldn't be happier. This thing just eats the bumps up like nobody's business. I'm so impressed by it and the guys in my shop were jealous after they rode my bike. Looking forward to trying the RUX out.
  • 3 0
 Yep, Suntour's air cartridges are real good. I also run a Durolux meself. The Duro DJ air is a sturdy platform for a hardtail- be it XC or DJ.
  • 2 0
 The Durolux is an amazing fork. Mine is going on a year now and feels great! The new big boy RUX looks awesome! RideOn!
  • 9 2
 lots of armchair engineers commenting on what they have no idea about, botta love PB. As a musashi owner I can tell you a couple of things, the bike is fast, stable and surprisingly nimble. I was amazed at how stable its been in the chunder sections of sickter gnar at blackrock. hardly even knew they were below me.
  • 5 1
 Sickter Gnar is the best trail I have ever ridden. Black Rock's trails are better than Whistler. Thye see so much less use, and are always in amazing condition. The builders there are so dedicated. I wish that damn camp there with the religious people would burn down so you could shuttle that road...
  • 10 1
 bet it shifts terrible with that flimsy old skool mech hanger though
  • 2 0
 Think it also has to do with the homeowners to the left side of the road on the way up....
  • 4 0
 Do you mean the homeowner's on Black Rock road on the way to the parking lot? From what I remember, the only structures past the parking lot on Socialist Valley Road were camp Tapawingo related. The one positive to not being able to shuttle is that the trails automatically get less use. You can't just bang out laps; you have to work for it. I could hike Sunday Stroll to Brake Check all day long though. That line changed my life. I've literally had dreams about those jumps! I'll never forget seeing those gaps for the first time hiking up the road, and thinking to myself: There is no way I could hit all of those. Later that day, I spanked the entire line, and kept repeating until I could hardly move.
  • 2 5
 @twebeast - if your somehow refering to the Musashi as shifting horrible youre and absolute idiot, seriously.

I dont mind the hike up, 1st ones usuing the worst and i think im gonna die, then 2nd, 3rd and so on arent nearly as bad.
  • 2 0
 I don't mind the exercise of the hikes. Once I get to the bottom, I just want to ride more right away, and not have to wait while I walk back to the top. I would love to be able to shuttle there so I could just session top to bottom all day and get bike park levels of vertical. I'm spoiled. Where I live, we shuttle on a mountain pass with a 55mph limit. With the proper group, and planning, we can get more vertical than if it were lift served.
  • 4 0
 @blackohio. I think he is making a funny about shimano's new integrated hanger.
  • 3 1
 @wilkey. I agree. I think twebeast was being sarcastic with his comment.
  • 3 0
 @blackohio - As mentioned, I believe twebeast's comment was with reference to another PB article. Glad to see you didn't rise to the bait....
  • 3 0
 yes, sorry I didn't mean to troll you, just having a bit of a laugh about the justifications for a new mech hanger standard.
  • 9 1
 Tonto hardtail = new DC Cock
  • 6 2
 Er, you mean Evil Imperial.
  • 8 2
 or nicolai 2mx
  • 4 1
 to me that looks like a complete rip of the nicolai
  • 1 0
 the Tanto was designed back in 2006 and has been in production and selling since 2009
  • 5 1
 One ghost industries would like us to know that even though the Tonto has a bottle opener on it they do not reccomend drinking and driving.... But drinking and riding on the other hand Wink
  • 3 0
 Hahaha!
  • 2 0
 I gotta say that those new XO crank and MRP ring interface is pretty cool. I just got some saint cranks so I'm good for awhile but maybe on my next setup... especially if they can figure out that 9 tooth cassette. So, a 28t front/9t rear would be like a 34/11 but it would let you climb the steep, extended stuff. Plus you'd be getting a lighter set-up by going smaller rings/cassette and bash. Oh yea, you can run a smaller bash too.
  • 2 0
 Yeah, I think I know what my next crank set will be. This, with a 28 tooth and my 9-32 setup in back. I have a 27 tooth middleburn duo right now so that sounds perfect.
  • 4 3
 I bought the spike pedals 1 month ago and i will have to get waranty.. one of the pedals is completely useless because of the white "o-ring" it has, Hope they accept my petition because the pedals never had over-exigence.. not even a race Frown
  • 1 0
 having gone to sea otter it was truly nice to see companies like diamondback and suntour making a comeback. now we just need to wait for iron horse to regain its soul and stop making wal-mart 29ers. as for the new wheel size....if everyone can work to make it happen without making some stupid new "standard" that means having to buy new frame and fork and whatnot to accommodate it....fine by me. its sort of like 15mm front axles... not very necessary at all.
  • 1 0
 been running a set of cb opiums on my dh bike and they been raced all that time and got to say they are super wheels! very light and so so strong and they look better than anything else on the market
  • 1 0
 That One Ghost bikes looks like a mix between a Trek Session with the floating link, and an IronHorse Sunday with the DW link and Rocker Link. Looks so much better than their bikes in the past!
  • 1 0
 pretty much all bikes look the same these days what with almost everyone putting the shock parallel to the seat tube and using a triangulated rear triangle
  • 2 0
 Pretty sure that oneghost frame is called the 'Tanto', not 'Tonto'. Though being the Lone Ranger's sidekick sounds better...
  • 2 0
 yeah, I don't think I told Mike the proper spelling ;P
  • 4 2
 One ghost bikes are looking good! I see more and more of them every time I go ride!
  • 4 1
 That Musashi DH bike looks sweet.
  • 3 1
 looks like an iron horse sunday brought up to date with a floating shock like a trek to me.
  • 2 0
 Head over to homebrew for the bling ring now! They have been making them for a while now.
  • 6 3
 wanna try that 650b tracer. Looks sick
  • 13 0
 I definitely am more interested in the 27.5 than a 29er. It has 150mm of travel and 2.35 tires. I know I'm probably going to get bashed because it's just another standard, but it seems like a better one than 29 to me! I want to try a little larger wheel size, without compromising tire width and travel!
  • 1 0
 @crazyoldcoot Another standard is total BS, but I do agree that it seems more practical (than 29ers) as you lose less suspension etc. Im sure theyll find someone to sell this too.
  • 1 0
 I wonder where these prototypes go to after they refined the work. I volunteer to ride this Tracer.
  • 2 0
 my eyes are on the musashi ! what a rad looking machine!
  • 1 0
 Funny that they present the Spike Race stem only now... I had it for more than 1 month on my bike
  • 2 0
 Named after Musashi Miamoto??
We call him Musashi MI"Y"AMOTO!
  • 1 0
 performance aside...anyone else think the cSixx is ugly? too flashy for me. I like my stuff murdered out...
  • 2 1
 ohhh, the question on everyone's breath: will suntour make a 650b rux fork? Confused Wink
  • 1 0
 Loving that single ring setup from MRP and Suntour...will look into those when they become available.
  • 3 0
 Homebrewed componants has already got single rings for sram cranks available in aluminium or titanium
www.homebrewedcomponents.com/store.php/categories/rings-for-sramtruvativ-x7-x9-and-x0-2x10-cranksets-only
  • 1 0
 deleted.
  • 1 0
 The HBC rings are flat, whereas the MRP ones are offset to preserve chainline. A big difference for 1x9 or 10 use - especially in the easier gears.
  • 1 0
 Bling Ring, why didn't I think of that.
  • 1 2
 that double top tube hardtail was also done by duncon awhile ago Wink
  • 1 0
 We made the Tanto back in 2009 and have been selling them since. We will be making a few changes to it for future productions as we are pretty much sold out of them now. We only have a handful left!
  • 2 0
 Lots of companies besides duncon have done the dual top tube design, including nicolai, evil, and soul cycles. However, this is the first time I've seen it on a race bike. It looks sick!
  • 1 1
 I love the look of that bike, it is awesome. But I can see myself catching my gentleman's vegetables in that perfectly sized gap during a crash....unpleasant.
  • 2 0
 My friend has a turner with a dual top tube, and believe it or not, it is much harder to smash your nuts on it's top tube than on a regular bike.
  • 2 5
 Isnt that one ghost DH bike basically using maestro suspension?
  • 10 0
 Maestro doesn't use a floating shock
  • 5 0
 It is our own suspension system design that we have developed over the last 6 years. Yes it looks similar to a Mastero but most multi-link designs look the same.
  • 2 0
 Cool! I like it. I see now that it is totally floating.
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