FOX, Novyparts, Lazer - Sea Otter 2015

FOX's Cutaway X2 Shock

We showed you the production version of FOX's new X2 shock shock yesterday, and now you can take a look inside to see what makes it tick. The new X2 has already been used to take a handful of World Cup wins, and while FOX hummed and hawed over cutting one up to show its guts, they decided that it was far too cool to not show off what's happening inside of it. The Float X2 features the same damper layout as the coil-sprung version that's pictured below, and this close-up view shows off the latter's titanium nitride-treated steel damper rod.


The cutaway shows the inner and outer tubes, as well as the oil passage ports between them, that make up the shock's recirculating design. This layout sees the oil flow in one direction up through the compression circuit and then out through the rebound circuit as the shock compresses and rebounds, which is very different than a traditional design that forces the oil to flow in opposite ways as the shock's stroke changes directions. You can also see where the Rod Valve System resides - at the base of the blue and red rebound and compression assemblies - although both are tucked up out of sight. The RVS system, which is basically a secondary, smaller shim stack that's on top of each spring-loaded valve, is able to ease the transition between the valve opening and closing when the shock switches between low- and high-speed shaft velocities, and it's said that this helps to keep the bike's tires stuck on the ground to improve traction.

---

Novyparts' Reverb Lever

I like how RockShox's Reverb seat post performs, but if there's one thing that could use a bit of improvement it would be the post's remote. My hands are pretty average in size, but the stock remote button is a bit of a stretch for my thumb, even when running it on the underside of the handlebar, and it looks like I'm not the only one who feels this way. Maxime Bouchez is the man behind Novyparts, a pretty special little company based in France that manufactures all sorts of suspension goodies, and he's come up with a thumb-operated remote for the Reverb that looks like it'd be more ergonomic than the stock button.


The prototype pictured here is a bit different from what the production version will look like - expect a larger thumb paddle without any sharp edges - and Bouchez says that it feels much more natural to use than the stock setup. The remote will bolt up to SRAM's Matchmaker clamp, and it's designed to be used by riders who don't need a front shifter. A quick chat with Maxime revealed that he designed and built his own dropper seat post back in 1999, and that the homemade prototype employed a spring from an air gun to return the seat back to full height, but he admitted that he didn't see the market for such a thing sixteen years ago and ended up chucking the post in the bin. He also used to work with BOS Suspension in the glory days when Nicolas Vouilloz was making the rest of the world's fastest downhillers question their abilities, and his own company is well known in France for offering some impressive aftermarket fork hop-ups. We'll be getting a Novyparts Reverb lever in for testing shortly, so stay tuned for a review in the near future.

---

Lazer's Revolution and Phoenix + Helmets

Lazer likely isn't a name that comes to most North American's minds when they're thinking about helmets, but, having kicked things off in 1919, the company is actually the oldest helmet brand that's still in business. They've gained quite a following with the skinny tire crew in that time, especially in Europe, but Lazer is also about to debut an interesting mountain bike helmet that will probably grab peoples' attention for a number of reasons. They weren't too keen on showing a full photo of the Revolution at this time, but they did let me snap a few detail shots. Let's just say that it's a very unique looking helmet...


The Revolution features a modular design that will allow riders to configure it as they see fit, including three levels of protection over the ears: full coverage, part-coverage, and a standard setup where you clip on a set of blanking plates that cover the mounting holes for the previous two options. Lazer is also going to offer a Bluetooth headset system for commuters (don't use it when mountain biking, please), and the helmet's visor is a multi-position unit that can be tilted up high to make clearance for goggle storage on climbs. The CPSC-approved North American version of the Revolution is said to weigh 380 grams, and Lazer is planning on having the helmet ready for sale by this coming August. No word on pricing at this point.



The Phoenix + full face helmet is an evolution of Lazer's standard Phoenix, and it sees some revisions for 2016 that are aimed at improving rider comfort. This includes a more sculpted shape to the helmet's bottom for added shoulder and neck brace clearance, and better venting through the chin bar to allow more air in when you're up to speed. The CPSC-approved Phoenix + weighs 1,000 grams in a medium size, and is available in eight different colour options. MSRP is a pretty darn reasonable $100 USD.


Be sure to check out all of our Sea Otter Classic images in this gallery.

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks Lazer Sea Otter