Random Thoughts from Monterey - Sea Otter 2016

Apr 18, 2016
by Vernon Felton  
Sea Otter 2016

Sea Otter 2016

Sea Otter has come and gone once again, but before my 18th trip to The Sea Weasel Classic vanishes completely from my rear view mirror, I thought I'd lay out these lovely parting gifts--the things that struck me most while I was shuffling about Monterey, drinking beer too early in the morning and getting poison oak in places that are tricky to scratch in public.

Sea Otter 2016
This one had me thinking--Who in their right mind would actually apply a sticker to the pisser portion of the porta-potty? An irrationally-dedicated marketing hack? A competitor who wants to see the other guy's company get pissed on? Someone who's both terribly bored and cavalier about their personal hygiene? Either way, this moment in the outhouse has me seriously re-evaluating my decision to shake hands with so many people.

Sea Otter 2016
Maxxis (and other tire brands) showed up to Sea Otter with a growing number of plus-size tires, as well as 2.35 to 2.5-inch tires designed to work well with the current crop of ever-widening rims. Glad to see the options opening up on that front.

Sea Otter 2016
There are so many sexy carbon fiber wheel sets out there, which is all well and good...except for the fact that most of them are priced at a level that makes my eyes bleed. It's kind of a relief to run across aluminum models that most of us can afford. The $550 Sun-Ringle Charger Expert AL weighs in at a reasonable 1,775 grams (in 27.5 trim) and comes with rim strips, valves, sealant and both a Shimano and SRAM XD driver bodies. That's a lot of bang for the buck.

Sea Otter 2016
A skinny hammer, some nails, a giant chunk of wood, lots of beer and much heckling. Good times at the Freehub booth.

Sea Otter 2016
The Bro factor was noticeably high at Sea Otter. I've never quite understood why Cross-Fit has taken off so well until this past weekend. That's when I realized that, apparently, half of the motivation for getting "yoked" is that it enables you to walk around shirtless at cycling events whilst flexing, gang-signing and wearing your baseball hat backwards. Sadly, I somehow neglected to snap a shot of that constantly-recurring moment, but I did appreciate the Bro-targeted messaging here.

Sea Otter 2016
A fatbike, E-bike? Yup. It's come to this.


MENTIONS: @vernonfelton



Author Info:
vernonfelton avatar

Member since Apr 11, 2014
202 articles

85 Comments
  • 182 13
 Fat bike e-bikes. Please tar and feather the entire development team responsible for that lame POS
  • 64 5
 Burn it with supah hot fiyah
  • 43 5
 Kill it fast before it reproduces
  • 92 4
 Buy a dirt bike instead.
  • 24 7
 anti e-bike sentiment is the way to go!
  • 40 5
 if you think about it - a full suspension fat e-bike is probably the MOST fun combination for those two gimmick filled bike trends
  • 14 0
 A Fat-E bike! Where's Cheech and Chong when you need em?
  • 8 2
 I don't know, I can think of a few fishing holes...aw fuck it, kill it anyway.
  • 49 6
 I just got paid a fat sum of Canadian pesos, by Sierra Club and I'm going to dress up as Lawrence of Arabia, take that electric fatbike and ride it on sundays through national parks shouting "Allah snackbar! I am a mountain biker! Chris Kyle was a fg and was killed by his disappointed lover." - bullet proof vest from Leatt will be nice too.
  • 10 1
 Its a Fat-e bike built for fatties... Simple
  • 6 0
 @ccolagio: just get a mx bike
  • 28 2
 Worst motorcycle ever
  • 10 4
 if it was a 29er i would have lost all hope in humanity
  • 5 2
 The ebikes were the hot ticket for making lunch/beverage runs from the booths to the campgrounds though...
  • 5 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Make sure you've got someone filming, please! Big Grin
  • 6 1
 all it needs now is built in strava.
  • 1 0
 pretty substantial forks
  • 1 0
 But how will I ever pose as a biker without one!!!!
  • 3 1
 @redburn - the chance that no one has yet made a 29+ bike with electric engine is quite shmall. Would you maybe rather have a shmoke and a pancake?
  • 5 0
 It's more like a fat moped. Or a fauxped.
  • 2 0
 I never saw one anywhere ... but yeah chances are small. And when you know that 36" is coming ....... (for real) mpora.com/mountainbiking/breaking-news-giant-bicycles-announce-36-wheel-mountain-bike
  • 1 0
 @RedBurn: could see the 36er performing well chasing trains. (140mm travel 26er-for everything else)
  • 3 1
 love it where do I get one. Giddy up!!!!!!
  • 3 0
 @stifford: totally. really expensive moped that will mountain bike shittily and dirtbike ever worse.
  • 3 0
 @JesseE: yea, I'd love to see E-bikes on motorized trails. I wonder how many would die weekly from being ridden over by MX and Enduro bikes
  • 2 0
 Sorrry, it doesn't have ultra-triple-boost and 36inch wheels. Also, the stem isn't mounted to steering tube by carbon belt, so it looks bit old-fashioned a bit for me.And man, not even 14x1 transmission?!
  • 1 0
 I could actually see more of a cargo bike version of this replacing my car. Good for four seasons here in Canada.
  • 1 0
 Goes together like kids and Kam. One of these things would be perfect for my winter commute to the Grouse Mountain Ski School Hut! Motor up, carve all day, hit the trails for a night ride down Fromme! Big Grin
  • 40 1
 So, uh, where do I buy that shirt!?!
  • 9 1
 i'll take one
  • 24 1
 Seriously... Please share where that shirt came from and where we can get more. I'll pony up for 100 of them and sell for pennies each if it helps to head off the forthcoming trail closure apocalypse in the US due to e-bikes.
  • 1 0
 @tbone1000: i want wun
  • 1 0
 pretty sure that was at the petal power booth! i dont see the shirt on their site though..maybe its a one off for sea otter..

www.petal-power.com
  • 4 7
 @vernonfelton - the same people that were selling the electric bikes suck shirt were selling a "black bikes matter" shirt. That level of ignorance blew me away considering the seemingly inspirational message they were sending with the rest of the stuff they were selling.
Maybe it is time to do a piece on the minorities in cycling? Seems like something that does not get discussed much...
  • 2 1
 @ckcost: definitely. Even rock climbing has us beat in diversity, especially WRT the sexes, kinda shameful.
  • 7 3
 Please don't bring racial mess into cycling. Anyone is free to ride any bike they want. No one in the cycling industry is discriminating to my knowledge. Most Pinkbikers, and any cyclist I know, feel that cycling is a universal language. Let's keep our little niche' part of the world free from divisive politics. Keep the debate on trivial things like standards and who makes a better shock. Things that really matter! RIP McGazza!
  • 21 3
 @vernonfelter - It is a pleasure to welcome you to our Pinkbike. I don't know how you made it here, but your presence is valued along with your opinions. You Sir, are a breath of fresh air! I hope the politics of our great nation, USA, does not jade you in our quest to get more trails built here. Keep it going man, keep it going.
  • 7 0
 Do you mean @vernonfelton ?
  • 2 1
 @krisrayner: Oops! You are right - sorry @vernonfelton
  • 1 3
 @krisrayner:
I think it's Vernon FELCHER
  • 4 1
 You're way too kind @steelpolish but I'll do my best to keep stinking up the joint. Cheers.
  • 1 0
 @vernonfelton -- came to post the same sentiment. This is the best piece out of Sea Otter I've read. It's like you summed up my thoughts, except better than I would have written them myself! Thanks!
  • 16 1
 Where was Gwin? Thought for sure he would be there to win the downhill, chain less on his new Jeffsy.
  • 13 1
 There is a WC DH in Cairns coming in hot, so most WC DH racers are out there already.
  • 3 1
 thats awesome^ i wish that would have actually happened. . . it could have! well with a chain that is
  • 7 2
 for real. with him who knows. next race his bars will snap or something and he will ride down just holding onto his stem.
  • 14 1
 Bros with their flat brimmed hats over their ears and no shirts are worse than e-bikes and fat bikes combined.
  • 6 0
 bro you dont get yoked doing cross fit. only batman bro can do that in his latest film. any self-respecting bro knows that... bro...
  • 2 0
 bat-bro?
  • 6 0
 Ok where to buy that shirt and those #do you even drift bro stickers.
  • 3 0
 Ask Iago Garay (SC enduro team). He has a website going where he sells that stuff.
  • 7 1
 I need that #do you even Drift Bro sticker
  • 2 4
 That's not a sticker
  • 1 0
 Ask Iago Garay (SC enduro team). He has a website going where he sells that stuff.
  • 6 1
 The lack of a properly placed comma would drive me bonkers. It should read, "do you even drift, bro?"
  • 1 2
 @Gamsjaga: how would you contact this Lago Garay?
  • 2 0
 What is a drift?
  • 9 4
 If it's got a motor it's a motorbike, not an MTB, it's a totally different game
  • 1 0
 I'm still waiting for a 26er DH fat ebike with Bluetooth speakers built in. FS of course. Come on spesh and sram, I have faith you guys can do it! Just think of the new and highly innovative standards you can implement with it!

I'll buy one and have a custom sticker... #Do you even fat ebike BRO?
  • 6 2
 Electric bikes defeat the purpose...!
  • 8 2
 Exactly! E-bikes are motorcycles, shaped like bicycles. Most places we ride do not allow motor driven cycles. I don't understand the marketing strategy that took these past the "hey, I got an idea!" phase. I must be too thick to get it.
  • 4 2
 Crap Vernon I'm in good shape and had my hat backwords at sea otter. Is that all it takes for bro'dom, bro-ing and bro-ness?

No shirt off though
  • 2 1
 vernon clearly stated you need shirt off AND flexing. yes, i would agree that is what it takes to be a bro douche.
  • 2 1
 @LuvAZ: For true cred you must also be a brodozer captain
  • 2 1
 Remember, you need to also take selfies of oneself while shirtless, while flexing, whilst gang-signing. The bro-recipe is fairly complex. Bro on. Bro on.
  • 1 1
 I was a strong believer that white American Jesus punched a kitten everytime a fat bike was rode. Myth goes on that Jesus will now kill the poor kittens when e-fat bikes hit the trails. For the love of teh kittehs stop. Just stop.
  • 4 1
 i so want that 'ebikes suck' shirt!
  • 2 1
 Fatbike ebikes are like fatgirls....you never ever want to admit you rode one, but you had a really good time when you did ride one.
  • 2 0
 Death as a mechanic? Oily rags covering a naked skull I tell you!
  • 2 0
 I was just hoping that Minion SS would have a Double Down casing...
  • 3 0
 Still waiting for a DD DHR2. But they would rather make plus sizes.
  • 2 0
 I'm happy the 26" version has been released! Roughly 750g is not bad at all for the Exo version. Will be my next rear tyre as soon as my current one wears out.
  • 2 0
 Sorry... you can get a Minion SS in 26" already...??!

Whoop! One going on the rear for the summer for sure.
  • 1 0
 I've got the Aggressor Double Down up front and the SS Silkworm on the rear, and that combo kicks much ass. It would just be nice to get a beefier casing for enduro season.
  • 2 0
 what's the internal width on those chargers?
  • 1 0
 Is it only us Brits for whom "Bros" will always just be the name of a band?
  • 2 1
 Brits of a certain age...
  • 1 0
 Can't unsee that fat e-bike no more. I am now blind.☹️
  • 1 0
 OMG STUMP IS THE BEST DRINKING GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 I say try all sorts of stuff with bikes. Something could stick.
  • 1 0
 It's called neglin.
  • 1 4
 Bro! Bros before Hos...







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