Sea Otter Randoms - Part 3
Camp of Champions had their massive air bag out at Sea Otter for riders to throw themselves into, all free of charge. It was located right beside the Pinkbike tent, meaning that the PB crew had a good show throughout the week as riders young and old went for broke off the wooden kicker.
Profile's original steel armed cranks are one of those designs that have stood the test of time, but they will soon begin offering their new Elite cranks as an alternative. Manufactured in their Florida facility, the Elite cranks continue using steel for the arms, although they feature an updated shape that Profile says can better resist lateral and vertical flex. Spindle diameter is bumped up to the larger 22mm standard as well, and and the arms no longer require a special removal tool to pull them off thanks to split ends to the spindle.
$400 USD gets you the US-made crankset (includes the arms, bottom bracket, spindle, and spider) and you'll be able to purchase them in May. Their standard crankset will also continue to be available.
$400 USD gets you the US-made crankset (includes the arms, bottom bracket, spindle, and spider) and you'll be able to purchase them in May. Their standard crankset will also continue to be available.
The Elite cranks feature a hollow gusset that spans about a 1/3rd of the total length of each arm (left) in order to improve stiffness. Profile actually cuts out the inner wall of the arm before welding the gusset over top in an effort to save weight without sacrificing strength. Multiple crank spiders will be available that will allow riders to fit either different ring combinations.
How does 204 points of engagement sound? Profile's Elite hubs utilize an 86 tooth drive ring and 6 pawls to make drive pick-up extremely quick. Riders who like to hear the buzz of a loud hub will also be fans - they sounded quite loud when spinning them by hand.
Not bike related, but damn cool. This HPI Baja 5sc was also on display at the profile booth, with many an onlooker waiting for the 1/5th scale short course truck to be fired up. It uses a 26cc engine to getup to 40mph, as well as vented disc brakes to slow it back down.
When does a remote control truck stop being a toy? This thing was seriously impressive. Coil over, oil damped shocks that can be re-valved for different track conditions are found at all four corners.
Want to have a go on a set of uber-light carbon fiber wheels? Enve Composites had a load of demo wheels for riders to try out, an offer that no one had to think twice about. We've just taken delivery of a set of their new DH wheels, complete with Chris King hubs, for testing. Stay tuned for a full review down the road.
While some people chose to ride bikes or check out the events, others just wanted to soak up the sun. This was one of the hottest Sea Otters that anyone could remember.
Want to wear chest protection, but don't want to look like a linebacker? The Dainese Rhyolite vest could be just the ticket. It has been designed as a form fitting protection item that can be hidden underneath a jersey (or even a t-shirt) while still providing a good amount of defense thanks to its memory foam and rubber honeycomb sections that cover the chest and kidney areas. Its non-removable, three layer backplate is shaped to allow for maximum flexibility, and a silicone gripper strip is employed at the bottom to keep the vest from riding up. The Rhyolite will be available soon for $199 USD.
Evan Warner spends most of his year traveling the globe in support of SRAM sponsored racers, but he also found time to win the BoXXer World Champs. What is that, you ask? It pits top mechanics against each other in a head-to-head RockShox BoXXer rebuilding and drinking contest. The elimination style tournament is long standing event at Worlds. This custom engraved SOG knife was one part of his booty haul, not to mention the insane belt buckle that comes along with being known as the BoXXer World Champ.
Ever wonder what fuels a guy like Evan to go all day and night fixing bikes for the world's top racers? UberMonster - the warning read "if you can't open the cap, you probably shouldn't be drinking this".
Of course, Evan and the rest of the SRAM tech crew get plenty of practice at events like Sea Otter and races all around the globe. Looking to get your suspension rebuilt, brakes bled, or shifting dialed in? The red truck is the spot.
No, it wasn't just kids that could be spotted on this massive, inflatable slide.
Oakley Spring Refresh. During Sea Otter you could bring in your old Oakley glasses in and have new lenses and other bits installed for free, making your old glasses like new again.
This is what happens when a Hayes sales guy and the Hayes marketing guy play jokes on each other. Too far? Nah.
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www.jensonusa.com/Troy-Lee-Designs-BP7850-HW-Protect
BTW, what does the back look like- any spine protection?
www.cbr600rr.com/albums/album78/DSC01279.jpg
www.cbr600rr.com/albums/album78/DSC01275.jpg
i9 certainly impresses with their quality, considering their material selection (super hard high-grade steel freehub internals) and the advanced machinery required to work it, but they're not exactly the pinnacles of engineering design. Their machinery basically allows them to make better stuff than the competition, albeit on a smaller production scale.
here is a video i posted many years ago, before i knew what needle bearings were
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K76bQm6DOKI&feature=context&context=C40fbc78ADvjVQa1PpcFPmXtciJ_rAwrbOb2Qh4UPr1tbAyYR83uo
High engagment is nice but it isn't as much as a priority to me, as it used to be. Geometry and suspension performance have jumped to the top of my list.
[Edit] If its to improve stiffness then surely a one piece arm that is made to that profile already would provide greater stiffness and reduced weight. For the money I think they may price themselves out of favour.