Sunday Randoms - Sea Otter 2018

Apr 22, 2018
by Mike Kazimer  
Sea Otter 2018
Ohlins' TTX22 shock is now available in a trunnion mount version, and also gets a new spring collar and bottom out bumper.

Sea Otter 2018
Greg Minnaar and his assegai.

Sea Otter 2018
Microshift have a new version of their clutch-equipped 11-speed derailleur on the way. They claim the clutch is extremely durable - it uses a series of pawls to add tension to the cage.

Sea Otter 2018
Along with the derailleur, Microshift also have two new 11-speed, 11-46 tooth cassettes.

Sea Otter 2018
Pivot's popular Switchblade is now available in aluminum, which drops the price significantly. According to Pivot, the aluminum frame is actually stiffer than the carbon one.

Sea Otter 2018
Intense's M29 ended up on the podium at the first World Cup DH race of the season; not a bad way to kick things off.

Sea Otter 2018
A little Giant car.

Bomber Strap Photo Ryan Cleek
The Bomber Strap is a different take on the traditional tailgate pad. Designed for one or two trail bikes, the strap is made from ballistic nylon that's sewn around foam padding. Ryan Cleek photo.

Sea Otter 2018
A full-suspension gravel bike? It turns out that's a thing, and Niner are working on one called the Magic Carpet.

Sea Otter 2018
Speaking of gravel grinding, X-Fusion had a short travel version of their Manic dropper post that's designed to work with drop bars - the lever sits to the inside of the hood.

Sea Otter 2018
The Revel inverted fork has been teased at nearly every tradeshow for the last three years, but it's now in stock and officially for sale.

Sea Otter 2018
Loic "Super" Bruni now has his own signature version of Crankbrothers' Mallet DH pedals.

Sea Otter 2018
Wolf Tooth Components are entering the headset market with an assortment of brightly colored options. The cups are machined in USA, and equipped with stainless steel Enduro sealed cartridge bearings.

Sea Otter 2018 Sea Otter
SR Suntour's gravity athletes will be using the new Jurni air shock this season. The shock has externally adjustable compression and rebound, and the air volume can be adjusted by sliding the air can off to add or subtract spacers.

Sea Otter 2018
Cane Creek had this Ghost decked out with all of their goodies, including a Helm fork, DB Coil shock, and eeWings titanium cranks.

Sea Otter 2018
The eeWings crankset is light, gorgeous, and comes with a ten year warranty, which is a good thing, because they cost $999.
Sea Otter 2018
If you're rocking titanium cranks, it only makes sense to have a fork with a gold crown.


Sea Otter 2018
Zerode are going to be offering a shorter travel version of the Taniwha, with 140mm of rear travel. It's the same frame as the longer travel version, but with a lighter build kit and a more lively ride feel; it's meant to be more of a trail bike rather than an all-mountain / enduro smasher.

Sea Otter 2018
Xpedo always have a bunch of pedals on display that have received an oil-slick finishing treatment, like this Baldwin pedal.

Sea Otter 2018
Xpedo were also showing off a version of their GFX pedals with a composite body.

Sea Otter 2018
I wonder how many packs of cigarettes it took to get this Santa Cruz Tazmon back in 1994?

Sea Otter 2018
Want to impress your ten-year-old? Take him to work and have him help you create aluminum building blocks. At least that's what Jason Quade, the founder of Abbey Tools, did. The blocks were just a side project, an exercise in creativity more than anything else, which means that they're not something you can buy.

Sea Otter 2018
Abbey Tools' 4-way multi-tool has four fixed bits, and is available in a variety of configurations for $40.

Sea Otter 2018
Danny MacAskill doing Danny MacAskill things.


MENTIONS: @SeaOtterClassic


Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,716 articles

140 Comments
  • 328 3
 stepping on a plastic lego is shitty enough, why would i want to potentially step on an aluminum one? thank you for not selling them.
  • 15 1
 Dad truth. This was my first thought too.
  • 32 1
 @timrippeth: I wonder if they interlock? Amazing that every Lego block ever made fits every other Lego block ever made. Amazing tolerances. That's a lot of Lego blocks!
  • 6 0
 What has been the worst lately are the hard-plastic, mini-dinosaurs! In the dark on the stairs?!?! I'll walk all over alloy legos if we can ditch the Jurassic plastic trees!
  • 77 0
 @jaame: maybe Lego could increase sales by introducing new standards that don't work with their previous product. Nevermind that's a horrible idea.
  • 3 0
 @Duderz7: made my day!
  • 20 1
 @Duderz7: Boost Lego. Each block has nine nipples instead of the usual eight. It boosts lateral stiffness of each block by 13.45%
  • 6 0
 On the upside, it's impossible to break into my house in bare feet in the dark.
  • 10 0
 @Duderz7: if you think about it...legos are the exact opposite of the bike industry.
  • 1 0
 @jaame: Billions
  • 1 0
 @jaame: Its called Duplo....but they still interconnect!
  • 1 3
 @jaame: 13.4499 %
  • 2 0
 And then there is this guy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Jj7B7yVDM&t

He doubled the distance for "walking on legos" Guinness World Record...sounds ridiculous? It is Big Grin
  • 3 0
 @derhasi: that's it! I'm selling the mountain bikes and turning my focus to Lego walking! I've got five kids so a while lot of Base training had already taken place.
  • 118 2
 "I've started my own pedal company"
"Awesome! What are you calling it?"
"xPedo"
"Ohhh... Ummmmkay"
  • 67 0
 It’s a prison-release work program.
  • 100 0
 i suppose that's better than 'currentPedo'.
  • 72 9
 Apparently the guy who founded it used to work for the Catholic church
  • 5 5
 I thought it was pronounced "egg speedo"? Kinda like another way to say "banana hammock" never made sense, but makes me chuckle.
  • 1 0
 @VlajiciStrapec: that is awesome, I had no idea such a thing exist.
  • 31 0
 This Minnaar pic may not have the reception they had hoped...
  • 51 0
 Shoulda had him on a tandem with mandela
  • 4 1
 @h-beck83: sir, that is hella funny
  • 17 0
 They're just clarifying that he's a big Assegai
  • 1 0
 At least they nailed the hair.
  • 1 0
 For just a second I was like, why does he have a hoof...
  • 3 0
 Not sure what the marketing thinking was on this one either.

Marketing director: Okay, guys, we have a problem. People are ridiculing us for the name of our new tire.
Intern: Well, why don't we clear things up by making Minaar look like a superhero.
Marketing director: hmmmm
Intern: . . . and we can put him in tights!
Marketing director: Perfect!
  • 21 2
 Those tailgate pads are actually pretty freakin sweet!
  • 10 2
 I was considering that bomber strap until i saw the price. Might as well get the entire pad. $72 bucks ridiculous!!????????????
  • 2 0
 I want one bad
  • 6 8
 Wrap my stanchion in grit? no thanks, pass.
  • 7 0
 @loopie: the strap doesn't go on the stanchion, but on the lower. I'm digging it.
  • 5 0
 Won’t block the back-up camera. I’d Definitely would be in the market.
  • 6 0
 The front tire will wear a hole in your paint in no time though. I guess if you put some clear 3m on your tailgate where the tire touches it would be fine.
  • 11 1
 @BigballmcCall: learn how to use your mirrors
  • 2 2
 @RobKong: The picture shown here, it would wrap the stanchion of an adult bike. Checking the website (not one picture of it in use and a split second shown in a video clip)...it seems it comes in sizes, the one here would be for a kids bike...the others have the lower strap at the bottom of the pad.
  • 1 0
 tailgate pad=moving blanket=cheap=removable=non worn out paint on tailgate=thumbs up!
  • 1 0
 @amurphy505: never thought of that, but my proximity sensors doesn’t like the pad either. Goes off every time I put it reverse if I forget to disable it.
  • 1 0
 100% your tire will wear the paint on your tailgate. Many things work but nothing as good as a full length tailgate pad with straps for the downtube.
  • 1 0
 Might help those of us that have a spare tire swingout on our trucks and can only fit 1 bike over the gate.
  • 3 0
 @BigballmcCall: first world problems for sure
  • 1 0
 @onemind123: I was thinking the same. Happy my pieceofshitcar doesn't have all these problems.
  • 1 0
 @loopie: the strap moves up and down so it never wraps the sanctions
  • 16 0
 Xfusion Revel now in stock and ready for sale
  • 5 1
 Take my money.
  • 2 0
 @tremeer023: yeah I've been looking at it for a while, as there was one production run available for sale in Taiwan last year. Then I saw this one with the gold crown and like, wow. Then I scrolled down and saw the helm with the gold crown and I was like, wow wow!
  • 1 0
 @jaame: ...now you can play with your bone . Wink
  • 1 0
 In stock where and how much, can't find shit online
  • 2 0
 @poozank: I think they jumped the gun with that caption.
  • 2 0
 @jaame: yeh, could still be a little while I reckon. Soon to be at least two credible inverted single crown forks on the market makes me more than a little excited.
  • 3 1
 @tremeer023: what's the other one?
Last week my bike fell off the bike carrier on the freeway. I think the steerer tube has moved in the crown. I've sent it away to be inspected. If it's bent, it will be new fork time, and what a time to buy! New fox 36 with the grip 2 damper, marzocchi z1 with the old grip damper, cane creek helm coil, x fusion revel, DVO hopefully soon to release the onyx SC (any news on the release of that one @dvosuspension?)

What a year for fork customers!
  • 1 0
 @DVOsuspension
  • 1 0
 @jaame: DVO and X-Fusion the only two credible ones. What is Intend then, incredible? Curious though whether Magura will eventually release a regular mtb usd fork again. Then again Rockshox actually has something short travel out for XC (and apparently gravel cycling too).

That said, considering the number of brands that have actually been dabbling with protypes etc it apparently isn't as easy or great as the theory/marketing implies. The challenge is the connection between left and right stanchion. One solution is to use a fork guard that connects the two, but I don't know whether DVO holds that patent. The other is to use a larger diameter hub axle. Curnutt used a 30mm axle for a reason. But even if this is the best solution, no marketing manager dares to step into the Pinkbike pit, surrounded by keyboards and rotten tomatoes and admit:

"Hi there, we'd like to introduce our new, progressive, ehrm... axlestandardokthanksbye!|
  • 1 0
 @jaame: I was thinking of the Intend. Looks amazing but £££
  • 1 0
 @tremeer023: I would be happy to buy a fire which came with its own hub with a huge axle, say 30mm and spinning on widely available bottom bracket bearings. I mean, how hard is it to build a new wheel up at the same time as changing fork?
  • 1 0
 @jaame: would probably be worth it - the Lefty uses a proprietary hub which is larger and meant to work well i think. Risk of creating a new industry standard though but 15mm has been a mistake/joke from the beginning.
  • 1 0
 @tremeer023: Curnutt used the 30mm axle a fair while ago so technically you could choose that and not say you're introducing anything new. Specialized had the E150 dual crown fork for their Enduro bike with a 25mm axle, so same goes for these. I wouldn't introduce a new diameter unless you really need to go larger than 30mm. Right in the middle between the two (27.5mm) will be criticized too as people don't like those small increments though again if this is what is on offer, people may just accept it eventually. You can avoid 29mm but 28.99mm isn't necessarily the best way to do that.

I partially agree with your comment on 15mm axles, but I do think the move 100mm wide was a good one. Except for cup and cone bearing hubs (which typically are dedicated for the width), the additional 10mm (of conventional 20x110) brings no advantages if the bearing and flange distances remain the same. Yeah, nice you can convert them between the two but it implies you've lost the advantage of the extra width. I'd say it is even worse as the load trajectory got longer. I actually believe that the never 20x110 boost is actually what the "old" 20x110 should have been right away. And well, 15mm turn out to be a nice solution for more weight oriented components. The larger axle requires a larger bore in the fork lowers, which again require a bigger reinforcement. So yeah, it has its place. I've got a couple of older 20x110 forks and hubs so I've got reason to stick to "old" but if I came in fresh into the sport I'd see no point in old 20x110 over the boost version. And I see no reason for the "old" 110 spread over the newer 100 if it were used with cartridge bearing hubs.

As for the Lefty, I think it is a clever fork which make people more likely to accept that it needs its own hub for it to work. Having to remove the brake caliper to remove a wheel does seem like a hassle though. It is a bit like a car so I'd go all the way. Leave the bearings, brake rotor etc onto the fork and only slide the hub shell (with attached spokes etc) on and off. If the advantages are clear, more people are willing to accept a new standard.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: I never thought of that about bolting the wheel on to the hub whilst leaving the hub and brake in place. That is a good idea.
  • 15 0
 That Ghost looks awesome
  • 11 1
 any word on E thirteen? They said in a previous article they would be debuting something big here at sea otter which could very well have been the mystery shifter on Aaron Gwin's bike.
  • 13 2
 So the Al frame is stiffer than the CF one? These comments will be sweet Big Grin *grabs popcorn*
  • 5 1
 So it’s cheaper and stiffer? Did Pivot place a large bet against themselves?
  • 14 1
 @sosburn, it's cheaper and stiffer, but not lighter. That's the third part of the equation that'll make the carbon version appealing to weight conscious riders.
  • 20 0
 Only on Pinkbike do the majority of people think the main goal of bicycle composites is stiffness.
  • 3 1
 @mikekazimer: Yeah i was just joking anyways. Thought it was funny that they used it as a selling point.
  • 4 3
 As a weekend warrior I'll take more precision in a bikes handling over weight savings....and keep a junk of change in my pocket while I'm at it Smile
  • 1 4
 It'll also likely be 2x as strong. Not to mention fatigue life.
  • 3 1
 "Strong, light, cheap: pick two." If the Al is strong and cheap, then the carbon is... is... Uh oh!
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: But not the ones that pound down a plate of donuts.
  • 5 0
 But many years ago, everybody wanted carbon because it was lighter. Nowadays people are complaining that it aint even a pound lighter...and people be like ''yeah but we don't really care about the weight, it's STIFFER!!''.

Now we come back to the lighter argument because it ain't stiffer!? Come on... LOL
  • 2 0
 It can be whatever is required of it. Which is why it is used extensively in all high strength to weight applications in every industry and alloys increasingly aren't.
  • 3 1
 Which one do we pay less carbon tax on? ...hahahaha
  • 8 0
 It looks like SR Suntour have spent about 10p on those sock decals. Hopefully they've put more effort into the bits you can't see...
  • 4 1
 Maybe I am getting used to oversized Metric shocks with massive air cans, but to me the air can on that Suntour shock looks a little...puny
  • 3 0
 SR Suntour or bust for me dude. If I had money I would invest heavily, they got me shocking when other companies would have cost double for a similar world class product. Can't complain.
  • 3 0
 @Kramz: SR Suntour is the Toyota to DVO's Lexus. They also used to make Marzocchi, I believe. Although that might have been the wilderness years.
  • 9 2
 Gonna have to pass on the switchblade aesthetic
  • 7 0
 That Ghost bike looks really awesome
  • 12 6
 No wonder niner went bankrupt. Full sus gravel bike?
  • 9 2
 I know. I mean it's not like the idea of a full suspension mountain bike was ever viewed as totally unnecessary is it........
  • 3 0
 @mgolder: why not just use a hardtail xc?
  • 7 0
 Ha... yeah, Niner should probably focus on the 29r market that they had in the palm of their hand and managed to piss away.
  • 1 1
 With that seat angle they’ve already failed basic concepts, this looks like something from 10 years ago.
  • 1 0
 i am willing to bet that 5 years from now, every major bike company will have a full suspension gravel bike with drop bars. oh, they're coming.
  • 8 4
 I will never be able to unsee that full sus road bike. But, then again - I still dont understand decaf coffee.
  • 5 0
 I would never buy a bike you can't touch. Sure I can hover with a magic carpet, but I can not hover above one.
  • 6 3
 That bike looks amazing! Do some of the gravel races out in BC and you will understand the need for it. I have experimented with a dropper on my cross bike too, seems every year all the disciplines get a bit tougher. I was in a cross race that had xc single track last year.

BUT @vinay is right, if you can't even touch the bike then what good would it be, maybe that why they call it the magic carpet, you are just supposed to hover slightly above it.
  • 3 1
 @warmerdamj: Out of interest, when will things start to go the other way?

That is, instead of putting phat tyres, dropper posts and suspension on gravel bikes, you start putting tall gears, narrow tyres and drop handlebars on an XC MTB frame?
  • 1 0
 Thought I was looking at 3 bikes stood together at first!
  • 1 0
 @JoeRSB: I dont know but I definitely would agree things will come back around eventually. It's the just the way things are eh!
  • 5 0
 In twenty years on Pink Gravel dot com: "Now that was a bike..."
  • 2 0
 why @NinerBikes full sus gravel bike?
  • 6 2
 Hell yeah niner. Thinkin outside the box. Good luck with those investors after you go ch 11 again
  • 3 0
 Some of the Cane Creek guys were up at Ray's a few weeks back and rocking the new helms. Have to say I was a little jealous...
  • 5 0
 Microshift Intel Pentium
  • 2 0
 Hopefully won’t make the rider crash all the time.
  • 3 0
 Would love to read a write up on that Santa Cruz! What fork is it running, is it period correct?
  • 6 0
 When I saw that Tazmon I actually thought it was multiple bikes leaning against each other
  • 2 0
 I am from the past and based on early mags bought I'd say thats a Judy triple crown and period checks out.
  • 2 0
 @browner: The triple clamp Judy only came out in 98.
  • 2 0
 @Kiwijohn42: plus nothing had disc mounts in 94, or at least a standardized mount. I don't think the Hayes 22mm mount was out yet in 94. Fork must be from later.
  • 1 0
 I think it's a Girvin fork (or whatever the RST equivalent was). Yes, they "made" (or at least stickered) a telescopic Girvin fork. www.bikepro.com/directions/a97_proflex/beast.html
  • 3 0
 I hope the XFusion Revel has seen some standard updates in the three years we've been teased with it.
  • 4 0
 Is that Zerode a 29er?
  • 3 0
 Its a 650b
  • 5 0
 I would love to see a 120-130mm 29er Zerode. It may be the bike to cure my carboniphobia.
  • 2 0
 The coolest thing I saw was the Abbey Tools plastic pint glass that he filled with a beer for $10
  • 3 0
 Love the way that Taniwha looks, so clean!
  • 2 0
 Aluminum bikes that are stiffer than carbon version.
DJ forks with 15 mill axels.
As consumers we asked for this correct?
  • 1 0
 Yay!!!! An affordable version of the Switchblade in Aluminum!

I'm sure they also spec'd it with a threaded BB because that's what you do, right? Right?





dammit
  • 2 0
 It's been a long Jurni for SR Suntour to produce a rear shock.
  • 2 0
 Can we get any more info on the Revel fork???? Me WANT!!
  • 2 0
 What is ballistic nylon??
  • 2 0
 Very tough woven nylon. Been around for decades.
  • 2 0
 Originally used in flak jackets in world war 2. Hence the name. Google is your friend.
  • 2 0
 1k crank? Take my mother fukin money!
  • 6 3
 That Pivot is gross.
  • 2 0
 unless you are Ohlins, stop making your suspension Gold.
  • 1 2
 Nothing worse than a flat assguy.
  • 1 2
 GOLD CROWN + KASHIMA COATING = NEXT STEP
  • 7 0
 Sounds great, would match my gold chains but unfortunately my hummer is too tall to put bikes on the roof rack
  • 1 1
 gravel bike DH
  • 1 3
 Waw waw waw))))
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