e*thirteen LG1+ Pedals And More - Eurobike 2011

e*thirteen have been busy behind the scenes. We caught up with them in Friedrichshafen for the 2011 Eurobike show and what follows are a few of their treats which were on display. To briefly explain their ranges, XCX is cross country, TRS is all mountain and LG1 is for downhillers.




Brand new, hot from the mould and looking very slick (as well as quite painful should you slip one) are these LG1+ and LG1R pedals. Featuring an aluminium spine through the center, this is then sandwiched with impact resistant plastic plates that also hold the pedal pins. The platform is large, the pins are frankly brutal (think scary), and the plastic plate's nice concave surface leave this pedal with the potential for some serious grip. There is a neat feature on the outside end of the pedal which enables a rider to fine tune the rotational friction of the pedal and thus the speed it spins at. Rotating on IGUS bearings which are self lubricating, the real test will be in the sealing. They feel smooth in your hand, the shape seems pretty dialed and the utilization of the plastic plates is fairly unique while enabling riders to replace a damaged portion of the pedal easily - potentially when a number of pins are ripped from the body.

• LG1+ features CroMoly axle and pins (468g)
• LG1R features titanium axle and pins (380g)
• 4mm & 7mm pins are both included in the pack.
• IGUS bearings


The LG1 crank has been out for a while now, but sees plenty of attention for 2012 from the e*thirteen engineers to reduce the weight and increase performance. We’ve had the 2011 model on test for a while now and have been impressed. These changes look promising, but what are they? First of all is the switch from Ti-Ni coated steel axle to Ti-Ni coated 7050 aluminium. What does this mean? A weight saving of approximately 80g on the 30mm oversized axle which is impressive.
 


The second option is the LG1R, which is a new addition to the range, and sees the LG1+ worked harder under the machining tools to remove any material deemed unnecessary. A full downhill crank, this LG1R comes in at another 60g lighter. The bottom bracket now includes angular contact bearings and a better sealing system that helps prevent ingress of water from both the inside and out - although it’s worth noting that we haven’t experienced any issues with our original setup.

• LG1+ 820g including BB
• LG1R 760g including BB
• 165-175mm lengths (no 175mm for LG1R)



Big news in many ways is the introduction of wheelsets to the e*thirteen product range. Everyone seems to be in on the game at Eurobike this year and with the Chub hubs already under the Hive brands it made sense to go those couple of steps further and incorporate some extra parts to create wheels. The LG1 wheelsets are probably of most interest to readers, but the TRS all mountain wheels were also pretty sick. Starting with the hubs, the bodies are formed from large diameter aluminium flanges bonded to a carbon central section using an ‘aerospace product’. (That’ll be a super strong glue to you and I.) And although they may look weighty, the reality is that they are not. The engagements are positive and have a six degree engagement while the bearings spin smooth and fast with minimum resistance.



There is more to a wheelset than just the hubs and in the rim department e*thirteen haven’t shirked away from the challenge of producing their own hoop. The whole range are manufactured from a dedicated scandium extrusion which is welded and machined with eyelets, then brazed in place. In the case of the LG1+ arrangement the rim width is 30mm external and 26.5 internal. At just 540g for such a large rim scandium seems like a promising medium to bridge the gap between high end aluminium and carbon. How this will balance out in the real world remains to be seen, but e*thirteen certainly promise much. The deep section should help reduce the incidence of flat spots while the wide bead edge should help guard against irritating and unwanted pinch flats.

• LG1+ Front wheel 980g
• Available in both 15mm and 20mm thanks to simple swappable endcaps
• LG1+ Rear wheel 1070g
• Available in both 150x12 and the new 157x12 fitments


Visit the e*thirteen website to see the entire range.

Stay tuned for more from Eurobike 2011