Tech Briefing is a feature for the new stuff that we spot every month, but haven't gotten our hands on yet. An eclectic serving of tech, from revolutionary products to novel traditional gear, with some wacky stuff thrown in for good measure.
GT Zaskar LT Trail Hardtail
£999/€1199 - £1,299 / €1,499
GT's iconic frame gets a more aggressive update. (Learn more.)
Sixpack Racing Millenium Stem
$109.50/€109,50
The CNC-machined stem is made from 6061-T6 aluminum, comes in two lengths – 35mm and 45mm – and with a freeride-friendly rise of 0°. (Learn more.)
Deity Deftrap Nylon Pedal
$49.99 USD
The Deftrap pedal is a fully sealed, rebuildable nylon pedal. (Learn more.)
Forbidden Bike Co.'s Ziggy Link
$179.99 CAD
The Ziggy Link recalibrates the Druid’s geometry for a smaller rear wheel. (Learn more.)
PNW Components Recycled Dropper Program
Various
PNW Component's refurbished dropper posts can save riders some cash and come with a 1-year warranty. (Learn more.)
Ninja Mount Fox Helmet GoPro Mounts
29,90€ / 32,90€
Two new under visor mounts for the Proframe and Rampage. (Learn more.)
Cascade Components V2 Hightower LT Link
$249 USD
Cascade Components' new link increases the Hightower's rear travel to 150 millimeters. (Learn more.)
Shotgun 'Shred Til Bed' The MTB Alphabet Book For Kids
$29 USD
Shotgun launches an animal alphabet book with 52 pages of MTB stoke. (Learn more.)
Actofive's Steel & Aluminum High Pivot Trail Bike
TBD
Get ready to drool over this new German trail machine. (Learn more.)
I heard a rumor that WTB is coming out with a refurbished bike saddle program to go with the PNW droppers....... Celebrity saddles will likely cost more and come unwashed.
BITD-mid 80's. Hot (relative term, they were bikers afterall) chicks would come into the bike shop and bring their rides in for service. Some of the more "daring" types would run over to get first sniff of their seat. Good times.
@dsut4392: I would guess if that were the case he goes by Nose-tradamus and got that nickname while working in Belgium grading used CX racers' saddles for resale.
I see your point but meh. I bought the link for my hightower and I have to say, it's pretty great. The performance all around is better, and it lets you run a coil shock if you want to. I'm still running the stock super deluxe mine came with, really liking it honestly. I plan to extend the fork to 160 as well.
@BrigadierBuege: Lol but everything you just said is literally the Megatower. Mega can run a coil already, and already has a 160 fork.
No hate, it's a great option if you do want something more Mega than High and already own the high, or for some reason are super deadset on 150mm of rear travel, but there is no difference in weight between the high and mega frames and the mega is much more versatile. I've just seen some people on various forums asking if they should buy a hightower and get the cascade link, in which you're simply spending an extra $250 when you can just buy a mega in the first place.
Right, and spend all that money on a new bike just to lose the warranty. [I'm making an assumption the frame warranty would no longer be honored with this part]
@jpat22: Ya it's kind of funny, it definitely voids the warranty, but with everyone throwing these on their bikes, when anyone asks about warranty, the standard response is "just throw back on the stock link." Which is a shitty thing to do to a company that has one of the best warranties in the biz.
I just don't really get it because SC has most of these models covered, they sell the link for the bronson, nomad, hightower, and megatower. If you're buying them for the bronson or hightower you probably should have just got a nomad or megatower in the first place. It makes a bit more sense on the nomad and megatower if you want something with a crazy amount of travel.
@tgent: it's not just about the travel, it alters the feel of the bike. Love the link on the megatower but I've left original shock stroke. It's softer off the top and Ramos up nicely.
@filryan: everyone gets so fixated on the travel numbers and forgets there's a lot more to it than that. I guess that's what we get for not doing kashima and oil slick for colors...
@CascadeComponents: very true. Problem is it's all so complicated, travel numbers are an easy thing to understand. I've no idea what half the tech terms even mean. All I know is your link feels better that the stock one. Not just saying that because I've spent money on it either. I switched to carbon wheels which are meant to be stiffer and more precise, I can even tell the diff at all. They just look nice. Hahahahaa I don't get people's obsession with kashima, black looks so much better. Plush I'm sure the performance diff is a marketing ploy to get people to spend money on it. I could never tell the diff between the plushness on the 2 finishes. More to do with set up I think. Oil slick is a nice colour tho
@CascadeComponents: Just FYI, I think your guys' links are great and love what you guys are doing. I just think it is a bit redundant, particularly on the Bronson and Hightower. You're correct that travel isn't the only component, but I just looked at your leverage ratio graphs, and the Hightower with the Cascade link nearly matches the Megatower with stock link graph, so really you are just turning your Hightower into a Megatower. That's a great option for people that did buy say a hightower and find that it's not progressive enough for their liking, and/or just want a bit more travel, but ideally you would figure that out before you drop $8k on a bike. So again, it can be a great option, but I stick by my joke that the people buying these should have bought the next bigger bike in the first place, particularly on the Bronson and Hightower.
All that said about links on Santa Cruzs, I'm absolutely stoked to see you made one for other bikes/brands, particularly the stumpjumper. That's a bike that IMO is not nearly progressive enough and if I were recommending the bike to any friend, I would say purchasing the cascade link the day you buy is mandatory and will take the bike from meh to awesome.
@tgent: despite some similarities on paper, the Megatower and Hightower are quite different bikes. Also, while then leverage curves have similar initial and final values, the shock strokes for the two bikes are very different. I started in on the Hightower because I wanted to build what I thought was the the perfect race bike for the Washington area. The Megatower is just too cumbersome pedaling for most enduro stages around here. As much as I wish I was racing courses that demand the Megatower that's not the case. The Hightower with the stock link pedals nicer, but tends to ping off things and still goes through its travel quite easily, which isn't conducive to racing. So I designed a link for the bike that kept it more planted and added mid-stroke support and bottom out resistance while not harming its pedaling. The mentality behind the design wasn't "I wish I had a Megatower now". It was "I don't want to race a Megatower. I want to race a Hightower. Now let's make the Hightower as good as it can be."
@tgent: No worries man, no hate taken. I see everyone's point, but you guys are brutal lol @Rig
My response is still meh, don't think about it too much. I bought the hightower because I felt it was the best bike for me and the riding I do. It's a very balanced bike stock, no complaints really. After owning for about a year riding 100% stock build pretty hard, I wanted to tinker a bit and had some extra cash, so I decided to give the link a shot. I personally think it's nice that something as niche as this is on the market. Why would I sell a bike I really like when this is lower risk and cost overall for what I wanted? It's a personal choice based on experience, if someone feels they would rather sell their hightower and get a megatower instead, go for it and please report back to us how that turns out and what the net result money wise is.
Got the Deity Deftraps this week and they are pretty fantastic. Coming from Chromag Scarabs that are a couple years old they are longer and support more of foot. I only wear size 10 so I don't have a huge foot but they sit nicely on the pedals
That Abbey hammer looks really good, but is there a point to making a hammer out of a material traditionally used for being lightweight? Sure they could have made a smaller steel hammer instead? Looks good tho..
It's about total toolbox weight for traveling mechanics who have to fly with their tools. It's a super niche product, but it's pretty cool for that niche.
This new one is stainless. Twice the weight of the ti. My ti one has worked fine for hammering out bottom brackets all over the world for a few years. I'm sure this one will be great also. Cheers.
@TEAM-ROBOT: I work at a bike shop and have a toolbox like the ones on toolbox wars on instagram. I dont travel with this one. My challenge is I also work for a car racing team. We race events like the Baja 1000. I do every thing I can to make or buy lightweight tools. Spent over $250 buying a Pelican air case this year. It weigh 6 pounds less than my old case with the same internal volume. It's hard to make you 85 pound case weigh 50 pounds to fly with. I have to pack tools in my suit case and then put excess clothes in a carry on. I rearrange when I get to the event. Some of these guy have no idea the importance of lightweight tool when you travel with them
It's a ton of fun on certain trails! Slow speed technical janky trails are great as you can place the rear wheel exactly where you want it. Smooth fast trails are great because you can pump hard and jump really well. Higher speed choppy trails aren't so fun, I get pretty beat up on them too quickly. Fast braking bumps are the worst.
@pnwpedal: Ha thanks, I used to ride weekly with a buddy on a hard tail, kicked my ass on jumps and berms, I would return the favour on the bumpy stuff though!
That Revonte is pretty cool. Internal CVT transmission, but not a belt drive. It works the same as the Toyota Synergy drive, so its very efficient. Only negative is the limited gear range (for now) at 420%.
Glad to hear that you like our Drive System! The range is certainly one factor, but considering all aspects we are very confident about our competitiveness in the market.
It's funny that we now consider a 420% gear range "limited" - wasn't much more than 5 years ago that a 10-42 1x drivetrain (aka 420% gear range) was the gold standard.
Regardless, that's plenty for most ebike applications. Would make a phenomenal commuter bike drivetrain.
@ChristophColombo: Good observation. Progress is the sign of current times. Range is certainy one factor to consider and what is enough or even "optimal" is a good question.
I guess the e-bike filter isn't as bulletproof as it could be... Not that I hate them, but, uh, definitely not buying one and happy to click on the filter. Also like to be able filter road and gravel bikes, too.
Thousands are being beaten and killed in the streets and Pinkbike drops another article about useless overpriced bike tech. Now we know where they stand.
Pinkbike is not a US only website and their focus is not humanitarian or political, its mountain bikes. If they feel the need to release a statement on their support or viewpoint, thats just fine. But otherwise its perfectly reasonable for them to continue releasing normal content right now. I would not expect or want Pinkbike trying to write articles about what happening anyways. As thats not their expertise, and nobody needs their every website flooded with coverage of whats going on. Its unhealthy. I encourage everyone, put the screens down for a few, unplug so to speak, and let your amygdala return to normal size and get some emotional reprieve from this hectic world. I say that with genuine empathy and concern for my fellow man.
pinkbike on instagram posted supporting #blackouttuesday but i agree with below, there won't/shouldn't be a specific article written on the topic as they are a mountain bike website not a current events news page.
Thousands are being beaten and killed in the streets and you decide to spend your time complaining on a mountainbike focussed website. Now we know where you stand.
@SHEESHKAH: because the only way to stand with those people is by complaining at a bike specific website. Not by getting into politics, becoming a lawyer, becoming a policeman that doesn't harm innocent people (yes they do really exist you know) or try to start relationship building activities like, let's say, mountainbiking. Do you think that maybe having joint hobbies that take away differences and increase bonding is actually a great way to battle racism?
Jared Graves just listed some WTB saddles on the MTB PARTS & APPAREL Buy & Sell Australia Facebook group!
PC cancel culture is bullshit.
Sniffing people's bike seats is f*cking disgusting.
These two things can be true at the same time.
No hate, it's a great option if you do want something more Mega than High and already own the high, or for some reason are super deadset on 150mm of rear travel, but there is no difference in weight between the high and mega frames and the mega is much more versatile. I've just seen some people on various forums asking if they should buy a hightower and get the cascade link, in which you're simply spending an extra $250 when you can just buy a mega in the first place.
I just don't really get it because SC has most of these models covered, they sell the link for the bronson, nomad, hightower, and megatower. If you're buying them for the bronson or hightower you probably should have just got a nomad or megatower in the first place. It makes a bit more sense on the nomad and megatower if you want something with a crazy amount of travel.
Hahahahaa I don't get people's obsession with kashima, black looks so much better. Plush I'm sure the performance diff is a marketing ploy to get people to spend money on it. I could never tell the diff between the plushness on the 2 finishes. More to do with set up I think.
Oil slick is a nice colour tho
All that said about links on Santa Cruzs, I'm absolutely stoked to see you made one for other bikes/brands, particularly the stumpjumper. That's a bike that IMO is not nearly progressive enough and if I were recommending the bike to any friend, I would say purchasing the cascade link the day you buy is mandatory and will take the bike from meh to awesome.
My response is still meh, don't think about it too much. I bought the hightower because I felt it was the best bike for me and the riding I do. It's a very balanced bike stock, no complaints really. After owning for about a year riding 100% stock build pretty hard, I wanted to tinker a bit and had some extra cash, so I decided to give the link a shot. I personally think it's nice that something as niche as this is on the market. Why would I sell a bike I really like when this is lower risk and cost overall for what I wanted? It's a personal choice based on experience, if someone feels they would rather sell their hightower and get a megatower instead, go for it and please report back to us how that turns out and what the net result money wise is.
My challenge is I also work for a car racing team. We race events like the Baja 1000. I do every thing I can to make or buy lightweight tools. Spent over $250 buying a Pelican air case this year. It weigh 6 pounds less than my old case with the same internal volume. It's hard to make you 85 pound case weigh 50 pounds to fly with. I have to pack tools in my suit case and then put excess clothes in a carry on. I rearrange when I get to the event.
Some of these guy have no idea the importance of lightweight tool when you travel with them
Regardless, that's plenty for most ebike applications. Would make a phenomenal commuter bike drivetrain.