We were not able to make it out to the Sea Otter Classic this year, so the information you see below is complied off of all of the sites and companies that were able to make it out to the event. It looks like there are some exciting things in the pipeline for ’08.
The new Saint groupset shares some features and characteristics with the current group but on further inspection is also completely new on many levels. And it’s black and gold like those John Player Special branded Formula One cars from the 1970’s. Here’s the official Press Release in full…
In a world where we love to capture our adventures on camera, GoPro has come up with a reasonably inexpensive way to record footage using a mounted digital camera. The Digital Hero can be mounted several different ways and comes in a couple different configurations to fit your needs.
Is Rock Shox testing a long travel 29″er fork? Rumors have been whispered that the fork maker would be introducing some sort of long travel 29″er fork for at least two years now. Now there is some evidence that this perhaps is true.
If you haven’t seen a set of Industry Nine wheels…you are missing out. Named one of Bike Magazines top 15 Editors Choice products in 2008, these wheelsets have hit the industry by storm over the past couple of years. Their precision machining and stunning good looks have put them at the top of the most wanted list for most cycling enthusiasts. Industry Nine’s goal was to produce the best wheels that money could buy. They have achieved their goal and surpassed most of our expectations.
Elka’s new mountain bike line-up has been specifically designed and engineered for downhill, free-ride and all-mountain riding, aiming to provide a balanced combination of plushness, pedaling performance and comfort for each application. To achieve this, all Elka shocks will feature custom-tuned damping based on each bike’s design and intended use.
The Double Barrel was developed by Cane Creek in conjunction with Ohlins Racing. Their goal was to produce the best performing rear shock on the market for a mountain bike. Ohlins Racing’s United States branch office is located in Hendersonville, NC a stone’s throw away from Cane Creek’s headquarters. Ohins Racing is known for producing some of the best shock absorbers on the market and with more than 200 World Championship and other major titles, they have earned the right to claim that they are one of the best in the industry.
he shake-down ride actually ended up being a time trail at Big Creek’s Two Ways in a Day. Big Creek is a Atlanta local trail that provides great insight on how a bike will act in tight, twisty, quick up with quick down situations. As you can see by the elevation map, you really don’t get a break at this place when you are going for the lowest time. The trail still, even after all of the traffic it receives, has loose rocks and steep climbs.
SRAM’s X.0 rear derailleur went through a redesign for 2008. The most visual of these changes is the new 20th anniversary gold accenting on the mounting bolt and graphics. What you will also see is a new 6061 aluminum backing to the carbon Blackbox cage.
Say hello to the new component group from Shimano…SLX. Set to replace the Hone and LX line for mountain biking, the SLX is marketed as a heavier duty all mountain group for the Shimano line. So far from the pictures, it appears that Shimano mixed the previous LX and Hone together and added a new look along with the some features that were added to the XTR line. The rear derailleur shows some XTR-like characteristics. This line will still fall below the XT line in price and is designed around the growing popularity of 5″ and 6″ trail bikes.