Canyon’s Spectral all-mountain bike family just got a lot bigger, with a whole suite of siblings for last winter’s Spectral CF 29. Now there are three wheelsize options – either 27.5″, 29″, or a mullet combination. Next, looking at frame materials, last year’s revamped CF carbon frameset now gets a more affordable alloy version or an ultra-premium unicorn hair CFR Canyon Factory Racing frameset, as well. Great news for trail riders looking for more Spectral options from Canyon, the number of possible frame & wheel combinations went from one just a week ago to six today. Plus on top of all of those, a seventh option drops in a slightly shorter travel 27.5 alloy kids trail bike called the Young Hero to help build the next generation of enduro riders…

2022 Canyon Spectral all-mountain family adds alloy, kids, CFR & Mullet options

Canyon calls this generation of 150mm travel Spectrals, “one of the most versatile trail bikes we’ve ever made. And after having ridden a 2021 Canyon Spectral 29 CF 8 all summer from local singletrack to big alpine bikeparks, that’s an idea I can get behind personally. It’s built to pedal up just about anything, but tested to handle all the EWS racing abuse of their longer travel enduro bikes.

Now, riders looking for one bike to rule them all, have a lot more options to tweak their ideal do-it-all trail setup, and several choices that will save quite a bit of money.

29er, Mullet, or 27.5″: All with the same progressive geometry

First off, the new Spectral family now comes in three wheel size options: 29″ wheels carry over, new 27.5″ versions are again available in the same modern trail geometry thanks to a new front & rear triangles, and a new mullet option combines the 29er main triangle & fork with the smaller-wheeled rear end. The most impressive part of it all is probably that progressive geometry and travel don’t change at all, no matter what wheelsize you pick, with the curious exception of 3mm higher frame stack on the 27.5 bikes.

The big (or rather small) thing to note there is that the Spectral 29 is available in the same four sizes as when the carbon bike debuted last year (S-XL). But now the new Spectral 27 (eds. 27.5″) comes in a smaller four sizes (XS-L) overlapping the 29er to fit smaller riders. Those in the middle essentially get to pick if they want more speed from bigger wheels or more agility from smaller ones.

And then there’s the mullet bike for those who want both.

The mullet shares the 29er front end so you get all of the Spectral 29 geometry, plus the 27.5 rear end to keep the bottom bracket height, wheelbase & angles unchanged.

All bikes even use the same shock rocker/linkages, with the same well-proven 150mm of ‘Triple Phase’ four-bar suspension. They take the best suspension kinematics that were updated in the Spectral CF 29 last winter with its progressive leverage ratio, increased bottom-out protection, and extra anti-squat for improved pedaling efficiency with minimal pedal kickback.

(Stay tuned for our in-depth first rides review!)

New bigger Spectral family options

The biggest news in Canyon Spectral land might be the new Spectral AL alloy frameset option. With a claimed frame weight of 3000g (just 400g over the CF), it’s less than a small water bottle heavier than the carbon model, and definitely a lot cheaper. Complete bikes start at just 2500€.

The aluminum bike is available with 27.5 or 29″ wheels (no mullet option), and shares the same overall geometry of the carbon bikes. The one difference here, the alloy bikes do not get the suspension flip-chip adjustability, instead combining the more aggressive LOW bottom bracket & slacker 64° headtube angle position with the HI steeper seattube angle for the best combination of climbing and descending.

Read more in-depth about the new Spectral AL here.

Another sneaky aluminum addition here is the new Spectral YH, young heroes edition for kids. Taking inspiration from the old 27.5 Spectral WMN, this new kid-friendly trail bike sneaks a smaller 2XS size into the Spectral family. For just 1800€, the Spectral YH offers 10mm shorter travel – 140mm rear & 140mm fork – on 27.5″ wheels.

Read more in-depth about the new Spectral Young Hero here.

Maybe the sneakiest addition to the 2022 Spectral line-up is this new 29er-only CFR bike, in just one premium build. Built to go even faster than before, it uses Canyon’s top-tier Factory Racing carbon material and more precise layups to shed another 300g off the CF model. At a claimed 2300g for the CFR carbon frame, it’s still just as tough, having even been raced earlier this month at the EWS Tweed Valley in Scotland.

Basically, the Enduro World Series racing CLLCTV team was looking for a lighter-weight enduro bike for faster, less-demanding terrain when then didn’t need the 170mm of the Canyon Strive, and this new Spectral CFR looks to be their new ultralight EWS weapon of choice.

Now the mullet… Mixed wheel sizes have been a debate since the dawn of bigger 29″ wheels (remember the 69ers?), and Canyon decided it was time to bring the Spectral on board to the business up front, party in the back atmosphere.

Only one 4000€ carbon Spectral CF mullet model is being offered for the time being, a special CLLCTV edition with a coil shock out back. While Canyon says they carefully designed the two separate 27.5 & 29″ platforms so it is as simple as swapping out a 27.5 rear triangle to go mullet, they don’t have plans to offer the rear end separately. It seems like Canyon are testing the waters with the Spectral CF Mullet.

But I have to admit, after riding it for a couple of weeks, back-to-back with a Spectral CF 29, the Mullet build does deliver on the playful, rowdy ride.

Last but not least, the regular Spectral CF is still here, just like the bike debuted last winter. But, now it adds those four 27.5-wheeled sizes, including the new XS for smaller riders. A solid balance of progressive descending and efficient climbing, the Spectral CF is a hard to beat all-mountain all-rounder.

Tech details

The new Spectrals pretty much all share the same details as the carbon bike debuted last year. In all wheelsizes, the new carbon bikes all get the adjustable geo flip-chip at the rear shock mount, so riders can fine-tune their geometry +/- 0.5° in just a couple of minutes. I generally prefer the higher position which gives an 8mm higher BB to clear rockier trails, while allowing for a plush rear suspension setup.

Not looking to skimp on suspension performance, the CFR model still gets a piggyback air shock, now in a Fox Factory Kashima-coated spec (above, right). But Canyon says they were still able to keep weight down with their lightest, partially bare paintjob for the carbon Spectrals yet.

Canyon also carries over the under toptube accessory mount for all of the new Spectrals – from the alloy Young Hero up to ultralight carbon CFR. Canyon sells a small bracket separately that mounts securely to the single bolt, where you can strap on a spare tube & tool. Plenty of options available from other manufacturers will fit too (I use a customizable one made by Syncros.)

The chunky integrated chainstay protector is still there to quiet the drivetrain on any of the new Spectrals. And all also get Canyon’s clever QR rear thru-axle that tucks its own lever neatly out of the way while riding (securely & rattle-free).

Lighter carbon Canyon Factory Racing: CFR

At 6500€, the single Spectral CFR build is certainly the top-tier flagship of the new Spectral family. Canyon claims a complete weight of just 13.3kg for the new ultralight carbon bike. But it’s not shaving weight at any cost, the ethos of the CFR is more about optimizing stiffness, handling & control like in the one-piece carbon CP009 cockpit that’s still built to handle EWS-level racing duties.

The top CFR build gets Fox Factory air suspension paired with a Shimano XT/XTR drivetrain, RaceFace Next SL carbon cranks, and 30mm internal carbon DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels. But on top of all that light kit, it still features proper 2.4″ tubeless Maxxis Minion DHR tires with EXO+ casing so you can bomb down any trail with unwavering confidence.

2022 Canyon Spectral – Pricing & availability

The entire seven bike Spectral family is available to order starting today direct from Canyon – alloy Spectral YH, alloy Spectral AL 27, Spectral AL 29, carbon Spectral CF 27, Spectral CF Mullet, Spectral CF 29 & carbon Spectral CFR – plus more than one build of a couple of those, now starting at 1800€ and topping out at 6500€.

Actual availability does depend a bit on sizing, color, and which build spec you desire, so dig around and see how quickly Canyon can ship a new Any Trail bike to your door.

Canyon.com

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Thanks to the huge variation of bikes out there, we ask a lot from our bike racks. They need to fit everything from 20mm to 5″ wide tires, frames of vastly different shape, and all without interference between multiple bikes. Because of that, most racks top out at four bikes maximum, though vertical racks have started to get more popular because of this very reason.

Vertical racks, like the ALTA SIX work by supporting the front wheel with a basket, and then a lower tie down strap secures the rear wheel. By tilting the front wheel slightly, the handlebars don’t smash into each other, allowing in this case to carry up to six bikes. It does all of this without frame contact, and offers three adjustments to fit different wheel bases and 24″ – 29+ wheels.

ALTA is a pretty unique company that started as a passion project by engineers that previously spent years designing and building products for the military and offroad industry. Seeing a chance to create a better rack system that helped people to get outside and enjoy the outdoors, ALTA started selling the SIX earlier this year.

The SIX gets its name from the six bike capacity, and is sold with your choice of basket size. There are three different sizes – Standard which fits road tires to 3″ wide tires, Mid-Fat which fits 3-4″ tires, and Fat which fits 4-6″ wide tires. When you order the rack, you can mix and match the baskets if you want, and rack owners can purchase additional baskets which are easily swapped out.

The rack also works with adapters that let you run roof mounts so you can mount things like horizontal ski racks for use in the winter.

There’s also a repair stand accessory for $75 that allows you to fix bikes right off the rack, or when the rack is stored in your garage if you purchase the rolling Floor Stand shown above for $349. Note that if you purchase the floor stand, you can also store your bikes on the rack when it’s in the garage and not on your vehicle.

Equally important to the SIX’s design is the fact that it clears most tail gates from trucks, mini vans, etc. The hitch mount has a 15° rise with 25″ of clearance to offer better angles for off road driving, and there’s a safety pin and release which allows the rack to pivot backwards.

Future options may include a hammock stand and a lift gate table which is held in place by ratchet straps secured to the rear end plates of the rack. These also function as a strap down system for off road driving to further support the rack.

Weighing in at 82lbs for the six bike carrier, all ALTA racks are designed and made in Utah, offer a lifetime warranty, and the ALTA SIX sells for $1,185 with your choice of baskets.

altaracks.com

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The Stompump claims to be the fastest, easiest way to fill high volume tires anywhere you might need to. Launched earlier this year, the miniature foot pump is through production starts shipping in November with a few unique features. The most obvious differentiator is the design, putting a small foot floor pump in a package that can fit on your bike using the included water bottle cage bolt mount. The stuff you don’t see includes an integrated air filter to keep that trailside dust from infiltrating and gumming it up, and the fact that it’s made in Marin County, CA.

The Stompump weighs 195g, so just a bit more than a standard mini pump, but still fits on the bike. You could throw it in a hydration pack, too, if you’re already carrying a big pack. They say it fills tires up to 3x faster than traditional mini pumps, and since you’re pumping with your legs, probably much easier, too.

It’s designed for high volume tires and has a max pressure of 60psi. So, think mountain bikes, cyclocross and gravel bikes.

Retail is $99.95, up for pre-order now. Custom colors are available, and they have various hose colors to choose from, too.

Stompump.com

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You can always count on SKS to have a few new products to show, and Interbike was no different. A few of them like the revised Air Checker we’ve already seen, but others like the Airstep foot pump are all new.

Built with a cast aluminum body, the Airstep is made in Germany in the same facility that manufactures cast aluminum intake manifolds for Mercedes Benz. The pump expands to allow you to use your foot to pump instead of your arms, and it features a long hose that coils up and stores around the gauge. Capable of reaching pressures up to 102psi, the pump includes a presta or schrader head and sells for $79.99.

We saw this earlier in the year, but the Air Checker is getting an upgrade. Thanks to a new chip, the guage is more accurate at low pressures, and it will give you real time pressure, even as you’re letting out air with the bleeder valve. This will replace the previous version for $32.99.

SKS had these Compit & Compit/E mounts for smartphones which offer a secure hold and a front and center mount. More importantly, there’s a universal adapter so you can put anything on the mount, as long as it has a flat surface for you to mount the adapter. There’s also a potential that down the road, an updated version of this mount could allow you to wirelessly charge your phone while riding your e-bike around town.

Adding to their massive fender collection, SKS now offers the Edge AL full aluminum fenders which will fit 700 x 42mm tires for the 45mm version, or 700 x 50mm tires for the 56mm version. Weights are listed at 542g or 568g, and prices at $55.99 or $59.99.

The Bluemel 75U is a similarly styled fender, but made from plastic. The fenders will work for 27.5 or 29″ wheels with a max tire width of 65mm. Weight is listed at 800g, and they’re $74.99.

Finally, SKS has a number of new bags including some interesting pieces like the Traveler Click 800 which is a saddle bag that unzips from the side for easy access.

sks-germany.com

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After unveiling their new L50 and M50 Dash head units at Eurobike, Stages Cycling still had more to show at Interbike. Namely, the head units were much further along in actual function, but more importantly – there was a very exciting new option for power meter cranks available.

If you’re excited about it, you’ve already heard that Cane Creek has partnered up with Stages Cycling to add a power meter version of their titanium eeWings crankset. Initially available for their MTB version, the crankset uses a unique drive side placement of the power meter due to clearance issues with wider mountain bike chainstays. In this case, the 15g power meter pod sits underneath the chainring, which should clear most frames. We’re double checking their compatibility with 2x drivetrains if you use a direct mount spider.

Stages says that they had to redesign the strain gauges to work with titanium, but other than that the concept is the same. Because of the material differences, they also point out that every one of their power meters is slightly different and tuned to work with that specific crankset. With the introduction of the eeWings power meter, they now have power meters for steel, aluminum, carbon, and titanium cranks. The Stages equipped eeWings are currently available in 170mm or 175mm lengths for MTB at $1,499, and will eventually be available in their gravel cranksets as well.

On the Dash side of things, Stages now had working versions of their new color screen which is so bright, it’s hard to take pictures of. That brightness is said to make them very easily read in full sunlight, and it always on which makes their 18h and 15h battery life pretty respectable.

The color screen helps to simplify power measurement and training by color coding everything. That way you can simply look down and know that you’re supposed to be riding in the orange zone during your intervals.

It also makes their included maps very useful by making it clear which roads are the safest routes for bikes. You wouldn’t want to ride on a freeway, which is why they have color coded the roads to help you avoid busy, dangerous routes. Each head unit comes equipped with all U.S. maps pre-installed, and you can download additional maps for other countries free of charge.

The head units also include your choice of a premium aluminum mount, which attaches to the computer in an aerodynamically efficient way. Stages points out that with most of their competitors, you have to buy a premium mount separately, which is an added advantage of the L50 and M50.

The computers both support GPX, TCX, and FIT routes, have ANT+ and BTLE connectivity, allow for custom data fields, and integration with the Stages Link online training platform. Available in November, the M50 will sell for $249, while the L50 is $349. A third monochrome (non-colored) computer called the L10 will also be available as an entry level device for $149.

stagescycling.com

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Even if you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you should still be able to get a quality bike. Well, that’s how Batch Bicycles sees it anyway. Using Interbike to introduce their bicycle line to the world, Batch Bicycles is establishing themselves as an affordable alternative to the cheap bikes of department stores, and the more expensive bikes of your local bike shop. Established in April of this year, Batch Bicycles is a subsidiary of United Wheels Limited – the same parent company of Huffy Bicycles and now Niner Bikes as well.

Batch Bicycles will be sold exclusively through your local bike shop, though you will be able to order them through their website or app with final delivery and assembly through the IBD.

Priced from $89 to $489, the Batch line up focuses on inexpensive but quality builds with a clean aesthetic and useful spec. Different models will be available from kid’s balance bikes, to adult hybrids, all with unique touches and details you might not expect to find on bikes of this price. Everything is available for pre-order now, while bike shops will start to receive their first Batch at the end of October.

Models – Descriptions from Batch

Commuter (Adult and Youth)

MSRP: $469.99 (24”) and $489.99 (27.5”).

• Lightweight 6061 aluminum frame
• C-Star mechanical disc brakes
• Shimano Altus 8-speed gearing
• Stars alloy double-walled rims (Wheel size optimized for best fit: 24” for youth, and 27.5” for adults)

Cruiser (Adult and Youth)

MSRP: $269.99 – $289.99

• Lightweight 6061 aluminum frame
• rear coaster brake
• Single-speed simplicity
• Stars alloy double-walled rims (Wheel size optimized for best fit: 24” for youth, 26” for women, and 27.5” for men)

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At Interbike, Smith showed us the new Wildcat, a monstrous pair of retro-design sunglasses to go with their new aero road bike helmets. Hiding the next shelf down were two more new shades, the Reverb and Ruckus, which are almost as big but follow the Arena’s design aesthetic more closely. Also new are the Squad XL goggles, which should give your eyes plenty of field of vision and breathing room.

The Ruckus (right) is the larger of the two and uses a raised brow frame and center lens section to increase field of view and block more wind. The top bar serves to vent air over the lens to prevent fogging, an effort bolstered by two-position nose pieces. Adjust the nose pads into the farther position and the lenses will sit a bit further away from your face to reduce the likelihood of fogging up on slow climbs. Then push them back in when it’s time to cruise or descend. Or just ride faster…

The Reverb gets a slightly shorter lens with no brow bar to come in as Smith’s lightest cycling performance sunglasses yet. Claimed weight is just 27g.

Both come with a new PivLock arm attachment mechanism to speed up lens changes, and both will have an assortment of ChromaPop, Photochromic, clear and other lens colors to choose from. Temples are thinner than before to help them fit into more helmets, particularly Smith’s own road and mountain bike helmets with integrated sunglasses holster channels. Retail on both models is $189 and include two ChromaPop lenses and a hard case. Both should be available now.

If you’re a fan of the retro look but the Wildcats are just too big, the new Trackstand (left) is a vintage-inspired design that gets all their latest lens tech. The frame leaves a vent open at the top, and you can choose from five different interchangeable ChromaPop lenses, each with a hydroleophobic coating to repel dirt, dust, water and grease. It, too, gets the position adjustable nosepiece and thinner temples. Retail is $169 with two ChromaPop lenses and a case. Available now.

If you wanna get totally new age, on the right is the Flywheel. It, too, is an oversized lens, but uses a bridge across the inside of the lens at the brow (as opposed to the non-bridged design of the Attack and Attack Max, the latter having a very similar lens shape). These run $139 with a single, non-swappable lens and are available now.

Big is in, and the Smith Squad XL takes it bigger. It’s their largest google in the mountain bike collection and offers the widest field of view. The frame keeps their latticed construction to keep it flexible for a better fit…and very breathable. Inside is an anti-fog coating, and outside is a hard coating to repel crud and sweat. It has a 3-layer hypoallergenic foam that’s highly absorbent, too. Choose from six frame colors, including a Graham Agassiz signature model, and they’re compatible with Smith’s Lens Mud Kit with roll-offs. Retail is $85 and includes two lenses when it drops in February 2019.

Just for fun, here’s a pic of the Wildcat next to the standard Squad goggles. Check those and the new aero road helmets out in this post.

SmithOptics.com

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The 4iiii Precision Podiiiium crank-based power meters are now shipping pre-installed on Shimano 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace cranksets. Shown at last year’s Interbike with the promise of early 2018 delivery, the program is called “Ride Ready” because they ship already attached to a new left-side crank arm. All you need to do is swap out your existing non-drive crank arm and pair it with your head unit and off you go.

The Ride Ready units only come on the three Shimano crank arms, with retail price for the arm plus power meter running from $399 to $599. Or, you can send in your own cranks to have the rechargeable Podiiiium units attached in their factory, then returned. If you don’t mind a short wait, that’ll only run you $399 for left-side only and can be done to virtually any Shimano crankset from 105 and XT or better; SRAM XX1, X01 and Red carbon cranks, Campagnolo Potenza, plus some Cannondale and Praxis cranks, too. Check their website for exact models, and hit up this post for more tech details.

4iiii.com

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We’ve been seeing prototypes of the new Panaracer Romero and Aliso for a while, and now we finally have official sizes and specs, plus a few more details on the rubber. The Romero is their all-conditions tire with a triple-compound, DH-oriented rubber outside of a 60tpi casing. Inside is their bead-to-bead Anti-Flat Plus puncture protection belt with additional rubber around the bead to help prevent pinch flats.

It’ll be available in 27.5 and 29er in both 2.4 and 2.6 widths with a claimed (average) weight of 1,130g. Retail will be a reasonable $59.99 when it drops in November. Following in January will be a lighter, more supple enduro/trail version with a 120tpi casing that puts the puncture protection only under the tread. Claimed weight for that one is 930g.

The Panaracer Aliso (shown directly above without a hot patch) uses the same casing options but with a slightly revised tread pattern that makes it more suitable for softer, looser conditions. Weights should be similar, and it’ll launch in November also, with the same sizes…except the 29×2.6 will come in February 2019. Also $59.99. Following that in March will the 120tpi enduro/trail versions, too.

Those will join the DriverPro (foreground) XC/trail hardpack tire, which will come in big 2.4 and 2.6 widths (29er is 2.4 only) with their Anti-Flat casing and 60tpi construction. It also has a triple rubber compound, but with a more XC-ish blend than the knobbier ones up top.  It, too, should get a lighter 120tpi build some time next year.

The limited edition colored Gravel King tires in the background are still available, too.

Panaracer.com

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SQlab’s Interbike booth was all about comfort. Comfort at the bars with their new 311 FL-X bars, and comfort at the saddle with the 602 Infinergy seat that’s making its way to production.

Compared to the 3OX bar, the 311 FL-X has 30% more flex. That should translate to a more comfortable ride at the bars, especially for lighter riders who don’t need a stout bar.

The 311 FL-X will be available in two models, both with a 16 degree bend. One will have a 15 degree rise, the other 30 degrees. Both should come in under 200g and will retail for $250.

Infinergy foam seems to be finding its way into a few new saddles lately – it’s not just for shoes. The expanded foam takes the place of the rubber like polymer for their Ergolux Active saddle system and allows the whole saddle to move independently of the rails for a more comfortable ride.

As usual, the saddles use their stepped design which is said to reduce pressure on the important bits, and will be offered in different widths for $109.99.

sq-lab.com

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Corima is the French high-end wheel brand we don’t hear as much about in the States, despite being on top pro’s stage-winning bikes over the years. Like another French wheel brand, they’ve done some amazing things with full carbon wheel construction and have their own unique take on rim and wheel design. And also they’ve been a little slow to adopt more modern widths and options, but after 30 years of making wheels, that’s changing.

For 2019, the new Corima WS Black rim and disc brake wheels take the all-black hub and spoke combination from their narrower S-series wheels and combine them with the wider WS-series rims for a stealthier aesthetic and compatibility with up to 32mm wide tires.

The “Wide” rims come in at 26mm external/16 mm internal, which they say works with tire widths from 23mm – 32mm, covering the range of what most people are riding today. The new WS Black rim-brake wheels use black J-bend Sapim CX-Ray spokes in the front (18) and CX spokes in the rear (20). Those are laced to an updated CORIMA Black Alu hub. On the rims is a new sanded braking surface, a new treatment that’ll be used going forward on all of their rim brake options.

Rim brake wheels include ti skewers and options will include:

• 32 mm TUBULAR (1270g) & CLINCHER (1500g)
• 47 mm TUBULAR (1390g) & CLINCHER (1580g)
• 58 mm TUBULAR & CLINCHER (Launch Spring 2019)

The disc brake wheels use the same type of spokes, but bump it up to 20 for front and rear wheels. The layout is a bit different, but they say their quasi-paired spoke layout and switch to a 2x non-drive lacing handles the torque just fine. Hubs switch from standard QR to 12mm thru axle (100mm front, 142mm rear). Options include:

• 32 mm TUBULAR (1420g) & CLINCHER (1650g)
• 47 mm TUBULAR (1530g) & CLINCHER (1720g)
• 58 mm TUBULAR & CLINCHER (Launch Spring 2019)

Pricing and ship dates for all are TBA, will update here when we get that info.

Hubs are made in France using EU-sourced materials and are their own design. They outfitted with a 30-tooth ratchet ring, 17mm diameter titanium/aluminum axle and custom NSK cartridge bearings.

The rims, too, are a completely proprietary design and a big part of what makes Corima unique. They use an aerospace foam core and a carbon “torsion bar” connecting each side of the rim. These two features, they say, make the rims much stiffer laterally than their competition, so much so that the rim will retain it’s profile and trueness even if you break a spoke.

For 2019, Corima and Look (that’s the new Look 795 Blade RS in the top photo, and Look recently bought a majority stake in the brand) will both be sold through a wholly-owned U.S. office based in Florida, which means quicker service and better pricing to and through their dealers than their prior distributor network model.

Corima.com

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Over the past year or two, Rolf Prima has been updating their wheels to echo industry trends. Namely, they’ve been getting wider, moving to disc brakes, and adding the option for tubeless compatibility. That continued at Interbike this year with a few new revisions, plus an all new addition to their sister line, Astral. 

Moving forward, their Ralos wheels will now have a 25mm internal profile in both 27.5 and 29″ configurations. The aluminum rims still utilize an asymmetric profile, and ship with Rolf’s XR hubset and 24 round Sapim Race spokes per wheel for $900 a set.

For the non-paired spoke crowd, the same rim will now be offered in Astral’s line as the Viper. You can purchase the rim only for $135 in either 28 or 32h, or you can pick up a full set with White Industries XMR 6 bolt disc brake hubs for $1,149. The higher end hub is the reason for the Viper’s increased cost over the Ralos.

Rim weights are said to be 430-460g for 27.5/29″, and complete wheelsets check in at 1665/1730g.

Not pictured, the Alsea also moves to a 25mm internal rim profile but in carbon, yielding a stiffer, wider wheelset at $2299.

The Ares 3 LS disc is a new option that offers a lower price point like the original Ares 3 LS, but with different braking. The carbon clincher rims measure 32mm deep, 19mm internal and are tubeless compatible. The wheels ship with their XR3.0 hubs with Centerlock brake mounts, and TA or QR compatibility. The wheelset includes rim strips, valve extenders and QRs for $1,499 with a weight of 1630g.

The Ares 4 and 6 also gain tubeless compatibility with a 19.5mm internal width for the same pricing as before. Now Rolf Prima can say that everything on the road side is available in both rim or disc brake options, and everything is tubeless compatible. And Rolf points out that when they say tubeless compatible, they mean easily set up tubeless with tires seating with floor pumps, etc. Their tubeless kit is $40 and includes wheels that are pre-taped with valves installed. And if you prefer, they even offer a Tubeless Tire kit which includes a set of IRC tubeless tires pre-installed, so all you have to do is add sealant through the valve stem and air them up, and you’re ready to go.

rolfprima.com

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If you asked me about the best part of Interbike 2018, it wasn’t the riding at Northstar. It was the riding just outside of Northstar. The Truckee/Lake Tahoe area has a lot more to offer than the bike park, and fortunately we got to experience a bit of it during the launch of the new Blackburn Outpost Elite bag line.

To familiarize ourselves with the new bags, we split into two teams and had to race through the Sawtooth Trail on Jamis Renegade gravel bikes while looking for colored flags indicating our cache was near. Then we had to find the cache, and stuff everything into our bags and carry on. What better way to test out a set of new bags than hurriedly fumbling to stash your clothes iron and ukulele?

Ok, so it might not have been the most rigorous testing, but it did provide a perfect first look at what appear to be a much-improved set of bags. Blackburn has been working on the new line for the past two years, taking all the feedback they got from the first generation Outpost bags to create what they call “the most advanced, lightweight and versatile, expedition-worthy bikepacking setup that Blackburn has ever made.”

Starting with the frame bag, it’s all about fit. Now there are four different size options to better fit the wide range of frame shapes on the market. It’s pretty much impossible to build a universal fit frame bag that will cover the spectrum of bikes out there, but that hasn’t stopped Blackburn from trying. Now there is a small, medium-short, medium-tall, and a large size which all have unique dimensions to hopefully create less of a dangle-bag.

The removable/adjustable Hypalon straps provide a snug fit that should also protect the frame.

Outpost Elite Frame Bag

When you get rid of the water bottle mounts on inside the front triangle, where to put your hydration becomes a concern. Now, the frame bags all have a hydration hose port and routing, with storage of the bladder at the lowest point in the frame bag.

Like all of the Outpost Elite bags, the frame bag is made from waterproof materials (which is also lighter than previous) with welded seams and waterproof zippers to keep everything inside as dry as possible. I will say that the intense moondust of Lake Tahoe didn’t play nice with the zippers making them difficult to operate, but if you live in a place that is incredibly dusty you probably already have your own solution for this.

Inside, you’ll find two main pockets plus the external zippered pocket on the left side, and the two external stash pockets on the right side with drain holes. This should make quickly getting to things like your map, food, phones, etc., a bit easier. Pricing for the Outpost Elite frame bag starts are $119.99 for the small, then $129.99 for both mediums, and $139.99 for the large.

• Water bladder hydration port
• Straps can mount in multiple locations for a secure fit
• Several mesh and slip pockets, as well as a main compartment baffle
• Weight: TBA
• Capacity: TBA
• $139.99

Outpost Elite Handlebar Roll

Up front, Blackburn has a new Handlebar Roll with a two piece design. Permanently attached to your bar is an aluminum mount with an angle adjustable faceplate. The second part is the new waterproof drybag which mounts to the cradle to carry.

The bag has a large velcro patch to temporarily hold the drybag in place while you do up the harness system with 6061 aluminum g-hooks on the straps. Outside there are molle straps and bungee cords – perfect for quickly securing your souvenir ukulele. You can also see on the bottom of the bag where the bleed valve is located so you can squeeze out every last bit of air to make it as compact as possible.

The Handlebar Roll sells for $159.99 for the complete kit.

• Quick release mount — installs securely and releases quickly at your whim
• Works with many standard dry bags,tents and stuff sacks
• Works with flat, riser or drop handlebars
• Welded seam construction
• Features air purge valve on stuff sack
• *Not recommended for use with carbon handlebars*
• Daisy chain loop webbing provides extra opportunities to attach lights or other gear
• Volume = 14 litres
• Weight: 795g
• $159.99

Outpost Elite Universal Seat Pack

Finally, there’s the new Universal Seat Pack which is also dropper post compatible.

Each bag ships with two different aluminum wing plates that bolts to the seat post rails. One simply bolts the brace to the rails, and the other provides an attachment point for the bag’s velcro straps when using a dropper post. Then it sets it back far enough that it clears the post when dropped. Obviously, depending on your saddle height you may not be able to drop it fully without striking the tire, so do some test fitting before you go full send.

This will work on standard posts as well with the standard plate, though the straps go around the seatpost for added stability of the harness. The harness is then permanently attached to the bike which reduces sway, and you can remove the dry bag to take into your tent or just leave it be. On our crazy little ride I had to ride with a heavy clothes iron in my seat pack, and it didn’t sway at all – consider me impressed.

Like all the other bags, the new construction features a lighter, waterproof material with welded seams for waterproofing. The rear bag also has a bleed valve like the front. The Universal Seat Pack will go for $169.99.

• Compatible with fixed or dropper seat posts
• Wing mount keeps your load from swaying during pedaling
• Removable dry bag features a purge valve to allow for full compression when packing
• An external shock cord will allow you to carry wet gear, or flip flops outside the bag
• Weight: 572g
• Capacity: 10.5L
• $169.99

All of the bags will be available mid-October.

blackburndesign.com

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First shown to the public at Eurobike along with an upcoming gravel bike concept, the all-new Look 795 Blade RS aero road bike was on display but with no tech info, specs or details available. Now, they’re ready to unveil the goods on their first full aero disc brake road bike. There’ll be a rim brake version, too, which gets a surprisingly similar look and feel considering the different braking loads placed on the frame.

The 795 Blade RS is both designed and manufactured by Look in France at their own factory. It’s an all new frame from the ground up with the goal of being aerodynamic, comfortable, and versatile. Here’s how they put it all together…

At the back is their 3S Design (stands for Smooth Sword Seatstays), which use aero shaped tubes that have compliance built in. It’s a bi-arched design that allows for vertical flex, which is enhanced by losing the seatstay brake bridge, even for the rim brake model. They say this offers 23% more compliance than the prior models that had straighter tubes and a seatstay bridge.

An extended arm provides the rim brake calipers’ mounting point, leaving the seat stays completely free to flex as intended.

The disc brake bike gets 12mm thru axles front and rear, using the Mavic SpeedRelease axle system for quick, secure wheel changes.

Those new stays top out at a unique seatpost junction that appears to fall off in a rearward slope, but actually hides the clamping mechanism. Not only is the look of this dramatically different, it’s also a normal (albeit proprietary) sliding seatpost as opposed to the fixed seatmast on the 795 Light. Another unique feature is the post’s head, which can be swapped to create four different positions with just two parts. This allows effective seat angles from 71.8º to 73.8º to 76.3º to 78.4º. The latter is very steep, making this a great short-course bike for “recreational” triathletes that want a single bike that works for their regular road rides the rest of the year.

Compared to the 795 Light, the seat tube is much steeper, too, which is how they get the more forward seating position, yet it can also be set up to match the same rearward “roadie” seating position as the 795 Aerolight RS.

A small hole on the seat tube provides a quick check for minimum seatpost insertion. If you can stick a paperclip in there, the seatpost is too high.

The hidden “clamp” is fixed inside the frame and uses bolts to push the wedge against the seat tube, in turn pushing it against the frame to hold it in place. The oversized wedge provides a big contact patch so it’s more secure and won’t create small pressure points that could end up damaging the carbon.

In addition to the seatpost, the stem is also somewhat more traditional, using a proprietary aero shape that nests into the frame, but uses standard two-bolt mounting system. It holds a new aero handlebar, which has aero flat sections on the top that include mounting spots for their aero extension and arm rest kit. It also has entry and exit ports for all manner of hose, cable and wire, letting you start your clean cockpit before it even gets to that new stem.

Cable routing was kept easy and intuitive, yet also nearly fully internal. Things pop out of the front of the handlebar, then run directly under the stem and into the frame. This keeps it very streamlined, yet still allows for full adjustment of the stem height with up to 50mm of spacers without needing to undo any cables. This does lock you into using their stem, but it’s still an easy-to-use system. They say design also keeps the steering moving freely compared to some internally routed stem-and-frame combos that can feel like they’re binding slightly.

Inside the frame are guides that can be pulled out during install to help you feed the cable/hose through them. The end result should be smooth, straight, rattle free lines that are kept out of the wind.

It’s covered by a plate that doubles as the Di2 junction control mount.

Down below, it uses a BB386 bottom bracket and comes standard with a Token thread-together bottom bracket to maintain better alignment and creak-free performance compared to the typical pressfit BBs found on many bikes.

It’s a massive bottom bracket junction, which should provide perfectly stiff and efficient power transfer. Below are cutaways showing how the internal routing works, and it’s all sent outside of the BB shell for easier swaps and maintenance without needing to remove the BB. Cover plates and cable stops make it all very intuitive and secure.

CARBON CONSTRUCTION

Compared to traditional carbon frames, Look says their construction method uses more layers of carbon per tube, between 10 and 20 depending on the tube or part, with a blend of six different fiber types.

This lets them better tune the ride characteristics than brands that may only use five or six layers, which doesn’t offer as many opportunities to orient the fibers since each layer would be asked to do more work. In total, there are 163 pieces per fork, 503 pieces per frame. Frame stiffness changes as frame sizes change, as does the fork.

Claimed frame weight is 950g (rim brake, middle size), and 300g for the fork.

AERODYNAMICS & RIDE QUALITY

The frame’s aerodynamics started out in CFD, then moved to the Belgian wind tunnel to prove the truncated air foil shapes they chose for the head tube, down tube, and seat tube. They tested it across a wide range of wind angles, and compared the results to their other bikes. The prior 795 Light aero road bike measured as needing 124 watts to travel at 45km/h. The new 795 Blade RS rim brake model drops that slightly to 122 watts, and the disc brake Blade RS matched it at 124 watts.

So, it’s aerodynamic, but, in their words, “there are a lot of aero bikes out there. What’s hard is making an aero bike that’s a joy to ride.” And that’s where their focus is.

SPECS & AVAILABILITY

At launch, the new 795 Blade will only come in the RS level, which is their top version that uses a lighter layup. In typical Look lineups, the RS models are about 10% lighter and cost about $1,000 more than the standard models. Look for rim brake models with Dura-Ace Di2 and Mechanical, and Ultegra Di2 and Mechanical, groups with either Corima or Mavic wheels. Disc brakes versions will have two Ultegra Di2 builds, one with a TT cockpit build and one with a traditional drop bar, and one Ultegra mechanical build. Pricing ranges from $5,200 up to $10,000.

Each bike ships with a complete kit of spacers, extra derailleur hangers and any special tools or small parts you’d need to adjust and use the bike. Different stem lengths are available separately, too.

What you may have noticed on the two bikes we photographed is that they’re painted with both more modern colorways as well as Look’s traditional white or black with blocked yellow, red and blue squares. You’ll see both options, including a bold red paint scheme, which should help them appeal to a broader audience.

LookCycle.fr

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Remember Revolights? The lighting system that mounted to your rims to create stationary white and red illuminated patches on your wheels and tires for increased visibility? Well, their idea looks like it will soon be integrated into the rim itself.

The last time we posted on the Revolights Eclipse+, readers commented that once it was integrated into the rim, that would be the ticket. Well, they’re getting close. Shown at the Velocity USA booth, the company has been working with Revolights to do just that. The LEDs are now inside of the rim channel with what looks like valve holes at each opening.

Above each hole is a reflector that pushes the light out past the sides of the rim for even more visibility.

The rechargeable battery pack will still clip onto the spokes to get the weight closer to the center of the wheel (and to allow for a larger battery pack).

Like other Revolights, only the four LEDs in either the lower right or lower left light up providing what appears to be a solid block of illumination at night. Velocity tells us that they are still in the protoype phase, but they expect to have production versions first in 700c rims. Stay tuned.

Elsewhere, Velocity has expanded their hub and rim options to include the Quill in 650b with new anodizing options for rims as well. Hubs now include options for 177 and 197mm fat bike hubs plus Boost and SB Dynamo hubs.

velocityusa.com

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The new Thule hitch-mount bike racks offer lighter weight designs, swing-away solutions for easier tailgate access, better straps and attachments, and more. Plus, their Evo roof bars get better attachment systems for both accessories and the base plates, making it quicker and easier than ever to add a roof rack to your car, truck or van.

Starting at the back, the new Helium Platform rack slots into either 1.25″ or 2″ hitches and uses folding arms to secure the wheels at both ends of your bike. There’s no frame or rim contact, and no straps to fiddle with, with room for 26″ to 29er wheels wearing up to 3″ tires and bikes with up to a 50″ wheelbase. Max bike weight (per bike) is 37.5lb (17kg).

The wheel loops open using a levered release, then ratchet down to secure your bike into place. Integrated cable locks are included and provide light security.

The aluminum frame saves weight, coming in around 44lbs, about 8lb lighter than their T2 XT rack. The whole thing can tilt down to provide access to the rear of your car, even with bikes on it. It won’t be here until May 2019, retail will be $429.95 (1 bike) and $649.95 (2 bike).

New Thule Access swingaway adapter for 2” hitches lets you swing virtually any loaded rack (up to 250lb) completely away from your vehicle for rear access. It opens by pulling a single pin, so it’s very quick and easy to use. Coming in February for $299.95.

Thule has also upgraded their hanging bike racks, increasing the clearance between bikes to 7”, up from 5.5” on the prior models. The Camber is a new rack (black one, center) replaces the Parkway and Vertex and comes with no locks to keep it more affordable. It’s available in 2- and 4-bike versions with a max weight load of 150lbs.

They’ve replaced the individual rubber straps with integrated ratcheting straps, so there’s no chance of losing them, and they’re quicker to secure your bike.

The Apex Swing (black one, foreground in first group photo) and regular Apex XT take the basic frame of the Camber and add an integrated cable lock, more robust hitch attachment mechanism, and a 150lb max weight load with up to 5 bike carriers.

Lastly, there’s the Range, a new RV-specific rear hitch rack with no tilt. All are available mid March 2019.

The Thule Wingbar Evo Roof bar line will get a refresh, swapping out all the old shapes with this new version that gets a 165lb weight limit. One of the biggest improvements to the bars is a split rubber seal on the attachment track, so the mounting bolts can slide along and sit anywhere you need them to without the need to cut the rubber strips and reinstall them around the mounts.

For the feet, they’re easier to install now and have a much more streamlined appearance. Gone are the rubber straps that wrap around your factory bars, replaced with clamping hooks. They come with a torque wrench that clicks once it’s tight enough, and that reduces potential user error. A more universal fit means fewer SKUs for shops, too, since the same foot works for various roof types, and their SquareBar and ProBar will also attach to these same feet.

Not shown, the Force XT rooftop cargo box gets a more ergonomic key lock that’s easier to turn, and the interior shape is refined to make it easier to pack stuff inside. Basically, there are fewer weird humps on its floor that make cargo placement awkward. There’ll also be a Sport model that’s narrower.

If you need to haul more cargo on your back rather than your car, they have new Landmark travel backpacks coming later this year that will have 40, 60 and 70 liter sizes, the larger two using detachable day packs to achieve that total volume. The base back can hide the shoulder straps to act more like a duffel and protect them if you have to check them for a flight. Passive security features, lockable zippers, and a stealth cash pocket help keep your stuff safer, too.

These split the difference between their more aggressive, full featured lightweight hiking backpacks and their casual commuter packs. If you haven’t seen Thule’s backpack line (or even knew they made such a thing), it’s worth a look if you’re a bag geek like me. And check out the new, larger mountain bike hydration packs they launched at Eurobike, too!

Thule.com

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Osprey’s 2019 hydration pack collection adds all-new models that simplify internal organization and features to bring them in at a lower price points. The higher end models get bold graphic patterns in matched colors, as do the upcoming waist belt packs they showed at Sea Otter Classic. Check that coverage for full details on their new hip packs, which offer the option of running bottles or a reservoir and were designed specifically for mountain biking.

Shown on the center/left, the Siskin (men’s) and Salida are new mid-size hydration packs for mountain biking that come in 8L and 12L sizes.

They use a large front flap pocket that’ll hold a full face helmet and light pads. Behind that is the main compartment, which zips wide open with zippered organization pockets on the flap itself. A separate, softly lined Sunglasses/phone pocket is on top. The smaller sizes have a webbing hip belt with no pocket and replaces one internal mesh pocket with the sunglasses pocket. The larger size gets pocketed hip belt and keep the separate shades stash.

They get Osprey’s Airscape back panel with nice center channel, which uses a less rigid internal frame than the Syncro line’s higher end Airspeed system that keeps the pack farther off your back.

Not shown, a clever rolled shoulder strap eliminates the seam and edge from the main contact point, so it won’t dig into your shoulder or chest when loaded down. Both come with 2.5L reservoirs and will retail for $100 and $110 depending on size.

Hitting a new low price point for Osprey, the 2019 Katari (men’s) and Kitsuma hydration packs come in 1.5L, 3L and 7L sizes and are very simple with just one small zip pocket up top on the 1.5, with the others getting stretch mesh pockets and the largest has a large vertical zip cargo area (shown above in blue). They’re meant for minimalists or those on a budget, but maintain the solid construction of the rest of Osprey’s line…just with fewer pockets. They’ll come with 1.5L to 2.5L reservoirs depending on size and retail for $55/$65/$75.

The Syncro 5 (shown on far left in top image) is the new version of that model, slightly larger than before, with a redesigned rigid frame that eliminates any hard contact points with the body. Joining it is the all-new Sylva, a women’s version, with the same features but a more female friendly shape, size and fit. They’ll come in 5L and 12L sizes, retail is $120 and $130. Both use their higher end Airspeed back panel and have a built in rain cover.

The Seral 7L and Savu 4L hip packs are looking more production ready, but still not shipping until Mid January. As are all the rest of these new bags. Look for the new graphic patterns across all of them, along with some upcoming artist collaboration series available by the time they launch.

Osprey.com

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There have been a bunch of new tubeless repair plug kits released recently. But Dynaplug has to be one of, if not the, original micro tubeless repair kits. Founded in 1991, Dynaplug has been offering permanent repairs on motorcycle, car, truck, SUV, ATV, scooter, trailer, tractor, and most recently, bicycle tires for years. Designed and manufactured in the U.S., Dynaplug kits have impressive form factor and they continue to improve on their designs with options like the new Dynaplug Air.

While it’s been out for a bit now, we caught up with Dynaplug at Interbike to check out all of their tools in person. The Dynaplug Air is a genius little device that allows you to fill your tire through the hole, and then remove the tool while simultaneously plugging the leak.

This is possible thanks to the air hole in the needle applicator underneath their metal-tipped tire plugs. Push the tool deep into the tire so the air hole is inside, crack the CO2 to inflate the tire, and then pull out the tool – the metal tip catches on the tire causing the plug to stay in place.

The Dynaplug Air kit also comes with an inflation hose in case you need to use the CO2 without needing the plug. And a screw cap keeps the applicator safe and ready to go on the CO2 so you don’t lose precious time. The Dynaplug Air kit sells for $74.99 with the tool, four plugs, two 16g CO2 cartridges, and the air hose with presta adapter. You can add the Megaplug adapter and four Megaplugs for $19.99. There’s even a road bike kit with shorter plugs making this perfect for roadies as well.

The Racer is a dual sided repair kit that offers the standard plug on one side and the Megaplug on the other side, both ready to go at a moment’s notice. Sold for $43.99, the kit includes the tool, three regular plugs, two Megaplugs, and two insertion tubes. One thing to note, all Dynaplug tools come in multiple colors and include a lifetime warranty.

Called the Dynaplug Carbon Ultralite, this tool is also their least expensive at $24.99. The difference is that it takes a little longer to use since you have to assemble the tool each time you want to use it. The four repair plugs, insertion tube, and pipe cleaner all fit inside the handle.

The new Megapill is a slightly larger version of the original that has been enlarged to fit the new Megaplug. It also has increased storage for standard plugs as well, carrying up to five standard plugs and two Megaplugs. It also includes their new Micro Knife which allows you to trim the plugs once installed for a flush fit. Like most Dynaplugs, it’s made from 6061 aluminum with hardened 304 stainless tubes and sells for $74.99.

Finally, the Survivor was originally just a waterproof storage capsule that’s green, because, you know. But it can also be purchased as a Megaplug conversion kit for your current Micro Pro/Pill. The Survivor is $19.99, while the conversion kit includes the capsule, one Megaplug insertion tube and one Megaplug for $24.99.

dynaplug.com

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While many bikes continue to get lighter, there are some (*cough* e-bikes) that are quite heavy. But even without the addition of a motor and battery, some riders struggle to get their bikes onto a bike rack regardless of how heavy it is. That is why Kuat has been working on a new ramp concept to make loading easier than ever.

Obviously, Kuat is not the first brand to add ramps to their rack for easy loading. But as far as we know, they are the first brand to consider adding a ramp that is backwards compatible to their existing racks.

To make that a reality, the Kuat ramp uses hooked inserts that bolt between the main part of the rack and the end cap. That provides a perch for the matching hooks on the ramp for a quick mounting process. While not in use, the ramp would collapse and be stored in your vehicle. And since the ramp is so quickly and easily installed and removed, you would only need one ramp for up to four bikes on the NV 2.0.

It’s important to note that this is still just a concept, but if it happens we might see this as early as 2019. As mentioned, this would make it easier to load any bike, not just an e-bike so we could see it as a popular accessory for a number of users.

For something new that isn’t a concept, check out the new Transfer 1. Previously, the Transfer has been available for 2 or 3 bike applications, but for those who want the compact form of a single bike rack, here it is. Why would you want just a single bike rack? For starters, it’s lighter. But also doesn’t stick out as far from the vehicle, and also won’t obstruct your view when folded up. However, if you buy the one bike version and decide later you want more, there will be a one bike add-on for the possibility of carrying two bikes.

Otherwise, the Transfer is the same rack with a ratcheting hook for the front wheel, tray with ratchet strap for the rear wheel, and a quick release foot lever to fold up or drop the rack. Built from steel, the rack is sold as a 1 1/4″ and includes a 2″ adapter to fit both hitch sizes. Single bike racks will sell for $219, and an additional bike add-on will be $109. Fat bike kits are also available for purchase.

kuatracks.com

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No matter when you ride, it’s always a good idea to use daytime running lights. To that effect, Niterider’s newest tail light is not only daylight visible, but it’s also visible from the sides, and designed to fit both round and aero seat posts.

Designed with a triangular profile, the light is extremely bright from the back with a full strip of LEDS, but it’s also very visible from the sides with 260° of visibility. And if you care about aerodynamics, the light profile is probably more aero than your typical square light as well.

The mounting side of the light features a channel to fit angled, aerodynamic seat posts and the light includes two different mounting straps to fit seat posts with fat profiles. Conversely, it also works on smaller, round posts with the smaller strap.

The Sentry has a single button on top to cycle through the the six different modes and has a micro USB recharge port on the bottom. Run time is between 4:30 and 30h depending on the mode, and recharging should take about 2:30. When it needs to be recharged, there is a low battery indicator LED that lights up.

The light checks in at 62g, and sells for $45. Available now.

Not available now is the new Lumina Dual 1800 which was shown as a prototype. We’re told that actual lumens could be as high as 2000, but they’re still testing the light to figure out what the rating will be.

Fitted with a collimator lens to direct the beam pattern, the light will have two LEDs which will also illuminate the side lighting.

Mounting will be easier with the new quick release mount (which will fit up to 35mm bars), and modes and battery life will be controlled through the button on top. The light should have three modes plus Boost mode, with 1.5h run time on High (1hr on Boost), and will be USB rechargeable. Expect the light to ship by the end of the year for around $150.

niterider.com

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