Whew. Sea Otter was a whirl wind. We met with a lot of different brands in three days and got a look at their latest products. Here is a smattering of them, with everything from bike locks, to bike racks, and everything in between that got us excited at the show.
Knog Scout is an alarm and if that doesn’t work, a tracker too
The Knog Scout is a sleek device with a built-in alarm that can be armed using a free smartphone app, and it mounts to standard bottle cage mounts using anti-tamper screws. Once armed, if the bike is jostled the device emits an 85db alarm that’s sure to draw attention. The rechargeable battery should last for months, and you can monitor it using the app.
Don’t tell thieves this, but there’s also a tracker hidden inside that works with Apple’s Find My app and network. So if someone does get past the alarm, there’s still hope that you might get your bike back. Think of it as added insurance.
- Price: $59.99
- Buy from Backcountry and The Pro’s Closet.
Abus makes an alarm too
Abus showed off their bike alarm too, the Alarmbox 2.0, that works similarly to the Knog above. The Alarmbox 2.0 has a box and a wrapped chain to secure the bike. The alarm is sensitive to motion and shocks and will start with a short warning for smaller impacts. If the tampering does not stop, a 100db alarm is set off until the movement stops.
- Price: $95
- Buy from Amazon.
Shimano and WTB make saddles for e-bike to enduro
Shimano didn’t have too much to show, aside from the latest CUES and e-bike motor tech recently launched, but they did have some new saddles on display from their PRO brand. The MSN 1.3 is an enduro saddle whereas the MSU (for upright) is geared more toward e-bikes.
WTB made some bold moves with their latest saddles, the Gravelier and the Devo w/Pickup. The Gravelier allows some hip flexibility and better blood flow where it counts. The Devo is a great option for e-bikers who want a dedicated spot to grab, lift, or push the bike.
- Price: $95.95 each
- Buy the Gravelier from gap30cycles.
New helmets from Fox, Limar, KAV, and POC
Fox showed off two new helmets; an updated Dropframe Pro with MIPS and BOA, and enhanced fit and comfort. The Dropframe Pro also meets e-bike safety standards and will be available later this year. Fox also showed off a new cross-country/trail helmet which should also be available in coming months.
- Price: $225
- Buy from Fox Racing.
Limar may be new to Stateside mountain bikers, but the Italian brand has been at the head protection game for decades. They’re bringing their helmet expertise to the U.S. and we got a peek at their trail and all-mountain helmets at Sea Otter.
The Etna pictured above with the ear coverage isn’t available in the U.S. yet, but the Pora and the Tonale are. The Tonale, also pictured, is a trail and all-mountain helmet with MIPS and rounded coverage, whereas the Pora will be have a smaller coverage area.
- Price: $179.95 (Tonale), $134.95 (Pora)
- Buy from us.limar.com
KAV Helmets showed some of their 3D-printed helmets at Sea Otter. KAV says their helmets are printed to the customer’s head measurements and comes with a virtual fit session. The helmets aren’t cheap, at $320, but they do have a one-time, 100% crash replacement policy during a five-year warranty.
- Price: $320
- Buy from kavsports.com
Lastly, POC had a new gravel helmet on display and it’s certainly a departure from their slick road helmets. The Omne Ultra, based on the Omne helmet adds patches, bungees, and velcro so you don’t forget ANYTHING.
- Price: $170
- Buy from Wiggle.
New MTB bags from Mission Workshop and Camelbak
Camelbak’s new M.U.L.E. 5 hip pack can be used with bottles, a bladder, or both to extend the ride. The new hip pack is made from recycled materials, has improved ventilation, and a bungee strap system on top for securing extra layers.
- Price:
- Buy from Moosejaw and Performance Bike.
Camelbak also released their Mini M.U.L.E. packs to fit kids who need to stay hydrated on the ride too. The packs have ventilated straps and are also made with recycled materials.
- Buy from Backcountry and Jans.
Mission Workshop has a slick new hydration pack out for mountain bikers too. The Hauser costs $270+, will accept a 3L reservoir and is built with a perforated back panel and tough, weatherproof outer fabrics.
- Price: $280
- Buy from Mission Workshop.
Udog Shoes have innovative strap closure system
These Udog Distanza shoes are made to minimize hot spots and beef up protection with a rubber outsole that wraps over the toe box. The Tension Wrap System has 16 points of contact between the upper and the wearer’s feet, according to Udog and this should also help optimize power delivery.
- Price: $200
- Buy from udog.cc
Cardboard travel box costs 10% of a traditional bike bag
Bike travel boxes are notoriously expensive, but Orucase has a great solution: make them out of cardboard instead of pricey, engineering-driven materials. Orucase, a brand that does make $500+ bike travel bags, showed their coming cardboard box travel box, which ships small and is customizable to the bike with a telescoping design and different packing materials. The box will retail at somewhere around $50 and though it won’t last nearly as long as their other bags, it’s a pretty affordable alternative for infrequent fliers.
- Price: About $50
- Buy soon from Orucase.
Electronic droppers from Magura and KS
Magura, known for their powerful hydraulic brakes, had a new version of their Vyron electronically-activated seatpost on display. The post is not available for sale yet, but the return feels quick and it’s one less cable to clutter up anyone’s cockpit. Magura expects to release this one later this year.
Not a lot of brands are doing electronic dropper posts yet. RockShox is the biggest known brand to produce one and Magura has had theirs on the market for a while. Kind Shock may have been one of the earliest brands to get into the dropper post game, but they haven’t been as competitive as some other brands lately. Surprisingly, they were showing an electronic post too. Unfortunately we couldn’t wrangle up any available KS representatives to find out more.
Available details said this post, the Lev Circuit, will be available in 30.9mm and 31.6mm diameters, with 125, 150, 175, and 200mm of travel. It’s a Bluetooth remote with an air-charged chamber.
EXT shows off new air shock
EXT is a high-end suspension brand based in Italy, with roots in dirt bike suspension. Their first air shock, the Aria has a dual-positive air chamber, so you can tune the top stroke and bottom out force and the small bump sensitivity for a custom feel. The shock is also tunable with independent high- and low-speed compression circuits. The shock sells for $1,150.
Pearl Izumi’s new trail pants are made for digging
Pearl Izumi is introducing a new line of apparel dedicated to trail builders this summer. The Pulaski gloves are a mix between a work glove and a bike glove so you can ride to the dig site and shovel with the same glove. Their Elevate pants, $170, are an all-mountain pant tough enough for building and light enough for riding.
- Price: $170
- Buy from Pearl Izumi.
Don’t forget about this top cap garage door opener
How do you open your garage door?, I was asked roaming by the 12 Speed Products booth. I suppose it’s different for everyone, but these folks made a remote opener that fits in a top cap.
- Price: TBD
- Buy from 12speed.com
Yakima’s outdoor kitchen makes camp-cooking easy
Yakima didn’t have any breaking new bike products for the season, but they did strike my curiosity with this EXO OpenRange Deluxe camp kitchen, which can be hoisted and attached to a hitch rack. Camp kitchen setups are somewhat of an art and always a pain, but this looks like a pretty sweet setup to use.
- Price: $1,199
- Buy from REI and Backcountry.
Saris is adding more racks to MHS later this year
Saris may have been bought earlier this year, but they are excited to add some new bike products this summer. They last released the MHS (Modular Hitch System) with their bike trays. The MHS allows users to customize their hitch rack, like above, where they have an upcoming single-arm bike rack with their cargo tray. The attachments should be relatively easy to install/uninstall. Keep an eye out for the single-arm rack later this year.
Kuat launches premium tailgate pad, cheaper Piston Pro, and overlanding system
It was a big week for Kuat with the launch of three new products, staring with the Huck tailgate pad. Three sizes are available to carry two, five, or six bikes and features include straps to secure the bikes to the pad and the pad to the tailgate, along with a flap for access to the tailgate handle and backup camera. The outside of the pad features a durable vinyl material while the underside is soft to protect the vehicle’s finish. The Kuat Huck pads don’t come cheap, priced between $149 and $320 depending on the size and shape.
Matt reviewed the high-end Kuat Piston Pro X bike rack a couple years ago, and now there’s a slightly less expensive version that skips the Kashima-coated arms and the built-in tail lights. Priced at $1,098 the Piston Pro still isn’t cheap, but it does knock about $300 off the price of the Piston Pro X.
Kuat is also getting into the overlanding scene big time with their IBEX “truck bed rack ecosystem.” Buyers can start with a base rack system and add accessories like the panel shown here and various Kuat bike trays as well. The system will initially support popular pickup trucks including the Toyota Tacoma and Tundra. Prices will range $1,489-$1,589 for the base system, with accessories sold separately.
New Maxxis XC tire and tire compound
It’s not often that Maxxis launches an entirely new mountain bike tire tread, and this one is designed for very specific conditions. The Maxxis Severe is billed as an XC mud tire, promising to provide grip in wet conditions without packing on the mud. MSRP: $93.
Maxxis also has a new MaxxSpeed tire compound for XC tires. Here’s how they describe it: “The new MaxxSpeed uses silica as a filler in the rubber polymer creating a compound that performs better across the board compared to the old 3C MaxxSpeed. Racers benefit from reduced rolling resistance and improved wet traction.”
Taco Bell themed Klunker
Yo quiero this Klunker. We tested another State Klunker last year and it’s a fun bike to ride; this Taco Bell themed bike looks even tastier! If you’re not ready to go full on Klunker, pick up a set of purple Taco Bell grips for just $15.99 or a handlebar bag for $39.99 to make your bike Fire.
- Price: $420.69
- Buy from State Bicycle Co.
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Apr 25, 2023