Gear Watch Wednesday is a weekly update on the latest mountain bike gear releases and products that Singletracks has received for test. Have gear news to share, or products you’d like us to check out? Email [email protected].
Kona drops aluminum Process X and X DH
Kona Bikes is releasing two new aluminum bikes, the Process X and Process X DH. The Process X was previously only available as a carbon bike and the Process X DH.
The Process X has 162mm of rear wheel travel and is made for a 170-180mm fork and the frame has a flip-chip that can set it to either 29″ wheels front and rear, or a mixed-wheel setup. The build includes a 12-speed Shimano drivetrain. The Process X sells for $4,449.
The Process X DH has the same frame as the Process X, but is built with a 190mm dual crown fork and ships as a mixed-wheel bike, though it can be equipped with a 29er rear wheel. The build includes a 9-speed SRAM drivetrain. The Process X DH sells for $4,700.
- Price: $4,449-$4,699
- Available: Kona dealers
Silca titanium derailleur hangers
Silca says their new 3D-printed titanium derailleur hangers not only save a few grams, but they’re also up to 12 times stiffer than stock hangers. (Stiffness does seem to defeat one of the main purposes of a hanger, and so far the main application is pro-tour race bikes.) There’s a UDH version available for mountain bikes plus frame-specific hangers for select road bikes.
- Price: $99
- Buy from Silca.
Fezzari launches electric fat bike
Two weeks, two electric fat bikes. Following the announcement of the Rocky Mountain e-Blizzard, the Fezzari Explorer Peak is up next with 27.5×4.5″ tires and a Shimano electric drive system. Having a motor should make riding through fresh pow a little easier, and we suspect plenty of folks will be into the Explorer Peak for getting around town thanks to the stable, fat tires.
- Price: $4,599 – $5,499 before $200 off for pre-orders
- Pre-order from Fezzari.
Clothing brand launch: Curious Creatures
Montana-based MTB apparel brand Curious Creatures describes their crew as “just a bunch of weirdos obsessed with exploring our world by bike.” Their first collection just dropped, and it’s a full line with men’s and women’s pants, shorts, chamois shorts, and riding tees. Singletracks has a few pieces in for test so look for inclusion in a future clothing roundup.
- Price: $35 and up.
- Buy from wearecuriouscreatures.com
Mondraker Crusher update
The Mondraker Crusher e-enduro bike was first released in 2017. The latest update uses the same geometry and kinematics as the Crafty according to Mondraker and even has the same 160/150mm of travel front and rear. The main difference between the Crusher and Crafty seems to be the Shimano motor and battery in the Crusher.
- Price: TBD
- Buy from Mondraker dealers.
Dainese MTB shoes
Dainese is tiptoeing back into the mountain bike shoe market with two new pairs of kicks. The Materia (above) is a clipless pedal shoe featuring a Groundtrax outsole which was initially developed for moto applications. Acto flat pedal shoes, on the other hand, feature a Vibram sole for maximum flat pedal grip. Pro versions are available for both shoes, adding premium features like the PER-FIT lacing system (Materia) and a ZPLATE insole (Acto) that’s said to deliver the perfect blend of stiffness and flexibility.
- Price: TBD
- Buy from Dainese retailers.
Tifosi brings back Breast Cancer collection
Tifosi Optics reintroduced its Breast Cancer Awareness collection and a portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to the Lynn Sage breast Cancer Foundation. Last year, the brand raised over $3,000 and sold out by mid-October. Tifosi has six different glasses available in the collection.
- Price: $29.95-$34.95
- Buy from Tifosi.
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Sep 20, 2023