What’s new: Sea Otter Day 1

Welcome to sunny Monterey, California

At the Sea Otter Classic, riders across disciplines come together in Monterey, Calif., to usher in the new season. Downhill riders shred the slopes while road riders race the rolling tarmac. It’s also where the new and hottest tech for 2017 is on display for the first time for the North American crowds as thousands of racers and fans gather together.

Easton Cinch power meter

The new Easton Cinch power meter is discrete and located entirely in the spindle. You shouldn’t have to charge the unit—which measures power on the left side—too often with a claimed 400-hour battery life. When you do, remove the waterproofing cap and use any USB cable.

Schwalbe’s new compound

Schwalbe has developed a new compound, Addix, for the company’s mountain bike tires. Wolfgang Arenz, who’s manage tire compounds at Schwalbe for the past two years, is well known in the industry for developing many of the leading rubber for cyclists. The new compound, says Wolfgang Arenz, manager of tire compounds at Schwalbe for the past two years, has allowed Schwalbe to produce more durable tires with better rolling resistance, more grip and more vibration-damping properties.

Bontrager

Bontrager debuted a carbon-fibre Kovee Elite wheelset for cross country racers and some new hoops for enduro riders.

POC

The lid may look familiar but it’s actually a beefed up version of the familiar Octal road helmet. POC is targeting gravel and cross country riders with their Octal X. The body of the helmet is built with an aramid bridge skeleton providing an additional layer of protection to the EPS inner.

Canadian Cycling Magazine took the FSA K-Force wireless groupset for a spin in the hills around Monterey. Stay tuned for some first impressions of the long-awaited groupset.

DT Swiss

Hoops for every rider. DT Swiss has new E-bike specific wheelsets with stronger rims, hubs and spokes. Seen here are some of there road offerings.

Focus

The Focus Jam2 is an ebike that uses Shimano Steps MTB but batteries developed by Focus. The battery you see here is an add-on. There is also one hidden in the down tube, which is supposed to be sufficiently powerful for most uses. Note the plug on the top tube: it acts as the charging port for the internally housed battery.

Emily Batty’s Bikes

Emily Batty was out riding the course on her Trek Top Fuel when we spotted her Pro Caliber in the pits. She was still deciding which bike to use for race day as she considered different wheel sizes (29″ and 27.5″) and different crank lengths.