Sea Otter 2024 Gallery: Sneaky shocks, new bikes and wireless alternatives
A wide-ranging sample of everything hiding under tents at Laguna Seca
With hundreds of tents crammed into the centre of Laguna Seca speedway, all kinds of new things are hiding at Sea Otter. From high-tech new shocks and wireless dropper post options to new solutions to nagging problems with existing products. If you know what you’re looking for, you can find almost anything. Here’s what caught our eye in Monterrey over the weekend.
Cane Creek Tigan air-charged coil shock
Cane Creek has two very different suspension parts showing at Sea Otter. On the one end, its new inverted gravel fork. On the other, the Tigan, an air-charged coil shock. Cane Creek’s aiming to improve on the grip and end-stroke support that draws so many riders to coil by adding the mid-stroke support of an air shock. This should add support to keep riders higher in their bike’s travel, taking advantage of the whole travel range and preserving the bikes geo instead of sagging in.
Maxxis Minion vs. Aspen ST
Maxxis also had a few very different tires debuting at Sea Otter. We covered the Aspen ST release and limited Team Spec version release. But Maxxis also finally released a 2.5” version of its venerable DHR II rear tire, in all the flavours. DD to EXO and all the rubber compound options, meeting demand from riders for a beefier tire and adding OEM options for eMTBs.
Giant Trance X Advanced and Trance SX
Following Liv’s release of the Intrigue X, Giant dropped the new Trance X and Trance X Advanced. In carbon fibre and aluminum frames, the Trance X adds travel and, in a bigger change, adds an reach-adjust headset to allow riders to change the bike’s geometry and fit. It comes in carbon fibre and aluminum and in a longer travel SX version that further extends the bike’s 140mm rear travel to 145mm.
Rab adds to Cinder line
When we tested Rab’s Cinder line, we were super impressed. The mountaineering brand is adding, slowly, to the range. A new synthetic merino shirt breaths well and, apparently as a fringe benefit, really doesn’t show sweat. The vest brings its excellent technical fabric to the vest crowd. There are also new colours in the super-packable Phantom jacket and a few others in the range.
KS LEV Circuit wireless dropper post
KS Lev Circuit adds options to the wireless dropper market. There are a few key details that separate KS from the competition. The battery tucks partially into the seat head, making it more low profile and protecting the battery from the elements. Crucially, it also comes in up to 200mm travel, for both 31.6 and 30.9mm posts, instead of stopping at 170mm. It also has a lever that looks and fits more like a traditional lever, but with the quick touch of electronic drop. Playing with the remote in the stand, it feels like a solid contender to the existing wireless dropper post options, too.
Muc-Off high flow valves and fork grease
Muc-Off is joining the fray of high-flow tubeless valves. There are a few twists to the three valves Muc-Off is releasing. A standard, wide and adaptable version all use stainless-steel cores for a long, clog-free life. The cleaning brand also had a new Fork Grease, which apparently significantly extends stanction life, a ceramic frame cleaning kit, gravel sealant (which supposedly works up to 110 p.s.i.) and a bar bag on display.
Limar Livigno
Italian brand Limar expanded its mountain bike helmet line with a new, super-light DH certified full-face helmet, the Livigno. It uses MIPS, a dial-fit system, comes with two sets of pads and is actually designed to work with sunglasses or goggles. For those that want added protection while pedalling, Limar emphasizes air-flow through the front of the helmet. It joins the existing trail and enduro-style helmets already in the line.
MRP Lift Damper
MRP suspension a decade of making its own forks and shocks. Now its offering the Lift Damper to tune RockShox and Fox products. The damper drops into a wide range of both brand’s forks. It comes in five tunes, for rider weights between 110lbs and 270lbs. Unlike most one-tune-fits-all forks, the five weight-specific tunes are designed to give all riders a full range of usable external adjustments to rebound and compression, not just a small subset within a range that largely doesn’t apply to their weight. Lift Dampers join the Ramp Control cartridges that aim to replace tokens in Fox and RockShox forks with a more tuneable option.
Saris tailgate pad and eMTB ramp
Saris now has a tailgate pad, with a few interesting features to it. The Mid-West brand also added interesting, and backward compatible features to its MHS system, including a ramp for heavy (e)bikes. There’s also a cooler carrier and a fully-automatic lift-rack for those that can’t lift their bike onto a rack.
Knog Blinder lights
Knog’s brilliant (literally) 2300 lumen Blinder E light and Blinder E 1300 get support from in-line power. Plug it into your eBike system or, if you pedal under your own power, a battery pack. Crazy lumens with a more practical run-time than most options as compact as the Blinder.
D30 thinks beyond padding
D30 is expanding the uses of its non-newtonian material to include insoles and grips. The material diffuses impact by spreading it out over a wider surface (like, uh, a bad cop punching through a phone book. In … in movies). D30 also says its material has a vibration damping effect, which, if it works, is highly applicable to grips and insoles.
Adidas Dunamis
Adidas has a feathery new pair of shades out. The Dunamis weigh just 98 grams, cover a wide field of vision and borrow, slightly, from Oakley’s latest. But just a bit. These offer a slightly modern take on the classic look at a minimal weight.