Sea Otter Pt.2: Fast bikes and an athletic take on the Canadian Tuxedo
3D printed prototypes and custom colours
Sea Otter is a chance to show off new gear, highlight recent releases or to show off wild ideas that might not be consumer-ready just quite yet. Or to just have fun on the trails. All four options are represented in the second part of our Sea Otter 2023 coverage.
Fox / Race Face
Fox and Race Face both had big releases right before Sea Otter. The new Fox Float SL and Float are replacements for the outgoing DPS shock and bring more race, or more fun, to your race or trail bike. Race Face added an impressive lifetime warranty to its alloy Turbine wheelset as well as an interesting new rim profile designed to prevent pinchflats.
Revel Bikes
Revel Bikes showed off two very different bikes at Sea Otter this year. The Ranger is the Colorado brand’s very real update to the cross country platform that adds durability and SRAM Transmission compatibility. The Rodeo is, in contrast, a prototype proving that 3D printed bikes are a viable if not currently financially competitive, production method. Revel had two of its printed DH bikes at the show but, while both are rideable the brand does not plan to make it available to consumers any time soon. It could, though, be a very interesting way to make real-world prototypes or custom carbon in the near future.
Ripton & Co.
Ripton & Co. might be from Colorado, but the three-year-old brand wants to help you to bring the Canadian Tuxedo to the trails. It has a full line of “athletic” jean riding clothes, from shorts and pants to all kinds of tops. The fabric is mostly made in Turkey and is surprisingly light. Ripton & Co. was ironing on patches and helping customers customize their cutoff length in the booth, for the full Fubar effect.
Chris King
Chris King re-released its original anodizing colour, now callsed legacy 3D Ultraviolet, for hubs and all parts. It also recently brought back six-bolt rotor mount as an option for its hubs. The Portland brand also uses FusionFibre recyclable carbon fibre for its expanding line of mountain and road wheels.
Pivot Cycles
Pivot recently signed Canada’s Jake Jewett to its full factory program (his younger brother, Dane, is also on the development team) but it was another young rider’s bike on display in the booth. Jenna Hasting’s “Lightening McQueen” Phoenix on display in the booth. The display bike is actually a replica of the Les Get’s world champs-winning bike, also painted by Fat Creations, which usually lives in the brand’s HQ.
Sea Otter 2023:
Canadian manufacturing and Swedish speed
Gas Gas shows off (most of) a new eMTB race prototype
Sea Otter Pt.2: Fast bikes and an athletic take on the Canadian Tuxedo
Five new drivetrains from Sea Otter 2023
Sea Otter Pt. 3: Classic bikes and custom builds
Sea Otter 2023: Road and gravel tech from Laguna Seca