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PRO unveils new gear for road and off-road riders

This week, at the Eurobike conference, PRO is unveiling a new line of mountain bike components and accessories, and new innovations for the road rider, too.

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When we say “mountain biking,” what we’re referring to are several different styes of hitting the dirt, not just one. There’s downhill, enduro, cross country, and dirt riding. There’s also, of course, the trail. Anything but a type of cycling with just one set of characteristics, mountain biking involves every variation in speed and terrain conditions you can imagine between those different styles — and between just those five, there’s a lot.

As such, the demands of them require dedicated components and tehnology. This week, at the Eurobike conference, PRO is unveiling a new line of mountain bike components and accessories, and new innovations for the road rider, too.

Here’s a look at what PRO is offering for 2016.

MOUNTAIN

2016’s new mountain bike offerings from PRO include the new alloy Tharsis 9.8 bar, seatpost and saddle groupset, the Tharsis Di2-compatible carbon bar and alloy system, and the new Koryak system, including a step, bar and seatpost groupset. Each offering represents a different aspect of off-road, introducing a host of options to increase comfort and facilitate control.

Tharsis 9.8

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Designed for downhill riders — the “9.8,” after all, refers to the force of gravity itself — the Tharsis 9.8 is for those with an urge to blast headlong in the most direct manner possible, especially when the direction is down, down, down. They’re attractive, too, with a race-oriented appearance that has been seen on gear used by riders like Rachel Atherton, who took her sixth victory at the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill competition

Most importantly for downhill riders, though, they’re also strong components. Designed 110% above the recommended safety requirements for downhill bikes, they’re capable of bearing a heavy frame-load in adverse, rough conditions.

Tharsis Trail

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PRO’s Tharsis Trail carbon handlebars and allow systems are a follow-up to last year’s Tharsis XC groupset for cross-country, and they’re designed specifically for all-mountain and trail riders, with GT Factory Racing’s Martin Maes playing a role in development.

“During the development phase,” he said, “I pushed as hard as I could with every compinent to completely test them to their limits and feed back the best information possible. The end result is that I can’t ask for anything better to race with.”

The prouct of that development process include two carbon bars, one conventionally-designed and another built specifically to be paired with Shimano’s Di2 system. In the usual Tharsis colours of matte black with glossy decals, the bars weigh 214 g, with a width of 800mm and a 20 degree rise, allowing for greater control on the trickier trails. Both bars, too, can be reduced to as much as 720 mm for a narrower racing experience.

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As well, the Tharsis Trail system includes specially-developed stems, built to accommodate the Di2’s internal cables and battery system. The front clamp of the stem is also wider with this new design, which stiffens the controls, better accommodating the forces applied by wider handlebars and more aggressive riders. Stems will be available in four lengths: 35, 45, 55, and 65 mm designs, all with a 0 degree angle.

PRO Koryak

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Similar to the Tharsis range of components but intended more for cross-country and trail racers, the design of the Koryak family of stems, bars and seatposts has performance and durability in mind. The seatposts use a one-bolt clamping system, allowing for ease of assembly and adjustment, with rain-friendly clamping accommodating all types of saddles.

In addition to the seatposts, flat or low-riser alloy bars are available as a 720 mm bar, with a longer 760 mm riser bar also among the offerings. In both cases, the bars are 31.8 mm in diameter, with a 9 degree backsweep.

And finally, weighing in at barely 110 grams, PRO has also introduced seven Koryak aluminum stems for 2016, all designed for 31.8 mm bars with length ranging from 40 mm to 100 mm. The difference between riding styles, it seems, comes down to the length. Three stems in the 40-60 mm range have a zero degree angle, intended for trail riders, while the four stems in the 70-100 mm range are six degrees, give or take, making them ideal for cross country.

ROAD

Also coinciding with Eurobike, PRO has unveiled a range of road bike tech and components for 2016, too, including a new PLT bar, stem and seatpost groupset, new graphical makeoers for Missile Evo TT components and PRO wheels, PRO accessories, and tools for pro workshops and mechanics.

Here’s a look at what the Road line of components by PRO will be offering this year.

PLT groupset

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The alloy PLT bar, stem and seat post group is all about providing for a reliable and durable racing experience. PLT ergo bars range in widths from 36 cm to 46 cm, with stems in the 50 to 130 mm range. Seat posts, meanwhile, come in 27.2 mm and 31.6 mm designs, with 20 mm and 0 mm offset options.

PRO’s PLT Compact Ergo handlebar is ergonomically shaped, with its top section allowing for optimal pressure relief on a rider’s hands and wrists. The PLT seatpost, too, has an innovative 1-bolt clamping system like PRO’s mountain bike offerings, meaning that cyclists can quickly and easily reposition the saddle.

Missile Evo

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This Missile Evo isn’t just made for competitive triathletes, it’s made by them, with a time trial-focused design that includes aerobars, clip-on bars, extensions and a base bar, along with a carbon stem and arm rests. The aerobar itsel — the Missile Evo Carbon Aerobar, made completely of carbon — meets UCI requirements itself, and was seen on the bikes of tri teams like Francaise Des Jeux and BMC-Uplace Triathlon.

The Missile Evo Carbon Aerobar also features integrated brake and shift cable routing, allowing it to be integrated with Shimano’s Dura Ace or Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting systems.

PRO disc wheels, 3-spoke and track wheels

PRO’s new wheels are bringing a different look for 2016.

Created, like other elements of 2016’s PRO offerings, in tandem with some of the world’s top athletes and riders, PRO wheels are all about providing an unrivalled aero construction, and have been used recently by teams including Team Sky, Giant Alpecin, Orica GreenEDGE, Francais Des Jeux and Lotto-Jumbo NL, all at this year’s Tour de France.

The range of road offerings from PRO this year are supplemented by other accessories, too, intended for both the workshop and the road.

For the workshop, PRO is rolling out pumps, pressure checkers, CO2 cartridges, floor and mini pumps, saddle and wheel bags, bike bags, brushes, stands and specialist tools. For the road, meanwhile, there’s bike computers, bottles and cages, bar tape, cyclocross cable hangers, cartridge headsets, end plugs and seat clamps.

All of PRO’s new line of products will be available at retailers starting in September, with products getting a preiew at Eurobike this week.