Sea Otter: New Gear from Avid, Bontrager

The Sea Otter Classic has become the spring launching pad for new products. Companies have started using the annual show in Monterey, CA to get an early jump on releasing new gear so that bike companies can start including the parts on OEM builds by summer time, rather than waiting until the following winter following the fall trade shows.

After Shimano unveiled its 10-speed mountain bike groupsets to the media Thursday, SRAM held a press conference Friday to announce a fourth road groupset, a new cyclocross brakeset and new bits from its mountain bike division. Here’s a look:

 SRAM Apex Road Groupset

With its Red, Force and Rival groupsets, SRAM had a fairly wide variety of options for cyclists looking for alternatives to either Shimano or Campagnolo. But now SRAM is adding a base-level groupset for riders who might otherwise be looking for bikes with a triple crankset on board.

The Apex is a 2×10 groupset, but with the option of having a 11-32 cassette on the back, it will allow new riders to still have easy-spinning gears without the complications and weight of triples. The groupset will likely be sold mostly as OEM on bikes, but it’s fully compatible with the other SRAM road groups, making upgrades to the better components simple. It’s a complete groupset for $799 US with doubletap shifters, front and rear derailleurs, chain, cassette, crankset and brakes.

 SRAM Wheels

On the wheel front, SRAM was showing off its line of aluminum wheels. Being added to its line of carbon deep-dish wheels are the 1,620 g S27 ($500), the 1,495 g S30 Sprint ($600) and the 1,430 g S30 Race ($1,000). The deeper wheels are also now available with either the traditional red/white graphics or a classy-looking black/grey colour scheme. From SRAM’s Zipp division, new is the 101, a previously-announced 30mm wheelset which the company says is as aerodynamic as other companies’ 50mm carbon wheels.

 Avid Shorty Ultimate Brakes

Cyclocross racers looking for better stopping power should be happy to hear Avid is making a new high-end racing brakeset. They can be set up in a wide or narrow stance, have take standard pads and weigh in at about 120 grams per wheel.

 SRAM Mountain Bike

The big news on the mountain bike front was the addition of 2×10 drivetrain options to the X.0, X.9 and X.7 linesup. SRAM’s XX group made big news late last year as the first full 2×10 cross country groupset, but now the technology has been passed further down the line. The X.0, which SRAM still considers to be its flagship cross country groupset, will also now have its own dedicated disc brake, which replaces the Elixir CR Mag.

For the gravity types, there’s a new Vivid rear shock from Rock Shox. The Vivid Air is 425 grams lighter than the standard Vivid with a steel spring, but is still meant for downhill and freeride use. Also new is the Argyle RCT fork, as well as the Domain Dual Crown fork, which is a scaled down and significantly cheaper version of the Boxxer World Cup.

 BONTRAGER

Waterloo, WI-based Bontrager is ditching the Race Lite, X-Lite branding for its tires and, instead, has unveiled the R-Series of road tires. In order to simplify the lineup and make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for, the Bontrager tires will now be labeled according to their use. R is for road racing or riding tires. Then there will also be T for training or touring and H for hybrid.

The R-Series is then split into six options. The R1 is an entry-level tire for $25 US and then the options go right up to the R4 tires, which are available in standard, Aero and road tubeless options (compatible with the Shimano/Hutchison Road Tubeless standard). The R-series tires are available in seven colours and are lightweight, but designed to prevent flats.

Bontrager was also showing off its Evoke line of saddles, which come in men’s and women’s designs and in different widths based on the rider’s sit bones.