From controversial (and premium) suspension tech to affordable flat pedals brought back from the dead, the 2024 edition of Sea Otter Classic is busting at the seams with new, shiny, prototype and downright cool mountain bike tech.
We put our sender sleuthing hats on and are pleased to bring you a taster of our favourite mountain bike tech so far.
If you prefer your off-road riding tamer, check out our round-up of the best gravel tech on show.
We’ll be bringing you much more from Sea Otter in the coming days. But for now, let’s get stuck into this lot.
Fox’s divisive 32 Step-Cast fork
This year’s show was one of our first chances to lay eyes on the latest Fox 32 Step-Cast – the brand’s new (and divisive) lightweight XC fork, which has adopted a reverse arch in the spirit of Manitou’s iconic design.
Fox says the new reverse arch makes for a fork that’s 40 per cent stiffer than the previous generation, despite weighing just 1,287g (down from 1,443g).
The fork also uses Fox’s new super-light Grip SL damper, which is designed for the rigours of XC marathon racing.
Check out our full news stories for more on the damper and fork.
Atherton’s (slightly) more affordable S-Range alloy bikes
The show was also our first chance to set eyes on Atherton Bikes’ S-Range 170 alloy enduro bike.
Released in February, the new S-Range uses CNC-machined lugs and bonded alloy tubes to bring the cost down versus the 3D-printed titanium lugs and carbon tubes used on Atherton’s A-Range bikes.
Unlike most alloy mountain bikes, Atherton uses 7075 tubing. This cannot – or, at least, not easily – be welded, but offers higher ultimate and fatigue strength than conventional alloys used for bikes. Atherton’s bonded construction makes it possible to use 7075 tubing.
Pricing starts at £2,799 for a frameset rising to £5,599 for a top-end full build.
Box Components’ updated 9-speed drivetrain
Box One is a new premium 9-speed drivetrain designed for the rigours of eMTB riding.
Building on its Prime 9 drivetrain, released in 2019, the new drivetrain is centred around a one-piece steel cassette and updated rear derailleur.
The cassette is available in a single 11-50t option, is expected to cost around $400 and weighs a claimed 350g.
The derailleur has moved from a slanted parallelogram layout – as seen on Shimano derailleurs – to a horizontal layout similar to SRAM’s. Box says this new design results in more accurate shifting with less chance of ghost shifting.
The internals of the shifter have also been upgraded from the original plastic ratchets to magnesium, improving longevity and shifter feel.
Box uses a proprietary chain that is, externally, as wide as a 9-speed chain but with 11-speed-width rollers. This results in a stronger chain according to Box.
The groupset should be available later this year with an expected retail price of $700.
WolfTooth Ripsaw pedals are for flat pedal shredders
WolfTooth’s RipSaw platform pedals start life as a block of 6061-T6 alloy and are designed specifically for a mid-foot riding position.
The pedals have a slightly convex profile. They are just 7mm thick at their leading edge and 12.5mm thick at the axle.
The $199 pedals spin on three sealed cartridge bearings and an Igus bushing. The 12 pins on either side of the pedal can be swapped for 4.5mm or 3.5mm-long options.
All components are available as spares and the pedals come with a five-year warranty.
Praxis’s forged Podium pedals
Praxis’s new Podium pedals are competitively priced at $155 and may look familiar to some readers.
The new pedals are a reincarnation of a model of the same name produced by Gamut until the brand ceased trading in 2018.
Unusually for a boutique offering, Praxis’s pedals are forged prior to machining. This results in a stronger pedal body compared to machining from solid billet, according to Praxis.
Though the initial tooling is expensive, forging makes the pedals easier and cheaper to produce. This is reflected in their competitive pricing.
The pedals’ profile has been slightly updated – they are now 14mm thick at their widest point, with the bearing bump that pushed the foot outboard on the first Gamut-era pedals slimmed down.
As with Wolf Tooth’s pedals, the Praxis Podium pedals spin on a row of three sealed Enduro bearings and a custom Igus bushing.
Maxxis launches its fastest XC racing tyre
The Maxxis Aspen ST XC racing tyre has been raced by pros for several years and are now, finally, available for the public to buy.
Available in 170 and 120 TPI casing options, the long-awaited ultra low-profile tyre is Maxxis’ fastest XC race tyre.
With a big year of XC racing ahead of us, thanks to this summer’s Paris Olympic Games, we’re seeing plenty of new cross-country tech come to the fore, including another tyre in the former of Vittoria’s all-new Peyote.
Head to our full story on the new Aspen ST for all the details.
Michelin reimagines classic Comp 16 with new DH16 downhill tyres
At the other end of the tyre spectrum, Michelin’s new DH16 tyre is the brand’s downhill racing tyre designed for dry hardpack conditions.
The tyre replaces the DH34 and is inspired by the much-loved Comp 16.
The new tyre is claimed to be around 150g lighter than the previous-generation tyre with an 18 per cent improvement in rolling resistance, according to Michelin.
A new softer rubber compound is said to maintain consistent performance down to temperatures as low as 3c.
Cannondale’s stunning Lab71 Scalpel
We couldn’t resist a closer look at this amazing smokey paint job on Cannondale’s Lab71 Scalpel.
Lab71 is Cannondale’s range of premium bikes, with lighter layups and top-flight builds.
This bike is about as fancy as it gets, with a full SRAM XX Transmission groupset, DT Swiss XRC 1200 wheels, a Lefty Ocho 120 fork, a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper seatpost and CeramicSpeed’s OSPW X oversized pulley wheel system.
