Cratoni’s latest helmet has a built-in light/camera mount. Neat idea, although we’re not sure how keen we are to have a rigidly-mounted protruberance on top of our helmets.
Knog’s twin-LED light is super-compact and has a bar-mounted remote that cunningly mirrors the design of the lamp – one small button and one large one to switch between the two bulbs.
Bionicon
Bionicon’s intriguing on-the-fly adjustable geometry system (the fork changes travel, the shock’s effective mounting point shifts, so you can tip the whole thing forwards for steep ups and back for steep downs) now appears on quite a wide range of bikes. Here’s an extravagantly-hydroformed all-mountain one…
…and the Golden Willow, which brings the same system to a more XC-oriented bike. The twin-crown fork looks a little out of place, but the Bionicon system needs the extra stanchion length to put all the gubbinses in.
We told you a bit about Knolly’s new Endorphin all-mountain bike the other week – this is the altogether burlier V-Tach, using the same double linkage suspension design and also available in short-person friendly sizes.
The Drafter is something of a departure for BMX brand SE – it’s a 26in-wheeled urban singlespeed device aimed at people who just want a simple bike to get around town on.
Intense
Various new things from Intense. The SOCOM is an interesting frame – it’s got exactly the same geometry as the M3 downhill bike but with about the same travel as the Uzzi VPX freerider (8in against the Uzzi’s 7.75in) and less weight than either – at 8.5lb for the frame it’s 2lb lighter than an M3, 0.7lb lighter than an Uzzi and 1.25lb heavier than the all-mountain 6.6.
Meanwhile the Spider XC bike now comes in three variants. The original is the XVP, which now has a FRO brother that knocks a chunk of weight off – the FRO is an impressive 4.7lb. There’s also a 29in-wheel version.
Lizard Skins is branching out with an extensive range of smart-looking pads.
Ortlieb has been making waterproof panniers and packs for years, but this is its first hydration pack. Yes, there’s a reservoir inside, even though you could in theory just fill the bag with water.
Surly
Surly’s new crankset blends faintly old-school solid forged arms with currently-fashionable outboard bearings.
Xtracycle’s cargo bike conversion can be bolted on to the back of any bike, but Surly has made things a little sleeker by building a frame specifically for it.
White Brothers
White Brother’s Fluid 140 freeride fork has a 20mm through-axle, air spring, 32mm stanchions and gas-charged oil damping. Also available in 120mm air-sprung and 130mm 29er versions.
Everyone seems to be doing carbon fibre rigid forks these days. White’s offering is the Rock Solid, available in 26in (726g/445mm axle to crown) or 29in (771g/465mm) models. Both have 34mm carbon stanchions and alloy crown and dropouts.
MRP
MRP’s cranks are a combination of the traditional 3-piece BMX-style chromoly crank and the now-“standard” MTB outboard bearing BB.
This “urban” chainguide combines keeping-your-chain-on functionality with a stout chainring-protecting grind plate.
Formula
Disc brake makers Formula had this specially-made Soulcraft on display, showing off its Puro brakes. At first glance it’s pretty but nothing special, but a closer look reveals…
…internal brake hoses. Not just standard hoses routed internally, but tubes inside the frame with conventional banjo fittings at each end. We’re not sure how practical it is, but it’s certainly a smart bit of work.
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