And now for something totally different:  the Ripper 29, produced by Slingshot Bikes.  It’s so different that I’m not even sure where to begin this post.  I mean, it’s got a cable instead of a downtube.  And there’s a spring.  And fiberglass.  What’s going on here?

The Ripper 29 is a very unique looking bike.

Components

The Ripper is Slingshot’s aluminum XC bike.  Obviously, the Ripper 29 is the 29er version, and that’s what I have to review.  The frame retails for $1,099 and can be purchased directly from Slingshot.  They also offer complete bikes and you can get them with whatever components you want.  If you don’t care to pick and choose every single part they also offer several stock build options.  I’ll be reviewing the frame, not this particular build, since you can get the bike however you want.  Mine is a 20″ frame, has a White Brothers Rock Solid rigid carbon fork, Velocity Blunt wheels, Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires on both ends, a 3×9 mostly SRAM drivetrain, and a very slick looking (mainly carbon) FSA SL-K cockpit.  It weighs in at 25.96lbs ready to ride, including the water bottle cage and the Crank Brothers Candy pedals.

The Boom Tube is big, beefy, and super stiff.

Now, About That Cable

The cable is the heart of the bike, and what makes it so different from everything else on the trail.  Instead of a downtube there is a stainless steel cable with a spring.  The top tube (or BoomTube as they call it) is connected to the rear triangle via a flexible fiberglass board called the Dogbone Flexboard.  The cable, spring, and flexboard are part of the Sling Power system – you can read all the details about how it’s supposed to work here.  The short version is it’s supposed to do two things:

1 - Store some pedal input and release it during the dead portion of the pedal stroke, providing smoother power delivery
2 – Get small boosts of speed riding over bumps

Close up of the spring.  The bracket surrounding it allows the cable to pass through the spring and cause it to work in compression.

Skeptical

To be honest, looking at the bike and the claims of Sling Power, it’s hard not to be skeptical.  For one thing it looks like the bike would simply fold in half when you get on the brakes hard – cables don’t provide much resistance to compressive forces after all.  The bike looks so radically different from anything else on the market it just makes you wonder.  That said, Slingshot Bikes have been around since 1982, so if it’s all just smoke and mirrors you’d think they’d be long gone by now, so maybe there’s something to it.

The Dogbone Flexboard holds the Ripper’s front and rear halves together.

I’ve had one real trail ride on the bike so far, and I’ve got to say, the Ripper doesn’t ride like it looks.  I thought it would buck up and down, but it’s surprisingly stiff and rides, well, like a bike, not really any funny business going on.  In fact, one of the first things I did after unpacking the bike was to do a stoppie and see if it would fold up on me.  As you can see below, that Dogbone Flexboard is pretty dang stiff!  The carbon fork flexed a whole lot more than the frame did.  I’ll be riding this bike hard for the next month or so and will report back with a final review then.  I may even let a few other local riders try it out and get their thoughts on it.

The fork flexes a lot, but the frame is way stiffer than I imagined it to be.  Not sure why I look like Quasimoto…

Special thanks to Slingshot for lending me the bike for the review.

Photo Gallery

The lower cable connection.  The seat tube is a big beefy T-shaped tube.

I like the clean, simple, understated graphics.

The headtube badge is pretty sweet too.

Tire clearance isn’t spectacular, but should be plenty for the bike’s XC intentions.

One drawback of losing the downtube: only one water bottle cage mount.

Specs

The WTB Nano Race 29er 2.1″ tire features an Aramid bead, DNA rubber, and a lightweight casing. The Aramid bead and lightweight casing definitely help drop weight, and at only 560 grams this tire is light and fast and definitely intended for use as an XC tire. According to WTB, the DNA rubber is a “fast-rolling 60a durometer rubber compound [...] specifically formulated for high-performance riding in a variety of conditions.” As for the Nano’s design itself, WTB claims:

“Its micro-knob design and large supportive casing conquer rough racecourses and roll with the punches on long trail rides. The elevated centerline tread rolls quickly on asphalt and hardpack, while the numerous working edges track predictably in ‘dust over crust’ conditions.”

Let’s see how accurate this description is, shall we?

Test

I’ve put close to 600 miles on the Nano as my rear tire on the Ibex Maroc. Over the course of my extensive test, I was very surprised to discover that despite being relatively narrow and so low-profile, the Nano provides excellent traction!

I think that the Nano’s traction in a variety of conditions can be attributed to the tacky DNA rubber. Despite having “micro” knobs, this tire seemed to stick to most stuff and provided plenty of power as I climbed up and ripped down the mountain, whether I was in Colorado or Georgia.

I’ve found that the description WTB gives above is pretty much spot-on. This tire is great in hardpack and “dust-over-crust” conditions, and I would add that it also handles well in rocky conditions (as long as the rocks are dry).

Negatives

As you might expect, this small-knobbed tire came up short in a few areas. Anytime the conditions were somewhat wet, the Nano started having difficulties. And it particularly hates wet roots. Trying to climb up a damp, root-infested slope that’s a little off-camber? Forget about it.

As I mentioned above, the Nano features a super-tacky rubber compound. While tacky rubber equals good traction, it doesn’t equal longevity. At about 400 miles, the Nano was already showing significant wear, and looked ready to be replaced. After 600 miles, I am in dire need of a new tire.

Before / After 400 miles.

After 600 miles.

Final Verdict

Due to the low weight and the extremely low-profile knobs, the Nano is a fast rolling tire! As the “race” designation obviously indicates, this tire is meant to be raced. It’s not really designed to be an everyday, do-it-all tire for the average Joe but if you’re looking for speed on a dry course, be sure to give the Nano a try!

MSRP on the Nano Race is $65 per tire.

It’s clear at this point that in general, 29ers are here to stay, and even with incredible developments in full suspension technology, 29″ wheels are allowing hardtails to see a resurgence in popularity due to the way those big wheels help smooth out the bumps.

The 2011 Black Forest 29er from Focus is yet another entry into this market segment. Focus Bikes are designed and fabricated in Germany, and they are quite popular in Europe. They are just now starting to gain traction in the States via retailers Jenson USA and Performance Bike. The 1.0 model carries an MSRP of $2,100 and sells for $1,725 at JensonUSA.com; there’s also a 2.0 for $1,250 and a 3.0 for $875.

Please Note: This is a review of the 2011 model. While I was writing this article, Focus released the preliminary specs for the 2012 model, which I will also discuss below.

The Ride

After logging hundreds of trail miles on my full suspension Giant Trance, I was nervously excited to try out a hardtail 29er, and the Focus did not disappoint. It has all of the characteristics that I liked about my old 26″ hardtail like fast acceleration and tight handling, but it rolls over trail obstacles much better. I have taken the Black Forest on a number of ‘epic’ rides and it is a comfortable way to spend the day in the saddle.

The bike carries great speed on the flats, and it climbs like a mountain goat on steroids. When pointed uphill, this thing is unstoppable. I have to ding a few points for descending, however, due to the steep 72° head angle (**see 2012 specs below). I was able to descend everything I normally would, but I had to really pay attention to my weight transfer and overall body position. The big wheels definitely help, but overall I feel like the head angle is just too steep for routine duty on technical trails. On the flipside, steering is snappy, uphill switchbacks are a breeze, and I have cleaned large obstacles on the Focus that I was never able to conquer on my full suspension 26er. The relatively short chainstays make it easy to loft the front end, and it even likes to catch some air when the mood strikes.

Components

I covered the SRAM 2×10 setup and other components in detail in my preview post and since then everything has held up very well (other than one brake lever that was sacrificed in a crash). Otherwise, nothing has broken or required anything more than minor adjustment. The Rockshox Recon Silver fork has performed as expected. The X7 crankset is stiff and tight, the X9 shifters work well with the X9/X0 derailleurs, and shifts are always smooth and crisp. The Avid Elixir 3 brakes, which are pretty common in bikes at this price point, have given me no issues. The DT Swiss hubs and wheels have remained tight and true, and the Continental Race King tires have had no flats. Overall the Black Forest is a well thought out and solidly built bike.

Minor Complaints (**see 2012 specs below)

I’ve already mentioned the steep head angle, and I also noticed some flex in the front wheel when pedaling hard and really reefing on the handlebars. I think the big wagon wheels are just too much for the traditional 9mm axle.

The Rockshox fork with remote lockout didn’t give me any problems, and it soaked up the big bumps without complaint, but it was a little harsh at high speed over choppy terrain.

Earlier this season I tested some Geax AKA tires and they completely spoiled me. The Conti’s on the Focus were ok and didn’t let me down. They roll really fast and have nice volume for a 2.2″ tire, but they don’t have anywhere near the traction or cornering prowess of the AKA’s.

At first I was pleasantly surprised by the included ergonomic grips, but they are not lock-on and they almost immediately spun around such that they were no longer ergonomic, becoming instead rather painful. I cut them off and replaced them with some Crank Brothers lock-on foam grips. German bike company Focus, meet German grip manufacturer Ergon. Problem solved…

**The Rest of the Story…

This is where I was going to say what a good first effort this was for Focus as they broke into the 29er hardtail market, but that in comparison to similarly priced models from Giant and Kona… yada, yada – but then I went over to the Focus website and checked out the 2012 Black Forest 29er 1.0. It’s like they read my mind! They addressed every gripe that I had! Here are the highlights:

• Fox 32 Float 100mm fork with what appears to be a through-axle.
• Shimano XT drivetrain.
• Magura MT2 brakes
• A 70° head angle!!!
• Lock-on grips

Clearly Focus has listened to us riders and in one model year they have taken their flagship 29er from a fast, fun bike that was sketchy on technical downhill and transformed it into a bike worthy of all-day epics that can also be a contender on race day. The graphics are more refined, the geometry is dialed in, the components are stepped up a notch, and I’m guessing that they made it lighter too. Make no mistake, Focus intends to have a piece of the 29er hardtail pie, and with their demonstrated attentiveness to riders’ wants and needs, they deserve it! If you’re considering a 29er hardtail for your 2012 stable, then dieses Fahrrad should be on your short list.

A big thank you to Focus for letting me shamelessly abuse spend time with the Black Forest 29er. (And also for the replacement brake lever)

Fulcrum is a division of Campagnolo, the Italian component manufacturer with a cult-like following of highly dedicated and loyal fans.  The Red Metal 29 XL (XL stands for “extra light”) is their top of the line 29er wheelset – and I have a set to test!  These hoops tick all the boxes required by modern, high-end wheels: light, tubeless, convertible axle, hand built, good looks, and pricey.   They also feature some interesting and unique design features, so let’s dive in.

Specs

-Hand built
-Aluminum UST Tubeless Rims
-Straight pull, over-sized aluminum spokes
-24 spokes per wheel
-2:1 lacing pattern
-Rider weight limit of 240lbs
-Weights: Front, 9mm: 810g*; Front, 15mm: 800g*;  Rear: 960g*; Front QR Skewer: 70g; Rear QR Skewer: 80g
-MSRP: $1,000

*Note: Weight includes valve stems, but does not include quick release skewers

Straight pull aluminum spokes mated with oversized axles should make for a stiff wheel build.

Included Parts and Pieces

-Front and rear internal cam quick release skewers
-Tubeless valves (come installed on the rims)
-Spoke wrenches
-Wheel magnet for use with over-sized spokes
-15mm adapters for the front hub
-Tire levers
-Fulcrum identification cards signed by the wheel builder(s)
-MoMag Nippler (pretty sure that is not what it’s called, but it’s catchy!)

This isn’t even everything that comes with the wheels.  The quick release skewers, valve stems, and computer magnet are not shown.

Hubs

The hubs are Fulcrum’s own design and are machined out of aluminum.  The front wheel ships with standard 9mm quick release end caps installed, but 15mm thru-axle end caps are included.  The end caps are incredibly easy to swap - no tools are needed and it only takes about 30 seconds.  The rear hub is 135mm spaced and standard quick release, no thru-axle here.  The freehub body is steel for improved durability, but features some very extensive machining to keep weight low.  The freehub has 32 points of engagement, or, 11.25° of free play.  Both hubs are 6-bolt rotor compatible, spin on over-sized 20mm aluminum axles, and featured sealed cartridge bearings.

The steel freehub body features extensive machining to reduce weight.

Spokes

Both wheels use 24 over-sized, straight-pull aluminum spokes laced in Fulcrum’s trademark 2:1 lacing pattern.  The 2:1 pattern puts more spokes on the higher stress side of the wheel where they are needed most, and less on the unstressed side to minimize weight.  On the front wheel there are 16 spokes laced 3-cross on the brake side, and 8 spokes laced 2-cross on the non-brake side.  The rear wheel uses 16 spokes laced 3-cross on the drive side, and 8 spokes laced 2-cross on the brake side.  A special magnet is included with the wheels so you can still use a computer (most magnets will not work with the over-sized spokes).

Quick note:  A lot of other websites have info on these wheels and say there are only 21 spokes on the front wheel, 14 on the brake side, 7 (laced radially) on the non-brake side.  Even the Fulcrum catalog says there are 21 spokes on the front wheel.  This is incorrect.  There are 24 – I counted several times to make sure, and they’re laced as I mentioned in the previous paragraph – there are no radially laced spokes, on either wheel.  You can even count them yourself in one of the pictures!

I’m using the front wheel set up for a 15mm thru-axle.  You’ll note that there are 24 spokes, not 21.

Rims

Quite a bit of stuff going on with these rims!  They’re aluminum, UST tubeless, and come with high quality valve stems already installed.  New for 2011, Fulcrum performed some extra machining on the rim between spoke holes to remove excess weight, saving 50g per rim.   There are no holes inside the rim bed, so no tape or rim strips are needed for tubeless use.  Since there are no holes in the rim bed, spoke nipples are installed in a non-traditional way – Fulcrum calls it MoMag for “mounting magnet.”  The nipples are inserted into the rim via the valve hole, and moved in place using a magnet.  The wheels even ship with the magnet and a steel insert to thread into the nipple so you can move it – I call it the MoMag Nippler.

The rims have been machined to remove excess material between the spokes to save weight.

The wheels have a rider weight limit of 240lbs, and the tech manual has a pretty good warning for anyone over 180lbs, saying the rider “must be especially vigilant and have (his) bicycle inspected more frequently.”  As luck would have it, I weigh in right at 180lbs, so it’ll be interesting to see how well they hold up for me.

Each wheel ships with a Fulcrum Identification Card with a unique tracking code, and signed by the builder.

Test Time

So there you have it, now you know all about the features of the Red Metal 29 XL wheelset.  I’ll be riding these wheels the next few months to see how they do out in the real world and on the trail.  The wet and muddy winter, along with high water levels in creek crossings, will be a good test of the bearing durability, and my three runs at the Snake Creek Gap Time Trial will provide over 100 rocky miles of racing to test the strength of the wheels.  Stay tuned!

I’d like to thank Fulcrum for providing the wheels for review.

The Ibex Maroc 29er has multiple personality disorder – but it’s the most wonderful disorder a mountain bike can have!

The Test

Any bike that shows up on my doorstep is bound to get the snot kicked out of it. The only question is whether or not it’ll get up and beg for more.

I have put well over 400 miles on the Maroc over the last 3 months, and have ridden it on trails all across the nation. I thrashed epic alpine rides in Crested Butte, Colorado (check out one of those ride reports here), punished it on my local trails in the mountains of North Georgia, and raced it in an endurance race in Sumter National Forest, South Carolina.

Over the course of my testing I’ve destroyed 1 WTB Laserdisc 29er wheel, 2 SRAM X-9 derailleurs, 2 derailleur hangers, and 1 jockey wheel. Despite all of this abuse, the Ibex Maroc got up off the ground, dusted itself off, and asked for more!

Personality #1: Lightweight Race Whip

As I recently demonstrated, the Maroc 29er is light enough and fast enough right out of the box to be competitive on the race course! The carbon fiber frame, carbon bars, carbon seat post, WTB Wolverine and WTB Nano tires, and X-9 2×10 build all contribute to the low stock weight.

As I mentioned in my initial review, my 16.9″ Maroc weighs in at just 24.82 pounds with a cheap pair of Wellgo SPD pedals installed. A number of crucial upgrades could drop this number by 2-3 pounds quickly:

• Lightweight Eggbeater pedals
• Tubeless conversion
• Lighter wheelset

The first two upgrades are fairly inexpensive, and while the third may cost more money, it would really help shed weight where it counts. If you really want to make this bike go anorexic, there are any number of parts that you can continue to upgrade. With a frame that only weighs 1,050 grams (2.31 pounds), the sky really is the limit!

While there are components that could be upgraded, whenever I am out riding the Maroc, either in an endurance race or just in a fast-paced group ride, I never feel like there is one single component that I can point at and say that it is holding me back. This bike was well-planned and features an excellent build. I’ve even had several friends remark that I climb way faster on this bike than on any other rig in my shed. No, the only thing that ever holds me back when riding the Maroc is my personal fitness–the amount of time I do (or do not) spend out on the bike.

Personality #2: Aggressive Trail Bike

While I do go on a lot of fast-paced rides, the majority of my time on the bike isn’t competing in races… it’s just riding around on trails. To that end, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Maroc 29er is a very capable trail bike!

A number of factors contribute to the Maroc’s general trail-worthiness. As maddslacker astutely pointed out, the Maroc sports a 70 degree headtube angle, which is rather slack for a hardtail. Even so, the Maroc still climbs superbly, while the 70 degree headtube allows it to descend like a demon!

To guard against rocks and random trail debris, the bottom of the downtube and chainstays are Kevlar-reinforced. Any worry that you might have about destroying this carbon frame from a random rock hit should be easily assuaged!

Kevlar-reinforced downtube.

You can see the Kevlar weave (the tan color on the underside) through the outer clear coat.

Cockpit

A few critical components help the Maroc perform admirably as a trail-attack bike. First up, the carbon fiber Race Face Next handlebar measures a glorious 685 mm wide with a nice, low rise. This provides precision handling at high speeds and a comfortable posture when descending steep slopes. I have to be honest, I’m a big-bar-lover, and I think the wide Race Face Next is perfect for this trail application!

Fork

The Rock Shox Reba RLT tapered 100 mm fork handles suspension duties and performs perfectly in all sorts of chunky conditions. I’ve ridden a couple of 29ers with 80 mm forks, and 3 inches of travel never seems like enough squish to my trail sensibilities. Bump it up to a 4 inch fork like the Reba RLT, though, and in my book, that’s just about perfect for a hardtail 29er! It’s enough travel to absorb all sorts of chunder-inducing ‘nast without harshing the climbs. Also, the Reba RLT features a mechanical pop-lock on the handlebar for easy-access remote lock out.

Braking

Many hardtails just run 160 mm rotors front and back. The Maroc, however, features a nice big 185 mm rotor up front to provide maximum stopping power while bombing at speeds. Yes, it’s obviously a bit heavier than a 160, but I really appreciated the additional stopping power during epic descents in the mountains of Colorado and north Georgia.

I’ve ridden a number of 29er hardtails with rotors that felt severely undergunned… not so with the Maroc!

Tires

The Maroc 29er comes stock with a WTB Wolverine 2.2″ tire up front and a WTB Nano 2.1″ tire in the rear. As I mentioned in my initial review, the choice of the Nano 2.1 is due to the tight rear tire clearance between the rear chain stays. While the Nano doesn’t rub, it still runs very close to the stays.

Out on the trail, though, this tire combination is definitely aggressive enough to tackle some serious terrain. The 2.2″ Wolverine is surprisingly aggressive for being so lightweight, and while the Nano is the most aggressive tire that will fit on the rear of the bike, it tracks true through a surprising amount of varied terrain.

SRAM X-9 2×10

While this is my first time on SRAM’s X-9 2×10 group, I’ve spent a significant amount of time on their X-7 2×10 and X-9 3×9.

In short, I am a huge fan of the 2×10 system, especially on a hardtail 29er! If you want more information, be sure to read my general 2×10 review and trek7k’s X-O 2×10 review.

Color, Tube Shape, and Other Details

The tube shape and general attention to detail is truly the icing on the cake. Riding a mountain bike that performs superbly is one thing… riding a mountain bike that performs superbly and looks good doing it is just that much better!

The naked carbon look is definitely “in” right now, and I love the stealthy black with the red highlights from the X-9 group.

The large curved tubes definitely add to the aesthetic appeal. Where the color and graphics end, the curves and cleanliness of the internal cable routing take over.

Finally, Ibex spared no expense and included a custom stem cap and custom head badge (not a decal).

Negatives

Negatives, what negatives? This is such an excellent bike that it is hard to complain about anything!

Nevertheless, it is worth noting (as I mentioned in my “on-test” blog post) that the clearance in the rear chainstays is very tight.

And while I think the Nano provides excellent traction for such a low-profile tire, after 400+ miles it is already showing significant wear:

Before / After

After.

I suppose that’s the trade-off, though: tackier rubber = shorter life span. It’s a tough choice, but with the performance that the Nano has been giving me, I think Ibex made the right choice.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, the Ibex Maroc 29er is everything that a 29er hardtail should be: lightweight and fast, but at the same time aggressive, and more than capable of holding its own against some rowdy singletrack and equally rowdy riders! In spite of the issue with the rear tire clearance between the chainstays, this is one mountain bike that I could see myself riding for a very long time!

MSRP: $2479.99

Many thanks to Ibex for loaning me the Maroc 29er for review!

Photo Gallery

To view the large images, click on the thumbnail, then click on the thumbnail again on the next page and you’ll be there.

A little bird answered my prayers. Just the other day I was thinking to myself: “Self, you’ve got this great Gary Fisher Collection Rig single speed. Why don’t you buy the drive side sliding dropout with a derailleur hanger and make yourself a whoopass 1×9 trail destroyer?” Well, for that I would need a rear derailleur, shifter, cassette and wheelset up to the task. I took a peek in the parts bin; lo and behold I found a SRAM XO rear “mech” (as poncy British folk call it), an XO shifter, and a fancy-schmancy 9-speed cassette. Check, check, check. Now where do I find suitable wheels? Shazam! Novatec comes through in the clutch with a set of their TX 29ers, a set of straight-up XC wagon wheels perfectly suited to my project specifications.

Weigh in:

 

Front / rear. Weights include standard QRs.

For reference, Shimano has an XT 29er wheelset that weighs 1867g. You could make up the weight difference by having a nut surgically removed, or taking a pre-ride restroom constitutional. Either way, the TX wheels are in the “ball” park. Teehee.

The look: these wheels are very pretty. With red anodized hubs and over-sized non-drive side flanges they look high end for sure. Style points are lost with the decal graphics though; they scream “I’m not a graphic designer, but how hard could it be?” Another odd feature is the machined rim bed with wear indicator. Apparently Novatec used a non disc-specific rim but the decals wrap onto the braking surface, so you’d need to do some modifications if you desire v-brakes (remember those?).

Some assembly notes: when I was installing the cassette I noticed the steel insert on the aluminum freehub body. Novatec calls their version of this technology ABG for Anti Bite Guard. It is an elegant way to save some grams while preventing all your pedaling torque from doing this to your delicate parts:

 

Also worth noting is the hand-built goodness that comes with every wheelset of this quality level. There’s a set of beautifully machined inserts for running a standard QR, or 9 or 15mm through axles up front. They spin on Japanese EXO cartidge bearings (2 front, 4 rear). Sapim Laser double butted spokes join hub to rim, and in addition to being hand laced and hand stress-relieved, they come with some very official documentation of the post-build testing that is carried out.

Numbers! Charts! Graphs!

The ride: These wheels were a vast improvement over my stock 2011 Rig wheels in terms of weight and stiffness. It is a great feeling to be able to spin up with less effort and then rail through the corners knowing that you’ll be able to hold that line. The freehub engagement is precise, and the pawls provide a really pleasing, medium-volume “angry bees” kind of soundtrack to accompany your shred session. After at least 25 rides on my local trails with some sloppy lines and cased landings they are still as true as the day they came out of the box. Even if I were over the 90kg recommended rider weight limit, I have a feeling these wheels would provide lots of happy, snappy, drama-free spinning. If your upgrade budget has room for these ($549, plus $100 shipping), I would say it’s a great way to drop some weight, add some flash, and get a versatile set of hoops under your bike.

What can I say? Wisconsin has a lot of corn.

Thanks to the folks at Novatec for providing these 29er wheels for review.

Interbike is a fascinating place, and if you ever get the chance to stroll through the booths you will find tons of fascinating products. Jeff and I were both really impressed with some of the things we saw, and at other times we were thoroughly unimpressed by some of the downright-ridiculous designs. We made sure to swing by most of our usual stops to chat with folks such as e*thirteen, Fox, iXS, Spank, SRAM, Shimano, Intense, Santa Cruz, Osprey, THE, and Easton. Interbike is seriously the greatest when it comes to getting a sneak peak at the latest gear and talking with your favorite riders.

e*thirteen

One of my first stops was at the e*thirteen booth. It’s hard to believe you can improve on such a great crank, but e*thirteen managed to squeeze 60 grams out of last year’s design by using an alloy axle and machining a little bit off the spider here and there. Not only did the crank just go through a weight reduction, but they also managed to change up the bottom bracket, making it more durable and easier to install.

Along with the cranks, there are two clever new pedals from e*thirteen: the LG1+ and LG1R. The pedals feature an alloy body, plates that attach to the pedal, and user-selectable 4mm or 7mm pins. The LG1R has titanium spindles and pins while the LG1+ features chromoly. The difference in weight between the two pedals is 88 grams (380g and 468g, respectively).

Race Face

Hard Goods

Race Face was at the show, but you had to look really hard to find their booth. Essentially the hard goods line-up has changed ever so slightly with the introduction of the Chester cranks. The Chester is basically Race Face’s entry-level DH crank, the Respond is their mid-level, and the Atlas is their top-tier DH crank.

Race Face is also getting ready to launch the SIXC, which is a new DH crank modified with a longer-than-average axle. The SIXC cranks will be lighter than the new XO DH coming out from SRAM and the rubber boots are a nice addition meant to save the crank ends from damage.

Soft Goods

I spent some time talking with Wendy from Race Face and she was proud to show off some of the clothing and protection that will be offered for next year. It looks like the trend is toward simple colors with large contrasting logos and neat argyle prints (kind of like the Singletracks jersey). Needless to say, Wendy (who also does the design work) has done a great job at making gear that will look cool for both men and women.

The new trend in MTB armor is softer, more flexible pieces and Race Face is on the ball with their Flank line-up. This soft wrap-around leg armor features a ton of excellent elements such as D3O on the impact points of the knee and shin and a Terry Cloth liner.

Stay tuned for more from RaceFace in the near future.

Niterider

A brilliant example of lighting at Interbike was Niterider. With all their lights out on display, this booth really was a beacon in a sea of bike gear. Niterider’s best and brightest, the Pro 3000 LED, uses 6 large Cree LEDs and a massive Li-Ion battery; the whole package retails for less than $700. Along with the top model, Niterider has a light for just about every budget, including both rechargeable and non-rechargeable units. I had a chance to talk with Tom, the founder of Niterider, and it seemed that we both shared the same passion for good lighting systems and the conviction that there really weren’t any good bike lights available when Niterider started out.

FSA

FSA was displaying all of their 2012 gear nearby and the smell of high quality, nicely-finished carbon saturated the booth. The K-Force and SL-K gear for the XC-Trail rider may be a good idea for those looking to save some weight. I really appreciated the extensive use of uni-directional carbon in the products that were on display. The cranks feature a spine of aluminum to keep things stiff along with the monocoque structure that you see. With other carbon goodies in the form of bars, seat posts and stems, FSA was out to impress.

Ritchey 29er

Despite not being a big 29er fan, I just had to stop and stare a while at this beautiful 29er by Ritchey. For one thing, I owned one way back in the day that was made by Tom Ritchey himself, and my bike had the same “America F*$@ ya” paint job. I kinda miss that bike, and this beautiful ride, although very modern, still has that classic look to it. I found myself wishing I had the cash to pick one up.

From the integrated seat post clamp, to the adjustable rear dropouts that allow you to go either singlespeed or geared, to the highly-polished look, this bike really is a stunner. It’s a steel frame and has a projected cost of $999 (frame only). Depending how you build it up, you can get weights down to 21lbs for a single or 23lbs if you’re going with gears.

THE

THE was showing off their new colors for this year’s T2, along with some cool armor and gear. There’s a decent mix of mild to wild color schemes for you.

Loaded Precision

Loaded Precision was showing off a few new components for this year with their signature series wheels and pedals. For those of you who are interested, they will have a 150mm rear axle available soon in addition to all the present wheel configurations… and in a variety of colors to really pimp your bike out. Anthony from Loaded also mentioned the growing number of products in their XC line-up, including some fire-red 29er wheels!

Topeak

Topeak was there showing off their vast array of pumps and gear. Some interesting additions included a new chain tool called the Link Meister which is geared toward serious users and shops. The head on the Link Meister adjusts so that you can get the pins out perfectly straight without messing things up, thanks to an adjustable shoulder which cradles the chain in the link separator. A really robust set of mud guards for suspension bikes caught Jeff’s eye as well as mine. It may have been sheer fascination about the whole idea, but I have to say they looked pretty sweet. I was thinking about tossing a pair on my DH bike…

For the Apple fanboys and fangirls out there, Topeak showed an iPhone 4 (and now iPhone 4S) compatible stem mount. Unlike the other iPhone handlebar mounts we’ve seen and used, this one put the phone front and center and leaves a cut-out for the phone’s camera. Not only can you use your iPhone as a GPS/cycling computer, now you can use it as a POV camera. Brilliant!

Randomness

When you go to Interbike, you will inevitably come across some oddities along with all the cool ideas. Below is one such product in the making (which type is it? that’s up to you). Still a prototype, this 4-wheeled pedal bike features full independent suspension using Rock Shox Monarchs. As Jeff and I chatted with the owners, we did see many places were weight could be removed. Presently this bike is pushing over 50lbs.

Azonic

Azonic proudly displayed the Outlaw wheels, which have been their staple product for many years and are now available in a 29er version and in an expanded color line. Along with that were bars and stems in the same color patterns for that perfect match.

Azonic has partnered up with O’neal to produce some cool looking threads and skid lids. Their focus seems to be all about color and a mix of retro patterns with modern graphics.

Twenty6

Before the show started, I got an invitation to visit Twenty6. Twenty6 is a small, high tech company that machines kick ass gear. Not only is the gear super slick, but they also have some rich color choices.

Below is just a sample of different color options. I’ll have a review written up soon on the Predator pedals, so stay tuned!

Pro Riders

Remember when I mentioned that Interbike offers access to celebrity riders? Well, great riders like Matt Hunter and Darren Berrecloth were at the iXS booth for a while signing posters and chatting it up.

I even got to spend a little while chatting with Matt. Having limited time, I just had to ask him how he did a particular jump in Seasons where he boosted off a kicker into a loose wall of dirt… it looked absolutely crazy! I got him to talk about how he felt going into it for the first time. It turns out a mix of confidence and fear with a bunch of adrenaline thrown in motivated him. I was really impressed to hear that he is human like the rest of us. Just in case you’re wondering, you can meet Matt in Whistler yourself during the summer months at the Summer Gravity Camp.

iXS

Speaking of iXS, they had a great line up of new 2012 gear on display. With a huge range of colors and improvements, I can’t wait to see when they will all be available. The new METIS shown below looks even better up close. The additional pad in back provides a perfect mating to a Leatt brace, and it provides excellent ventilation.

Not only does iXS make cool helmets, but they also produce a bunch of hemispherical goggles that really rock. They offer a dozen graphic styles to match or clash your helmets. iXS’s gloves and clothing are definitely something to behold. This is one website you must visit.

Spank

Spank had a bunch of shiny, new parts on display as well. They had a prototype stem that I thought looked absolutely amazing! The stem was beautifully CNC-machined, but I was told by Gavin Vos, the co-owner of Spank, that it is just a sample and that the final forged unit will be even stronger. The introduction of complete wheels from Spank also really peaked my interest. Even though I have no issues lacing up my own wheels, a complete solution with both hubs and rims is something I personally like.

The new Spike bar with another Spike stem prototype on display.

Speaking of Spike, stay tuned for a review of the new Spike pedals which, based on my initial rides, are excellent. These beasts have forged bodies with 20 pins on a true flat / thin body. How thin? 12mm to be exact. Not the thinnest, but in practical terms you can’t get much thinner without sacrificing strength.

In a previous post we talked a bit about wheels. Well, Spank has a few wheel sets bound to suit your riding style. The Spike and Spoon wheels look excellent with a bunch of innovative features like the BeadNip profile, the OhhBah inner wall, and zero eyelet construction. Again, Gavin explained why they decided to go without eyelets. They thought, “Why drill an extra large hole and add an eyelet, when precision drilling the holes with the correct angle will make a better interface and stronger wheel?”

Kore

Kore had a bunch of glossy parts out on display as well as a neat prototype of a new 35mm-diameter bar. They aren’t trying to set another standard just for the heck of it, but they reason that with bigger hit bikes, there is a real need for stronger gear that is more resistant to fatigue.

SRAM

One of my last Interbike stops was with SRAM. I talked with Tyler Morland for a while, and he showed off all the goodies to me. SRAM knows how to deliver! For one thing they had celebrities there with their bikes. Can you name the rider pictured below?

You know you done good when you have a tire named after you, like Danny Hart. Danny was around with his Giant showing off all the SRAM gear.

SRAM had all their components on display with new colors like the XO Silver, and there were other new additions to the line up like the XO DH chainring and bashguard.

Jeff and I both agree that the new X5 Group could be a game-changer next year. It looks like X9 but at a much lower price point. Tyler pointed out that essentially these two groups are the same and that the reduced pricing is a result of changes in materials. You will probably start seeing these on bikes in the $800 range – nice gear at a cheaper price point.

Shifting looks very X9ish as well.

The biggest story with SRAM is that you will have two more choices on gear for a total of 4 gear ranges for the chainrings: the original 42-28, 39-26, and now a lower 38-24 and an even lower 36-22. Another important set of products that SRAM will be releasing are easy-to-get repair kits for all your forks, shocks, and other gear.

Santa Cruz

The final stop that I had to make was Santa Cruz bikes. Like SRAM, you couldn’t miss this gorgeous booth with wall-to-wall wood and bike porn. Not to mention that Greg Minnar, Steve Peat, and Josh Bryceland were on hand as well.

Below are three of my favorite Santa Cruz bikes from the show:

The new carbon Nomad. This bike already was made even stronger than the aluminum version of the V10.

The new Carbon V10.

I got all goose-bumpy when I saw this rig! And to think that you can literally jump an entire highway with this bike and it’s still lighter than some XC bikes. What a testament to the strength found in newer carbon structures.

Santa Cruz Tallboy.

I have a lot of respect for this bike; the Tallboy is the bike that really turned me onto 29ers. A few people I know have this bike and they work magic on it–it climbs like a billy goat!

Well folks stay tuned for more – I hope to get a few more Interbike pics posted of even more sweet mountain bikes!

Last week at Outdoor demo I rode a Marin Rift Zone XC7 29er and found it to be a worthy competitor in the FS 29er space. Marin places the Rift Zone XC7 roughly in between an XC and Trail bike and based on the ride and geometry I’d say the bike leans much more heavily toward the XC end of the spectrum.

Like the other FS 29ers I tested, the Rift Zone is a capable climber (70.5-degree head tube angle) and fairly lightweight for a hydroformed aluminum-framed bike. As tested the bike offers a solid mix of Fox suspension components, a Shimano drivetrain, and Sun Ringle Black Flag wheels (perhaps the most non-XC thing about this bike). Descending on the Rift Zone was a blast – in my notes I wrote “juicy suspension.” Some of that juiciness could be attributed to the on-site tuning – after the Marin mechanic set me up I stopped off at the Fox tent where they ended up adding pressure back to the rear shock.

Looking at the raw numbers on the Rift Zone XC7 you can see this bike is really built for XC riding. The 100mm of front and rear travel places this bike solidly in XC territory while the 70.5-degree head tube angle is one of the steepest of the bikes I tested (only the Santa Cruz Tallboy and Giant Anthem X have steeper head tubes). The bike’s chainstay length of 450mm is right in between the Trek Rumblefish and Specialized Camber Pro.

At around $2,600 complete, this is one of the most affordable FS 29ers available and it does a good job on the trail. If you’re looking to upgrade to a FS and a 29er at the same time, this could be a good choice for you.

At the Interbike Outdoor Demo there was no shortage of full suspension 29ers to test, though the Yeti SB95 definitely stood out. With 5 inches of front and rear travel and the legendary Yeti brand, this was one 29er I had to ride. After waiting more than an hour for a size XL bike I saddled up to see what the SB95 had to offer.

The SB95 follows quickly on the heels of the SB66, a 6-inch travel 26er Yeti introduced recently. Like the SB66, the SB95 features Switch suspension technology:

Switch technology is an optimized dual-link design that utilizes an eccentric mechanism that switches direction as the bike moves through its travel. Built into a compact assembly, the eccentric creates a microlink that continuously repositions the lower pivot of the swing arm, allowing us to create a suspension system with no compromises.

Basically the idea is that Switch allows the bike to climb well, offers good small bump sensitivity, and reduces chain growth in the last third of the bike’s travel. Based on my short test run I can say the suspension delivers: climbing felt about as efficient as the 4-inch 29er bikes I tested while offering better small bump compliance than some of the more race-oriented FS 29ers.

And on full throttle descents the SB95 was super plush. Halfway through one run I stopped and noticed the O-ring on my shock was hanging precariously at the end of its barrel. Figuring the ring had somehow worked its way loose (I couldn’t have possibly used that much travel!) I reset it, only to find the ring showed full rear shock compression after the second half of the run. I never got to the point of bottoming the shock out, nor did I notice anything other than smooth damping through the full range.

The Yeti SB95 is offered in an aluminum frame at the moment but word is that a carbon version is in the works. With a short stem and wide bars, this is clearly meant to ride like a big-wheel trail bike – one of the few available at the moment. With that in mind, I found the SB95 didn’t handle quite as well as the other FS 29ers I tested, including the 120mm Specialized Camber Pro (4.7 ~4.5 inches of travel). Although specs aren’t available online yet, I suspect the effective top tube length on the SB 95 is longer than the Camber Pro while the wheel bases are roughly the same.

As 29ers move into Trail and even (shock!) AM territory, it will be interesting to see how companies like Yeti handle the geometry challenges posed by bigger wheels. The SB95 is a solid effort and proves that FS 29ers are more than just a fad.

Animated comparison of the geometry of the Yeti SB95 and the Specialized Camber Pro. The Yeti SB95 offers the most travel of any 29er I tested at Outdoor Demo.

Branding is a powerful thing. Most of us don’t want to admit it or perhaps we’re not even aware of it but when it comes to mountain bikes, something as simple as a name can influence our opinion about a bike. Admittedly my perception of Giant mountain bikes has been that they’re heavy and clunky (don’t ask me where I got this idea – I own a carbon Giant road bike that I really like). So coming into my test ride of the Giant Anthem X 29er I assumed the bike would be a beast on the trail (and not in a good way). And once again I was wrong.

The Anthem X is a full suspension 29er with 100mm of travel front and rear and a full aluminum frame. The SRAM X0 build that I rode was lightweight and seemed to be almost on par with the carbon 29ers I rode during the day.  The stealthy paint job and muted components scream “surgical strike.”

Climbing up the road to the start of the demo course was a breeze but otherwise unremarkable. In fact I could have done the same climb on my hardtail 29er and wouldn’t have felt much difference. The suspension was responsive through dips and transitions but where it really shined compared to other FS 29ers I tested was on the short, steep stingers along the course at Bootleg Canyon. Even slightly out of the saddle on those short climbs the Anthem X delivered without feeling overly twitchy on the descents.

Just one year ago I couldn’t name a single FS 29er that I enjoyed riding but for 2012 companies like Giant seem to have found the sweet spot with XC-style bikes like the Anthem X.  Models are priced at around $3,800 MSRP from your local Giant dealer. This is a fun bike to ride and one that won’t leave you completely worn out at the end of an epic day on the trail.

The Trek Rumblefish is a beautiful mountain bike with clean lines, modern hydroformed tubing, asymmetrical chainstays, and hot graphics that I had to ride during my time at Interbike. Like the other Gary Fisher 29er descendents, the Rumblefish has a reputation for being a solid big wheel bike with excellent handling characteristics.

The 2012 Rumblefish is currently spec’d with 110mm of rear travel and a 120mm travel fork which is a bit unconventional – most manufacturers prefer to match front and rear travel numbers. The rep I spoke with admitted the set-up wasn’t ideal and that the frame designers were still trying to make the geometry work (early adopters beware!).

Even with just 110mm of rear travel, Trek classifies the Rumblefish as a Trail bike which is traditionally 5-inch (120-140mm) travel territory. Of course some will argue that a 29er effectively rides like a longer travel bike than one with 26-inch wheels, making it difficult to pinpoint equivalent ranges of travel for big wheel bikes (XC vs. Trail vs. AM, etc.). Anyway, enough with semantics and classifications – I wanted to see how the Rumblefish handled itself on the trail.

On the climbs the Rumblefish definitely felt dialed in and efficient. While other companies are turning to carbon frames to moderate the 29er weight penalty, the Rumblefish is actually quite light despite its fully-suspended aluminum frame. On the descents the Rumblefish was agile and responsive and I had a hard time finding fault with the mismatched front and rear travel. This bike, like most of the other FS 29ers I rode, was a lot of fun on the trail and the geometry felt just right to me.

Still, I never got the feeling that this bike was more of a “Trail” bike than any of the other 29ers I rode at Outdoor Demo. Just about the only thing that screamed Trail to me about the Rumblefish was the wide, 2.4″ Bontrager tires on the demo model. If you ask me the Rumblefish (starting around $2,400 MSRP) rides like a fast, fun big-wheel XC bike in the same way as the Giant Anthem X does. It will  definitely be interesting to see how the frame and geometry on the Rumblefish evolves over time!

Update: The Trek website is now showing the 2012 Rumblefish comes with 120mm of travel front and rear (thanks Neil!). The rep we spoke with at Interbike apparently didn’t have the latest information – either way, the bike rode well!

The Specialized Camber Pro 29er is more mountain bike than most riders deserve – and yet it’s not even top of the Specialized line. With decades of experience designing and building mountain bikes, Specialized has applied that knowledge to the Camber Pro, resulting in a high performance FS 29er that’s built for going fast and winning races.

Like the Tallboy from Santa Cruz, I went into my demo ride assuming the Camber Pro would feel a bit sluggish and unnecessarily heavy. Of course once again I was completely wrong. The Camber Pro is probably the most responsive FS 29er I tested and it was ultra-snappy on the climbs. At medium speed over rocks the bike felt a little twitchy and stiff but once I opened things up the suspension felt plush. Of course it’s always hard to pinpoint exactly what’s affecting the feel of a bike – everything from tire pressure to shock settings to frame materials plays a role.  Still, I can say the Camber Pro has a racy feel that seems to be part of its DNA.

Unlike the top of the line S-works Stumpjumper 29er, the Camber Pro is not a full carbon bike – the rear triangle is alloy. Still, the bike is very light and felt just as stiff (or even more stiff) than other full carbon bikes I tested. With 120mm of travel this bike dips its toe into Trail bike waters but to me it’s a pretty solidly XC bike. Still, some of the features – like wider handlebars and a Specialized dropper seatpost – lean toward Trail bike territory.

Specialized has a reputation for producing dialed-in racing machines and the Camber Pro is no exception. It’s a sexy looking bike that’s efficient at getting its job done, all in a neat, FS 29er package. Want to win full-on singletrack century bike races? The Camber Pro might just be your ticket.