After seeing more than one set of super wide 800mm bars at Interbike, element22 and I were having a conversation that went something like this:

element22: Wow, 800mm bars – that’s gotta be as wide as it gets.
trek7k: I dunno, next thing you know someone will come out with 820mm so they’re just a little wider than everyone else. It’s an arms race.

Fast forward to later in the day and our meeting with Sean from Ritchey / Syncros. Strolling around the booth I literally knocked a set of bars off the display and immediately element22 recognized the gag: 1000mm handlebars (1 meter or 39.37 inches for those who aren’t up on the metric system). Sean assured us the bars were created just as a conversation piece but I’m not so sure. Apparently the feedback from some younger riders was that they’d be interested in giving the 1000mm bars a try. Add to that the fact that the bar was produced with thicker walls for added strength – at the very least someone will be riding with these babies to see how they feel on the bike. What do you think – how wide is too wide for mountain bike handlebars?

Aside from the gag bars, Syncros unveiled a totally innovative (and patented) mountain bike stem called the FRIC. The “Intelligent Clamp” design wraps 260-degrees around the bar (unlike traditional 180-degree stem clamps) to reduce bar stress and increase fatigue strength. Reduced bar stress is a great thing for anyone who runs carbon bars but is wary of over-torquing things. Of course this means most bars will need to be threaded through the stem on installation but that’s a small price to pay. The stem also sports a centered steer tube slot which means improved bolt clearance. The whole package weighs just 124 grams – sweet.

Stems and bars are certainly interesting but what really caught my eye was the new 29er fork from Syncros. From a distance the rigid carbon fork looks like a standard suspension fork – but one that’s been blacked out for stealth early-product testing. Most of the rigid, carbon mountain bike forks I’ve seen look like they belong on a road bike but this one definitely fits the scene. I’m hoping to get a few test rides in on one of these in the near future – stay tuned for more…

The company also showed off updated wheels (including 29er hoops), pedals, and hubs. Honestly we could have spent all day drooling over the latest stuff at the Ritchey / Syncros booth.

Ritchey / Syncros has a great reputation for innovative design and solid products and the line-up for 2011 certainly doesn’t disappoint. Where will the company push the boundaries next?

Hi everyone. Well one of the first stops for me this year at Interbike was a visit with a friend of mine Lance Tueller, the Importer of Spank / iXS / and Morewood bikes. This year Spank went and spent a ton of time developing and improving an already impressive line-up of components. Basically the message that I got was lighter, stronger, and bling. Everything from the Subrosa line of bars, rims, and saddles to the über-tough Stiffy line of products got a once-over from the folks down at Spank. The new rims have two unique features that no other brand that I can think of has yet: the “Ooh-Bah” profile and bead nip technology. The Ooh-Bah profile is being carried to nearly all the rims in their line-up. Speaking of the line-up, Spank rims start from 23mm outside rim width all the way to a massive 40mm. I’m talking crazy Rampage dimensions!

Now another new item that is just awesome is the Spike pedal and honestly the pictures just don’t give these jewels justice. For one thing the super low profile and the chamfered ends are simply amazing, especially for a pedal that boasts a generous platform with 9 pins on each surface and coming in at about 400 grams. Watch out for these pedals, I’m sure you’re going to see many of these on some up and coming bikes because of the great design. The inner bearing is placed as close as possible to the crank while the pedal body is tapered at the crank end to naturally move your foot onto the platform.

The Spike range has a nice bar coming in at 777mm wide and three rises (1, 2, and 3 inches) making this one very friendly to the gravity crowd. To top it off, the stunning anodizing and graphics makes this a bar to grab hold of. There’s also a re-engineered stem for the Boxxer / Fox crowd plus a price reduction which makes the stem even more attractive.

Check out all this and more at Spank Bike’s website.

Since 1987 I’ve owned mountain bikes from Yeti, Rocky Mountain, Cannondale, Giant, and Opus – and Answer bars have graced the cockpit on every one of them at one time or another. I still remember when MTB bars were measured against the performance of the Answer Taperlite and Hyperlite models.  Just recently I came across an old Answer mountain bike circa 1993 at my buddy’s shop (pics below – yes those are slicks… don’t ask).

I got a chance to chat with Tom Porter, Product Manager for Answer Products, and we discussed some downright sexy new products the company is introducing to the Gravity / 4X / DJ scene. It turns out he and I share many of the same interests and hobbies as well a passion for mountain bikes and the surrounding technology. Tom shared a bit of his background and how he came to where he is at today at Hayes Bicycle Group, home of Answer Products, Manitou Suspension, Hayes Disc Brakes, Sun Rims, Sun Ringle’ Wheels, and Wheelsmith Spokes.

Coming from a family where Dad raced vintage sports cars and even a Can-Am car, Tom felt the need for speed at an early age. Being handy with a wrench, Tom started working at a bike shop around the same time mountain biking was taking off as a sport. Moving around in the industry with a stint at Waterford Precision Cycles (formally the Schwinn Paramount Factory), Tom then went to work for the Motorsports Composites Company making carbon fiber and kevlar body work for prestigious racing teams like Pratt & Miller and TWR for applications in 12-24 hour endurance racing. Then in 1999, Tom moved to Hayes with a role in Technical Support. Quickly adapting to the new corporate model and with a firm understanding of the bicycle industry, he began managing and overseeing various aspects of “MAG” brake production which is highly regarded as one of the best hydraulic bike brakes ever made.

As Hayes continued to grow, Tom’s next opportunity was in the acquisition and integration of all the new brands and products that are now part of the Hayes Bicycle Group. Once this job was complete and feeling a connection with the Answer brand, Tom has returned back to the product side of the business in his current position as product manager for Answer Products.  Just 15 months in, there are super cool components available and more great things coming!

Here’s what Tom had to say during our conversation.

How does Answer investigate and prioritize what has to be done to improve specific products?

We identify technology advances through the following process.

1. Benchmark program of key competitor’s products and market trends.
2. Internal FEA testing of models and extensive lab testing.
3. Utilization of HTP (Hayes Test Program) Riders for the Research & Development of new components.

What kind of new products and other stuff are in the works for Answer?

We have a list of new components that we are launching throughout the year, starting off with the PRO Taper® Alloy Bars.

Pro Taper alloy bars (are made from a) new 7050 alloy material (using the) same proven (4×8 degree geometry). Rise was lowered and width increased based on market trends and rider feedback. Goal: Lower mass/quicker steering input & comfortable riding position in a bar that looks hot and has a reasonable cost.

Pro Taper Carbon bars: geometry same as the 720AM bars but 33% lighter! By using Pro Taper technology we can put the material in the bars where it is needed most: the clamp and the rise areas. Goal: Lightweight, strong, comfortable bar for all-mountain use that looks the part.

I noticed that the bars pictured above are more geared towards the trial / DH rider – do you have plans to produce a flat XC version?

Yes we have a Pro Taper XC straight bar in the works. 660mm carbon flat bar with 3 degree back sweep. This will be available in early summer.

Along with the bars I noticed that you also release a few stems.

We have two at present, the first one, the Rove DH is made from 7075 alloy material with multi-position 45-50-55mm offset (reach) which allows the rider to adjust the position of the bar. (The) short position allows the rider to get weight over the rear wheel for steep trails and the long offset allows the rider to get weight more forward over the front wheel and suspension to increase front end grip. It also has a 62mm wide face plate which creates a stiff stem & bar interface. At 150 grams it’s one of the lightest DH stems on the market. With a 30mm x 50mm bolt spacing, this allows you to fit the stem on all 2005 Boxxer standard forks as well.

FEA screen shot depicting the loads on the stem.

The second stem in our lineup is the Rove DJ / 4-cross stem. Made from 7075 material with 35mm and 50mm offsets (reach) available. This stem can also be used on DH bikes as well with 1 1/8 steer tubes. 62mm wide face plate and a 10mm stainless steel star nut thru bolt for hydro hose routing for bar spins. Our goal with this stem was to create a tough, versatile stem carrying the Answer DNA.

We have a third stem in the works, our Rove all-mountain stem. Samples will be released soon. Check out the web site for more info.

A while back I had a few pedals sent my way did you want to mention them?

We have our Rove FR pedals – 16mm 6061 deck with concave shape.  That allows great shoe interface on the platform deck. A 105mm x 110mm deck creates nice platform space for all shoe options. 10×10 pin deck with alloy pins are great for grip. Hex head pins allow for easy service and replacement with a metric socket wrench. Our goal was to create a durable, easily serviceable pedal with lots of rock clearance.

You also sent over a pair of grips that I personally liked very much, did you want to elaborate on the grips?

Yeah. We worked with ODI on development of 2 new sets of grips. The cross section on the Fall Line XC has a profile from thin to thick to thin (an ODI first) that reduces hand fatigue dramatically.

The DH grip features thin material and allows for easy hand position changes. Goal: consistent feel / sticky grips / with proven lock-on mechanism.

What other products are in the works. Will you have a seat post or something along those lines?

We have a seat post patent from many years ago that we have been reviewing. Once the above process (#1 above) is completed we will move forward with development of a new Answer seat post.

Are you planing on any other colors in the up and coming year?

Yeah. White is now available in the alloy bars and you might see a new gold bar that looks like the Hayes Prime Brake set to launch this June.

Wrapping up

Keep your eyes peeled for these and other cool products from Answer in the very near future. Not only have they come back, but from what I have seen I feel that there are going to be a few folks out there stepping up their game as well.

I would like to thank Tom Porter for his time and insight.

It’s a good idea to update your MTB components every few years and the timing was perfect for me to give some 2010 Easton XC components a try on my Opus XC bike. Knowing very well that I toss my bikes around and really put them through their paces, I was stoked to install the Easton MonkeyLite SL low rise bar ($150 MSRP), the XC90 Zero seat post ($200 MSRP) and the EA90 stem in white ($90 MSRP). All three items sport new graphics and look clean on any XC bike.

My old carbon bar and seat post held out great over the years but both were showing signs of fatigue – chips, scratches, and small compression marks. The important thing to remember when installing carbon components is to follow all instructions to the letter using a torque wrench – otherwise you may cause serious damage. For the Monkeylite SL bar, tighten the stem bolts to 15 in/lbs and the master cylinder and shifter pods at 30 in/lbs. Careful attention here will also ensure you don’t develop compression marks on your shiny new equipment.

Starting at the front of the bike, the MonkeyLite SL CNT is not your run of the mill carbon handlebar. For starters you don’t see a flashy carbon weave. Easton decided way back in 2005 to use an enhanced resin which contains very small carbon nanotube structures that essentially fill the voids that would otherwise be pure resin. The upside is this makes a structure that’s much stronger than normal carbon and resin structures. At 135 grams and 635mm wide, this makes for a very lightweight bar that’s wide enough to help expand the rider’s chest and enhance breathing. The low rise, 9º back sweep, and 5º up sweep keeps both hands and wrists exactly where you want them.  Like the MonkeyLite DH bars, these felt very comfortable over roots and rocks without the unpleasant sting you would get from an aluminum bar.

The white EA90 stem is a great addition to any XC bike, with lengths from 90 to 130mm and a sub-130 gram weight for the 120mm version. This is a stem with significant engineering behind it starting with the way the front plate is mounted. The front plate design evenly distributes stress loads onto the bars and the top locking mechanism improves stiffness and strength without adding weight. At a 0º, ±10° you can opt for a low front  position or a slightly higher position which worked well for me. When installing this unit remember to tighten the top bolts first, then the bottom for an optimal fit.

Last but not least is the EC90 Zero seatpost. Available in three sizes (27.2, 30.9, or 31.6mm), I have to say this is one sexy seat post, as far as seat posts go. The EC90 Zero is full carbon, including the rail clamps. Easton uses a technology called EMC to shape the seat post, using essentially the same process used for forging metals. Extra long carbon fibers are compressed in a mold with a fiber to resin ratio of  60% and heat from the compression cures the carbon in the detailed mold. The result is a 3-dimensional carbon component that is both lightweight and strong.

The finished product comes in at 190 grams, is 400mm long, and uses CNT technology just like the MonkeyLite SL Bar. The EC90 Zero includes a clamping relief on the back side of the seat post which prevents the seat tube from digging into the post and causing damage.

Installation was mostly a snap – just remember not to use lube on a carbon post. There is a friction modifier that you can get from Finish Line called Fiber Grip which is probably the only thing I would consider using on this post. I had a somewhat difficult time setting up the angle and torquing the forward bolt because there’s very little clearance there. But once installed and on the bike, I haven’t had any issues – the post hasn’t slipped an inch or generated any creaks.

If you’re ready to upgrade your XC bike for next year’s race season, these are the lightweight, high performance components from Easton you need to make the podium. Next thing you know your mountain bike will be packing more tech than an F-15 fighter jet!

Thanks to the folks at Easton for providing the components for review.

Interbike is basically like a strip-club where you aren’t allowed to touch any of the dancers. This year I got all worked up seeing the latest from Easton but left the show feeling pretty unsatisfied. After flipping through the catalog hundreds of times and burning up the Easton website I finally got a chance to test the goods for myself.

Easton hooked me up with a component trifecta that’s geared toward all-mountain / freeride / DH rigs. Most of us don’t realize it but handlebars, stems, and seat posts need updating and/or replacing every few years, particularly if they’re abused day in and day out (guilty). Fortunately Easton has just the ticket: the Monkeylite DH bar (now in 750mm width), the 65mm Havoc stem, and the Havoc two bolt seat post. These products alone or together offer the perfect complement to your long travel mountain bike.

First on the block is the MonkeyLite DH bar (MSRP $150). The first thing you’ll notice about the 2010 MonkeyLite DH is the new graphics and flat white center.  More importantly you also now have a choice of either 750mm or a slightly narrower 711mm version. The DH bar weighs around 230 grams which means it’s still lighter than most bars and incredibly strong. You get a very comfortable 9° back sweep which keeps your wrists fairly straight rather than twisted.

You also get a 5° upsweep which I noticed reduces fatigue when turning (that little amount of rise rotated my wrists slightly towards the center of the bike and made me use more triceps). The 40mm rise placed my body in just about the right spot for hitting the slopes, reducing that unsettling “over the wheel” feeling. Since this is a carbon bar you’ll notice reduced sting from taking hits. Carbon allows the bar to flex without transmitting the full force of rocks, logs and drops through the bar.

The Havoc DH stem (MSRP $85) comes in white or black this year and has new graphics as well. There are three lengths to choose from (50mm, 65mm, or 80mm) and each sports a 10°rise. The Havoc stem is made from 6061 aluminum making it durable enough for the demanding rider without worrying about it breaking. I chose the 65mm stem (203 grams) which is not the lightest I’ve seen but I’m definitely willing to trade off a little extra weight for improved durability. The four bolt front cap was made as wide as possible to evenly distribute clamping forces, making it safe for carbon bars as well. The double pinch bolt at the steering tube is really a must for the all-mountain / freerider crowd. This is a very stiff unit that’s a great addition to any front end overhaul.

NOTE: whenever installing stems or bars, always refer to manufacturer info for torque specifications and sequences. Failure to do so may permanently damage the stem and bar.

The double bolt Havoc seat post (MSRP $80) is the third piece of the all-mountain pie. At about 285 grams for the 350mm unit you’re getting an Easton EA70 aluminum tapered wall unit that can take a ton of abuse. Available in four sizes (27.2, 30.0, 30.9, or 31.6mm), the post will fit almost any MTB seat tube out there.  The killer feature here is that you can switch between either 7mm or 8mm rails by orienting the clamp plates. Perfect for those saddles with beefier rails!

The double bolt design allows you to easily set up your seat angle and provides a strong clamping area to prevent saddle movement. I did find the angle of the bolts a little annoying because I couldn’t use a tee-handle Allen key and ended up using a slower L-shaped tool.  On the bike and hitting trails the seat post held up great with no creaking and no slipping of the saddle position – a definite plus.

Overall the fresh new graphics, solid construction, and trouble-free installation of all these components make them a great choice for updating your all-mountain rig. Bring all three into the champagne room with you the next time you’re out!

Thanks to the folks at Easton for providing the components for review.

Sorry about the title – I had to do it. If you have some time to browse, check out Straitline components – hopefully you’ll be as impressed as I was. I spoke with Greg Parish from Straitline about their products and, being a tech weeny, I have to say I was really interested to learn how the company got involved in producing MTB products.

Before the guys at Straitline started making components they were like you and me and purchased stuff from others. Eventually they got tired of that and weren’t really happy with the same run of the mill stuff. So seeing that they had a state-of-the-art factory and were already making components for NASA, they decided to make their own high quality MTB parts. If you manage to take a close look at Straitline components you’ll be able to see the quality and precision firsthand. Can you say moving art? Every part Straitline makes has been painstakingly maximized for strength, beauty, and weight.

Straitline has direct mount stems available in 28 and 50mm reach and a pinch stem called the SSC in both 1.125″ and 1.5″. They also make superlight headset spacers, seat collars, flat pedals,  and a bash ring and chain guide. The even make bar ends and brake levers for that custom look on your ride.

All  the stems, seat collars, brake levers, spacers and bar ends are made from 6061 T6 aluminum and the chain guide is made from 7075 T6 so you can expect that these products to take a pounding.

Here are some more pics:

Check out more at straitlinecomponents.com.