Novatec
Hidden away, (well, almost hidden) were these carbon wheels from Novatec. Dubbed the Factor AM, these wheels look promising. Details on these once they are available.
SRAM
The one company that peaked my interest the most might be SRAM, with their new X01 drivetrain and X01 hubs. With pretty much every configuration out there minus a 150mm rear axle, these are high-quality hubs packed with premium features. You can choose between a 8-10spd cassette body or the XD 11spd body. Speaking of the cassette, SRAM uses their Double Time ratcheting system, which twins its cam pawls for a 6.9 degree engagement. The new Speedball system is a factory-assembled bearing for exact fit and finish.
I was also very stoked to get a close-up look at the 1×11 XO1 derailleur. While talking with Duncan from Sram, he explained that the reason for such crisp, fast shifting from the X01 is the way the derailleur moves across the cassette, rather than a diagonal approach.
During our conversation, of course the question of the rear cassette came about. One was durability. Both the XO1 and XX1 cassettes will wear at the same rate. The cost difference was more along the lines of finishing. Up close, I couldn’t help but think of a small dinner plate when looking at that 42T cassette.
SRAM really has things going on this year with gear. Stay tuned for my full review of the Rock Shox Pike.
Conclusion
A big “thank you” to everyone for checking out all of our Interbike coverage! We all hope you had fun reading about all of the up-and-coming 2014 gear. If you want to catch up on any articles that you missed, click on over to the Interbike 2013 channel. And if you have any questions, please feel free to drop us a comment.
Cheers!
