Gear Watch Wednesday is a weekly update on the latest mountain bike gear releases and products that Singletracks has received for test. Have gear news to share, or products you’d like us to check out? Email [email protected].
Specialized Turbo Levo SL II
Specialized just updated their lightweight electric mountain bike, the Turbo Levo SL, and a lot has changed. While previous models featured a split front triangle similar to the Stumpjumper, the new Levo SL simplifies things while keeping the same 150mm of frame travel.
Gone is the 150mm Fox 34 fork, with a 160mm Fox 36 taking its place on all but the smallest frame size. The Turbo Levo SL II has also gone mixed wheel (the first version was a 29er) and features an updated Specialized SL motor while keeping the same 320Wh capacity battery. With the redesign the Turbo Levo SL gets a slacker, 64.6° head tube angle and a much longer reach, growing by 20-30mm depending on the size. Buyers will be stoked that one number in particular is now smaller: the MSRP of the Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon is $500 cheaper.
- Price: $8,000 (Comp)
- Buy from Specialized.
Canyon drops three new eMTBs
In perhaps a sign of things to come from other brands, Canyon is launching electric versions of three of their traditional mountain bikes: the Torque, Strive, and Grand Canyon. (Ahem, note the re-positioning of the Specialized Turbo SL noted above.)
Canyon Torque:ON CF
The Canyon Torque:ON has been in the brand’s line-up for a while now, though this carbon version is new. The bike features 180/175mm of travel front and rear and can be configured with a massive 720Wh or 900Wh battery, which positions this as a self-shuttling gravity bike.
- Price: from €5,999
- Buy from canyon.com
Canyon Strive:ON
The Canyon Strive:ON is based on the brand’s Strive enduro bike and boasts similar geometry with a 63.5° head tube angle and 78° effective seat tube angle. The Strive:ON features 170/160mm of travel front and rear and can be configured with a 625Wh or 750Wh battery.
- Price: from €5,999
- Buy from canyon.com
Canyon Grand Canyon:ON
Finally, Canyon is launching an electric version of their Grand Canyon hardtail. This 29er comes with a 120mm fork and the brand is offering a number of accessories to make this MTB commute-worthy too.
- Price: Starting at €2,999
- Buy from canyon.com.
Old Man Mountain debuts pizza, pannier racks
Bikepackers are beginning to embrace fixed panniers and front racks, and Old Man Mountain is happy to oblige. The Pizza Rack can hold up to 35lb and is compatible with most MTB wheel and fork setups. It’s not just for pizza either; if you can lash it on, it’ll ride up front, and you can add an $80 basket if that’s your jam.
- Price: $168 for the pizza rack.
- Buy from Old Man Mountain.
Old Man Mountain also introduced two new bags, the 13L Ponderosa Panniers and 10L Juniper Trunk bag. Both are waterproof and are designed to fit the Old Man Mountain Divide pannier rack to a tee.
- Price: TBD
- Buy from Old Man Mountain… soon.
Limited edition Pearl Izumi Contours Gravel Collection
The Pearl Izumi Contours Gravel Collection features limited edition designs for men and women on Expedition Pro bib shorts ($265), PRO Mesh jerseys ($150), and Expedition FF gloves ($35).
- Price: starting at $35.
- Buy from Pearl Izumi.
The Pro’s Closet, Sklar, and the Radavist release limited gravel bike build
The Pro’s Closet and the Radavist have teamed up with Sklar to release five limited batches of 25 Super Something steel bike builds.
- Price: Starting at $2,499.99 for a singlespeed, flat bar bike
- Buy from The Pro’s Closet.
Velocio Unity jersey
The 2023 Velocio Unity jersey is designed to raise awareness for mental health issues. All of the profits from jersey sales will go to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) in the US and the WHO European Framework for Action on Mental Health in Europe. Men’s and women’s versions are available through May 14.
- Price: $189
- Buy from Velocio.
Handup Taco’d collection
Handup’s latest glove and fender collection pay homage to everyone’s (second?) favorite after ride food: tacos. (Wait, pizza is #1, right?)
- Price: $29 gloves, $25 fender
- Buy from Handup.
New Tifosi Rivet Sunglasses are classic sporty
Remember when cycling glasses weren’t the size of car windshields? Sure more lens coverage can be great and Tifosi’s new Rivet sunglasses are a half-frame design with adequate coverage that doesn’t overwhelm your entire face. This sporty style is lightweight (28g), and comes with three vented(!) lenses or choose the Fototec photochromatic lens that automatically adjusts in light or dark conditions.
- Price: $79.95
- Buy from Tifosi
Wolf Tooth Fat Paw and Karv grips now available in… brown?
Ok, brown definitely isn’t the flashiest color out there. But then again, you don’t see it on too many bikes, so why not? Wolf Tooth recently added brown to their colorful Fat Paw and Karv foam friction grip collections.
- Price: $21.95 (Karv), $26.95 (Fat Paw)
- Buy from Wolf Tooth.
Hopworks brews beer to benefit Northwest Trails Alliance
Hopworks Trail Time Summer IPA is a limited release to benefit the Northwest Trails Alliance, and the brewery is hosting a beer launch party at the brewery today from 4-9pm. According to a release, “Trail Time is a crushable, fruit-forward IPA with notes of pineapple, orange zest and papaya. It finishes light and crisp, with a nice, drying bitterness. The hop profile is a balanced blend of Chinook, El Dorado, Centennial, Strata and HBC 638 hops, providing a big, fruity boost. 6.5% ABV/50 IBU.”
Mazama Designs hip pack keeps it slim
Mazama Designs, based out of Bend, Oregon has a new hip pack with a 1.8L insulated reservoir, extra large dual-zippered pockets, and an air foam ventilated back panel.
- Price: $90
- Buy from mazamadesigns.com
