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].
Scott Genius Update Hides… Everything
Last week Scott rolled out updated Genius trail bike models featuring the brand’s Integrated Suspension Technology. The 2023 Scott Genius sneaks 150mm of rear suspension travel inside the carbon frame giving the bike a lower center of gravity, debris protection for the shock, and added stiffness around the bottom bracket.
Updated geometry includes a 64.5° head tube angle and 77.5° seat tube angle. Up front the Genius has 160mm of travel plus a headset that routes cables inside for a clean looking cockpit. And the Genius ST series offers a more aggressive alternative to the standard Genius 900 series. Carbon and alloy frames available.
- Price: Starting at $3,799 for alloy builds.
- Buy from Scott dealers.
Coros APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro
The Coros Apex 2 and Apex 2 Pro launched last week with promises of increased battery life — up to 75 hours in standard GPS tracking mode for the Pro — and more durable scratch resistance. The updated smart watches are also said to include a more accurate heart rate monitor and GPS chip set.
- Price: $399 for Apex 2, $499 for Apex 2 Pro
- Buy from coros.com.
Mondraker adds alloy trail bike, downcountry hardtail
Mondraker announced a slew of updates for the 2023 lineup, including an alloy version of the popular Raze trail bike. The alloy Mondraker Raze will feature the same geometry as the carbon version and 150/130mm of travel front and rear.
The Mondraker Chrono DC joins the Chrono line of cross-country bikes, offering 120mm of front suspension and the ability to run up to 2.4-inch-wide tires.
- Price: TBD
- Buy from Mondraker dealers.
Orbea Oiz XC bike updated
The Orbea Oiz has updated geometry with a slacker, 67° head tube angle, longer top tubes, and a lower stack height for maximum climbing and pedaling efficiency. The bike also features aggressive internal routing through the handlebars and also for the rear shock remote lockout. Orbea says the latest Oiz is more rigid than ever before thanks to changes to the frame and bearings.
- Price: builds from $3,299 (alloy) to $10,999.
- Buy from Orbea dealers.
New ProTaper handlebars sparkle in carbon and gold
ProTaper has released a few new handlebars in alloy and carbon. The new lineup should serve riders of all disciplines with alloy trail and enduro bars, including a limited edition gold-colored set, and three new carbon bars for trail and enduro, and an XC bar. They vary in rise, weight, and clamping diameter.
- Price: $105-$185
- Buy from hayesbicycle.com.
SRAM lets retailers drop pricing for the holidays
Rarely do we get discounts on drivetrain parts, at least not in the past two years, but SRAM is doing just that. According to a report in Bicycle Retailer, SRAM has allowed a “temporary deviation” from retail pricing guidelines on close to 200 SKUs through December 31st. If you’ve seen some big discounts on SRAM products, this is why.
SRAM told BRAIN that the discounts are a way to give confidence to customers who may have been discouraged by supply chain issues.
