The Sea Otter Classic is unlike any other event I’ve attended, anywhere on the planet, and while that may not be surprising, this part does surprise me: It is chaotic in a way that I would not willingly walk into were it not for the presence of so many people I love, and so much intriguing bike stuff. It’s not enough to dodge all the other people wandering the expo, there are the adults, teens and kids on bikes, some of whom don’t seem to be aware that the expo isn’t part of the race course. Occasionally, long lines snake out of some company’s tent—and here I use the term “tent” loosely as some brands arrive with installations that require shipping containers—and while sometimes I can tell that it’s an autograph session with a pro, and if it’s after 4:00, it’s free beer, there are times when I’m curious to know more, but too pressed for time to slow down and ask what’s up. Armed with sunscreen, a ball cap and comfortable shoes, it’s a full, fun day.
Ergon
The SMS saddle is a new offering from Ergon and they claim it relieves pressure along the perineum. The channel/cutout is wider than many previous models, and it features a slight flair at the back to add a bit of purchase for efforts that drive you back against your saddle. This is one saddle I’m genuinely interested to try.
They also showed off this tool to help fitters standardize how they take measurements from the saddle. I’m curious to give it a try, though I wonder if it will provide the right sort of consistency.
Ortlieb
The Quick Rack is touted as an easy-on, easy-off luggage rack, but what I find remarkable about it is the way it can be used with bikes that were never intended to carry a rack, particularly, those with thru-axles. The forward strut is adjustable so that it can be attached to the seatpost in the case of carbon fiber frames or those with paint that might be easily marred.
Boyd Wheels
I continue to be wowed by just how good the wheels produced by Boyd are. They originally pinged on my radar because of their value, but they’ve held my attention because that sense of value permeates their entire product range. The top wheel set is the Pinnacle Race Gravel, which has an internal width of 28mm, weighs in at just 1354g and goes for $2100. They are ideal for gravel racers who spend time at speeds north of 20 mph. For more mortal riders, the Jocasasee Carbon Gravel SL feature an internal width of 26mm, tips the scales at just 1145g and go for $2000. For those on a budget, the Reiver Carbon Gravel also feature a 26mm internal width, weigh a respectable 1385g and go for just $1200, and yes, they sport a carbon fiber rim. It wasn’t too long ago a wheel set this good at this price was pure fantasy.
Bulls
E-bike maker Bulls has been producing an ever-growing assortment of affordable ebikes. This is a new step-thru model. I’ve seen a number ebikes billed as suitable for offroad use, that really aren’t. Some purists will see this as a little undercooked, but what I see is a gateway drug to more serious mountain biking.
Cane Creek
Looks like an ordinary enough anodized aluminum stem, right? Take another look at the spacers and that top cap. This is Cane Creek’s response to all the internal routing being foisted on riders. This is the first solution that, as a fitter, I can endorse without reservation.
The trick is that the stem and the spacers are open, so that the hoses/housings can pass from the bar, beneath the stem and into the spacers and through the sealed top cap. Is it the cleanest-looking solution? Perhaps not, but the fact that it’s possible to swap stems and add/move spacers without pulling everything is the sort of solution that’s missing.
Someone will ask whether it’s really all that important to be able to swap stems and spacers and it’s a fair question. The answer is pretty straightforward though: The only riders who need this are the ones who are aging.
Wolf Tooth
Accessory/component maker Wolf Tooth offers six different clipless pedals, from a super-lightweight gravel pedal (217g) to a downhill/enduro pedal, all featuring wider-than-standard bodies to offer greater stability for the shoes whether clipped in or not. That’s nice enough, but the bigger story is this: Each other their pedals offer an adjustable Q-factor and they do this by swapping the positions of bearings and spacers—no additional purchase (such as a longer spindle) is necessary. As a fitter, I can tell you I’m going to be recommending these pedals to anyone with high pronation.
Also worth mentioning: They have one of the largest collections of anodized small parts I’ve seen. They offer more than 40 different parts in 13 colors.
Shimano
Shimano debuted the new Deore 12-speed Di2 drivetrain. With the wind-down of the value-packed SLX group, Deore returns to the spot immediately below Deore XT in terms of quality and price. The upgrade kit is remarkably low-impact: It comes with the derailleur, shifter, battery, battery charger and quick link. The package goes for $675, which is a remarkable deal given the quality of the parts and speed of shifting. The assumption here is that you are already running a 12-speed Shimano group. I can report that pairing a shifter and derailleur is almost as easy as adding a new pair of Bluetooth earbuds to your phone.
Bridge Bike Works
The biggest surprise of the entire Sea Otter Classic came the moment I stumbled upon Bridge Bike Works, the Toronto-based maker of carbon fiber frames. For now, they are offering one frame: the Surveyor, which can be built in either road or gravel configurations.
Bridge was founded by former Cervelo staff and the frame bears the hallmarks of engineers who have made successful carbon fiber frames for some time. The threaded bottom bracket looked impressive as hell, but the real story is told when you slather it in anti-seize and start to spin the cups in. The other thing I noticed was how the tube shapes reflect real analysis in Solidworks or something similar.