Happy Friday the 13th! Fun fact, I just had shoulder surgery, so pretty much typed this whole update with one hand. Trying to use dictation, but it’s funny how many cycling related terms just don’t convey well. For some reason, my computer keeps spelling derailleur as derailer. It’s also why this one’s going out a little later than normal, it’s not easy editing photos with one hand!
Lots of new road & gravel wheels this week, plus a couple of cool bikes, fenders, a wild OSPW, and an app to help you set your tire pressure. For mountain bikes, Canyon gets super light, Specialized upgrades the Levo SL, and Vittoria adds more lightweight tire inserts. Plus lots more! Here’s the best new stuff this week:
- Titici RELLI Pro
- Genesis Vagabond
- Rolf Prima EOS AR
- Swiss Side Gravon
- Mavic’s first sub $1k wheelset
- Campy goes black
- absoluteBLACK HOLLOWcage v2
- PDW fenders
- No22 titanium fenders
- Canyon Spectral:Onfly SL eMTB
- Specialized Turbo Levo SL Genie
- Vittoria Air-Liner inserts
- Wolf Tooth Tire Pressure Calculator
Titici RELLI Pro gravel race bike
The Titici RELLI Pro gravel race bike uses their signature ultra thin top tube with a new bridgeless dropped seatstay design to improve vibration damping and vertical flex. The redesign came about with the addition of a UDH hanger to accommodate SRAM’s new 1×13 RED AXS XPLR gravel group with direct-mount rear derailleur.
A stealth front derailleur mount keeps it 2x compatible, and the carbon frame is available in stock and custom sizes. Clears 700×45 or 650×50 tires, frame weight averages 1100g, and it’s compatible with all electronic and mechanical drivetrains. Framesets €4,990, bikes from €6,990 to €10,490.
Genesis Vagabond steel adventure bike
The updated Genesis Vagabond steel monstercross adventure bike is about as close to a drop bar mountain bike as you’ll get. It has Boost rear axle spacing, fits 29×2.35 tires, comes suspension ready for 40-50mm travel gravel forks, works with stealth dropper posts.
Tons of mouse on the frame and fort let you pack for a weekend or at a rack for longer trips. Thin, dropped seats stays keep it comfy, and you can fit anything from a 28-42 tooth chain ring depending on how heavily you’re going to load it. Framesets £899, bikes from £1,799 to £2,299. (video here)
Rolf Prima EOS AR all-road wheels
Rolf Prima’s new EOS AR carbon wheelset can do it all, from road to gravel, and they’re lighter than ever thanks to a new carbon layup and just 16 spokes per wheel! Wheelset weight is just 1385g, with no rider weight limit.
The rims have mini hooks, not quite hookless, for better tire security at low pressures. They’re 40mm deep and 25mm internal (31mm external), are rated for 28-50 mm tires and roll on Enduro XD-15 ceramic bearings inside stealth Cerakoted hubs. MSRP $2,999.
Swiss Side Gravon aero gravel wheels are like DT, but cheaper
Looking for a deeper gravel wheel? Swiss Side’s new Gravon Carbon 500 are 50mm deep with a unique beveled shape that apparently improves stability and cuts drag in crosswinds. Interestingly, Swiss Side doesn’t dive deep into the how-and-why of the aero shaping, but maybe that’s because it’s the same as the DT Swiss GRC wheels they helped develop earlier this year.
They use hooked rims (24mm internal) optimized for 40mm tires, it will fit anything from 30-69mm wide. Weight is 1746g, MSRP $2,050 (or $1,597 if you buy direct, which is cheaper but heavier than DT’s version).
Mavic Cosmic S 42 Disc carbon road wheels are just $999
The new Mavic Cosmic S 42 Disc road wheels are their first carbon wheelset under $1000, but they don’t slouch on the specs. It’s a full carbon rim (42mm deep, 21mm wide internal, hooked) with bladed spokes, and their excellent ID360 Infinity hubs. Optimized for 25-32mm tires.
Claimed weight is 1660g (775g F/885g R). Price is $999, includes tubeless rim tape pre-installed and HG freehub body. Campy and XDR freehub bodies and 9mm QR axle adapters available separately. (video here)
Campy Super Record S Wireless drops price, looks better
This special edition of Campagnolo’s top level Super Record group comes in a killer matte black finish with only minor changes to bring the price down by $1000. The key difference is that the cranks are not hollow like the standard super record, with a few other minor material choices made the ads only 150g total. I wrote a longer article about the group here if you’d like more details and photos.
absoluteBLACK HOLLOWcage V2 now looks more like a $400 part
Besides the one sided design, what makes AbsoluteBLACK’s HOLLOWcage OSPW unique is that they use full ceramic bearings (balls & races – most brands only use ceramic balls with steel races) with a special rubber surround on the upper guide pulley to silence the chain. They claim ~5dB noise reduction.
This 2nd gen’s mono cage upgrades to compression molded carbon fiber, the same material used by SRAM and Shimano for some of their parts. The single-sided design allows the lower pulley to twist slightly to maintain a more direct path to the chain ring, also reducing noise and chain wear. The lower pulley’s lock ring is available in five anodized finishes to suit your bling tolerance.
Portland Design Works fenders now fit more tire sizes
The newly updated PDW Poncho Recycled Fenders ($75) are made of durable recycled polycarbonate with thick 6mm stays for extra rigidity, sturdy polypropylene mud flaps for extra coverage, and front safety release tabs to make it easy to clear debris if it gets stuck between the fender and your tire.
They’re launching with 700×45 size to fit 35mm wide tires, and have a 57mm width coming for 700C and 650B tires in October. The original Poncho fender is still available in 700×33. All include mounting hardware for brazed-on eyelets.
No22 titanium fenders only have two sizes, but they’re titanium!
If price is no object, the new No.22 Bicycles titanium fenders come in two sizes, for road tires up to 30mm and gravel tires up to 35mm. They range from $1000 (raw) up to $1500 with your choice of faded or solid anodizing or Cerakote in your choice of colors. Comes with black alloy supports, brackets & mounting hardware.
Canyon Spectral:ONfly is their first ultralight eMTB
Take Canyon’s killer Spectral trail bike and add a nearly invisible TQ HPR50 motor and 320Wh battery, and you have the new Spectral:ONfly, weighing as little as 18.1kg (39.9lbs)…frames are just 2.65kg!
It has nearly identical geometry and suspension leverage ratios as the analog version, and keeps the same 150mm rear travel, 160mm forks, and K.I.S. steering stabilizer. It’s mullet only, no flip chip like the originals. Add the 160Wh range extender to go further. Four models globally, two for the U.S.
Specialized Levo SL gets Genie dual-stage shocks
Unless you opt for the Ohlins-equipped coil version, all models of Specialized Levo SL eMTBs now come with the Fox Genie air shocks (deep dive here). These shocks use a two-stage air chamber, with higher volume for the first 70% of travel for plush small bump performance.
Once the piston passes 70% of its stroke, it closes off part of the air volume, helping the shock ramp up faster (or, like normal) to control end stroke and prevent harsh bottom outs. It’s all tunable with volume spacers, too. It’s available on five models (carbon and alloy, prices from $7k to $14k) plus an S-Works frameset ($8k).
Vittoria Air-Liner tire inserts now come in Trail & eMTB sizes
Vittoria’s airliner mountain bike tire inserts are unique and that it is a semi-closed cell foam that slowly absorbs air after inflating the tire, equalizing the pressure inside it with the pressure inside the tire. Then, if you flat, because the air can’t escape from the insert quickly, it expands to fill the tire, giving you run-flat capabilities for up to 50km.
Originally launched for XC tires, the new Air-Liner Protect Trail (100g, $70/wheel, 29er only) fits tires up to 2.6″ and the new eMTB version (140-145g, $70, 27.5 & 29er) is more supportive for heavier e-mountain bikes. Like all inserts, they help support the tire and protect from pinch flats, too.
Wolf Tooth Tire Pressure Calculator app
Wolf Tooth Component’s new browser-based tire pressure calculator app works on any device (just bookmark it or pin it to your home screen) and helps you dial in an ideal tire pressure range based on your body weight, tire size & type, and riding conditions. It’s optimized for mountain, gravel, and fat bike tires, but not road for now.
Small Bites
- LeCol’s new ARC gravel collection looks very sharp
- Ayesha McGowan hosting road bike skills clinics in ATL
- Bikepacking Roots has opened their 2024 Community Survey
- They’re also raffling a Chumba gravel bike for their BIPOC Adventure Grant
- BuyCycle is a global used bike marketplace that verifies sellers
- Amazed by Retro is a marketplace for vintage bikes and parts
- Growtac has new drop bar friction shifter levers for any derailleur
- And SRAM is apparently working on a mechanical Transmission derailleur
- Wolf Tooth’s aero chainguide now fits ENVE, Rose, Ridley & Scott bikes
- Storck celebrates founder’s birthday w/ltd 60th Edition builds
- Preorders open for the3D-printed Ti No22 Reactor Aero road bike
Hot Deals
- Up to 40% off in the Uncharted Supply Co. Preptember Sale
- 30% off sitewide on Sagan Life portable water purification kits
- BikeTiresDirect has new markdowns on GPS, nutrition, kits & more
Parting Thoughts
A few weeks ago I posted about losing my friend Dave to cancer. I received a lot of replies from you offering condolences, and gratitude for sharing my thoughts on that. I appreciate that very much.
If you didn’t catch those two Small Bites ⬆ about Growtac and SRAM, check them out. I’m very encouraged by these moves to maintain mechanical options for modern bikes. I also love what Madrone Cycles is doing with their modular derailleurs.
While no one at SRAM would ever confirm, I had a hunch they would add a mechanical version of their direct mount rear derailleur eventually.
I still have XT and XTR mechanical groups on my some of mountain bikes, and I love them. I also have the TRP group on an enduro bike, and it’s fantastic. Being able to grab a bike and go without worrying about battery charge is very nice.
And while no one at Shimano will confirm what’s coming next for their Mountain Bike groups, everyone’s money seems to be on an electronic version with wireless or semi wireless shifting. Which is fine, but I really hope they maintain a high-level mechanical group as well. They’re doing that with GRX, so fingers crossed.
My hunch is many of you still want a good, high-end mechanical shifting option, too.
But I’m curious, do you? Leave a comment or hit reply and let me know. The feedback is great not just for my own curiosity, but it helps steer the types of things I cover here every Friday.
Cheers,
The Lunch Ride is a weekly TL;DR recap of the best new cycling products and tech, written for Riders, not Algorithms. SUBSCRIBE HERE to get it in your inbox every Friday.
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