Spot’s new gravel bike is ready to rally alongside a massive price drop for competitor Alchemy’s Lycos, plus three new enduro-ready wheelsets, Silca’s 3D-printed shop tools, and Garmin’s smaller Edge computers get a massive upgrade and solar charging! Here’s the best new stuff this week:
- Spot Ralley gravel bike
- Alchemy Lycos gravel bike
- Pursuit Supple Road
- Revel Ranger 2.0 XC bike
- Devinci Chainsaw MTB
- i9 Enduro Wheels
- Race Face Turbine
- Forge+Bond thermoplastic hoops
- Garmin 540/840 Solar
- Silca’s titanium tools
- RAB drops cycling kits
- Handup’s Beachin’ Gloves
- Shades made from paper
Spot Rallye gravel bike
Boasting MTB-inspired geo and massive 700×53 tire clearance, the new Spot Rallye lets you choose the right tire for the course, then rip sketchy corners and loose surfaces, just like in a rally car.
Short 415mm chainstays plus a stout headtube and BB junction act like a roll cage, stiffening the frame to handle rally-like riding…and more torque, which is good because the elevated driveside stay makes room for a massive 50-tooth chainring. Thinner seatstays add a bit of vertical compliance, and four water bottle mounts let you go long. Bikes from $3,999 to $8,499.
Alchemy Lycos gravel bikes drop by $2,500
The Alchemy Lycos “backcountry” gravel bike was introduced alongside a premium “Au” model, but both were made in-house in Colorado. Now, Alchemy is having another factory make the standard frames (using Alchemy’s high-end carbon), which let them drop prices by $2,500.
That puts a complete Lycos with SRAM Rival AXS at just $4,999, and a Red AXS XPLR bike at $7,999. The “Au” (chemical symbol for gold) frames are 300g lighter and remain handmade in Alchemy’s own factory and are much more expensive.
Pursuit Supple Road gets more…supple
Now fitting up to 700×35 tires, the Pursuit Supple Road blends the racy geometry of the Pure Road and with the bigger tire clearance of the All Road model. It’ll even fit fenders or 650B x 45 wheels and tires for an all-season ride with better toe clearance for smaller riders.
Designed by legendary framebuilder Carl Strong, you can also choose from several layups to prioritize weight, durability & ride quality however you like. New paint options are also ready for Spring/Summer 2023, too.
Revel Ranger XC bike opens up a stiffer, simpler rear end
Introduced in 2000, the 115mm travel Revel Ranger gets a fresh rear triangle with a 20% stiffer carbon layup that adds no weight. New 15mm main pivot axles also improve stiffness, a UDH hanger ups drivetrain compatibility, and more frame protection has been added.
Devinci Chainsaw cuts hard w/ adjustable alloy frame
The 170mm travel Devinci Chainsaw pays homage to late ripper Stevie Smith (with an annual donation to his Legacy Foundation) with an aggressive new enduro/park bike that’s equally at home with 29ers or mixed wheels, 170mm forks or 190mm DH forks.
Adjustable chainstay lengths and shock mount flip-chip let you dial the geo to the trail. The Split Pivot suspension is coil shock compatible and uses a high pivot with chain idler to maximize traction on the gnarliest trails, and a lifetime warranty lets you test that claim. Complete bikes from $3,899 to $4,999.
Industry Nine EN30 MTB wheels get hollow alloy sidewalls
Industry Nine’s new EN30 enduro wheels use a wide, hollow bead wall. This gives the tire casing a broader, rounder shape to land on in a big impact, preventing pinch flats.
The thicker bead wall concept is frequently used on carbon rims, but less common on alloy where added material adds comparatively more weight. This hollow alloy design gives them the same benefit and also improves the rim’s impact resistance, too. These are 30mm internal, weigh 1800g (27.5) to 1870g (29er) with Hydra hubs, and start at $1,430. Rider weight limit is 250lbs (114kg).
Race Face Turbine alloy wheels get mixed rim profiles
Taking a different (and more affordable) approach to alloy rims, the new Race Face Turbine mountain bike wheels use different rims for front and rear wheels, both with oversized “Anvil Edge” ends on the sidewalls to reduce pinch flats.
The front rim has thinner wall profiles to help it absorb more energy before it reaches your hands. The rear rim has thicker, stiffer profiles, to handle harder impacts and tighter turns. They’re built on their proven, excellent Vault hubs with oversized bearings. 30mm internal, 1805g (27.5″) to 1865g (29er), MSRP is $800.
Forge+Bond launch recyclable carbon wheels
Forge+Bond is a new eco-friendly, high-performance wheel brand using FUSIONFIBER, a long-chain nylon thermoplastic and carbon fiber blend, eliminating toxic, single-use epoxies & resins. Excess material and old rims can be endlessly chopped up and pressed into new products (like tire levers), giving it a limitless lifespan with near-zero waste.
It’s also high performance, having 50% better damping, and exceeding UCI impact requirements by 275%. Available in the US & Canada at first with 30 EM enduro wheels (1884g, 30mm internal) and 25 GR gravel wheels (1510g, 25mm internal), both $2,599 on Industry Nine hubs.
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Garmin Edge 540 & 840 add training advice & solar charging
The new Garmin Edge 540 & 840 get new adaptive training capabilities, combining your power, cadence & HR data with a loaded course to tell you when you can ramp it up (or dial it back) to make the most of each training ride. Tie that into Garmin Connect and it’ll even provide you with targeted workouts based on a chosen upcoming event.
Both use a full-color screen with side buttons, and the 840 adds touchscreen capabilities. Available in standard ($349 & $449) and solar-powered models that’ll give you up to 25 more minutes of power per hour ridden ($449 & $549). (Available now at BTD)
Silca titanium shop tools in Midnight Blue Cerakote
Silca’s shop-quality cassette lockring tool & chain whip now come in Midnight Blue with oil-slick chain section. Probably too dark to run afoul of Park Tool’s trademark lockdown on all things “blue” and “bike tool”, they’re 3D printed from titanium, then Cerakoted in a deep, dark blue to match Chris King’s latest hue.
RAB debuts gravel & mountain bike clothing
Reknowned British outdoor gear brand RAB Equipment has introduced Cinder, their first cycling collection, with complete gravel and mountain bike kits for men & women. Tops include blended material jerseys, waterproof shells, and a sub-100g windbreaker that packs into a jersey pocket.
Bibs and shorts went through 50+ chamois pads during testing and come in liner and cargo versions. Wind- and water-proof shorts and pants complete the kit so you can mix and match for any (every) condition.
Handup Gloves new kits ride Beach to Backyard BBQ
I love Handup’s gloves, and their new Spring/Summer 2023 collections are fresh, featuring matching shirts, gloves, and fenders. Clockwise from top left are Beach Please, Summer of Shreddy Nine, Berms and Backsplashes, and Shrimp on the Barbie.
Vinco’s sunglasses are made from paper byproducts
Launched by former Specialized & Cannondale design director Ian Hamilton, Vinco Performance’s new Terra and Sola sunglasses’ wrap-around lenses are made from Lignatura, a carbon-neutral bio resin made from paper production byproducts.
They’re made with 100% renewable energy, and if a part wears out or breaks, they’ll repair or replace it for free, for life, keeping them out of a landfill. Two frame sizes available, MSRP is $250.
On Stage
Gives a whole new meaning to getting high on a bowl.
Small Bites
- QBP’s first B-Corp Social Impact Report is kind of a big deal
- E-BIKE Act reintroduced, could net 15% tax rebate on new e-bikes
- DIY Tidbyt screen can show Strava stats & bike shares
- Wolf Tooth has new eMTB chainrings for Trek’s TQ motor
- Whyte has a custom Dark Fest bike build for Sharky Brown
- Forget e-BIKES, here’s a personal e-VTOL
- GM may partner with EarthCruiser for a sweet overlander EV
- Support trails and you could win an Ibis dream bike of your choice
- Adicta Labs’ new eco-friendly cycling kits look awesome
- Now you can take a coffee break & teleport on Zwift
- MyWhoosh virtual training world adds Australia & Colombia maps
- Taipei Cycle Show’s 2023 iF Design Awards are worth a look
Deals
- Trek has massive discounts on their full suspension MTBs
- Santa Cruz & Juliana MTBs are 20% off at Backcountry
- Competitive Cyclist has 50% MTB kit
- And 25%+ off shoes from Specialized, Shimano, Lake & more
- REI Spring Bike Sale has e-bikes & more up to $400 off
- Velocio’s Final Sale is blowing out leftovers, up to 60% off
Just a heads up, next week is the Sea Otter Classic, where it feels like every brand in the world releases something new, and they all schedule the release for Thursday. So, I’ll have one or two bonus issues next week to cover it all because there’s some really cool stuff on deck.
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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