Check out pinkbike.com’s excellent overview of the Trek Scratch launch…

“Your blood is just getting going and you are warmed up as you finish Hazard and roll into Kokopelli. Smooth double track with little jumps strewn about it and at full tilt, one or two light duty climbs thrown in to keep you honest. The CrankBros. Joplin post was earning its keep already and would do so all day long with all the little climbs that are found on UPS, LPS and Porcupine Rim trails.”

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Knolly Bikes have been busy bringing out a new DH bike and reworking existing models.

Podium

Delirium T

Watch the video to learn more about the Moto’s Hatchet-Drive suspension and how Cannondale used Carbon fiber on their 6″ AM bike

It must be blast to work in Cannondale’s R and D section. The big C always seems like it has something on the go that is pushing the limits, or at least making some of their competitors scratch their heads. I think the Moto ticks both of those boxes off. Not content to slack out an existing bike and bolt on a longer stroke shock, Cannondale developed the 6″ travel Moto from scratch for last season. Never one to follow any trends, the Moto has a look that is all its own. Built from carbon fiber, still a rarity in the 6″ travel sector, the Moto uses Cannondale’s Hatchet-Drive suspension to avoid mounting the shock to the front triangle. Thru-axles front and rear, a full length seat tube, and all-mountain geometry are the other important ingredients that make up the Moto package.

Cannondale Moto Carbon 2

The Moto’s Hatchet-Drive suspension

Look closer and you’ll find that the Fox shock that handles rear suspension duties is not mounted to the front triangle, but to the black link at the top and the swingarm at the opposite end. This allows the engineers at Cannondale to accomplish two things. First, it lets them build both a lighter and stronger front triangle because it no longer has to be braced to accept any force from the suspension. Second, they have another place to control the rate of the suspension. The Hatchet-Drive is driven via a Cannondale staple, a simple and solid single pivot and a substantial swingarm.

A 12 x 135 mm rear Maxle for stiffness and quick removal

Moto Carbon 2 full specs

The rear shock attaches to the Hatchet-Drive at the top and to the swingarm at the opposite end, not to the front triangle

While there are both carbon and aluminum Motos available, the carbon frame is stunning in person and will be appreciated by any true bike nerd out there. The shapes of the tubes are eye catching, as well as the bits of unpainted carbon. Besides looking great, the carbon also allows Cannondale to build a massively strong frame without the usually equally massive weight penalty. Have a look at the immense head tube and surrounding area as evidence.

The front of the Moto features a massive oversized head tube

New 2010 Santa Cruz bikes at Euro bike (in French)

With the success of Race Face’s proprietary Optimized Carbon Technology program, Race Face has decided to take another step into making your bike lighter, and stronger while still providing you with the same ride comfort and reliability you need. SixC (the c is silent, eh!) is the next step in cranks and handlebar development being constructed out of carbon fiber. SixC is a true AM/FR product, 20+ grams lighter than anything else out there and perfectly suited for the 5 to 6 inch travel range. Here is some information on the new lineup.

Check it all inside,

Manufactured and engineered in Race Face’s British Columbia, Canada manufacturing facility, they have done a ton of testing on some of the most abusive and demanding trails around. The SixC crank arms are completely hollow, with all the unnecessary material removed from the center core, and not replaced with an aluminum spine. The SixC crank arms are strictly carbon, exactly what you would hope for from a carbon lineup.

Race Face removes all the unnecessary material in the post curing process, so their engineers can mold the carbon at high pressure levels resulting in optimal material compaction and an overall lower void structure (empty space in the carbon overlay). This process aids Race Face in creating a superlight crank setup, weighing in at 760 grams. Race Face has included the pedal and spindle inserts in the molding process to ensure they will never loosen off or creak. The SixC crank arm features a superlight CNC machined CrMo bottom bracket spindle that is permanently molded directly into the drive side crank arm. This minimizes weight, and maximizes power transfer.

Race Face’s chainrings are 100% CNC machined from super hard 7075 aluminum to maximize wear resistance, and impact strength. These chainrings are secured in place using alloy torx 30 hardware, keeping the weight down. Removing the SixC cranks is simple using the built in crank puller cap, and an 8mm hex wrench. Race Face has also equip the SixC lineup with 3mm of available chainline adjustability. This ensures you the ability to achieve perfect drivetrain alignment even with difficult suspension frame designs.

Offered in a triple ring set-up, or double ring with Race Face’s lightweight 7075 alloy bashguard the SixC lineup should have an offering for your needs. As well, the bottom bracket that is included with the SixC cranks features Race Face’s triple wiper seal, which retains the factory Phil Woods waterproof grease better, and helps it keep contaminants out. The SixC cranks carry a US MSRP price of $669 with a bottom bracket.

Along with the SixC cranks Race Face did up a SixC handlebar. The SixC handlebar is manufactured with leading edge composite material that allows Race Face to reach their high strength requirements, while still coming in at an impressively low weight of 225 grams. Designed with a standard 9 degree rearward bend, and 4 degrees upward the SixC handlebar is a 3/4 inch rise bar that is only manufactured at 725mm wide, with a 31.8mm clamping diameter.

Race Face ensures that the SixC handlebar meets standards with each run that comes out of the factory by testing a handlebar from each run. This ensures that all the standards set by the engineers are met. As well, Race Face has equipped the SixC 3/4 Riser bar with reinforced clamping zones for lock-on grip compatibility.

The SixC handlebar got the same Matte Carbon color scheme that was offered on the cranks, along with the Orange accents (the bar, like the crankset, is also available in white and silver). Race Face has also included cut lines on the ends of the bar in 12mm increments, down to 700mm. The SixC handlebars have a US MSRP price of $129.

Aside from the SixC lineup Race Face recently released their Atlas FR direct mount stem. The Atlas FR direct mount stem is a flip flop design, meaning in one position it provides 30mm of reach, and the other side features 50mm of reach. Weighing in at 162 grams the new Atlas FR stem is constructed out of 6061 Aluminum, and features an interlocking u-shaped handlebar clamp. This U-shaped clamp aids the stem in transferring more load through the stem body, and not into the bolts.

The flip flop design is something we haven’t seen too much of around the mountain biking scene, but it makes sense to offer two options on one stem, at one low weight. Offered in black, white, and rum red the Atlas FR stem is designed to be a Boxxer direct mount stem. 4 bolts secure the front face plate to the body, and 4 bolts secure the body to your bike.

The Atlas FR stem has a US MSRP price of $95 for the black one, and $100 for the white model. Also, Race Face is producing a lighter version of the stem, known as the Atlas FR SL (super light). This stem weighs in at 138 grams, and will come with 8 Ti bolts. The US MSRP on that stem is $115.

Atlas FR SL Stem

Somewhere in between carbon cranks and direct mount stems sits the Respond line up. Respond is designed for riders who are wanting big hit performance at an All Mountain weight. Constructed out of 7050 aluminum the Respond crank setup weighs in at 1150 grams. Race Face has designed the Respond cranks to have 6mm of chainline adjustment, meaning these cranks should work with virtually any bike.

Race Face offers the Respond cranks in 165, 170, and 175mm lengths, and they will fit 68, 73, and 83mm bottom bracket shells. The bottom bracket included with the Respond cranks is filled from the factory with Phil Woods waterproof grease, just like the SixC cranks. This grease is known to extend bearing life, and keep your cranks spinning smoother over a longer period of time. The granny ring on the Respond cranks is removeable as well, for increased clearance should you choose to run a single ring chain guide.

Much like the SixC group the Respond cranks use the same EXI interface, making installation and removal of the cranks a breeze at any well setup bike shop. As well, Race Face has equip the Respond cranks with their light weight aluminum bash, lightening up the whole setup that extra bit. The Respond Cranks carry a US MSRP price of $160, and are part of a complete Respond lineup.

Along side the Respond cranks in the Respond lineup is the bar and stem. The Respond bar has been cold drawn out of seamless Air Alloy material. Its butted for a optimized weight to strength ratio, and is offered in two rise options, 1.5″ which weighs in at 370 grams, and 0.5″ which weighs in at 335 grams. It offered at 27″ wide from the factory, with 9 degrees of rearward bend, and 4 degrees of upward, with a 31.8 clamping diameter. The Respond handlebar carries a US MSRP price of $48 for the black bars, and $55 for the white version.

Matching up perfectly with the Respond handlebar is the Respond stem. The Respond stem is offered in 45mm and 60mm lengths, with 10 degrees of rise. Its forged and blasted out of 6061 aluminum, which translates into high stregn and fatigue resistance, with a reasonable weight. The Respond stem weighs in at 195 grams for the 45mm length, and 215 grams for the 60mm length. Also, the Respond stem features the same interlocking U-shaped handlebar clamp, which helps the stem dissipate images and stresses through the stem body, and not directly through the bolts. As well, when you combine the Respond stem and bar the graphics match up nicely in either the black or the white options. The Respond stem is for sale in black and white color options. The black version holds a US MSRP of $48, and the white version has a US MSRP of $57.

For more information about these new products from Race Face or any other products from them check out their site.

I have been noticing all over the last two months of Dirt mag and on the internet that a few bike such as the Atherton’s World Cup and Champs bikes have been sporting Shimano Saint branded rims such as below…

Looks like we could be seeing complete Shimano Saint Wheelsets for 2010 with bladed spokes..?

Rumour mill started!

Here’s the Race XC caliper and floating disc with lots of weight-saving titanium and aluminium fittings in evidence. (John Stevenson/BikeRadar.com)

British hub, brake and lighting maker Hope has an interesting handful of new components for 2010 including a seatpost that’s been in development for so long the company has named it, with typical gritty Northern humour, the Eternity. Also new is a lightweight disc brake, carbon fibre road wheels, and tweaks to Hope’s extensive range of stems.

Brake lightly on the earth

Cross-country racers and everyone else who picks parts with a gram scale will be interested in Hope’s new Race XC brake, which replaces the Mini Pro X2 in Hope’s line-up. Hope have shaved weight wherever possible, retaining the carbon fibre lever blade, but using aluminium and titanium fittings in place of steel, and aluminium back plates on the brake pads. Even the top cap will be carbon fibre.

Hope are aiming for a complete weight of 270g including their signature floating disc.

The world in a grain of sand…

The new Eternity post has taken rather more than an hour to get right. With tapered, side-closing clamps to hold the saddle rails, it’s a similar design Bontrager’s widely-used post, but the reason it’s taken four years to come to fruition is that every time Hope was ready to go into production, they came up with a way to improve it.

Even the version you see here isn’t quite final: production posts with have 6mm Allen bolts instead of 5mm, a change that Hope CEO Ian Weatherill says adds very little weight for a lot of extra security.

Like a Model T Ford, it’ll come in any colour you like as long as it’s black – with silver clamp components. Different colour clamps will be available as accessories if you want to pimp your ride. The Eternity post will be available in November in 27.2, 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters.

Wheels to road

It’s quite surprising to hear that Hope has gone from nothing to 10,000 pairs of wheels per year in just a few years, especially as they have steered away from doing anything gimmicky with their wheels. Where other companies quite literally tried to reinvent the wheel, Hope’s first wheels used conventional J-shaped spokes, Mavic rims and their own hubs.

Their latest road wheels were motivated by the desire to put decent hubs into the carbon fibre rims popping up all over, as they were being asked for hubs for rebuilds on expensive carbon wheels.

The wheels – with 50mm rims –will be available in clincher and tubular versions, with Sapim CX Ray spokes (20 up front and 24 in the rear) and in Campagnolo and Shimano compatible versions. They will retail for UKP950 per pair in the tubular incarnation.

Stems for descending

Hope’s also known for very tidy stems, and for 2010 they have diversified from the do-everything approach that saw their CNC-machined stem being used for both cross-country and downhill riding to making what Weatherill calls “a proper downhill stem”. The new unit closes with a combination of a dovetail and bolts and will be available only in 50mm and 70mm lengths.

For riders who use Fox 40 or RockShox Boxxer forks and therefore want a direct link between upper crown and stem, Hope is also introducing a direct fit stem.

Not your cheap bearings

Finally here’s an interesting bit of random Hope trivia. The bearings Hope use in their bottom brackets cost them 11 quid each. Seems the way to get outboard bottom brackets to last is simply to throw money at the problem by using spendy rollers.