Some very nicely designed component sets from Crank Brothers.

I love the fact that they are bringing good quality product/graphic design to the mountain bike industry. Keep up the good work boys.

Building upon the success of their pre-built wheels, CrankBrothers are introducing a range of Cobalt cross-country and Iodine all-mountain components, including handlebars, stems and seatposts.

The move into cockpit component design is a natural progression for the US company. With wheels, pedals and adjustable seatposts already available, design minded riders can now tie a whole bike together with the Laguna Beach brand’s unique style.

“There are no longer just utilitarian products,” said Christina Orlandella, CrankBrothers’ marketing director, describing how people crave affordable design. “There’s always an emotional connection to what people buy and our vision is that CrankBrothers are going to be the design company for the mountain bike.

“We do this by designing aesthetically disruptive, high-performance products – not just one or the other, but both. High performance is a given; it should be. The aesthetic disruption is something that changes the look of the bicycle and is unmistakably CrankBrothers.”

Three stems, five handlebars, three seatposts and two types of grip will be available this summer. Further components are expected to be added in time for the autumn trade shows, while the launch of Sage (freeride) and Opium (downhill) equivalents will likely be saved for 2011.

As with CrankBrothers’ pedals – and there are new developments in this area too – the new components will have numbers rather than names. “These go to 11,” said Orlandella. Level 1 products are entry-level, level 2 are aimed at bikes costing US$800-2,000 and level 3 is the workhorse performance line for bikes in the $2,000-4,000 range. The ’11′ tag is set aside for ‘dream bikes’ – those that push past the $4,000 mark.

So, this summer we’ll see a Cobalt 3 stem, Cobalt 2, 3 and 11 bars, and Cobalt 2, 3 and 11 seatposts for cross-country riders. On the all-mountain side there’ll be Iodine 2 and 3 stems, Iodine 2, 3 and 11 bars, plus the existing Joplin 4 adjustable seatposts. Additionally, CrankBrothers offer both Cobalt and Iodine clamp-on grips.

Cobalt

CrankBrothers have designed their Cobalt stem with just two Torx bolts. Two wedge-and-plunger systems are used to clamp the bar and steerer tube. There is no faceplate; instead, the handlebar slides through machined loops that are part of the stem’s body. The wedge-and-plunger system uses the large, smooth plunger to focus clamping force on the bar and steerer. This eliminates the crimping associated with wedge-only systems.

Even though the bar has to be woven through the front clamp, the stem can accommodate models with a 50mm rise. Only the Cobalt 3 stem will initially be available, but the design begs speculation as to the material of the 11 model. Our guess is that the Cobalt’s wedge-and-plunger system is an ideal clamping system for carbon. The way the stem body is designed, and the fact that it doesn’t require fasteners to thread into the body, reinforces this opinion.

Cobalt 3 stem and bar

The Cobalt 3 stem will be available in four colours. It’s forged from 7075 alloy and available in five lengths (8cm-12cm, 1cm increments) with a ± 6-degree rise. A 100mm stem has a claimed weight of 127g and a retail price of £89.99 (US$130). As part of CrankBrothers’ new testing protocol, all of their stems meet CEN standards.

Three handlebars and three seatposts are also available in the Cobalt line. The primary difference between them is the material they’re fashioned from. The seatposts are available in four sizes (27.2, 30.9, 31.6 and 34.9mm), two lengths (350 and 400mm) and with a zero or 20mm offset. The 3 and 11 posts feature a unique recessed ruler, so riders can mark their preferred height(s), while the 2 has a laser etched ruler.

The Cobalt 11 post’s height ruler. You’re meant to fill in the dot at your preferred height

They all share the same one-bolt quick clamp, which uses a separate reinforcing support that fits between the saddle’s rails before it’s fitted to the post. Additionally, CrankBrothers offer a kit to fit sister company Fizik’s braided carbon railed saddles.

The Cobalt 2 bar is a basic alloy handlebar available in a 680mm width and either flat or with a 15mm rise (255g and 308g, respectively). Both models are fashioned from 6061 alloy. All of CrankBrothers’ new handlebars feature a six-degree back sweep. The mid-range bar costs just £41.99 ($50). The Cobalt 2 seatpost is forged from 7050 alloy, laser etched and costs £57.99 ($90).

The one-bolt seatpost clamp uses a separate stiffener to support the saddle rails

The Cobalt 3 handlebar is also alloy, but the 7075 variety. It features a complicated graphics treatment whereby it’s masked, sandblasted, anodised, polished and finally laser etched. It’s available in 680mm width in a flat version or with a 15mm rise. Claimed weights are 195g and 230g, respectively, and both cost £64.99 ($80). The Cobalt 3 post is fashioned from 7050 alloy, but features more machining and finish work that the 2 model, and costs £79.99 ($120).

The dream bar, Cobalt 11, is made of high modulus unidirectional carbon fibre. It’s available in a 600mm flat option that weighs just 132g or with a 15mm rise that’s 680mm wide and weighs 160g. Both cost £99.99 ($120). The Cobalt 11 seatpost is moulded from the same carbon fibre and at 172g (31.6, 400mm) is one of the lightest on the market. It passes a 350lb slip test and a 100,000-cycle dynamic load fatigue test, so it should be up to the task of taking some mountain bike abuse. It costs £174.99 ($220).

Handlebars: Cobalt 11 (foreground) and Iodine 3 and 11 (back)

Iodine

On the all-mountain side, the Iodine 2 stem uses a conventional faceplate that’s fixed with four T25 Torx bolts and a wedge-and-plunger steerer clamp. The stem is forged from 7075 alloy and available in six lengths from 70mm to 120mm with a ± 6-degree rise. It’s available in two colours, has a claimed weight of 175g (100mm) and costs £59.99 ($90). The Iodine 2 handlebar is fashioned from 6061 alloy and costs £41.99 ($50). All of the Iodine bars feature a 30mm rise, the option of 680mm or 700mm widths and a six-degree back sweep.

The Iodine 3 stem gets fancy with the use of a sliding, removable faceplate and dual wedge-and-plunger clamping system. It’s forged from 7075 alloy and available in six lengths. It’s claimed to weigh 169g (100mm) and costs £89.99 ($130). The Iodine 3 bar costs £64.99 ($80). It’s made from 7075 alloy finished with the same processes as the Cobalt 3 bar. Claimed weight for the 680mm bar is 238g.

Iodine 3′stem’s sliding faceplate

Only one option is available for the high modulus uni-directional carbon fibre Iodine 11 handlebar: a 30mm rise and 680mm width. It weighs just 178g and costs £99.99 ($120).

Matching grips are also available. The Cobalt version is made of foam and weighs 96g. Available in blue or gold, it costs £19.99 ($25). The Iodine grip is made of Kraton rubber and weighs 136g. Available in black, blue and orange, price is the same again, £19.99 ($25).

The Cobalt grip family

Design focused, quality assured

When they showed us their new products, CrankBrothers were keen to stress that, although they are a design-led company, the quality and performance of their kit is up there with the best. They test all products to Cannondale’s standards, which are some of the most stringent in the bicycle industry, they only use what they call ‘A-list’ overseas suppliers – those who employ the highest internal testing standards – and have just formed a partnership with leading third-party testers SGS testing labs in Taiwan. They’ve even set up their own office in Taichung to oversee production, with a senior engineer, Matias Lauryssens, permanently deployed there.

Looking to the future, the company will continue to only produce mountain bike components. “CrankBrothers won’t be making anything for the road market,” said Orlandella. “We’ve got a following in mountain bike, so why try to be all things to all people?” This is hardly surprising when you look at the staff, who can be best described as a bunch of mountain bikers. Just about everyone from Maxine Irving, the ex-professional downhiller who runs CrankBrothers’ reception and front office, to engineers and customer service rides, and their first choice of location is always the same – off-road.

It doesnt seem to be anywhere on the internet so here are some UNOFFICIAL weights for the excellent bargin azonic outlaw wheelset:

FRONT W/O CONVERSION KIT = 1111g or 2 lbs 11.2 oz.
REAR W/O SKEWER = 1315.4g or 2 lbs 14.4 oz.
CONVERSION KIT = 113g or 4 oz.

By comparison the beautiful Crank Brothers Iodine Wheelset (below) weighs in at 870g front and 995g rear – a total of 1865g compared to the equivalent Outlaws 2426.4g!

I guess that is what the extra £550 buys you… 561.4g of weight reduction.

Pretty much the equation goes spend an extra £ for evey g you loose!

Intense Cycles are synonymous with two things – the revolutionary M1 downhill frame and the legendary Tracer trail bike.

Today, they continue to make world class mountain bikes and BMXs, with the highlight of the 2009 product year being the reinvention of the Tracer as an adjustable all-mountain rig.

Check out the 951 with the £800 Crank Brothers Opium DH wheels!

I have new crank brothers 50 50 XX pedals on Tango now. Aside from my feet flying off occasionally they seem grippy, light, stiff, smooth and ultra strong. they came with a second set of plates and replacement /additional pins and beautifully packaged.

I can highly recommend them. Especially if you can pick them up for £40 like I did!! (RRP £79.99)

Crank Brothers Iodine wheel set.
Weight – front/rear 870g / 995g

Rim:
• Material 6061-t6 aluminium
• Colour burnt orange
• Joint – welded
• Internal width – 21mm
• Valve hole dia. – 6.5mm
• Braking surface – disc brake only

Spokes:
• Material – stainless steel
• Colour – silver
• Butting – 2.0 / 1.6 / 2.0
• Number – 24

Nipples:
• Material – 7075-t6 aluminium
• Colour – burnt orange

Hubs
• Front hub shell – 2 sealed 25x37x7 Cartridge bearings
• Front axle length – 20mm Thru Axle, convertible to 100mm QR, Adapters included
• Rear hub shell – 2 sealed 25x37x7, 2 sealed 17x28x7, Cartridge bearings
• Rear axle length – 135mm qr

Compatibility:
• Tyre tubeless compatible
• Recommended tyre size – 2.3-2.5″

Quick release – front / rear split QR included.
The front hub can be converted to 15mm QR with the use of the Crank Brothers Cobalt 15mm QR Adapters