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With these last few prototypes and new products, we thought we’d add a few items to those that struck our fancy at this year’s Sea Otter tech expo. We still have more new bikes, frames, parts, and accessories that were shown, so we plan to gradually get those stories, along with some pro mountain bikes, up on VeloNews.com over the course of the next few months.
Niterider has a bright future
With planned availability this August, in time for the fall night riding season, Niterider showed prototypes of new high power, rechargeable LED lights. Their goal was to create brighter lights in a compact, lighter weight lamp body.
Niterider’s current top of the line, the TriNewt, uses 3 separate LEDs in a 200-gram lamp, for a measured light output of 486 lumens. By comparison, the new Pro 600 is planned to generate 600 lumens from an 85-gram lamp head.
Generating that kind of output in a small, lightweight lamp required Niterider to employ some new technologies. Most fundamental to the design is building four LEDs into a single die, in the center of the reflector. Essentially the power of four bulbs takes the space of one, for massive light output in a small package. Along with the light comes heat, and the lamp head required extensive reshaping (in the form of cooling fins) to help keep the unit cool.
For the ultimate in output, the brand intends to also offer the Pro 1200, which (as you would guess) throws off 1200 lumens from a two-lamp head unit. One lamp is a spot, and one is a flood. Target weight for this version is less than 200 grams.
Perhaps the most progressive feature of the new light system is an internet-based software package that will permit users to customize their lights for output, run time, high/low modes, and flashing mode (including flash pattern). Taking a page from automotive tuners, Niterider is building the software to recognize the lamp unit when it is connected to a user’s computer by USB cable, then display information as to how the light is programmed. Output can then be tuned in 50-lumen increments to favor either brightness or battery life.
Both new lights will have an eight-step digital fuel (battery life) indicator on top of the lamp head, and both will ship with a new, quick-release battery pack. The new battery pack consists of a receiver tray, which straps on the bike, and a four-, six-, or eight-cell battery pack, which docks in the receiver tray. Installing or removing a battery pack does not require it to be unplugged—the receiver tray stays in place on the bike. Anyone who has fumbled with Velcro straps and battery plugs in the dead of night can appreciate Niterider’s new approach.
Target price on the Pro 600 is $400, and the Pro 1200 should sell for $600.
Syncros keeps moving forward
The Syncros brand was popular in the mid 1990s for lightweight, reliable mountain bike components. After Ritchey Design bought Syncros in 2003, the company has been slowly rebuilding traction on the mountain bike scene. Known mostly for sturdy freeride and all-mountain products, the brand is also branching into lighter weight cross-country items.
Most notable is a new carbon fiber wheelset, the FL CF (Freaking Light Carbon Fiber). The new wheels feature:
- High pressure forged, 3K carbon fiber rims,
- 32 spokes front and rear,
- 3 cross lacing front and rear,
- Syncros FLH hubs in either centerlock or 6-bolt disc style,
- Standard quick release or 15mm thru axle option.
Weight on a standard QR set is 1500 grams, and MSRP is $2075.
Also in development for XC riders is a new seatpost. Syncros first made a splash in the mountain bike scene with a unique (for its time) two-bolt micro-adjustable clamp that has remained unchanged at the high end. For the first time since the inception of the company, the flagship XC post is set to change, with a new, lightweight one-bolt clamp. No word on weight or price, but look for news by fall.
Commençal shows two prototype frames
The small Commençal brand from Andorra is not resting on its association with star rider Cedric Gracia. The company showed two frames in development.
The Carbon Meta 5.5 is built for all-mountain use, but with a projected weight of 5 pounds, including a FOX RP23 rear shock, it should be more than capable for enduro/trail use. The geometry is biased toward stability and handling on downhills and the rear wheel travel of 140mm certainly gives it all-mountain attitude. The frame and swingarm are carbon fiber, dropouts are interchangeable for QR or thru-axle.
The other new frame, still in early prototype stage, is intended to be a slopestyle platform. Titled the Absolut SX, it’s built from aluminum with 140mm of rear wheel travel, interchangeable dropouts, a tapered integrated headset, and two different top tube lengths for sizing. The rear swingarm pivots concentrically with the bottom bracket, giving it singlespeed (even a carbon drive belt) potential.
