We got a very early sneak peek at the all-new Rondo Ruut 2nd-generation carbon gravel bike back in February when it leaked out of a dealer-only preview event with its unique interrupted seattube design. But now at Eurobike, the new Ruut CF carbon bike has been brought out from under cover for a closer look. And its more conventional aluminum Ruut AL sibling has been unveiled too, with its own bit of unique design features…

The unmistakable novelty of the new second-generation Rondo Ruut is that interrupted seat tube design, which replaces the conventional and traditionally-structural two-triangle design that we all know and love for its simplicity. Rondo had already put a couple kinks in those triangles since the first iteration of their carbon gravel bike, but in more recent years they’ve gotten even more adventurous with angular, unconventional shapes.

Rondo Ruut CF 2nd-gen carbon gravel bike

While this broken seat tube promises to “tremendously” boost rider comfort thanks to controlled vertical flex – the same basic premise we saw in a Specialized patent the day before our Ruut 2.0 sneak peek, and then their Sirrus commuter bike – Rondo also has used the unconventional design as a springboard for even more wild shaping throughout the front half of their new carbon gravel bike. As their product designer explained it to me… “it also looks cool”.

We already knew plenty of details this year about the more integrated carbon bike with its carry-over adjustable geometry thanks to the fork axle flip-chips and five frame sizes (XS-XL), fully internal cables, nowhere to mount a front derailleur, a deeply aero fork that shields the front disc caliper, an asymmetric T47 BB & round 27.2mm seatpost. We also now know that at least three builds will be made available later this year, all with SRAM AXS wireless gravel drivetrains & Hunt wheels.

The top Rondo Ruut CF0 (green above) will get a Force XPLR group & special Rondo crossover branded Hunt Limitless aero carbon gravel wheels. Then, a Ruut CF1 will get Rival XPLR with Rondo+Hunt X-Wide alloy gravel wheels. While tire clearance for the bike is set at a max 45mm for 700c or 50mm for 650b, both of these get 700c wheels wrapped in racy 40mm gravel tires.

Again, Rondo will make another cyclocross race spec of their gravel bike. This time the Ruut X will get the latest affordable SRAM Apex XPLR AXS groupset but with tighter 10-36T gear spacing and Rondo+Hunt Aero Wide Alloy wheels covered with 33mm cross tires.

Rondo Ruut AL 2nd-gen alloy gravel bike

Not quite as dramatic-looking as the carbon bike, the new aluminum Ruut AL also has a few tricks up its sleeve. Geometry and TwinTip fork flip-chip adjustability are the same. And Rondo also made a few odd design decisions, just to make it “look cool”.

The alloy gravel bike sticks with more conventional modern frame tube shaping, slightly dropping its seatstays for comfort, hydroforming top & down tubes for stiffness & aero gains, and dropping both chainstays for big tire clearance.

The Ruut AL also gets fully internal cables routed through the headset, but this bike retains front derailleur compatibility (especially important for lower-cost GRX builds). It also gets more mounts all around – 2 standard cages in the front triangle, toptube bag & under downtube mounts, plus rear rack mounts, fender mounts, and anything cage mounts on each leg of the fork.

That new Ruut G3 carbon fork is also quite interesting. From the side, it looks to share the narrower taper, swept forward profile of current Ruut forks, but is curiously asymmetric from the front.

Rondo’s designer said that’s ‘just because’. The asymmetry at the crown made it a little simpler and cleaner to locate a grommet for internal dynamo wiring routing to exit heading to a headlight either high up under the bar or lower over the front tire. But really, it was just a fun design choice to make it look different.

Looking down lower on the frame – under a PF86 bottom bracket – we noticed some clean semi-internal cable routing for the rear derailleur through a machined chainstay yoke, but also something else poking out below…

Rondo has given the Ruut AL a little integrated toolbox under the bottom bracket.

A plastic insert that bolts onto the open bottom of the aluminum downtube & bottom bracket houses a good-sized multi-tool and a separate chain breaker that both come with the bike you buy. Heavy-duty magnets hold the tools securely in place, and a fitted rubber door securely closes the lower opening to keep dirt, mud & water out.

Plus, with the tools out and toolbox removed, internal routing is much easier to get to when you need to replace that mechanical rear derailleur cable & housing.

2024 gravel bike pricing & availability is still TBD

OK, so we know just a bit more about what really makes these new 2nd generation Rondo Ruut gravel bikes different than the first generation that introduced us to the brand all the way back in 2017. But we’re still waiting for word on official pricing and model availability timing. The bike rumor has it that they are realistically more of a model year 2024 bike, rather than MY23 as we originally thought. But with that said, we are still expecting them to be available sometime this autumn, and hopefully will get on one for some test rides soon.

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The ebikes of the future may have no drivetrain at all. Just look at this wild concept bike from Look, of all brands. The bike was on display at the Cixi booth, the French company behind the drive-less drivetrain.

Formula One fans will be familiar with KERS, but here, Cixi is working on their PERS – Pedaling Energy Recovery System. Essentially, the system is a transmission by wire. Up front where the typical ebike motor and crankset would be, you’ll find a similar-looking contraption, just without any sort of chain or belt attached to the crankset.

When you pedal a bike with PERS, you’re actually pedaling against resistance to make it feel like you’re pedaling normally, and that resistance is charging the battery. The system then transmits the signal from the pedals to the rear hub motor, propelling the bike based on the speed that you are pedaling. Out back, there’s also regenerative braking which further charges the battery.

There aren’t any gears in the system, just a continuously variable ‘transmission’ as the algorithm automatically adjusts the “crankset behavior”. You can also adjust how hard it is to pedal based on how you’re feeling. Another interesting feature is that the PERS can control several motors at the same time – or a motor that is very far from the pedals.

That leads into Cixi’s dream – everyone on a bike. Even if that bike is a three-wheel, covered two-seater that can do 120kph and is certified for highway use (kind of like the Canyon Future Mobility Concept). That’s the story behind this wild Vigoz prototype that was also in the booth. The bike/car hybrid has an automatic tilting feature when cornering, and claims to have a 160km battery range that is rechargeable in 6h on standard 220v sockets. You can learn a lot more about Vigoz here, but they expect that it should be available by 2025. Interestingly, they say Vigos will only be available by subscription.

Look Cycle does already offer a few ebikes, but this is radically different than something like the E-765 Gotham. Featuring a low standover height, and striking industrial design, the bike has everything you’d need to make a solid commuter bike – except the drivetrain.

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Czech bike maker Superior is expanding focus for the next year with three new versatile bike platforms that can blur the lines between going race fast or simply enjoying the ride. With a new toned-down aesthetic across the board and new lowercase sans-serif branding, Superior is returning to the basics where their bikes can stand alone on solid value and performance.

Superior XF MTB, iXF eMTB & X-Road road+ bikes

What I noticed first when I looked at the new Superior bikes, was their lack of over-the-top logos. For years Superior has been building race-winning XC & sprightly road bikes all the way down to affordable entry-level hardtails, but outside of some camouflaged prototypes, they all had big blocky graphics that didn’t even seem easy to read. Now with a new look to the brand, Superior is dialing it back and letting their new bikes stand for themselves again.

Their new full-suspension XF mountain bike still has its eyes set on XCO & XCM World Cup wins in carbon, but a stretched out longer-travel DC version in alloy will make for a much more affordable trail shredder too. On the ebike side of things, the completely new iXF extends travel even further combined with the latest lightweight Bosch SX powertrain for a nimble & natural eMTB ride. And round that up on the road with one X-Road bike that can be built up as an endurance kilometer crusher with high-volume race slicks, or as a fast gravel race bike with 40mm low-profile knobbies.

New Superior XF carbon cross-country race bike

The new XF is Superior’s top race-tuned carbon cross-country bike which already has had a soft roll-out on the World Cup mountain bike circuit this spring & summer. Now upgraded with more travel to 110mm front & rear, the new XF generally features the same proven linkage-controlled flex-stay single pivot suspension design tweaked with much more modern progressive geometry to face ever more difficult XCO & XCM racecourses.

Now with a slacker 66.5° head angle, steeper 76.3° seat angle, and more than 1cm longer Reach across all sizes, the carbon XF is a more capable race bike. Superior keeps most of the overall look to the XF, but has redesigned the upper suspension linkage so the shock is now driven off an extension of the chainstays via a new forged alloy link. The result they say is a full 172g of weight savings over the outgoing XC race bike – down to ~1550g.

The new carbon XF will be offered in 5 complete bike builds starting with alloy wheels & mechanical XT. Next to the top is this 8200€ Superior XF 9.8 Team build with mechanical XTR, DT 232 One suspension, and DT XRC carbon wheels. But there’s also a 9.9 Team build that goes full SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission to take advantage of the direct mount UDH style derailleur mounting.

New XF DC carbon or alloy downcountry trail bikes

Lastly with the same platform – and maybe even more interesting from my point of view – is the XF DC, a longer travel trail version of the cross-country race bike in either carbon or aluminum. The 130mm XF DC adds twenty millimeters of travel front & rear, with the rear simply increasing travel with a longer stroke shock of the same eye-to-eye length (190x45mm for the XF DC vs. 190x40mm for the new XF).

The resulting move to a longer 130mm fork sits the XF DC a little bit higher, raking out the front end to a 65.6° headtube angle while also raising frame Stack and shortening Reach a tiny bit.

There are three 9-series XF DC trail builds with the same exact carbon frame as the XF race bikes (all with mechanical Shimano groups & RockShox suspension. But there are also two much more affordable 6-series bikes with all aluminum frames. This 3500€ Superior XF 6.6 DC is the top-tier alloy bike, built up with a Pike Select fork, Deluxe Select+ shock, and a mixed Shimano XT build.

New Superior iXF lightweight eMTB

The carbon iXF is an all-new segment for Superior, who hadn’t really devoted so much effort into ebike development since they were mostly focused on bikes targeting race-oriented riders. That meant their urban, touring & eMTB lineup seemed more like an afterthought. But now with more lightweight motor options, improved natural ride feel, and rider acceptance of lighter, smaller batteries, Superior looks to be fully onboard with the light eMTB movement.

Their new iXF stretches out the same 4-bar suspension of the XF platform again, now to 140mm of rear wheel travel paired to 150mm up front. Geometry looks pretty capable for a trail/all-mountain ebike with a 64.5° head angle, 78° seattube, 450mm chainstays, and long frame Reaches (490mm for the L).

Powertrain for the Superior iXF is the new Bosch SX motor powered by a small 400Wh internal battery in the slightly oversized downtube, and expandable with an extra 250Wh via a range-extending external water bottle battery.

The top-spec iXF 9l8 retails for a cool 9999€ with the newest DT Swiss F535 One & R535 One suspension, a new SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission, and carbon DT Swiss HXC1501 wheels. But there are also a couple of versions with more affordable XT or Deore mechanical groups and alloy wheels that can bring the cost down, too.

X-Road road and gravel bikes

The Superior X-Road is probably best described as a fast carbon all-road bike – just in the middle between road & gravel. With fast endurance road geometry – 72° head angle, 73° seat angle, 70mm of BB drop & 406mm chainstays – paired with clearance for 40mm slick or semi-knobby tires, the X-Road builds up into a solid long-distance gran fondo endurance road bike or a fast-paced gravel racer. Either option gets all the core modern carbon dropbar bike tech, including: fully internal cable routing, aero-optimized shaping, 1x or 2x compatibility, flat mount disc brakes, 12mm thru-axles, a BB86 PressFit bottom bracket, an integrated clamp for the aero seatpost, and hidden mounts for full coverage fenders.

Superior offers many build options, but the top X-Road 9.8 GF road build with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and 30mm Schwalbe Pro One slicks on wide DT Swiss ERC1400 aero carbon wheels sells for 6300€. Or pick a high-value gravel build at just 3500€ with the exact same frameset paired to a mechanical GRX group and 40mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tires on alloy DT ER1600 wheels. There’s even a more affordable alloy version of the X-Road available in gravel builds.

Check with your local Superior dealer for exact availability dates, coming soon this autumn.

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Hidden in a box hanging on the wall of their booth, was KMC’s newest product range. Already known for being one of the main producers of quality bike chains, now KMC is aiming for the gears as well.

Their new React cassette line will be e-bike compatible, and will initially be offered in 8, 9, 10, and 11-speed options (12-speed is in the works). Full details aren’t given yet, but each will use a Shimano HG freehub spline, and has a black coating on each cog. These are aimed towards the mid-level cassettes, similar to Shimano Deore. No pricing has been given yet, but with Deore-level as the target, these should be pretty affordable.

Cassette Gearing

8-speed: 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32T

9-speed: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32T, 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36T

10-speed: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36T, 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36-42T

11-speed: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36-42T, 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36-42-50T

Chainrings, Too

KMC has offered chainrings for Bosch ebikes for a while now, but it seems that there are plans to expand that range. Some rings will use what they call an “R-Shape” tooth pattern for chain retention, though KMC mentioned that even without it, they were not seeing dropped chains thanks to the tooth profile. Previously, the chainrings were only for Shimano or Bosch ebike motors, but one of the chainrings we were shown was clearly for a more standard BCD which indicates use on a typical crankset.

More when we have it.

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It seems like it was only a matter of time before Camelbak brought their bag expertise to the world of bikepacking & long-distance gravel. That’s exactly what they brought to Eurobike in their new M.U.L.E. On Bike bag range. However, it was the metal podium bottle on the wall behind the bags that first attracted our attention.

For those who prefer a metal bottle to plastic, Camelbak will soon offer their Podium bottle design in Stainless Steel and Titanium. While Camelbak already offered stainless steel bottles in their Everyday collection, this is their first use in the Podium series.

The bottles use a dual-wall insulated construction that is said to keep drinks cold for 14-18h. Inside is a flexible straw, however, the straw is the vent, not something you drink out of. If you turn the bottle upside down, water will simply flow out of the valve without needing to suck.

Stainless steel podium bottles will be offered in two sizes, 18 ($35) and 22oz ($40), while Titanium will only be offered in the 18oz size for $100. Yes, a $100 bottle. It is titanium though.

M.U.L.E. On Bike Bags

The new M.U.L.E. On Bike Bag line is a five-piece collection that covers the bases for most bikepacking & long-distance gravel rides. The standout for us is the M.U.L.E. Frame Pack with Hydration, which includes the new 2L Quick Stow bladder with a QuickStow Cap on the other end with an on/off valve for easy water dispensing at camp. It’s also compatible with the Lifestraw filters, so you can filter the water at camp directly into the bladder. 

The bag itself has two sizes and multiple attachment points along three sides so you can place the velcro straps where you need them. Built with a water-repellent fabric and waterproof zippers, the water compartment has two zippers to make it easy to load the bladder, and the other side has a separate pocket for other goods.

There are also two sizes of saddle packs with the M.U.L.E. 1 and M.U.L.E. 9, the 9 being the 9L bikepacking variant.

Up front, the M.U.L.E. 12 Handlebar Pack is a cavernous bag to run on your bars. There’s also a M.U.L.E. stem bag with the option to run an additional bottle or have quick access to food or gear. Expect to see these for sale around March 2024, with pricing below.

M.U.L.E. On Bike Pricing:

New Chase Vests + Podium Flow 2

If that wasn’t enough, Camelbak also has two new Chase hydration vests and a new hip belt as well. The New Chase Race 4 ($115) includes a 1.5L hydration bladder and is meant for racing. The Chase Adventure 8 ($130) has a 2L reservoir and a lot more storage for adventure riding where less than a full hydration pack is still desired.

Finally, the Podium Flow 2 Belt gets the same revised middle bottle position as the recently revamped Podium Flow 4 Belt. The new positioning makes it easier to get the bottles in and out, and the Flow 2 will sell for $55.

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Whyte Bikes has been around since 1999, but two years ago, they got a little boost. That boost came in the form of a new “strategic partnership” and investment from the UK investment firm Cairngorm Capital Partners LLP.

That investment has also given a boost to their bicycle development, which is being shown in the form of their new prototype eMTB. According to Whyte Bikes, this is the first bike developed end to end under the new ownership, and they’re coming out swinging.

While the brand is no stranger to eBikes, this is their take on the light weight, mid-torque, full power trail ebike. Built around the new Bosch SX motor system, expect 55Nm of torque, and around 600w of peak power. Complete bikes will include a 400 Wh internal battery, and an optional range extender will push that to 650 Wh. The prototype above weighs in at 16.9kg, but Whyte tells us the production models will be a bit lighter thanks to a mostly UD carbon finish.

This bike will be built around a 140mm suspension fork with 130mm travel at the rear, while a more burly 150/140mm version is also in the cards. The lower shock mount hides a geometry adjustment allowing you to run high or low BB settings. There’s also an aftermarket shock link if you want to run mixed wheel sizes – the bike is built around 29/29″, but with the link swap you can run 29/27.5″.

Being a British company, Whyte Bikes need to survive properly wet conditions and this bike will be no different. We’re told that everything is sealed – from the seat tube, to the head tube, to the charging port which is positioned inside the frame on the front of the seat tube to protect from spray. All of the bearings are phosphate coated and packed with marine grease, and they’re also covered bike a lifetime pivot bearing warranty.

The cable routing is another interesting feature. Production bikes will come shipped with the rear brake line routed through the headset (with ports on either side depending on your brake orientation). But what if you don’t want headset routed hoses? The frame also has internal routing ports on either side of the headtube that are sealed from the factory with rubber plugs. If you want to use them, you can open the correct plug and then switch out the headset cover for a sealed version. It will still take some work to reroute it, but once it’s done you will have your preferred routing.

Expect complete bikes to be built with full length dropper posts, four piston brakes, and 800mm bars. Expect to see limited quantities of the bike available for sale this December, with full availability expected in early Spring 2024.

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This new Thok Project 4 eMTB prototype claims to be the world’s first 3D-printed metal full-suspension mountain ebike, and signals a new design direction for the ebike maker. Project 4 is the first real lightweight eMTB for Thok, powered by the latest Bosch SX motor and designed to plug-and-play any of 4 different smaller batteries under the downtube to keep weight to a minimum and tailor pedal-assist range to individual rider needs.

Thok Project 4 lightweight 3D-printed alloy eMTB

Both in carbon and aluminum, the existing Thok eMTB lineup has relied almost exclusively on powerful motors and large capacity batteries to give ebike riders as much support off-road. But the Thok Project 4 signals a new shift in focus to also include the option for a more natural style of trail riding in a lighter full-suspension ebike platform.

3D-printing development

Taking advantage of the almost limitless design possibilities of additive manufacturing with Belgian partner Materialise – the same people who printed this sustainable Canyon hardtail – the Thok ebike development team used Selective Laser Melting (SLM) to quickly 3D-print AlSi10Mg aluminum to create the unique shapes of the Project 4 ebike. Working directly with alloy, SLM allowed Thok to more quickly create a functional prototype of their next generation of eMTB that they could ride test, also with less material waste.

As we’ve seen with a number of 3D-printed alloy track and road bikes, SLM allows for unique complex frame shaping, as well as sophisticated structural design not always outwardly visible. But in the case of a full-suspension bike, Thok was also able to print each individual element of the frame and suspension as 1-piece, then machine their interfaces – all while also incorporating features like flip-chips, internal routing, more integrated electronics, and the ability to use modular battery and powertrain protection covers.

Tech details

Project 4 is still officially in development, but Thok sees light ebikes as a key market they plan to expand into for next year. The plan now is to power the Thok Project 4 with the newly launched 2kg Bosch Performance Line SX motor that cranks out 55Nm of mid-drive torque with a more natural pedaling sensation.

Thok will deliver this new lightweight eMTB platform with max battery modularity and weight kept low under the downtube. Buyers will be able to choose from 400Wh, 500Wh, 626Wh, or 750Wh batteries each with their own specific secure cover to integrate into the frame’s design – plus any ebike rider will be able to add on a 260Wh range extender bottle battery for longer pedal-assist support.

Technical details aren’t yet set in stone, but this prototype is built up with 29″ wheels, 150-160mm of travel between a RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork & Deluxe Select+ shock, and a flip-chip at the upper sock mount to either tweak ride height or rear wheel travel. Final geometry is still being refined too, although we’re told it will be a bit longer and more progressive than current Thok all-mountain ebikes.

Thok Project 4 – Availability

Thok hasn’t yet revealed a concrete timeline for when the Project 4 prototype will transition into a commercially available ebike – whether that is 3D-printed in metal or molded in carbon. But they have said that their lightweight full-suspension eMTB derived from this development project is expected to officially launch in 2024.

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Looking for a light weight XC race tire that is properly wide? The new Goodyear Peak SL looks like it will fit the bill with a 29 x 2.4″ size that checks in at a claimed 710g. That light weight also doesn’t come at the expense of sidewall protection either…

Thanks to the addition of ‘Mono fabric’ at the sidewall, their M:Wall Sidewall protection layer should give the 120 tpi casing a boost in durability (at the highest product level). Note that the tire will be offered in 29 x 2.25 or 29 x 2.4″. Claimed weight for the 2.25″ version is just 680g, with the 2.4″ version bumping up to 710g.

Using an updated low profile tread pattern from the Peak Ultimate tires, the Peak SL tires should also be even lighter weight. Traction is delivered through their DYNAMIC: A/T compound, meant to work in conjunction with the tread to deliver a fast tire with low rolling resistance.

The Peak SL will be offered in two versions, with the SL using a 60 tpi casing without the M:Wall protection, and the SL Race running the 120 tpi M:Wall casing. Pricing is set for $65 for the Peak SL Race.

Goodyear MTB Dirt & Park

For those who still roll around on 26″ wheels (raises hand), Goodyear has some attractive new tires for dirt jump, pump track, street, or park action.

The MTB Dirt and MTB Street tires are exactly as they sound with the Street tire running a smooth tread with plenty of siping, and the Dirt tire running a low profile knobby tread. Run them however you need – Dirt/Dirt, Street/Street, or Dirt in the front and Street in the back for the best of both worlds.

These will be offered in 26 x 2.2 initially, and are likely to sell for $45-50 each.

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Eurobike 2023 felt a bit like a return to form. Wandering the packed halls elicited feelings of past trade shows full of excitement about the future of bikes. While it was definitely e-bike-heavy as usual, there was still quite a bit to be found for any type of cyclist.

Looking back on all that we uncovered, it’s time to sum up the best of the show. Call them the Eurobike hangover awards if you wish, these are our top picks for the most interesting bit of new tech we found, and a signal of the direction of the cycling industry for the next year and beyond…

MTB: Rock Machine Whizz Modular Platform

What makes Rock Machine’s new Whizz modular mountain bike most interesting to us is that it isn’t trying to be the lightest, fastest, or burliest mountain bike – or its divisive angular looks. Instead, the aluminum Whizz concept is about building a bulletproof platform that can adapt to the rider’s needs and can be built in a more resource-efficient way. One all-mountain / enduro / park bike that can be adjusted to 140mm, 160mm, or 180mm of travel; 27.5, mullet or 29er; head angle and chainstay length can be adjusted if needed; a 200mm dropper can fit every rider and style, internal or external cable routing; a different standard of dropout could even be bolted in; and there are even SUV-style build accessory mounting possibilities. Plus, from a materials perspective, one rear triangle can be used in both pedal-only and ebike versions, and one dramatically-shaped hydroformed top tube can be used on all sizes of both bike & eMTB variations.

Road Bike: Pilot Cycles’ Seiren 3d-Printed Titanium Bike

3D-printing technology is improving all the time (just look at some of the other items in this list). But we’ve still seen just a handful of bikes that are completely 3D-printed, and even fewer of those are completely 3D-printed in titanium. The Seiren from Pilot Cycles is one of, if not the first fully 3D-printed titanium road bikes we’ve seen.

Thanks to the use of 3D-printing, the frame has a number of custom details including embossed logos, optional braze ons & accessory mounts, custom geometry options, and more. Pilot Cycles tells us that the frame is printed in 3 parts that are then bonded together which includes the Trek Madone-esque seat tube, though Pilot claims that this was the result of the need for frame alignment rather than rider comfort.

Initially, the stratospheric price tag of $18k+ will prevent anyone but the most wealthy from owning one, but this award is more about the advancement of 3D-printing tech that will eventually trickle down to more affordable levels.

Gravel: SRAM Apex 12-speed Gravel Groupset in 4+ More-Affordable Options

SRAM’s new entry-level Apex upgrade debuted just a couple of days before the start, but it really came into its own at Eurobike where you could find all sorts of gravel bikes kitted out with this latest tech, but at more affordable prices. What makes Apex unique is that it gives you all the 12-speed gearing options of SRAM’s top-tier gravel groups – be that XPLR or Eagle cassettes – BUT it also gives you the choice of picking the easy-to-use wireless AXS electronic shifting system or sticking with a much more affordable mechanical shift setup. On top of that, the new Apex is mix-and-match compatible with all other XPLR or Eagle components, opening up the possibility for lower-cost replacements to existing groups or the ability to upgrade one part at a time as you go. Plus, that compatibility means there are flat bar options for each of the 4 build possibilities – AXS XPLR, AXS Eagle, mechanical XPLR, Mech Eagle – making this likely to be the groupset we’ll see across the widest range of ‘gravel’ bikes from commuter to race builds.

Apex is also actually the first SRAM road/gravel/dropbar groupset to get 12-speed mechanical shifting, itself an important milestone in bringing top performance to a more accessible level. Complete groupset pricing starts as low as $680 / 784€ for flat bar Apex Eagle mechanical and tops out at $1294 / 1460€ for dropbar Apex AXS Eagle.

We expect to see the new Apex on complete bikes that sell from around $1850 up to around $3000.

EBike Motors/Drive Systems: Pinion ON.E eDrive Combined Gearbox & Motor

What makes the Pinion ON.E so interesting is that this is a component that is both better than the sum of its parts AND has the potential to be transformative to a number of different ebike segments. Gearboxes have been around for years; and certainly, Pinion has established itself as one of the performance & reliability benchmarks for mid-drive solutions. And there are more ebike motor possibilities than you can shake a stick at. Combining a powerful motor with a gearbox (which critically doesn’t really shift under load) in a compact mid-drive solution barely larger than competitor ebike motors was no easy feat. Getting it to shift while being simultaneously loaded by ebike rider pedal input and/or motor power input is impressive. Transformative is that an ebike rider’s entire enclosed drivetrain and powertrain will only require an oil change every 10,000km when combined with a no-maintenance belt drive – all with no rear derailleur or cassette to wear or be subject to external damage. Then, from a suspension design perspective, that ~1kg of unsprung derailleur & cassette weight is moved to a more central balanced location in the frame, where it is now sprung mass that the suspension can be tuned for, opening the door for eMTB designers to have much more control on how their suspension actually performs when combined with optimized battery placement.

eMTB: Crossworx Trip 290

Now, it won’t be to everyone’s taste, but we are loving the use of alternative drivetrain technology on the Crossworx Trip 290 eBike. Still under development, this linkage-driven single pivot delivers 140mm of rear wheel travel on an aluminum frame that is built in Germany.

It combines the 55 Nm torque of the latest Bosch Performance Line SX motor – that itself weighs just 2 kg – with the durability of a Gates Carbon Drive. You’ll see a single sprocket at the rear, but the Classified Powershift Hub makes this a two-speed eBike thanks to the hub’s internal gearing. Yes, the Pinion Mission ON:E offers 12 discrete gears inside its neatly-packaged MGU, but it comes at the expense of an additional 2 kg and a much wider Q-Factor.

Classified have rolled out this technology for road, gravel and more recently to regular derailleur-operated 12-speed mountain bike drivetrains – making them 24-speed, of course. Word is, the Commencal Enduro Team are testing it out for use on the Meta SX V5 race bikes destined for the UCI-EDR Series.

I digress. The Crossworx Trip 290 just speaks to me (Cory). I really want this unusual collection of drivetrain parts to work well together. The relative simplicity of it is really quite appealing; there’s no derailleur to fret about, there’s a maintenance-free belt-drive, and the only gearing you have is neatly packed away inside a sealed hub.

On this bike, the 48T chainring is paired with a 24T cog on the hub to give a gear 2:1 ratio. But, the Classified Powershift Hub delivers a second gear ratio of 1:0.7, giving an effective chainring size of 24T.

I do question the ability of the Bosch SX motor to put up with the very wide range of rider cadences that a limited two-speed offering will give rise to. However, I think there is potential here for the Crossworx Trip 290 to be all the eBike that many folks could ever need.

Suspension: Motion Engineering’s 120mm Linkage Fork

Motion Engineering are developing a 120mm travel linkage-fork that is set to weigh around the 1,200 gram mark – a weight that will make it around 185g lighter than Intend’s Samurai CC which currently holds the accolade for the world’s lightest suspension fork of that travel length.

And, its unusual linkage design that makes use of a braking torque arm is said to make it completely neutral under front wheel braking; which compares to traditional telescoping forks that have a tendency to dive a little.

In the world of cross-country where weight is a big deal, to have a 120mm fork offering that is ~ 346 grams lighter than the commonly raced RockShox SID is nothing to be sniffed at. The fork’s half-crown design and one-piece monocoque carbon steerer and crown go a long way to making its weight so competitive.

It does not have a leaf-spring, as we see on Motion’s La City fork. Though we couldn’t really get a good view of it on the 3D-printed prototype on display at Eurobike, this 120mm fork will make use of a standard air shock. In theory, that makes the design as tuneable as the vast array of rear shocks on the market – so long as they fit, of course.

In practice, Motion plan to work closely with bike manufacturers to develop forks around each frame specifically. Word is, this will initially be an OEM-only product, but we’ve no doubt that could change if aftermarket appetite proves to be high. More info on this one here.

Manufacturing: Trickstuff x Trumpf 3D-Printed Bike Parts

We’re a little off-piste here, but it would be rude not to provide mention of Trickstuff’s 3D-Printed titanium levers for their Piccola and Direttissima. We call these out not only because they are impressively lightweight and rather aesthetically pleasing, but also because of the relative economy of the additive manufacturing method used to create them. Bare with.

Trickstuff are currently working closely with Trumpf, a company that produces the laser-sintering machines that are responsible for the beautiful array of titanium levers you see before you, but also for the 6061 aluminum bottom bracket-seat tube cluster of a prototype six-link Intense downhill bike.

Trumpf approached Trickstuff with the offer of a machine on loan to allow the team to see firsthand how their additive manufacturing systems can be used to create bicycle components. As compared to CNC-machining, 3D printing has the capacity to produce a greater diversity in the shape of parts that could ultimately offer performance advantages; just think about that in terms of the oil path inside a hydraulic brake caliper, for example.

Chris Lengwenat, a representative of Trumpf, tells us that their additive manufacturing systems offer advantages over comparable systems, both in terms of the structural integrity of the final product, but also in terms of the processing time required post-manufacture.

That’s because these machines have the ability to pre-heat the build plate to 500°C, which is said to result in a reduction in the internal stress in the parts and the deformation that would otherwise occur during the welding process by up to 80%. As a result, the dimensional accuracy of the parts is increased and their mechanical properties are such that, part-dependent, heat treatment is often not required afterwards.

The method also requires fewer support structures to be created with the part – structures that need to be removed after manufacture in a labor-intensive process. In turn, the cost of production can be reduced quite significantly. The suggestion seemed to be that this method of manufacture has the potential to bring the cost of printed titanium parts to a point at which they will be almost competitive with the cost of CNC-machined aluminum counterparts.

Urban: Riese & Müller Subscription Leasing Program

Riese & Müller’s city commuter ebikes range from high-speed single-occupant pedelecs to slow-moving cargo ebikes designed to haul your whole family around town. But no matter how you look at it, they are expensive – you can easily 6-8,000€ on your ideal setup. Their new subscription plan means for about 100€ per month, you can subscribe to something of an ebike lease that will get you the perfect setup that fits your needs without a big outlay of cash up front, then as your needs change, you can shift to a different Riese & Müller ebike that better fits how you ride. We suspect most of Riese & Müller’s customers are urban families buying family movers. And as your family grows and your kids get bigger, we see this as a great way to always have the perfect car-free setup to haul the little ones around as you run to get groceries, and then scale up when you have more kids or your kids outgrow smaller child seats to ride on their own. Plus, our friends in Germany say it is essentially the same price or cheaper than many public transit pass options.

Components: Astral Seatpost with O.N.S.

Do you ride into remote areas on a regular basis? Would you be prepared if you had an emergency and had to spend the night? That’s the idea behind the Astral O.N.S. package or One Night Saved. The lightweight kit packs up neatly and fits inside the Astral 27.2 or 31.6mm seat posts. Inside, you’ll find a flashlight, whistle, waterproof matches, strike paper, fire starter, water purification tablets for 3 quarts, and a space blanket. The O.N.S. package has been available from Astral for a bit, but this was the first time we’ve seen it in person, and it seems like a great idea for your bike without a dropper post.

Tires: Schwalbe Aerothan Tire Concept

If, and this is a big if, Schwalbe’s Aerothan road bike tire concept delivers on its promises, it has the potential to be a game changer for road tires. With the potential for “super low rolling resistance, a more supple ride, and puncture protection on par with tubeless tires”, all of a sudden road riders have a tubed tire option that will rival tubeless. Oh, it’s also just 165g for the tire and 100% recyclable.

Clothing: Leatt All//Mntn 3.0 Tech Riding Pants

Designed to cross disciplines as many all-mountain bikers do, the techy tapered-leg Leatt All//Mntn 3.0 riding pants (and shorts too) feature 3 or 4 different core materials to give a balance of lightweight performance and protection. Leatt’s brand is built on protection – mostly from big impacts – but their functional clothing doesn’t always get as detailed a look as helmets, neck braces & pads. These multi-colored cargo pants have abrasion-resistant panels where you are likely to scuff them up, all the cargo pockets you could hope for – but still well-placed and slim enough to ride comfortably, plus a unique stretchy loop at the back to carry the removable shin bar from their convertible full-face helmets. The light pants promise moisture control breathability via a mix of lightweight softshell fabrics then DWR coated so they will keep you dry even in some lightly rainy conditions, and SPF 50+ rated to keep the sun at bay too. They also come in two-tone grey, two-tone red/orange, and a more subtle black for riders looking to blend in.

Accessories:

Eyewear: Automatic Transition Lenses from Out Of & React

Described as an entirely new category in eyewear, both Out Of and React were showing futuristic shades which instantly transition to the ambient light. Photochromic lenses are nothing new, but the process usually takes a while, which can mean that by the time your lenses have adapted, the lighting has changed again.

This new generation of adaptive lenses changes that by using an LCD screen laminated with a solar cell which provides power without the need to recharge or plug-in. Both companies seem to have similar performance, with React claiming their lenses change in 0.1 seconds while Out Of claims 0.09 seconds.

The result seems to be lenses that truly change as quickly as the lighting conditions, for a potential game-changing product in the eyeglass world. We haven’t tested either of these in person yet (we hope to), but demonstrations at Eurobike seemed to back up the claims.

Bags/Packs: CamelBak Mule On-Bike Frame Pack

It’s no surprise that as more gravel racers and bikepackers are stuffing hydration bladders into frame bags, Camelbak has taken notice. It’s also not much of a surprise that Camelbak’s first hydration-specific frame pack looks really well-designed. Known for creating hydration packs that adapt to a wide range of bodies, their new Mule On-Bike Frame Pack looks like it will conform to a wide range of frames just as well.

Part of a new line of Mule On-Bike bags, the Eurobike Award-winning Frame Pack is built in tandem with a new 2L Quick Stow reservoir. The bag is also designed to use without the reservoir if you’d like, but the pack is also built with hydration in mind. The new reservoir includes a hose to drink from while riding the bike, but it also has a QuickStow Cap on the other end with an on/off valve for easy water dispensing at camp. It’s also compatible with the Lifestraw filters, so you can filter the water at camp directly into the bladder.

The bag itself has two sizes and multiple attachment points along three sides so you can place the velcro straps where you need them. Built with a water-repellent fabric and waterproof zippers, the water compartment has two zippers to make it easy to load the bladder, and the other side has a separate pocket for other goods.

Tools: Clever Standard Bacon Bullet

It’s not often that we need tire plugs, but when we do, there’s a good chance we don’t have the right size plug for the hole. The Bacon Bullet concept from Clever Standard addresses those issues by giving you multiple tip sizes with the option of mixing and matching bacon tubeless strips to best fit the puncture.

The result is a tubeless plug that uses more affordable inserts, can be inserted with almost any 2-3mm allen wrench, offers a patch that can’t be pulled out, and uses tips that are reusable once the tire has reached the end of its life.

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When it comes to fixing a tubeless flat, all punctures are not created equal. Some are small pin holes, while others are large gashes – which can make it challenging to plug with a one-size-fits-all tire plug. As usual, Clever Standard has come up with a better way.

Amusingly called the Bacon Bullet (which we got a sneak peek of here), Clever’s tubeless solution is built to use existing ‘bacon’ tire plug strips in multiple combinations. With two or three different sizes for the ‘bullets’ (production is yet to be finalized), you can choose the number and size of bacon strips to suit the puncture. That includes the smaller 1.5mm strips, or the larger 3.5mm strips.

Not only does this allow you to utilize commonly-found bacon strips which are more affordable than specialty tire plugs, it means that you can insert multiple plugs at once which could be ride-saving for larger holes.

It also means that it’s nearly impossible for the plug to pull out once the bullet is fully inserted into the tire. Clever mentioned that they have been testing prototypes with Mark Weir, who has been loving how secure the tire plugs are once they’re in place.

And when it’s time for a new tire? Simply cut out the Bacon Bullets, clean out the bore, and you can reuse them almost indefinitely.

When it comes to actually inserting the Bacon Bullets, they are designed to fit on top of standard Allen wrenches so you can use almost any multi tool with a 2-3mm Allen as a plugger. Certain tools will work better than others in terms of comfort in your hand, so just dial in your setup at home ahead of time.

The Bacon Bullet isn’t yet available as Clever Standard is looking for a company to partner with, but when they are, it seems like it will be one of the better tire plug options on the market.

Captain Hook

Another smart little tool that Clever Standard had to show was their new Captain Hook. The colorful valve caps not only serve as valve core wrenches, but they have another tool that anyone with stuck valve nuts will love.

The bottom of the tool is shaped to fit the flat found on most valve nuts on tubeless valves. While using one tool to hold the valve core from spinning, you can use the other to loosen the valve nut in cases where it’s stuck with tire sealant, road salt, sea salt, etc.

Additional features include a 3.23mm spoke wrench at the hook side, and a 3.30mm spoke wrench at the valve side. Additionally, the size of the tool allows brands or bike shops to include their logos and a QR code in the laser etching.

This one is also not quite available yet, but you can stay up to date one the Clever Standard Facebook page or bibcreative.bigcartel.com.

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