Other Fun Stuff - Bikerumor https://bikerumor.com/other-fun-stuff/ All the best cycling news, tech, rumors and reviews Sat, 03 Feb 2024 19:22:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/bikerumor-favicon-144-1-120x120.png Other Fun Stuff - Bikerumor https://bikerumor.com/other-fun-stuff/ 32 32 190730048 All the Metal: Ritchey Brings Road Logic, Road Logic Disc & Break-Away Back to the Front! https://bikerumor.com/ritchey-road-logic-road-logic-disc-break-away-travel-bike/ https://bikerumor.com/ritchey-road-logic-road-logic-disc-break-away-travel-bike/#comments Fri, 02 Feb 2024 21:06:33 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351645 Ritchey Road Logic frameset hero

Steel is real. Ritchey brings back the iconic steel Road Logic, Road Logic Disc, and the Road Logic Break-Away framesets.

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Ritchey Road Logic frameset hero

Ritchey, long-time maker of quality bicycle parts, just brought back their iconic steel road framesets. The Road Logic, Road Logic Disc, and the Road Logic Break-Away frames are back after not being offered in the current line for a few years.

Combining over 50 years of Tom Ritchey’s design expertise, all of the new Road Logic frames combine classic aesthetics with modern performance. I thought I’d touch on the reasons why these frames are back, plus look at the actual logic behind the decision. In layman’s terms…

A. Steel is metal.
B. Metal rules!
C. The Ritchey Road Logic, Disc, and Break-Away are made of steel.
D. Therefore, the Ritchey Road Logic, Disc, and Break-Away rule!

It’s simple math really. Let’s check out what’s new on these new frames.

Ritchey Road Logic

Retail: $1599

Color: Sally’s Macarons (deep red with mauve branding)

The rim-brake version of the Ritchey Road Logic leaves all of the features that made it legendary untouched. Like all of the re-introduced Road Logic framesets, this version is made with a triple-butted, heat-treated Ritchey Logic tubeset. It features “aggressively short-butted” sections that have been optimized for tig welding to save weight and improve ride quality.

Both the frame and Ritchey Carbon fork have clearance to fit up to a 30mm tire. It weighs in at 1.77kg (3.9lbs) for a 55cm frame. The Ritchey proprietary forged-and-machined, integrated headtube uses standard drop-in bearings and shaves 80 grames off of a standard headtube design.

Geometry

Road Logic Tech Specs

Frame

  • Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing – TIG welded
  • ED coat treated for corrosion resistance
  • 27.2 seat tube with integrated seat collar
  • Crankset min/max: 46/30t to 53/39t
  • Standard quick-release front and rear
  • WCS headset included (upper IS42/28.6 – 16mm stack height | lower IS42/30)
  • Ultra-light forged and machined straight 1-1/8″ headtube
  • Seat tube clamp size: 28.6
  • Bottom bracket: 68mm – English thread
  • Bottle cage mounts: 2
  • External cable routing

Fork

  • Ritchey WCS Carbon
  • 1-1/8″ straight steerer with integrated 45-degree crown race 
  • Steerer length: 300mm
  • Max stack: 30mm spacers below the stem
  • Axle-crown: 371mm
  • Rake/offset: 46mm (sizes 49/51/53cm) – 43mm (sizes 55/57/59cm)

Tire Compatibility

  • Wheel and tire compatibility: 700x30c tire clearance (depending on tire manufacturer)
  • Frame spacing: 38mm
  • Fork max spacing: 40mm

Details

  • Sizes: 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59cm
  • Fork weight: 350g (uncut steerer)
  • Frame weight: 1750g (55cm)
  • Color: Sally’s Macarons

Ritchey Road Logic Disc

Retail: $1799

Color: Nigiri (green with white logos)

This new frameset is now sporting some notable new features since the last time we saw it. To start, it’s now compatible with Shimano’s newest Di2 semi-wireless groupsets.

It has a new drive-side dropout design that conceals the wire routing from the battery in the seat tube, through the bottom bracket, and into the chain stay. It then makes a sneaky exit to meet up with the rear derailleur.

The Road Logic Disc still retains its cable stops making it compatible with mechanical groupsets as well. Finally, the rear non-drive-side drop-out carries a new one-piece truss design for flat-mount disc brakes.

Ritchey says this design reduces chainstay weight while still providing as much stiffness and strength as the previous design.

Geometry

Road Logic Disc Tech Specs

Frame

  • Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing – TIG welded
  • ED coat treated for corrosion resistance
  • 27.2 seat tube with integrated seat collar
  • Crankset min/max: 46/30t to 53/39t
  • 142mm spacing (12mm alloy thru-axle included)
  • WCS headset included (upper IS42/28.6 – 16mm stack height | lower IS42/30)
  • Ultra-light forged and machined straight 1-1/8″ headtube
  • Seat tube clamp size: 28.6
  • Bottom bracket: 68mm – English thread
  • Bottle cage mounts: 2
  • External cable routing
  • Replaceable stainless-steel derailleur hanger

Fork

  • Ritchey WCS Carbon
  • 1-1/8″ straight steerer with integrated 45-degree crown race 
  • Steerer length: 300mm
  • Max stack: 30mm spacers below the stem
  • Axle-crown: 371mm
  • Rake/offset: 46mm
  • 100mm spacing (12mm alloy thru-axle included)

Tire Compatibility

  • Wheel and tire compatibility: 700x30c tire clearance (depending on tire manufacturer)
  • Frame spacing: 39mm
  • Fork max spacing: 40mm

Details

  • Sizes: 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59cm
  • Fork weight: 420g (uncut steerer)
  • Frame weight: 1940g (55cm)
  • Color: Nigiri

Ritchey Road Logic Break-Away

Retail; $2299

Color: Tule Fog (Silver-ish)

For those cyclists out there who travel frequently with their bicycles, the Road Logic Break-Away makes navigating airports and taxis a breeze.

Although the Road Logic Break-Away’s main feature is its innovative travel-friendly design, make no mistake, this version of the Road Logic frameset has the same spirit, spec, and ride quality as the standard Road Logic framesets.

This frameset quickly and easily disassembles to fit into its own sturdy travel case. this case is specifically designed to help the traveler avoid airline extra baggage fees. Once you arrive at your destination, the Road Logic Break-Away assembles just as quickly, to allow you to get out and ride sooner.

Geometry

Road Logic Break-Away Tech Specs

Frame

  • Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing – TIG welded
  • ED coat treated for corrosion resistance
  • 27.2 seat tube with integrated seat collar
  • Crankset min/max: 46/30t to 53/39t
  • Standard quick-release front and rear
  • WCS headset included (upper IS42/28.6 – 16mm stack height | lower IS42/30)
  • Ultra-light forged and machined straight 1-1/8″ headtube
  • Seat tube clamp size: 28.6
  • Bottom bracket: 68mm – English thread
  • Bottle cage mounts: 2
  • External cable routing
  • Patented Ritchey Break-Away design

Fork

  • Ritchey WCS Carbon
  • 1-1/8″ straight steerer with integrated 45-degree crown race 
  • Steerer length: 300mm
  • Max stack: 30mm spacers below the stem
  • Axle-crown: 371mm
  • Rake/offset: 46mm (sizes 49/51/53cm) – 43mm (sizes 55/57/59cm)

Tire Compatibility

  • Wheel and tire compatibility: 700x30c tire clearance (depending on tire manufacturer)
  • Frame spacing: 38mm
  • Fork max spacing: 40mm

Details

  • Sizes: 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59cm
  • Fork weight: 350g (uncut steerer)
  • Frame weight: 1950g (55cm)
  • Downtube Break-Away coupler torque: 5Nm (Do not lubricate clamp or clamping area)
  • Packs into included travel case (8.5” / 21.6cm W x 26.5” / 67.3cm H x 31” / 78.8cmL w/ wheels)
  • The Downtube hinge clamp, rear brake cable connector, and derailleur cable connectors included
  • Color: Tule Fog

Get over to the Ritchey website and ride metal!

RitcheyLogic.com

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Pro Bike Check: Decathlon x Van Rysel RCX Pro Helps French Team Land Rainbow Jerseys https://bikerumor.com/pro-bike-check-decathlons-van-rysel-rcx-pro-of-french-team-relay-world-champion/ https://bikerumor.com/pro-bike-check-decathlons-van-rysel-rcx-pro-of-french-team-relay-world-champion/#comments Fri, 02 Feb 2024 17:57:51 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351644 Van Rysel RCX Pro carbon cyclocross bike by Decathlon of Aubin Sparfel of France, photo by Maty Podroužek, sprint finish

First rainbows of 2024 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships won on an affordable Van Rysel RCX Pro carbon cyclocross bike from Decathlon...

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Van Rysel RCX Pro carbon cyclocross bike by Decathlon of Aubin Sparfel of France, photo by Maty Podroužek, sprint finish

The 2024 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships have kicked off in Tábor, Czechia and we already have a World Champ Pro Bike Check with U19 European Champion Aubin Sparfel winning the sprint for Mixed Team Relay gold on his custom-painted Decathlon x Van Rysel RCX Pro cross bike. With a young mix of riders the French team edged out Great Britain to take the first World Championship race win as Junior racer Sparfel outsprinted Elite racer Cameron Mason on the fast paved finishing straight.

An exciting end to the first race for rainbow stripes of the weekend!

Van Rysel RCX Pro carbon cyclocross bike by Decathlon

Aubin Sparfel is racing on the second generation Van Rysel RCX Pro carbon cyclocross bike, launched by outdoor goods superstore Decathlon late last year. And you can buy it directly from your local big box retailer with affordable Apex AXS or Force AXS builds.

He took the European U19 (Junior) win back in November, so there was plenty of time to get him a custom EU Champ paint job before representing his nation at the World Championships. It’s a subtle update to the standard black team-edition bike, but really makes it stand out.

While we love to drool over premium superbikes at pro races, it’s refreshing to see something a bit more affordable on the top step of the podium. Complete builds of this bike are sold from just 2500€ complete with a wireless groupset. Wow!

Since the Mixed Team Relay is made up of a mix of men & women from multiple teams and multiple age categories, not all of the French racers were on the same bike as Sparfel. But a few of his fellow AG2R Decathlon teammates also race on the Van Rysel RCX Pro cross bike.

As if the white, and blue & stars don’t give it away, Sparfel’s RCX Pro gets his name on the top tube to keep it straight. We only spotted one with the EU Champ paint scheme, and this is bike #1.

Junior Pro bike build

His bike is built up with a well-worn Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, and XTR pedals.

Tires are the long-proven 33mm Dugast Rhino tubulars that you’ll see on many bikes for this slippery muddy course, glued up to some mid-depth aero Swiss Side carbon wheels. The cockpit comes straight from the road with a Deda Elementi Superzero RS carbon bar & stem.

A closer look at the headtube of the RCX Pro reveals a bit of sparkle in the custom EU champ paint. Not much sun is forecasted for the weekend of racing, so it’s not likely to shine much more than this.

Junior racers might not always get the newest kit, but Sparfel’s Di2 levers seem to work well, with some battle scars.

Clean, ready & waiting for one lap of the Mixed Team Relay on Friday afternoon.

Getting the Van Rysel RCX Pro muddy

In the relay format, Aubin Sparfel was the last of his national team to race. And he had just one lap to get his Van Rysel RCX Pro cyclocross bike muddy. But the bike has plenty of mud clearance – officially 10mm of clearance around a 33mm cross tire. Van Rysel calls it “Mud Proof Certified”.

The hi-mod carbon frame from Decathlon served Sparfel well for his one lap. And it delivered on its stiffness promise as the 17-year-old outsprinted the UK’s Elite Men’s racer down the long asphalt finishing straight on the Tábor track.

UCI CX Relay Rainbows for the French Federation

So that’s it. The 2024 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships is underway, and the French have claimed the first set of rainbow jerseys. We’ll be here all weekend, scoping out cool custom bikes, and maybe a few prototypes!

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Review: Why You Need the Sinewave Beacon 2 Dynamo Light https://bikerumor.com/review-sinewave-beacon-2-dynamo-bicycle-light/ https://bikerumor.com/review-sinewave-beacon-2-dynamo-bicycle-light/#comments Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:24:28 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=349100 Sinewave Cycles Beacon 2 Review hero front shot

The Sinewave Cycles Beacon 2 is the lil' powerhouse dynamo light that you need.

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Sinewave Cycles Beacon 2 Review hero front shot

Hey, let’s talk about dynamo power. I’m sold on it. It’s not free power, but pretty close to it (after the initial investment). There’s something neat about generating your own light. I’ve been riding with the Sinewave Cycles Beacon 2 front dynamo light for over a year, and so far I have not one complaint about the light’s performance.

It offers a bright, and steady beam of light that is flicker-free down to 3 mph. And it’s made here, in the USA. According to Sinewave the Beacon 2 is the “only commercially available dynamo light made in the USA”.

After you read this, you’ll see that it’s high time you get on the dynamo train.

The Sinewave Cycles Beacon 2 is one of the best dynamo lights on the market, in my opinion. And, I believe I can make that statement because, over the last 5 years or so, I’ve owned and operated some of the top-brand dynamo lights out there (the Beacon 2 included).

In this review, I’ll tell you why I think this lil’ dynamo light is almost perfect.

If you are dynamo curious, and want some stellar, in-depth info all about dynamo power, check out Bikepacking.com’s piece on it here.

But first…

Two Main Dynamo System Components

I feel like I need to go over the two main components of the dynamo game, the hubs and the lights.

Dynamo Hubs

The Sinewave Beacon 2 is best used by wiring it up to a dynamo hub. For this review, the Beacon 2 was used in conjunction with my SON 28-12 Disc dynamo hub on my Masi Incanto Ti gravel bike.

In the simplest terms, when the dynamo hub spins, it generates output power. The speed at which the dynamo hub turns dictates the amount of power it generates to the light (faster = more power). That, in turn, will dictate how bright the light is (faster = more power = brighter light). Cool?

The cost of a dynamo hub can run from pretty reasonable like the Shutter Precision PV-8 at $125, to pretty expensive, like the Schmidt SON28 12 at $378. And once you pick out and buy the hub, you have to factor in the cost of including the hub in the building of a new front wheel.

Most dynamo lights will not work independently, but the dynamo hub could (in theory) be used without the lights. I’m telling you this in case you spend all the money you saved on the hub purchase and wheel build and have nothing left for a light. I don’t want you to fret. Your bike is still ridable, dynamo hubs are still just hubs. Just install the dynamo wheel and continue to ride your bike.

Dynamo Lights

Most dynamo lights come with a switch on the back to turn it on or off. They usually include mounting hardware, and most certainly come with the wire already attached to the light. Usually, that wire includes a pigtail for powering an optional rear light using the front light as a powerslave.

With that in mind, the Beacon 2 comes with some neat extras, that the others don’t. We’ll touch on this a bit later in the review.

There are many dynamo lights to choose from on the market right now. Over the years, I’ve used three different brands of lights with my dynamo hubs. For my first dynamo light, I ran the Busch & Muller IQ-X on my old Masi randonneuring bike. Now, I’m currently using the Supernova E3 Pro 2 on both my mountain bike and my all-rounder. The Beacon 2 is being used on my gravel bike.

Okay, on to the review.

The Sinewave Beacon 2

This lil’ light packs an insane amount of dynamo tech in a really small package. The light itself measures only 58mm long, and 42mm wide/tall, it only weighs 115gr (including 36″ of dynamo wire). That’s impressive.

The Sinewave Beacon 2 is made to order with a $50 deposit. The total cost is $350 for black or silver and $390 for other colors. Check here for the colors available for custom orders.

I mixed and matched mine with different colored body and trim rings… black body and blue front and back trim rings. Looks sweet.

It’s designed for use in any kind of condition. It carries multiple seals and electronics that are potted in epoxy for additional protection against water. All of the connectors are gold-plated, to resist corrosion and the elements. It also comes with a 3-year warranty.

At 750 lumens (13+ MPH) I find it enough light for any of the styles of riding that I do. As mentioned earlier, I have this light on my Masi Incanto, and find it works perfectly for road/multi-surface day or night riding. And because it uses a symmetrical beam pattern, it’s awesome for night rides on my local MTB trails, including some fast nighttime singletrack.

Some Unique Features

One of the most unique features of the Beacon 2 is the input and outputs on the back. One is for the use of an external off-the-shelf USB battery pack and the other is an integrated USB charger. That means that you can charge your phone, GPS, or any other USB device directly from the Beacon while riding, without the need to buy or bring a charger.

You do receive a USB-to-DC cable for powering the Beacon with a USB battery pack. As an option, there is an available 20cm long, right-angle USB extension for the times when it is tight behind the Beacon and you need clean cable management.

There is also a three-way toggle switch on the back to either turn the light completely off, run at full brightness, or switch to a lower brightness setting. The lower brightness setting will also make it easy for power sharing when charging an accessory.

Flicker-Free

The Beacon 2 optimizes its dynamo power for slower speeds. Where other lights might flicker or pulsate at slower speeds, like a steep climb, the Beacon 2 remains very stable, with consistent, although dimmer light. I climb at slow speeds, so this was a plus for me.

The Beacon’s power output works like this: the light reaches 100 lumens at 5mph, 375 lumens at 8mph, 600 lumens at 10mph, and the full 750 lumens at 13mph.

It also offers a standlight. A standlight is just what it sounds like. While riding, the Beacon 2’s supercapacitor gets charged up, so when you stop moving, the light will “stand” on for about 5 minutes. This is great for being seen while waiting at stoplights or waiting for a friend on a dark trail. The standlight can be turned off with the toggle switch.

Beacon 2 Installation

There is no mounting hardware when you receive the Beacon 2, but the 10mm mounting tab is compatible with mounting hardware from Busch & Muller, Supernova, Schmidt, etc. I used the Supernova mount to mount mine.

What does come with the Beacon 2 is the light, the 36″ of attached wire that goes to the hub, and the USB-to-DC cable. The Beacon 2 does not come with connectors for the hub.

The reason is, that the light can be used with any 3w/6v dynamo hub. When you purchase your dynamo hub, the connectors and fittings that attach the wires from the light to the hubs, will come with that particular hub.

I soldered and used shrink wrap on the connectors for the SON 28 hub. If you don’t know how to solder or don’t feel comfortable doing it, your local bike shop should be able to get it done for you.

How’d it Perform

As I’ve mentioned before, dynamo lighting is now an essential bit of gear that I prefer to use on every one of my bicycles. I will probably continue to use dynamo tech for most if not all of my future builds.

Since installing the Beacon 2, I’ve paired it with a Supernova E3 TL2 tail light for added visibility while riding on the roads. There’s a hidden and silent benefit to using a dynamo light. It’s the luxury of never having to worry about a light’s battery or a battery’s run time.

The fact that I can plan a last-minute night ride on my MTB, or run to the store at night and not worry about making sure I always have a light charged and ready to go… is awesome.

Bright Light

With the Beacon 2, it’s just automatic. I start rolling and have bright and powerful light ready when I am. During daytime riding, it’s nice to know that I am being seen by motorists… having it makes me feel safer. And, the night-riding benefits are obvious. I found the Beacon 2’s beam to be a “cool” white, roundish, wide pattern that makes it more than sufficient for fast off-road riding.

While night riding on some of my favorite trails, the light output, as expected, got a little dim on the steeper climbs. But, I was climbing/rolling really slow, and that’s how dynamo lights work. But with the Beacon 2 the light output never flickered, and that’s one of the Beacon 2’s highlights. The light provided by my Beacon 2 always remained steady.

The three different LED lights that are in the Beacon 2 illuminate separately. One light at a time as your speed (and the power from the dynamo hub) increases. This is done without any indication that it’s happening from the cockpit.

Charging

I didn’t really find myself needing to charge a lot of accessories while I’ve had the Beacon 2. I did charge my Wahoo Roam a little and it seemed to do a good job. The ability to charge is something nice to have around, even though you may not use it all the time.

I use my phone to snap a lot of pictures while riding. On longer rides, I found it a real piece of mind that I could charge my phone if I needed to, And, it’s a stat-saver if you’ve grabbed an almost depleted bike computer for a ride, and need to keep it going.

Unless you are on a self-supported, multiple-day bikepacking excursion or a long endurance race, the everyday user probably won’t need the ability to charge.

In Conclusion

The Beacon 2 is a fantastic dynamo light. It packs a bunch of power and extras in a tiny package. If you are commuting by bike, or on the road with motorists at any time, for any duration at all, I believe riding with a light greatly minimizes your chances of not being seen. And having a light system that you can literally forget about is blissful.

You don’t have to be backpacking through Baja, Mexico, traversing the Continental Divide, or doing the Race Across America, to take advantage of what the Sinewave Beacon 2 dynamo light has to offer.

It’s made here in the USA, its construction is of the highest quality, and it gives you the peace of mind of having a light and charging source with you at all times while riding your bicycle.

SinewaveCycles.com

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Scott Ransom 900 RC Review: Go Big on a DH-Ready Enduro Bike I Can Pedal Uphill, Too! https://bikerumor.com/ride-review-of-the-new-2024-scott-ransom-900-rc-dh-ready-carbon-enduro-bike/ https://bikerumor.com/ride-review-of-the-new-2024-scott-ransom-900-rc-dh-ready-carbon-enduro-bike/#comments Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351386 2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC DH-ready carbon enduro bike, jumping

I review the all-new Scott Ransom 900 RC enduro bike & was blown away by 1 key tech feature. What is Trac-Loc & why I…

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2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC DH-ready carbon enduro bike, jumping

Yesterday, I wrote a long breakdown of Scott’s all-new carbon Ransom enduro bike, but now I want to dive deeper into my experience riding the top-spec Scott Ransom 900 RC. Scott developed the new bike to take enduro up a notch. And with an all-new 6-bar suspension design and unique rear suspension remote, they created what I see as a freeride bike for the downhills and an all-mountain trail bike for the climbs. With almost no compromises at either end of the spectrum.

Riding the new Scott Ransom 900 RC carbon enduro bike

I spent three long days back in mid-November riding the new bike on steep, rocky & loose natural trails in Santa Coloma de Farners, just outside of Girona, Spain. And I came away wanting to ride the bike more and more. And then I left. Wishing that my home bikepark wasn’t already deep in snowy skiing season for the next several months.

All-new 6-bar suspension design

There’s plenty that’s unique about the new bike. Like its relatively complicated 6-bar suspension design. Or the Integrated Suspension Technology design that hides the rear shock inside the bulbous downtube. Or internal frame storage, internal cable routing, adjustable geometry, and more.

Read my full 2024 Scott Ransom launch story for all the nerdy details.

But what really struck me about the bike was that it was just super composed and playful to ride. With three distinct personalities.

It could be a full gas freeride bike that wanted to fly down rough tracks at high speed. It could be a progressive enduro bike that dove into technical sections and popped off every lip on the trail. Or it was a upright trail bike, that clawed its way up steep and tight climbs.

How it does all three comes down to Trac-Loc

This is genuinely the single most important feature of the new Ransom. And it is what makes you really able to enjoy the 170mm of plush 6-bar rear suspension.

You can’t actually see the tech that makes this work. Because it happens inside the custom Fox Float X Nude EVOL rear shock. And you can’t even see that because Scott hides it inside the frame. So, instead we look at the 3-position Twin-Loc 2 remote. The two upper levers cycle you through 3 rear shock modes – Climb, Ramp Control & Descend. And the lower lever is your dropper post remote.

It’s not a lockout, but rather three different shock tunes accessible at the push of a button.

Climb, Ramp Control, or Descend

The fully open Descend mode is built to fly. Here you get unrestricted access to the best that the 6-bar can deliver. A rearward axle path and progressive linkage rate that east up big hits for breakfast. Go down as fast as you can hold on, like you are riding a few years old DH bike, but upgrade with 29er wheels to roll over everything.

The middle Ramp Control mode is the most interesting. By closing an air chamber in the rear shock, you effectively get volume spacers that you drop in at the push of a button. No change to the full 170mm of travel or your compression damping settings. The bike just becomes instantly more progressive.

Changing volume spacers to adjust your shock progression for different riding conditions isn’t really feasible for the average mountain biker. But being able to do the same thing at the flick of a switch is game-changing.

Interestingly, the middle Ramp Control mode is a lot of fun on descents that aren’t too technical – think flowy berms and jump lines. But it’s also good for climbs that aren’t as smooth or steep.

Lastly, Climb mode increases compression damping, reduces rear travel down to 130mm, and lowers the air volume for more progression. Together, it makes you sit up higher in the stiffened suspension, and makes pedaling uphill a breeze. Perfect for when you really need to stomp up some steep climbs that demand your attention.

Riding the new Scott Ransom 900 RC out on the trail

The first thing I did on the new Ransom was pedaling up steep, rocky, sandy fire road climbs. And alternating between Ramp Control & Climb let me adjust the bike to how my legs were feeling at the time.

Then as the big rock slab descents got steeper and rougher, I would transition from the playful Ramp Control mode into full-on Descend to let the bike soak up the big and sometimes unexpected hits. And as I got up to full-send speeds, I could let the gravity-shredding magic of the new 6-bar really do its thing.

How much does it really weigh?

Looking back at it now, it’s no big surprise that my sub 16kg ready-to-ride test bike climbed well in 130mm travel mode. (Size Large at 15.96kg with 480g of Mallet DH pedals, a bottle cage, set up tubeless, and with a spare tube, levers & chaintool inside the matchbox internal storage.)

Of course, that’s not superlight for a trail bike, but with a gravity-ready burly build it’s really not that heavy. My steel enduro hardtail weighs almost that with everything I carry on regular rides. And my carbon fatbike with 130mm fork, a frame pack to carry extra warm clothes, and light studded tires weighs the same at the moment. And I’m happy to pedal those slowly up endless climbs, too.

Weight is really the only compromise in Climb mode. And there don’t really feel like there are any in Ramp Control or Descend modes.

Transforming from Trail to Enduro to Freeride, and back again

The transformation seems like a much bigger attitude shift than I’m used to in bikes with remote lockouts or adaptable geometry. Singling out one, I feel like the shift is significantly more that the experience I’ve had with Canyon’s innovative ShapeShifter on their Strive enduro bike. Plus, I appreciate that the Ransom achieves the same concept entirely inside the shock, which feels less complicated, and less likely to deteriorate in performance over time.

I pedaled up a lot on this bike. It undoubtedly is totally a reasonable climber. But internally, we got to talking about ebikes after riding this new bike, because at this price & weight-level, there are some solid e-Trail eMTB options, too. For those that are itching for the assist to cram more ascents/descents in, there is a use-case for eMTB in some locales.

But the Ransom is simply so much more fun descending on really rough trails, that I’m happy to take a few extra minutes and sweat out a bit more on the climbs to get to my downhills.

And really it would/will be a blast in the bikepark. It feels way more like a DH bike going down than most of the enduro bikes that I regularly ride at my local uplift. And way better at climbing than the other big bikes, more on par going uphill with lighter all-mountain or trail bikes. The 2024 Scott Ransom is now officially a gravity bike, but it manages to vastly improve pedal-ability at the same time thanks to Trac-Loc and user adjustable geometry.

2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC build spec

The 2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC reviewed here is the top-tier 10,000€ build, with the full HMX carbon frameset, Fox Factory suspension, and a SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission. While, there’s not a lot more you could ask for, even with money as no object. Perhaps a gravity-ready carbon wheelset could save a few grams. But for a bike built to smash bikepark laps and race blindly through rock gardens, the aluminum RaceFace R30 wheels are at least something to not worry about.

Now do I really need all those fancy components to enjoy an enduro bike? I think there are plenty of compromises I could make to save a few bucks, and still be happy.

It’s really hard to ignore the 10,000€ pricetag of the bike, no matter how good it rides. Sure, there are a lot of more expensive bikes out there. But this is clearly far out of many riders’ budgets. There is a silver lining though…. All of the unique tech that makes this bike great, is also available at lower pricepoints. Not exactly cheap. But the 6000€ 920 & 5200€ 930 have the same 3-mode rear shock function, a slightly heavier carbon & alloy frame, and more affordable mechanical drivetrains. At just 1-1.5kg weight penalty.

Final Thoughts on the new Ransom

I can’t think of a bike I’ve ridden in recent memory that was more composed and confident on the downhills than this new Scott Ransom.

And I kinda fell in love with its Trac-Loc remote. Especially, riding even downhills with the rear shock in the middle Ramp Control mode was a playful blast. And I really wish this was an option on almost every big travel bike I ride – from all-mountain to DH. Then, of course, popping it into Climb mode transformed the bike completely. It didn’t drop 2kg which would have been nice, but it did make it climb much better than I anticipated.

If I were looking to buy a new bike for enduro racing and riding bikepark laps, this is the first bike that I would think of. But realistically, I would consider those more affordable models first.

Scott-Sports.com

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Hottest Bike Ever? Limited Edition Marin Alpine Trail Fun² Frameset Includes Autographed Hat https://bikerumor.com/imited-edition-marin-alpine-trail-fun%c2%b2-frameset/ https://bikerumor.com/imited-edition-marin-alpine-trail-fun%c2%b2-frameset/#comments Thu, 01 Feb 2024 19:20:51 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351580

Matt Jones says the new Marin Alpine Trail Fun² is the hottest bike he's ever ridden... and he has the amusing video to back it…

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Matt Jones says the new Marin Alpine Trail Fun² is the hottest bike he’s ever ridden… and he has the amusing video to back it up.

You can also get your hands on the bright new colorway, if you act fast. According to Matt, Marin is making just 300 of the Alpine Trail Fun², which includes a 160mm RockShox Yari RC fork and a RS Delux Select+ shock with a TranzX dropper post and lever, FSA sealed cartridge bearing headset, seat clamp, front and rear thru axles, and custom downtube and seatstay protectors. You’ll also get your hands on an matching autographed Helfare x Marin hat.

The whole kit is priced at $1,999, and is available now on Marin’s website below while supplies last.

marinbikes.com

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SRAM Shifter Recall Gets Official, Applies to All Aftermarket 12-Speed Dropbar Shifters https://bikerumor.com/sram-shifter-recall-gets-official-applies-to-all-aftermarket-12-speed-dropbar-shifters/ https://bikerumor.com/sram-shifter-recall-gets-official-applies-to-all-aftermarket-12-speed-dropbar-shifters/#comments Thu, 01 Feb 2024 18:50:46 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351563

The recall may sound scary, but the fix is easy enough that most riders can do it at home.

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Back in October 2023, a Service Information Bulletin indicated that SRAM would be working with the CPSC on a recall of their 12-speed dropbar shifters. Fast forward to February 2024, and the news is official. Anyone who purchased an aftermarket set of SRAM 12-speed shifters should take note.

While the original bulletin mentioned an excess of thread locker on the clamp bolts as the cause for the recall, the actual CPSC recall notice simply says, “the clamp bolt on the brake lever can come loose, posing a crash hazard to the rider.” This recall applies to all SRAM 12-speed dropbar levers that were sold as aftermarket upgrade or replacement kits. Basically, if they weren’t included on a new bike and installed by a dealer, the levers are included in the recall. That includes SRAM eTap AXS Red, Force, Rival, and Apex shift-brake levers.

Fortunately, the fix for most users should be pretty simple. Based on SRAM’s recall page, the issue is still the amount of thread locker used, and they’ve devised a simple procedure to work through the excess – a process that most people should be able to complete at home.

Following the process outlined in the video above, you simply loosen the clamp bolt two full turns, torque it down to 6nm, then repeat the process two to three times to remove excess threadlocker. Then loosen the fixing bolt three full turns, adjust to position, and tighten to 6nm. If this doesn’t keep the lever in place, you’ll have to take it into your local dealer. Also, if you’re not sure of your abilities to perform the procedure adequately, or lack the proper tools, you should also take it into your local dealer and they’ll get you squared away.

cpsc.gov

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Knolly’s Chilcotin Gets Gen 6 Frame, Goes a Little More Enduro https://bikerumor.com/knolly-chilcotin-gen-6-frame-enduro-mtb/ https://bikerumor.com/knolly-chilcotin-gen-6-frame-enduro-mtb/#respond Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351058 Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, rider, rocks

Knolly’s Chilcotin is the latest MTB to get the brand’s generation 6 frame updates, but that’s not all that’s been revised for 2024. Aside from…

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Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, rider, rocks

Knolly’s Chilcotin is the latest MTB to get the brand’s generation 6 frame updates, but that’s not all that’s been revised for 2024. Aside from new frame features the Chilcotin now offers a tad more travel, updated suspension kinematics, and revised geometry.

Knolly has massaged the Chilcotin into an overall more aggressive bike, making it the obvious choice within their lineup for Enduro riders. As with the previous Chilcotin Knolly offers two rear travel options, now at 155mm or 170mm. Good news for shorter riders is the Chilcotin is now available in a small frame size, as it used to range from M-XL.

Knolly Chilcotin – Key Specs:

Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, side

The new Chilcotin frames are made from 6066 aluminum. This bike is only sold with 29” wheels… Knolly did not provide geometry for a mixed-wheel setup, but they confirmed there’s no reason you can’t run a 27.5” rear wheel in the Chilcotin.

The Chilcotin’s rear travel has been slightly bumped from the previous generation’s 151/167mm options to 155mm or 170mm. The 155mm bikes come with 160mm forks and the 170mm models are fitted with 170mm forks. Knolly does note that either model’s frame (as they are identical) can handle forks between 160-180mm travel.

Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, rear angle

The Chilcotin features Knolly’s well-established Fourby4 suspension linkage, which has been updated for all the Gen 6 bikes. The revised linkage offers increased pedaling dynamics, providing a 15% improvement in pedaling response. The leverage curve has also been refined to provide more sensitivity and slightly more bottom-out resistance. Knolly tuned the new bikes so the shock’s mid-stroke will offer solid support for efficient pedaling without sacrificing traction.

Frame Details:

The Chilcotin continues with Knolly’s Trail 157 rear axle spacing, and the rear end can run up to 2.6” wide tires. Gen 6 Knollys are now SRAM UDH compatible, and they come with the brand’s own CNC-machined aluminum UDH hanger (which is stronger and stiffer than SRAM’s).

Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, frame, close up

Along with Knolly’s other 6th-generation frames, the Chilcotin now offers size-specific chainstay lengths. One other update is straighter top tubes for a low standover height and better aesthetics. Knolly also went to a one-piece monoblock rocker link, which increases stiffness and reduces lateral stress on the shock mount. While the straighter top tube stands out visually, nearly every tube has been updated for the Gen 6 bikes.

Knolly’s new frames now employ Enduro bearings in all pivot points and feature flat tooling at bearing locations to make removal and servicing easier. Also, the updated lower shock mount now uses a 30mm axle so it’s compatible with Fox’s Roller Bearing Shock kits.

Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, rider, steep

With a completely straight seat tube, the Chilcotin offers excellent dropper post compatibility. A small frame can run a 175mm travel post, and sizes medium and up can run 200mm+ posts. The frames’ seat masts accept 31.6mm diameter posts.

Other details include a 73mm threaded BB shell with removable ISCG-05 tabs and 180mm brake post mounts. The frames feature internal cable routing and interestingly – a compartment for a Shimano Di2 battery.

The Chilcotin has one water bottle mount on the down tube, and Knolly has added an accessory mount on the bottom of the top tube for on-bike tools, etc.

Geometry:

The Chilcotin offers two geometry settings via Neutral or Slack positions for the lower shock mount. Switching between the two alters the head tube and seat tube angles by 0.5°, and alters BB height by 10mm. There are very minor effects on other geo figures that aren’t shown in the charts.

Chilcotin 160/155 Geo:

Knolly Chilcotin 155 geo
Please note, the right edge of the geo charts are cut off but all the numbers are visible.

Apparently, Knolly has decided to go pretty long with reach numbers, as the medium frame now measures a whopping 487mm. I currently own a 5th generation Chilcotin (medium) so I immediately noticed the reach has jumped considerably from 466mm.

The new frame’s head tube angles are marginally slacker at 64.25/64.75°. Chainstay lengths are now size-specific, but the 442mm length on the new medium is 4mm longer than my 5th-generation frame.

Interestingly, while Knolly says their straighter top tube keeps standover height low, it has actually increased on the Chilcotin. Where my Chilcotin’s curvy top tube offers a standover height of 710mm, the new frame is listed at 730mm. Stack height stays exactly the same at 626mm, and the new Chilcotin’s BB remains quite low at 336/346mm for slack/neutral settings. See the above chart for all other figures.

Chilcotin 170/170 Geo:

Knolly Chilcotin 170 geo

There are a few differences in geometry between the longer and shorter travel Chilcotins. First off, the 170mm model has half a degree slacker head tube angles at 63.75/64.25°. The seat tube angles are also 0.5° slacker.

Reach numbers are 4mm shorter on the 170/170, but rear-end lengths do not change between the two bikes. With a longer fork and shock, the Chilcotin 170/170’s BB height is 3mm higher, its standover height goes up by 3-4mm across all sizes, and its stack height is 630mm. These are just some examples of slight differences between the two models, check out the charts to crunch all the numbers.

Model Lineup:

Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, side, forest

Between the two travel options and four different build kits, there will be eight models of the new Chilcotin. For complete specs visit Knolly’s website; the model names indicate the componentry level of each.

Chilcotin 160/155:

  • Deore: $4499
  • GX/PSE: $5299
  • GX/Factory: $5499
  • XT: $5799

Chilcotin 170/170:

  • Deore: $4499
  • GX/PSE: $5399
  • GX/Factory: $5599
  • XT: $5899
Knolly Chilcotin Gen 6, jump
*Images c. Knolly Bikes

The new Chilcotin will be available in four colors: Raw, Laguna Blue, Kelly Green Fade to Black, and Ano Black. Please note the pink Chilcotin shown in the photos is a team model only.

knollybikes.com

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Scott Ransom Enduro Bike Shifts Towards Freeride on All-New 170mm 6-Bar Suspension https://bikerumor.com/2024-scott-ransom-170mm-6-bar-enduro-mountain-bike/ https://bikerumor.com/2024-scott-ransom-170mm-6-bar-enduro-mountain-bike/#comments Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351265 2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, photo by Daniel Geiger, riding

Scott’s all-new 2024 Ransom Enduro bike is now a Freeride bike on the descents & Trail bike on the climbs with 6-bar Trac-Loc suspension…

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2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, photo by Daniel Geiger, riding

The all-new 2024 Scott Ransom is now officially a gravity bike, thanks to an all-new ultra-plush & efficient 6-bar suspension design. As enduro riding blurs into bikepark freeride, Scott built a new, much more-capable Ransom. A bike for how mountain bikers actually ride enduro these days. A bike that truly goes uphill almost as well as it goes downhill. But still one that can just shred back-to-back shuttles or bikepark runs.

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar enduro mountain bike

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, trailside MTB
(Photo/Cory Benson)

Pedal up like you are riding a trail bike, flip a switch and descend like you’re on a dedicated freeride rig!

Scott went back to the drawing board for their all-new 2024 Ransom to build a gravity bike that you could also pedal to the top of the mountain.

The previous generation of the Ransom was already a quite capable 170/170mm enduro bike with an adjustable geometry Horst-link 4-bar. But bikes and disciplines evolve. And by now, last year’s latest all-mountain Genius ST, Super Trail, is already just as capable a descender as that old Ransom was on steep technical trails. So for their dedicated enduro bike, there was room for improvement when it came to full-send descending.

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, riding flying photo by Daniel Geiger
(Photos by Daniel Geiger/Scott)

With so many mountain bikers taking their enduro bikes up bikepark lifts and doing shuttle runs, it was clear that the new Ransom needed to be more of a gravity bike than ever. With the same amount of travel, this new one takes enduro to another level… with 6-bar suspension.

What’s new? What is a 6bar?

Now, as Scott’s design engineers put it, “people expect to do some crazy stuff with enduro bikes these days”. So, they built an all-new freeride-capable Ransom.

The heart of their new enduro bike is an al-new 6-bar suspension layout, which gave the design team more fine control over performance changes like shock rate, axle path, chain growth, and braking influence throughout the bike’s travel. In fact, it allows for almost completely different suspension performance at different stages of travel.

Now 6-bar suspension deigns are becoming more common in big travel bikes. But they are harder to visualize mentally. And harder for me to put into words. (Even more so, when Scott hides the shock inside, Bold-style.)

I like to start to visualize a 6-bar as if were a bit simpler to get a better idea of what’s really going on. It it weren’t for that (blue) dogbone, it would have five links (easier to imagine its unstable movement with just an extra link splitting the Horst 4-bar). But then, with that extra control link (blue) connecting the two front short links (yellow & green), it guides their relative rotation mid-way through the travel – giving the suspension designer more control over kinematics.

Basically, it seems to take the virtual pivot concept to the next level, letting the suspension designers pick & choose performance characteristics that they want.

Things like supple early travel with more rearward axle path for a plush feel. Less chain growth in the middle to end of travel and a flatter anti-rise curve for consistency pedaling through rough sections and limited pedal kick back on big hits. A smooth, consistently progressive leverage ratio that works well with large volume air or coil shocks.

Really, it just seems like the extra pivots give the engineers more control over the situation. And it simply feels great out on the trail.

Why so Integrated?

Maybe more noticeable than the extra pivots and linkages tucked in there, is the Integrated Suspension Technology design, hiding the rear shock inside the enlarged downtube in front of the bottom bracket. From a design & engineering perspective, Scott’s move here is to get weight lower in the bike, to allow longer dropper posts, and to protect the sensitive shock from the dirty mountain biking elements.

As the lead Ransom engineer Kai Wheeler described it, “frame Integration keeps dirt & dust out of shock seals. So end of season suspension suppleness is just like day one.”

I know how my suspension gets treated year-round, and how much mud I wipe off my seals after most ride. And I also have good idea how few mountain bikers lovingly take care of their suspension and how few actually regularly service the internals (or pivots).

So, I can understand that might be the best reasoning for hiding shocks inside.

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, photo by Daniel Geiger, internal routing detail

The new Ransom also moves to integrated internal cable routing, too. Routing brake lines under the bar and into the frame through a neat Syncros stem and through the upper headset bearing. Service-wise you can flip the angle adjustable headset cup around without messing with cables, but swapping to 0-offset or needing to replace that bearing is going to require disconnecting line and bleeding brakes.

Also new is integrated storage in the downtube. Scott already had to give the lower end of the frame s big cutout to access the rear shock. So, they took advantage of that opening and the big protective bash guard cover to store tools & spares. Clipped into the cover is an 8-bit mini tool. And then, a plastic “Matchbox” slides up into the downtube and clips in place securely. Inside you get a spare tube strapped flat, plus a chaintool & tire levers.

New Adjustable Geometry

Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, size Medium geometry

The new Ransom gets updated enduro geometry that is a bit more gravity infused. And it is a 29er-only. Kinda.

A little longer frame Reach and a little slacker headtube angle want to make this bike go downhill fast. But it also gets a substantially steeper seattube angle to 77.2° for a more forward position for improved climbing. A lot of focus on putting more weight on the front wheel for good steering handling grip. And it makes the bike feel almost short when you are going uphill. Don’t fret, it feels long and slack going down.

That slackest 63.8° head angle is also adjustable so you can fine tune your ride. Many will keep it in that slackest -0.6° offset position for max stability at speed. But flip the +/- 0.6° cups around to get a 65° angle if you ride tighter trails where you need more maneuverability. Or the bike also comes with a zero offset cup for a 64.4° happy medium setting.

Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, mullet flip-chip & Sag-o-meter
(Photo/Cory Benson)

The rear end is also adjustable with a chainstay flip chip that allows an optional 27.5″ mullet rear wheel swap. No complete bikes come set up that way, but Scott knows that serious gravity riders want options depending on where they ride or race. And with this simple chip, the mullet conversion is quick & easy.

Trac-Loc: a whole new type of Twin-Loc 3-position remote lockout!

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, photo by Daniel Geiger, clean cockpit

I first rode the triple-button Twin-Loc 2 remote lockout and dropper controls on the XC Spark when it first debuted the integrated internal shock layout for Scott 2.5 years back. It took a bit to adjust to. But wow, did it work well. Especially that middle reduced travel traction control mode (with reduced air volume AND higher compression damping). The new Genius also gets the same setup, which Tyler show in great exploded detail here.

Well, now the Ransom reinvents the remote lockout, too. And this genuinely might be the single feature that makes this bike work so well. (Sorry, 6-bar.)

You see, the new Trac-Loc isn’t actually a lock-out. It still has 3-modes. But Scott calls these three: Climb, Ramp Control & Descend.

The unrestricted Descend mode is fully open as you would expect.

But the Ramp Control mode does not change travel or compression damping. It is simply closes an air chamber in the shock, increasing suspension progression, like adding a bunch of volume spacers at the push of a button. Magic.

Then, Climb mode is your normal lower air volume AND extra compression mode, reducing travel down to 130mm and keeping the bike sitting high to make pedaling uphill more efficient.

Tech details

The new 2024 Scott Ransom comes in two levels of frame construction, all with alloy links. The top-tier features ultra-hi-mod HMX (High Modules Extreme) carbon front & rear triangles, only on the top 900 RC. A standard-spec hi-mod HMF front triangle paired to 6061 aluminum swingarm rear end on all other models reduces cost a bit, only adding a couple hundred grams.

All frame specs combine 170mm of travel front and rear. And all reduced down to 130mm in traction control Climb mode. There’s also a neat Sag-meter on the non-driveside link at the BB that makes suspension setup easy. And with the shock hidden, it lets you know if you’ve used all of your rear wheel travel.

Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, X-ray view

The bike sports 29″ wheels and 2.5″ tire clearance. It features internal cable routing through the adjustable angle headset – wireless or mechanical shift compatible, a PressFit BB92 bottom bracket, UDH, and Boost spacing. With the 31.6mm Syncros posts, you get long dropper travel – 140mm on S, 180mm on M & 210mm on L & XL.

Pricing, options & availability

Five complete bike builds are available of the new Ransom, all with 29″ wheels only.

2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC

The 2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC that I tested is the top of the crop at a whopping $10,000 / 10,000€. For that you get the full HMX carbon frameset, a Fox 38 Factory fork to match the hidden Float X Nude EVOL Factory shock hidden inside the frame, and a complete SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission with Code Ultimate Stealth brakes at a claimed 15.2kg.

A 1-piece carbon Syncros Hixon iC bar+stem cockpit, Duncan travel adjust dropper, and no-nonsense alloy RaceFace R30 wheels wrapped in Maxxis Assegai EXO+/Dissector DoubleDown tires finish the build (tubeless sealant & valves included). Plus, built in Syncros Tubeless Tool in the handlebar ends & fully-stocked Matchbox kit inside the downtube.

Ransom 910 & Contessa 910

The stealth black $8000 / 8000€ Scott Ransom 910 softens the blow to your wallet just a bit, switching to the HMF mainframe & alloy rear, plus a Performance Elite fork & shock, and still a GX AXS Transmission with Code RSC Stealth brakes.

You get the same bar, dropper, built-in tools & tires, on Syncros Revelstoke 2.0 alloy wheels. All at a claimed 15.7kg (all weights claimed for a size M set up tubeless, but without the hidden tools/spares installed).

A Contessa Ransom 910 build at the same price gets a flashier white & splatter paint finish, but the same exact spec, except for a more women-friendly Syncros Savona saddle vs the Tofino on all of the other bikes. The only limit is the Contessa only comes in sizes S-L.

2024 Scott Ransom 920 & 930

Then, a 2024 Scott Ransom 920 at $6000 / 6000€ lops off another two grand in mustard yellow by dropping back to a conventional mechanical SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain on a good old fashioned Universal Derailleur Hanger.

It gets a RockShox Zeb Select+ fork, but the same Fox Float X Nude shock hidden inside. Plus, alloy separate Syncros bar and stem (still with hidden internal routing), the same Duncan dropper & Revelstoke 2.5 wheels for a claimed 16.4kg.

Lastly, the 5200€ Scott Ransom 930 offers the lowest cost of entry to the new bike. (Sorry Americans, looks like this one is not coming your way). You get the same HMF carbon front end with remote controlled 3-position Fox Float X Nude shock inside and alloy rear as the 910 & 920, but a lower spec again – still with the Duncan dropper & Syncros Matchbox internal storage.

The 930 gets a RockShox Domain R fork, the only Shimano build with Deore 12sp & MT520 4-piston brakes, plus 30mm alloy tubeless rims on Formula hubs, at a weight of 16.7kg.

As for availability, it depends a bit country-to-country. But officially, the new 2024 Scott Ransom is slated to be in dealer shops from the “early summer”. So you will get to riding as soon as possible.

So how does it ride?

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, descending
(Photo/Cory Benson)

My initial impressions were that the bike really crushes downhills. The 6-bar really seems to do some gravity-shredding magic.

But really, the first thing I did on the new bike was to pedal it up some super steep rocky & sandy fire road climbs to earn my turns a bit. And popping the new Ransom into reduced-travel traction mode really did turn it into a mountain goat. Thinking back, it’s kinda no surprise that my <16kg test bike reduced to 130mm of rear wheel travel climbed like a regular trail bike.

2024 Scott Ransom 170mm 6-bar carbon freeride enduro mountain bike, climbing
(Photo/Cory Benson)

The magic of this bike really feels like the Trac-Loc. That lets it be a killer freeride bike on the descents. And a perfectly reasonable trail bike for the climbs back up. And there really isn’t much of a downside. Well, except for its impact to your wallet.

Tune in tomorrow morning for my complete detailed review of the Ransom 900 RC.

Scott-Sports.com

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Hunt Sub50 Limitless Aero Road Wheels Reset Lighter, Faster All-Rounder Benchmark https://bikerumor.com/hunt-sub50-limitless-aero-road-wheels-reset-lighter-faster-all-rounder-benchmark/ https://bikerumor.com/hunt-sub50-limitless-aero-road-wheels-reset-lighter-faster-all-rounder-benchmark/#comments Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351496 Hunt Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc road wheels are faster lighter more aerodynamic, Sweat racing

Hunt Sub50 Limitless UD aero road wheels get all-new ultra-wide front/rear specific rims & carbon spokes to lower weight and drag…

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Hunt Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc road wheels are faster lighter more aerodynamic, Sweat racing

A new set of Hunt Sub50 Limitless UD aero road wheels pair ultra-wide front & rear specific rims to carbon spokes & ratchet hubs to lose lots of weight while going faster into the wind. Now with aerodynamics re-optimized for 28mm & 30mm tires, these 49.5mm deep Hunt Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc weigh as little as 1380g per set. And Hunt’s open-access wind tunnel data shows them outperforming the industry’s best wheels up to 50mm deep, on par with deeper wheels, and also weighing quite a bit less than other aero wheels that come close.

Hunt Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc road wheels get faster AND lighter

I’m just going to offer a quick PR email quote because I appreciate its brevity & efficiency:

“TL;DR: Front & rear specific hookless rim profiles (34mm wide external front/30mm wide external rear), UD carbon spokes, and all-new ratchet hub design create an unmatched system weighing just 1380 grams per pair.”

Hunt’s first foray into Limitless aerodynamic optimization resulted in the “world’s fastest” Hunt 48 Limitless Aero Disc wheels that set a Paris-Roubaix pavé KOM, before being raced on the World Tour and even being ridden to a Giro stage win in 2012 by Victor Campenaerts. They were the first-ever road wheels to be wider than 30mm external to benefit from modern wide tire aerodynamics. They teed up deeper 60 Limitless road and 42 Limitless Gravel wheels. And they featured a unique patented-filler construction method that keep weight in check.

But apparently the pros & fastest riders wanted even lighter weight to go with their industry-fastest wide tire aerodynamics.

And that’s what they got…

What’s new?

Thanks to all-new front & rear rim shapes, both with 23mm internal hookless tubeless beads. The blunt-nosed 34.2mm wide external rim up front leads to smoother airflow through the cleaner air the rider enters. And the more v-shaped 30mm external rim out back saves weight while slicing through the turbulent air coming off the bike and rider’s legs.

Hunt Sub50 Limitless aero wheels – Pricing, options, spec & availability

Three versions of Hunt’s new Sub50 Limitless aero wheels are being offered. Pick UD carbon spokes or conventional stainless steel spokes. And pick steel or CeramicSpeed bearings on the UD wheels.

Hunt Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc UD Carbon Spoke wheels with CeramicSpeed bearing upgrade:

  • Weight: 1380g per pair
  • Spokes: TaperLock UD Carbon
  • Spoke Count: 18 Front | 20 Rear
  • Bearings: CeramicSpeed, double-sealed
  • Pricing: £2289 / $2789 / 2749€

Sub50 Limitless Aero Disc UD Carbon Spoke wheels with standard stainless steel sealed bearings:

  • Weight: 1380g per pair
  • Spokes: TaperLock UD Carbon
  • Spoke Count: 18 Front | 20 Rear
  • Bearings: Double-sealed stainless steel cartridge
  • Pricing: £1849 / $2249 / 2279€

HUNT SUB50 Limitless Aero Disc Steel Spoke wheels with standard stainless steel sealed bearings:

  • Weight: 1428g per pair
  • Spokes: Pillar Wing 20 Elliptical Aero
  • Spoke Count: 20 Front | 24 Rear
  • Bearings: Double-sealed stainless steel cartridge
  • Pricing: £1,479 / $1799 / 1849€

All three are available to pre-order direct from Hunt starting today. And the first batch of new Hunt Sub50 Limitless wheels will arrive at early buyers’ doorsteps by the end of this month. Those who order a CeramicSpeed upgrade will have to wait until late April 2024 though, as those wheels’ hubs have to head to Denmark first, where they get the premium bearings pressed-in at CeramicSpeed’s own facility.

HuntBikeWheels.com

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Tour de France-Winning Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed TT Tire Finally Available for the Masses https://bikerumor.com/vittoria-corsa-pro-speed-tt-tir/ https://bikerumor.com/vittoria-corsa-pro-speed-tt-tir/#respond Thu, 01 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://bikerumor.com/?p=351450 Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Tire TDF TT

The all-new (to us) Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed completes the revamped Vittoria Corsa range. This time trial and Triathlon–specific tire will raise speed expectations and comfort…

The post Tour de France-Winning Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed TT Tire Finally Available for the Masses appeared first on Bikerumor.

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Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Tire TDF TT

The all-new (to us) Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed completes the revamped Vittoria Corsa range. This time trial and Triathlonspecific tire will raise speed expectations and comfort on the bike.

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Tire TT TDF
(All photos / Vittoria)

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed – What is it? 

The Corsa PRO Speed is the newest addition to the Vittoria Corsa tire family. It is designed specifically for maximizing performance in time trials and triathlons. It’s the exact tire Jonas Vingegaard rode to victory in the Stage 16 Time Trial at the 2023 Tour de France. The same applies to Wout van Aert’s Belgian National Time Trial victory or Jos van Emden’s Dutch National Time Trial win. They were all using the unreleased Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed. 

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Tire TT Tires

What makes it different from the Corsa Control? 

As far as the compound goes, the new Corsa PRO Speed uses graphene + silica technology, the same as the Corsa PRO Control. Where it differs is the formulation; the new Corsa PRO Speed is specifically designed for the intended TT use.

What does that mean? Mostly, it means maximizing speed, providing a very high grip on wet services, and confident cornering in the TT position. 

What’s the Tread Like? 

The tread (or lack thereof) differs from the Corsa PRO Control, but the PRO Speed employs some of the same features. The more expansive center slick area cuts down rolling resistance compared to the slight tread on the PRO Control.

The tread has slight grooves on the shoulders to help with cornering grip. Like the PRO Control model, the tread fades into the casing. This faded tread allows for a seamless bonding between the edge of the tire tread and the cotton casing. 

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Tire tech

Speaking on bonding, Vittoria states they use the same electrical curing process on the Corsa PRO Speed they do on the other Corsa PRO tires. The tread is applied on the uncured casing; then the whole tire is cured to achieve the same seamless construction as in Corsa PRO and Corsa PRO Control.

Is There Any Flat Protection? 

No… not really; the overall tread thickness is lower than Corsa PRO and comparable to the previous Corsa Speed in the center.

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Tire TDF mountains

How Much Faster is it? 

Vittoria reports the Corsa PRO Speed to be 5% faster and 2% lighter than the previous Corsa Speed. How did they achieve this? We guessed the minimal tread, new electrical curing process, and tread application help. The new Corsa PRO Speed compound is specially formulated for speed, grip, and nothing else. 

Vanessa ten Hoff, Vittoria’s Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, explained, “The Corsa PRO Speed tire is a game-changer in time trial racing. We understand the demands and challenges athletes face in this field and have created a tire to enhance their performance. We are proud to launch this product and believe it will exceed our customers’ expectations.”

No More Tubulars? 

The Corsa PRO Speed will ONLY come in tubeless models, so if you’d like to keep the Vittoria Corsa PRO cotton on your TT bike, the best option is the Vittoria Corsa PRO. 

Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed Models and Pricing 

The new Vittoria Corsa PRO Speed will be available in 700×24, 700×26, and 700x28c models. All times are TLR (tubeless ready), and only the 28c version is cleared for use with hookless rims. All tires use Vittorias Corespun 320 TPI construction. 

  • Weight: 700×24 – 225g, 700×26 – 230g, 700×28 – 250g
  • Pricing: USD 99, EUR 95 

Vittoria.com

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