News Roundup - Week of April 20th

Announcing CushCore TRAIL with an all-new Lightweight Design and Progressive Feel

CushCore announces an all-new TRAIL tire insert, expanding their line-up to provide options for all types of riders, bikes, and terrains.

“Through testing and the feedback received from riders and racers around the world, we recognized an opportunity to develop an additional tire insert model with a performance/weight balance between our existing PRO and XC models.” – Adam Krefting, CushCore Founder/Inventor

CushCore TRAIL utilizes the same patented design and foam composition as their other inserts. However, CushCore engineers incorporated several new features into the TRAIL’s design to reduce weight and provide more progressive sidewall support.

“The fluted sidewall design provides progressive sidewall support: the harder you push, the more support you feel. CushCore TRAIL enables supple tire response on flat corners and a stable sidewall when railing berms.” – Austin Sanford, CushCore Engineer

As with all CushCore tire inserts, TRAIL absorbs shock and vibration, improves cornering, and prevents flats/rim damage…giving you Total Confidence to ride at your best.

CushCore TRAIL – TOTAL CONFIDENCE, For All Riders

CushCore TRAIL retails for $150 USD/set or $78 USD/singles and comes in 29”, 27.5”, & Mixed (“Mullet”) sizes. Available June 2023 at quality bicycle dealers worldwide and at cushcore.com

Key Features:

• Fluted sidewall creates progressive cornering. The harder you push, the more sidewall support you feel
• Centrifugal “flow channels” engineered to increase air and sealant flow
• Inner rim channel notches reduce weight and provide even distribution of tire sealant
• Air valve notch allows the insert to sit flat on any rim
• Absorbs impacts and damps vibration (aka “trail chatter”)
• Rim protection and flat prevention

Fitment:

• Wheel Sizes: 27.5” and 29”
• Tire Sizes: 2.1” – 2.6”
• Inner Rim Widths: 22mm – 35mm
• Weight: 27.5” = 199g / 29” = 212g

Announcing the New MaxxSpeed Compound and Severe Tire from Maxxis

Introducing the All-New MaxxSpeed

Coming in 2023 is an all-new MaxxSpeed compound for the Maxxis cross country (XC) line. The new MaxxSpeed uses silica as a filler in the rubber polymer creating a compound that performs better across the board compared to the old 3C MaxxSpeed. Racers benefit from reduced rolling resistance and improved wet traction.

Development

Nino Schurter is the greatest XC racer of all time with more World Championship and World Cup Overall titles than any other rider in history. Nino obviously has elite fitness and incredible skills, but to keep winning at the highest level takes the best equipment available. Maxxis engineers worked closely with Nino and the SCOTT-SRAM team to develop and test the new MaxxSpeed compound. The use of three different durometers of rubber in a single tire–Maxxis’ 3C technology–set our mountain bike tires apart from the competition over the past two decades. But when it was time to develop a new topshelf XC compound, we focused on performance above a specific number of compounds. Maxxis engineers used knowledge gained from the development of our full-silica road racing compound and began testing formulations suited to off-road use.

Ground-Breaking Race Performance

Over 25% lower rolling resistance compared to the previous version

Saves a rider up to a minute over the course of a 90-minute XC race

Racked up World Cup, and World Championship wins over the last few seasons with the likes of Nino Schurter, Bec Henderson, and Ghost Factory Racing

Tread Patterns, Sizes, and Weights: Aspen 29x2.40 (770g), Rekon Race 29x2.40 (825g), Ikon 29x2.35 (835g), Severe 29x2.25 (745g)

Pricing: $93.00

Introducing the All-New Maxxis Severe

Alongside the new MaxxSpeed is a new XC mud tread–the Severe. It’s likely you’ve seen the tread in World Cup coverage under the likes of Nino, Bec McConnell, and Anne Terpstra, but now the race-winning Severe is available for retail.

What’s the Purpose?

It’s a classic, narrow-profile mud tire in a 2.25” width with a spiky tread pattern designed to cut through thick mud. The Severe isn’t intended for daily use, but for rain races, it’s indispensable. With the recent redesign of the Forekaster to trail duty, the Severe is the new choice for wet weather XC. The Maxxis Severe is spec’d with our 120 TPI tubeless ready casing and new MaxxSpeed compound and is offered in 27.5 or 29 diameters.

Available Sizes: 29x2.25, 27.5x2.25 (to follow)

Weight: 745g for the 29x2.25

Pricing: $93.00 USD

New From Fox: The Factory FLOAT Series

Make Your Natural Selection 

The FLOAT series of air shocks enters its latest stage of evolution with four category-optimized options for XC, Trail, All-Mountain and Gravity.  

Mountain biking has evolved. So have air shocks. Choose the FLOAT that best pairs with your riding style. 

• The all-new FLOAT SL: Ultra light. Ultra fast. XC Race ready:
  As its name suggests, the FLOAT SL is the smallest and lightest shock in our lineup, offering exceptional pedaling efficiency and optimized performance for XC riding and racing. With an all-new main piston, valving, and IFP (Internal Floating Piston), FLOAT SL delivers improved traction, consistent damping, and a wider range of adjustability to suit modern riders' preferences.
• The all-new FLOAT: The ultimate balance of XC weight and Trail capability:
  Designed to meet the demands of weight-conscious Trail riders, FLOAT boasts a firm and efficient pedaling platform to power up the climbs combined with confidence-inspiring, trail-gripping descending capability rivaling its bigger, more aggressive sibling, FLOAT X – which it shares damper technology with. FLOAT’s in-line configuration, however, contributes to a remarkable 150-gram weight savings over FLOAT X and saves precious frame space for things like water bottles, spares, or tools. With enhanced tuning options and precise damping control, the all-new FLOAT is the ideal lightweight yet high-performance trail shock.

FLOAT SL and FLOAT join our FLOAT family, supported for All Mountain and Gravity with FLOAT X and FLOAT X2:

• FLOAT X: Optimized for Trail and All Mountain, but capable of conquering any terrain with confidence
• FLOAT X2: Super capable and hyper-tunable Gravity-focused shock. 

Find out more by heading to the Fox FLOAT page here.

Atherton Bikes Launch AM.170

Atherton Bikes have launched a hard-hitting big mountain enduro bike with a mixed wheel set up, straight through seat-tube and 170mm of rear travel. Atherton’s design and engineering team worked closely with Dan Atherton to create an awesome all-rounder that is “a big hitter in the bike park and a beast out on the trails.”

Dan Atherton the man of few words…. Said “I’m so stoked on this one. This bike is genuinely our best yet! It’s most at home charging downhill but its pedalling ability surprised me from the first ride, the AM.170 is equally happy doing all day big mountain days as it is taking on the Oakley line. If I had to choose just one bike from our range to ride every weekend, this would be the one!”

The AM.170 includes all the learnings from Atherton’s DH mullet bike that saw Andi Kolb on the podium four times last season; it’s awesome on the downhill but it also builds upon the award-winning AM.150 so it’s mega on the climbs…You can boost jumps, really push hard in the park, but when you’re up for an adventure the new geometry and the DW6 platform work together to make those big mountain style missions altogether more rewarding.

Atherton Bikes CEO, Dan Brown said “There’s no shortage of tracks here in Dyfi so this bike has been thoroughly tested on bike park jump lines, National stages of the British Enduro Series and the 20 minute+ Enduro descents that Athy has built here in the Dyfi Forest. When we head out there on a staff ride this bike is all time.”

The AM.170 is built around Dave Weagle’s DW6 suspension platform, a development from his DW4 four- bar linkage designed to work with Atherton’s titanium lugged construction and offer an awesome all round kinematic. The entire Atherton team ride every weekend and have put in a lot of work on “ride feel”. DW6 offers outstanding small bump sensitivity, good support in the mid-stroke and is progressive enough to accommodate the biggest of hits. Custom carbon tubing achieves the perfect balance of stiffness and compliance so whether you’re climbing or descending this bike achieves maximum traction and a totally mind-blowing feeling of connection with the trail.

Moving to a mullet set-up means that the Atherton design team have been able to use a straight through seat-tube so you can keep the seat low for the descent but still get maximum efficiency for the climbs.

The company put a huge emphasis on physical fit. Dan Atherton said “20 years of racing showed us just how much of an advantage that (perfect-fit) brings so when we started Athy Bikes we wanted to offer that to everyone.” The 170 is offered in 22 different sizes, from 410mm to 530mm reach which means every rider can order a perfect-fitting bike… there is even a custom-size option for mm perfect match; though with 10mm increments between sizes almost everybody will find a near perfect-fit from the standard size range. As with existing models in the current range, the seat tube angle varies with size to make sure that riders will always be in a great seated position on the bike.

The Atherton commitment to rider choice is reflected in a range of three distinctive builds and a frame-only option, each with the choice of Air or Coil shock and either 170mm or 180mm upfront to give an even more personalised riding experience. As with the entire Additive Manufactured (AM) range customers are free to switch components, or even exclude components from their order to create their dream build.

Prices for the AM.170 start from £4500 for a frameset which includes a Fox DHX2 Coil or Fox Float X2 shock

Find full spec lists and pricing on the Atherton website here.

Get A Grip: WTB's New Devo Saddle Sports a Handle

There's no getting around it...e-bikes are heavy. Even light e-bikes are heavy. Every other heavy item has a handle, so why not e-bikes? The Pickup handle on our new Devo saddle provides a simple yet effective place to grab and lift your bike during both transport and on-trail situations. Examples include lifting your bike onto a rack, moving it around the garage, or hoisting it over rocks and logs on unrideable sections of trail. The patent-pending Pickup handle makes life easier when you want it, then disappears beneath you when you don't.

Unnoticeable While Pedaling

While it may look like the hole interferes with where you sit on the saddle, we placed Pickup behind the sit bone contact area to make it completely unnoticeable while pedaling. We’ve confirmed this through hundreds of hours of ride testing and pressure mapping. Pickup provides an easy way to lift, push and transport your e-bike without sacrificing any pedaling comfort in the process.

"I don’t notice the hole in my saddle until I need it. I thought I’d notice it while pedaling with the saddle dropped a bit but even then it disappears beneath you. That’s coming from somebody with a big ass! Asses may vary. Probably suggested by 9 out of 10 e-bikers".—Mark Weir, e-bike aficionado who needs no introduction.

Fiber-Infused Fusion Form Base

New Fusion Form base allows us to more precisely fine-tune the amount of fiber infused into the nylon of each specific saddle model to create a flex profile that balances comfort, support and durability to match the intended use of a saddle. E-MTB riders tend to remain seated and spin through technical climbs where a rider on an unassisted bike would likely stand up to pedal. Due to this, we reduced the amount of fiber in the Devo’s Fusion Form base, which improved base flex and damping to make it more forgiving and comfortable while pedaling over rough terrain.

Full-Power, Full-Battery Comfort

The Devo features our Medium level of padding thickness, which eliminates pressure points in the sit bone area while still providing lasting comfort for both quick laps and full-battery adventures. The width outline of the Devo gradually increases through the front half of the saddle before quickly widening out to create the primary area for sit bone support. This allows you to stay seated in a locked-in position and crank hard without the insides of your thighs rubbing on the saddle edges.

The Devo’s wide nose encourages riders to scoot forward to maximize power output and keep the front wheel down on steep, technical climbs. Its short 260mm overall length and rounded tail profile prevents the Devo from snagging your shorts while moving on and off the saddle, while also making it easier to quickly return to a seated position.

One Width. Two Padding Options.

The Devo is available in a Medium (142mm) width, which is designed to best fit riders with sit bones that are 100-130mm apart. Versions of the Devo with cromoly or stainless steel rails feature our HLX padding, while the model with titanium rails features our premier DNA padding. HLX padding is plusher than our DNA padding, which makes it a great option for those who prioritize squishiness rather than weight savings. DNA is our highest performance and lightest weight padding for unbeatable comfort and support on long rides.

Availability

The suggested retail price of the Devo is $95.95 for cromoly rails, $119.95 for stainless steel rails and $142.95 for titanium rails. Devo saddles will be available at WTB retailers around the world in the weeks ahead and are immediately available in North America through WTB.com.