Sea Otter 2017: Spot Releases Big Wheeled Carbon Bike - the Mayhem

Sea Otter 2018 is there! Big event for the bike people is ready and as usual there are tons of new bikes, apparels, and also parts and sure also the news for everyone. And let's start with this company, with the Spot, a colorado based company bike. Where are the popular brands then? Be patient, not popular does not mean that the company is not good. Check this, the big wheeled carbon bike from Spot, the Spot Mayhem, a 29er carbon bike from Spot.

Spot Mayhem Details

• Wheel size: 29" / 27.5+

• Full carbon frame

• 130mm travel

• 66.7° head angle

• Living Link suspension design

• Colors: Matte Hot Tomato, Matte Black

• Sizes: S, M, L, XL

• MSRP: $3199 USD (frame only), $6000 - $8700 complete

Despite this bike is introduced to the public as 29er, the bike is also ready for 27.5 wheels. The Mayhem is following their last year trail/all mountain bike, the Spot Rollik. The Mayhem is adopting the Living Link Suspension Design, their own independent suspension system. The bike offers complete features as modern geometry bike: water bottlle cage mount, ISCG 05 for chainguide, internal cable route, and low standover height.

About the Living Link Suspension System, Spot offers stiff and strong carbon plate to combine the rear triangle and the seatpost. This carbon fiber plate provides extra mid-support which makes the bike is able to ride with open shock all time, even at climbing. The plate is also said to be very durable, and Spot claims that the plate is able for 12 years of riding and three million cycles. 

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New Bike: Transition Releases Two Brand New Bikes

Hardtail is fun! With just so many new full suspension bikes, with various models, types, and also technology, Transition seems want to attract the hardtail lovers by releasing two brand new bikes, and both of them are hardtail! But, Transition makes them have modern look and appearance as they are made of carbon materials. Please welcome them, the Transition Throttle and Transition Vanquish.

The main idea of these bikes are confidence climbing and descending, with the light material. The Transition Throttle is a 27.5 wheeled hardtail bike, built with some dirtjumper spirit, super-low standover, and also slacker front end. 

Transition Throttle Carbon Hardtail Details

• Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large

• Colors: Race Raw, Hot Mustard

• 12 x 148 Boost Dropout Spacing

• Standard Threaded Bottom Bracket

• Fits tires up to 2.6"

• Universal Transition Derailleur Hanger

• Internal Shift and Seatpost Cable Routing

• Available as Frameset or Complete Bike

• Frame Weight: 1400g

• Price: $1699 Frameset / $3699 Complete GX Equipped Bike

Not only that, Transition also releases the bigger model, the Vanquish, which is a 29er wheels but still a carbon. With this setup, the Transition Vanquish looks more as cross country bike in Transition line up. But that's just a name, anyone can use the bike for cross country, trail, or even all mountain, or just daily bike, but no doubt that the bike will be great for the woods or local singletrack.

Transition Vanquish 29er Carbon Hardtail Details

• Sizes: Medium, Large, X-Large

• Colors: Race Raw, Habanero Orange

• 12 x 148 Boost Dropout Spacing

• Standard Threaded Bottom Bracket

• Fits tires up to 2.4"

• Universal Transition Derailleur Hanger

• Internal Shift and Seatpost Cable Routing

• Available as Frameset or Complete Bike

• Frame Weight: 1400g

• Price: $1699 Frameset / $3699 Complete GX Equipped Bike

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New Products: Updates for Rockshox PIKE, Lyrik, Yari, and Revelation for 2018

Rockshox still the one of the most popular and consistent suspension product in the market, with their various products on both fork and shock for various scenes of mountain biking sport and now, for the upcoming 2018 Rockshox updates their high fork range, including the legendary PIKE, the Luxury Lyrik, new baby beast Yari and the revolutionary Revelation. Let's go to meet them..

The Legendary PIKE

Since the rebirth of the PIKE, this fork straight to get mass attention and getting very popular, both for fans and the pro-riders. And not stop here, Rockhox again gives the updates for this legendary PIKE, which claims now is lighter, smoother, and more stable. To be more trail-fork weapon, the new legendary PIKE 2018 is available on both 27.5 and 29er, and both of them are ready for the tire up to 2,8. As stated above that the new PIKE is lighter, it has now 1,841 g for the weight.

The updates including the re-developed the two damper for the wider rebound and compression. The bigger negative chamber makes the PIKE has better fork responsiveness. The legendary PIKE 2018 is also available two versions, the RCT3 and RC. Both are compatible with OneLoc Remote. Beside that, the new PIKE is also available in large range travel, from 100 mm, 110 mm, 120 mm, 130 mm, 140 mm, 150 mm, and 160 mm, with 15 mm axle.

The Luxurious Lyrik

Rockshox Lyrik has long known as one of the hardcore fork from Rockshox, and last year this fork is completely new. So, what about the Lyrik for the next 2018? The Luxurious Lyrik still be the one of the enduro weapon from Rockshox. It's still the flagship. But what Rockshox offers from the new Lyrik 2018 maybe is really amusing everyone. 

Charger 2 Damper unit, OneLoc Remote compatible, update Air-Pressure-Guide on the lower leg, and even with some guidances the Lyrik is also ready for E-MTB. The new Luxurious Lyrik is available in two models the RC (2,034 g) and RCT3 (2,040 g) with travel started from 150 mm, 160 mm, 170 mm, to 180 mm. Also available on both 27.5 and 29er, the price is about € 1,145–1,310.

The Baby Beast Yari

From those two forks above, the Yari is completely new fork from Rockshox but as it is new, the baby beast Yari is still a good fork and popular since its appearance and that's why the company continues the life of this baby beast Yari with some new improvements to give better performance. It has same chasis with its older brothers above, and Yari also shares the similar DebonAir or Dual Position Air.

The Yari offers some features such as rebound, slow speed compression, and also available for the EMTB. Compared to its older brothers, the Yari is a bit heavier. The weight is about 2,123 g but cheaper than those two, just about € 780–865. But the fans can choose the Yari as free as they can because it has large range travel, start from 100 mm to 180 mm. It also available in three wheels models, the 27.5, 29er and 29er +, but it only RC model.

The Revolutionary Revelation

Rockshox Revelation is also one of their great fork, used by many riders. But for 2018, the Revelation turns into bigger fork as the company puts a bigger 35 mm stanchion. Wow! Known as PIKE's sibling, the Revelation 2018 shares same chasis with its brother, and the same DebonAir. Available on both 27.5 and 29er (and 29+), the Revolutionary Revelation will accept tires up to 2,8 inch.

What next? The new Revelation will accomodate anyone who rides the bike from 120 mm travel to 160 mm travel, but lighter than the new baby beast Yari. The new Revelation offers about 1,951 g, and priced about € 720–800. For more information about those forks, please visit sram.com and find out which fork is suitable for you! All come in completely new decal and it looks sick!

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New Bike: Polygon Square One EX9 - How Its Perform?

All eyes now are seeing Polygon's new bike, the Square One EX9: most people said that this bike is a bit weird, or maybe different or out of the box. But, since its geometry is shocking most people, how about the bike's performance? Short explanation about the Polygon Square One EX9; the bike is adopting modern geomtry and using new suspension system called Naild R3act Suspension System. With 180 mm of travel, the bike is ready for both climbing and also descent.

Yes, this is not a prototype, but a bike that ready for daily riding and also racing. With radical geometry, the Square One EX9 looks very different than other bikes. This radical geometry looks complicated, mostly on the suspension system used, the Naild R3act Suspension. The one makes the bike different is the rear triangle. 

Talk about Polygon Square One EX9's geometry, sure it is really interesting as the bike adopts different approach on the tubing. The tubing is really unusual than others, the bottom bracket also unusual and different, but it said that this bottom bracket offers better impression. The company even claims that the rear shock is effective when the bike is riding the steep uphill section.

This performance can not be separated from the suspension system, the Naild R3act Suspension. This suspension system is the result of partnership with the Naild, and that's one of their strategy to expand their market. Polygon said that the Naild offers very interesting and out of the box suspension system, which is they called genius. 

Prototype Polygon Square One EX9

But for now, this Polygon Square One EX9 offers different and out of the box geometry, and this make people thought that this is an ugly bike, or weird. But it is not fair to judge a bike just from the appearance without testing the bike and its performance. So, let's wait for the review, and then decide about the bike. (pic; pinkbike.com - bikerumor.com)

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Look Closer: Calibre Bossnut - A Budget Trail Bike

When we're new to mountain biking and find that good bike has crazy price (most of them), a good hardtail can be good first decision before upgrading along with skills. But among the mainstream and popular brands, there are some good brands that build good bikes, and if someone wants to be anti-mainstream, underrated companies can be the option. Calibre Bossnut, really a budget trail bike anyone can buy.

A budget bike does not always the bike performs not good or equipped with second-class parts (for some, second-class parts is meaningless). So, what about the Calibre Bossnut's performance? First, let's check the appearance, in general. The Calibre Bossnut frame layout offers nice geometry for trail riding and have been tested in UK.

This is a trail bike, so the company puts a 130 mm travel for 27.5 wheelset, which is really nice combination as trail bike. Made of aluminum material, the frame has 67 degree of head angle, slack enough and that's reasonable reach to get best positioning when riding the bike. The bike also has large space to accomodate big tires.

What about the parts then? 

This a budget trail bike is using good parts from good companies. For the suspension system, the Calibre Bossnut is using Rockshox suspension, the combination of Sektor fork and Monarch shock. For some, these suspension maybe second-class parts, but they both are good suspension and perform well. For the drivetrain, when most bikes are using 1x11 or 2x11 speed, the Calibre Bossnut still using the Shimano Deore 2x10 speed, combined with Shimano Deore brakes. Is this cons? It depends on the users.

On the wheels, the bike is using the combo WTB rims 27.5 inch with Shimano Deore hubset, and laced with WTB Vigilante 2,30 tires. Ritchey will complete the steering parts, starts from handlebar and stem. The manual seatpost also stock from Ritchey, with WTB saddle. 

With little modification and upgrades, this budget trail bike the Calibre Bossnut will ready to blast most of trail riding, all mountain or even the enduro. Just add dropper post and put a shorter stem, the Calibre Bossnut is reall budget trail bike monster.

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