New products round-up

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by Jonathon Harker
Thursday, May 7th 2009 at 4:22PM

Some of the latest from Sram, Commencal, Ritchey, Zipp and Cane Creek

Close to 300 companies took space at this year's Sea Otter, exhibiting to crowds estimated to be as high as 50,000, making the show the biggest cycling consumer trade show in North America. Here are some of the highlights that have emerged:

SRAM/CHARGE: SRAM's new XO Tango groupset was on display aboard Charge's all new Titanium Duster frame. The limited edition product is based around SRAM's new super-tough carbon and aluminium groupset and is suited to freeride and XC use. The superfast shifting works on a 1:1 actuation ratio and both a trigger and a twist shifter are available. Images of centre lock SRAM discs have also appeared online since the show closed.

Charge's popular Duster frame has also been given a revamp and now comes built in a seamless Tange Ultimate butted titanium version. The frame's design incorporates a custom machined tapered headtube, a forward facing seat tube slot, machined dropouts carrying disc mounts, as well as 'bullet end' seatstays and chainstays.

COMMENCAL: The firm’s new Absolut SX comes adorned with a whole load of top-end gear. According to the brand's owner, Nico Mencard: "The build will consist of an 140mm rear travel, with the main pivot on the bottom bracket, meaning it will work as a singlespeed and you could run horizontal dropouts, vertical, 12mm or a Maxxle.

"The bike has been designed with Slopestyle in mind. But due to the 140mm of travel and the air shock it's highly versatile."

It is still in prototyping stages, but will feature interchangeable dropouts and a tapered head tube, ready to accommodate long-travel, single-crown forks.

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RITCHEY: The 'Superlogic' label stamped on all the top-end gear was present on a new set of US-made boron-carbon wheels, designed with ceramic sidewalls, offering compatibility with all brake pads. Forged CNC'd WCS hubs, carrying titanium skewers complete the builds, which are compatible only with Shimano ten-speed groupsets.

Of the handlebars on show, the Superlogic carbon 10D flat caught the attention of many visitors as a result of its striking curves. The model offers a riser bar position without vertical rise.

Stock of most of the latest Superlogic gear is available from Paligap now.

ZIPP: The redesigned 303 tubular wheelset debuted after design modifications. Zipp has widened the 303’s rim from 22.3mm to 27.5mm with a slight rim depth increase from 44mm to 45mm. These changes further improve the impact resistance of Zipp’s ‘Carbon Bridge’ technology.

CANE CREEK: Although unlikely to make yours the lightest build on the road, Cane Creek's AER headset tipped the scales at just 49 grams, making it the world's lightest standard headset. The cups are machined out, while the top race is made up of just a Teflon conical washer. The integrated version weighs just 33 grams.