Daily coverage from the 2014 Sea Otter Classic Day 4
Hello and welcome to Day 4 of Mtbr’s daily coverage of the 2014 Sea Otter Classic. During this four-day celebration of all things cycling at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, we’ll be continually updating this page with photos and beta on all the latest in mountain bike technology. Whether it’s new gear or apparel, celebrity sightings, or updates on events, this is the place to stay up to date on all the action. Make sure to check back early and often. The newest updates will always be on the top of the page. Also check out RoadBikeReview’s 2014 Sea Otter Classic coverage here for all the latest road updates.
EBIKE | Felt had this prototype full suspension Ebike with 27.5 wheels called the DUALe.
It has 120mm of rear travel and uses the Bosch 400 watt system. Pricing has not yet been set, it should be available late August of this year. -GK
CREAMISCLE | Dogs who licked these fat bike tires were disappointed to find out they are not, in fact, made of orange sherbert. -DP
RUN FORREST RUN | Nobody mistakes this guy for the Angry SIngleSpeeder. -DP
LEGGY | Elevated Legs had one of the most popular booths at Sea Otter. Every time I passed by it was full of riders, racers and spectators trying out their automatic leg massagers. More info at www.elevatedlegs.com
SHINEY HAPPY PEOPLE | Ibis’ sparkling vintage Airstream only added to the festive atmosphere—as did the presentation of Mtbr’s Golden Growler for Best Climbing Bike in the 2014 Enduro Compare-O for the Ripley 29. -DP
BIKE-FITTI | This wall of creative graffiti was made during the 4 days of Sea Otter by Index Ink – a “creative arts foundation set on empowering the youth of today.” -GK
CAR CAMPING | Tepui tents from Santa Cruz had their vehicle roof top tent systems on display. They have a foldable aluminum ladder to get up into the tent, a padded mattress and lots of space and windows, making for an ideal quick rolling camping experience. -BM
PARTY ON | Kali’s Bryan Mason (right) was badly beaten in the Mtbr beard growing contest. -DP
AHEAD OF THE CURVE | Jamis is one of the original MTB brands, and they started doing 650b five years before it was all the rage. Stop by their booth and check out their full line of “Goldilocks” bikes. -ASS
LOOKERS | Digging these swanky Sidi carbon soled MTB shoes with world champs accents. If the words of Mars Blackmon, it’s gotta be the shoes. -JS
KEVLAR | SQlab is now releasing their latest iteration of the Active 611 saddle. The saddle has Kevlar nose and side protection sections, a front hand cradle and the Active’s elastomer inserts for comfort. -BM
PARTY ON | The fun crew from Yakima helped get the Mtbr party rockin’. -DP
FESTIVAL FOLLIES | Big man on a little bike. -JS
WHEELIE COOL | At $1,300, the new Ibis carbon wheel sets drew many interested onlookers. -DP
LUSH | Sometimes we get complaints that we don’t cover enough women’s bikes so here is the Trek Lush 29 SL women specific 29er. Designed from the ground up specifically for women it has a higher leverage ratio tuned for lighter riders and a shorter shock eye to eye for better stand over. It has 110 mm of travel in the rear, 120 up front. MSRP $3150 and there are two less expensive versions at $2630 and $1980. Shown here with the Assistant Mountain Bike Manager Ross Rushin. -GK
OTTER POPPED | Our own Angry SingleSpeeder gives Otto a friendly slug at the season opener in Monterey. -DP
TIME SAVER | Looking to save a few watts in an XC or road race, check out the Louis Garneau Course Skinsuit, an aerodynamic one-piece jersey/bibs with pockets. -JS
FULLY FAT | Mike “Kid” Riemer of Salsa showing off the new 100mm travel Bucksaw full suspension fatbike with the Rock Shox Bluto fat suspension fork. – ASS
BRUTALLY STRONG | Syntace has added a carbon 35mm rise x 780mm width handlebar to their lineup, along with additional an 20mm rise with a 12 degree sweep. Both bars are available in 8 degree and 12 degree sweep. Expect the same well made and brutally strong bars from Syntace. -BM
PARTY ON | Andreas Hestler (left) and the Rocky Mountain Bicycles crew flew their international colors at the Mtbr Sea Otter party, eh? -DP
CLOTHESLINE | Loving the simple but classic look of this Bellwether Edge summer weight jersey. Has open fabric on chest and side panels that increase airflow to enhance cooling. -JS
TEAMMATES | Geoff Kabush and the entire @3roxRacing team (minus Cameron Jette who is racing in South Africa this weekend) was on hand signing autographs and taking pictures. Pictured are Derek Zandstra, Amanda Sin, Geoff Kabush, Marc Antoine Nadon, Mikaela Koffman (aka Fudge). -GK
GOOD FUEL | Grab yourself a sweet potato and rice burrito with some Sriracha sauce at the Skratch Labs trailer. -ASS
FRESH RUBBER | New from Challenge Tires the Gravel Grinder clincher. Comes in 120 or 60 tpi. 700cx 38. $38 or $46. -JS
PARTY ON | Mtbr’s annual party featured good food, good friends and a perfectly chilled vibe. -DP
AM FAVE | This bike was a favorite in the Mtbr’s AM shoot out last year and the Norco Sight 7.1 has won multiple awards this year. MSRP is $5252 for the 7.1. -GK
TRUCKIN’ | The Shinola Jeep Willy’s pickup truck gets us every time. This gorgeous rig is almost as drool-worthy as the Waterford-built Shinola bikes it carries in its bed. -DP
THRU AXLE CX | Come demo the new Focus Mares CX bike featuring Shimano Di2, hydraulic disc brakes and front and rear thru axles that release with a 90 degree turn. And by the way, it tips the scales at 15 pounds. -ASS
WIN | Giant is also giving away a Dream Upgrade in the form of a Anthem advanced 27.5 1 or Liv/Giant Lust Advanced 27.5 2. Stop by the Giant booth and tell them in 140 characters or less why you deserve to win! -GK
RING BLING | Crew from Rotor is here at Sea Otter showing off a trio of special Q Rings made specially for world champions Christoph Sauser (marathon XC), Rui Costa (road) and Marianne Vos (anything she wants).
For the uninitiated these ovalized Q Rings are designed to smooth out the dead spots in your pedal stroke, increasing overall efficiency. -JS
ANTHEM | Giant is all in with 27.5 and they have a huge booth and tons of bikes for test rides. Here is their Anthem Advanced 27.5 0 Team. More info in the gallery below. -GK
VINTAGE MTB | Eric Schutt of the Hayes Bicycle Group poses with the OG Manitou he acquired from a Sea Otter attendee featuring a nearly untouched vintage spec. -DP
PARTY ON | No head injuries were reported at the Mtbr party, due in large part to the protective aura of this fine looking crew from Bell Helmets. -DP
FAT RACK | Fatbike aficionados were stoked to see the $40 Thule 919 Fat Tire Kit at Sea Otter. This $40 accessory makes their popular T2 hitch-mount rack fatbike-compatible. -DP
2014 Sea Otter Classic Day 1 Daily Coverage »
2014 Sea Otter Classic Day 2 Daily Coverage »
2014 Sea Otter Classic Day 3 Daily Coverage »
After Otter: More Sea Otter finds »
After Otter: Final round of Sea Otter gems »
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