There was even more technology on display on Sea Otter's second day, with brands keen to show off their latest and greatest technology.
Sea Otter is a truly industry-wide showcase for everything from road bikes to intense mountain bikes, and the first trade show of the year to gauge the direction of the industry.
From a road perspective, 2024 is certainly going to be the year of the “all-road” bike, blurring the line between road bikes and the hitherto elusive niche of gravel bikes. BMC, ENVE, and Parlee have all recently released “go-anywhere” road bikes that are considered better suited to most riders in terms of both fit and versatility.
Smith/Aleck integrated collision detection
Smith had some interesting technology on display with the brand partnering with collision detection company Aleck. Available in both gravel and mountain bike helmets, the collision detection unit fits within the helmet's retention dial and adds no bulk to the helmet. This sensor, which is rechargeable via USB-C, works by sending a signal in the event of a collision, so other Aleck users in the area are notified of the accident.
special cruiser
One of the most eye-catching bikes at Sea Otter was a very special custom-built Specialized Cruiser inspired by Harley-Davidson. This bike is one of his two in existence, the other one belonging to Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa.
Hidden in the bike's “fuel tank” are two e-bike batteries that power the bike's two motors. When I asked him why his bike had two motors and two batteries, he replied: “We had to do something special with this bike. He could have used just one motor, but he wanted it to be special.”
New Canyon electric bike coming soon
In addition to displaying some of their road, gravel, and mountain bikes, Canyon also had a rather mysterious box in the center of the stand. What we can be sure of is that the brand is preparing to release a new e-bike mountain bike with a box bearing the Canyon e-bike “:ON” branding.
The side of the box gave a little more hint as to what was included, reading: “The forest is our home. Here we seek adventure, serenity and the unknown. Have you ever seen dragonflies in motion? They dominate the sky with up to 30 flapping wings per second. They are speed artists, gliding gently one moment and changing direction with lightning speed. They are the true superheroes of the forest. We need more superheroes like dragonflies. This is the beginning of a new ear.”
Although it hasn't revealed any details, it seems like the German brand is preparing to introduce something new to its brand.
BMC road machine
Released last week, BMC showcased the new Roadmachine, Roadmachine X, and Roadmachine AMP at Sea Otter. This new bike aims to put the brand at the forefront of versatile 'all-road' bikes, with clearance for up to 40mm tires and in-frame storage.
The third generation of Roadmachine further expands the brand's capabilities. It was being sold as a “Ride anything bike” at the BMC stall. A nice touch was the seamlessly integrated rear light that sits above the seatpost and blends into the frame.
Roadmachine also includes the brand's e-gravel bike, the Roadmachine AMP. It's built on the same principles as Roadmachine, with the addition of support for TQ's HPR50 platform with a 360Whr battery.
tern rocks
Sea Otter has no shortage of electric cargo bikes, and Tern's Orox adventure cargo bike caught our attention. The Orox joins his GSD in Tern's lineup and is focused on carrying rider and cargo to roads less traveled.
The Orox has a maximum load capacity of 210kg, but for off-road adventures it can be reduced to 180kg. It's also more than just a one-trick pony, allowing riders to customize the Orox to suit their needs. The bike on display was configured to carry an additional passenger on the back of the bike, with a footplate and fabric shroud protecting the passenger from the drivetrain and wheels.
Tern designed the Orox to travel long distances. The bike can be equipped with two e-bike batteries to power Bosch's CX Performance Line motor, and the brand claims this bike can provide up to 300 kilometers of assistance.
pearly ouray
Not only did Pinarello unveil a new bike at the event, but on Thursday American brand Parley unveiled its new all-road bike, the Olay. Ouray is a bike that's not afraid to get dirty, blurring the line between road and gravel bikes. At its heart, the Ouray is an endurance road bike, capable of taking on light gravel adventures on a bike that can accommodate 38mm tires.
Ouray also boasts a striking nude wax coating that exposes the frame's raw carbon. This shows that CEO John Harrison ensures that each frame is given the utmost care. By using a monocoque design, the ride characteristics of the frame can be adjusted without creating “dead spots” around the bond points.
DT Swiss DEG Hub
DT Swiss were keen to show off their latest hub in the shape of a 240 DEG. This new ratchet hub has been launched for Sea Otter. Currently, DEG hubs are only available on this brand of mountain bike wheels.
The interior of the new hub is now larger in size than the brand's existing ratchet ring. This increase in size, combined with the move to 90 points of engagement, provides a larger contact patch, increasing hub life and ability to accommodate e-bike power transfer.
DT Swiss has also made maintaining the News Hub incredibly easy, with no tools required to remove and rebuild the internals of the hub. This movement allows riders to easily perform routine maintenance that extends the life of the hub.
wolftooth aero chainring
Wolf Tooth, a Minisota-based component and tooling manufacturer, was spotted showing off a new aero chainring that joins the brand's existing catalog of over 300 different chainring variations.
Chainrings are not available for purchase at this time, but as they are in production it is only a matter of time before they hit the market. The chainrings themselves are only sold as one-by-rings and feature an 8-bolt design that is compatible with SRAM cranks.
5Dev DLC Crank
5Dev has brought us some really interesting things, including a new crank with a “diamond-like coating.” This creates a coating comparable to those used on drill bits and cutting discs, which the brand claims makes the surface of the crank incredibly wear-resistant.
The crank uses an 8-bolt mounting system that is compatible with both SRAM-style chainrings as well as the brand's own chainrings that were on display. It's hard to see with the naked eye, but the back of the crank is laser welded and the center of the crank is hollowed out to reduce weight.
What's your favorite piece of Sea Otter's latest technology? Let us know in the comments below. Be sure to visit the Technology section of the GCN website for the latest technology updates.
