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Conspiracy Theory Hot Take - Now that SRAM owns O-chain will Non-SRAM sponsored athletes be asked by their drivetrain sponsors not to run them? Or will mechanics just get out the Sharpie?
If I was a betting man, Id put my money on the part where Sram is going to make the product only work with their cranks anyways. So sharpie kickback hubs may be the easier option here.
https://www.instagram.com/level_of_future/# has lots of photos/videos on them. Their website just went live a few days ago so it needs work - for instance the contact page doesn't seem to work and the email address on the English site bounces. Will just have to be patient and wait for them to catch up.
I've reached out a few different ways and haven't heard back yet on availability. It's really hard to gauge their intent - the PB video mentions they were looking to sell the technology/license it for others to manufacture, but some of their content seems to indicate they will be making them themselves and selling them (or both). AFAIK they haven't publicly stated any intention to release to the public or make them generally available yet, but most of their posting is in Polish so it may be I missed it.
I've reached out to them a few different ways to try and get an answer, these could be game changing for me and possibly save riding for me altogether, so I'm really anxious to get more info but so far haven't gotten a reply.
What's with all the stabbing? Last week we had the launches of Flex Stab and Stab Lead.
A sales manager at Shimano just built up a Digit Ring and sent me some photos.
It has an unusual Pro Tharsis handlebar which I've not seen any reporting on*. I gets fatter each side of the stem, and it's not round each side of the stem either. A fatter diameter normally indicates a stiffer structure which I'd normally be wary of, but I'm told the shaping makes this is as compliant as the OneUp handlebar. It does look pretty sick.
Both the bar and stem have cable-tourism routing - but they don't seem to be noticeable on my cable-into-the-downtube frame.
*The bar and stem aren't embargoed, but the photo here really doesn't show what's going on.
https://bikerumor.com/pro-launches-new-tharsis-evo-handlebar-and-stem-f…
It looks kinda square? I've never seen bars like that before
I am not upset about the weight and nowhere was I complaining. I simply stated what I built and the weight. It’s about 2 lbs heavier than the carbon frames, that’s what the conversation topic was about.
More sort of a "D" shape I think?
But with a round clamping area? Am I seeing things or does the D-shaped part overlap the stem?
Devinci with something soon https://www.instagram.com/stories/cyclesdevinci/3671511613849016637?igs…
New version of the PRO Tharsis line, the EVO model I b'lieve. The rumor site had a shpiel on it back in June. Sorry to say it is not named Stab.
But Dak is a good bit larger (4-5" taller?) than Jackson. That was the point I was trying to make.
I think they are looking for similar positions but Jackson is getting there on a "more normal" looking setup because he is smaller.
It's round. Look at the link I posted on the previous side.
You’re both right! It’s both round and D-shaped. I grabbed this shot from the video in your link @Primoz

May I ask @CascadeComponents why they made such an exotic adapter for rear brake just to put caliper back, over axle? Any influence on suspension?
Caliper position makes no difference on suspension at all. Only thing that matters is which link the brake attaches too.
Very strange looking adapter. Only real differences between adapters are:
- Position: aesthetic and clearance related
- Stiffness: has impacts on vibration and noise
That to me looks like someone is either using some very optimized shapes to control the natural frequency (unlikely) or they are trying to shield the caliper slightly from air/mud/etc.
That's the stock V10.8 brake adapter for 200mm rotors. It allows for the 3 rear axle positions. They also have a 220mm rotor verison.
Mount is sliding to allow for wheelbase adjustment, hence the shape for clearance to the seatstay and the sliding mount
Anybody notice the new-ish looking Zeb on the Devinci instagram annoucement for tomorrow?
If you look at the non-driveside leg there's something funky there ... looks partially blocked and the naming is blocked out.
That's the current Zeb.
Nah there's something funky on the left leg. Enhaaaaance!
New Zeb has a different arch, would does ENHANCE show there?
Looks a little diff than the one on the website.
versus ... not sure if it's just lighting. But perhaps it's not new.
The new one is completely different.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/spotted-next-generation-rockshox-zeb.html
up you're right .. but there's something funky going on on the lowers.
There are probably multiple things going on here with the Zeb:
1. Because of litigation with Fox and the bleed valves, they've move the new location to the bottom of the lowers for all future lower leg castings. This includes a running change with the 'old' zeb uppers, etc.
2. There is a new Zeb coming that will also have new uppers ('26+)
3. The new Zeb Ultimate may have shockwiz built into the lower leg (what they're covering up)
4. The new Zeb has something funky with the new crown (either more pressure relief area, or something else sneaky like torsional stiffness option or vibration damping, etc.
Probably a new Ochain device built in the lowers
I've been noticing a lot of pedal kickback riding my trailbike equipped with a Pike Ultimate. I didn't know how to describe it besides "when the fork goes into compression I crash a lot more often."
Who knew that the fork lowers were directly tied to the cassette? I know I didn't. But it explains all my crashes.
THAT is probably why I'm crashing all the time, right?
Right?
Definitely not a skill issue.
A more refined version of Mondraker's proto DH bike seen in a Fast AF* vid from Andorra today. Can't tell if they still have the modular bb set up, but does look to have changeable drop outs to change CS length. Carbon version expected later this summer
https://youtu.be/VJUh_1DSiIM?si=6FVF3dvJUTX3ZwW6&t=2322