2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker

Rocking the ol' Gwin-approved NOchain™.

If they made a bonded enduro frame, I probably couldn't resist. It looks so clean. 

I used to have a fairly close relationship with the guys at DVO. San and DVO are two completely separate companies.  DVO at least years back, used to rent space at the Sun factory for assembly in a little bit of R&D.  The only thing that they share would be parts of chassis itself.  The internals are completely different.  When DVO first released some of their stuff, it was absolutely on par with fox and rock, shock and better in some ways as well too.  I’m not sure what happened around Covid but their quality control took such a big hit. Their products were basically unusable for a little bit.  I really hope this next generation brings them on par with fox and rock shock again.  

 

IIRC DVO boss Bryson discusses company lineage/ownership here:

vitalmtb.com/features/Vital-MTBs-The-Inside-Line-Podcast-Episode-4-Bryson-Martin-Founder-of-DVO-Suspension,1589

I remember it being an enjoyable and informative pod.

I know they have had some changes internally at the company,  but I can't say if those led to the problems or if the problems led to the changes.. 

More details on DVO from BikeRadar, a few highlights:

  New dampers for diamond (36) and onyx (38), eschewing bladders for IFPs 

  New Opal XL with a mini-piggy back (mini-back? piggy-mini?) to get more oil in (nearly) in-line packaging

  Generic marketing stuff (less friction, more betterer)

I haven't used their new stuff, but the old D1 damper had my favorite compression damping across any fork I've ridden, rebound that was slower than I'd like but useable, and the OTT air spring was just kinda wonky. Since they've gone with the self-equalizing air spring I've been wanting to try the new forks but not had a chance. 

Gracey verbally confirms they are on a new version of the bike since Hardline. (Around 2:15)
 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cha-bike-lube/cha-the-smart-cycle-lube

Hopefully not a chain lube derailment, but this popped up on my ad today. I don't see how this is better than rubbing a piece of pencil lead over the top link of your chain, you might actually get some inbetween the chain links where the lubricant is actually needed that way. What was triggering is the bit where they compared themselves as superior to wax based lubricants. I can't wait for zfc to test this once it comes out on the market 🤣

They have a few of the new forks on display at the Taipei show and they look really nice.  Definitely a step up from the past few years, and the direct mount fender might be the best execution by any brand so far.  

I'm a little late to the thread but it has been a hell of a time getting this off the ground. More to follow as we are expecting to do a soft launch on April 1 showing the goods off on the socials. We will have bikes on the ground at Sea Otter in a few booths and being raced. The hard launch and press release will go out after Sea Otter so we don't get to lost in the din. 

Meanwhile You may want to see this

I might have something for you soon. Wait until you see what we have cooking.

learn to link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cha-bike-lube/cha-the-smart-cycle-lube

my source said something about speci releasing two new bikes in April anyone else hear that or similar?

Is this the start of AI Scamming in cycling? Create a random product with claims, use AI to create video and outline features etc.
then put on kickstarter for the $$$ and run?
 

are you daft or something? i just posted the correct link, because the op failed so and posted a 404

New Demo and long travel Levo I would imagine. 

Cycling is gradually losing its traditional core audience and becoming more heterogeneous, which is generally a good thing.

But with that shift comes a change in dynamics. As the market opens up, it also attracts more short-term, fast-moving consumer logic. Quick wins, quick products, quick margins.

I’m not saying this specific product falls into that category. But this broader opening of the cycling industry inevitably pulls in brands that are less rooted in the sport itself. The kind of “our wallet is revolutionary” or “this key holder will change your life” products, solving problems that don’t really exist. So yes, you are absolutely right and have to get used to it.

It becomes less about addressing real rider needs and more about tapping into a growing lifestyle market with generic add-ons. Launching something isn’t the hard part anymore. Anyone can put a product out there.

The real challenge isn't thowing something onto the market, it's building something that lasts. Relevance, credibility, and customers who actually stick around.

 think the issue here isn't so much the wrong link as the fact that the product looks a little shady.
I also find the product questionable, to say the least. You could really run a pencil along the chain...

Graphite powder is a very common lubricant used in lots of places, nothing to say it can't work on some parts of a bicycle. I am a little sceptical about it being able to penetrate the chain rollers in the way a liquid would. 

Devinci just dropped their Canadian-made alloy Spartan. 

https://www.devinci.com/en/stories/product-launch/2026-spartan/

Top spec is priced at a very reasonable $5,999, it also comes with the newly updated 2027 Fox 38

chainstay length adjustment at the pivot is clever

That's a pretty sick bike - seems pretty versatile for a big rig. Also interesting to see them move away from the previous gen high pivot. 

Here's a first look at Mondraker's new Zendit, which is equipped with a new Avinox motor. We can't reveal any details about the motor just yet, but there are plenty of details about the bike itself to discover today: https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/first-look-mondraker-zendit-new-avinox-motor.

Well, that settles it. Nobody here has to talk about a Mondraker bike, either. 

So the solution to the Sea Otter release tsunami is to release things earlier... but not talk about certain bits?

The Mondraker has motor, fork and rims blurred out 🤣

New FOX 38 is live! Here are all the details and some initial thoughts -  https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2027-fox-38-fork-tech-info-impressions-discussion 

TLDR - The 38 gets the same revamp that FOX already gave its 36 and 40 models—new Glidecore air spring, revised Grip X2 damper, new generative-designed lowers with more pushing overlap, less torsional stiffness and more fore-and-aft stiffness; relocated bypass channels in the lowers, new bleeder valves, and new fender/mounting points. Also new 5cc volume spacers which is fun for tinkering, and PM200 rotor instead of PM180 like before. Bye bye brake adaptors. All the changes focus around improving the fork's ground feel and comfort by reducing friction and binding while building the confidence and control riders have come to expect.

I’ve had an up and down process testing the 38. I had issues with one fork at the press event, and then inconsistent issues with another fork once back home. When the fork was working correctly, it was superb. It reminded me a ton of the previous 38, which is a huge compliment. I’ll have a fresh fork soon to further my testing, and we also have a fork going to another tester for long-term testing, which will be a nice addition to validate if any issues persist. 

A few snipes of tech rumors that I am going to steal from a few pinkbike's posts from today.  I want to be respectful of their efforts/journalism, so I am providing a link to not be a douche, sorry @sspomer if that's not cool.  

Fox Live Valve neo x2, on seb's firebird from the 38 release article.  This seems like a related, but different product to the neo adjacent version that was seen on the rallon rs release.  This seems a lot more production ready and less of the bespoke, integrated system version that Orbea was leveraging.  It makes me wonder which one was the chicken and which one was the egg in that situation.  

Adjustable offset dropout on Arata proto usd fork from Jesse's article about the 2026 Taipai cycle Show.  To my knowledge, this is the first adjustable offset suspension fork that uses an eccentric axle system.  

Does the Fox 38 coming with 200mm post mount mean that 203 rotors can finally die already?  Please???  

No, it might even come with some little spacers in the box!