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US
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15 hours ago
This is the place for all things Sea Otter Classic in 2026. Vital staffers will update this thread with photos and product details throughout the weekend, and you can add your finds, too!
Vital product coverage in alphabetical order (this list will grow throughout the days!)
Bikes
- Ari prototype 32" XC bike
- Amflow Tech
- Crankbrothers' Custom Propain
- Fairdale Elevator Hardtail
- Hope HB.912
- Kona Remote 160 CR and Process 246
- Neko Mulally's Frameworks with 32" Front Wheel
- Niner RIP e9 RDO
- Telepathy steel high pivot
- Whyte Karver EVO RSX
Components
- Bosch
- Brembo GR-PRO
- Cane Creek Invert
- Cushcore tire installer
- e*thirteen Grappler radial tires
- Galfer Shark EVO rotors
- Industry Nine's Faded Color wheels
- KS / ExaForm 32" Inverted Fork
- MRP Otto Fork, Speed Springs, Dime Levers
- Ohlins aftermarket upgrades
- SDG I-Beam dropper
- Shimano Saint and XT pedals
- SR Suntour Raidon 32-inch fork
- Stablead Suspension
- Yoshimura and Smallest Honda Generator Ever?
Gear
Weird/Misc Stuff
- DIY 60-degree head angle steel hardtail
- Dual Slalom Qualifying Results
- Fastest Blindfolded Tire Change as of Day 1
- Our favorite new e-bike
Frameworks 32-Inch Testing
Neko Mulally is racing a Frameworks with a 32" front wheel and 29" rear wheel for Sea Otter downhill. He says he's been riding a bit back at home and had to purchase the front tire online (1 of 2 that he could find). He's surprised by the traction but did indicate that if it broke free, it broke free without warning. He was able to cram in a 29" rear wheel despite the rear triangle being made for 27.5. His philosophy is that it's worth the experiment to figure out if there's something more to pursue and he'll let the results speak before judgment. Sea Otter's DH track is a good place to test the idea, and he hinted that there may be more to come in the future, too.
Cane Creek Invert
Cane Creek showed off their new upside down enduro fork, dubbed The Invert.
Price is $1,599, it features 160, 170 or180mm of travel via different air springs, comes stock with 15mm axle but can also run 20mm available separately.
Development started 3 years ago and they're currently taking deposits which will give early adopters a $100 discount. Their goal was to make inverted forks more affordable. Learn more at https://www.canecreek.com/products/invert-enduro-deposit
Bosch Motors
Bosch had ebikes showcasing their 4 different motor configurations. A Norco with the new, affordable PX, a new Kona with an SX motor, the new Ibis with the CX motor and a Pivot with the CX-R.
Follow.
I thought that Frameworks bike was some whacky trail bike at first. Then i zoomed in and got stink face.
Following..
Frameworks is the only bike there without a motor
I hope he looked over the warranty information, not sure if he is covered for that.
It's a little scary how small the 29er rear wheel looks on that frameworks bike, in comparison to the 32" front.
Man that tyre looks like it would get dangerously close to the downtube on full compression!
Came here for the Sig O. Thank you.
What is Bosch, like, some Avinox wanna be?
who?
That frameworks looks sketchy as hell with the travelled podium (120mm or something?), the tire so close to the downtube, the tire choice.
Maybe an advantage at that flow trail, but the real test needs to be done on a real downhill track where it’s not only about rolling speed
@sspomer Any pics/details of the new Revel?
I literally thought this was a frameworks slalom bike at first before I read the 32” bit. Wow that big wheel skews the perspective
The Shredline Eden. Full details coming next week. I'll try to answer questions each evening as I'm at the show and have zero service there. If you are at the show stop by EXT, Spank or Gates to see one or find us walking around. This variant is set up at 164mm rear (170 front) using a 230x60 stroke.
The Eden can be set up in six different travel modes, two wheel sizes and high/low settings.
The black ano rocker is unobtanium
Neko.
Bike park mode for the Eden over at the Spank booth.
This one is set with 188mm back (190mm front) using a 250x70 stroke shock set up in Mx wheel configuration.
Kona Remote 160 CR
Kona's Bosch-powered Remote 160 CR with SX motor
Kona Process 246 for the groms
Telepathy
Telepathy steel high-pivot rig with rearward axle path that matches fork axle path for a consistent wheel base regardless of travel.
SDG
SDG had a preview of a soon-to-be-released I-Beam version of their Tellis dropper and sneakily hiding a carbon Slater kids bar, that lands in the near future, too.
CushCore Tire Installation Tool
CushCore's miracle-working tire-install tool. It's only Thursday and they've performed the demo a billion times. Thankfully though, plenty of on-lookers come through and said, "we've seen the video." Watching it in person, there is some muscle required and their tire lever helps makes quick work of the initial bead pop before the tool can go in.
Our new favorite ebike, hands down.
Fairdale Elevator
Taj's Fairdale Elevator. A breath of fresh air among the never-ending display of electronic tech.
Stablead
Stablead showing off their suspension. The frames are for display only and aren't planning on being released. Tom Rogers is the man behind the squish with consultation from guys like Brian Lopes. Besides the product, the most surprising thing in their booth was none other than the infamous Sanjay Sanbhag who hadn't been to Sea Otter since he was "hitting the dirt jumps on a road bike."
Psychosis Welding Class Project
Not bad for a welding class project! 60-degree static head angle is the play with the philosophy of it living at around 62-63 degrees at sag and cruising up to 66 at bottom out. "I welded the rear end, but my friend, who's a way better welder than me did the headtube. I didn't want that to fail."
Brembo GR-PRO
I got to see the new Brembo GR-PRO brakes in real life, and while the master cylinder is larger, and the red doesn't help hide their size, the brakes do look incredibly clean.
Quick hit notes from chatting with them:
There are three lever adjustments: reach adjust is tool-free, and then you have tooled lever ratio (3 positions) and dead stroke adjustments.
The leverage ratio affects how quickly the power engages during the initial lever stroke, but power builds consistently throughout the stroke in each position. They found that Specialized Gravity riders all run slightly different lever ratios, and surprisingly, none of them run the 'hard', quick-hitting ratio. If I had to guess, it's because braking makes you go slower, and softer hitting brakes keeps you from braking as much.
Funny enough, none of the display brakes had oil in them, so I couldn't actually see what the lever felt like. But Brembo did develop its own low-viscosity mineral oil for the brakes, intended to offer similar benefits to other LV oils—improved consistency at higher temps.
They are only making 200 and 220mm rotors. 2.3mm thick.
Other color ways are planned but haven't been chosen yet. You can vote for your favorite color here.
Availability in the U.S. won't be until ~September. They're still sorting out distribution. European availability is slated for ~July. @iceman2058 will definitely be getting a set to test #vitalbrakeguru and hopefully I'll get my mitts on a set later this year.
TR, Lopes, and Sanjay mentioned all in one post... Shut it down... You can't top that...
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