Products from the Otter

The Sea Otter Classic isn't quite the new-product bonanza that Interbike is, but Bike Associate Editor Jim Fitzgerald and Editor-at-Large Vernon Felton each found a handful of interesting newbies on display at this year's event.

Bontrager Big Earl

Bontrager Big Earl
920-478-4670; www.bontrager.com
The Big Earl hub will show up on select Bontrager wheelsets and can adapt to splined disc rotors as well as six-bolt rotors. The rear hub will accommodate a 10mm skewer or a standard skewer, and the front hub will be available as a 20mm through axle or with a standard skewer. More Big Earl components are coming soon; keep an eye out for tires, a new stem and handlebar, seatpost, cranks and saddle.--J.F.

Crank Brothers Mallet M

Crank Brothers Mallet M
949-464-9916; www.crankbrothers.com
The Mallet M is similar to the Mallet C, except 78 grams lighter. Crank Brothers made weight reductions by using a magnesium pedal body. They cost $140 and come in your choice of silver or bright orange. These are the pedals that Cedric Gracia, Steve Peat, Anne-Caroline Chausson and Kirt Voreis are riding this year. --J.F.

Hayes Hydraulic Disc Prototype

Hayes El Camino
888-686-3472; www.hayesdiscbrake.com
No name has been set for this new brakeset, but Hayes is aiming to start production this fall. The one-piece caliper weighs 370 grams and has strengthening gussets. New features include a lever-adjustment system that allows for tuning the lever position and power ratio. It starts with the same power as the Hayes Mag brakes and then increases up to 15 percent by changing the leverage ratio. Banjo fittings will be used at the brakeline and caliper to make maintenance easier. --J.F.

Maverick Single-Crown Fork Larger photo

Maverick Single-Crown Fork
303-415-0370; www.maverickamerican.com
Looks like Paul Turner and company will be offering an inverted, single-crown air fork next year. The as-of-yet-un-named model will sell for between $500 and $700 and will feature 125mm of travel with a shorter, lockdown travel setting for climbs (something in the neighborhood of 70- to 80mm). The Maverick guys estimate that the fork will come in at an astonishingly light 3.25 pounds and should be ready for the masses by January or February 2005. The fork uses Maverick's 24mm front hub for improved rigidity, and word has it that Chris King is making a compatible hub.--V.F.

RAM Custom Cycles Super Cruiser Larger photo

RAM Custom Cycles Super Cruiser
916-568-0952
Richard Shepherd hand-builds custom cruisers in his Sacramento shop, RAM Custom Cycles. He said he'd let this one go for around $4,000.--J.F.

Ritchey WCS 110V Compact Crankset
650-368-4018; www.ritcheylogic.com
I live on a hill. It's a long, steep hill that just waves its grubby, asphalt hand and bitch smacks me each and every time I try to climb it. This always occurs after a very long day in the saddle. It's like the cycling version of Chinese water torture. After the seventh or eighth bout of breaking down in tears by the side of the road, I realized that it was time to ditch the he-man gears on my road bike and buy a triple. Just one problem: I can't afford to spring for a new front derailleur, crankset, bottom bracket, left shifter and rear derailleur.

Ritichey WCS 100V Compact Crankset

Hmmm...what is a weak, aging cyclist like myself to do when faced with a tiny budget and a sustained 22-percent grade? The answer is something like this Ritchey compact crankset. The WCS 110V crankset (on display at Sea Otter) is still under development, but will one day offer sad bags like me the option of running something like a tiny 36-tooth small ring. Basically, you get almost the same gearing as a triple, without adding weight to your rig and without having to ditch your existing components. 'Cross racers will dig it, too. No word yet on price or release date, but it's certainly gonna cost less than going triple.--V.F.