New Ultimate, a UK Denmark component manufacturer, has started showing off their 2011 products, all of which are at the low end of weights we’ve seen.
The pics aren’t great, but the new products include a tapered carbon seatpost that comes in at just 114g for the 350 x 31.6!
Even at that gravity defying weight, they say it’s as strong as their “normal” carbon posts that range from 117g (for the 300×27.2 – note that this is narrower and shorter than the new one and still weighs more) up to 135-140g for the white carbon models. These use high modulus carbon with alloy cups and titanium bolts, but the new version tapers the carbon, keeping material where it’s really needed. Did we mention it’s approved for mountain biking? It is.
The post works for road, too, obviously, but the rest of the 2011 new stuff is for the dirt. There are new carbon handlebars and for the first time from NU, a set of hydraulic disc brakes and a full carbon hardtail frame.
It’s all crazy light, and it’s all after the break…
The new flat bar claims to be the lightest in the world at just 99g. It’s 580mm wide with 200mm of straight area on either side of the oversized clamp area for mounting your shifting and braking kit, lockouts and grips. Amazingly, the ends are even reinforced to accept bar ends!
The riser bar has a 30mm rise and 8º sweep. 30mm is a decent rise, but this bar is designed for XC racing only. It’s 620mm wide and tips the scales at just 120g (claimed).
Their all-new hydraulic disc brake set comes in at 584g for the entire package. If that’s true, and the claimed rotor weight of just 79g, that means front and rear brakes (lever, hose and caliper) come in at 426g for the set, or an average of just 213g each. That’s down around Ashima’s PCB weight, which is pretty low. Word is, they use standard Shimano brake pads, too, so finding replacements should be easy. NU says they’ll have enough power for all-mountain type riding despite the very XC weight.
Another first for New Ultimate is a foray into frames. This prototype Warp SL Hardtail uses full carbon tube to tube construction with high modulus fibers. It’ll be available in UD finish or painted. The frame uses a tapered headtube (1-1/8″ to 1-1/2″), BB92 bottom bracket, postmount rear brakes and full carbon dropouts. The flattened seatstays are designed to have a bit of flex. Claimed frame weight is 1,050g, and retail will be £1,290.
Lastly, they’re working on some prototype cranks, which Bikeradar got a look at. The unique feature on these is the ability to disconnect the driveside arm and spider (normally the axle is permanently bonded to the driveside) as well as the non-drive side, allowing quick swaps of gears…or swaps between 2x and 3x setups. Photo by BikeRadar.
