While the A-GE hydraulic shifting set up was Acros’ highlight, they had several other really nice components on hand.
Above, the Block Lock headset uses an internal bumper with a slotted clamp-on spacer to prevent your handlebar from swinging too far ’round and knocking your top tube when things go south. The outside only tells half the story, you gotta see the inside to really get familiar with it, and we’ve got just the pic after the break, along with photos and specs on sweet flat pedals, double clamp seatpost and some really slick – er, bumpy – shot peened 29er wheels…
Opened up, the top cap’s nub rotates through the cup’s groove. At 90º from front/center on either side, small rubber bumpers prevent it from turning any further – which is good because let’s face it, if you’re turning your wheel more than 90º you’re either getting rad(awesome) or you’re in serious trouble. Most likely the latter.
To keep the steerer tube from simply twisting with the headset and continuing its trajectory to your top tube, the spacer clamps on, and its nubs slot into the grooves on the top cap. The rubber bumpers are easily replaceable once they get smashed too many times.
Acros’ dual clamp seatpost uses separate bolts for holding the saddle rails and adjusting tilt angle. It called, simply enough, a seatpost but it gets their cool Rock ‘n’ Roll Forever graphics.
Their A-Flat pedal has a low profile and large platform, replaceable pins and a long ramp on the backside to ease your foot onto the pedal after a foot-plant in a corner or anything airborne and no-footed.
New 29er wheels use their own new rim design and their 74 hub that offers any axle option via their conversion kit. Internal rim profile has special shaping with a hump to ensure that the tire is kept seated in the bead socket even with really low pressure. 21mm inner width (25outer) made of 7000-series alloy with shotpeened surface to increase it’s strength. Wheelset is $799 or you can get it with with Continental Race Kings and tubes premounted for $850. 1580g weight for wheels only.
Aaaaaahhh, yeah – purple ano. Rock ‘n’ Roll Forever, indeed.
