After inviting us in for a tour of their headquarters and some quality time with the team, Crank Brothers ran through their 2014 product line in depth. Most of the story was on the completely redesigned wheels they debuted last week, but the cockpit parts get technical and aesthetic updates, too. The big news is that the stems are lighter, stronger and easier to use, and the entire range has been updated with graphics and finishes to match the rest of their line.
Starting with the XC-oriented Cobalt, the stem has done away with the wedge in favor of a standard two-bolt clamp. The basic look is the same -it’s as sleek as ever- but it’s now lighter and stiffer.
Read on to see the full collection…
Two versions will be offered, the Cobalt 3, which uses a new alloy that’s stiffer and helps it drop about 15g, and the Cobalt 11, an all-carbon stem with nested nuts for the front bolts so no alloy bits had to be bonded in.
It’s also 15g lighter than before, putting it at a claimed 109g for the 100m, making it among the lightest MTB stems available.
The Iodine stem will come in 2 and 3 trims, also, with the 11 just getting a carbon faceplate. The 3 maintains an alloy piece, but both use a new four-bolt design that makes them 30% stiffer. The steerer clamp is shorter, too, for lower overall stack height, and they’re now available in a 50mm length.
Click to enlarge all spec sheets.
The Cobalt handlebars have also dropped a few grams and get new finishes.
The Iodine handlebars just get cosmetic updates.
Unlike the stems, there is an all-carbon “11” for the Iodine bars.
All of their handlebars have the rise and sweep numbers as well as cut marks printed on them.
The Opium DH bar carries over unchanged except for graphics and finish.
The Iodine grip gets new grip texture to improve durability. The Krayton rubber lock-on design is 130mm wide and weighs in at 95g (claimed) for the pair. Retail is just $25. The Cobalt foam lock-on grips remain unchanged.
The Cobalt seatposts remain the same save for graphic/color updates to match everything else. Below, the four updated groups shown with the full family:
