Crank Brothers has updated a lot of their wheels, improving the top end hubs, making the rims wider and adding an all new model for the growing gravel and cyclocross scenes. The Zinc 3 is a new wheelset for CX and gravel. It’s tubeless ready, disc only, uses swappable end caps to work with QR and thru axles, and will retain for $725. It’s the first of their hubs to use a road 11-speed Freehub, so you’ll need a shim to use a MTB cassette. Or run an XD Driver, but no Campy freehub. Look for it November-ish.
Now you can get their easily repaired paired spoke design on your cross bike without having to use the Cobalt XC wheels and being limited to a 10-speed MTB cassette.
Cobalt 11 carbon-rim XC gets upgraded hubs, as do the alloy-rimmed 7 wheels. Those new hubs are lighter thanks to additional material reduction throughout the shell and end caps, bearings and axle.
The Cobalt 7/3/2 rims go from 21mm to 23mm inside width, and they’ve added Boost hub sizes on the Iodine and Cobalt.
The all-mountain Iodine goes from 23mm to 28mm internal width, making it compatible with the new plus-sized tires. Adding to the low and mid level 2 and 3 models is a higher end Iodine 7 level also gets the upgraded hub. The lighter hubs offsets the wider rim’s weight gain, so overall weights remain about the same at the 7 level.
Prices for the new models are:
- Iodine 2 – $550 (down from $600)
- Iodine 3 – $725 (down from $900)
- Iodine 7 – $875 (new)
Available by mid December.
The new Mallet E 11 takes their clipless mid-sized flat pedal to a new high. It’s lighter thanks to titanium inner and outer wings, which brings weight down 34g for the pair – they’re 385g compared to 419g. Price $350/€350. Gold and black only.
Double Shot gets a new “shark skin” paint finish rather than glossy to enhance traction with flat shoes.
It also gets a higher performance model called the Double Shot 3, which gets cast wings (as opposed to stamped), 8 replaceable/adjustable pins, and uses a long spindle to have better clearance for snow boots and some flats. Igus Glide bearings and Enduro cartridge bearings keep it spinning freely. Price is $125/€125, available November.
The new F Tool collection offers a slim form factor, with two of them getting a magnetic case with integrated bottle opener. All start with the base F10 tool, which includes all of the tools listed in the pic above and retails for $30. The F10+ adds the case for $35, and the F15 adds spoke wrenches, a larger case and a chain breaker that sticks into the other end of the case. Retail on that one is $45.
All-new Klic Pumps come in three HV (high volume, for MTB) and three HP (high pressure, for road) versions. All get a hidden hose with magnetic connection so you can quickly get to work, just pull it out of the shaft and snap it into the dock. The hose has a check valve to keep air from gushing out should you knock it loose with aggressive pumping. Rotating head covers the hose attachment point to keep the internals clean.
Top model includes a CO2 adapter and inline gauge, mid level gets the gauge, and bottom one just gets the plain hose. All use a swivel-out T-handle to make pumping more ergonomic.
Retail is $56, $46 and $37.
