There were a lot of surprises this year at the Wolf Tooth Components booth, one of which was a variation on a continuing theme. WTC first teamed up with Lindarets for the original Goatlink. The replacement link for the derailleur offered better shifting performance when used with a cassette adapter. The Roadlink then took the technology to the road offering an easy conversion for a 1x wide range drivetrain with a Shimano rear derailleur.
Now the duo has put forth their Goatlink 11 which is meant for 11 speed drivetrains. Now you are probably thinking, why would you need a Goatlink for an 11 speed drivetrain when wide range derailleurs already exist? The answer comes when you want to mix and match…
It just so happens that the owner of Linderets, Marc Basiliere, happens to like Shimano XTR shifters and derailleurs. He also happens to like the range that is provided by a 10-42 or even 10-44 (with the WTC GC 44 adapter) cassette. The Goatlink 11 was created to make the two play nice together, and allow the Shimano derailleur to clear the big gears. If you want to run SRAM gearing on a Shimano drivetrain, the Goatlink 11 will cost you $28. Other than the need for the Goatlink 11, the combination is said to work quite well.
WTC has been slowly rolling out various chainrings in stainless steel, and the SRAM direct mount rings are up next. Available in 24, 26, 28, and 30 tooth configurations, the direct mount rings will have threaded fittings for WTC’s stainless bash rings as well. The bash rings will be sold in two versions, one that will fit 24 to 26 tooth rings, and the other to fit 28 to 30. All direct mount chain rings are currently based on a 50 mm chainline. Pricing for the stainless Direct mount rings will run from $99-$110, with the bash ring an additional $45. WTC says BB30 rings are next, followed by RaceFace Cinch for their stainless collection.
In the pipeline, WTC is working on a minimalist chain guide that will provide an optional bash guard. The upper guide will mount to the front two ISCG 05 mounting holes and will provide a simple guide as added security against dropped chains. The guide will swing out of the way by removing one bolt for easy access to the crank. It will also have an optional aluminum lower bash guard which integrates into the lower mounting hole of the guide. Expect to see these sometime around January.
In the tool department, WTC has added a lightweight chain whip and also updated their bottom bracket socket to include the driver for Hollowtech II preload bolts.
To better organize those tools, WTC decided one of their first softgood products should be a tool roll. Why? Simply because they couldn’t find something that offered what they wanted. The travel tool wrap has enough pockets for all of the essentials and is designed to either hang from your car door, or rest on the ground, in which case it doubles as a changing mat. The travel tool wrap will sell for $79.
Another one we didn’t see coming is the new Singletrack pogies. Basically, WTC felt that the pogies on the market were either no good, or offered way too much protection for riding single track. Like the rest of the softgoods, the pogies are made in the US which WTC said was a major challenge but one worth doing. Meant to be a lighter weight option for trail use, the ends of the pogies roll up to allow easier entry and exit in case you have to bail. Pogies will sell for $119.
The final softgood offering is one that is uniquely positioned for endurance mountain bike racers. Again born out of WTC’s want for something better, the Barbag uses a Velcro and magnetic closure system along with a clear lid to make accessing your nutrition while riding easier than ever. Available in left or right, the bags also include a stem spacer in case you were using a Garmin. The Barbag will run $39 per side, with a road version available in the near future.
