You can always count on the Hayes crew to put out quite the spread for Sea Otter. Whether you’re talking new product or brats imported directly from Wisconsin (true story), there seems to always be something to digest. This year, in addition to stopping show goers in their tracks with the massive, Hayes disc brake equipped Timbersled, Hayes had new forks, as well as some new wheels for both the plus and skinny tire set…
Starting with the Mattoc fork that has been a huge hit for Manitou, the fork is now even better with the Mattoc Pro 2. Adding to the list of features is a tooled Hexlock SL axle which saves 32g over the QR15. The Hexlock SL can also be retrofitted to current forks, but the new versions will include it as standard. Up top, the fork gains the Incremental Volume Adjust feature that comes standard on the Magnum, and allows you to tune the spring rate by easily moving spacers around on the inside of the air chamber. One nice touch on the IVA system is that the spacers are self contained, so no matter how many spacers you are using in the air chamber, all the pieces stay inside the fork. You’ll also find a higher quality machined aluminum air piston inside, and yet the fork has gotten less expensive at $799 in non-Boost for 27.5″ wheels with 160mm of travel. Weight is listed at 1887g.
The Machete was leaked at Frostbike, but now it gets official. Essentially an extension of the Magnum plus fork line, the Machete is a ‘value rich’ fork that is built to emulate the Magnum. Offered only in Boost spacing, the fork uses a 32mm chassis (down from 34mm on the Magnum) and comes in either 120 or 140mm travel with a tapered steerer and the new Kwik Toggle (on/off) lockout switch with TPC damping. Interestingly, the 120mm fork is internally adjustable from 80-120mm while the 140mm fork can only be adjusted to 130mm. To bring the price down the fork uses their TS Air system and forgoes hydraulic bottom out (HBO) and will sell for $399 in 27+ or 29+. Weights are listed at 2030-2079g. Both sizes use a 51mm offset and the axle to crown varies from 530-562mm.
For Sun Ringle, the big news is the introduction of the new Duroc Series. In spite of not having cut outs, the double wall rims end up being among the lightest plus rims on the market according to Sun Ringle. Fully built, the wheelset ends up lighter than the Mulefut 50 SLs thanks to the SRX direct pull hubs and DB14 straight pull spokes. Built with the same internals as their SRC hubs, the wheels not only ship with extra spokes, end caps, tapes and valves in the box, but now include an XD freehub body in addition to the Shimano freehub body. All this for just $599.99. The Duroc are available in the 50mm version with 46mm internal width tubeless ready rims…
And the Duroc 40 with 36mm internal width rims. Both are built with Wheelsmith brass nipples and 28 spokes, and use a double wall, welded rim. Hubs are offered in only Boost spacing for the front, but 135mm QR, 142 x 12, and 148 x 12 rear. Wheelset weights are listed as 1950-2200g. Individual rims will also be available for $129 a piece in 28 and 32h.
Also newsworthy is the new Expert AL series with the new Charger and Black Flag wheels. Utilizing the new Helix SL rim, Sun Ringle was able to bring down the costs of both wheelsets to $549.99 and still include all the extras Sun Ringle wheels are known for. The new Black Flag Expert ALs are avaialble in 27.5 or 29″ with a 25mm wide rim, 28 straight pull spokes and SRX hubs, and Boost or non-Boost spacing at 1675/1730g.
The wider Charger wheels use a 27mm wide rim with the same spokes and hubs for a total build weight of 1775/1845g. Available now.
