When Deda introduced their 35mm mountain bike bars and stems, they faced a bit of a problem. As we found out, the parts were great, but the brand typically associated with road biking had trouble cracking the mountain bike market. The answer? An all new brand dedicated to mountain biking with fresh graphics and a unique identity. Offering parts for XC and AM riding, Mud brings the same quality and finish we’ve grown to expect from Deda and hones it for use off of the pavement.
There’s plenty of Mud after the break, including a look at their prototype wheels and internal seatpost batteries for mountain bikes?
Mud will be divided into XC and AM categories with each having two subgroups. For the XC crowd there is the Cross and Border lines while AM riders will look to the Over and Peak groups for their parts. Differentiating the two lines is not only the width of the bars, but the diameter of the clamp. Over and Peak bars will remain at 750mm wide with 35mm clamp diameters, while Cross and Border groups will stick with 700mm bars and the standard 31.8 clamp diameter.
On hand at the show were the new Cross and Over groups, with Cross shown in both orange and black colorways. Cross carbon bars will be flat with a very slight 6.5mm rise, 10 degree backsweep and 700mm as mentioned with a claimed weight of 160g. The aluminum stems will be sold in 80-130mm lengths with an 84 degree angle and a claimed weight of 120g. Carbon Seatposts will be offered in zero or 20mm offset in 27.2 and 31.6mm diameters only.
Built with similar designs to the Cross series, but a bit more burly to handle aggressive riding, the Over group basically carries on where Deda’s 35mm MTB group left off. 750mm wide and 35mm thick at the clamp, Over bars are constructed from UD carbon with an 8 degree backsweep, 5 degree upsweep, and 25mm rise. Weight is TBD, since the samples at the show were 700mm wide – which is what the Over group was first going to use, but thankfully they have gone back to 750mm. Stems will be available in 60-110mm lengths so definitely more all mountain friendly than Cross.
The Over Seatpost is also available in 27.2 and 31.6, and only in a 20mm setback. At 400mm long, the aluminum seatpost has a claimed weight of 260g.
As a hint of things to come, all Mud seatposts will have an internal battery storage option which looks pretty good. Instead of gluing or building the battery mount into the post, the post uses a rubber plug that is removable and allows easy installation and removal of the battery.
If that wasn’t enough, Mud is working on a set of their own wheels to add yet another option to the mix. To be available in 27.5 and 29″, each wheel uses a replaceable end cap system to fit both QR and thru axle frames and forks, and will be offered in both 6 bolt and center lock brake standards. We’re told the tubeless system hasn’t been sorted out on these prototypes but that is something they are working on for production.
