Week in Tech: Rolf carbon clinchers, Speedvagen, and more

Published February 26, 2016 12:37PM

Here’s the Week in Tech — all the gear news, tips, and announcements you need and none of the marketing gibberish you don’t.

Rolf Prima releases carbon clincher wheelset

Rolf Prima is jumping into tubeless carbon clinchers with its debut of the Eos3 wheelset, launching this weekend at the North American Handmade Bike Show. The USA-made Eos3 wheels feature a carbon, tubeless-compatible rim that is paired with Rolf’s TdF6.0 hub platform. Like all Rolf Prima wheels, the Eos3 is hand-built in Eugene, Oregon. The wheels have a claimed weight of 1,295 grams and are 32mm deep and 25mm wide. The new TdF6.0 hub platform includes Rolf’s T2 high-engagement drive system that Rolf claims to offer twice as fast engagement. The new Eos3 will be available in May 2016.

Speedvagen releases 2016 bike guidebook

Speedvagen released its 2016 guidebook that highlights the company’s new road models as well as this year’s color options. The 2016 Road Disc models will feature the company’s re-engineered Berzerker dropouts, designed to mount the disc caliper on the underside of the seat stay. This unique mount looks cleaner, and Speedvagen claims it helps transmit braking stress into the frame and away from the dropout itself. There are several paint and graphic schemes to choose from including the 3D “Ghost” graphic as well as the new “HollaText” and “Surprise Me!” schemes. Speedvagen’s crew of 11 full-timers means bikes will be limited with fewer than 200 custom bikes expected to be produced in 2016. Prices start at $3,450 for a stock frameset and $4,650 for a custom frameset. Expect to wait at least eight weeks for the build.

Lindarets, Wolf Tooth create compatibility between Shimano MTB and road drivetrains

Lindarets’s and Wolf Tooth’s new Tanpan device adapts Shimano mountain derailleurs to work with Shimano road shifters for cyclists seeking lower gearing than a typical double-chainring setup can provide. Ideally paired with a clutch-enabled Shadow+ rear derailleur, the 17-gram Tanpan has an integrated cable adjuster, allowing for quick and easy setup. The Tanpan SH10 is compatible with 10-speed shifters and derailleurs and up to 11-36t cassettes (or 11-42t with the company’s GoatLink adapter), while the Tanpan SH11 is compatible with 11-speed shifters and derailleurs and up to 11-42t cassettes (or 10-44 with the GoatLink 11).

Bonk Breaker launches Real Hydration drink mix

Bonk Breaker adds to its sport nutrition line with the new Real Hydration drink mix. Keeping in line with the company’s philosophy of providing real-food solutions, both the lemon-lime and wolfberry/pomegranate drink mix flavors are made with real fruit. “Our athletes and customers have been asking for an organic, real-food hydration solution that meets their expectations for great flavors, balanced electrolytes and clean ingredients,” Bonk Breaker co-CEO Chris Frank said. A 10-gram serving of Real Hydration mix provides 350mg of electrolytes and contains eight grams of organic cane sugar.

Gevenalle jumps to 11-speed, adds more gravel and urban shift options

Based out of Portland, Oregon, Gevenalle specializes in shifting system solutions for cyclocross, gravel, touring, and urban bikes. The company is now offering 11-speed shifters and has updated its gravel (GX) and urban (UX) shifters. The new 1x version of the GX shifter (GX1) is 10- and 11-speed compatible and designed specifically for single chainrings, using short-pull brakes. Both the GX1 and GX2 work with Shimano Dyna-Sys MTB drivetrains, offering drop-bar shifting and braking with mountain bike gearing. The new UX system is compatible with Shimano Alfine SG-S501 8-speed internal hub. Shimano only makes shifters for flat bars for this hub, so the new UX system opens up options for riders who prefer a drop bars.