Well, folks, it is Sea Otter time again. As always, brands have their latest and greatest on display. New tech, faster motors, bigger batteries, more this and more that. And frankly, it can be a bit overwhelming to take everything in. 

But fear not. The unique, quirky, and most interesting products and stories are out there to break up what can be a monotonous overload of new. 

Sit back, relax, and check out Sea Otter’s weird.

He Rides More Than You

Upon arriving at Sea Otter, the first person I bumped into was Erik. And, Erik had this touring/bikepacking/cargo bike that was equally as cool as it was a bit terrifying.

And Erik rides more than you. Well, he certainly rides more than me. This is Erik’s third Sea Otter (in a row), and he has been pedaling the country and living off of his bike for the last three years.

He’s been back and forth a few times and has learned many valuable things, such as taking life as it comes. Cheers, Erik!

Upside-Down Forks

The inverted fork revolution continues, with a handful of forks spotted at Sea Otter. Now, some were spotted sporting 32” wheels between their legs, and I left those for a different post. 

First, I visited our friends at Cane Creek to see their Invert Enduro fork in the flesh. They had one set on a test stand so you could feel the squish (it was smooth!). However, I look forward to getting one set up on a bike for a long-term review.

Cane Creek also had some of the original prototypes, which we saw at Sea Otter last year. It was cool to see the finished product, but also a cool insight into how they developed the Invert Enduro, albeit a small peek.

Continuing in the Sea Otter upside-down fork category is Stablead with its .1 Loamer and .2 Loamer forks. The single-crown .1 Loamer features 150-170mm of travel, while the dual-crown .2 Loamer has, well, more (Stablead didn’t specify). Both forks are still in early prototype phases.

The brand is also looking to produce brakes, shocks (air and coil), and other components like pedals and bars. Everything is still in the early stages, but mountain bike legend Brian Lopes is involved and looking forward to getting some test time on the Stablead’s new offerings.

A Marin/Stayer Sea Otter Mashup

Okay, this was pretty cool. At the Marin booth is a vintage Marin Palisades Trail bike, circa 1986 or 1987. However, the front half was missing.

In its place was a cargo conversion, courtesy of Stayer. Stayer is a UK-based brand specializing in cargo bike conversions. The guys at the Marin booth told me that Stayer sells the cargo conversion as a kit for you to either weld on yourself (if you have the know-how) or have a fabricator do it.

You can also send your frame to Stayer, and they will convert your bike for you. This is what Marin did. Marin mentioned that the Palisade Trail was the first conversion Stayer had done, and that they were stoked to show it off at Sea Otter!

They even let me ride it. I can confirm that you cannot do so without a smile on your face.

Party Helmet

Why not accessorize your helmet? This is the question the fine folks at Helmet Flair asked. The husband and wife team began making different objects–horns, bananas, unicorn horns, etc–to fix to your helmet. Some are squishy foam and adhere with sticky tape; others connect with a magnet that stays fixed to the helmet.

Believe it or not, Helmet Flair actually had adults in mind when they began. However, they quickly realized kids were a huge market (obviously). There are certainly quite a few “fun” helmets out there for kids, but they often are pretty poor quality and relatively unsafe. Helmet Flair lets a parent make their kid’s safe helmet fun, too.

As a parent, I like the idea. Thanks, guys, cool to see you at Sea Otter!

And in the party-helmet vein are these awesome retro colorways from Smith. Their website says the colorway is “Matte Archive Flamingo,” but I like what I was told a bit better: 80s Nights.

They’ve got some cool, funky color options for kids, too.

Party Apparel

For weird and funky, look no further than Party Shirt International. Quality shirts, quality performance, but a little funk mixed in. 

And, they aren’t just for biking. Take a Party Shirt skiing, hiking, running, or for just a night out on the town.

Party Shirts weren’t the only party apparel at Sea Otter. The Sock Guy was there with, well, socks. And if you are unfamiliar, the Sock Guy’s socks are not only quality-performing socks but also fun. Some of my favorite designs were Hop Squatch, Chicken Butt, and Flying Bird.

Multi-Color Tools Caught My Eye

Initially, I was drawn to the Wera Sea Otter booth because it featured multicolored tools. I thought, “Oh, cool, that would help me stay organized.” But I found that they do so much more than just colors. Wera designs tools that help solve the practical problems we all run into.

Wrenches that don’t stay tight. Wrenches that you can only turn so far because a bolt is in a tight space. Using a torque wrench as a regular ratchet. These are some of the things that Wera has solved with several of its products.

Oh, and they have a little bike tool set too.

More Unique Bikes

So, there was this Cannondale Fulcrum tribute bike at Sea Otter. Like the original Fulcrum, it has more chains than you’d expect. It’s like a little gearbox inside the frame. Interesting…

I also bumped into the Bike Builders of Berkeley at Sea Otter. Sophie, Ian, and Zach worked together to build a very interesting trail/enduro bike with an adjustable rocker link. I noticed this because of the sign that said: “Ask us about the rocker.” 

A quick release allows the rear travel to adjust from 130mm to 160mm. No flip chips, no shock swaps, just an easy switch. As you can imagine, the project is still going through its testing phases. Regardless of the outcome, it is cool to see students working to advance innovation in the sport they love.

Lastly, I bumped into Oscar as I was walking out of Sea Otter for the day. Oscar was cruising around on his Velo Orange, which has lived quite the life. Currently set up for touring, it has also been a brakeless, fixed-gear singlespeed for a handful of years. 

The Weirdest of them All…

And then there is Brett Tippie. Keep it weird, Sea Otter.

The post Sea Otter 2026’s Weird, Wacky, Unique, and a Little Bit Funky appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Sea Otter Classic is an event that a lot of brands use to launch new products. And this year’s event will prove to be the same. Today, Teravail Tires releases two new tires in the 32″ size. One for mountain biking (or adventure gravel), and one for fast gravel. They also unveiled a new 32″ carbon Circos Wide rim as well.

New Superstructure Casing

Both of the new 32″ tires are using Teravail’s new Superstructure casing.

The new casing uses N66 nylon fibers, which are finer and denser than the nylon used in their other casings. These fibers are also hardened to create a better strength-to-weight performance. The fibers are processed for better fiber alignment and a tighter weave. This means more strength and elasticity, and better bonding to rubber.

Long story short, tires equipped with Teravails Superstructure casing better resist tread punctures and sidewall cuts.

New Fast Plus Compound

Teravails new 32″ tires also feature the new Fast Plus compound. This is a high rebound 60-durometer rubber that Teravail says is “formulated to reduce rolling resistance.” They’re also saying it’s their fastest-rolling compound yet.

A fast rolling tire compound will help you accelerate quickly while being able to maintain your speed. Combine this with Teravail’s new Superstructure and the 32″ wheels’ rollover advantage, and you get a fast rolling tire that can go the distance.

The Teravail Camrock 32

Retail: $95

Only available in sizes: 32 x 2.4. Available in back wall or tan wall.

The 32″ Camrock sports slightly shallower knobs when compared to the 29″ Camrock. The tread is low-profile, evenly spaced, and runs a linear tread pattern. The lugs have sharper edges and siping to carry speed and conform to the terrain. Could be the perfect XC tire for your new 32″ mountain bike or your 32″ gravel adventure bike (like the new Salsa Fargo 32).

Teravail Cannonball 32

Retail: $95

Only available in sizes: 32 x 2.2. Available in back wall or tan wall.

The Cannonball is my absolute fave gravel tire. I run a 700 x 50, and it’s very, very good. The new Cannonball features Teravail’s new 120 TPI Superstructure casing that offers a lighter and more compliant ride. The tread looks to be the same as on the 700c tires, still delivering a fast and grippy ride quality.

The Circos Wide 32 Rim

Retail: $TBD

The new Circos Carbon 32 is a new carbon gravel rim that was designed in-house at Teravail. It sports unique profiles, widths, tuning, and drilling for the front and the rear. Teravail carefully added carbon reinforcements only where needed to “maximize support for the larger diameter 32″ wheels”.

Internal width for the front is 29mm, and for the rear, it’s 28mm. The rear is narrower because they use a wider bead wall to increase impact strength. The weights are 400g and 420g, respectively.

Check out the details at the link below!

Teravail.com

The post Teravail Rolls Out New 32″ Tires & Rims at Sea Otter Classic appeared first on Bikerumor.

Well, kids, here we are again in Monterey, CA, for the 2026 Sea Otter Classic. Day one of this annual celebration of the bicycle is in full swing! And I thought you might like to see a few random, cool bikes that I’ve come across while making my preliminary rounds. Don’t worry, coverage of the new and shiny stuff is on the way, too.

But, I believe you can’t go forward without paying respects to the past.

Colorful Mercx

Cool Rivendell Atlantis

Nice Ibis (URT anyone?)

Black Mountain Cycles

Tomac? Yeti with a rear Tioga Disc Wheel

Specialized Lugged Carbon

Stumpy!

Well, that’s it for now. I’ll be posting fun and random content throughout the show. Stay tuned here for all of your 2026 Sea Otter Classic coverage.

The post 2026 Sea Otter Classic Kick-Off Gallery – A Few Cool Vintage Bikes of Day One appeared first on Bikerumor.

We’re here at Sea Otter, and there are quite a few new 32″ tires, wheels, and frames to be found floating around the booths. And while plenty of rumors have circulated about major suspension manufacturers working on 32″ mountain bike suspension forks, we haven’t really seen much beyond some spy shots and some some franken-forks with cut and bonded lowers. Earlier today, Cory spotted a rideable Fox 34 SL 32″ fork on an Ari Signal Peak 32″ prototype bike in a Quarter HP post.

Before even being made aware of Cory’s article, I wandered over to the Ari booth at Sea Otter, where the Signal Peak 32″ alloy prototype was on display. The fork didn’t have any stickers or branding, but it looked suspiciously like a Fox 34 SL with its generative arch design. Then I noticed the distinctive blue compression knob with the words “Grip SL” printed on it, along with the blue air spring top cap, which were a dead giveaway. Still, the Ari folks were very happy to talk about the bike, but remained very tight-lipped about the fork.

Shortly after, while visiting with the Fox suspension folks, they happened to have another of the Ari Signal Peak prototype frames built up with the same fork. But this one was dressed up with Fox’s bright orange RAD (Racing Applications Development) stickers. When pressed, the Fox folks admitted that it was, in fact, a rideable prototype that they have been testing for some time. While it certainly looks production-ready, they didn’t provide a timeline for production. We’re assuming that it’s probably still a ways out, perhaps spring ’27, but will likely be spotted on the many 32″ XC bikes that we’ll be seeing in the not-too-distant future.

Beyond that, both of the Ari 32″ prototypes I saw had unique-looking prototype negative-rise Race Face stems to compensate for the larger front wheel. Fox’s bike also had a set of Race Face branded wheels with its own Vault hubs, so those are also clearly ride ready prototypes as well. The bright red Raicam Racing brakes aren’t a common sight, either. I had a chance to ride Fox’s bike up and down a crowded pathway between the booths, which was my first time on 32″ wheels. It was paved and there were lots of people around, so I can’t say that I took much away from the experience, other than that the fork was definitely functional.

Regardless, it’s clear that Fox has been working hard behind the scenes and that its first 32″ suspension fork is much closer to reality than we knew. Until now, Fox has done a darn good job of keeping it under wraps, but it doesn’t seem like they’re trying to keep it a secret anymore. Again, it’s not clear when it’s coming, but it will certainly be an important piece of the puzzle for getting more 32″ bikes to market when it becomes available.

The post Confirmed: Prototype Fox 32″ Fork Spotted at Sea Otter appeared first on Bikerumor.

The fact that Maxxis keeps creating new 32″ tires has unleashed a seemingly endless feed of unreleased prototypes to discover, and this clearly rideable 32″ Fox 34 SL fork is a perfect example. We’ve heard that all the big suspension brands have 32″ XC forks in the works. But the big names haven’t really shown their cards yet. Now, thanks to Maxxis’ partnership with the frame testing content creators at QuarterHP, we’ve got a solid glimpse at possibly the most advanced mainstream 32″ fork we’ve spotted yet.

Oh, and there’s obviously a short travel 32″ Ari Signal Peak alloy XC bike and some as-yet-unannounced 32″ Industry Nine Solix carbon mountain bike wheels in here, too!

Prototype 32″ Fox 34 SL cross-country suspension fork

Let’s start with that fork.

Nothing is official, but that is obviously a new Fox 34 SL suspension fork with a 32″ wheel in it – unmistakable with its new hollow “generatively designed and optimized” wrap-around arch. It also features the generative-designed curvy machined shaping on its 7000-series crown. And there’s the same blue 3-position Grip SL compression damping selector lever hanging off the top of the right leg.

That makes this black-stanchion fork a Performance Elite level, easier to hide under the radar than Kashima-coated Factory stanchions. But those windows in the crown are a dead giveaway.

An alloy ARI Signal Peak 32″ prototype

Everybody and his brother are working on prototype 32″ mountain bikes. If the scandalous bike rumors are true that all new cross-country race bikes from next year on are going to 32″ wheels, every bike maker needs to be out there prototyping and testing their next models now. The industry doesn’t talk about it that much, but it takes a few years to properly design a new bike model. And switching wheel sizes is as extreme as creating an all-new bike platform, if not a more so.

Remember how long it took to come to the modern long, low & slack geo that now dominates everything 29er from XC to enduro bikes? So yeah, we hope more brands are testing these giant 32″ bikes thoroughly before the put them out in the market for consumers!

So this aluminum frame design looks a lot like the current 110mm of travel from the carbon Signal Peak that we reviewed last spring. Ari doesn’t currently make an aluminum version of the cross-country bike. But even in raw silver, this one looks really well refined, and I’d love to see it make it to market in more affordable alloy. Ari does sell an alloy Cascade Peak full-sus trail bike that starts at just half the price of the carbon Signal Peak. Maybe the added rollover benefits of the bigger 32″ wheels will push this model over the line into the trail category enough that Ari will keep an aluminum frame option?

Prototype Industry Nine Solix carbon wheels?

Last of the ‘hidden in plain sight’ amongst the images in the Maxxis press kit announcing their new 5-tire range for 32″ wheels, we find a set of colorful Industry Nine Solix(?) wheels with carbon rims. It’s not the first 32″ i9 wheelset we’ve seen. Both Vassago & Neuhaus Metalworks have shown off rigid 32″ singlespeeds built around Industry Nine wheels. But these look a bit more mainstream, even with the bright anodized orange aluminum hubs & spokes.

All of these 32″ prototypes are pretty much confirmed by the business model of the content creators at QuarterHP.

They have highly polished YouTube, podcast & other social media channels built around the idea of detailed bike frame tests, all using standard high-quality components to “control the variables”, isolating just the frame on test. Maxxis is one of their paid supporters, hence the tires, and why we have these photos in the first place. Another is Fox suspension. So are the purple Hayes Dominion brakes. QuarterHP always tries to test bikes with their standardized supporters’ parts.

So, likely when ARI provided a 32″ frame to test, QuarterHP wasn’t going to test it with anything other than Fox suspension. We all just got lucky that Fox appears to have rideable 34 SL forks ready to test.

Looks like we need to get on the waiting list to test one for Bikerumor, too. And reach out to ARI & Industry Nine again, as well.

rideFox.com, ARIbikes.com & IndustryNine.com

The post ARI Signal Sneak Peek: Wait, That’s a Ridable Prototype 32″ Fox 34 SL Fork, Isn’t It! appeared first on Bikerumor.

While I do understand the appeal of lighter eMTBs for some purposes, I also think “Why not go big when you have a motor to help you climb?” is a valid question for those who ride rough trails. Forbidden Bike Co. decided to go big, burly, and capable with their brand new Dreadnought E… without letting the weight pile on. This is a long travel, full power eMTB that was unapologetically built for downhill domination!

A ‘self shuttle’ machine designed to tackle laps of rowdy terrain, the Dreadnought Es are all equipped with full carbon frames, offering 170/180mm travel. This bike was built specifically around MX wheels, and its geometry is similar to Forbidden’s Supernought downhill bike. Last but certainly not least, two powerful Avinox drive system options provide class-leading power output.

Forbidden Dreadnought E–Frame Features:

The new Dreadnought Es will be offered with full carbon frames only, which include a carbon rocker link. The bikes are specifically designed for MX wheels. The Dreadnought E offers 170 mm of rear travel, and all stock models come with 180mm forks.

This bike employs Forbidden’s signature high-pivot, four-bar Trifecta linkage. This design produces a rearward axle path for excellent bump absorption, yet still provides poppy, supportive ride qualities. The Dreadnought E’s linkage was designed to work well with coil or high-volume air shocks.

Forbidden’s idler pulley position also aims to keep pedal kickback very low. In fact, Forbidden gives this bike their eMTB specific 18t steel idler pulley, which has a refined tooth profile and spins on Enduro solid lube bearings.

Forbidden decided to take advantage of SRAM’s AXS Extension cord, which powers your derailleur from the bike’s main battery. All AXS-equipped models come with the cord. This add-on also allows for a unique Smooth Shift feature from the Avinox drive systems. This feature allows you to shift gears without pedalling, ensuring you can drop gears when approaching a steep climb or shift upwards as you cruise down a descent.

Moving the Dreadnought E’s rear shock to a vertical layout left lots of room for dropper posts. A size S1 frame can run a 180mm travel post, and S4 frames all come with 240mm posts.

All frame sizes can also fit water bottles. The smallest frame can carry a 26oz bottle, even with a reservoir shock. Forbidden appears to be teaming up with Fidlock, as they will be providing Fidlock mounts on the Dreadnought Es, and said Forbidden Fidlock bottles will soon be available.

Adaptable internal cable routing allows for international brake setups, and Forbidden’s cable ports are designed to prevent any rattling in the frame. Forbidden keeps the bike’s custom-made hardware simple to service, saying all bolts on the frame can be checked with a single multi-tool.

Fitments, Protection, Weight:

Frame protection includes the usual chainstay, seatstay, and downtube protectors, but the Dreadnought Es will also come with RideWrap protection pre-installed in high-wear areas. The Dreadnought E uses a Boost 148x12mm rear axle, and the frame fits 31.6mm dropper posts. Max tire clearance wasn’t specified, but the bikes come with 27.5×2.5” rear tires.

Forbidden says complete Dreadnought E builds come in at 51.6 lbs (or less) with a 600Wh battery, or 53.5 lbs with the larger 800Wh battery. I’d say that’s pretty good for such a burly eMTB!

Forbidden’s carbon frames are covered by a lifetime warranty. See their website for complete details.

Avinox Drive Systems:

There are two drive systems used within the Dreadnought E lineup – The Avinox M2S and the Avinox M2. The two higher-end builds come with the M2S motor, pumping out 130Nm of torque (150Nm in Boost) and 1300W of peak power at a weight of just 2.6 Kg. The other builds get the M2 motor, which still cranks out 110Nm of torque (125Nm in Boost) and 1100W peak power. The M2 drive system weighs 2.65 Kg.  

Each build also offers the options for either an 800Wh or 600Wh battery, so you can choose between maximum range or nimbler, lighter handling. 

The highest-end build of the Dreadnought E comes with Avinox’s 508W charger, which can top up the 800Wh battery from 0-75% capacity in just an hour and a half. All other models come with a 168W charger, which takes 4:45 to fully charge the 600Wh battery.

In addition to wireless controllers at the handlebar, the Avinox drive systems both include 2” OLED full color touch-screen Control Displays. One new feature Avinox added this year is navigation capability; You can now upload GPX, FIT, or TCX data files and use the bike’s display screen to navigate trail networks.  

Of course, the systems are also compatible with the Avinox Ride app. The app allows fine-tuning of all aspects of the drive system and display screen customization. Lastly, the Control Display includes a fast-charging 65W USB-C charge port, so you can top up your mobile devices or lights.

Geometry:

Check out the chart above for all the specs, but the Dreadnought E’s key geo figures include a 63° head tube angle, and varying actual seat mast angles, so all frame sizes wind up at an effective angle of 76.75°. Reach numbers go from 425mm-481mm across the size range. Interestingly, Forbidden’s OneRide geometry leaves the proportional rear center measurements for the S1-S3 frames a tad longer than the reach numbers. BB height remains low on all sizes at 340.8mm.

The Dreadnought E’s geometry is optimized for downhill shredding, and thoughtfully so. Not only does the geometry optimize the bike’s MX wheel setup, but it was also tuned with shorter cranks in mind (every model comes with 150mm arms) and given a higher front end. Forbidden says this all contributes to the rider winding up in a centered, tall, and relaxed position, offering maximum control over the bike.

Despite its rowdy intentions on descents, the Dreadnought E’s geometry considers climbing prowess as well. With proportional rear-center lengths and steeper seat masts on larger frames, the rider remains centered on the bike in all situations.

Model Lineup:

There will be four builds of the Dreadnought E available: Tier 1,2, 3, and 4. Tier 1 is the highest-end build. With full carbon frames and powerful new motors, none of these models come at an entry-level price, and the higher tiers stretch into the five-figure range. Check out Forbidden’s website for full build specs, but some key parts are listed below.

Dreadnought E T1 – $12,399 (800Wh) or $12,099 (600Wh)

The Dreadnought E T1 comes with a RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork and Vivid Coil rear shock. This model gets the Avinox M2S motor, a SRAM X0 AXS derailleur, and Maven Ultimate brakes, and it rolls on Crankbrothers Synthesis Carbon Enduro wheels.

Dreadnought E T2 – $10,999 (800Wh) or $10,699 (600Wh)

The T2 model runs Fox suspension, with a 38 Factory fork and a Float X2 Factory rear shock. It also runs the Avinox M2S motor and a SRAM GX AXS drivetrain with Maven Silver brakes. The T2 rides on Crankbrothers Alloy 2.0 rims and Ratchet hubs.  

Dreadnought E T3 – $9299 (800Wh) or $8999 (600Wh)

RockShox equips the Dreadnought E T3 with a Zeb Select+ fork and Vivid Select+ rear shock. At this tier, the motor steps down to the Avinox M2. The T3 goes to mechanical shifting with SRAM’s Eagle 90 shifter/derailleur, and it still gets Maven brakes in base trim. The wheels run Crankbrothers Alloy 1.0 rims and Synthesis hubs.

Dreadnought E T4 – $7999 (800Wh) or $7699 (600Wh)

Finally, the T4 model gets a Rockshox Zeb fork and a Super Deluxe rear shock. This model also runs the Avinox M2 motor. SRAM’s Eagle 70 groupset handles shifting, and their DB4 brakes reel things in. The Crankbrothers alloy wheelset is the same as the T3 model.

forbiddenbike.com

The post Forbidden Bikes Launches the Dreadnought E – Big Travel, Full Power, Zero Hesitation! appeared first on Bikerumor.

The new Specialized Levo 4 EVO eMTB isn’t entirely new. Instead, it’s really a beefed-up and stretched-out version of the Levo 4. But trust us, that’s a good thing. It takes what the carbon Levo 4 already did really well – including February’s 22% power boost, and pairs it with longer travel front & rear, gravity-tweaked geometry with an updated link, and a burly spec that pushes it firmly into the e-enduro category.

You still get Levo 4 Super Natural pedal-assist, but now the mullet Levo 4 EVO is ready for back-to-back self-shuttle gravity runs, just like you were in the bikepark!

’26 Specialized Levo 4 EVO carbon 170/180mm enduro eMTB

When Specialized first launched their 4th-generation Levo all-mountain eMTB last year with 150/160mm travel, they already knew that riders were going to beg to go longer. The Levo 4 was frankly a bit overbuilt on purpose. Specialized wanted to create an ebike tough enough to handle anything riders could throw at it. And they already had certified it for 180mm travel forks. So they weren’t surprised to hear of some aftermarket links being made to squeeze extra travel out of the rear, too.

In fact, Specialized was already doing the same thing.

The new Levo Evo was created to shred the gnarliest trails. Or maybe they were the same gnarly enduro trails Levo 4 owners were on. But now, 170mm of 27.5″ rear wheel travel paired to 180mm 29″ forks up front. So, the longer travel Evo handles them with more confidence and stability.

What’s new and what’s the same?

For the most part, the Levo 4 Evo is the same frame as the standard Levo 4. But to get an extra 2cm of travel out back, Specialized created a new linkage with a shorter shock extension to allow for longer shock stroke.

The result is slightly slacker geometry, a bit higher ride to accommodate more distance back to bottom it all out, and slightly shorter reach as it slackens. But, all the same Levo 4 geometry adjustment is still there. The geo table shows the baseline middle head angle position, the longer chainstays, and lower BB height. I personally prefer the higher position with a 1° slacker headtube for my steep, rocky, but not so ‘full gas fast’ riding. As always, set it how you prefer.

Of note: there is one fewer size available. No S1, because Specialized simply couldn’t fit the smallest riders when the travel kept getting bigger.

There is no S-Works version, meaning you don’t get the slightly more powerful S-Works motor. Just the super capable 810W x 105NmTurbo 3.1 motor (Although, with the latest OTA update, the difference is quite small.) But it’s still carbon, top-tier FACT 11m carbon in fact. Plus, some markets will get an alloy Levo Evo, too.

If you’re absolutely dead set on an S-Works Levo Evo, there is a workaround. Specialized is offering a EVO upgrade kit with the new linkage, so you could buy an S-Works Levo 4 frameset yourself and build it up with your own custom e-enduro dream build setup.

Why mechanical shifting makes sense here!

One subtle, but really interesting update in my mind, the Levo 4 Evo adds a cable-actuated derailleur option! You might wonder why I would care about mechanical drivetrains (read my separate rant, here) on an ebike, where AXS is already wired in? But this e-shredder is going to be repeatedly smashed down gnarly, rock trails. And that means any expensive electronic derailleur is gonna see tons of abuse. I’d be much happier to replace a cheaper mechanical derailleur when the time comes.

Specialized Levo 4 EVO – Pricing, availability & options

Specialized says the Levo 4 Evo is “built for riders who don’t tiptoe around terrain. The riders who point into the steep stuff, ride bike parks without a chairlift, and want a bike that stays calm when things get fast, rough, and consequential… This is Electric Enduro.”

This is Electric Enduro.

Three different Levo Evo builds with 840Wh batteries will be offered starting today, depending on where you are in the world.

• Levo 4 EVO Pro $12,300 / 11,000€ with a 180mm RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork, Vivid Ultimate Linear air shock, SRAM X0 Eagle AXS wired-in drivetrain, a BikeYoke Revive Max dropper, and Traverse HD wheels with DT Swiss 350 DEG hubs (ready for a DF anti-kickback upgrade) – claimed 24.12kg complete weight

• Levo 4 EVO Comp $9200 / 7500€ with a RockShox Zeb Select fork, Vivid Select Linear air shock, SRAM S1000 Eagle AXS wired-in drivetrain, Maven Silver brakes, Maven Bronze brakes, an Xfusion Manic dropper, and alloy Specialized wheels – claimed 25.16kg complete weight

• Levo 4 EVO Comp Alloy 6500€ (no US availability) with the same Zeb Select fork & Vivid Select Linear air shock, premium mechanical SRAM Eagle 90 T-type drivetrain, Maven Bronze brakes, the Xfusion dropper, and alloy Specialized wheels – claimed 26.92kg complete weight

Aftermarket conversion of your existing Levo 4

If you have a Levo 4 and feel like you need to go bigger, Specialized will sell a Levo Evo conversion – for just $70. It will include the EVO shock extension, which you can just swap out on your Levo 4. Then, it’s up to you to buy an appropriate new 230 x 62.5mm shock (coil or air) and then a 180mm travel 29er fork. Or if your existing fork travel can be extended, maybe just a new travel change kit. Then, it’s up to you what other burly components you should upgrade to go full-on freeride!

Specialized.com

The post Specialized Levo 4 EVO Turns Super Natural eMTB into Proper eEnduro Shredder eBike appeared first on Bikerumor.

There’s a more aggressive new Maxxis XC tire in town – called the Aspen AT, and it’s coming to 32″ wheels too, along with the original Aspen, Aspen ST, Forekaster & Dissector. The new all-terrain or is it all-mountain Aspen AT further expands on the popular cross-country race tire family, giving it more bite for wetter or looser track conditions. But it also just makes the lightweight & fast tire line-up more versatile, blurring the line to fast trail-capable tires. Plus, there’s also a significant new evolution of their single compound MaxxTerra rubber, promising 15% more grip and 30% extra durability while retaining the rolling efficiency of the previous generation.

Maxxis Aspen AT is a knobby, more capable XC tire

Maxxis’ new knobby Aspen AT “builds on the legacy of the Aspen family, long trusted at the highest levels of cross-country racing“.

It beefs up each individual block of the classic Aspen tread, specifically transforming the thin central chevrons into thicker, proper trail-ready tread blocks. But the XC race ethos isn’t gone. The new AT is a modern XC race tire, so a fast-rolling character was still at the core of creating a tire more suited for finding grip in rougher track conditions.

But with more grip and EXO-level protection, this will likely spread to marathon and even downcountry trail riding as well.

Aspen AT Tech details

• all-new taller tread block design, with increased all-terrain capability
• lightweight 120tpi single ply XC casing
• EXO-level puncture protection and E50 ebike-rated
• fast-rolling MaxxSpeed rubber compound
• tubeless-ready folding bead
• 2.4″ width only, in 29″ or 32″ diameters
• available now

5 different Maxxis 32″ tires: from Gravel to XC to Trail

This is what we’d really been waiting to hear. After kickstarting all this 32″ madness last year at Taipei Cycle with the OG Aspen, now Maxxis rolls out a well-rounded 32″ family. More than just the Aspen that was recently ridden to a Cape Epic Stage 3 win…

Aspen ST, Aspen, Aspen AT, Forekaster & Dissector

We keep hearing how 32″ wheels are going to take over the world. (And we at Bikerumor are getting sucked into the hype too, if for no other reason than our bike-nerdy curiosity.) But we couldn’t take the bigger wheels too seriously when there was only one tire commercially available. But now, Maxxis makes it official as the first tire maker with a real 32″ tire lineup.

We’ve all heard the promises of real quantifiable improvements in: “rollover capability, traction, and high-speed stability, particularly in rough terrain“. Now with a proper range of tires, we can test and see if that translates to how regular mountain bikers actually ride.

1. The Aspen ST is the fastest rolling for hardpack, gravel, and even when hard paved surfaces weigh in.
2. The Aspen is the XC race all-rounder, ideal for mostly hardpack and loose over hard singletrack, with roots & rocks, too.
3. The new Aspen AT will be the choice when deeper loam, looser or softer conditions, more rock, or when it starts to get wet.
4. Forekaster is the real blurred line between XC & trail, with fast-rolling center knobs, supportive shoulder, and open space in between.
5. And lastly, the Dissector is a solid trail all-rounder with taller, blocky knobs ideal for riding rough terrain.

Real-world 32″ Maxxis tire availability

There still are not a ton of 32″ bikes out there in the market. But more and more turn up every day. We’re finalizing 32″ test bike builds in both Europe and the US this month, so we’re very happy to see more tire options, and especially more aggressive treads. While we appreciate that much of the first wave of 32″ bikes are targeting XC, many of our home testing trails simply include a lot of loose conditions. Let’s just say that our test bikes all end up muddy, even the road and gravel ones.

Today, the 32″ x 2.4″ Aspen ST, Aspen & the all-new Aspen AT are all available now with MaxxSpeed rubber & 120tpi EXO casings.

In a pleasantly surprising update, a narrower 32 x 2.15″ (or 55mm) version of the Aspen ST is also ready now with 120tpi EXO casing and faster-rolling Hypr-X rubber. That will probably make for an excellent 32″ gravel tire!

Alas, the knobbier 60tpi EXO Forekaster with MaxxTerra rubber & 60tpi EXO+ Dissector with MaxxTerra rubber are not ready, just yet. (Even if we’ve already seen a couple on show bikes). Maxxis says these two 32″ trail tires will be available in Q3 of 2026. If we are lucky, that could be as early as July, or at least later this summer.

Better single compound MaxxTerra rubber, too!

And for a quick note about that new MaxxTerra rubber. Maxxis has reengineered their balanced fast, but grippy rubber to offer “significant gains in durability and traction while maintaining… rolling efficiency“. Mountain bikers wanted longer-wearing trail bike tires, and Maxxis figure out how to make it work:

• at least a 30% improvement in tread wear and durability over the original generation 3C MaxxTerra
• 15% improvement in traction
• all without giving up anything in rolling resistance

That’s a pretty major performance and longevity boost. And since MaxxTerra makes up a large portion of the middle of Maxxis’ lineup, that’s an improvement that many mountain bikers will start to notice soon. How soon?

Pretty much all of the popular Maxxis trail and gravity tires are offered with the new single-compound MaxxTerra rubber. Rekon, Forekaster, Dissector, Minion DHF & DHR II, and Assegai. And they are all available now, although it’s a phased roll-out depending on what retail channels still have the older stock. Tires with the new compound all get an orange “New, New, New… MaxxTerra” sticker on their packaging and just MaxxTerra on the tire sidewall (not 3C MaxxTerra) so you’ll be sure to spot the difference.

We’ll keep an eye out to try them ourselves!

Maxxis.com

The post Maxxis Aspen AT Rolls Out a Knobbier XC MTB Tire to Lead Out Wide 5 x 32″ Tread Line-Up appeared first on Bikerumor.

We spotted it at Sea Otter last year. Cane Creek had a few inverted forks, but one stood out from the rest. Clearly upside-down, clearly long-travel, and clearly different from the brand’s mountain bike fork options.

In fact, longer travel options were fairly limited in Cane Creek’s lineup. Really, for mountain bikes, there was only the Helm, which extended up to 160mm. This left quite a bit to be desired for enduro racers, bike park riders, and eMTB enthusiasts looking for more squish.

Well, it is Sea Otter time again, and, fortunately, Cane Creek has officially bridged that gap with its new Invert Enduro fork. Taking inspiration from the moto world, the little suspension manufacturer created a fork that is stiffer, longer, and significantly less expensive than similar forks from the suspension giants.

Cane Creek Invert Enduro

Okay, so let’s first take a big picture look at what Cane Creek has created. As the name implies, it is an inverted fork. And, as the second part of the name implies, it is a long-travel bike, geared more toward enduro riding.

The Invert Enduro features 38mm stanchions and 160-180mm of travel. While a comparison to the Fox Podium was not the intention of this article, that is obviously the most similar fork. And, for comparison’s sake, the Invert Enduro has 10mm more travel.

Cane Creek also offers the option of a standard 15mm axle or the larger DH 20mm axle. The Podium is only offered with a 20mm axle, meaning many will need to get a larger hub on their front wheel. Fox used the larger front axle to achieve the stiffness they are looking for in the Podium.

Despite the option to use a 15mm axle, Cane Creek claims a stiffer ride than the Podium. With a 15mm axle, the Invert Enduro is 17% tortionally stiffer than the Podium, and 40% more with the 20mm axle. The extra stiffness is achieved with their SquareLoc axle, which is, well, squared off where the axle meets the dropouts. The axle is keyed into the dropouts and secured with four pinch bolts.

Cane Creek also says that SquareLoc lets riders tune the amount of flex they want in the Invert Enduro. For example, with the extra weight of an e-bike, some might choose to make the fork as stiff as possible. On a trail or enduro bike, a little flex is perhaps okay. 

Oh, yeah, with 45mm upper tubes and 38mm stanchions, the Invert Enduro is e-bike approved. Full power, full torque.

Lastly, looking at the big picture, Cane Creek’s Invert Enduro is significantly less expensive than the competition. In a chat I had with Will Hart, the Product Marketing Manager at Cane Creek, he told me that when they began developing the Invert Enduro, they were unaware of the Podium. The fork they wanted to contend with was the Fox 38. 

A Fox 38 Factory retails for nearly $1,400. The Invert Enduro is $1,600, about 30% less than the $2,100+ Fox Podium.

Inside the Invert Enduro

One of the ways Cane Creek was able to keep costs down was by carrying over the damper. They use the same damper in the Invert Enduro that has lived in the Helm MKII for the last several years. This is a closed-cartridge monotube damper with a bladder. It features HSC, LSC, and rebound with enough damping range to meet the demands of the new fork.

Perhaps best of all is its reliability. Cane Creek claims a warranty rate of less than 1% for this damper.

Moving to the air side, Cane Creek is making things a touch easier and, they think, better. Helm forks currently require manual positive and negative equalization. For the Invert Enduro, they’ve moved to a charge-port air spring, which self-equalizes. Moving to this design makes setup easier, but, more importantly, guarantees a more sensitive spring. 

It also meant moving away from the Helm’s travel adjustment. However, Cane Creek wanted to focus on the most supple and smooth experience possible. You can still change the travel of the Invert Enduro. However, it will be more like the process of other forks, where purchasing a longer/shorter air spring is necessary.

Cane Creek will still use their onboard volume adjustment system with the new Invert Enduro. This allows you to tune progression without opening the fork and adding volume spacers.

And they have a fork tuner app to help you get everything dialed in.

Invert Enduro Quick Details

• 160, 170, 180mm of travel
• 2,770g (to be fair, a touch heavier than the Podium)
• 44mm offset
• 15mm SquareLoc axle (adapter included). 20mm axle sold separately
• 200mm rotor mount
• HSC, LSC, LSR
• Air pressure & volume bleed screws 
• Cartridge-style air spring w/ self-equalizing charge port
• Fork Tuner app
• Price: $1,599.99

canecreek.com

The post Cane Creek Invert Enduro Suspension Fork Gets Official, and it’s Competitively Priced appeared first on Bikerumor.

LOOK’s new Cezal G85 gravel bike blends road-bred sharpness with off-road style. Boasting 50mm tire clearance, suspension compatibility, integrated storage, and a ride thats built for speed without draining the fun out. Plus, our review bike came in a paint job that speaks to my (and hopefully everyone’s) inner Macho Man.

A Tale of Two Bikes

Gravel bikes are getting pulled in two directions right now. One side wants speed; race numbers, KOM’s, aero bars, you know the drill. The other wants comfort, gear mounts, big rubber, and the freedom to wander off the cue sheet. The tricky part is building something that can live in the middle without feeling confused. The new LOOK G85 Cezal walks the line and might satisfy both camps without watering down the recipe.

LOOK G85 Cezal – What Is It?

The G85 Cezal is LOOK’s new carbon gravel bike, built around a UD HM carbon frame and fork, gravel-specific geometry, full internal routing, and a downtube storage box with pouch. LOOK says it was designed for everything from long-distance adventure riding to flat-out racing.

The new frame is compatible with 700c or 650b wheels, 1x or 2x drivetrains, and up to 60mm of front suspension travel without changing the bike’s geometry. Tire clearance goes big, up to 50mm rear in 1x, 45mm rear in 2x, and more than 50mm up front (though you can fit a 57mm/2.2in if you’re pushing it). In other words, the bike has room to get rowdy if you want it to.

That is a pretty broad operating window for a single frame, which is what makes the G85 Cezal interesting.

LOOK is not trying to sell this as a hyper-specific niche bike. It is not pretending to be the ultimate pure-race gravel missile, nor is it leaning all the way into an expedition rig either. It is trying to be the bike for riders who want one good gravel frame they can tune toward whatever kind of dirt habit they are feeding this season.

LOOK G85 Geometry

LOOK says the goal was a fast bike, both maneuverable and stable, with a ride experience centered on geometry and handling. The G85 has a fairly short wheelbase and chainstays, which translate into responsiveness and fast cornering. When you pair it with a 70-degree head angle and 50mm of trail, it’s slack but playful.

The 74-degree seat angle and 5mm seatpost offset are meant to keep the rider centered for efficient pedaling, and it does (more on that later). But the stack and reach are designed to support everything from a more comfortable setup to a lower, racier cockpit position. It’s a bit of an odd horse, with feet in both camps, but it works, and it’s fun.

The short rear end gets the bike up to speed quickly and keeps it feeling alive underneath you. The slacker front end keeps things calm when the road turns loose, rocky, or generally not awesome.

How does this translate into actual riding? More in the ride notes.

Road Pedigree But Not Design

LOOK has a massive road racing heritage, and the G85 Cezal comes from the brand’s road DNA, and you can see that in the frame shape and overall intent. It looks sleek, lean, and performance-minded. But the good news is LOOK didn’t let that road background override the design. The G85 gets the details that a good gravel bike should get.

There is a T47 bottom bracket, UDH dropout, 160mm rotor compatibility, a 27.2mm seatpost, and the frame is designed around actual mixed-surface use rather than a marketing idea of it. The stock cockpit uses a LOOK LS3 stem and Deda Superzero Gravel bars, which is a smart choice, though semi-integrated, so there will be some tears if you need to swap bars.

It keeps the setup simple, practical, and easy to live with, while still allowing full internal frame routing and compatibility with aero bars. For riders who want something racier, LOOK also offers an Aero Carbon stem/bar option that saves 200 grams. The Aero Carbon bars feature a racey 13-degree stem angle and are pitched as the move for those who want to turn the G85 Cezal into a full-blown gravel race bike.

Storage And Snacks

The bike also gets something most riders have come to appreciate very quickly: in-frame storage. The downtube storage box and pouch are among the more useful features on the G85 Cezal.

The storage is large enough to hold a tube, plugs, a multitool, a CO2, and maybe a snack if you’re riding with ambition and not much self-awareness. Once you have in-frame storage on a gravel bike, it becomes one of those features you start missing almost immediately on anything without it. I used it for everything from food storage to a rain jacket stash.

It’s Already Raced & Raced Well

LOOK also has a good launch card to play here: Russell Finsterwald.

Finsterwald joined LOOK in 2026 as both a privateer racer and a development partner, and he won the Belgian Waffle Ride in February 2026 in the G85 Cezal’s first “appearance”. Russell raced the full production bike, just with some cleverly placed stickers to hide the exact bike. Hopefully, it’s a sign of good results to come.

G85 Cezal – Build Options & Pricing

LOOK is launching the G85 Cezal with three complete builds and a frameset option.

At the top is our review ride, the Speckled Purple / Neon Orange SRAM Force 1×13 model, built with a 40T crank, 10-46 cassette, Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF wheels, and Hutchinson Touareg 700x45c tires. Price: €6,490

There is also a Speckled Sand/Black Shimano GRX Di2 2×12 model, with 48/31 chainrings, an 11-36 cassette, the same Fulcrum carbon wheels, and Hutchinson Touareg tires. Price: €5,730

The more accessible Petrol / White Shimano GRX 820 1×12 version lands at €3,490, and LOOK will also offer the frameset alone for €2,490.

The launch has a smart spread. The top-end builds are race-ready; the Di2 2x option should appeal to riders who want more range and a stronger road-to-gravel crossover feel; and the mechanical GRX model offers a more accessible entry point without cheapening the concept.

Tech Details – LOOK G85 Cezal

SRAM Force 1×13

• Frame/Fork: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Crankset: SRAM Force 1x, 40T
• Levers/Brakes: SRAM Force E1
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM Force XLPR E1
• Cassette: SRAM XG 1371, 10-46T
• Wheels: Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF
• Tires: Hutchinson Touareg 700x45c
• Cockpit: LOOK LS3 stem, Deda Superzero Gravel alloy handlebar
• Seatpost: LOOK LS1 UD carbon
• Saddle: LOOK x San Marco Shortfit Off-Road
• Rotors: SRAM Paceline 160mm
• Color: Speckled Purple / Neon Orange

Shimano GRX Di2 2×12

• Frame/Fork: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Crankset: Shimano RX820, 48/31T
• Levers/Brakes: Shimano GRX 825-820
• Derailleur: Shimano GRX 825 Di2
• Cassette: Shimano HG710 12-speed, 11-36T
• Wheels: Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF
• Tires: Hutchinson Touareg 700x45c
• Cockpit: LOOK LS3 stem, Deda Superzero Gravel alloy handlebar
• Seatpost: LOOK LS1 UD carbon
• Saddle: LOOK x San Marco Shortfit Off-Road
• Rotors: Shimano RT-CL800 160mm
• Color: Speckled Sand / Black

Shimano GRX 820 1×12

• Frame/Fork: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Crankset: Shimano RX820, 40T
• Levers/Brakes: Shimano GRX 820 mechanical 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano GRX 820 mechanical 12-speed
• Cassette: Shimano M7100, 10-45T
• Wheels: Fulcrum Lite GR 2WF
• Tires: Schwalbe G-One Perf 700x45c
• Cockpit: LOOK LS3 stem, Deda Superzero Gravel alloy handlebar
• Seatpost: LOOK LS3 alloy
• Saddle: LOOK x San Marco Shortfit Off-Road
• Rotors: Shimano RT-CL800 160mm
• Color: Petrol / White

LOOK Cezal G85 Frameset

• Frame: LOOK G85 Carbon UDHM
• Fork: UD HM Carbon fork
• Bottom Bracket: T47
• Dropout: UDH
• Seatpost: 27.2mm
• Tire Clearance: 50mm rear in 1x, 45mm rear in 2x, 50mm-plus front
• Other Features: Full internal routing, downtube storage box and pouch, suspension-ready for up to 60mm travel

Ride Impressions

The LOOK G85 Cezal is one of those bikes that could sneak up on people, but only in the other paint jobs. Because this purple-speckled black of our review ride is something special. No, it could sneak up because it’s not screaming anything. There are no gimmicks, no weird features that will be looked at as detours in a few years. It’s just a very solid-looking (and riding) bike.

LOOK is primarily known as the French road bike company (even though they did have some time in mountain bikes); they have that road DNA. The G85 Cezal rides like it was designed by a performance road brand, but didn’t skip the off-road class. When you’re on the hoods and chugging along, you feel the power transfer and the comfort. The geometry lets the rider sit balanced within the frame, and you get a good sense of the bike.

Rides Like…

The closest I could compare the ride to would be the Colnago G4X. They are both creations of a primarily road brand, but have an ear to the ground in the off-road world. They have a similar “get up and go” to the response of pedaling and stiffness, but where the G4X missed the compliance mark slightly, the G85 Ceza nails it.

Gravel frames from road (mostly) manufacturers can come off as too stiff and uncomfortable on the actual gravel, or noodly and spongy when you need to give it the beans. The LOOK G85 Cezal gives a balanced ride of both. I could feel the thin seatstays providing support over the medium gravel on most of my rides. Paired with the round 27.2 seatpost, I felt enough support to push harder.

But if you’re not just a racer, you have the option to take the detour. A slight change in the stack and a shorter stem (it’s only a pain to swap if you need to change the bars) will drastically change the bike’s mood. However, the bike’s performance will not. The pedaling response will be there, and the same goes for the features that make it walk the adventure/race line well enough to call it out.

The practical things like the internal frame storage and the seatpost clamp are signs that LOOK didn’t just pull over parts from a previous design. They are fully committed to the gravel game, and we’re glad to see it.

Force AXS XPLR

As for a spec, the LOOK G85 Cezal nails it imo. The SRAM Force AXS XPLR group is one of (if not the best) on the market right now. I personally like the Force shifter more than the RED because the thumb bonus shifter is more pronounced and easier to use. Most, if not all, gravel riders will appreciate the smart build. It would be nice to see a power meter included, but without it, the weight is slightly down, and hopefully, a lower price translates to the rider.

Wheels For The Wind

The Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF were new to me, and I have to say I was a bit taken aback by their performance. I expected a bit of a windsail, especially in the long, wide open slogging sections of the gravel world, but they were not. The engagement is solid, a mix of too much and just enough. The rim width paired well with the 45mm Hutchinson tires, and gave a nice (though slightly narrow) rolling profile. One of the best features of the wheels was how they ate up the flat and rolling miles of gravel. I felt like I had a tailwind sometimes when I got them up to speed, and in strong gusts of wind, they held steady.

I loved seeing the Hutchinson Touareg tire spec on the LOOK G85 Cezal. I’m personally a fan of the Hutchinson gravel line, and it doesn’t get enough credit (or distribution) in the USA. Hopefully, that will change now that more riders will get some time on them.

I would recommend the LOOK G85 Cezal for a rider interested in performance gravel and off-road exploration, where performance and fun are the key factors. You could be doing a two-day trip on the weekend and hitting a gravel race with aero wheels the next.

The post The LOOK G85 Cezal – Fast & Playful Gravel Bike With Real Race Intent appeared first on Bikerumor.