Fresh Hope pedals, Fox hub patent and a new 100% / MAAP collab
A recap of the best tech stories of the week
There has been lots of new tasty product releases this week, with Hope revealing its first new flat pedal in a decade while MAAP collab with 100% to create some smart sunnies. We also get a sneak peek at Fox’s hub patent design while Cane Creek introduced a new headset, and we find a SRAM prototype that turned up on Craigslist.
MAAP and 100% lightweight eyewear merge
2023 MAAP x 100_ 2022-12-01_0789_Edited_2.jpg, by MAAP x 100%
Cycle brands MAAP and 100% are no strangers to working together on new additions to their unique eyewear range, and this week they revealed the launch of its high-performance Hypercraft sunglasses.
Constructed with UltraCarbon, these specs claim to be lighter and stronger than previous models weighing only 23g. The range comes with interchangeable lenses to match different light conditions and will repel water, oil, and dirt, plus a selection of colours to pair nicely with your kit choice.
Hope introduce F22 flat pedal
2022 hope f22 on bike.jpg, by Liam Mercer
When shopping for a new flat pedal, you either stay loyal to one brand as you know it's reliable and the riding experience is consistent. Or you jump ship and try out another brand as a comparison. The best option is that your usual brand surprises you with a new stronger, wider, grippier, beefy version of what you already thought was the best. That is exactly what northern-born and bred company, Hope has done. Hope is known for its colourful bike components engineered with precision, and with it being a decade since it produced any other flat pedal beyond the F10, the brand believes in quality over quantity.
The new pedal features the same internals as the previous model and a different platform shape. Updates have even gone into the finer details, where the 22 pins now offer better traction and height adjustability. Available now and will cost you £145.
Fox patent to eliminate pedal kickback
2023 fox decoupling mech hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Fox has released a patent concept that could stop unwanted chain growth that naturally occurs during suspension compression. The concept: an automatic decoupling hub paired with a derailleur featuring an automatic clutch. This should remove any interaction problems between the suspension of the hub and the rear derailleur, particularly when riding high-impact rock garden terrain where pedal kickback is at its highest.
The concept might very well prove useful to the average rider in an enduro-style situation.
Prototype direct-mount drivetrain seen on advertising site
2023 sram xx1 direct mount.jpg, by Liam Mercer
News about SRAM’s direct-mount derailleur has been around for a while now and was most recently spotted on Nino Schurter's Championship-winning Scott Spark. To our surprise, the SRAM component has been seen on the American advertising classified website, Craigslist.
This makes us wonder how the seller even got his hands on something not even available to the average consumer and will appear primarily on SRAM's XX1-level drivetrains. Perhaps the seller is actually a SRAM representative teasing us or maybe he is unaware of what this contraption really is. Whatever the reason, we've got some juicy images of the device.
Cane Creek’s new headset to eliminate ‘speed wobble’
cane-creek-hellbender-visco_3.jpeg, by Cane Creek
Bike componentry brand Cane Creek has unleashed a new headset that should stabilise steering, build confidence and reduce fatigue. The Hellbender 70 Visco Headset claims to work best on front-heavy bikes such as cargo or bikepacking steeds. At high speeds, these bikes tend to be more inclined to wobble as they are under more pressure, so the new headset should help with this.
Riders can fine-tune this piece of machinery by fiddling with the internal shims, changing the severity of the dampening. Not the first time the brand has used this dampening technology, as it featured in a previous version in 2019. This mighty headset could be yours for $99.99 from Cane Creek.
You might also like:
Author block
