Norco's fresh bikes, Merida's new e-MTB and more

It's been another huge week for tech releases so get the kettle on and prepare to be updated.

Liam Mercer

Mar 2 2024

If January was slow on the tech front, February has been one for the ages with the huge number of releases and announcements making for one of the busiest months on record at off.road.cc. The big news came from Norco and Merida with both brands unveiling newly updated platforms. There were also some big announcements from YT Industries, Favero, Crankbrothers and Panaracer. So grab coffee and let's get stuck in to this week's top tech stories.

Favero launched its Assioma Pro MX SPD power pedals

We caught news of Favero's brand new power meter pedals and, while at a glance, they might look pretty standard, there's a lot more at play here. They're set to be the lightest power meter pedals on the market with a claimed weight of just 191.4g per pedal.

On top of that, they're rechargeable with a built-in battery. The pedal spindle and hardware are properly sealed, so they should be more than capable of riding through all conditions. As you can see, they're compatible with SPD cleats and they use a chromium molybdenum alloy for the mechanism to bolster durability.

Prices start at £400 making the Favero's Assioma Pro MX SPD pedals an attractive proposition for all off-road riders.

YT Industries brought componentry updates to the Decoy Core 4

Then there was the first bike release of the week and, while we're very well acquainted with YT's Decoy platform, the brand has unveiled new componentry choices for the Decoy Core 4 29 and MX bikes. Both bikes are built around full carbon frames and similar intentions, however, both get more enduro-ready suspension packages.

With that, the Decoy Core 4 29 employs a RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork with a Super Deluxe Ultimate shock, whereas the Decoy Core 4 MX gets Ohlins suspension with an RXF38M.2 fork and TTX22M.2 coil shock.

Follow the link for the full story on the 2024 YT Decoy.

Crankbrothers added its new Mallet and Stamp Trail shoes to the range

Crankbrothers has launched two brand-new shoes called the Stamp and Mallet Trail. While essentially the same shoe, the Stamp and Mallet cater to flat and clip pedal riders respectively. Both shoes come with a more aggressive tread pattern which directly addresses off-bike grip issues we found with the current shoe lineup.

The Stamp and Mallet's upper is designed for protection for enduro-style riding and it's been slimmed down without compromising protection.

For more on Crankbrothers' Mallet and Stamp Trail shoes, read our news story.

Norco gave its Sight and Optic idler pulleys

The Optic and Sight bikes get idler pulleys, high pivots and rearward axle paths – something we've seen on the company's Range enduro bike. In fact, these bikes get a lot of the goodness from their enduro-focused stablemate but tweaked to offer two more trail friendly packages. Both bikes offer mullet and 29-inch wheel sizes through a flip chip and super-long dropper posts.

To learn more about these bikes head over to the story - Norco's Optic and Sight mountain bikes get idler pulleys for 2024.

Sonder redesigned the Evol with more travel

Adding to the heaps of bike news to hit the site this week, Sonder has brought updates to its aluminium-framed Evol mountain bike. This time around, the bike gets 160mm of suspension at both ends and a mixed wheel size. The brand has been rather quiet about the serious details but we're told that the bike gets a slacker head tube angle and this new platform has been designed from to ground up in order to eke out more playfulness.

For more details, here's the story - Sonder unveils its next generation Evol all-mountain bike

Revel completely shook up its Rascal mountain bike

The Rascal V2 looks remarkably similar to the previous bike, however, its updates are much more than skin deep. That's because its frame has been redesigned in a bid to boost lateral stiffness by tinkering with the carbon layup. Also upping the bend-resistance is new pivot hardware including larger bearings, which should also improve durability.

The brand has then tweaked the bike's suspension platform to improve its pedalling and its internal cable routing is co-moulded into the carbon.

Click here for more - Revel Bikes redesigns the Rascal.

Merida updated its eOne-Sixty and eOne-Forty e-MTBs and introduced the eTrilogy

Merida has brought all of the tech and concepts found on its latest human-powered bikes to its new eTrilogy. The brand has gone about these updates in a very interesting way, by unveiling three all-new bikes which are directed to particular customer requirements. So the eOne-Forty is the versatile bike that's ripe for the odd commute combined with a Sunday in the woods.

Where things get curious is with its eOne-Sixty models. The eOne-Sixty CF gets a fixed 600Wh battery and a carbon frame to shed weight and provide a more dynamic ride, whereas the eOne-Sixty Lite is more focused on range thanks to a removable 750Wh battery and alloy frame. All bikes run a Shimano EP801 motor and conform to Merida's Agilometer concept with FAST suspension platforms.

A lot is going on here so for a deeper look at the new Merida eOne-Forty and eOne-Sixty, check out the news. If it's ride impressions you're after, we got some time on the bike ahead of launch, so head over to the Merida eOne-Sixty 857 first ride review.

Panaracer added improved carcasses and rubber compounds to its GravelKing tyres

Panaracer has brought new casings and a new rubber compound to the GravelKing range, as well as new BeadLock tech that's designed to gel with clincher and hookless rims. Those casings come as something of a trio, with a standard casing that's built for versatility with one that ups the protection, and another that trades all-out protection for suppleness.

There's a new X1 tread pattern that's built to combine high rolling speed with grip over rocks and in loose conditions. It gets a nearly continuous center tread for rolling but then there's a pronounced shoulder tread for grip when cornering.

For a closer look, take a look at the news story - Panaracer's GravelKing range gets a top down redesign.

Author block

Liam Mercer

Since beginning his mountain biking career while working as a resort photographer in Greece in 2014, Liam became a freelance contributor at off.road.cc in 2019. From there, he’s climbed the journalism job ladder from staff writer to deputy technical editor, now finding his place as technical editor.

Partial to the odd enduro race, heart rate-raising efforts on slim-tyred cross-country bikes, hell-for-leather e-MTB blasts or even casual gravel jaunts, there’s not a corner of off-road cycling where Liam fears to tread. With more than 40 bike reviews under his belt and hundreds more on MTB, e-MTB and gravel parts and accessories, Liam’s expertise continues to be cemented and respected by the industry.