The new Canyon Spectral and SRAM's most powerful brakes

It's been a huge week on the tech front. Here's your best chance to catch up on all the news.

Liam Mercer

Feb 24 2024

We always knew 2024 was going to be a big one for new product launches but this week proved it's going to be even bigger than we expected. The trade show season kicked off with Corebike where three brand-new bikes, fresh brakes and a gravel groupset stood out among the best on show, along with some other really cool bits and bobs. So let's dive into the coolest kit that launched this week.

Challenge unveiled its latest Gravine tyre

On Sunday, the first day of the Corebike show, Challenge announced a new entry into its handmade tyre line-up, the Gravine. This is a bit of rubber that is constructed using the brand's cyclo-cross know-how and is claimed to excel on both muddy and rocky trails.

Like the best gravel tyres, this one gets a consistent centre tread to combine grip with rolling speed and the whole tyre benefits from a Smartplus compound that is said to wear slower while still being grippy. It's available in two models including the Gravine XP, which gets a full bead-to-bead layer of tightly woven fabric.

Follow the link to find out why Challenge's new Gravine gravel tyre is built to 'push boundaries'.

Corebike 2024: tech highlights gallery

Corebike is the first trade show of the season and, for us at off.road.cc, it's a must-attend event. This year's show welcomed its highest-ever number of visitors who came to see products from upwards of 590 dealers and workshops. This alone filled the industry with hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

To check out the coolest things we saw (and are allowed to show you, there was a lot of stuff that is still under embargo), head over to the Corebike 2024: tech highlights gallery.

Campagnolo announced its budget friendly alloy Ekar GT groupset

Campagnolo is a brand that's synonymous with top-end road riding and its Ekar groupset epitomises this fact. The Italian company, however, has looked to bring its products to a broader demographic and the result is Ekar GT – an all-alloy groupset.

On top of the drivetrain, Campagnolo announced its new Zonda GT wheelset which gets a similar economic treatment. This alloy-rimmed pair of wheels is designed for adventurous drop-bar riders who want Campag hoops durable enough to cope with the rigours and rough and tumble of gravel riding.

Read all about Campagnolo's alloy value range.

Cannondale reckons the new Moterra SL is the lightest full-power e-MTB

The pursuit of lightweight in the e-mountain bike world is never-ending and brands are finding different ways to shed the kilos. On one hand, there are lightweight e-MTBs that drop weight by employing smaller batteries and lighter motors. On the other, there are bikes such as the Moterra SL that choose full-power motors and large batteries but opt for clever manufacturing methods to reach a lower weight.

This bike comes equipped with a Shimanos EP801 motor but it gets a slackened head angle of 62.5-degrees. That angle is tweakable, too, offering 1.2-degrees of head angle adjustment. However, the big news is that this bike is claimed to weigh 19.5kg.

For more details, here's the full story.

The Canyon Spectral got less suspension for 2024

The second bike to be launched this week is the all-new Canyon Spectral. It gets less suspension travel with 140mm at the rear and 150mm at the front and that's been done to give this bike a bit of the Spectral 125's character. However, we're told that the bike doesn't hold back on the capability thanks to Canyon's work in adding compliance to the rear of the bike.

It also dons K.I.S, or Keep It Stable – Canyon's steering stabiliser. We managed to get some time on the bike ahead of launch so to find out how we got on, check out our Canyon Spectral CF 9 first ride review.

And for more details on the bike, find out why the Canyon Spectral gets less suspension for 2024.

Scott unveiled the all-new Voltage eRIDE

Hot off the heels of the Ransom's launch is Scott's latest trail e-bike, the Voltage, which fills the gap in Scott's range for a lightweight e-platform and does so with TQ's HPR150 motor combined with a 360Wh battery. Elsewhere, it gets all of the Scott mod-cons, including the integrated shock and TwinLoc.

The bike rolls on a pair of 29-inch wheels and rocks 160mm of front suspension paired with 150mm at the rear. Its geometry is pretty forward-thinking, too, with a 63.9-degree head angle and a 485mm reach on a large.

Read more about the Scott Voltage eRIDE.

Tailfin's 'Goldilocks' panniers look ideal for adventures

Say hello to Tailfin's all-new panniers. The bags offer 16-litres of storage, which makes them a great choice whether you commute or prefer multi-day bikepacking epics. These packs use the X-Clamp system that's been built to reduce unwanted movement of the bags and it uses a single lever cam to keep the panniers mounted securely.

The panniers feature weatherproofing by way of a Hypalon and ripstop nylon construction. Packs weigh 570g and are priced at £100.

For more details, read the full story here.

The Maven is SRAM's latest and most powerful brake

SRAM has released a completely new braking system that's primed for enduro, downhill and e-bike riding, and the brand has done loads with this brake to make it as powerful as possible. First of all, it gets four large pistons and a special leverage ratio that's optimised to apply more power than before. Then, there are not two but four bolts that hold the caliper together. This is said to improve the stiffness of the caliper, thus allowing the pistons to work more efficiently.

On top of that, the brake pads are huge and the brakes get uniquely formulated seals that SRAM claims stop heat from affecting the brake fluid.

More on SRAM's powerful Maven brakes can be found here.

Apidura's Expedition Charger Pack stores your battery charger

Range anxiety is a problem for all e-bikers but more so for the e-bikepacker. But Apidura's Expedition Charger Pack is set to do away with long-term battery anxiety by allowing riders to carry their battery chargers with them wherever they go. It's not just a Velcro-strap-on bag either, as it gets a shockproof construction and structural support inside. It's slated to fit chargers for Bosch, Shimano, SRAM and Specialized motors with its 1.6-litre capacity.

Here are all the details on Apidura's Expedition Charger Pack.

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.