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Race Tech: Sea Otter Classic, April 16, 2007
New gear from Gary Fisher, Trek, Litespeed and Yeti
By James Huang in Monterey, California
Gary Fisher HiFi goes carbon, previews revised 29er lineup; Trek 69er family grows to three
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The Gary Fisher HiFi trailbike will receive a carbon big brother for 2008, aptly named the HiFi Carbon. The basic elements of the original HiFi have been retained, including the company's new Genesis 2.0 front end geometry, 120mm of travel front and rear, and a simple and reliable linkage-actuated single-pivot suspension design. With the new model, however, Gary Fisher engineers set out to make what it considers to be "the finest trail bike on the market the lightest trail bike on the market."
Indeed, the new carbon fiber front triangle drops the overall frame weight of the HiFi Carbon down to just 2.14kg (4.71lb, claimed), and also adds a reported 40% improvement in stiffness-to-weight ratio. Rather than just utilize conventionally bonded shock and linkage mounts, Gary Fisher engineers integrated the aluminum hard points directly into the carbon mold in such a way as to maximize adhesive strength and carbon fiber loading. Reliability on the new-style mounts is said to be significantly improved, but the new co-molded bits are lighter as well, saving 40g on just the upper shock mount alone.
The HiFi Carbon will be available in two models, the HiFi Carbon and the HiFi Carbon Pro. A premium build spec on the HiFi Carbon Pro drops the weight of a complete medium-sized bike to just 10.6kg (23.3lbs) without pedals, and G2 geometry-specific forks on both models will now be supplied by Fox Racing Shox.
Gary Fisher will also add a 29" version of the standard HiFi, but also previewed a completely revamped lineup of all of its big-wheeled mountain bikes. Aluminum models now make liberal use of hydroformed tubing for increased tire clearance, fork crown clearance, and front end rigidity, and a full OCLV carbon model finally joins the family.
Trek previewed its take on the intriguing 69er concept at last year's Sea Otter Classic, and announced the addition of two more 69er models just as the original singlespeed models are hitting showroom floors. Travis Brown's signature model will now be joined by a geared 69er aluminum hardtail as well as a geared full-suspension Top Fuel 69er which will incorporate Trek's latest R1 rocker-link rear end.
Component-wise, the Rhythm line will gain two new 29" models, the Rhythm Comp and Rhythm Elite, both of which are analogous to their 26" cousins. Spotted on the horizon, though, was a new Rhythm Pro model which uses premium-level hubs and a 'crow's-foot' spoke lacing pattern (where a radially laced spoke bisects a pair of conventionally crossed spokes) to improve lateral rigidity.
Litespeed pushes the titanium envelope with Archon
Titanium has been virtually completely surpassed by the glamour of carbon fiber lately, but its legitimately good material properties still make it a perfectly viable candidate for high performance bicycle frames. Litespeed, in particular, is on a mission (for obvious reasons, we must say) to bring titanium back into the realm of top performance, and its new Archon road frame might go a long way to doing so.
Litespeed-sponsored Team Maxxis riders only race on the dirt, but XC standouts Geoff Kabush and Mathieu Toulouse train heavily on the road and have provided the company with a lot of valuable feedback. Litespeed's designers focused more on overall performance than the gram scale as a result and the new frame has a "stiffness-to-weight ratio in a range that [titanium] has never been," according to Brad DeVaney, Engineering Manager for American Bicycle Group. DeVaney didn't go so far as to say that it would match that of carbon fiber (and to be honest, we'd have been rather skeptical if he had), but he did concede that Litespeed's ultralight frames have historically really been better suited as climbing bikes.
Much of that improved stiffness-to-weight ratio lies in a new heavily shaped tubeset, including a multifaceted and radically flared top tube and asymmetrically shaped chain stays. A novel construction method also partially wraps the top tube and down tube around the head tube for a more solid front end.
DeVaney added that the current UCI weight limit also indirectly aided in the design. Since wheels and components have lightened up the point where the frame is no longer the limiting factor in hitting the minimum 6.8kg target, the ruling "lets us put more material where it's needed." As such, the roughly 1kg Archon gives up about 200g relative to Litespeed's ethereal Ghisallo, but if that extra material adds up to a sturdier feel and more precise handling, we'll gladly take it, plus it'll be a sad world when we actually consider a 1kg frame to be heavy.
Litespeed will produce the Archon in both traditional and compact frame geometries, and US$4500 will buy you a frame with an Easton EC90SL full carbon fork beginning sometime in June.
Yeti Cycles returns to the cyclo-cross fray
Golden, CO-based Yeti Cycles has been known to knock out a cyclo-cross frame from time to time for special occasions (and special people), but the guys-in-turquoise have now released a bona fide production machine that the general public can buy themselves.
The ARC-X uses Yeti's proven Pure aluminum tubeset and also incorporates the company's trademark 'loop' stays in which the chain and seat stays flow seamlessly into one another in a graceful arc. A CNC-machined chain stay yoke delivers gobs of mud clearance for the ugly days of late fall/early winter, and a shaped top tube promises comfortable portaging.
The Yeti folks wouldn't quote a retail price just yet, but frame weights are said to be "just over 3lbs (1.36kg)" and production items will be available in time for the 2007 'cross season.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
- The new Gary Fisher HiFi Carbon Pro offers the same plush 120mm of travel and Genesis 2.0 handling characteristics of the standard HiFi, but the carbon front triangle helps drop the frame weight to a claimed 2.14kg (4.71lb) including shock.
- The OCLV carbon fiber frame will be molded in Waterloo, WI.
- The new HiFi Carbon frame isn't only a lot lighter , but it's also substantially stiffer, plus it just looks cool.
- The new face of Gary Fisher Bicycles.
- Cable routing has moved from the top tube to the down tube for a cleaner line and less housing interference.
- The new upper shock and linkage mounts of the new Gary Fisher HiFi Carbon.
- Aluminum hard points are integrally co-molded with the carbon fiber, making for a lighter, stiffer, and more reliable part.
- The linkage mount actually completely surrounds the seat tube for maximum reliability.
- Gary Fisher 29er bicycles will now wear Fox Racing Shox forks up front. Gary Fisher will have the exclusive rights to the fork for the first year.
- The HiFi will also receive a 29er variant later this season.
- The HiFi 29er will use the same suspension layout as on the standard HiFi, with 120mm of travel in a simple, yet effective, single pivot design.
- Gary Fisher will revamp its entire 29er lineup will an all-new aluminum hardtail frame, a full-suspension aluminum frame, and even a carbon hardtail.
- Curved down tubes offer improved front-end strength but also provides more clearance between the down tube and the fork crown.
- Seat stay styling on the new aluminum Gary Fisher 29er frame is similar to the original Trek 69er singlespeed.
- Do these dropouts look familiar? They should, since they're the exact same ones on the HiFi.
- Fox Racing Shox will provide custom forks for the HiFi, 29er, and 69er platforms.
- The Top Fuel lineup now gets a 69er version.
- The new Top Fuel 69er will use Trek's latest R1 rocker-link suspension design.
- Integrated headsets are becoming increasingly popular on 29" wheeled bikes, mostly as a way to reduce the front end height.
- Bontrager's new Dry X tread is said to be ideal for hardpack and loose-over-hardpack conditions.
- Bontrager's ubiquitous line of Race Lite and Race X Lite stems have been completely revamped, shedding weight in the process without giving up strength or rigidity.
- The Rhythm wheel line now gets 29" versions , but the most interesting one was this prototype Rhythm Pro.
- Prototype, as in you can't have it yet.
- The Rhythm Pro will use the old 'crow's foot' lacing pattern for improved lateral rigidity.
- The new Litespeed Archon supposedly delivers the best stiffness-to-weight ratios the company has ever encountered in titanium.
- Innovative tube shaping and a semi-wraparound top tube and down tube help stiffen up the front end.
- Asymmetrical chain stays tighten up the back end.
- The chain stays are not just asymmetrically shaped , but also welded at slightly different points on the bottom bracket shell.
- This down tube logo might not end up being exactly how you'll find the Archon on Litespeed showroom floors, but the paint scheme is pretty accurate.
- Yeti's new production cyclocross bike.
- The new ARC-X casts a similar profile to Yeti's off-road racing ARC hardtail.
- Loop stays transition seamlessly from seat stay into chain stay.
- Yeti uses its signature pear-shaped Pure tubing on its new 'cross bike.
- A CNC-machined chainstay yoke provides extra mud clearance.
- A heavily shaped top tube promises comfortable portaging.
- Some of Ibis' new colors for its popular Mojo.
- BMC adds the Astana team bike color scheme to the list of choices for its SLC01 Pro Machine.
- Vittoria adds a larger 25c casing option for its outstanding Open Corsa clincher.
- The Saris Thelma hitch-mounted rack is aimed a roadies who don’t feel like hefting their bikes up on the roof.
- Kool-Stop claims its new Koolite ti road brake pad is the lightest in the world, weighing just 28g per pair. They might also be the most expensive, too, at about US$100 per wheel, yet Kool-Stop says it can't keep them in stock.
