Our insatiable thirst for new products often leaves us mountain bikers guilty of wanting greater performance for less money. That’s what drives innovative products, though. It seems as some brands are still holding their cards on unreleased products to absorb mistimed supply and demand waves. Regardless, here are four new products that debuted in 2023 and ticked the right boxes in our eyes.
For two drivetrain manufacturing giants, that meant launching a whole new ecosystems, the word of 2023. SRAM launched their sophisticated GX Transmission, while Shimano’s Linkglide XT went for a much less complex approach. Other products on the nominee list, such as Berd’s “string theory” wheels, may not be as apparent at first glance, or in the case of Schwalbe’s Tacky Chan tire, they land adjacent to existing components.
Below are solid reasons why those products left lasting impressions on us.
Why it’s nominated
When the riders on Schwalbe’s sponsored teams started slicing up existing tire treads to create their own, I can’t imagine the marketing team was too enthused at first. The high-profile riders were looking for the cornering support from the Big Betty, yet rolled faster than the Magic Mary. The engineers at the German tire brand listened to what characteristics their riders needed and set to work to build a very specific tire. Enter the Tacky Chan.
With a large gap between the center and shoulder knobs, it requires more precision to lock into turns, but once there, it holds strong. There’s less drag than Schwalbe’s other mentioned tread options, making it an excellent choice for a front and rear tire combo in the hands of a calculated racer – a fact that can’t be denied, as the Tacky Chan took home multiple wins on the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit this season.
FULL REVIEW
Why it’s nominated
What gives? Strings for spokes? Yep, exactly that. A unique formula of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) in the Berd Hawk 30 wheels offers 12 times the strength-to-weight ratio of steel. Carbon rims have a natural tendency to retain their shape and that’s great for keeping the wheel round and straight, but that can often bring unwanted stiffness.
These woven spokes offer a serious amount of compliance to what could otherwise be an incredibly stiff wheel. You end up with a rim that elastically absorbs 200% more vibrations versus steel spokes, as stated by Berd. On top of that, the rim bead is extra thick to handle impacts well enough to survive multiple days in Whistler’s Creekside zone – a total workout for enduro bikes.
Of course, carbon rims and high-tech fabric spokes don’t come cheap ( $2,295 USD) and they might not be for the “set and forget” type of rider, but their incredible lightweight (1360g) and shock absorbing qualities meant that they could be a good fit for riders looking to save some weight while increasing performance.
FULL REVIEW
Why it’s nominated
Reverting to an 11-speed cassette seems like a step backwards in drivetrain evolution, but what if it came at the benefit of a massive jump in longevity? That’s what Shimano’s Linkglide XT is all about – the cassette is 300% more durable than their Hyperglide 12-speed version.
You can still shift in either direction under full power on the full-steek cassette. In fact, Mike Kazimer found it to shift even smoother than Hyperglide+ when shifting under load. The workhorse drivetrain still takes advantage of the replaceable derailleur hanger and 11-speeds means less finicky alignment. As Henry Quinney put it, “You really can just do what you want and it never misses a beat.”
It isn’t the lightest or quite as wide of a gear range, (since the HG cassette is limited to 11-50 teeth) however, it does basically everything you need in a drivetrain for just $343 USD. That’s nearly one third of a SRAM GX Transmission drivetrain and won’t require a specific chain, although there is a LinkGlide optimized version.
FULL REVIEW
Why it’s nominated
When SRAM dropped their Transmission or T-type drivetrain system, the shifting performance was significantly improved from their previous options. That’s not to say that the prior Eagle 12-speed system wasn’t up to scratch, but Transmission offered the ability to shift under load, even at the torques produced by eMTBs.
Unrivalled durability was another key feature brought forth by a new but universal standard mount, UDH. Possibly most important of all, the derailleur components are replaceable, something that’s often lacking in the mountain bike world. In case you didn’t catch it, the system runs electronically, and of course, without the clutter of any wires.
All of those selling points meant a premium price, that is, until a $1,099 USD GX version came along with a price tag that’s 30% less than the X0 line.
As usual, there is an incurred weight penalty when sliding down the cost scale. There’s more steel in the cassette, less material excavated from the cranks, and the GX kit isn’t as stealthy as the X0, however, we haven’t found any of those details to impact the shift performance or durability.
RIDE IMPRESSIONS
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
