2022 Sea Otter Classic tech gallery: Wheels, tires, and accessories galore

Minnie Pannel April 20, 2022

The Velo Canteen is a vacuum insulated double-wall stainless steel vessel specifically designed to fit in a bottle cage. It’s a bit pricey at US$45 and only holds about 400 mL (13.5 oz), but still pretty neat. Fingers crossed the company adds bigger sizes moving forward.

You didn’t actually think we were all finished with our coverage from the 2022 Sea Otter Classic, did you? 

This round of coverage includes a few new wheels and tires, a slick-looking new headlamp for road riding, inexpensive (but seemingly quite decent) sunglasses, a bike-specific tow rope for when you literally could use a lifeline, new bikepacking bags, and a whole bunch of other neat accessories.

We’re still not done yet, either! Stay tuned for more as we continue to dig into our pics and info from the weekend, and be sure to check the rest of our coverage from the 2022 Sea Otter Classic.

You’re probably familiar with Goodr for its expansive collection of fun and inexpensive sunglasses for running and casual wear, but the brand has now introduced its first wraparound model for cycling and other sports.
Goodr’s new wraparound sunglasses feature polarized polycarbonate lenses, interchangeable nosepieces, and grippy contact points for a secure fit. Best of all, they carry on Goodr’s reputation for low prices with a retail cost of just US$45.
Goodr is basically Cards Against Humanity in the form of a sunglass company.
The Velo Canteen is a vacuum insulated double-wall stainless steel vessel specifically designed to fit in a bottle cage. It’s a bit pricey at US$45 and only holds about 400 mL (13.5 oz), but still pretty neat. Fingers crossed the company adds bigger sizes moving forward.
Unlike plastic bottles that typically just use double-walled construction and foam liners, vacuum insulated stainless bottles are far better at actually retaining heat, ensuring that your coffee starts hot, and stays hot.
Evoc has updated its growing range of on-bike bags for improved fits and sleeker aesthetics.
Welded seams make for a cleaner exterior – and potentially better reliability over time, too.
Boa closures promise a super-snug fit for the handlebar and seatpost bags.
Cutouts in the handlebar mount have been revised for provide more room for hoses and housings.
Evoc’s Commute Pro Air looks like a pretty conventional urban backpack…
…but if the onboard sensors detect that the rider is about to hit the deck, the build-in pneumatic collar inflates within 200 ms to provide additional protection to the head and upper torso.
The airbag offers an impressive-looking amount of coverage.
The gas canister (sorry, it’s not shown here) attaches to this housing, and is refillable so it’s not a one-and-done affair.
The airbag is enclosed in a special compartment up top, and bursts automatically through a special zipper.
Two glow-in-the-dark straps on the back are also on hand if you need to haul some additional gear.
Boyd Cycling’s GVL 700 gravel wheelset offers excellent value, with a 25 mm-wide tubeless-compatible aluminum rim, Pillar stainless steel spokes, and good quality cartridge bearing hubs. Claimed weight is 1,850 g per set, and retail price is just US$425.
Boyd Cycling’s Skyuka hubs feature a 10-degree ratchet speed and four pawls that engage the 36-tooth ring all at once.
Boyd also showed off its novel idea for track rear hubs, which feature a traditional double thread on one side, but a splined center lock interface on the other. Boyd is having custom track cogs made in 14-19T, and this sure seems to make a lot more sense than the old way of doing things.
Challenge is going big with a 45 mm version of its Strada Bianca open tubular file treads. Challenge builds the Strada Bianca with a tubeless-ready 260 TPI polycotton casing for a supple ride, and its PPS2 dual-layer puncture protection system.
Challenge’s new tubeless-ready Criterium RS flagship road tire is built with an ultra-flexible 350 TPI polycotton casing, a new X5 rubber compound, and a non-stretch Zylon bead that’s supposedly compatible with hookless rims. Challenge will offer these in just 25 and 27 mm sizes for now, but a 30 mm may come later. Claimed weight for the 700×27 mm version is just 210 g. Retail price is still to be decided.
Challenge has also debuted a new tread design on the Criterium RS, with a solid center and progressively smaller shoulder micro-knobs.
Smith’s latest Jetstream TT helmet is supposedly a fair bit more aerodynamic than the brand’s outgoing model, while also being far better ventilated.
You can see the strategic applications of Koroyd in the side vents of the Smith Optics Jetstream TT.
Exhaust vents and the open tail promise good flow-through ventilation.
Also included with the Jetstream TT is a visor, which attaches with magnets.
These magnets are surprisingly strong!
The splitters create more room around the ears for more comfort, and they’re somewhat adjustable, at least fore and aft.
Tannus was showcasing the gravel version of its Armour foam tire insert. What sets this one apart, however, is that it’s designed to be used with an inner tube, not tubeless.
Need to give your kiddo (or slower partner) a boost? The TowWhee is an elastic tow strap that easily deploys when someone needs a hand.
The new attachment system can simply be hooked around a stem, or you can use the carabiner if necessary, too.
Outbound Lighting has rapidly become a darling of the mountain bike world for its solid brightness, compact form factors, and superb beam patterns, and the company is now looking to do the same on the road with the new Detour model.
The Outbound Lighting Detour uses two LEDs, each with separate reflectors: one for long-distance punch, and the other for wide-angle illumination. The patterns appear to be deftly blended for a seamless end result.
Outbound Lighting builds several steady-state modes into the Detour, as well as a few flashing ones.
The cooling fins are made of a heat-conductive plastic material that’s lightweight and won’t chip or corrode.
Amber markers offer some side visibility.
Outbound’s new GoPro-compatible mount should make it much easier to install the new Detour on modern road and gravel bikes. It’ll also work for Outbound’s existing mountain bike lights, which should really open up mounting options.
Outbound Lighting is making good use of its 3D printer, primarily for stuff like production fixtures and other things to assist with the manufacturing process, but also for problem solver stuff like this stick-on GoPro mount designed to span a central helmet vent.
Panaracer has completely revamped its family of road tires with new rubber compounds, new puncture protections, and updated casing constructions, all amassed under a new Agilest moniker.
Panaracer has several Agilest models, including ones specifically designed for tubeless, ones meant for more durability, and so on. There’s even a new tubular.
The tube-type Panaracer Agilest Light lives up to its name with a claimed weight of just 170 g for the 25 mm size.
Panaracer is still one of the top names in gravel tires. The GravelKing SS+ is particularly well suited for mixed terrain, with a fast-rolling center tread, a finely patterned transition area, and a solid shoulder for secure cornering.
Abus’s new combo cable lock is very conveniently located being sandwiched between a bottle cage and your frame (or without the cage, of course). It’s obviously quite low-security, but seems like it could be particularly handy for kids’ bikes.
The latest round of helmets from Abus is equipped with the company’s Quin sensor, which detects a crash and automatically alerts designated contacts or emergency services depending on how you have the associated companion app programmed.
Bar Fly announced its Prime Direct 1 direct-mount months ago, but the company is still struggling to get product in appreciable quantities given persistent supply chain issues.
The new Bar Fly Prime Direct 1 mount is a lot beefier than the original version, with a stronger cast aluminum body, upsized hardware, and a brass sled nut. Whereas the original had quite a limited load rating, the new one can now accept additional accessories like cameras and lights.
Got a 3T Apto stem and looking to clean up your cockpit? Bar Fly has a mount for those, too.
Rudy Product makes these “bio plastic” sunglass frames out of castor beans.
Derby is largely credited with kicking off the wide rim movement in mountain bikes, and founder Ray Scruggs is still at it with a full range of mountain, gravel, and road rims, all of which have earned a solid reputation for durability.
Redshift Sports‘ Kitchen Sink handlebar lives up to its name in terms of versatility and hand positions, and now the brand is adding a dedicated bar bag that fits right up front. Got any suggestions for a name? Redshift doesn’t have one picked out yet.
The bag is small, but the trapezoidal shape seems sufficiently boxy and the bottom is expandable if you need more room. There’s also a zippered pocket in the lid, as well as a magnetic closure so you can leave it unzipped for faster access to your snacks.
Want to pack light but can’t stand conventional freeze-dried camp food? Good To-Go swears its dehydrated meal options are genuinely tasty.
How the heck did downhillers race on these things back in the day??? The geometry, the brakes, the wheels and tires, the suspension: it all just reinforces that downhillers are cut from a different cloth.
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