Keeping your finger on the pulse of MTB cycling gear trends for 2012 is not an easy task. It’s not unlike keeping your finger on the brake lever while cruising downhill: a little shaky and confusing, but worth it in the end.
Manufactures are always looking at pushing their expertise to make mountain biking more exciting and gear more responsive.
MTB Cycling Gear Trends for 2012
This year’s singletrack season has a lot in store, from refined high-tech cameras to yet another wheel-size. Here are some of the MTB cycling gear trends and equipment to watch out for in 2012.
The 650b Mountain Bike
The industry is split over the 26er vs 29er debate. Most people don’t know where they fall in wheel size. In an attempt to settle the debate (or make it even more confusing), industry giants are now producing the 650b wheel: a size somewhere between the two standards.
This isn’t a whim. RockShox and Fox have already started production on suspension forks to meet the new size and DT Swiss is underway creating the wheels. Unlike the 29″ revolution – where many manufactures lost out because they thought it was a fad – a lot of companies will be jumping on the bandwagon so they don’t miss out on sales. There will be a lot of talk in 2012 with products rolling out in 2013.
SRAMs “clutched” rear derailleur
A while ago, Shimano came out with a mountain bike rear derailleur sporting a built-in clutch. The spring puts enough tension on the chain to quiet rattle, and dropped-chains almost disappear. Now SRAM is following Shimano’s lead with the same clutched mechanism. The company has not officially put the product on the market, but there is talk that they won’t limit production to simply mountain bikes. Look to see a full line of mountain-bike and road components with a spring activated clutch.
From Racing to Runway
If you MTB in UK you’ll have heard of Brooks (the retro bike saddle manufacturer). Well, it recently purchased 60% in Pedal ED: an online clothing store supplied by Japanese fashion designer Hideto Suzuki. Brooks showcased a vast array of Suzuki’s line at last year’s Eurobike in Germany and has helped the designer activate online purchases. It seems that Brooks is also interested in promoting its line of vintage John Boultbee clothing. Their line features natural materials (as opposed to synthetic fabrics) similar to those worked by John in the 1930s. The materials are leather and oilskin and the styles are classic British.
GoPro Goes Professional
As the leader in POV cameras, GoPro comes out with thoughtful updates to their hugely popular video line. This year the GoPro Hero 2 Professional POV camera has vastly improved features to models of past years.
For example, the new version has a better light sensor and shoots fantastic footage in low-light conditions (like when you still haven’t made it home and all you have is the twilight of dusk). One of the most impressive features is the Go Pro’s ability to upload footage via wi-fi so it goes automatically to the internet.
Go Pro is working on a wireless remote so you can operate up to 50 cameras remotely. It has a 2x sharper lens, an integrated battery warmer (for a longer life) and LED buttons on all sides so you don’t have to keep asking your mates,”Is it on?”.
SIDI Dragon 3
Who says you can’t be fashionable on the trail? SIDI’s Dragon 3 is not only conformable and light, but is also a touch while wallowing through the mud. This mountain bike shoe has a light yet stiff carbon fibre sole with replaceable tread (so you don’t have to replace the shoe).
However the most impressive feature is the adjustable heel retention device. With a ventilated lower cut, the Dragon 3 adjusts to the width of your heel and can be loosened or tightened on the move to prevent slippage, or to allow it if you’re on the run.
The two-way ratchet system makes it a breeze to adjust while in the saddle. And as a result, there’s the added benefit of admiring how cool your shoes are in the middle of a race.
We hope you found this guide to MTB cycling gear trends for 2012 useful. Check out these mountain hiking holidays worldwide to find your next place to test all your new gear!
