Looks like the folks at Zipp are at it again… launching their new 404 Carbon Clincher wheelset that’s said to offer all the benefits of a deep-profile design, but offer handling akin to a wider rim. More details below.

Zipp Press Release:

Zipp Speed Weaponry has revealed details of the company’s highly anticipated 404 Carbon Clincher, the first deep-profile carbon clincher design to offer the superior aerodynamics, ride quality, strength, and handling of a wide rim body.

Available now through authorized Zipp retailers around the world, the 404 Carbon Clincher employs a radical new aerodynamic rim profile, dubbed Firecrest™, and exclusive materials technology developed in collaboration with Zipp’s composites supplier.

As a result, the 404 Carbon Clincher reaches an unrivaled level of performance for clincher wheels and a total weight of just 1557 grams, putting it among the lightest deep-profile carbon clinchers available.

Zipp Technical Director Josh Poertner said, “This is a product that a lot of people have been waiting for, and we wanted to give them something unlike any other wheel on the market. We spent two years optimizing our carbon clincher technology and it’s probably the biggest leap forward we’ve ever made.”

To address the differences in airflow patterns between clincher tires and tubulars, Zipp engineers developed the fully toroidal Firecrest profile with a complex set of high-radius curves that adjust the width of the rim from 25.5mmm at the braking track to 27.5mm at its widest point.

This wider, less tapered version of the proven hybrid-toroidal profile used in Zipp’s previous clincher wheels particularly improves the aerodynamics of the rear wheel as it rotates within the frame and makes the 404 Carbon Clincher by far the most aerodynamic clincher wheelset in its class. The new rim shape also directs airflow so precisely that handling is noticeably improved.

As Zipp discovered with designs like the Paris-Roubaix-winning 303 Tubular, a wider rim also increases lateral stiffness for sprinting and cornering yet offers greater vertical compliance for more control and comfort on rough surfaces.

With clincher tires, the wide rim design offers even greater benefits, as the tire takes on a more stable shape that places more rubber on the road while cornering without adding rolling resistance. Increased air volume also reduces the likelihood of pinch flatting compared to narrower rims.

Because clincher tires are more susceptible than tubulars are to the effects of heat buildup from heavy braking on carbon surfaces, the 404 Carbon Clincher is manufactured with a heat-resistant resin based on the materials used in motorsports brake systems.

During the development process for the 404 Carbon Clincher, chemists and engineers from Zipp’s composites supplier made repeated visits to Zipp’s R&D lab to test and refine the new technology, which offers more consistent braking performance and prevents spikes in tire pressure on long descents.

According to Jim Douglas, Zipp product manager for wheels, “The versatility and popularity of the Zipp 404 made it a natural choice for carbon clincher. The performance characteristics of the 404, combined with the functionality of our carbon clincher and Firecrest rim shape will make it a success among triathletes and road racers alike.”

Indeed, the 58mm-deep 404 has long been a favorite of Zipp athletes for long-course triathlons, field sprints, rolling breakaways, and even mountain stages.

Like all Zipp carbon wheels, the 404 Carbon Clincher uses rims manufactured in-house by Zipp, premium Sapim CX-Ray spokes (16 front/20 rear), and US-made hubs with Swiss steel bearings.

Suggested retail price is $2700 U.S. per wheelset.

More Info: Visit Zipp.com

I’m totally and completely onboard with SRAM’s new 2×10 XX drivetrain (read my thoughts from Interbike 2009) as it makes complete sense. Who can argue with eliminating duplicate gear ratios, simplifying front shifting and dropping weight? I know I sure can’t and neither should you.

I just got word that for 2011, SRAM will be introducing a 2×10 version of their workhorse X7 drivetrain. By coming in with the X7 announcement, it’s only a matter of time (weeks, days) before we start hearing about X9 and X0 2×10′s as well.

While X7 isn’t as sexy as the XX grouppo, it sure will save riders a ton of coin while providing excellent performance. Lets face it, the current X7 is going to perform as well as the X0 grouppo from 2-3 years ago (or better), which is still pretty darn good if you ask me. The crew at BikeRadar.com broke the story on the X7 announcement, so if you want dirty details, click here. Otherwise, check out the photos of the new 2011 X7 drivetrain and hang tight… it’s gonna get even better in SRAM land.

Buy Now: Search for SRAM Components

For 2010, RockShox is re-designing their solid Revelation trail fork with all-new lowers and longer travel. The changes will be drastic, thus moving the Revelation fork squarely inline with the 2010 offering from Fox Racing.

The lightweight all-mountain category is heating up and there’s no doubt that the RockShox Revelation and the Fox 32 lineups are the category heavyweights battling for top position.

Here’s the release from RockShox:

RockShox rolls out an entirely redesigned suspension fork – Revelation! Revelation sets the standard
for lightweight trail performance. The 2010 Revelation features an all new chassis, and travel is
increased to 150mm.

Sander Rigney is the RockShox Product Manager responsible for Revelation. Rigney says, “We’re
seeing more growth in longer travel trail bikes with an emphasis on reducing weight. Revelation
is the ultimate suspension fork to merge lightweight and stiffness for the popular 150mm trail bike
segment”.

Alloy control knobs allow riders to easily tune both the compression and rebound dampers. The new
lower legs feature Power Bulges that increase stiffness and improve bushing durability. The popular
20mm Maxle™ Lite thru axle option provides the ultimate thru axle solution. Positive and negative air
spring chambers are effortless to adjust and easily guided by the air chart located on the lower leg
for simple trail side tuning.

What’s this mean to you? The new Revelation from RockShox will deliver a leading quality, highest
performing ride.

2010 RockShox Revelation Fork Features

• Travel: 150/140/130 Long-travel Dual Air, 120-150 Air U-Turn
• 32mm upper stanchions
• New forged, hollow 6061 aluminum crown
• Completely new lowers with power bulge
• Lightweight air spring technology
• Axles: 9mm QR or 20mm Maxle Light
• Weight: 3.57 – 4.06 lbs (depending on travel and model)
• Steerer Options: 1-1/8″, 1.5″ or 1.5-1-1/8″ tapered
• BlackBox Motion Control
• Post-mount disc brake (nice!!!)
• MSRP: $509-$751

I’ve had a great experience on the RockShox Revelation in the past and the changes for 2010 look to put this fork into an entirely new category–competing squarely with Fox’s 32 Vanilla, FLOAT and TALAS forks. Check out the image to the right to see for yourself the changes in store for 2010.

Buy Now: Search for RockShox Revelation

While chains are widely recognized as the weakest link in bicycle drivetrain design, they aren’t going away anytime soon.  With the exception of the Rohloff rear hub and a few other quirky, but unusable designs, the standard front and rear derailleur setup has been around for years will little real changes over time.  Yeah, you’ve gotten carbon fiber and different actuation ratios, but the principle has always been the same.

Now, step back for a second and think about the last time you lost your chain or mis-shifted and it dropped right off your granny gear just before a killer climb.  Or, even worse… when you had a killer case of chain suck and it took you and three of your buddies just to pry the chain out from in between the granny gear and the bottom bracket shell.

I would venture to say that the front derailleur and chainrings are the weakest link in current mountain bike drivetrains and are prone to the most problems overall. I’m also a proponent of two chainrings up front because you don’t really need that large chainring unless you ride on the road–and who wants to do that? Not only that, but there are many frame designs that don’t lend themselves well to a proper front derailleur alignment and give me more headaches than smiles as I try to get them dialed in.

Introducing Truvativ HammerSchmidt

Well, the boys at Truvativ and SRAM have come up with a solution… the Truvativ HammerSchmidt integrated cranks and front transmission. This design eliminates the front derailleur from the mix and drops you down to a single chainring while still providing all the benefits of a 22/36 or 24/38 chainring duo.

Built inside the Truvativ HammerSchmidt transmission is a standard 1:1 ratio and a 1:1.6 ratio gearing system called OverDrive, which can be shifted on-the-fly at any time. No more slowing your cadence to shift… no more chain suck… no more losing your chain–just clean, crisp shifts every time and any time you want.

Truvativ HammerSchmidt is available in two flavors: All-mountain (based on Stylo cranksets) and Freeride (based on Holzfeller cranksets). MSRP for the HammerSchmidt AM system with X.9 shifter starts at $700 and HammerSchmidt FR starts at $762. Add about $60 for a X.0 shifter.

I’m looking forward to getting to know HammerSchmidt over the coming months. The only catch is that you must have a bike with ISCG (International-standard Chain Guide) 03 or 05 tabs.  Most long-travel trail bikes and freeride bikes all come with ISCG tabs, but it’s still going to be the biggest limitation here for starters.  I know I don’t currently have a single bike with ISCG tabs, but now I want one.

Going into Interbike, this will be on my shortlist, so look for more details in the coming months.

More Info: Visit MagicMechanics.com