Burly New Rims, Lightweight Gloves, and a New DH Air-Sprung Shock - Eurobike 2017

Chromag's two new aluminum rims were on display, both of which are, unsurprisingly, intended for a spot of rowdy riding. The burlier of the two is the BA30, with its welded seam, internal bracing, and a thicker than normal bead wall that's meant to stand up to impacts better than other rims. A big hit may not crush your rim but it might cut your tire's sidewall, so Chromag has given the BA30's a wider, rounder edge that's less likely to act as a knife when it's smashed into the rock.

The BA30 is available in a 570-gram, 27.5'' version, as well as a 29er model that weighs 610-grams, and only in a black finish.




If you're looking for something burly but maybe not quite as burly as the BA30, you can go with its little brother, the Phase30. This rim sports the same external shape as the heavier BA30, a welded seam, and a thicker than normal bead wall with a round top, but it forgoes the internal bracing in the name of saving some weight. The result is a 27.5'' rim that weighs 480-grams, and a 29'' rim that comes in at 510-grams. Black only, of course.

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G-Form now has gloves in their catalog, meaning that they must now have protection for nearly every part of your body from your shoulders down. The new Pro Trail gloves are all about combining minimalism with G-Form's RPT padding over top of the knuckles. Have you ever smashed your hand into a tree? Yeah, that's exactly what the padding is for. G-Form says that their 'Reactive Protection Technology' is able to stay pliable under normal use but firm up in an instant when struck; quick enough, they claim, to offer some real protection.

So, your hands are safer but what happens if your phone rings? The thumbs and pointer fingers have conductive tips so you can still answer a call or upload your selfie to Instagram, if the need arises. Color options are white or black, both with black RPT padding, and sizing runs from small to extra-large.

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The big news in SR Suntour world is their new downhill and all-mountain air-sprung shock, the TriAir. The long-stroke shock includes a three-position pedal-assist lever to dial on the compression when it's needed, as well as an eight-position low-speed rebound clicker. Internally, it employs SR Suntour's Piston Compensator System (aka PCS) that's essentially an internal floating piston (IFP) in the shock's piggyback to provide back-pressure and room for oil displacement. That might sound familiar as it's the same layout that most high-end shocks use.

The new TriAir shock will be available in Metric and normal sizes, as well as trunnion mount if that's what your bike calls for.

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Reviews and Tech First Looks Chromag Bikes SR Suntour