e*Thirteen has long offered cassette alternatives to the likes of Shimano and SRAM, and that range has been expanded with a revamp of its Helix Race cassettes.

With a 9-52t range, the cassette, which comes in two parts, is the widest-range option on the market.

A 13-52t cassette is also on offer. This gives closer ratios between the sprockets, and is targeted at electric mountain bike riders. It enables riders to better match their cadence to their motor’s power output, claims e*Thirteen.

The brand also suggested that at the top end, 10-12t sprockets are redundant on an eMTB, because with assistance cutting out above 25kph (in the UK), those higher gears are used less frequently.

The colourful top two sprockets are made from a 7050-grade alloy, coated in a Ti Nitrate coating and finished with the colour being applied in a vacuum. This, apparently, gives a much harder-wearing finish than normal hard anodising.

The lower sprockets are constructed from hardened steel.

e*Thirteen also showed us its new tubeless Schrader valve.

The stem unscrews from the base of the valve, so it can be fitted through the hole in a regular rim and the Schrader valve head sits higher up.

Why? Well, in many parts of the world (and we count UK petrol forecourts among these), Schrader pumps and airlines are the standard. So, bikepackers no longer need to carry adaptors with them.

Push

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Push created a lot of hype at the show, but was very secretive with details when we pressed for information.

This was because the high-end rear shock and spring upgrade company had an inverted fork on its stand.

Inverted forks have had a mixed history, generally suffering from poor lateral stiffness, because there’s one fewer brace across them to boost stiffness in corners.

Push’s fork has very deep crown-to-upper overlap, and a burly-looking pair of bolted dropouts, presumably to counter this very issue.

Being Push, we’re confident this will be a coil sprung fork, and there were two versions on show – one for trail bikes and enduro bikes, and one for electric mountain bikes.

We squeezed travel details out of Push – the forks will be offered later this year with 140-170mm of bounce.

Box components

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Box has revitalised its drivetrain options, with the top two tiers (the One and Two) especially receiving attention.

Rather than continuing with the race to squeeze as many sprockets onto a cassette as it can, Box has reimagined the 9-speed drivetrain for 2023.

This is said to be a bonus for eMTB riders, and those who want reliable shifting in all conditions, with less day to day fine-tuning of their drivetrains.

The one-piece cassettes have completely new tooth profiles to boost longevity and performance.

This means the tooth profiles have been designed to fit perfectly with their own chain, while the leading edge of the teeth is wider, to improve wear. Shifting ramps have also been worked on to make the chain’s transition from one to another smoother.

At the same time, the hardening process has been improved, with Box claiming double the longevity.

The derailleurs have a horizontal actuation, which Box says gives lighter gear shifting and fewer ghost shifts. It has also given the clutch a wider range of adjustment and increased torque, while the derailleur gets titanium hardware in the top-level One groupset.

Finally, the shifter’s body and levers are magnesium, while the internal gears are metal. Add in a no-loss engagement, and Box claims crisp shifts and improved life. The One shifter receives a rubber thumb pad, too.

Magura Vyron

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While not released at Sea Otter, this was the first chance we’ve had to see the new Vyron dropper post from Magura.

Its earlier iterations didn’t set our world alight, with poor reliability and a clunky action that had delay between button push and dropper drop.

The new version has a much improved lever, with a large paddle, rather than the awkward button system of the previous model. It’ll mount directly to Magura’s brake levers, too.

The dropper post also has a new architecture, with what looks like a sturdier control box at the rear.

Rather than a rechargeable battery, the Vyron now uses a CR2 battery that you swap out when it’s depleted. Magura claims you’ll get up to a year’s use out of it, though. This, of course, depends on how often you ride, and how much you drop.

The system has minimal lag between button press and dropper actuation, and unlike the previous version, the post’s valving remains open for as long as the button is pressed.

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