Sea Otter Classic is the world’s biggest trade show for mountain bikes. I was lucky enough to attend this year and check out all the latest and greatest stuff in the industry. I wanted to show you all my favorite things at the show. Enjoy.
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Gear I use and love:
5% off 5DEV cranks – Use coupon code “hardtailparty” for a discount code here: https://bit.ly/3c5Ha6b
5% off roost titanium bars and stem: use code “hardtailparty22”
Spinergy MXX 30 – https://bit.ly/3AiL4UW (use coupon code “HTPARTY10” for 10% off)
SCC Tech Chain Lube and Cleaner – http://bit.ly/3mlVKPb
Hardtail Party Shirts, hats, and SWAG – https://shop.spreadshirt.com/hardtailparty
Lab Austere hip pack: https://bit.ly/3p37K58 – code “Hardtail.Party” 25% off
Handup Gloves: https://bit.ly/3dhUe8z – use discount code “HARDTAILPARTY”
My shop tools: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hardtailparty
My glasses (use code “hardtail10”): https://bit.ly/3aXBeKp
My tire sealant: https://bit.ly/2ULJirZ
My favorite grips: https://bit.ly/3mYRL8Z
Hardtail Party collection by pedal industries – code “HARDTAILPARTY”: https://bit.ly/3ilNdqH
What’s in my water bottles (Tailwind): https://bit.ly/2Xbxy3q
My hooded sun shirt: https://bit.ly/38NdU1x
Milwaukee Inflator. I love this thing! https://amzn.to/38Vdqrj
Presta adapter: https://amzn.to/3cMADx1
5% off all RSD bikes using code “party” – https://bit.ly/3dj2nZP –
Ryan Leech Connection: $19 off – coupon code “hardtailparty” – https://bit.ly/2UwrmQq
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
00:15 5DEV
01:17 Specialized Sirrus
01:37 Fezzari Solitude
02:18 Seth from Berm Peak
02:48 Wheels Mfg XD singlespeed adapter
04:34 Rise Grizzly
05:13 Project321 6lock hub
07:20 Project321 288 POE hub
07:58 Alchemy Argos Au
11:23 Classified hub
12:10 Enduro Bearings
14:26 Crankbrothers pedals
19:11 Passchier Bamboo Handlebars
22:47 Spinergy Wheels
23:56 Fairdale Bikes Elevator
27:04 Retro: Klein Rascal
27:17 Ryan Palmer
28:09 Yeti Arc
28:26 Sage Titanium Bicycles
30:51 Aeroe Bike Rack
33:10 RSD Middlechild
33:21 Marin Pine Mountain 2
33:47 Outsidebrendan
34:36 Retro: Marin Bear Valley
34:57 Cjell Moné’s Recycled Schwinn
36:37 Paul Component Engineering
37:09 Bronson from BMB – Raised Reversed Stem
39:04 Revel Bikes/Why Cycles el Jefe
40:01 Vielo R+1
40:23 Classified hub cassettes
41:28 Ministry Psalm 150
42:01 Berd Spokes
43:49 Hayes Dominion
45:29 Manitou R7
46:48 Christian Pepper
46:59 Kate Courtney
47:38 Retro: Fat Chance
48:13 5DEV spaceship parts
49:31 Lezyne Pocket Drive Pro HV
51:57 Merman Bicycles Unholy Diver Ti
52:58 Scott Scale RC $9999
54:31 Orange Seal
56:29 Canyon – no HT
57:26 Prevelo Kids’ Bikes
1:02:53 David Turner – Turner Bikes
1:16:43 Digit Datum
1:19:27 Microshift Advent X Ver.2
1:21:06 HTs absent
1:21:37 Ritchey Ultra
1:22:07 Retro: GT Karakoram
1:22:14 Cjell Moné’s La Roca V3
1:23:00 Surly
1:23:22 Old Man Mountain Racks
1:26:54 Firefly Bicycles
1:27:05 Norco Torrent
1:27:33 Gates/Pinion
1:28:36 Outro
46 Comments
I'm sure you've heard about Tanglefoot cycles who makes atb/rigid mtbs designed around the idea of a 0° stem. They have the Hardtack which gives modernized 90s mtb vibes with the ability to fit 27.5×2.6 tires & design around running 0 degree stem.
I vote to see the Krampus as it can fit 29+ even though the kid in me likes the Karate Monkey name.
Lezyne stuff is SO underrated. It's extremely high quality for the price. I use an Alloy Drive CFH as a pump and CO2 inflator in one. Worth the extra weight, and I slip in into one of my 3 rear jersey pockets. Had it for 3+ years and it's still butter-smooth.
Where can I get some hardtail party decals!?
Loved the moment with Ryan Palmer, still have stacks of Bike magazines in my office and can’t seem to get rid of them. I also agree with your thoughts on the Bible of Bike tests, great insight, cool reviews and cool brews.
Miss it.
Karate Monkey been eyeing a km frame for a 90s inspired parts bin build, awesome coverage love the channel 🤙🏻
It’s very beneficial for companies to send you bikes to test. Because of your reviews I used your patreon service and ended up buying a bike. Because of my purchase two of my friends also purchased the same bike and every time I ride it anywhere whether trails or just down the path to get dinner, people ask about it. It’s like a ripple effect.
Hello! Where can I get the hardtail party sticker?
Taj, what a legend! Really stoked on the Fairdale Elevator. Short CS and hopefully not overly slack. I think there is a big market for hardtails that bridge the gap between dirt/street and trail.
i really want to know your opinion on dartmoor frames
Good to see Ryan Palmer landing in Yeti. A pillar of MtB thats for sure. Hope to see the other BikeMag journos. They are my heroes that made me stoked to ride trails before mtb youtube existed.
How does the Crankbrother rep not know they do have contact sleeves for egg beaters Peddles?
Super excited to see you do some Surly bikes. I can barely put into words what a fantastic do-it-all bike the Karate Monkey is. I've got more miles on it than anything else I own, and dispite its age and older standards and geo, i still come back to it again and again and again….
Glad to see some Hayes dominion love, FANTASTIC brakes!
Also, when you asked if you should do more high end stuff or mass market, I like a mix of both, and feel you do that pretty well. While the normie in me enjoies seeing bikes I could actually affoard and maybe consider buying, I also enjoy seeing what you can get if you're wealthy and just dreaming…
Outstanding showcase of See Otter Steve!!! It felt like we were right there visiting all the booths!!! Great showing of all the new innovative products and amazing bikes!!! I’m sure it was many hours editing this one ☝️ great job!!!
both but mostly the handmade
59:47 hopfully u can try out these cranks for another crank length test video🤣
Wow Steve, Just the best coverage at the show!
Love my yeti arc i run 140 travel and love it
Surly Karate Monkey please Steve, I'm looking to upgrade to suspension fork on mine and would love your pov on possible options🤘
I like what this Turner guy is talking about. I have mentioned that we have found the sweet spot in geometry and from here only small tweaks are needed. My Esker Hayduke geometry is super dialed. From there bikes can go a little slacker, maybe a bit more or less reach, 425 ish chainstays are pretty good. I just don't think we need to keep going to the extreme like so many companies are doing. A long low and slack 63 degree head angle hardtail pretty much just serves one purpose and isn't a good all around bike.
Krampus!!
Hand built stuff (over mass produced) all the way for me please!
Karate monkey
The Fairdale bike looks amazing. I have their urban singlespeed run-about the Taj, and it rocks. Their bikes seem really user friendly and practical.
Very excited to see them provide a MTB. I wish it was designed around a 27.5 but regardless, that chainstay length is bonkers.
What a great video. Thanks for making this. It was super interesting, especially the discussion about the geometry of the Turner bikes.
Fascinating coverage. I know a lot of work went into this. Have to watch several times. Box Components showed the Gen 2 Prime 9 Drivetrain at Sea Otter Classic this last month. This is very exciting!!!!!!
Steve, you definitely need to review and compare the Ti tubing differences and ride feel of those Alchemy frames. Enduro BB is definitely a problem solver for those of us to have to deal with replacing BBs all the time. I have to on my SS MTB’s and since I ride them all the time. Passchier bars seem like a great option for comfort.
Ryan Palmer “rants” he awesome!
Bronson is a local and rides and shreds my local trails. He’s f’en fast and won a lot of races already.
The Classified SS is a GREAT idea!
I believe the Santa Cruz Chameleon gen 8 was the first bike with a UDH sliding drop out!
Gimme the single speed that's a two speed. I love the ss life but sometimes I wish I had 2 or 3 gears. Very interested in this!
Glad you and David T got to chat, hopefully you’ll get a Nitrous to check out. I put in a good word for you when I talked to him a couple of months ago, funny enough I bought a Cyclosis and not a Nitrous. Man, that thing is SMOOTH! Nice vid!
great job Steve. it took me several days to finish the video but loved it all.
can you make a video about modern riding vs "classic" riding.
Lots of great stuff here and I really appreciate the long form. The big take away for me was the way that Steve really connected with a lot of these people on a personal level, showing them love and respect for their work ethic, work product, etc. Not a lot of people have this kind of emotional intelligence and awareness. I have a whole new level of respect and admiration for Steve. Yes, he's a great rider and yes, he's a great reviewer, and yes he's a great mechanic but above all the thing that impresses me most is that he's a great human too.
Happy for Ryan! Landing at Yeti… Fantastic! I miss his reviews, though.
Yes, more handbuilt stuff! 🙂
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Thanks so much for making this video. It was really well done and you are so good at talking about bike tech and products. Your enthusiasm shines thru. Definitely the best coverage of Sea Otter that I’ve seen. I loved every minute of it. I own 5 Surly bikes but not the Krampus or the Karate Monkey. I do own an Ice Cream Truck which on bike insights is very similar to a Krampus. It’s one of my favorite bikes to ride year round. It has 26×4.8 jumbo jims on it, but I’d like to try a set of 29×3.0’s. I watch every one of your videos. Thanks
Your best video yet. Great job. Thanks man…
It's so cool being able to get a sense of all this awesome industry stuff going on at an event like Sea Otter. Love that you made this vid! Listening to someone as knowledgeable and experienced as Hardtail Party give a rundown on this stuff I find to be informative and a very worthwhile watch. Also, would love to see a vid on the NS Eccentric Alu if you ever get a chance! I'm thinking about buying a frame and doing a build and there doesn't seem to be many reviews on it out there. Guess they're not as common stateside, but as a lover of short chainstays I think that frame could def be to your liking! Thanks for all the cool content as always, brother 🤘
I got a 16 inch wheel rocky mountain edge kids bike for my daughter. They put the seatpost joint behind the bottom bracket. It seemed to allow a more upright riding position while allowing more stand over for my daughter. All that allowed her to start riding earlier when compared to her friends on department store heavy bikes.
I have been really interested in getting a middle child, but I’m an old BMXer and I used to love my Hoffmann Taj, so now I’m going to have to see how the Elevator rides. Looks really rad!
I love my boys on their kids bikes. Mine are on Spawns, a 14" Furi, 16" Yoji, and 20" Yama Jama. They also started on the 10" strider and 12" Hot Rock balance bikes. I bought the Yoji new but the others used. Easy to work on with threaded BBs, sealed wheel bearings (the strider uses ABEC skateboard bearings!) , and awesome geometry. It's easy to keep your kiddos stoked on bikes that are light and function well!!
Prevelo is a top notch kids bike! My daughter started pedaling at 4 years old on a Woom 2, which is another wonderful light weight kids bike. The first time we hit a long downhill on the local MTB trails her hands got tired trying to hold the rim brake which led to an out of control downhill wipeout! I upgraded her to the Prevelo Zulu 2 with hydraulic disc brakes, made all the difference. She can run them with one finger. She is 5 now, has a Woom 3 and the Prevelo Zulu 2 ( both 16in bikes) and will keep using Prevelo to upgrade every year as she grows. Having a great bike in the correct size has given her confidence to take on challenges and become a shedder. Parents, don’t cheap out on your kids bike!
Love the channel brother!
Whatv abaout dbr and Dartmoor