Sea Otter: SRAM unveils 2008 kit

SRAM's top-of-the-line X.0 rear mech features new graphics and gold-anodised mounting bolt to fit with its 20th anniversary graphics. It's also a couple of grammes heavier than the current model thanks to a new, stronger, carbon/aluminium cage.

Just tweaks in the Trivativ cranks range, too. The Stylo workhorse is said to 10% stiffer while still weighing in under the 900g mark. Pictured is the 3.3 Team version, also available is the "All Mountain" 2.2 and singlespeed 1.1. A singlespeed variant is a new addition to the lightweight Noir crank, complete with carbon fibre chainguard.

Clockwise from top left: Code, Juicy Carbon, Juicy Five, Juicy Ultimate

Building on the well-received Code freeride brake, Avid has dropped the weight of the brake by 60g thanks to the use of a magnesium lever body. The previous central banjo fitting on the caliper is gone too, replaced by a more conventional arrangement. Brand new this year is the Code 5, a cheaper system using the same four-piston caliper design and sealed-bearing lever, but with hardware specced to keep the cost low.

Avid has also tweaked its mega-successful Juicy brakes to improve a few key aspects of their performance. The lever bodies have been redesigned with a new master cylinder, and aluminium-backed pads are used on the higher end brakes to save weight. The whole range has moved to DOT 5.1 fluid (from DOT 4) for increased heat resistance.

Left: Monarch and Vivid shocks. Right: Recon Race

Over in RockShox land it's all about rear shocks. It's got two new shock lines for 2008. The coil-sprung Vivid is designed with robustness in mind for downhillers and freeriders. Adjustments are designed not to confuse, which is another way of saying that there aren't many of them. That said, you still get adjustable low-speed compression damping and two-stage rebound damping adjustment with separate adjusters for the first bit of the stroke (the little pattery stuff) and the mid- to bottom of the stroke (bigger hits).

The air-sprung Monarch, which caters to the XC and all-mountain market. It'll come in four versions which between them will replace both the existing Pearl and MC shocks. The Monarch shaves 50 grams off the MC shock (claimed weight is 205g), while still managing to include a larger damping fluid volume, adjustable Floodgate pedal platform and single Schraeder valve set-up. The recommended sag points will also be laser-etched on to the shaft for easy setup, something we've been asking everyone for for a couple of years. RockShox are hoping that the Monarch will appeal to the XC race market, everyday trail riders and all-mountain riders.

Not all that much happening with forks, but the mid-range Recon line has now been expanded to include the 100mm, 3.64lb Race, and the 85-130mm 351 U-Turn, which weighs in at 4.44lbs. Looks ideal for all-mountain riders looking for a relatively inexpensive fork.