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Reporting from the labyrinth that is the 2026 Sea Otter Classic, Miles is back with his third roundup of interesting new bikes and other finds from the expo. Part three showcases the new Niner RLT 9 Steel, electrochromic sunglasses, bikes from REEB and BTCHN’, a new rack-top bag from Restrap, and loads more. Find it all here…
As of yesterday afternoon, the 2026 Sea Otter Classic is officially over. Neil and I spent five days walking, sometimes running, between booths at the expo in search of the coolest bikes and most interesting tech. Neil’s watch shows an average of 10,000 steps per day, so we estimate we walked around 25 miles (40 kilometers) over the course of the show. After each day, we quickly found ourselves at our laptops, editing and writing to share our findings in a timely manner. Shows like these are generally over as quickly as they start, and it’s bittersweet knowing we won’t be hustling around Laguna Seca this morning.
Although Sea Otter is over, our coverage is just ramping up. Neil has a long list of videos planned, and there is still plenty of written content and photography on the way. If you missed it, you can find part one of my 2026 Sea Otter Finds here, and part two here. Part three is another doozy, packed with stunning hand-built bicycles, interesting tech, and unreleased gear. Enjoy!
A Fox 32-Inch Suspension Fork PrototypeHidden in plain sight, Fox was teasing a prototype 32-inch suspension fork on an Ari full-suspension 32er, and for many, it was the talk of the show. As Neuhaus mentioned during our recent shop visit, developing a new suspension fork has a longer lead time and development process than tires and rims, and it’s a reason why some framebuilders and bike brands hesitate to produce a 32-inch bike of their own. There is a short list of 32-inch-compatible suspension forks available today, so it’s exciting to see a key player like Fox dip their toes into the water.
The prototype fork they had on display is part of Fox’s Racing Application Development (RAD) program, which is essentially a way to test ideas and upcoming products before bringing them to market. The arch and crown look suspiciously similar to the Fox 34 SL, and it appears Fox is using 34mm stanchions, so if we had to guess, Fox is probably bringing a 32-inch 34 SL to market sometime soon.
On the same bike, they had an intriguing negative-rise, or dropper, stem, which is designed to counteract the longer axle-to-crown of the 32-inch fork. The prototype stem is made by Fox’s sister company, Race Face, and they weren’t able to provide any additional details. The bike was also sporting some Race Face-branded 32-inch rims, which we’re told “may or may not be in development.”
Ken’s Tesla Tall BikeKen, the owner of this freaky tall bike with internally routed cables, was on his way to a meeting to chat about the Monterey Off-Road Cycling Association (MORCA) and its work in the area, but he gave Neil and me a few minutes of his time to take a closer look at his bike. It was built by a custom freak bike and cruiser framebuilder in San Jose, California, and it started with repurposing a campus bike from Tesla, which Ken said, “is it a much better use of their products, anyway.”
The builder made the front rack, did all the paint himself, and the three-speed Nexus hub is internally routed, which has got to be one of the wildest decisions, considering its size. One of the coolest details is the ground-facing lights beneath the lower horizontal tube, which Ken says look like badass underglow at night.
Ken is part of the MORCA, a local non-profit responsible for much of the trail work around Monterey and other cycling advocacy projects. They were also early supporters of the new pump track in Marina and are now working on an initiative to secure a permanent bike park near Sea Otter’s venue. With a confident little hop, Ken jumped up onto his bike and took off for his meeting, his panniers loaded with ice for the MORCA booth.
Niner Bikes: Updated Niner RLT 9 Steel + Mondo’s Singlespeed SIR 9We were eager to check out the newly redesigned Niner RLT 9 Steel at the Niner booth, and we caught up with Niner’s Brand Manager, Mondo, to learn more. The RLT 9 Steel frame they had on display was a prototype, as they’re still tweaking a few things, but it’s mainly an updated version of the original Niner RLT Steel they released 15 years ago.
The frame is covered in mounting points, has clearance for 700 x 50mm tires, and is being updated with fresh colors and a new fork. Niner is sticking with Reynolds 853 tubing to maintain its lightweight yet sturdy construction. It sounds like Niner isn’t quite ready to launch the latest RLT 9 Steel yet, but it’s coming soon.
Mondo also had his personal singlespeed SIR 9 on display, which we couldn’t resist pulling out for some photos. We don’t know much about it, but the hits of gold, silver paint job, and Profile Racing hubs combined for a clean take on a model that has been around for nearly two decades.
Sage Project FAF: A Prototype Ti Full-SuspensionFor the first time in 10 years, David Rosen, owner and designer at Sage, didn’t have a booth at Sea Otter. Thankfully, he still attended the show and reached out to a select group of media outlets to showcase a prototype titanium full-suspension mountain bike. According to David, the Sage Titanium FAF is the “world’s only fully modern, made-in-USA, full-suspension titanium mountain bike.” FAF stands for “fast as…” or maybe “fancy as…”, but you’ll be able to learn more at the 2026 MADE bike show in August, where it will officially launch.
Project FAF is an XC/downcountry bike built with premium US-sourced titanium tubing and 3D-printed titanium parts produced with an enhanced printing method that yields a stronger print overall. The frame and its parts are 100% USA made. It’s welded and assembled domestically, and the 3D-printed and CNC parts are even made in Oregon. Project FAF takes 3D printing to a whole new level to achieve the features, geometry, and clearance that David wanted. The upper shock mount, chainstay yoke, dropouts, and rear brake mount are all 3D-printed. The suspension uses a single-pivot flex-stay design with uniquely shaped seat stays and chainstays as flex points.
Some quick specs include 120mm front travel, 115-120mm rear travel, 29 x 2.4” tire clearance, 66° head tube angle, 470mm reach, and 435mm chainstays. The total bike weight as pictured is 28.6 pounds (12.9 kilograms). Project FAF will be available as a limited-edition pre-order run with a highly curated build of premium parts. Full pre-order details will be on Sage’s website by mid-summer and shared first with their newsletter subscribers. Pricing is TBA. See more from Sage at SageTitanium.com.
Williams Racing Products “Zero Drag” DT Swiss InternalsFounded and owned by engineer and bike racer Mic Williams, Williams Racing Products (WRP) is 100% Australian-owned and operated. All of WRP’s products are designed and manufactured in Australia, and their web store is packed full of custom suspension linkages, yokes, and small parts to customize your bike.
What caught our attention was Mic’s patent-pending “Zero Drag” DT Swiss Internals. The kit is compatible with 36T DT Swiss Hubs, either EXP or Standard Ratchet, and swaps out the internals for WRP’s double-clutch system that isolates the drive ring so no speed is lost to friction in the ratcheting drive mechanism while coasting. According to WRP, this also means that, with a slight backpedal, the wheel can also rotate backward independently of the freehub (to act as a freecoaster).
There’s a lot going on, but tiny magnets separate the two ratchets to the point where there is no contact while coasting, reducing drag. As soon as you pedal, the ratchets engage again like normal. No drag is pretty cool, but it also eliminates all coasting/ratcheting noise, which is great for anyone who likes to listen to the world and not have the world listen to their hub. The kit starts at $379 AUD and is available for pre-order now from WilliamsRacingProducts.com.
Kenda Dagger 32-Inch Tires + Berd HAWK30 Gold Carbon 32-Inch WheelsRoger, Kenda’s North American marketing manager, lovingly referred to the new 32-inch tire standard as “Ferris wheels.” Kenda was showing off a 32 x 2.4″ Dagger tire, which is essentially an updated Kenda Booster in a larger package. The Booster was an all-around cross-country tire, and the Dagger builds on it with larger side knobs and larger voids between lugs to shed mud better. The Dagger will be available in 32 x 2.4″, 29 x 2.6″, 29 x 2.4″, and 29 x 2.2″ sizes.
Kenda had the 32-inch Dagger set up on the newly launched Berd HAWK30 Gold Carbon 32-inch wheels, which Berd calls the “lightest and fastest 30mm cross-country wheels on the planet.” A complete wheelset weighs just 1,196 grams (without rim tape and valves), and they are rated for a 280-pound (127-kilogram) weight limit.
Wheelsets come set up with Berd Talon ESL hubs, Berd PolyLight Spokes, and your choice of SRAM XD, Shimano Microspline, or Shimano Hyperglide freehub. The wheels are available to purchase now and cost a cool $2,495 USD. Check them out at BerdSpokes.com.
BTCHN’ Bikes Alpina + DollywagonIt’s always a pleasure catching up with Tyler from BTCHN’ Bikes, based out of Chico, California. For Sea Otter, he brought along an exciting new release for the brand: BTCHN’s first-ever production mountain bike! The BTCHN’ Alpina is a 32-inch mountain bike that’s batch-built in partnership with Cameron Falconer at Falconer Cycles. As Tyler puts it, “if you prioritize raw speed on technical descents and want to stay fresh during 10-hour backcountry missions, this is your rig.”
The Alpina is largely designed by Tyler, including the in-house designed dropouts drawn up by BTCHN’s engineer, Nicholas. In order to have it made in the US, but affordable to more people, Tyler does most of the tube prep in-house, and then it’s all sent over to Cameron to do all the mitering, welding, and alignment. Tyler praised Cameron’s skills and said the partnership enables them to offer one of the nicest production frames you could buy.
The Alpina is available for pre-order now and is expected to ship in early May. There are three sizes available, from medium to extra-large. A frame will set you back $2,200 USD, and BTCHN’ has add-ons available on their webstore, including Wren Inverted forks, Intend forks, Maxxis Aspen 32-inch tires, and 32-inch Astral Jester wheelsets. BTCHN’ also offers complete builds, starting at $6,800 USD. Get all the details over at BTCHNBikes.com.
Set against all the serious bikes at Sea Otter, Jade’s sparkly hot pink BTCHN’ DollyWagon was a breath of fresh air. Jade rides an extra-small frame, and most frames that small spec tiny dropper posts and can’t carry much of anything inside the main triangle. Tyler set out to address this with a custom frame that fits a 170mm dropper post, two bottles inside the main triangle, and a third under the downtube.
The tube weight and diameters were selected based on Jade’s riding style, weight, and intended use. The DollyWagon features BTCHN’s own in-house designed UDH dropouts, a custom bullmoose bar, Paul Klampers, and some sort of unreleased Fox 69 fork?! All jokes aside, Jade was clearly excited about her bike, and it’s a good example that even the shortest riders can have the same riding experience as taller riders if the framebuilder knows what they’re doing.
Restrap: Switch Top Bag + Ultralight Hydration VestAfter years of emailing back and forth with the Restrap team, it was great to finally meet a few of them in person. Alex Dyson, the brand’s marketing and sales manager, gave us an early look at two upcoming products from the UK-based bag maker. The first is the Switch Top Bag, which is the next addition to the Switch Rack ecosystem of add-ons and accessories, and one of Restrap’s most requested bags. It has a generous 15L capacity, 100% waterproof construction, a roll-top closure, two compression straps on top, and stretchy side pockets for quick-access items.
The bag attaches to the Switch Rack using the Hiplok x Restrap Multi Mount. The mount bolts directly to the top of the rack, and the bottom of the bag slides into the mount and clicks into place. There are two webbing straps near the back of the bag that loop down around anchors on either side of the rack, eliminating any movement or wobbles.
The bag disconnects from the rack by unhooking the webbing straps and pulling up on a small release lever at the front of the bag. Restrap includes a laser-cut foam insert at the base of the bag to protect your contents, and there are webbing lash points on the front of the bag for securing gear. The back of the Switch Top Bag features a burly carry handle and a light mount. If you have a Switch Rack, you won’t have to wait long, as the Switch Top Bag launches later this week!
Not to be mistaken for sexy lingerie, Restrap will also be releasing an ultralight version of its hydration vest, pared down to the bare minimum. Constructed primarily from mesh, the vest has four stretchy pockets up front, a larger pocket out back, and it includes a 2L bladder that hangs inside. Alex said he used it during his Dales Divide ride a few weeks ago, and he hardly knew it was there. It carried his tracker, water, and his waterproof trousers when they weren’t in use. Although, by the sounds of it, they were mostly being worn, due to “horrific” conditions.
The vest has adjustable shock cord attachments on the front that can be moved depending on your chest size or body shape. They deliberately limited the bag’s structure to achieve a form-fitting, comfortable wearing experience. There will be two sizes available: small/medium and large/extra-large, and it should be available by the end of May.
Povec Electrochromic C1 SunglassesI’m not sure I’m excited about seeing more battery-powered tech, but amid the sea of e-scooters, e-bikes, and heated handlebars, there were a few nifty gadgets that grabbed our attention. Among them was the Povec Electrochromic C1 Sunglasses, which are self-proclaimed as “the world’s first electrochromic sunglasses.”
Like analog (I can’t believe I just wrote that) photochromic sunglasses, the Povec Electrochromic C1s adjust for changing light conditions, but instead of reacting to the light, the user can adjust the tint with a quick swipe of a finger. The glasses are powered by an internal 40 mAh battery that lasts up to 28 days when worn 4 hours per day. Of course, battery life can fluctuate depending on usage, configuration, settings, and other factors.
They have three tint settings: Clear, Balance, and Shade, interchangeable nose pads, and a few frame and lens color options. They should be launching soon, and you can sign up to be the first to know at PovecOptics.com.
REEB Cycles: Hall Pass + Prototype 32erREEB brand manager Jeff Lenosky was showcasing the newly released Hall Pass and a prototype 32-inch hardtail. Fun fact: Jeff has four national titles under his belt and, for years, held the world record for the bunny hop on a full-size mountain bike. The first bike Jeff showed us is the new Hall Pass, a Taiwan-made version of their US-made steel hardtail, the Re:Dikyelous, which was released last month to celebrate 15 years in business.
The Hall Pass features a custom-drawn, double-butted steel tubeset, internal ED coating, and is named after Hall Ranch in Lyons, Colorado, where REEB began testing bikes more than 15 years ago. REEB licensed Esker’s adjustable Portage dropout design for the Hall Pass after Jeff thought about what the perfect dropout looked like and realized it already existed. Jeff likes riding technical terrain and “getting jibby,” so they aimed to preserve some of that with the Hall Pass, while also increasing the size of the main triangle to allow more space for bags and bottles. The seat tube bosses stand off from the frame so the bolts don’t interfere with dropper posts.
They landed on a 130mm fork and 65.5° head tube angle, which Jeff says doesn’t give the sensation of the front end diving so much as the fork moves through its travel. “I really like the bike with the shorter fork, and I feel like it rides even more capably than the old bike, even though some people might have that misconception that throwing a longer fork is just going to help you get rowdier,” Jeff explained.
They used a 3D-printed chainstay yoke to achieve 29 x 2.6″ tire clearance, and the frame uses boost hub spacing, a UDH rear dropout, and external cable routing on the underside of the downtube. Frames start at $1,299 USD, and complete builds start at $3,177. Learn more here.
Jeff also had a prototype 32-inch steel hardtail on display, built with a similar tube set as the Hall Pass. It’s a little more cross-country-centric, so they used a larger-diameter tube with thinner walls. Despite its larger-than-average 32-inch tires, it looked like a tiny bike next to Jeff, standing at 6’4″. He said it rolls fast and over everything, and he heard that the Vittoria Peyote 32 x 2.4″ tire is one of the fastest tires ever tested.
The 32-inch prototype is very much a test rig at this point. It was built in-house at REEB’s shop in Longmont, Colorado, and uses 3D-printed chainstay and seatstay yokes to get the tire clearance and stiffness they wanted. Follow REEB on Instagram to stay in the loop.
SQLab: 614 ERGOWAVE Saddle + Gravel Handlebar TapeThe folks at SQlab shared a couple of new products that look applicable to anyone riding gravel or long, back-to-back days, and are on the hunt for some extra comfort. First up was the 614 ERGOWAVE saddle, their first gravel-oriented model with Active System technology, which allows the pelvis to move laterally while riding, reducing strain on the lower spine, pelvis, and hips. It works by allowing the saddle to tilt and move slightly as the rider’s weight shifts from side to side, with swappable elastomers to dial in the saddle’s lateral movement.
We also got to check out the new Gravel handlebar tape, a 5mm-thick rubber bar tape designed for off-road use. One unique feature is the row of dots down the middle of the tape, which serves as a reference point for the handle size or winding thickness. For example, wrapping the bar with all three dots visible results in the smallest-diameter grip, and wrapping with one row visible creates the thickest possible grip. Neil and I both agree the tape has a unique rubbery/leathery feel that we’re eager to try out for ourselves.
For more bikes, gear, and interesting finds from the 2026 Sea Otter Classic, explore the #SeaOtterClassic tag.
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