Welcome to The Lunch Ride!

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Here's the best new stuff this week:

• Scott Genius hides the shock
• New Orbea Oiz XC bike
• YT Szepter gravel bike
• Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey 4.0
• Motoshi Yoshio x Colnago
• Cadex 185g gravel handlebar
• Cannondale's Compact NEO e-bike
• Race Face Era carbon cranks
• Prototype Digit Ring 29er
• Raleigh Tuff Burner BMX reboot
• Get a Zwift Makuri Islands kit
• A stupid (?) Hummer e-MTB

Scott Genius trail bike gets hidden, dual-travel rear shock

The 2023 Scott Genius trail bike gets the internal shock design from the Spark to give it a lower center of gravity and sleeker look, but with 150mm rear travel paired to a longer 160mm fork. An adjustable headset cup switches head angle between 64º and 65º.

New Fox NUDE 5 shocks use primary & secondary positive air chambers to provide 150mm travel in "Descend" mode. Pushing the TwinLoc remote closes the secondary chamber, limiting usable travel to a 100mm by creating a much sharper ramp in the air spring. This limits sag, too, putting you in a taller, climbing-friendly "Pedal" mode. Sounds weird, but it works really well.

Standard models get an inline shock with the remote adjusting the fork, too. "Super Trail" ST models get a piggyback shock with extra adjustability and no fork remotes.

A pop-off panel under the BB provides easy access to the shock's adjustments. Fully internal cable routing & integrated cockpits complete the look. MRSP from $4,499 to $11,999. (video here)

Orbea Oiz XC race bike jumps to 120mm travel

Orbea specifically says the new Oiz is not a downcountry or light trail bike, it is a pure XC race bike that just happens to get more travel than before. It's still XC light; the top model is 9.98kg (21.9lb, size M) with pedals, bottle & computer mount! Frame weight is just 1,750g.

A slacker 67º head angle, steeper seat angle, lower BB, shorter rear end, longer reach and lower stack height modernize its fit and handling. And it'll fit two bottles inside the front triangle on all frame sizes.

The suspension keeps the UFO single-pivot, flexing seatstay design with a new, smaller carbon rocker and 12% stiffer rear end. Their Squidlock 3-position lock-out gives you remote control of the fork and shock's compression settings.

Cables now run internally, entering thru the headset to maintain easy cockpit adjustments, and a Spin Block bumper prevents the bar from hitting the top tube in a wreck. Available in carbon and alloy, prices from $3,299 to $10,499.

YT Szepter "downhill" gravel bike

Built for shredding the gravity gravel, the new YT Szepter is their first drop-bar bike, but it's meant to fit right in with their mountain bikes. Both models come with a Rockshox Rudy XPLR suspension fork with a slack 69.3º head angle to conquer the trails and descents.

Tight chainstays with curved seat tube keep handling sharp, and an integrated bolt-on fender matches the arc nicely. They even include a custom fork fender to match. Accessory mounts under the top tube and multiple bottle mounts on the downtube add a bit of storage. The top model comes with a Reverb AXS XPLR dropper, too. MSRP from $3,299 to $4,499.

Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey 4.0 is an "everything" bike

Need a road bike, gravel bike, and adventure touring bikepacking bike? All in one? That's the new carbon Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey 4.0. Despite the now slimmer frame, it adds 23 mounting points across the frame and fork plus an internal downtube storage compartment.

It has full internal routing, but you can also run things externally, and it works with everything - 1x or 2x or singlespeed, electronic or mechanical, and dropper seatposts. Pick your finish (raw, paint, or Cerakote!) and decal colors. Sliding rear dropouts allow tires up to 29x2.1". Basically, you can make it any type of bike you want. Frameset is $2,795, bikes from $6,043.

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Motoki Yoshio x Colnago C68

Pure eye candy. The limited edition Motoki Yoshio x Colnago C68 road bike captures the harmony of the form, using color to accentuate the rounder lugs and frame features, all with respect paid to the brand's traditional manufacturing technique.

Built with Campagnolo Super Record EPS and Bora WTO wheels, Selle Italia SLR Flow Carbon saddle, Pirelli PZero race tires, and Colnago's integrated handlebar. Price and availability TBA.

Cadex GX 185g gravel handlebar

Using a one-piece construction to improve strength and reduce weight, the 185g Cadex GX gravel handlebar gets good numbers elsewhere, too. A 16º flare with 5º outsweep and 44mm tails on the drops give you plenty of room to grip and rip the descents.

The tops have a D-shaped profile and 5º backsweep for more comfort, plus a short 70mm reach and 115mm drop make it easy to transition between tops and drops. Widths are 400/420/440/460mm at the hoods, and 66mm wider at the ends. Weights are 185g/190g/195g/200g, respectively. MSRP is $450.

Cannondale Compact NEO miniature e-bike

The new Cannondale Compact NEO fits a 250Wh battery inside the downtube to power a 250W Hyena hub motor for assistance up to 20mph (or 25km/h in EU markets) for up to 47 miles. It rolls with an 8-speed MicroShift group on 20x2.35" all-terrain Kenda tires.

A quick-release stem lets the handlebar swing flat against the bike, and the pedals fold flat, too, so it'll fit in tight spaces between rides. Full fenders, lights, a rear rack, and an extra-long seatpost make it a versatile bike to fit almost any rider and situation. MSRP is $1,900.

Race Face ERA carbon cranks get stainless scuff plates

I love Race Face's carbon cranks, and the new ERA crankset stays true to the lightweight, durable ethos they're known for. They add a stainless steel protective panel to prevent heel rub from wearing down the finish and, eventually, the carbon, yet weigh just 483g (w/o chainring).

They say it's the last carbon crankset you'll ever need to buy thanks to a stronger, stiffer design and new manufacturing process. So they gave it a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty, crashes included. Available in 165/170/175mm lengths, 7 decal colors, and 8 boot colors for $499.

Digit Ring 29er prototype with integrated shock

Digit's shock-in-the-top tube "Analog Suspension" design debuted with the mixed wheel, longer travel Datum. Now they're working on the Digit Ring, a 29er version with 125mm rear travel to be paired with 140mm forks.

The design allows for longer stroke shocks, more oil volume, and simpler damping systems, which they say is stiffer, lighter, and more reliable. And also easy to service, despite appearances. Planned release is mid-2023.

Raleigh Tuff Burner BMX re-boot

The triple pads, the blue Kashimax saddle, the 20" Skyway Tuff rims with blue gumwall tires...it's all here on the limited edition re-release of the Raleigh Tuff Burner BMX bike. The only change from the 1982 original is a slight tweak to modernize the geometry. MSRP is £600. (video here)

How to earn a Zwift Makuri Islands Kit

The 6-stage Zwift Tour of Makuri Islands is now open. The first four stages are on Neokyo and Yumezi, Stage 5 & 6 will be held on the unreleased Urukazi map. Finish all six before Nov. 30 to earn a Makuri Islands kit for your avatar.

Deep Thoughts

The Recon Hummer e-bike gets two 750W hub motors to create an AWD, fat-tired beast with "Adrenaline Mode" that blasts 1500W of combined power, with 160Nm of torque, up to 30+ mph...with a throttle if you don't want to pedal.

Fun? Certainly. I totally want to ride one. But...

I've been struggling with this all week. Anything that gets the Hummer customer to ride a bike is a good thing, right?

As a "cyclist", my first impression is...ugh. The image shows a mid-drive motor, but it doesn't have one. Fork is identified simply as "Front Suspension". But...

No-name brakes, but they are hydraulic. No-name wheels, but Kenda tires. LG battery cells. Lights, metal fenders, and a rear rack. I mean, not bad?

Am I too quick to judge? Should I judge? Clearly, I'm not the customer for this.

For $3,999, there are better bikes and brands to attach a premium vehicle's name to. But would those brands dilute their own by creating something like this?

And, does the Hummer customer care? Or know to care? Should I (we?) just be stoked that it might get more people on bikes?

On Stage

Just a little something to get you pumped for weekend riding!

Small Bites

• The Ibis Hakka MX gets three wacky new colors
• Here are some wild 5kg (or less) hill climb road bikes
• Kask is happy without MIPS, thank you very much
• Nominate someone for the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame
• Wolf Tooth has limited edition Orange ReMote levers
• Bike Bus is a thing now for getting kids to school
• The Orucase Janus Duffel looks perfect for cyclists
• Jank's inline pump mounts are simply brilliant

Early Black Friday Deals

• Pactimo's has kits up to 65% off
• Bikes Online has Marin & Polygon bikes almost 40% off
• Spot Bikes has SRAM, Rockshox parts up to 50% off
• Fezzari has road, MTB, and fat bikes up to $1,500 off
• Use code EXTRA20 for 20% off some BF deals at JensonUSA

The Lunch Ride is a weekly recap of the best new cycling products and tech. SUBSCRIBE HERE to get it in your inbox every Friday.

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