Gearworx: New gear and future bikes from Whistler village

Crankworx is wrapping up its grand return to Whistler this week with all the crowds and excitement the week-long festival brings. With the world’s best athletes and plenty of hype, there’s also all kinds of new bikes and parts on display, or hiding in plain sight.

Here’s some of the gear we spotted in Whistler this week.

Not huge lugs, but still some grip

Fast, but confident on techy Whistler trails

Maxxis Forekaster

Maxxis recently revamped its formerly-XC Forekaster into a fast-rolling trail tread. The first production run sold out immediately, but we had a chance to roll around some of Whistler’s old-school tech on Comfortably Numb and more XC trails in Lost Lake. After riding the new tread, which shares little but name with the outgoing shoulder-season XC tire, it’s easy to see why it’s been so well received. We’re waiting for a full review but the early impressions are good. It’s still fast, it has plenty of grip and it suited the new Rocky Mountain Element we rode near-perfectly. A great middle ground between a Minion or Dissector and a full-on XC tire.

Giant LTD eMTB and 50th anniversary

Giant is celebrating its 50-year anniversary this year. To mark the occasion the brand had its past and its future on display in Whistler village. For the past, a perfectly maintained Cadex 2 that was once owned and raced by Sprockid’s founder Doug Detwiller. The best of that era’s technology, the lugged carbon fibre frame shone with anodized Cook Bros cranks, brake boosters, bar ends, a less-than-confidence-inspiring Manitou fork and a full array of three chainrings. Plus, Shimano’s early XTR drivetrain.

For the future, Giant’s new gold-flaked Trance X Advanced E+ LTD electric mountain bike. With more wires and batteries than I can count, the top-end build features SRAM’s wireless AXS shifting and dropper post, Fox’s Live Valve electronic suspension control and Zipp Moto wheels with TyreWiz pressure sensors plus the Yamaha’s battery and integrated mounts for GoPro and/or computer. Only 500-odd bikes will be made, so move fast if you want plug in and experience the future for yourself.

Smith goggles

Smith was showing a few new sets of goggles off at Crankworx. The top-end Rhythm are already in the hands of (and on the podiums with) several Smith athletes during the weekend’s EWS. Smith’s first designed-for-MTB goggle uses an open top, with mounts for a film to keep out dust or mud, a wide strap, interchangeable lenses and…