The sun-soaked bike festival that is the Sea Otter Classic is now in full swing, with the racing well underway and the expo beaming with the hottest tech in cycling right now.
We've already brought you highlights from day one, showcasing Classified's push into mountain biking, strange garage door hacks, new tech from Selle Italia and more, and now it's time to round up everything we saw on day two.
Today's highlights include Josh getting an EEG brain scan, a stunning custom-painted Santa Cruz Stigmata, positive news out of Saris, a wild aero oversized pulley system from Kogel, and a look at the road bike that AG2R-Citroen will be using next season.
Outride, the charity set up by Specialized founder Mike Sinyard, is working with researchers with five- and 15-point brain scanning devices that measure electrical activity at various points around the head. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The purpose is to showcase how cycling – and, more broadly, exercise and getting outside – can help with mood. The research has already concluded that there's a correlation between the two, confirming what many of us already know, but the aim is to use the technology to quantify which areas of the brain respond in different ways to different types of exercise. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
By taking a baseline test prior to exercise, and then another after a ride, and accompanying those two datasets with feedback from the rider and an overview of the ride they've just done, researchers are able to analyse how an individual responds to different types of stimulus. Repeat that process over a number of rides, and a picture can be gathered of the individual. In theory, this information could be used to create a training plan of workouts that aren't targeting the physiological adaptations, but the mental ones instead, helping to tackle mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Move over CeramicSpeed, Kogel has entered the aero, shrouded oversized pulley wheel space (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Amusingly, there's no data to back up whether or not it's actually faster. Gustav Gullholm (more widely known as Dangerholm on social media), maker of some wild custom bikes with Kogel components, said, "Do we know for a fact that it's a lot faster and more aero? No. Does it look absolutely incredible? Yes.
You can't fault his honesty. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
British brand Stashed are also here with a neat bike storage idea. The rail at the top of this frame can be hung from a ceiling or a wall. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
On the underside of the rail, accessories such as these hooks can be fitted. The hooks hold your bikes vertically, keeping them out of the way, and can rotate and slide around with ease, making it easy to get past the kids bikes and go out for a ride. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Last year, we reviewed the Saris Modular Hitch System (MHS) and said that it's a great system, but it's reliant on Saris eventually launching the add-ons. Given the difficulties Saris has faced in the past 12 months - going into receivership and being sold - there was a concern that these products would never come. Thankfully, the products are here, and the word out of the Saris camp is positive. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Elsewhere, Campagnolo had its newest flagship wheels on show. They're competitively light at 1,240g, but they'll set you back $4,100. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
In much more affordable tech, this multitool is borne out of a collaboration between Cannondale and Dynaplug, and sees a tyre plug filling one of the 11 tool slots. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
CeramicSpeed has some new colours on show. Primarily aimed at mountain biking, the orange and gold was chosen to complement Fox forks with Kashima stanchions. The 'Ice Blue' had less thought behind it, but looks great nonetheless. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The bike, to be known as the RCR, launches soon. This Force-equipped model with Zipp 404 Firecrest wheels will retail at a rather attractive $6,999 (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Pricing isn't yet available for the TT bike, which also launches soon (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This titanium gravel bike with GRX 600 is also competitively priced at $3,999. It bears the Riverside brand name, but it's all under the Decathlon umbrella (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The brand is also making a carbon gravel bike. This one, with Force XPLR, is priced at $5,699 (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Elsewhere, Fizik has new saddles on the way. The Antares and Aliante get an update as shown here (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
While the 3D-printed technology is now applied to the Argo with a carbon rail and carbon shell (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
In other new product news, Vitus has a new two-in-one bike, the Venon. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It's one frame, available in two guises. The EVO GR is specced with gravel components, while the EVO RS is equipped with road spec (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It's a do-it-all machine, with fender mounts, plenty of mounting points, and clearance for 35mm tyres (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It has intentionally been given a compliant rear end (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
While the front end has visibly had aerodynamics in mind. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This custom Santa Cruz Stigmata really caught our eye. It's painted by Custis Bullock, known to many by his social media handle 'Save The Postal Service'. The next few photos are dedicated to this intricate paint job that covers the frame, seatpost, bar, stem, and is complemented by the Sim Works 'The Homage' mint green tyres and capped off by Chris King's purple anodised hubs and headset. The final few photos in this gallery are dedicated to this build, we'll leave you to enjoy them (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
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As the Tech Editor here at Cyclingnews, Josh leads on content relating to all-things tech, including bikes, kit and components in order to cover product launches and curate our world-class buying guides, reviews and deals. Alongside this, his love for WorldTour racing and eagle eyes mean he's often breaking tech stories from the pro peloton too.
On the bike, 32-year-old Josh has been riding and racing since his early teens. He started out racing cross country when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s and has never looked back. He's always training for the next big event and is keen to get his hands on the newest tech to help. He enjoys a good long ride on road or gravel, but he's most alive when he's elbow-to-elbow in a local criterium.
