Continuing the coverage of the expo at Sea Otter, here are some of the cool new tools and accessories we discovered after spending three days walking the aisles.
Enduro Bearings
Enduro Bearings makes some of the most impressive bearings in the industry, with several brands choosing their products for their suspension pivot points. The MaxHit bottom bracket and headset are among the finest you can buy. However, if you’ve ever removed a bearing by punching it out, you’ve probably blown one up.
Enduro Bearings has developed a line of premium shop tools that will let techs remove and reinstall a bearing without damage to the component or the bearings themselves. I received a brief demo on the full line of adapters for pressing and removing bearings, and it’s impressive.
Muc-Off Cleaning Products
Muc-Off provided free bike washes at the event with their cleaning products with a team of staff happily doing the work for you, with washing products, and lubes also available for your drivetrain onsite. As my bike was still covered in gunk from a ride in Ashland, Oregon, I made it a point to drag it out of the van and get it washed. Thanks Muc-Off!
The collection of bicycle care products is comprehensive, featuring drivetrain and frame cleaning products, lubricants, and even a pressure washer kit.
Check out the whole collection at us.muc-off.com.
MountainFLOW Plant-Based Cycling Lubes
MountainFLOW offers a line of plant-based lubricants, cleaners, and ski waxes designed and formulated to be as effective as conventional, petroleum-based products. They got their start developing a water-based anti-stick spray that reduced snow and ice buildup on the top of skis.
They expanded to offering non-petroleum bike maintenance products, including degreasers, polish, grease, and all-weather lubes. We took an assortment of their plant-based lubes home with us and will report in with a review soon. Learn more at MountainFLOW.com.
Endura Helmets
We know Endura best for their cycling and lifestyle apparel (the shorts and jerseys I’ve reviewed are still in regular use after multiple seasons of riding), but the brand has also expanded into shoes as well as helmets and protection.
The MT500 helmet series features Koroyd 3D-formed inserts technology as well as MIPS for airflow and energy absorption in a lightweight package. I was especially impressed with the MT500 all mountain/trail helmet (it was labeled a medium) as it was one of the best fits I’ve tried in a half-shell helmet. As I have a rounder-shaped head, finding a fit can be challenging!
Check out the new collection at us.endurasport.com.
POC Helmets and Apparel
POC is known for high-performance protective gear, and their road/gravel helmets, IMO, are some of the most coveted and coolest-looking models. Their road and MTB helmets also recently received top-level safety rankings in VA Tech’s independent testing process. (sadly, their shapes are very oval, and don’t play at all with rounder head shapes like mine)
They’ve expanded their collection into apparel and eyewear, with the same science-based approach in their product development. Their new Novus Chamois took a new approach in how to improve padding for riders with male and female-specific designs, with an on-site demo of how they collect sit bone data.
Learn more at POC.com.
Peppermint Cycling
Peppermint Cycling made their Sea Otter debut this year with their collection of apparel specifically crafted for female cyclists. The Quebec-born brand was launching its spring 2025 collection with unique styles. My partner was especially intrigued by their adjustable side waist tabs that are taller than most. We took a selection of the MTB kit back with us, and will have a write-up on it soon.
Check out the SS25 collection lookbook here.
Almstre Handlebar Bags
Almstre Handlebar Bags have been popping up in my social feeds a lot lately and I got to take a closer look at them at the show. They come in a few colors and sizes and have multiple mounting options to fit your bars. Learn more at almsthre.com.
KOM Cycling Lights
KOM Cycling light mounts allow you to run your Garmin and a light on the same mount. The mounts are dual-sided, so you can run the light on the bottom and your Garmin on the top. The lights also feature Garmin-compatible mounts so you could run a GoPro on the bottom mount, your light, and your Garmin on top of the light. Or hell, stack two lights and then your Garmin!
I got pretty excited about the ability to stack multiple lights, as the larger model has a unique option to tilt the direction of the light. You could, in theory, run two lights stacked, with one aimed at the ground to get root, rock, and trail feature definition, with the other aimed ahead. The folks at KOM weren’t as fond of the idea as the mounts might not be rated for that load, but it’s cool you technically could do it! Check them out at KomCycling.com.
Hiplok
Hiplok introduced new items at the show, including home security mounts that pair with their high-security D lock series. The AX1000 anchor system has a pivoting arm so you can secure motorcycles and larger-framed bikes (like e-bikes).
Their Z Lok Combo lock is a versatile light security ziptie style lock, ideal for the cafe-stop scenarios where you want to keep people honest. I have one I tested for a review here, and I use it full time to secure my motorcycle helmet when running errands. Their new Apple Air Tag mount, the “Track,” also features an integrated Z LOK bracket so you have a place to carry it on your rides.
Learn more at Hiplok.com.
Knog Scout Bike Alarm and Finder
A lot of bike trackers are designed for use with the Apple AirTag and “Find My” app. The Knog Scout Bike Alarm and Finder adds a level of security with an 85 dB bike alarm function. It also features a built-in tracker that can be located with the Apple network’s app. Its low profile allows it to be bolted and hidden under a bottle cage and the rechargeable USB-C battery has a 2- 6 month battery life.
Learn more at us.knog.com.
Fluid Sports Nutrition
I find getting proper nutrition challenging as an aspiring athlete. This year, I’ve been focused on building strength following my shoulder surgery, and because of that, I’ve been avoiding long-distance rides, as I have trouble recovering. With my focus on building muscle mass, several peers have recommended adding creatine supplements as well as whey and protein shakes to my diet. I may have to give the Fluid products a try.
They had several hydration stations at Sea Otter with a range of their electrolyte drinks, and I managed to try them all. The most notable takeaway I had was not only were they easy to down and tasted good, but they weren’t overly sweet. We might be changing up our go-to brand. (Admittedly, we generally buy whatever we find at Costco or is on sale!)
Learn more at store.livefluid.com.
KT Recovery Products
KT was showcasing their lineup of kinesiology tape and recovery products designed to soothe sore muscles, reduce tension, and support active recovery.
Kinesiology tape is a thin, flexible tape that was developed to aid muscle movement and enhance athletic performance. It is often used to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, and provide support to joints and muscles.
If you’re tape-curious, KT Tape has a page on how the products work and tutorials here.
Robert Axle Project Tire Plugs
If you’ve ever gotten frustrated about finding an axle for a frame or fork and couldn’t figure out the fit, you may have come across our article featuring the Robert Axle Project. They make the widest selection of hub axles around. They launched a cool, stealthy tire plug tool that fits securely into the end of their 15mm front axles. The plug is preloaded with a bacon strip, and quick to access should you get a puncture in your tubeless tire.
They sent me home with one, and I’ll be sharing more about it soon. Learn more at RobertAxleProject.com.
Topeak Nano Shock
We keep a shock pump in the car, but rarely take one along for rides as they’re big and require a large pack to carry them. The Topeak Nano Shock is small enough to fit in a small waist pack.