For more on this year's SOC coverage, find our previous articles here, here, and here.
Ken's Rizzo Cycles custom gravel bike
A brand manager at Hunt Wheels, Ken took delivery of his custom-built Rizzo Cycles gravel bike just prior to heading out to Sea Otter. Ruben Rizzo, who is based in Madrid, Spain, builds frames of steel and titanium, often going to great lengths to integrate cockpits with the latest in headset and handlebar tech.
In the case of Ken's build, Rizzo designed the titanium frame around the Chris King Aero Inset headset with ENVE's In-Route bar and stem combo. Completing the speedy-looking gravel chassis, it's running SRAM RED XPLR AXS deivetrain, HUNT SUB50 Limitless Aero Disc laced to QVIST Duo hub with Vittoria Terreno T50 tires (50 mm front and 45 mm rear). The saddle is custom from Posedla, Ogle Components titanium lockrings keep rotors secure, and the finish is Porsche "Paint to Sample" Amethyst Metallic.
Lee Cougan Innova Super Gravel
The Lee Cougan brand has been making a comeback in recent years with some very interesting designs. A solid example is the Innova Super Gravel, which attempts to blur the lines between gravel and mountain bikes. With suspension-corrected geo for up to a 100 mm travel fork, flexy chainstays, patented ISS (Innova Structural Suspension) rear damping system, and 29 x 2.4" tire fitment, the new bike seems to stand out in a crowded field.
First seen in the Rampage Innova mountain bike, ISS is a set of oil-filled pistons that work with flexstays to reportedly offer the benefits of rear suspension without much weight penalty (the frameset is advertised to weigh 1,180 grams in size medium). Other spec details include boost spacing and integrated cable routing with Acros internal headset and Woz Alpha stem. Pricing and availability are still TBD, but the bike is listed on Lee Cougan's website so we should know more soon.
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