Hello and welcome to the 2013 RoadBikeReview.com Sea Otter Classic Live Blog. During this four-day celebration of all things cycling at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, we'll be continually updating this page with photos and beta on all the latest cycling technology. Whether it's new gear or apparel, celebrity sightings, or updates on events, this is the place to stay up to date on all the action. Make sure to check back early and often. The newest updates will always be on the top of the page.

4:00 pm | by Jason Sumner

Innovate or die is the motto at Specialized and this aero tandem certainly fits the bill. The creation of top Big Red S designer Robert Egger, it has a Venge inspired down tube, internal cable routing, and one piece bar and stems. Don't expect it to go full production any time soon, but it's sure fun to imagine what if.





3:56 pm | by Jason Sumner

The 2013 Sea Otter Classic is coming to a close here in California. Thanks to all of you for checking out the Live Blog. Stay tuned for lots more beta on new and cool products.



2:02 pm | by Francis Cebedo

Stand By Me - compact, removable bike stand. Adjustable length $34.99 aluminum. Bikestandbyme.com.



12:14 am | by Jason Sumner

Here's SRAM's Michael Zellman giving the full video download on the new hydraulic disk and rim brakes, the new 22 speed, and updated Zipp 303s. Look for the full video soon on RoadBikeReview.



11:52 am | by Jason Sumner

California-based Giro is expanding it's product offering with a new line of technical but casual cycling wear. The idea is to be technical but not look technical. Pictured are the 5 and 40-mile shorts, which indicate the length of ride they're intended for. Neither have a chamois. Retail is $120 and $130. All told there are 14 pieces in the line, including a wind shirt, shoes, and a bib short that has pockets so you can carry gear underneath your shirt or jacket. Giro is also working on a helmet they'll debut later in the year.



And here is the Giro Republic shoe. Retail is $190.



The new Giro wind shirt.



10:27 am | by Jason Sumner

Meet Endurance Conspiracy. This husband-wife operated company from Boulder has an array of cool T shirts. The designs are primarily the creations of Tony Deboom brother of pro tri star Tim Deboom. At Sea Otter shirts are priced at $25 each or 2 for $40. They run $30 online. More designs in the gallery below.



10:22 am | by Jason Sumner

Living legend Gary Fisher spotted this morning here at Sea Otter. The 62-year-old says he still rides 6 days a week and has fallen in love with using Strava. He also believes the lack of qualified mechanics is one of the biggest problems facing the bike industry. As for wheel size, he's a 29er man, but thinks 27.5 is a great addition to the market, creating bikes for people who enjoy a more playful ride.



9:00 am | by Jason Sumner

Raleigh CX team stars Ben Berden and Caroline Mani scored victories in Saturday's Sea Otter pro cyclocross race. But this guy wins the award for best trick.



8:51 am | by Jason Sumner

Organizers estimate that 50,000 people will pass through the gates of the 2013 Sea Otter Classic. No doubt the crowds on Saturday were huge.





8:42 am | by Jason Sumner

Lake Shoes is making a big push back into the US market with new road, MTB and cyclocross-specific shoes. That's right, cross-specific. The new MX331Cross is essentially a lighter version of the popular MX. It comes with replaceable cleats, heel spikes and toe spikes. Pricing and availability to be determined.



Saturday, April 20th Sea Otter Coverage »

Friday, April 19th Sea Otter Coverage »

Thursday, April 18th Sea Otter Coverage »




Saturday, April 20th Sea Otter Coverage

4:59 pm | by Jason Sumner

New player in the US helmet market is German-based Cratoni. We'll have full details soon.



4:16 pm | by Jason Sumner

The legend himself--Tom Ritchey. Looking fit and fast as usual.



4:08 pm | by Jason Sumner

We've known them for years as the lubricator of all things squeaky. Now bikes are part of that mission. The full WD-40 lines includes cleaner, degreaser, polish and wet and dry chain lube.



3:50 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Sierra Nevada is the official beer of Sea Otter, and this year they brought a pedal-powered bar with them where everyone sitting in the bar trolley must pedal to make the libation machine move.



3:49 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Volkswagen is the official sponsor of the Sea Otter Classic, and if you have a VW, you get special infield parking. Out of nearly 100 cars, this '83 GTI is the coolest VW in the lot we've seen today.



3:47 pm | by Jason Sumner

The new Cervelo P3 TT machine and its creator, the venerable Phil White. The P3 is designed as an affordable but blazing fast option for the race of truth. Price is $5400.



3:28 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

After finishing 7th yesterday in the singlespeed cross-country race, Yuri Hauswald of GU Energy is spinning up some GU Brew recovery smoothies for everyone at the GU Recovery Lounge.



3:08 pm | by Jason Sumner

Check out to brand new Cervelo P3 time trial machine. We are about to get the full download from the man himself Phil White. First he needs to finish his burrito.



3:00 pm | by Jason Sumner

Celebrity sighting! The infamous Brian Worthy and Steve Brawley.



2:34 pm | by Jason Sumner

Trek is bringing its Project One customization program on the road this year with the Project One Mobile Experience. Pick your frame, pick your components, and pick your own personal paint scheme. The possibilities are literally limitless.



We like this Green Bay Packer themed Madone. Go Pack Go!



1:45 pm | by Jason Sumner

Sea Otter is alive and kicking on Saturday. Weather is pretty good, too.



1:33 pm | by Jason Sumner

And the reward for our efforts.



1:30 pm | by Jason Sumner

Thanks to Cathy and Jon at Moots for loaning us this swanky Ti Vamoots CR. It was a great vehicle for the spate of bumpy chip-n-seal roads we encountered today. Composites may rule the day right now, but there will always be a place for the smooth ride of titanium.



1:27 pm | by Jason Sumner

And lots of climbing like this...



1:26 pm | by Jason Sumner

Lots of beautiful roads like this in today's Sea Otter gran fondo.



1:20 pm | by Jason Sumner

Sea Otter gran fondo in the books. Tough but beautiful day on the roads of Carmel Valley. All the pertinent data below.



Friday, April 19th Sea Otter Coverage »

Thursday, April 18th Sea Otter Coverage »




Friday, April 19th Sea Otter Coverage

4:23 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Vittoria today launched a new tire for cyclocross called the Cross XL Pro. Available in 31c and 33c sizes, the Cross XL Pro can also be purchased as a clincher, a tubeless clincher or a tubular. Enhanced center knobs and optimal spacing deliver fast rolling performance in dry conditions and mud shedding traction in the most apocalyptic conditions.



4:05 pm | by Jason Sumner

Lots of gee-whiz factor with the Culprit Legend, a first-of-its kind hydraulic disc equipped triathlon frame. You'll also notice a complete lack of seatstays. The idea is to enhance rider comfort, leaving you fresher come run time. The frame is still in the design and testing phase, but Culprit plans to have production models ready to ship by December. Stay tuned.



4:00 pm | by John Shafer

Spotted in the Sea Otter media parking in the hands of a photographer - this super sexy Boo Cycles bamboo bike. Gimme!



3:58 pm | by John Shafer

Spinergy's new full carbon tubular wheelset weighs in at just 1050 grams. There's also a clincher version that weighs 1260 grams.



3:15 pm | by Jason Sumner

Meet the Giant Propel Advanced SL 1 aero road bike. $7500 and race ready.



3:07 pm | by Jason Sumner

Velo Saddles is making a big push into the US market. The Taichung-based company is one of the largest in world, producing 15 million saddles a year. That allows for a ton of variety of design and shape, and some friendly price points. The two pictured here are the Miles SL carbon ($175) and Miles 1 ($140).





2:08 pm | by Jason Sumner

Raleigh has revamped its entire cross line for 2014, including its top shelf RXC Pro Disc, which will be ridden by Belgian ace Ben Berden. The big change is in spec. This $5000 rig comes with Shimano Ultegra Di2, an ENVE carbon fork, and 22mm American Classic Hurricane wheels. Available starting in June in five sizes (50cm to 59cm). Tattoos not included.



1:21 pm | by Jason Sumner

Check out the all new Focus Izalco Team SL Ag2r Team Replica. Comes with Shimano, SRAM or Campy Record builds, including the pictured EPS set-up for $9,500. Available starting in June. Frame weight is approximately 960grams for a 54cm.



1:15 pm | by Jason Sumner

Just left the big SRAM unveil. A few more key facts: pistons are 19mm front, 18mm rear; system is fully sealed; rotors are 160mm for pavement with a 140mm option for off-road/cx; master cylinder is road specific; and shifters have reach adjust and are ergonomicly designed.



12:40 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

What could be cooler than a Diamondback Podium 7 with 80th Anniversary Campagnolo Record components? How about a Podium 7 with a 30-year-old, brand new 50th Anniversary Campy record group. Check out the classic shifters riveted onto the downtube! Super stylin'. And get this - Diamondback is raffling off the Podium 7 with the 80th Anniversary Gruppo. Stop by their tent and register! See more photos in the gallery below.



12:20 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Vittoria this morning launched a special edition Rubino Pro in Giro Pink to commemorate Vittoria's 60th anniversary, available in both 23c and 25c.



11:38 am | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Volkswagen is the official sponsor of Sea Otter, and if you own a Volkswagen, you get free infield parking at the venue, so bring your VEEDUB. This Vittoria GTI is sick. Stay tuned for an update this morning on the 2014 Vittoria and Geax product releases.



11:30 am | by Jason Sumner

Just poked our head into the Grammo both. The New Zealand- based bike and wheel company is now distributing direct to consumer in the US. They have traditional and disc options, and a beautiful disc-equipped Grammo C4 rig, plus several wheel depths.



11:28 am | by The Angry Singlespeeder

The Honey Stinger bee is making the rounds at Sea Otter today handing out free samples of their waffles and other products. Be sure to track down the bee!



11:15 am | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Stop by the GU Energy booth and spin yourself up a recovery drink with this killer pedal-powered blender.



11:05 am | by The Angry Singlespeeder

It's hard to be angry on such a beautiful morning at Sea Otter. Lots of cool stuff to see today. Keep checking back to the live blog for updates throughout the day!



10:41 am | by Jason Sumner

Just finished up 90-minute test ride on new SRAM 22 with hydraulic disc. Really impressive. Cross chaining not an issue even when going big-big and small-small. And the braking is amazingly powerful and easy to engage. Welcome to the work of non-fatiguing one-finger braking. More pix (in the gallery below) and info soon.



10:30 am | by Jason Sumner

Early wake-up call this morning to ride with SRAM gang and check out their new 22-speed Red group and hydraulic disc brakes. Just did a spin around parking lot and braking is already notably better. More soon.



Thursday, April 18th Sea Otter Coverage »




Thursday, April 18th Sea Otter Coverage

5:01 pm | by Jason Sumner

Bikes Belong is a national advocacy group based in Boulder that is doing great work for all cyclists. In the last few years they have collected nearly 700,000 signatures in a effort to make the U.S. safer for cycling. Here at Sea Otter they have a plinko game where you can win things like a T shirt, high 5, or coozie. We scored the later. It came with a beer in it. Thanks for all you do Bikes Belong!!



4:42 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Hey pardner, come on over to the Kenda booth and try your hand at the mechanical bull.



4:40 pm | by John Shafer

There was some roadracing on the Laguna Seca track at Sea Otter today. I believe this is a Masters race.





4:31 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

The Rothmans Porsche 911 is one of the most legendary rally cars in history, and its here on display at Sea Otter.



4:12 pm | by Jason Sumner

Hot off the presses is the brand new Felt FX2 cross rig equipped with SRAM's new hydraulic disc setup. MSRP is $5,000 to $5,169. Available in early August. Felt also unveiled several other new CX steeds, including the F24X, a 24-inch kids specific crosser. Look for more info on all the new bikes soon.



4:00 pm | by Jason Sumner

Smith Optics are displaying their usual array of sweet shades. These all rest on the style side, but we picked up a test pair of photochromics that we'll be putting through the paces during our next ride.



3:45 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

The GU Energy Recovery Lounge is the place to hang after a race or even after a warm-up ride. Loaded with terrific recovery products like Gu Brew and even pre-ride power up energy like Chomps and Gels, the Recovery Lounge is a great way to sample the complete line of GU products. Stop on by!



3:22 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

The Monster Media Presented by MRI team on their green Masi Evos are absolutely crushing the field in the Masters 35+ Pro/1/2 crit here at Sea Otter. Four man time trial way off the front!



2:11 pm | by Jason Sumner

Meet the Scapin Ivor, a sexy 100% Italian made carbon fiber road machine that's now being distributed in the U.S. by Stage Race Cycling. Look for more details on this bike and its Austrian made composite Xentis wheels soon.





12:45 pm | by Jason Sumner

Just spotted these new road tires from Michelin. They are an industry first 150 tpi nylon. Cost is $80. Weight is 180 grams.



12:35 pm | by The Angry Singlespeeder

Bird's eye view of the circuit race course from the media booth. Racing is well underway here at Sea Otter. Only issue I see is that these guys have too many damn gears on their bikes.



10:19 am | by Jason Sumner

The Angry Singlespeeder is here and he's already pissed off. And working for once. As for the helmet, it's still in prototype phase but we are hoping to start production soon.



10:14 am | by Jason Sumner

The Mtbr / RoadBikeReview tent is open for business. If you're at Sea Otter come stop by to enter a raffle for a Niner MTB frame and check out our new hoodies. We're near the main stage in the expo area (Booth 300).



10:09 am | by Jason Sumner

The 2013 Sea Otter Classic is on! Crowds are thin now, but organizers expect 50,000 people to visit before the four-day event is done.



10:02 am | by Jason Sumner

Just happened upon members of the Colavita Fine Cooking women's racing team warming down after this morning's pro crit. It was the first of four stages that includes a hilly circuit race and a TT. They ride Jamis carbon bikes.



9:59 am | by Jason Sumner

Yeah, we know this is a cycling event, but we are at a raceway. Vroooooom!



9:55 am | by Jason Sumner

Rapha Unveils Three Cool Retro Jerseys: The gang from Rapha opted to take a pass on this year's Sea Otter Classic expo, but they do have some cool new jerseys to show off. The hook this time around is the 1962 Tour de France podium, which marked the return of trade teams to the world's greatest bike race. Read more here.