2024 Eurobike Finds (Part 1): Danger Max, Ortlieb Racks and Packs, SON Ladelux, and More

On the heels of Bespoked UK (which I still have more great coverage for in the works), I beelined over to Frankfurt, Germany, to get a first-hand account of the ridiculous spectacle that is Eurobike. I’d like to tell you that I’m impressed, but honestly, it’s been nothing short of a shock, so far. I won’t go into that in this post as I’m in scramble mode, so let’s get straight to the goods since there are some really nice things being released and teased here. To lead things off, here’s the first collection of products and prototypes I discovered on day one.

Dangerholm’s Solace eRIDE “Wasteland”

Let’s start with my favorite thing I’ve seen at the show so far, Dangerholm’s SCOTT Solace eRIDE “Wasteland.” I had the chance to catch up with sir Dangerholm and ask a few questions about it. In summary, this wild bike came out of an interesting challenge that SCOTT posed to him a while a go: they asked him to work his magic using a Solace Gravel eRIDE, the brand’s e-gravel bike. Despite the eRIDE not being Dangerholm’ typical choice, he eagerly accepted. Known for his unconventional, and at times otherworldly, bike builds, he saw this as an opportunity to infuse post-apocalyptic Mad Max vibes into a bike type that otherwise might not be the most creatively compelling.

“For several years now, I’ve been wanting to do a build with some sort of clip-on or fork-mounted handlebars,” Dangerholm explained. Drawing inspiration from his motorcycle riding days, he saw this project as a chance to set aside his usual focus on performance and weight, and delve into a fantasy world.

• 
• 

• 
• 

The unique fork design was collaboration with our friend Cjell Mone. “I’m a long-time fan of Cjell and his amazing work, there’s just something about his frame sets and style in general,” he said. Dangerholm provided the basic design sketch and geometry for the fork, and Cjell Mone added his own distinctive style, also contributing elements like the rear disc guard. “It was such a fun and enjoyable process to work with him, and I really can’t recommend it enough. 10/10 – will buy again (and like my girlfriend said when she heard the price: it’s not expensive, just a lot of money),” Dangerholm added.

• 
• 

As mentioned, the base for the project was the SCOTT Solace eRIDE, a comfort-oriented gravel and big-tire road cycling rig. However, Dangerholm franken-biked it, to say the least. He removed several elements of the frame and incorporated the top tube from a crash-damaged SCOTT XC frame to create a klunker-style tube in the front triangle. This mod no doubt added to the Thunderdome aesthetic. In the end, the Wastland looked nothing like the SCOTT model it started as.

• 
• 
• 

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

Dangerholm selected parts that matched the gritty, battle-worn style he envisioned. “It was essentially a matter of coming up with components that would match the Mad Max style, and in most cases, give them some ‘quick patina,'” he noted. This involved scratching items on the ground or wrapping brake calipers in paper towels soaked in caustic soda to achieve the desired weathered effect. One notable item is the old Brooks saddle, which had been genuinely worn in and occasionally crashed by Dangerholm himself. The saw blade rotors are icing on the cake.

Abbey LL Chain Wear Tool

Perhaps my favorite product I’ve seen so far was the first thing I shot this morning (I’m typing this around midnight local time). I met up with the founder of Oregon-based Abbey Bike Tools, Jason Quade, who showed me their latest handy shop tool, LL Chain Wear Tool. Considering how inaccurate most chain checker tools are, or at least how untrustworthy I find them, I was intrigued.

As Jason explained, chain wear measurement has become more complex with the rise of 1x drivetrains and the introduction of chains with larger rollers, particularly SRAM’s flat top chains, which are .010″ (.254mm) larger. This difference, although small, translates to a .2% variance in wear measurement over five links, potentially leading to inaccurate measurements. Additionally, as Abbey claims, most chain wear tools are laser cut with a tolerance of +/- .010″ (.254mm), which can compound measurement errors.

• 
• 

The new Abbey Bike Tools Abbey LL Chain Wear Tool aims to address these issues by accounting for roller diameter variance and it uses a V-shaped notch to accurately locate the roller center, eliminating roller wear influence. but also measures lateral wear, which other tools neglect.. For lateral wear, the chain is held vertically, and its sag is measured. The tool’s accuracy is ensured by CNC machining from a billet, achieving tolerances as tight as .0002″ (.005mm). This precision, Jason explained, coupled with in-house production control, ensures reliable and accurate measurements. And, based on the demo I saw, it’s got a much more interesting and user-friendly interface.

The LL Chain Wear Tool sells for $45 and you can learn more over at AbbeyBikeTools.com.

Ortlieb Dry-Pack

Ortlieb just dropped a bunch of new products I’m stoked about, each summarized in this post. However, I think I was most excited about the new Dry-Pack. The all-new Ortlieb Dry-Pack essentially takes the same fabric and construction as their Handlebar-Packs and rolls it into an excellent rack-top dry bag (or a pack for a handlebar cradle). And it comes with an excellent bungee matrix for lashing on layers or extra stuff on the go.

• 
• 

Like other Ortlieb bags, the Dry-Pack is completely waterproof. It’s made specifically for transporting gear on a rear rack and it comes with two O-Straps Rack that clip onto the rack rails, as shown below. It also has an air valve for easy compression and daisy chains for variable placement of the straps. It comes in two sizes: 12 and 16-liters, and each weighs just 230 and 250 grams, respectively, according to Ortlieb.

• 
• 

The Dry-Pack is made in Germany and is available in black or Dark Olive as shown in other photos where it’s attached to that sweet Scarab gravel bike. The Dry-Pack 12 and 16L will sell for $65 and $75.

Ortlieb Quick-Rack L/XL and Thru-Axle M6 Connector

Ortlieb also released two new versions of the Quick-Rack we reviewed and later awarded in our Gear of the Year awards. The new versions enable the rack to be attached to the bike at the axle, providing nearly universal mounting capabilities. To accomplish this, they’re a little taller and designed to be used with the all-new Thru-Axle M6 Connector.

• 
• 
• 

The version shown in these photos is the Quick-Rack L, which Ortlieb claims fits tires up to 50mm/2.0″ when mounted at the axle; based on looking at it, I’d wager that bigger tires could fit in there, but we’ll keep you posted on that as we should be testing it soon. The XL fits tires up to 29×2.6” when mounted with the adapter axle and up to 2.9×3” when mounted directly to rack mounts or with Ortlieb’s Seat Stay Adapter. This size L doesn’t look too different than the original; it weighs 605 grams (21.3 oz) and has a 20 kg (44.1 pound) payload, and the XL weighs 700 grams (24.7 oz) with a carrying capacity of 27 kg (59.5 pounds).

The Thru Axle M6 Connector is essentially a universal thru axle with an length range of 165 to 180mm and can be used for a variety of bikes. Both ends of the axle have M6 threaded mounts, allowing the attachment of pannier racks or trailers. They’ll be available in 1.0mm, 1.5mm, and 1.75mm thread pitches.

The Quick-Rack L and XL will sell for $130 and $140 and the Thru Axle M6 Connector will go for an additional $40.

Ortlieb Velo-Sling

Another interesting bag Ortlieb unveiled is the Velo-Sling. This little number is a handlebar and sling bag combined into one compact design. With a three-liter capacity and a roll closure featuring a really neat self-locking magnetic fastener, this waterproof hybrid has about three liters of volume and is probably ideal for carrying personal items like a wallet, cell phone, and other knickknacks. It also has an inner zippered for organization.

• 
• 

It uses removable O-straps and elastic shock cord to attach the handlebars and head tube, and has a detachable shoulder strap for carrying the bag off the bike. The Velo-Sling comes in Matte Black or Dark Sand, is made in Germany, and will sell for $95.

Ortlieb Handlebar-Rack

And there’s more! ORTLIEB also introduced the new Handlebar-Rack, their first luggage rack designed for the handlebars. ORTLIEB claims it’s ideal for bikepacking and city riding, alike, and can carry up to five kilograms. The Handlebar-Rack connects to the bars with the Mounting Set QR (not included), which is similar to the QR mount on the Handlebar-Pack QR I reviewed. It can be mounted in two different configurations to accommodate different payloads. The included flexible webbing rack straps, equipped with ORTLIEB’s new connectors, are pretty cool too.

• 
• 

The ORTLIEB Handlebar-Rack weighs 405 grams (14.3 oz) and has a 5 kg (11.0 pound) carrying capacity. It will sell for $60.

Ortlieb O-Straps

Lastly (for ORTLIEB), the O-Straps were released alongside the new racks and Dry-Pack to complete the lineup. These rubber compound straps different from Voile straps in that they can be connected and tightened at either side of the buckle. There’s also the O-Strap Rack, which I mentioned above.

• 
• 

The O-Straps come in four lengths: 380mm for $9, 570mm for $10, 760mm for $11, and 950mm for $12. The O-Strap Rack is 900mm long and will sell for $18.

Ergon SR Allroad Women’s Saddle

Ergon released new versions of their popular SR Allroad saddles. The new SR Allroad get a shorter and more compact saddle shape and a new finish. They’ll also released a new women’s version with a different padding profile and cuttout channel.

• 
• 

All SR Allroad saddles are made in Europe and will sell for $89.95-199.95, depending on the model. You can learn more over at their website here.

Prototype Jack “Stop” Rack

I caught up with Miles and Luke from Wholegrain Cycles, makers of Jack the Rack, at the show. They pulled out a prototype of a new product they’re working on to follow up the successful release of Jack. The new handlebar mounted frame isn’t a rack, really. I’d call it more of a cradle. It’s designed to use the same mounting priciples and hardware as Jack, but it has a flat form factor on the front designed to attach and stabilize top-opening bags, like the Swift Zeitgeist or Wizard Works Shazam.

• 
• 

The new cradle doesn’t quite have a name yet either. Wholegrain had a few ideas, but not one that they’re ready to commit to. Any ideas? Leave a note in the conversation below!

SON Ladelux

SON released the new Ladelux light, although it’s still a ways out in terms of availability. The Ladelux has a light that’s very similar to the Edelux II but also integrates a small buffer battery. The light’s charging electronics, along with a small buffer battery, are fully integrated into the headlight housing and can draw up to 12 Watts of power from the hub dynamo.

• 
• 
• 

Even with the lights on, a smartphone can still be charged via the magnetic connector at the handlebar switch, which is super cool. The internal battery is 1200 MaG and the light also features a bright high beam at 180 Lux and a low beam with 120 Lux. The SON Ladelux will sell for $479 Euros.

SON 29 S Dynamo Hub

SON also debutes their new 29 S Dynamo, which I’ve yet to wrap my head around. Folks that I spoke with at their booth said it was largely made to achieve a cleaner aesthetic and has similar charging capabilities and specs as their popular 28 series Dynamo hub.

• 
• 

The other difference is that the 29 S has straight pull spokes and uses a coaxial jack. The SON 29 S Dynamo hub will sell for 549 Euros and should be available later this summer.

KTM SCARP

I honestly didn’t know KTM made bikes, but there are about 10,000 brands here that I’m not familiar with, so that’s doesn’t come as a surprise. While I normally gloss over carbon mountain bikes, the KTM Scarp caught my eye with these wild frame graphics. On closer inspection, I was pretty intrigued by this bike.

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

This is third iteration of the brand’s flagship in the cross- and down-country model. The EVO III frame is used across the entire range, featuring different suspension travel ranges that include the Scarp at 100mm front and back, the Scarp Exonic with 110mm of travel, the Scarp MT at 120mm, and the Scarp LT with 140mm of suspension. You can find more on the KTM Scarp on their website here.

Hepha Dropper Stem!

German e-bike company Hepha had a dropper stem on display. I’m not sure what else to say about this other than I don’t think I’d want to ride it off-road. But, who knows, perhaps dropper stems are on the horizon for mass appeal. I’m sure keyboard warriors will be all over this.

• 
• 

Astral Polished Outback Rims

I had a double take when I saw the polished Astral Outback rims on the Scarab at Ortlieb’s booth. I later learned that these wheels initially started with very limited runs and are now readily available, although they’re not easy to finish, apparently. The Outback rims are designed specifically for long-distance travel on dirt, and with a 25mm internal width, they’re suitable for tires around 38mm to 2.4″, tackling everything from cross-country mountain biking to gravel.

• 
• 

Astral Outback rims are available for $199 each. More over at AstralCycling.com.

Stay tuned for more coverage from Eurobike 2024!

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...