Full Speed Ahead launched as part of its Gravity brand a new enduro-focused component family called Grid. Just as you’d want for such a demanding segment, Grid is designed to be reasonably light but DH-tough, but also with reasonable prices so that breaking a part won’t mean breaking the bank.
The Grid MegaExo crankset features hollow-forged aluminium arms with available single (30, 32, 34T) or dual chainring (38/24T, 36/22T) configurations, both with FSA’s proven 24mm-diameter bottom bracket spindle platform. Claimed weight for the double is 784g and 759g for the single, plus 98g for the bottom bracket.
The new Grid crankset will be offered in both 1x and 2x configurations
Complementing the Grid MegaExo 1x is a new chain guide, which uses an aluminium ISCG05-compatible boomerang and integrated polycarbonate bashguard. Cleverly, the polycarbonate upper and lower sliders can be rotated away from chain without tools to ease chainring swaps before starting a timed downhill segment. Claimed weight is 160g.
Up front is a new Grid aluminium riser bar with an oversized 35mm clamp diameter, 20mm of rise, and a choice of 760mm or 800mm widths. Claimed weight is 305g for the narrower version. Pairing with that is the Grid stem, which uses a big four-bolt faceplate, a 6-degree rise, and a blocky forged-and-machined extension available in 35mm or 50mm lengths. Claimed weight is 135g.
The new FSA Grid chain guide uses trick upper and lower guides that swing out of the way with no tools required for easier chainring swaps
FSA will even launch a new Grid wheelset that will be available in both 27.5in and 29in sizes. Common features include asymmetrical tubeless-compatible aluminium rims with healthy 27mm inner widths to better pair with higher-volume tires, double butted stainless steel spokes and brass nipples for strength, and cartridge bearing hubs with interchangeable end caps. Claimed pair weights are 2,010g and 2,120g and while we unfortunately don’t have pricing for most of FSA’s 2016 range just yet, we do know that the Grid wheels are around US$600.
The Grid wheelset looks to be a good value option with 27mm-wide (internal width) tubeless-compatible aluminium rims
Topping off the Grid component group (literally) is a new aluminium seatpost with a flippable two-bolt head for 20mm or -10mm setbacks. FSA will offer it in 27.2mm or 31.6mm sizes, both with 400mm lengths. Claimed weight for the smaller size is 280g.
Lots of other new mountain bike components coming for 2016, too
FSA is expanding its Asymmetric Bolt Spacing (ABS) chainring bolt pattern concept to the mountain bike side for 2016 and while many will undoubtedly decry the introduction of yet another ‘standard’, there’s at least some notable benefit to this one. Namely, the small 76mm-diameter four-arm pattern allows for a miniscule 26-tooth chainring to fit without affecting the chainline.
ABS will be included in several new crankset models: the hollow carbon fibre K-Force Light Compact BB392EVO crankset (425g with a single chainring), the hollow carbon fibre SL-K BB392EVO (438g) and MegaExo (451g), the hollow-forged aluminium Afterburner Compact MegaExo (716g), the hollow-forged V-Drive Compact MegaExo (721g), and the solid-forged Comet Compact MegaExo (749g). All of those cranks will be offered in two-ring and even triple chainring configurations, too.
FSA is expanding its asymmetrical chainring bolt pattern to the off-road side for 2016
FSA isn’t letting new trends pass it by, either. For fat bikes, there are three hollow-forged aluminium Afterburner cranksets and three solid-forged Comet cranksets, all with multiple chainring and chainline configuration options and designed for 100mm-wide shells
Naturally, FSA is already on top of the upcoming Boost 148 wave with Afterburner and Comet options to start for now, both with appropriately offset chainlines to accommodate the wider rear hubs.
FSA will offer two Boost 148-compatible cranks for this season, with surely more to follow as the size becomes increasingly popular
Finally, riders who have previously had trouble getting their bars low enough on 29ers can turn to the new SL-K Drop stem, which features a very compact 40mm-tall steerer clamp, a -20° extension, and an offset bar clamp to get you as far to the ground as possible. FSA will offer it in 50-120mm lengths and claimed weight is 162g for the 80mm size.
New cranks, brakes, and bars for the road
The K-Force dual-pivot rim brake calipers are all new for 2016, featuring a new linkage design to boost the clamping power. More importantly, FSA has specifically designed the geometry to handle more modern rim profiles with widths between 26mm and 28mm. Claimed weight is 299g for a pair, complete with titanium hardware.
The new FSA K-Force Light dual-pivot calipers use an intriguing internal linkage that supposedly generates heaps of power while also working with wider rims
Most of FSA’s upper-end road cranksets are essentially unchanged, carrying over the ABS asymmetric four-arm chainring bolt patterns that were introduced last year. FSA has, however, now brought that mounting pattern down to the Gossamer Pro level. Cold-forged aluminium arms keep the claimed weight down to 751g without bottom bracket. Also new are specific SL-K and Gossamer cranksets with corrected chainlines for use with 135mm-wide disc brake rear hubs.
We finally have more information on that new aero-profile rim brake that FSA first previewed at last year’s Eurobike show, too. The new brake attaches to frames and forks using Shimano’s two-bolt, direct mount system and features an internal cam to actuate the arms. FSA says these will handle rims 26-28mm wide, and claimed weight is 350g per pair including the carbon fibre cover plate.
The new direct-mount aero caliper looks like it might be a good option for riders interested in reducing as much drag as possible
On the Vision side, there’s the new Metron Aero stem with a huge rectangular-section molded carbon fibre extension, an aero-profile top-mount clamp, and titanium hardware. Claimed weight is 162g for a 100mm length. Alternatively, there’s the new TriMax stem with a forged aluminium body but a novel aero-profile faceplate that presumably reduces drag to some degree.
Either can be paired with the new TriMax Carbon 4D Compact carbon fibre drop handlebar, which features a slight forward bend on the tops for a more comfortable wrist angle, kinked drops for better ergonomics on today’s outwardly canted brake levers, and internal cable routing. Claimed weight is 225g for a 42cm size.
The Vision TriMax Carbon 4D bar uses some interesting shaping
Prices and target availability for all of FSA’s new items are still to be determined.
For more information, visit www.fullspeedahead.com.