More from the aisles of Sea Otter …

The Mission 27.5 replaces the Scapegoat and Mission 26-inch bikes in Diamondback’s mountain line, sporting a revised Knucklebox suspension designed to accommodate 27.5-inch wheels and deliver 160 millimeters of travel. The new design is also said to reduce pivot play. The aluminum Mission 27.5 has a 142x12 rear through-axle, ISCG 05 tabs, tapered headtube, internal cable routing, 17.75-inch chainstays, 66.5-degree head angle and 13.5-inch BB height. It will come in three spec levels including the top-end Mission 27.5 Pro, outfitted with a Fox 34 Float CTD Fit Kashima fork and Float X CTD Kashima rear shock, RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post, Shimano XT brakes, Easton Haven wheels, SRAM XO1 1x11 drivetrain and Race Face bars, stem and crankset. It is set to be available mid- to late May at an MSRP of $6,500.

Diamondback’s revamped Knucklebox suspension on the Mission 27.5.

Lapierre’s Pulsium endurance race bike is the product of a year’s worth of R&D, including saddle time under the Francaise de Jeux (FDJ) WorldTour team. Its most distinctive feature may be an elastomer ring — wrapped in a thinned layer of carbon —at the juncture of the seat tube and toptube that allows 3.5 millimeters of shock-absorbing vertical flex. The bike’s endurance geometry is complemented by an increased fork offset compared with Lapierre’s Xelius road race line, elongated chainstays and Lapierre’s Power Box tech, which beefs up the lower part of the frame for solid power transfer. The Pulsium is set to reach retailers in winter 2014, likely at four spec levels. Pictured is the FDJ team version raced this past weekend at Paris-Roubaix.

Single-speed cyclocross bikes are nothing new to Raleigh, whose chromoly, disc-equipped Furley has been a favorite among commuters and budet-minded ‘cross weekend warriors in recent years. Now comes the 2015 RXS — the “S” is for single — designed for specifically for enthusiast racers who prefer single-speed simplicity on the ‘cross course. No bottle bosses or commuter-friendly rear rack mounts to be found here. What buyers get instead is a mud-shedding Gates Centerdrive carbon belt drivetrain, TRP hydraulic disc brakes, a carbon fork and an easy-to-shoulder aluminum frame with race-ready geometry. Also for 2015, look for a new women’s ‘cross line and a revamped carbon ‘cross platform from Raleigh. Bikes should begin shipping in July.

Now catering exclusively to “racers in the dirt,” Redline has purged commuter bikes from its line and is focusing all efforts on cyclocross, mountain and, of course, BMX, where the brand got its start 40 years ago as of this year. Redline is also marking its 20th anniversary in the cyclocross market, and will bring an expanded line of five Conquest ‘cross bikes — two in alloy, three in carbon — to market around late June or early July. The top-end Conquest Pro pictured here represents Redline’s highest spec ever, said the brand’s Dirk Sorenson. Its carbon frameset is hung with SRAM’s Force CX1 1-by-11 drivetrain and Force hydraulic disc brakes. (The bike pictured has Avid cable discs, as samples of the SRAM hydros were not available in time for Sea Otter.) All bikes in the 2015 ‘cross line will come with 15-millimeter front through-axles.

Marzocchi is about two weeks out from shipping its new 350CR enduro fork for 27.5-inch wheels. The 4.2-pound fork gets 140 to 160 millimeters of travel, is available with a tapered or straight 1⅛-inch steerer and has a 15-millimeter through-axle. The air system uses eight clicks of full compression adjustment and 13 clicks of rebound adjustment. Like all forthcoming forks from Marzocchi, the 350CR loses the company’s M-shaped arch in favor of a rounded arch that shaves weight. MSRP will be around $759. Come July or August, the 350CR can be complemented with Marzocchi’s new enduro-specific rear air shock. The twin-piggyback shock will have separate chambers for rebound and compression, a midsize main chamber with large-volume shaft, a removable fender to protect the shock from debris, and a “soft lock” feature that releases based on an adjustable impact threshold. Pricing has not been determined.

Norco looked back instead of forward at Sea Otter this year. The Canadian brand showed no 2015 product, but in honor of the company’s 50th anniversary it had bikes from every decade of its half-century history on display.

Feedback Sports, a maker of repair stands, store displays and bike storage products, just went live last week with its Bicycle Maintenance Tracker app, now available for free in the Apple iTunes store. The app lets users input all their bike components and information on weight and price paid to track the total value of the bike. It also sets reminders of when to, say, replace a chain or add sealant to tires. Users can also input their maintenance history with their local bike shop. Jeff Nitta, director of sales and marketing at Feedback, said retailers can load the app into the phones of customers buying a bike to trigger maintenance intervals. While Nitta acknowledged Feedback won’t make a dime directly from the free app, “selfishly, you’re touching an app with my logo on it. It gets the brand out there,” he said.

Gearbox-equipped gravity bikes, many outfitted with Germany’s Pinion gearbox, were all the rage at 2013’s Eurobike. Now Michael Montminy is looking to stoke the trend stateside by importing French brand Cavalerie and its own Effigear system through his Philadelphia-based distributorship, Philthy Bikes. Cavelerie makes its 7- and 8-inch-travel bikes for either chain or belt drive, though Montminy is concentrating on bringing in the Gates Centerdrive carbon belt bikes because he believes the drivetrain delivers superior performance. The 9-speed Effigear box sports the same gear range as a SRAM XX1 drivetrain, Montminy says, and can be reduced to 6 speeds for DH use by substituting spacers for gears, which also saves weight. Maintenance is simple: After six months, open a drain hole on the bottom of the BB shell, let out the oil, then refreshen it from a pre-measured bottle. Complete builds come in at $9,300 to $9,500. Montminy also plans to bring in a new 6-inch enduro model from Cavalerie weighing 32 pounds.

Cavelerie’s suspension pivot is concentric with the front sprocket, so no chain tensioner is required.