Box Components 2017 Eurobike
Features / Thu 1st Sep, 2016 @ 3:30 pm
Hailing from Anaheim in sunny California, Box have been teasing us with their drivetrain for the past 18 months. Finally we’ve got our hands on some pre production samples in the form of a shifter and 11 speed rear mech.
The rear mech is for 11 speed and casette sizes up to 46t and compatible with 11 speed mechs within this range. The body is made from a combination of aluminium, carbon fibre and nylon composite and runs on sealed bearings. The matte and black finish make it look super sleek and high tech and it comes in at 265g. The impact resistant Pivot-Tech cable stay will rotate under impact and reduce the chance of a broken rear mech whilst the CamClutch does the chain keeping duties and holds it all steady.
The PushPush shifter is where things get a bit more funky with a single paddle to operate both up and down shifting. Box had a motorised trial system set up to test the feel which instantly feels crisp and precise. Shifting up to bigger chainrings is achieved through pushing the thumb paddle in a classic way, whilst down shifting is where things differ, and a inwards push drop things down swiftly and easily with up to 4 shifts in one go. Shifter comes in at 120g being constructed from an alu/carbon/nylon combo.
Elsewhere we see a range of swanky carbon products from Box including three different bars and stems from light to heavyweight duty. Also on offer was a lone carbon wheel on which details were limited.
Will Box take over the drivetrain world? With a cassette to follow and complete the set-up they will offer a complete package which could challenge the major players. Reviews of the shifter and cassette will come once we’ve put them through their paces.
By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
