Better known for its helmets, goggles, neck braces and clothing, Leatt makes the surprising move into component hardware with a new range of contact points.
Leatt has built a solid reputation for clothing and protective gear since it launched the original MTB neck brace 20 years ago, and the South African brand is making the leap into component hardware, with a range of mountain bike parts. From flat and clip-in pedals, to bars and stems, the company looks to be taking the expansion seriously and cover as many bases as possible from later this year. The components market could be construed as crowded, but we love to see brands trying different things – and whether or not their products will be contenders for things like the best MTB pedals, or among the best grips will remain to be seen. We’ve picked out some of the most exciting looking products to have a a closer look at, including bars and grips.
Leatt components need to know:
- New hardware products available from October this year
- The new range includes flat and clip-in pedals, stems, bars, grips, and bottles
- 18 (!) variants of pedals for riders to choose from
- 6 variants of stem
- 2 handlebars and 4 grips
The Reaflex 6.0 grips are available in four colours and thin or regular diameters.
Leatt Reaflex 6.0 grips
Leatt has launched four new grips – well, four colours for you to choose from – of the Reaflex 6.0. They’re available in thin or regular sizing, in 31/29mm tapered diameter for the thin and 33/31mm for the regular. They both use a soft grip interface with a Reaflex Gel-infused core, which is claimed to reduce hand fatigue and arm pump.
They also feature a single aluminium lock ring, with a central bump pad for the palm, and soft, flexible ribs around the thumb area for more grip. Each pair weighs 106g, and you can choose from black, lava, peanut, or granite colours. They will be priced at £25.99.
The new Launch Control bars cost £105
Leatt Launch Control handlebars
Also in the new lineup are two pairs of handlebars, called Launch Control. They are made from 7050 aluminium and weigh a claimed 285g. There are two bars to choose from – black or silver – and both come with Reaflex 6.0 grips as standard.
The bars are “engineered for high toughness”, and certified to meet CAT 5 (freeride) standards. They feature a wide clamping area and front and top centre guides to make stem alignment easy.
Standard width is 800mm, in 35mm clamp diameter and a 9º back sweep. There are two rise options available, 38mm or 23mm, and they will cost £105.
There are plenty of new stems to choose from in Leatt’s line-up.
Leatt MTB stems
The brand has released a few different stems for a range of disciplines, including the Gravity 35 8.0TI and 8.0 stem, made from CeraMag magnesium. This apparently offers greater strength, but weighs less than aluminium, with effective vibration reduction properties.
The 8.0Ti version weighs slightly less than the 8.0 model, at 93g for size 33mm compared to 107g. Both come with a ceramic coating which helps reduce wear over time, and a zero-gap faceplate and 210º handlebar wrap. This helps to spread clamping forces more evenly, so you don’t damage the handlebar by overtightening. The 8.0 non-Ti models will cost from £169, depending on length.
The Ti version uses titanium bolts, and the non-titanium version uses steel. A steerer tube seal cap helps to prevent dirt ingress into the steerer tube. Each are available in 33, 40, and 50mm lengths. The Ti version will be priced from £209 depending on length.
The Gravity 35 6.0 stems are slightly beefier, at 141g for 33mm length, but come in three different colours – silver, bronze and black. They’re also made with aluminium and use the same zero-gap faceplate and 210º handlebar wrap as the 8.0 stems. These will cost £109.
The final stem from Leatt is the Gravity DM35 6.0, and it’s designed for downhill, freeride and e-biking with a dual crown fork. It weighs 171g and uses a Boxxer/Fox IS direct mount steerer clamp. It’s available in black oxide steel only, and will cost £139.
Leatt has launched flat and clip-in pedals to suit all kinds of riders.
Leatt MTB pedals
Leatt’s biggest selection of new components comes from its pedal range. It is launching a range of flat pedals with ‘all mountain technology’ in two sizes – narrow and wide. Again, using the ceramag material to keep things lightweight (256g for the narrow platform All Mtn 8.0Ti model).
There is also a range of aluminium flat pedals, called the Flat Pedal All Mtn 6.0, which weighs 381g for the pair, and comes with a 5mm concave platform. These are available in black, silver or frost bronze. The All Mtn 6.0 pedals cost £149, and the Ceramag versions cost £219.
The company has also delved into clip-in pedals, using a Shimano SPD-style interface. There are three types: Gravity Clip pedals, All-Mtn Clip pedals and Endurance Clip pedals. The Endurance Clip are designed for trail, XC, gravel and e-bike use, and are SPD cleat compatible with 5º of free float. The Gravity Clip pedals are priced at £189.
The All-Mtn Clip pedals have a dual-side retention system and are SPD cleat compatible with 5º free float. They’re designed for freeride, enduro, downhill, dirt jump and more. These will cost £229.
Finally, there’s the Gravity Clip pedals. As you can probably guess, they’re designed for gravity applications, and are also SPD compatible with 5º free float. They also have dual-sided clip-in functionality. They’re available in silver, bronze and black, and will cost £239.