With Interbike in the rear view mirror, the thought would be that all the news is out, but that is never the case. Check out the latest on forks from Misfit Psycles, Bontrager Switchblade news, and more………..

Will There Ever Be A High End 9 Speed 12-36T Cassette? : This was a question I posed to Shimano peeps at Interbike. It seems that the cassette, which is a Deore level cassette, is being spec’ed on many 2010 29 inchers, but some have balked at the extra weight of this mid-level cassette. Shimano appears to be weighing market response to the cassette before committing to doing a higher level version. In other words, buy the Deore level cassette and Shimano will support a higher range version in the future. If OEM spec is any indication, it may well happen.

Scalpel 29″er Rumors…Again!: We’ve heard that Cannondale Scalpel 29″ers have been tested in proto-type form many times over the last three years. Well, we’re hearing it again anew. Apparently there have been eye witness accounts of the mythical wagon wheeler from the desert Southwest. Could it be that recent XC and Marathon wins aboard 29″er full suspension bikes has piqued interest in doing the platform in a 29″er version? Possibly, but if it is true, we’re betting that the recent infusion of cash from Cannondale’s parent company, Dorel, has more to do with this than anything. Keep an eye on bikes at this weekends Moab 24 hour race, maybe the beast will show up there since it is in the vicinity, apparently.

Fork It Over!: After seeing the redesigned Bontrager Switchblade at Sea Otter, the anticipation level for this new design has been at fever pitch. Promised for late June originally, information regarding the fork was scarce until just recently. Twenty Nine Inches has learned that the fork is now due at the end of the year at the earliest. Looks like most of us will have to wait till spring to see one of these on dirt. No word on why the delay is so long, but this still should be a pretty popular fork when it does come through. Two offsets for G2 or “standard” geometry 29″ers means that Fisher will finally have the rigid fork to match up with those looking to set up the lightest possible Superfly and Superfly single speed builds. (Not to mention Rig owners and Fisher G2 hard tail freaks!)

Forks With A Sense Of Humor: You can always count on Peter Kieller of Misfit Psycles to mix in equal doses of humor, irreverence, and techno-geek speak when he announces new product ideas. So check this out: We all know that a lot of the rigid carbon forks out there bear a strangely similar resemblance to each other, even though they bear different brand names. Well, Misfit Psycles future carbon fork will apparently skewer that idea with its name, the “Parody”. Misfit claims the new fork will be offered in 445mm and 470mm axle to crown lengths, but no mention of offset as of now. Also in the works is an as yet un-named steel fork with a target weight of 1000gm for a 465mm axle to crown fork. The carbon Parody fork will be offered separately or as a companion to the diSSent aluminum 29″er. The steel fork may be offered with the steel “Fe” 29″er only. No decision on that as yet. Stay tuned for more as we learn it…..

Singular Swift In Titanium?: Apparently this is true. Singular Cycles will offer a titanium version of its 29 inch wheeled Swift model in titanium which will be torched up by Italian titanium purveyors Nevi. This from a blog post on Singular’s U.S. distributor’s website. Apparently it will be a “production” Swift but on a per order basis. In other Singular news, the drop bar friendly model Gryphon is supposed to hit U.S. shores yet in the middle of this very month. Stay tuned…….

That’s it for this edition of News And Rumors.