Hayes Performance Systems made a bold step by committing its development team to design a comprehensive range of components for up-and-coming shredders. The ensemble is named JUNIT (say "J-Unit") and it began with of a cleverly downsized ProTaper aluminum handlebar that is only 15.6 millimeters in diameter at the grip area. Hayes arrived at that number by first developing the grip to fit the average 10-year-old's hand (which turned out to be close to 22 millimeters) and then working backwards to design the dimensions of the handlebar. The ProTaper JUNIT locking grip has a plastic extension which accommodates conventional, 22-millimeter control perches and remote clamps.
Hayes then reduced the travel of its adult-featured Manitou Machete fork platform and created new lowers specifically sized for 20 and 24-inch wheels. The full-featured forks have internally adjustable strokes and damping tunes that work well for lighter-weight riders. JUNIT Machete forks share the reverse arch, through-axle, low-speed rebound and low-speed compression adjustments as their 27.5 and 29 inch wheel brethren.
Wheels were the next piece of the puzzle. Hayes developed lightweight and sturdy 20 and 24-inch wheels using their Duroc aluminum rim profile. The down-sized Duroc's are tubeless ready, which offers much needed suppleness and grip to smaller riders. The final piece of the JUNIT group is a specially profiled Dominion brake lever blade, designed to fit smaller hands. The lever is not labeled as an official JUNIT item, because Hayes recognizes that many adults could also benefit from downsized brake levers.
On a related note, Hayes debuted a new two-piston derivative of its excellent-performing Dominion brake called the A-2, which is slightly lighter weight and shares the same lever/master cylinder as the Dominion A-4. A six-inch rotor will also be added to the range for the first time.
All JUNIT components will be available within a month. For more information,
visit the Hayes website
Spawn is one of my favorite manufacturers out there for this. Haven’t checked on a scale, but their 20” bikes feel about half the weight of the Giant equivalent they replaced.
On the other hand, it’s awfully hard to justify spending the $$s on that something like the Ripcord or (I assume) these components, when you know your kid’s going to grow out of it in a couple seasons at most.
The solution is, of course, to have more kids. I think. The math hasn’t quite worked out for me yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s only a matter of time.
Unfortunately it's an expensive fix. 160$ for Trailcraft cranks and BB (BB has to be swapped because stock is Dub). Wish sram just made 140mm cranks for their OEM specs
Now if only someone would offer an intermediate size bar strong enough for my small man-paws so I could use thick soft grips instead of thin ones...
MANITOU ????
Only a week or one 4 month.... Or even another year ;-(
However nice move from Hayes, would consider those parts in nearest future