The GearJunkie crew is in Las Vegas this week to kick tires and ogle the latest in cycling equipment for 2013 at the annual Interbike International Expo. Today, we offer a sneak peek at some of the stand-outs we’ve seen already to be unveiled on the show floor. —Stephen Regenold
Tri Rocket — Ceepo Bicycles’ Viper is a missile made for Ironman-distance triathlon segments (100+ miles). Comes set to fly with Shimano Di2 electronic shifting and a new aero frame shape for less drag. But this rocket’s gonna cost you: MSRP is $4,500 for the “fuselage” alone, which is the frame, fork, brakes, seatpost and headset.
Traction, Support for Long Rides — Marketed as “all-weather technical mountain footwear,” the Scree shoe from Mavic was made for mountain-biking adventures and long races where hiking off the bike is just as important as riding. They are waterproof (GORE–TEX uppers) and have a higher fit for ankle support as well as toothy lugs to dig in as you jump off the bike to hike and push. $190.
Good-Lookin’ Girls on Bikes — Sex appeal and bike apparel rarely see play in the same paragraph. But a new brand, Active Angelz, touts fit that accentuates a woman’s curves and “turns heads and stops traffic” as you ride. Designed and manufactured in Southern California, the brand says its mission is to bring “fashionable, functional, and feminine multi-sport apparel to women who want to look and perform their best.”
Glow-in-the-Dark Fixie — One audience is “ravers.” Seriously, that was on the press release. Otherwise, safety conscious night bikers might look to the Pure Fix Cycles’ Kilo Glow series, which as the name says has frames that glow at night! The magic light comes from paint that is solar-activated, “charging” up in the daylight to release its full, visible effect each night. $399.
Batteries Included — E-bikes more often than not look just overbuilt and bad. With its battery integrated into an oversize seatpost, the Currie Technologies eflow Electric Bike almost looks like a normal ride. In addition to its look, the design makes it easy to remove and charge the battery away from the bike, the company touts. It has a 500-watt motor and can go 20mph with just a bit of pedaling. The bummer? It costs about $4,000. Can’t you buy a nice used car for that price?
Space Wheels — Hed Cycling Products debuts its Vanquish 60mm carbon clincher wheelset, which are 25mm wide and have “extreme aero shaping” from nose to tire bead. Inside tire bead width is 18.2mm, so the tire/rim interface, Hed says, gives off no “figure 8” shape as air flows from tire to brake track, ostensibly resulting in even more speed. 1,545 grams for the set (670 front, 873 rear), which give you a Space Age price tag of $2,500 for the set.
Super Helmet — That’s the actual name of this hard hat from Bell, which weighs 390 grams and has cool touches like an integrated camera mount area for easily attaching a GoPro. Its new design is said to meet in the middle between the bulk of downhill helmets and the light, extra-ventilated look of something made for a cross-country race. $125.
Giant 29er — Internal cable routing, a “massively oversize” bottom-bracket/chainstay area, and a new suspension design that tucks the rear wheel tighter under the rider for a shorter wheelbase set the Giant Trance X 29er apart. Advertised as an “ultimate 5-inch-travel, full-suspension 29er” that blends stability and control.
Clip-In for the First Time — Shimano’s Click’R shoes and pedals go at just $160 for the set. Not a bad price, plus the company has designed the products for commuters who are perhaps apprehensive about clipping in — the pedals have a wide platform and are made to be far easier to clip in and out of than regular performance-oriented SPD pedals.
Starry Tread — Made originally for use on the sole of a shoe, the star-pattern tread of the StarGrip tires from Michelin is said to grip on wet pavement, snow, and oily ground. A large number of rubber star-shape motifs and ribs extend in all directions, gripping the ground from many angles and ostensibly keeping a rider upright where he or she might otherwise skid out and crash. Comes in 700×35C and 700×40C tire sizes. $50.
Side Access Bottle Cage — Some bike frames don’t work with a traditional water bottle mount. Enter the Blackburn Sideroller, a $15 cage that opens from the side. This lets you mount it on tight frames and weird dual-suspension bikes where water otherwise has to be kept off the bike in a hydration pack on your back.
Winter Warrior — Highly modular, the Nalini Talos 3-Season Jacket has a removable fleece liner, removable hood, removable sleeves, and a removable back panel. You add on or take away as the temps rise and fall. Waterproof and breathable. Impervious to wind. Marketed as a do-all jacket for fall, winter and spring use. Price? A cool $600.
Broken Bones Bikes — That’s the name of a new bicycle company to launch at Interbike. This is a little long (forgive), but said company founder Josh Horowitz, a pro-level rider, “In cycling, it’s not a question of if you will break your collarbone but when and how often.” He continued, “Imagine a sport so dangerous that even at a recreational level, experiencing great bodily harm is more likely than not. Then imagine how great that sport would have to be to draw more participants than running, swimming, golfing and surfing combined.” So. . . that’s the spirit behind Broken Bones, which has attention-grabbing graphics and a flagship bike, the Fracture, which is a $3,100 carbon build ready to ride, race, and crash if need be.
Torch Helmet — Built-in lights on front and back give visibility for this 15-ounce commuter hard hat. The company touts 360-degree visibility for riders at night with the helmet’s bright and big LEDs. $120.
Hike-a-Bike Shoes — Promising a new category of mountain bike footwear, Pearl Izumi debuts its X Project line. They “hike and run as well as they pedal a bike,” says the company press material. This is accomplished via a patent-pending “tuned” carbon shank that provides power transfer as well as some flex for those pesky off-the-bike sections on a rough cross-country trail. It has a sole with an SPD cleat mount, rubber lugs for traction, and a “running-shoe like” EVA foam heel. The company will sell a line of X Project shoes from $160 to $280 depending on build.
‘Krampus’ is a Fat-Tire Mountain Bike — With 3-inch-wide tires, the Krampus from Surly looks like a fat-bike. But this to-be-released ride is actually a 29er mountain bike built to accommodate the big rubber of a new obese tire type. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Diamondback has New CX Race Bike — Pulled from the grips of “department store” infamy, the Diamondback brand is kicking out some exciting CX race bikes. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
The Wölvhammer: Heating Up Winter Riding — If 45Nrth has its way, the phrase “It’s too cold to ride today” is going to become irrelevant. The Minneapolis-based brand announced the Wölvhammer, an SPD-compatible boot unlike anything else on the market. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Surly Cross-Check, now in Single-Speed — Gears or no gears? Surly Bicycles offers a new single-speed version of its tried & true Cross-Check model. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Teva to go Clipless with new Bike Shoes — Teva currently has free-ride mountain biking shoes made for use with flat pedals in its line. Next year, the company is going clipless. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Spray-On: WD-40 debuts Bike Line — WD-40, the iconic do-anything lubrication spray, announced an upcoming release of a line of products designed specifically for keeping your two-wheeler in top form. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Helmet Sensor ‘Calls Your Loved Ones’ in a Bike Crash — It looks like a tiny yellow pill. But a to-be-released sensor from ICEdot can detect an impact and communicate with a smartphone to alert a loved one in the event of a crash. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
$18,000 ‘Flushable Jacuzzi’ Bike — You pedal immersed in warm water. Jets spray your legs and your rear end as you ride. When you’re done, the unit flushes, discarding your sweaty workout water down the drain. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Stick Pedals Clip into Shoes, Lightest ever Built — Touting the lightest clipless bike pedal ever made, Ultralite Sports LLC of Colorado announced its to-be-released pedal system. The rod-shape pedals are a vast design departure from anything on the market. (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
Snowmobile Giant Stakes claim with E-Bikes — Motorsports maker Polaris Industries Inc. is jumping full into e-bikes. It’s launching a line this fall it says will finally make electric bicycles “a viable mainstream recreational option in the U.S.” (See our full coverage on this product in an article from last month here.)
—The GearJunkie staff will be at Interbike all week. Follow the blog and our Facebook for updates from the show.
