GearJunkie was on site in Las Vegas this month to kick tires and see the latest in cycling equipment for 2015 at the annual Interbike International Expo. Today, we offer a look at some of the stand-outs from the show floor. —Randall Dietel
Stealthy Rear-View Camera — It doubles as a rear light. But hidden among the LEDs of the Fly6 is a camera that records footage on a two-hour loop. It records 720p video as you ride and the battery lasts for five hours. A collision triggers the unit to save the last hour of footage and also then records for another hour to capture all pre- and post-incident evidence.
Two Tubes In One — One of the neatest innovations at the show, the Schwalbe Procore is a two-part inner tube system that lets you run low pressure on the outside, and high pressure near the rim.
This setup gives extra traction without the risk of flats or the tire coming off the rim. You can keep the outer tube area smooshy at a low PSI for maximum traction and absorption. The inside tube is inflated to a higher PSI to keep it rolling smooth. We can’t wait to test this first of its kind innovation on the trail.
Twin Six Gets Into Bikes— You know Twin Six as an apparel brand. But for 2015 the Minneapolis company will begin selling what we saw as one of the sweetest complete bike line launches at the show. If every one of the bikes in my stable went missing tomorrow I wouldn’t think twice about replacing them all with the entire Standard Collection from Twin Six.
We’ve personally seen prototypes of these bikes winning races over the last two years and the time and effort of Twin Six really shines — the four framesets blend modern and classic design characteristics such as wishbone seat stays, press fit bottom brackets, and unique low-profile cable clips. $600 – $2,000.
Women’s Softshell From Showers Pass — Great style and technical features have been fused into this cozy, fleece-lined softshell jacket. Showers Pass noted that the Rogue Women’s Hoodie is not just a smaller version of its men’s styles, but was designed for ladies at each stitch. $160; available this fall.
Reversible Bike Vest — Chrome calls this the Warm Vest, and it is a piece made to be used alone or as a layer, and also inside-out. High-vis with orange material and reflective details on one side, and a subdued urban aesthetic on the other.
Theft-Proof Wheels — A tiny hidden ball bearing locks wheels onto bikes with the Wheelnutz product, made by Kryptonite. It’s a basic axel nut but gravity holds a hidden bearing in place when the bike is upright, keeping a would-be thief from loosening the nut to steal a wheel.
Swobo ‘Do-All’ Bike— Don’t call it just a cyclocross bike. Known as an urban-bike brand, this coming year Swobo will launch its Scofflaw, an “anywhere you want to take it” disc-brake-equipped ride with sliding dropouts that let you run it single-speed or with gears.
A tapered carbon fork and Reynolds 531 steel tubing complete the package for a bike that will have you feeling confident on long fire road climbs or your local cyclocross course. $1,249 for single-speed version. (It’s online for pre-order now.)
Higher Viz While Biking At Night — A new pulse mode on Light and Motion’s Urban 2.0 gently fades instead of flashing, which helps drivers estimate distance during the day or night and won’t annoy cyclists on trails. Made in the USA and available in four models with varying brightness levels. Prices range from $69 to $179.
Affordable Hitch Mount — Hitch-mounted racks are quickly becoming the most popular rack for autos. For 2015, Yakima will release two models we expect to see at our local trailheads. The Two Timer and Four Play are designed to carry two or four bikes and are packed with features, including fat bike compatibility. Start at $299.
’Perfecto’ Bikewear — Made in Italy with all-Italian materials, the Perfecto and Perfecta bib and jersey from DeMarchi come with insane detail, multiple fabric types, and a requisite Euro-stylish look. The same family has been making the DeMarchi cycling clothes since 1946. Prices start at $199 for the jerseys.
Future-Proof Roof Rack — Forget about clumsy adapters. With Thule’s ThruRide roof rack you can mount any bike with a 12 to 20mm thru-axel or a 9mm QR. One-handed operation and tool-free installation make for quick placement of your bike on the rack (and the rack on your car). Available February 2015.
Kid-Size Hydration Pack — Keeping kids hydrated on the trail is a must. But fitting a water bottle on a kid’s bike is nearly impossible. The Moki from Osprey packs a 1.5L bladder into a kid-size pack and has zippered pockets for snacks. $50; available spring 2015.
Downhill Steed From Specialized — The Demo 8 was not on the Interbike show floor, but we saw it at the outdoor demo day. The asymmetric frame and abnormally low center of gravity make the ride worthy of inspection by bikers looking for speed demon, lightweight downhill rides.
Enduro/All-Mountain Shoe — Soft, cushioning rubber in the heel and toe, but with a stiff shank to maximize pedaling efficiency, the Five Ten Kestrel is a sweet shoe. BOA lacing to tighten and a sole design that is friendly for pedals from Eggbeaters to platform downhills, Five Ten cites. $180.
Swooping Ti — Volagi Cycles calls its elegant, bump-absorbing frame feature a LongBow Flex Stay. It’s made of titanium in the Viaje Ti, an adventure bike with a carbon fiber fork, disc brakes, and rack and fender mounts. $5,200.
Shock-Centric — Advertised as a downhill bike “built around the shock,” the aggressive Lapierre DH Team launches for North American sales in 2015. It’s already crushing in Europe, where the company’s Lapierre DH Team is a top squad on the gravity circuit. The bike is crushing wallets, too, at $7,900.
Square Lock (Not A U-Lock) — It breaks apart into four pieces to pack small. But the VIER gives U-lock strength with its quick-linking rods, which click into place on the lock body to let you secure a bike to a post.
Giro Goes MIPS — Top cycling helmet brand Giro has jumped on the brain-protecting Multidirectional Impact Protection System (MIPS) wagon with a line of hard hats for 2015. Road, mountain and urban lids get the MIPS treatment, which is an insert that cradles the head and reduces dangerous rotational impact energy on the brain in a crash. Available in late 2014.
Tri-Bike Bag — Stow your tri-bike for a flight without taking it all apart. That’s the claim with the Sci’Con AeroComfort Plus Triathlon TSA Case, a rolling bike “bag” that fits aerobars and tri frames and allows a bike to remain in its original setup, “without having to remove the handlebars, handlebar extensions, or seat post,” Sci’Con cites. $670.
Artist Edition Helmets — Three artists were given free reign and the canvass of a Nutcase bike helmet. World Bicycle Relief then auctioned these unique, artist-designed helmets at Interbike to raise money for its cause. They will be for sale at Nutcase Helmets’ website next spring.
Honeycomb Hard Hat — We gave the Overtake road bike helmet by Smith a ‘Best In Show’ Award at Outdoor Retailer, where it debuted in August. The super light “dome of honeycomb” was buzzing at Interbike, too. Called Koroyd, the green polymer core absorbs impact better than traditional foam in a crash, Smith cites. Weight is 250 grams. Available this fall for $250.
Carbon Insanity — Stronger, stiffer, lighter… that’s referring to the proprietary “Textreme” carbon fiber that comprises this tri-bike frame. Called the IA FRD, this Felt bike has got to be one of the fastest rides on the planet. It better be for $14,000. Yep, insane.
Width-Adjustable Cargo Rack — Fat bikes are getting fatter, and now there’s a rack that will grow with your bike’s rear end. Blackburn’s Fat Bike Rack ($120) is adjustable for wheel size and width to fit on standard bikes and fat bikes.
We tested one of these racks on a bike at Dirt Demo. It was loaded with a couple of cold six packs in the company’s Cooler Saddlebags. which hooked to the rack. We were impressed with the rack’s ease of installation and the cooler bags’ stability. If you want one rack for all your bikes give this Blackburn a look when it’s released later this fall.
—Randall Dietel is a reporter for GearJunkie based in Minneapolis. Stephen Regenold and Yoon Kim contributed to this report.
