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Eurobike 2009

Press Launch

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There was much praise around the show for the look of the new Giant bikes. Bolder graphics and simple colours make them all look smart. But that's no good on its own - how about some new models like this full carbon version of the popular Trance X?
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If you thought that the Mavic carbon spoked R-Sys road wheels were taking things to extremes, then how about the Crossmax Ultimate wheels? With full carbon spokes and a tubular rim, these are only going to appear under top level riders - but see them go when they do.
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No grinding the wheels over rocks now, you hear? Those hollow carbon spokes up close.
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Another Ultimate wheel - the Mavic Deemax Ultimate, which Mavic claims is the first downhill racing wheelset under 2kgs. 20mm front ant 12 x 150mm rear only.
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Crossmax ST Disc now has machined spoke bed to remove weight (now at 1615g/pr) and it comes in versions to please nearly everyone. With QR, 15mm, Lefty or 20mm front and QR rear, it'll be a wheelset of great interest to many riders.
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Another new 'standard'? Yep, this time from Syntace, but it does seem to be gaining some acceptance in frame making world. The frame back end houses replaceable dropouts that work a little like those in a bolt-thru fork. The rear wheel (with 142mm axle - a regular 135mm hub with longer axle) slots neatly, positively and exactly into the dropout and the thru-axle is cinched up to give a light, but rigid back end. We know of several medium sized frame builders currently considering the system.
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Here's how the dropout looks on a real bike, with the replaceable bit held in with pinch bolts. The demo that Syntace had set up certainly gave the impression that the new 'standard' has the potential to be super stiff for little weight gain.
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Our pals from Delta-7 were there with a timetrial frame made from their carbon/kevlar lattice - we liked the little bullet shape of the inside of the lugs. Now, are there any aerodynamicists in the house who can tell us how aero it is (or isn't) to have a frame full of holes?
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Not a retail booth, Tange were there to talk to frame makers - but it didn't stop them from bringing over a few tasty sample frames. How about some wooden handlebars?
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Old school low-profile looking frame, but with 2009-trend fixie bars.
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Lupine's new Tesla headlamp. Very bright (now with coloured lamp rings for the colour-coordinated). It'll be interesting to see what the new generation of super-bright LEDs brings to the already bright nighttime world of the night rider.
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Yep. We like these trainers from FiveTen.
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A gold plated Rohloff hub - it'll be on ebay Germany next week...
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Viva were one of the classier looking booths making urban and fixie bikes. Makes a change from carbon hardtails on every booth.
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Another front QR thru-axle system. This one was from Suntour.
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Lynskey does love making round tubes into a different shape. Here's a very manipulated Ti hardtail.
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An Intense tyre with one thing in mind - dirt jumps. Takes Kenda's Small-Block-8 idea to another level...
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For riders who need everything to match - these very pink, alloy spoked wheels from Industry Nine.
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And for the wagon wheelers - Industry Nine 29er wheels.
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Look! A road version of the Vanilla Speedvagen - the cult (and almost impossible to get) 'cross bike. Check out that extended, steel, seat tube.
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A Jones bike on the Edge Composites booth, complete with carbon 29er rims.
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Obviously this is Sim's favourite bike of the show, the new SlopeStyle from Intense.
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More orange than an Orange?
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The Tracer VP - one of our favourite bikes of the last year.
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Intense Spider 2 - everyone's revamping the VPP system these days.
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The Lager on the SE Bikes stand. Thumbs up.
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The reissued Breezer Lightning (done at the suggestion/insistence of the German Breezer distributor) should have retro bike fans around the world rejoicing, but the combination of flared head tube and odd looking curved downtube to clear the suspension forks had many purists shaking their heads. Why not just make it like the old one?
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New Morewood Kwela hardtail
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Kali protection. A new name to us, but makers of some cool protective wear (if you like big graphics and skulls - and hey, who doesn't?)
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A Kali helmet with integral (and removable) helmet cam mount. We like. We also reckon you could probably stick a helmet light on too.
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Here 'tis again.
Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

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