For years Chris King of Portland, Oregon has been producing some of the finest cycling components on the market. Sometimes they are at the forefront of a new idea and sometimes they choose to wait on the consumer to see which new innovation they will embrace. Up until recently, the only bottom bracket shell “standand” that they have supported has been the ISO/English or BSA threaded 1.37 in x 24 TPI in the widths of 68mm and 73mm – the U.S. standard for decades. It looks like that is about to change. Continue reading Interbike 2012: Chris King Presses Further into the Bottom Bracket Market
Category: Cycling
Interbike 2012: Empire Builder at Giro
Giro has built a not so small empire with its line of helmets and shoes, and at Interbike last week the company unveiled the Empire, a new custom shoe developed specifically for Taylor Phinney to use in the 2012 Giro d’Italia and Olympic Games. Video after the jump
Turtle Shell Sound
If the turtle in that turtle vs. the hare race had a bicycle we think he’d have an edge. But if either decided to ride a bike they shouldn’t do so with headphones, which could make it hard to hear traffic and other riders. A handlebar-mounted speaker is the better way to go.
We’ve seen a number of these, and the Outdoor Technology Turtle Shell offers a new twist on the design – plus it allows us to actually mention the whole turtle thing. So what makes this one stand out? This is the first to feature a camera tripod threading that makes it a little more versatile than other speakers, while the Turtle Claw mount grips the handlebars to ensure it doesn’t fall off during a ride. Video after the jump
Pedal Powered Coffee Cart
What lengths will people go to for a cup of coffee in the morning? Graduates from the Royal College of Art have created a street vendor tricycle called the Velopresso that not only uses pedal powers to get to the spot on the corner but also to grind the beans as the wheels turn.
The trike has no electric motor and hot water is heated in gas powered canisters but the developers are looking at other options. Inventors Amos Field Reid and Lasse Oiva created the Velopresso as a way to produce the coffee without the need for electricity – which could come in handy if that new TV show Revolution ever becomes a reality. If the world suddenly stopped working we think a lot of people would worry most about the coffee too!
Interbike 2012: Roll it for Recovery
Have you ever finished a run or ride and your legs feel heavy or sore? That feeling is due to the breaking down of the muscle tissues and ‘toxins’ like lactic acid that build up inside the muscles. A massage is one of the best ways to flush those toxins and improve circulation which in turn will speed recovery and rebuilding of those muscle tissues. Unfortunately not everyone can afford their own personal masseur, the cost of paying for a daily massage, or they simply are not close to a Massage Therapist. There are a number of different devices on the market to help an athlete perform a massage on their own aching muscles when they can’t get a massage. While down at Interbike this year, we had a chance to checkout a new entry in the personal massage market – the R8 from Roll Recovery is a roller type of device that is designed specifically for use on an athlete’s legs. Continue reading Interbike 2012: Roll it for Recovery
Interbike 2012: Michelin’s Call of the Wild and Mud
We know what you’re thinking: “It’s 2012 can there really be innovation in mountain bike tires? Seriously!” The answer is yes, there is always innovation, always some improvement. That’s par for the course at Eurobike or Interbike.
But then we saw the Michelin Wild Mud Tire and it could be a game changer for those who ride in situations where the ground isn’t bone dry. So while they might not hear the call of the Wild Mud in drought-plagued Texas, for those where the rain falls and snows leave mud this is the tire that can cut through it like no other. Continue reading Interbike 2012: Michelin’s Call of the Wild and Mud
Interbike 2012: Eyes on Cébé Eyewear
During our annual pilgrimage down to Las Vegas for Interbike, we had a chance to stop by the Bushnell Eyewear booth to checkout their current lineup. For those of you who are not familiar with the Bushnell Eyewear name, they are the parent company of Bolle and Serengetti – two high end eyewear lines. But it wasn’t the offerings under those two names that piqued our interest, it was a third name in the booth, Cébé, which caught our eye. Continue reading Interbike 2012: Eyes on Cébé Eyewear
Interbike 2012: Timex Keeps Ticking with 2.0 Cycling Computer
Timex – the company know to take a licking and keep on ticking – was back at Interbike last week with its Cycle Trainer 2.0 GPS Bike Computer, which includes five screens of real-time cycling data provided by GPS. It can track speed, distance and grade all in real time, while also providing barometric altimeter readings and temperature. Continue reading Interbike 2012: Timex Keeps Ticking with 2.0 Cycling Computer
Stickers for Your Bike
Want to look like the King of the Mountain without actually having to climb a mountain? Perhaps Perpetual Kid has what you need with its “Polka Dot Bike Stickers,” which are easy to apply and more importantly easy to remove.
We came across these this week and thought it was worth noting. Maybe good for a joke or for those who want to add some color to their bike. And unlike with the pros the bike doesn’t need to be painted and there are no mountains required to get the polka dot treatment!
Interbike 2012: Tretta Two Wheel Drive Bikes
Japanese based Arte Sales rolled out its new Tretta 2WD bike at last week’s Interbike. The concept has taken five years to develop and was finally introduced last year, but the company hopes to gain traction in the worldwide cycling market.
And given that the concept involves a two wheel drive system the company should be able to get through the mud, snow and just about anything else that stands in its way. The Tretta, which as shown in the photos, utilizes a unique drive chain system that delivers some of the power from the pedal stroke to the front wheel. This helps riders power through snowy roads, bad rods and assists in climbing as well as tackling rough terrain. Additional photos after the jump
Interbike 2012: Keep the iPhone in the Pocket But Display on Handlebars
Last week at the Interbike trade show Wahoo Fitness offered a peak at its new RFLKT Bike Computer, which allows riders to keep their expensive iPhones tucked in a pocket or tool bag but still be able to get crucial information sent to a receiver on the handlebars.
The small gizmo weighs just two ounces and should be able to run on a single coin cell battery for up to a year. Data is transmitted from the handset to the RFLKT device via Bluetooh 4.0 and it is compatible with a variety of iPhone apps. Press release after the jump
Ass-tastic iPhone Bike Light
Having some sort of light is a good idea when riding a bike at night. But instead of buying yet one more gizmo, the team at Monocle have created an abrasion-resistant synthetic webbing that holds and iPhone and uses the handsets flash to blink through a red lens – thus transforming the handset into a bike light.
Monocle’s designers are now looking to raise funds to make this ass-tastic light a reality with a Kickstarter campaign. Video after the jump
Interbike 2012: ODD Recap
The dust on the trails has settled but we had a great time at Interbike 2012’s Outdoor Demo Days, where were were able to test ride several bikes. Here is a recap of what we hit on the trails.