Category: Interbike

Interbike 2011: LOOK Kéo Power Pedals

Being able to measure the power output of a cyclist at the pedals is certainly not new. The Vector system, now owned by Garmin, has had this solution available for the past couple of years. The Garmin system is often used with the LOOK Kéo pedals, but now LOOK is selling an off the shelf option with a slight twist – the new LOOK Kéo Power.

The new LOOK Kéo Power pedal combines the expertise of LOOK with POLAR, one of the heart rate monitor market innovators. This new pedal allows very accurate cadence and power measurements by placing the electronics inside each pedal axle. Each axle is equipped with 8 strain gauges which measure the axle deflection, which along with the reed relay measured cadence information, is transmitted to the Polar head unit. The Polar combines this information to accurately determine the power output of each pedal – independently. Continue reading Interbike 2011: LOOK Kéo Power Pedals

Interbike/Health + Fitness Expo 2011: Virtual Travel in HD

Travel is not fun, and as we make our way to the Interbike and Health + Fitness Expo we can you that getting there isn’t half the fun. But there is a great big world to see, and unfortunately most of us will never be able to visit all of it. But the Passport media player is the next best thing to working out in a distant land – and without the crowded seats or security lines along the way.

Available only to Johnson Health Tech Passport, featuring Virtual Active technology, offers the a rich high-definition experience with real destination footage and matching ambient sounds. This exclusive technology, which to date has only been available at gyms around the world on Matrix line of equipment, is now being brought to the consumer market on the AFG 7.1 AT treadmill.

Since its founding in 2005, the 10-person, San Francisco-based company has been busy sending camera crews around the world to capture the most realistic, breathtaking footage available on an exercise machine.Users can connect to their own home entertainment system and get taken away during their workout. Sure beats watching the news during a workout – with all that’s going on that might not be good for your heart!

Virtual Active Official Website

Interbike 2011: The Interceptor from Pedego Electric Bikes

Being avid cyclists, we shunned the idea of electric motor assisted bikes when their current incarnation hit the market. After realizing that these bikes are not for the existing cyclists, but the person who has made every excuse not to get on a bike, we warmed up to the idea. Next time you hear from someone that they do not ride a bike because of all of the hills in the area or that they worry that they will ride too far from home and not be able to make the return journey, let them know about the new electric bikes available.

One new electric bike at this year’s Interbike that caught our eye was the Interceptor from Pedego Electric Bikes of Irvine, California. The new Interceptor has the look of a beach cruiser through its swooping tubes and balloon tires. The Interceptor has the styling of a normal bike and even pedals like a normal bike; but when the need arises or you run out of gears and more power is needed, a built-in gearless hub motor can be used. Continue reading Interbike 2011: The Interceptor from Pedego Electric Bikes

Interbike 2011: Competition Heads Up With Mobile Challenge

Interbike is less than two weeks away, and attendees will have a bit of extra incentive to bring their A game. Last week Interbike announced it has a new mobile app that will help attendees interact and stay connected with the industry during next month’s trade show.

Now, in partnership with Stravea, Interbike will add a little friendly competition to the mix during the OutDoor Demo event. Any rider attending the trade show’s OutDoor Demo will be able to visit Strava.com and create a free account to take part in the Strava OutDoor Demo Challenge, where riders can track performances of one another. The app is free for download to iPhone and Android devices. Continue reading Interbike 2011: Competition Heads Up With Mobile Challenge

2012 Moots MX Divide – Interbike Sneak Peek!

Typically if a bike company has a major product announcement, it will be reserved for an industry trade show like the upcoming 2011 Interbike in Las Vegas, but it appears that Moots of Steamboat Springs, Colorado has decided to let their ‘friends’ on Facebook have a sneak peek of what appears to be an exciting new design.

There are few details as of right now, but it appears that the new 2012 MX Divide is a complete redesign of their somewhat archaic current cross country bike, the Zirkel. The most significant difference with the new MX Divide is that Moots teamed up with the Sotto Group of Watsonville, California to design this new frame using a single pivot design and position the rear shock more inline with the travel of the rear triangle. Sotto Group is well known in the bicycle industry, plus they have the experience to design and test making them a perfect resource for this new design. Since the MX Divide is designed to be a cross country bike, the frame has 4-inches of rear travel and is designed to work with a 100mm (4-inch) suspension fork. The rear triangle uses a combination of titanium seat stays and aluminum chain stays with a carbon fiber swing link connecting the seat stays and rear Fox shock.

Along with the new frame design, the MX Divide features an inset 44mm oversized head tube and press fit BB30 bottom bracket which is becoming more standard on mountain bikes due to both items increasing the overall stiffness of a frame.

Another feature that will be appreciated by current Moots owners (such as this reporter) is the curved down tube. I had recently completed building a 2011 Mooto X YBB and personally had an issue with the adjusting knobs of the 2012 Fox F29 fork hitting the down tube. The new curved down tube alleviates this issue and will hopefully appear on other 2012 Moots frames.

This ground-up approach by Moots has produced what appears to be an exciting new bike that we hope to swing a leg over at Interbike to hit some trails. The 19-inch frame MX Divide shown in the photo reportedly weighs just 24.5 pounds which should make this one fast bike on the trails!

Moots Official Website

Interbike: DannyShane to Preview New Products for 2012

Oh Danny Boy, Las Vegas is calling, as eco-conscious cycling apparel company DannyShane has announced that it will previewing its 2012 cycling apparel line at next month’s Interbike International Trade Expo in Las Vegas. The innovative cycling apparel company is known for its product line that features a proprietary fabric blend of 50 percent bamboo white ash (BWA), a natural, eco-friendly performance fiber. The BWA is infused into every weave of jersey fabric, providing natural UV protection that is breathable and moisture wicking.

“We are excited to return to Interbike and look forward to previewing our 2012 spring line at North America’s largest cycling trade event,” said Shane Hunt, president of DannyShane. “We unveiled the DannyShane 2011 line at last year’s expo, and the industry and consumer response since then has been phenomenal. Our new line builds on that success with new, innovative designs and a continued commitment to capturing the wonderment of cycling’s past in our styling, while using cutting-edge, eco-performance fabrics.” Continue reading Interbike: DannyShane to Preview New Products for 2012

Interbike 2011: Mini-Velodrome To Be Installed at Sands Expo and Convention Center

Fixie riders will get to take to the track at the upcoming Interbike, as Portland Design Works will be rolling in the Circulus, a 132-foot circumference, 45-degree wooden mini-velodrome. This track will be installed in the Sands Expo and Convention Center, and is being sponsored by Paved magazine, Yakima, All-City Cycles and Portland Design Works. It will be the site for multiple events during the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas, from September 14-16.

Show attendees will get to take to the track to ride All-City Cycles and even compete in events for the first and second days of Interbike.

“Circulus will add something completely new and unique to this year’s show,” said Interbike Brand and Communications Director Rich Kelly. “We’re placing a big emphasis on urban cycling and the brands that support it and having Circulus there will be a big draw for that segment of the market. And, of course, I can’t wait to take a spin on it myself.”

(Video of Circulus after the Jump) Continue reading Interbike 2011: Mini-Velodrome To Be Installed at Sands Expo and Convention Center

Interbike 2011: Think you know style?

Clothes they say make the man, but do clothes make the rider? We’ll find out in September as Interbike, the largest bicycle trade show in North America, is once again hosting the Interbike City Style Fashion Show. This is not a show of Lycra-clad racers, but a show of stylish, lifestyle types of clothing including many entries which can be worn on the bike as well as stroller around town to run errands.

Presented by Momentum Magazine, this year Interbike show attendees will get to enjoy two shows. On September 14 and 15, at 2 p.m., both shows will happen in the Urban Lounge which is in the Hall ‘G,‘ on the street level of the Sands Convention Center. Different from other fashion shows is how the catwalk is setup…instead of pouty looking models stomping down the runway, an indoor road loop is laid out so that the models can ride around in the clothing submissions and best display the cycling apparel and bikes in action – giving each attendee a front row seat.

Even though Interbike is an ‘industry only’ trade show, companies and fashion designers are invited to submit clothing and accessories for consideration. Represented clothing, accessories and bikes will include a variety of lifestyle categories including Work, Daytime Casual, Weekend Casual, To the Gym, Semi Formal and Formal. Companies and designers interested in potential inclusion should return the completed submission Interbike Fashion Showform and clearly labeled low-res product photo to Mia Kohout at mia@momentumplanet.com or via fax at (604) 669-9870. Product submissions are due on or before August 1, with accepted companies being notified of inclusion on August 8. Below you will find a link to the submission form.

Submission Forms
Interbike Official Website

Interbike 2011: Key Brands Returning

As we head into spring that means we’re at about the “half way” point to another Interbike, the the cycling industry’s annual flagship trade event. This year the show hits its 30 year mark, and is quickly selling out as exhibitors large and small lock up their space for the September 14-16 show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“Interbike 2011 is already shaping up to be one of our biggest shows ever,” said Show Director Andy Tompkins. “The mix of established brands that exhibit every year and companies new to the cycling industry or just new to the show provide retailers with the opportunity to see the latest offerings from every corner of the cycling world, something that can only happen at an event as broad based and well-attended as Interbike.” Continue reading Interbike 2011: Key Brands Returning

Timbuk2 Rolls Out Bags with Bike-Friendly Features

Whether you bike your commute to work, are out for fun or extensive exercise, you may have some gear to tote along. A shoulder bag gets in the way, and sometimes even your standard backpack feels inappropriate while riding.

Timbuk2 has a few new bag designs that address the specific needs of cyclists. Those are streamlined, well-balanced and with the right pockets to store laptops and tablets, every day items and even bike-specific gear such as helmets and locks.

While the bag company showed its upcoming products for the year at CES earlier this month, some of its bike-friendly bags won’t be available until about September’s Interbike. The new line of backpacks,  includes the Amnesia, Hemlock and Q. The former is something we’ll be sure to remember as we wait for it to arrive.

The Amnesia features a ventilated back panel to help ensure that you don’t get too hot under the collar, while custom-fit straps give a truer, more comfortable fit. The refined weave 840 ballistic nylon pack offers a “swing around” side access compartment that can fit a laptop or tablet up to 15-inches. Separate front organizer pockets are available for accessories. This bag features an bottle opener on one of the straps. Once you’re off your bike you can use the paired Velcro loops on the bag’s face to secure your helmet or headphones – we recommend you keep the helmet on your head while on the bike. Continue reading Timbuk2 Rolls Out Bags with Bike-Friendly Features

Hands-on: Boo! Freighting Good Ride With Bamboo

While visiting the Gates Carbon Drive System booth at the 2010 Outdoor Demo in Boulder City, NV, there was one bike the jumped out as being completely unique from all of the other manufacturers using the belt drive system. That manufacturer was Boo Bicycles from Ft. Collins, Colorado. The feature that really made this bike stand out was the use of bamboo as the main tubes and stays of the frame. Bamboo is one of those materials that has picked up steam as a building material in the mainstream recently due to its beauty and more importantly its sustainability as a building material.

Unlike traditional lumber, bamboo can be harvested for use as a building material in a few years as opposed to a few decades. For centuries, Eastern cultures have used bamboo for everything including building shelters, weapons, food and textiles. Boo is certainly not the first manufacturer to use bamboo in a bicycle frame, but they are one of the few to use the material in every single frame they produce. Continue reading Hands-on: Boo! Freighting Good Ride With Bamboo

Interbike 2010 Wrap Up: Cycling with Cervelo

At Interbike we were able to get a peak at what is going on with “Project California,” and took a ride on some of the new Cervelo bikes, including ones using the upcoming BBright. This new technology is the only bottom bracket standard that uses an oversize axele and oversize frame tubes. The idea here is that it will be an optimal combination for overall system stiffness and weight for the frame, crank, and bottom bracket.

There are a few moments with any technology where you say, “this is going to change everything,” and that ride with Cervelo to Red Rock Canyon was certainly one of those. Continue reading Interbike 2010 Wrap Up: Cycling with Cervelo

Interbike 2010: Let the NiteRider Pro 1400 Light Your Way… on Your Terms

As you are browsing through the accessory section your favorite bike shop, you will probably notice that most of the large bike companies have their own headlights on the market. These headlights are perfectly fine for commuting and bike path rides, but rarely do they offer enough light for a fast descents or tight single track. If you find that you are riding slower during the night or you are planning on entering a 24-hour race, you need to invest in a good lighting system.

One system that may interest you is the Pro 1400 system offered by NiteRider based in San Diego, CA. As the name implies, this dual LED lamp system produces 1400 lumens when set to the ‘high’ mode. The 1400 lumens is achieved during the ‘high’ mode by both the spot and flood light being fully illuminated to 700 lumens each. Though this will offer plenty of light for the trail you are blazing, your run time will only be 2:30 hours. For a longer night ride with these light right out of the box, all you have to do is switch to either the flood or spot lamp when the full 1400 is not needed. Continue reading Interbike 2010: Let the NiteRider Pro 1400 Light Your Way… on Your Terms