YESSSSS!!!!! EUROBIKE IS HERE!!!! The ultimate cyclist geek fest. I have never been a person that is really into cultural things, but if you are this is what a museum must feel like. The Star Wars convention for a sci-fi lover. The Monaco Grand Prix for petrolheads. 12 big exhibition halls full of wonderful “look but cannot buy yet” shiny things. With people to tell you about all the amazing things you can do with 2012 collection that was impossible with 2011 goods, you would think that in 2011 we were pedaling in squares compared to next year.
Or at least that is what all the marketing hype told me.
On a more realistic level, the bike industry is more about evolution than revolution. 29ers were the big hit last year, now they are e-ve-ry-where. It seems that Europe, after ignoring the big wheelers for 10 years, caught up with the US at warp speed.
I have not seen many things for the MTB community that rocked my world. Shimano is bringing out an XTR derailleur with a switch that increases the spring tension and will therefore reduce chain slap on enduro bikes. Gore is coming out with a new cable housing that saves 50% weight over Nokon, Shimano, Jagwire or any other cable. It should be around 19 grams per meter, so you can calculate how much that is for your own rig. I have seen an Intense Spyder with Shimano’s Di2 Dura Ace group that was rebuilt to bring electronic shifting to the off road world. It involved a custom made long cage to cope with 11-36 cassettes.
Commuter bags by Brooks that had a mix of traditional canvas with waterproof zippers. I expected to see hydraulic brake/shift levers for cyclocross bikes, but nothing so far. There were adapters by TRP and Hope that connected a traditional STI set cable to a hydraulic system to power the disc brakes. My favourite tire, the Vredestein Black Panther will finally come in a 29 version.
One day into Eurobike and one day to go. I still have to visit 5 halls that I did not see yesterday before we head back to Belgium tonight. So many thoughts to exchange, so many ideas to brew. I have decided to build a bike for winter riding in the mud. It will be the new Ritchey P29er frame, rigid fork and 1×10 or even 1×9 gearing. I will keep you posted as soon as it is available in the shop for test rides.