CABDA Photo Dump by Ari Andonopoulous

My good friend Ari Andonopoulous attended the Chicago Area Bicycles Dealer Association dealer only trade show/expo on Wednesday and sent me a short report and a bunch of images. I will share the best of the crop and provide some captions to them. Ari took all the images. 

This is a great look at an event that many people don't realize happens in the industry. Trade shows used to be quite prevalent 20 years ago but they are few and far between in the cycling industry in North America anymore. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the show!

Schaumberg Convention Center, Schaumberg IL, February 12th, 2025 : I had been looking forward to attending CABDA for a few months now. It’s a good way to break up the winter and have a chance to socialize with like minded people. We had a snow “event” roll thru Chicago so schools were called off and I was able to drive to the show as my wife was working from home.

I woke up a bit late and scurried out of the house. I was excited to take photos with my Canon but I left in such a hurry that I forgot the battery on the charger at home. Luckily I packed a Sony camera and it worked out. I took it easy driving there and arrived a few minutes before opening, completely missing the meet and greet breakfast. I lucked out on a last cup of coffee and fueled up with sugary gels and bars samples. 

An old trade show attendee hack: Living off the free nutritional samples!

The event was well attended with many companies represented. Surprised to see QBP and Giant there. Also Niner, Transition, Factor, Cervelo and other notables. I was impressed with a new Vittoria gravel tire, a Pedro’s Bottom Bracket tool, lots of new lubes and a Krypto lock with a mesh that kills the wheel on angle grinders. 

I met a lot of friends from the Chicago area bike scene and chatted with a lot of friendly vendors.
The bike industry is ever changing and as much as people criticize it I believe it’s driven by passionate people that love bikes and cycling. I would not hesitate going to CABDA again and look forward to attending next year. - Ari

Photo Dump

 A row of swank, sleek looking Factor bikes.

Trudi is from the people behind BERD spokes. This wheel building machine costs $6,999.00

PK Rippers as seen at CABDA. These types of bicycles are big in urban areas.

Reminds me of Tioga Psycho tires! These Vittoria Terreno Pros are made from 92% recycled materials.

Olympic Supply still offers printed dealer catalogs. Old school!

This new Pedros bottom bracket tool uses inserts and one aluminum cup to cover several BB standards in one tool.

Trade shows are great for finding new products to use in a repair shop.

 

It is kind of ironic that Quality Bicycle Products is showing at CABDA. At one time, its Frostbike trade show was the darling of the Mid-West trade show circuit. 

 

Trade shows also allow mechanics and dealers to get face-to-face explanations of new technologies.

One of the hidden gems of Muc Off's range is this Eco Parts Washer. 

Clik Valve shows its wares. I'll have an update on my review of these products later this Summer.

BIKE TUBES was there showing off these colorful TPU tubes.

That's a wrap from the Schaumberg Convention Center, Schaumberg, Illinois! Thanks Ari!

On The Death Of The Trade Show

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Dave Pryor @ CrossVegas in '13

Back in the early part of the last decade I was probably in Las Vegas, or in the surrounding environs, for this thing called "Interbike". It was THE industry trade show for cycling for many years. But as with many things in Life, there were changes creeping in back then. 

One of the major changes was the dawning of social media. The instantaneous broadcasting of - literally - anything was bringing a new threat to the stability of the trade show. It was making what was once an anticipated event irrelevant. 

Gone were the times of waiting, the 'breaking of news' on one page in a magazine, or even on a website. No, now anyone with a smart phone and a connection could Tweet, Facebook, or post onto a site immediately, often, and with impunity. There were no "embargos" or editors. No filters and no managing of story lines. People walked down show aisles and posted willy-nilly on every bobble and bit they saw until, well, you could sit on your bum at home and see everything. Why bother with soiling yourself with the unwashed masses at Interbike? There was no longer any point in any of it. 

Brands and marketers figured this pivot out very quickly and took control of the loose reins. Suddenly there were less and less 'big brands' at the shows and messages now were 'managed' through controlled releases to the press via embargos. There were the brand specific 'press junkets' where brands could fly out hand picked media and groom them on their messages. Then there was the dawn of the dealer only events for specific brands where new product was released, shown, and orders written up. The very things Interbike was founded upon were now commodities controlled by the brands and marketers themselves. Interbike, as a vehicle for these things, was bypassed and no longer necessary. 

I saw that and my partner in "Twentynine Inches", Grannygear, saw that. We decided in 2013 that it would be our last Interbike show.  By this point we were able to get what we needed in a day. Hardly worth it from the standpoint of travel, lodging, food, and transportation costs to the site. (Well, in reality- that was my expense) The show had tried a last gasp attempt at life when it moved to Reno in 2018, but that was a failure, and plans for another show were shuttered afterward. There has been no Interbike since that time. 

Some folks miss the Vegas atmosphere. Not this guy!

So there ya go. A brief summary of the death of a trade show from my perspective. I would have been there around this time back in the day. So, do I miss it? 

No.

Overall, the answer would be a definitive "no". On one hand, I miss meeting people. I miss getting to know a few folks that are in the industry. But really, most of that, probably 90% of it, was superficial interfacing with a person for what? Five minutes? Maybe, if you were lucky. Then it was time to shuffle onward to the next "Hey! How ya doin? Yeah, the show is great. Goin home tomorrow. Have a good one!", and so on and on....

What people maybe choose to forget is the insufferable McCarren International Airport experiences, the sights of the downtrodden who live in the shadows of Vegas' Strip, or maybe the constant reminders that, on the Las Vegas Strip anyway, humans and their sexuality were nothing more than a way to make a quick buck and were meaningless otherwise. Some lament the 'getting together of folks', but you cannot ignore the rest of what Vegas stands for. And sure, there were multiple loud calls to pull Interbike into places like Reno, Denver, Anaheim, or the PNW, but when nobody could commit or seemingly make up their mind, Vegas became the default option. I think this was another key to Interbike's demise.

Some aspects of trade shows popped up at cycling events. The DK200 2015 here.

But the trade show, as a vehicle for information dispersal and business transactions, is dead. There is no real good reason to resurrect that idea, and 'getting together' is not good enough anymore. Not in large masses in centralized locations, at any rate. Business cannot afford to be a vehicle for superficial social gatherings. 

But other events do offer the opportunity for the gathering aspect that trade shows were once known for. Now, it would seem, the expo at a bicycle event serves as that social opportunity which fills a vacuum which was once served by Interbike, and to lesser extents, other smaller bicycle trade shows. In a way, the vestiges of the trade show are now carted around to various cycling events and one can see the old ways practiced, like they used to be, when Interbike was king. It's kind of like going to see the pioneer farming exhibit at the county fair. Quaint, but still irrelevant to modern times.

Probably the ultimate example of this is Sea Otter. A bicycle festival first, but a trade show as well. Sea Otter came to prominence in the late 00's as the place to introduce new product and get it into people's hands for impressions. Media jumped onboard with Sea Otter and it quickly became a much more efficient place to do business than Interbike ever was. A much more wholesome atmosphere didn't hurt either, as well as the beauty of the Monterrey area in terms of nature. 

But even Sea Otter has become somewhat lackluster in terms of marketing and newsy items since marketing and brand managers have sought out 'influencers', 'stories', and You Tube edits which they can control and measure metrics on better for their clients. Pinpointed marketing to specific media is also a big thing now and Sea Otter paints a broad stroke which doesn't always work for that. Add in COVID, and now one has to wonder how things will look moving forward in regard to 'expos' at events. 

Whatever happens, indoor trade show events are dead. What the future holds is not completely clear to me, but one thing is for sure- I don't miss flying out to Vegas. Not even one little bit!

On The Death Of The Trade Show

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Dave Pryor @ CrossVegas in '13

Back in the early part of the last decade I was probably in Las Vegas, or in the surrounding environs, for this thing called "Interbike". It was THE industry trade show for cycling for many years. But as with many things in Life, there were changes creeping in back then. 

One of the major changes was the dawning of social media. The instantaneous broadcasting of - literally - anything was bringing a new threat to the stability of the trade show. It was making what was once an anticipated event irrelevant. 

Gone were the times of waiting, the 'breaking of news' on one page in a magazine, or even on a website. No, now anyone with a smart phone and a connection could Tweet, Facebook, or post onto a site immediately, often, and with impunity. There were no "embargos" or editors. No filters and no managing of story lines. People walked down show aisles and posted willy-nilly on every bobble and bit they saw until, well, you could sit on your bum at home and see everything. Why bother with soiling yourself with the unwashed masses at Interbike? There was no longer any point in any of it. 

Brands and marketers figured this pivot out very quickly and took control of the loose reins. Suddenly there were less and less 'big brands' at the shows and messages now were 'managed' through controlled releases to the press via embargos. There were the brand specific 'press junkets' where brands could fly out hand picked media and groom them on their messages. Then there was the dawn of the dealer only events for specific brands where new product was released, shown, and orders written up. The very things Interbike was founded upon were now commodities controlled by the brands and marketers themselves. Interbike, as a vehicle for these things, was bypassed and no longer necessary. 

I saw that and my partner in "Twentynine Inches", Grannygear, saw that. We decided in 2013 that it would be our last Interbike show.  By this point we were able to get what we needed in a day. Hardly worth it from the standpoint of travel, lodging, food, and transportation costs to the site. (Well, in reality- that was my expense) The show had tried a last gasp attempt at life when it moved to Reno in 2018, but that was a failure, and plans for another show were shuttered afterward. There has been no Interbike since that time. 

Some folks miss the Vegas atmosphere. Not this guy!

So there ya go. A brief summary of the death of a trade show from my perspective. I would have been there around this time back in the day. So, do I miss it? 

No.

Overall, the answer would be a definitive "no". On one hand, I miss meeting people. I miss getting to know a few folks that are in the industry. But really, most of that, probably 90% of it, was superficial interfacing with a person for what? Five minutes? Maybe, if you were lucky. Then it was time to shuffle onward to the next "Hey! How ya doin? Yeah, the show is great. Goin home tomorrow. Have a good one!", and so on and on....

What people maybe choose to forget is the insufferable McCarren International Airport experiences, the sights of the downtrodden who live in the shadows of Vegas' Strip, or maybe the constant reminders that, on the Las Vegas Strip anyway, humans and their sexuality were nothing more than a way to make a quick buck and were meaningless otherwise. Some lament the 'getting together of folks', but you cannot ignore the rest of what Vegas stands for. And sure, there were multiple loud calls to pull Interbike into places like Reno, Denver, Anaheim, or the PNW, but when nobody could commit or seemingly make up their mind, Vegas became the default option. I think this was another key to Interbike's demise.

Some aspects of trade shows popped up at cycling events. The DK200 2015 here.

But the trade show, as a vehicle for information dispersal and business transactions, is dead. There is no real good reason to resurrect that idea, and 'getting together' is not good enough anymore. Not in large masses in centralized locations, at any rate. Business cannot afford to be a vehicle for superficial social gatherings. 

But other events do offer the opportunity for the gathering aspect that trade shows were once known for. Now, it would seem, the expo at a bicycle event serves as that social opportunity which fills a vacuum which was once served by Interbike, and to lesser extents, other smaller bicycle trade shows. In a way, the vestiges of the trade show are now carted around to various cycling events and one can see the old ways practiced, like they used to be, when Interbike was king. It's kind of like going to see the pioneer farming exhibit at the county fair. Quaint, but still irrelevant to modern times.

Probably the ultimate example of this is Sea Otter. A bicycle festival first, but a trade show as well. Sea Otter came to prominence in the late 00's as the place to introduce new product and get it into people's hands for impressions. Media jumped onboard with Sea Otter and it quickly became a much more efficient place to do business than Interbike ever was. A much more wholesome atmosphere didn't hurt either, as well as the beauty of the Monterrey area in terms of nature. 

But even Sea Otter has become somewhat lackluster in terms of marketing and newsy items since marketing and brand managers have sought out 'influencers', 'stories', and You Tube edits which they can control and measure metrics on better for their clients. Pinpointed marketing to specific media is also a big thing now and Sea Otter paints a broad stroke which doesn't always work for that. Add in COVID, and now one has to wonder how things will look moving forward in regard to 'expos' at events. 

Whatever happens, indoor trade show events are dead. What the future holds is not completely clear to me, but one thing is for sure- I don't miss flying out to Vegas. Not even one little bit!

Some (More) Eurobike Musings

A new tapered steer tube standard- 1 1/9th to 1.8", as seen on the 2020 Bulls Sonic Evo

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

While watching it rain yesterday, I decided to peruse more show news from Eurobike. This has quickly become the de facto "dealer trade show" for the world now that the pesky Interbike show has finally gone by the wayside. With technology having the impact that it has had, one show for the World is maybe all we really need.

To wit: "pinkbike", the mtb site, had virtual video tours through the halls of Eurobike showing off highlights for mountain bikers. They also showed some of what is charming about trade shows, and that is the weird and wonderful gadgets, inventions, and ephemera that one can find while wandering around at one of these events. Kudos to the site for making no commentary on some of these weird things. Raspberries to the site for the occasional show of "bro-culture humor". But anyway......

The single most interesting thing I saw was from Bulls, a German based brand. They have HPC's, (e-mtb's, for those stuck with that bad moniker) of course, and one of their newest ones, the Sonic Evo, has a new tapered steer tube dimension. It is a traditional 1 1/8th at the top, but swells out to a 1.8" at the crown of the fork. Rock Shox and SunTour are buying into this idea, for now, and are making the standard "open", meaning other companies (Fox) are open to using it if they so choose. Okay.....so why? 

Rock Shox was quoted in an article I read, and their officials were saying, it was a customer request and that they would watch to see "where this goes" for the future. (Read: Will there be any further OEM interest? If so, it's on like Donkey Kong! If not- it will die) SunTour said that it was a necessary evolution of fork/headset/frame design pushed by the electrification of mountain bikes. The heavier bikes with more power are exerting higher peak loads and this idea will help to handle that. Who is right?

Both are. 

Will it become an adopted standard? The folks at "pinkbike" weren't so quick to say it will. Here's the thing- If other manufacturers see the benefit in terms of marketing, engineering, and in preventing possible warranty/liability issues, then yes. It's going to be pushed out for HPC's particularly. If so, since HPC's and human powered bicycles are still so closely related, you might see some cross-pollination with DH bikes, or really long travel 29"ers. But one could also argue that this points to where HPC (at least on the MTB side) and human powered bicycles start to part ways.

Once standards start getting developed for electrified two wheelers, then the dam may break, and many connections to standard bicycles may cease to exist. Just like what happened a hundred years ago when folks found out that simply strapping on a gasoline motor to a bicycle wasn't enough. Parts and pieces had to be developed to handle the higher peak loads and forces a motor brings to the table. And we all know where that ended up.

And standards are being changed for HPC's in the MTB realm. Both Hope and Magura have 220mm rotors and brake adapters now in an answer for a need for better brakes on electrified MTB's. Magura also has an integrated cockpit specifically for these rigs which has a built in controller, hidden master cylinders, and internally routed brake lines. It looks as huge and clunky as it sounds. Fork manufacturers are already busy modifying internals to adapt to the heavier vehicles and different dynamics they bring to motorized two wheeled trail riding.

This will all continue to develop and change, in my opinion, and then at some point lines are going to start getting blurred between what a "bicycle is" and what a motorcycle is, as motorcycle companies continue to electrify their product. At what point do you say, "Well, I could by this 6-10K electrified bicycle deal, which I have to pedal a little bit, or spend about the same on a better electric trail bike I don't have to pedal at all?" When the motor cycle companies get there, and they will, this will likely be the death of the so-called "e-mtb".

You'll say, "But those things without pedals are banned!", and I say, when they all start looking similar, how will anyone be able to tell one from the other? Inspections at parking lots? Who has the time and money for that? These things will be silent, or nearly so, so how would you catch them on a trail? Maybe you are of the mind that law abiding citizens wouldn't do such things? Maybe some, but c'mon! We already have trail poachers, people who don't stop when its muddy, and laziness abounds.

But time will tell. It's going to be an ever shifting landscape for several years to come.

Some (More) Eurobike Musings

A new tapered steer tube standard- 1 1/9th to 1.8", as seen on the 2020 Bulls Sonic Evo

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

While watching it rain yesterday, I decided to peruse more show news from Eurobike. This has quickly become the de facto "dealer trade show" for the world now that the pesky Interbike show has finally gone by the wayside. With technology having the impact that it has had, one show for the World is maybe all we really need.

To wit: "pinkbike", the mtb site, had virtual video tours through the halls of Eurobike showing off highlights for mountain bikers. They also showed some of what is charming about trade shows, and that is the weird and wonderful gadgets, inventions, and ephemera that one can find while wandering around at one of these events. Kudos to the site for making no commentary on some of these weird things. Raspberries to the site for the occasional show of "bro-culture humor". But anyway......

The single most interesting thing I saw was from Bulls, a German based brand. They have HPC's, (e-mtb's, for those stuck with that bad moniker) of course, and one of their newest ones, the Sonic Evo, has a new tapered steer tube dimension. It is a traditional 1 1/8th at the top, but swells out to a 1.8" at the crown of the fork. Rock Shox and SunTour are buying into this idea, for now, and are making the standard "open", meaning other companies (Fox) are open to using it if they so choose. Okay.....so why? 

Rock Shox was quoted in an article I read, and their officials were saying, it was a customer request and that they would watch to see "where this goes" for the future. (Read: Will there be any further OEM interest? If so, it's on like Donkey Kong! If not- it will die) SunTour said that it was a necessary evolution of fork/headset/frame design pushed by the electrification of mountain bikes. The heavier bikes with more power are exerting higher peak loads and this idea will help to handle that. Who is right?

Both are. 

Will it become an adopted standard? The folks at "pinkbike" weren't so quick to say it will. Here's the thing- If other manufacturers see the benefit in terms of marketing, engineering, and in preventing possible warranty/liability issues, then yes. It's going to be pushed out for HPC's particularly. If so, since HPC's and human powered bicycles are still so closely related, you might see some cross-pollination with DH bikes, or really long travel 29"ers. But one could also argue that this points to where HPC (at least on the MTB side) and human powered bicycles start to part ways.

Once standards start getting developed for electrified two wheelers, then the dam may break, and many connections to standard bicycles may cease to exist. Just like what happened a hundred years ago when folks found out that simply strapping on a gasoline motor to a bicycle wasn't enough. Parts and pieces had to be developed to handle the higher peak loads and forces a motor brings to the table. And we all know where that ended up.

And standards are being changed for HPC's in the MTB realm. Both Hope and Magura have 220mm rotors and brake adapters now in an answer for a need for better brakes on electrified MTB's. Magura also has an integrated cockpit specifically for these rigs which has a built in controller, hidden master cylinders, and internally routed brake lines. It looks as huge and clunky as it sounds. Fork manufacturers are already busy modifying internals to adapt to the heavier vehicles and different dynamics they bring to motorized two wheeled trail riding.

This will all continue to develop and change, in my opinion, and then at some point lines are going to start getting blurred between what a "bicycle is" and what a motorcycle is, as motorcycle companies continue to electrify their product. At what point do you say, "Well, I could by this 6-10K electrified bicycle deal, which I have to pedal a little bit, or spend about the same on a better electric trail bike I don't have to pedal at all?" When the motor cycle companies get there, and they will, this will likely be the death of the so-called "e-mtb".

You'll say, "But those things without pedals are banned!", and I say, when they all start looking similar, how will anyone be able to tell one from the other? Inspections at parking lots? Who has the time and money for that? These things will be silent, or nearly so, so how would you catch them on a trail? Maybe you are of the mind that law abiding citizens wouldn't do such things? Maybe some, but c'mon! We already have trail poachers, people who don't stop when its muddy, and laziness abounds.

But time will tell. It's going to be an ever shifting landscape for several years to come.

Some Eurobike Musings

Pivot's new Phoenix DH 29

 This week is Eurobike, the show in Germany all about bikes. Here following are some newsy bits and musings I have on what has been shown on the MTB side of things.

Nope! Never Happen In DH. 

Ten years ago EVERYBODY that rode DH or long travel mountain bikes were saying you couldn't do it. That "it" would NEVER happen and that 26" wheels would ALWAYS be the standard wheel size for DH machines.

Now it is 2019 going on 2020 and find me a currently produced 2020 model 26 inch wheeled DH bike. There might be one, maybe even two, but everyone knows now that 26 inch wheeled DH bikes are rarer than hen's teeth these days. But.....they said it couldn't be done! Let's review the current release of Pivot's Phoenix 29 DH sled.

First off, it has a mind boggling 190mm of rear travel! Try wrapping your 2009 mind around that. Your head would have exploded. But that's not all. This new bike Pivot is rolling out has a lower stand over height than the outgoing 27.5" model had. Mind = BOOM!

Pivot also says this in their press release for the bike:

"Without a doubt, 29er wheels roll faster, smooth out rough courses and carry a ridiculous amount of momentum. They offer improved tracking and braking in turns too. Short 17” (44.3mm) chainstays add ‘playful’, ‘flickable’ and ‘manuals for days’ to its repertoire. This makes it incredibly fun in a bike park, and extremely quick in tight, technical wooded sections."

Obviously that has to be a fabrication. Lies! There is no way a long travel 29"er can do these things! 

Unless it can. 

Surly Troll says, "I have the most braze-on warts!" Marin Pine Mountain says, "Hold my beer!":

Bikepacking has gone off the deep end. Well, in terms of mounting points, it has. Example: Marin's 2020 Pine Mountain. Sheesh! Don't clamp a hand around that down tube, you may get punctured! (Only kidding!) But yeah.....that looks ridiculous. 

And that isn't the only thing that looks ridiculous on what makes for a "modern day bikepacking rig". To my mind, many things about these sorts of takes on the load bearing, off road touring rig don't add up. For instance- Short chain stays. Not just short, but really short. Joe Breeze once told me that the longest, uninterrupted tube is the kind that gives the best ride. He was right too. Look at traditional touring rigs, or ride any bike with long-ish chain stays made from high quality steel. Smooth for days. But no- let's make these tubes as short as possible. Then the riders hindquarters will be right above the axle of the rear wheel.  Uh-huh. Yep..... Where do you get the bumpiest ride on the bus again? 

Then there is the whole bed roll on the handle bar deal. Or any loading up front, really. Let's see, who had that all figured out already? Oh! Yeah! Those randonnuer dudes and lasses, that's who. "Short trail" works best for front loading, but, ya know, let's slacken out the head angles to chopper-like status and put even shorter off-set forks on there. Yep.....just the ticket. 

Now lets buy ALL THE BRAZE ONS! We MUST use them!! (Sorry.......not sorry!) 

Anywho......Maybe I'm the one that just doesn't get it. That could be. 

New BOX Components 9 speed MTB drive train

Less Is More?

The whole down hill mountain bike gig is, perhaps, so far removed from the reality of riding mountain bikes, that any comparisons to "normal" mountain biking activities is sort of an apples to oranges one. However; one thing has come out of DH that is influencing more typical MTB styles and that is less cogs on the rear wheel. 

While the two "Big S" corporations chase 12 speed dominance and a little Spanish operation is pushing 13 speeds already, there are some companies looking at what less cogs on a system can do for mountain bikers. For one thing, the system can be more durable, longer wearing, and less expensive, theoretically. One company pushing this technology is BOX Components. 

It's a nifty looking system, and it is less expensive. It may not be lighter weight, but it certainly could be more durable. I mean, just look at the chain. If there is one thing that these 11 and 12 speed systems are really pushing the limits on, it is chain technology. I'm starting to hear about more snapped chains and quick links these days. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why that is. 

One other thing a lot of folks don't understand is the "margin for error". This is the concept that a cassette with less cogs, thicker cogs, and heavier duty chain is less prone to minor out of alignment/adjustment issues. I remember seeing folks with 7 speed MTB components that were running around, happy as larks, with slightly bent out of whack rear mech hangars and derailleur cages. Try that with you fancy-pants 12 speed stuff. Your bike probably won't even shift correctly, if at all. 

So, it is cool to see companies bringing more durable, less complex systems back into the fold. TRP also announced a 7 speed DH based system as well. I think there is definitely a place for such things. Less maintenance, less "margin for error", and it means more fun for a longer time. That's what it really is all about anyway, right? 

Stay tuned for more show related news....

Some Eurobike Musings

Pivot's new Phoenix DH 29

 This week is Eurobike, the show in Germany all about bikes. Here following are some newsy bits and musings I have on what has been shown on the MTB side of things.

Nope! Never Happen In DH. 

Ten years ago EVERYBODY that rode DH or long travel mountain bikes were saying you couldn't do it. That "it" would NEVER happen and that 26" wheels would ALWAYS be the standard wheel size for DH machines.

Now it is 2019 going on 2020 and find me a currently produced 2020 model 26 inch wheeled DH bike. There might be one, maybe even two, but everyone knows now that 26 inch wheeled DH bikes are rarer than hen's teeth these days. But.....they said it couldn't be done! Let's review the current release of Pivot's Phoenix 29 DH sled.

First off, it has a mind boggling 190mm of rear travel! Try wrapping your 2009 mind around that. Your head would have exploded. But that's not all. This new bike Pivot is rolling out has a lower stand over height than the outgoing 27.5" model had. Mind = BOOM!

Pivot also says this in their press release for the bike:

"Without a doubt, 29er wheels roll faster, smooth out rough courses and carry a ridiculous amount of momentum. They offer improved tracking and braking in turns too. Short 17” (44.3mm) chainstays add ‘playful’, ‘flickable’ and ‘manuals for days’ to its repertoire. This makes it incredibly fun in a bike park, and extremely quick in tight, technical wooded sections."

Obviously that has to be a fabrication. Lies! There is no way a long travel 29"er can do these things! 

Unless it can. 

Surly Troll says, "I have the most braze-on warts!" Marin Pine Mountain says, "Hold my beer!":

Bikepacking has gone off the deep end. Well, in terms of mounting points, it has. Example: Marin's 2020 Pine Mountain. Sheesh! Don't clamp a hand around that down tube, you may get punctured! (Only kidding!) But yeah.....that looks ridiculous. 

And that isn't the only thing that looks ridiculous on what makes for a "modern day bikepacking rig". To my mind, many things about these sorts of takes on the load bearing, off road touring rig don't add up. For instance- Short chain stays. Not just short, but really short. Joe Breeze once told me that the longest, uninterrupted tube is the kind that gives the best ride. He was right too. Look at traditional touring rigs, or ride any bike with long-ish chain stays made from high quality steel. Smooth for days. But no- let's make these tubes as short as possible. Then the riders hindquarters will be right above the axle of the rear wheel.  Uh-huh. Yep..... Where do you get the bumpiest ride on the bus again? 

Then there is the whole bed roll on the handle bar deal. Or any loading up front, really. Let's see, who had that all figured out already? Oh! Yeah! Those randonnuer dudes and lasses, that's who. "Short trail" works best for front loading, but, ya know, let's slacken out the head angles to chopper-like status and put even shorter off-set forks on there. Yep.....just the ticket. 

Now lets buy ALL THE BRAZE ONS! We MUST use them!! (Sorry.......not sorry!) 

Anywho......Maybe I'm the one that just doesn't get it. That could be. 

New BOX Components 9 speed MTB drive train

Less Is More?

The whole down hill mountain bike gig is, perhaps, so far removed from the reality of riding mountain bikes, that any comparisons to "normal" mountain biking activities is sort of an apples to oranges one. However; one thing has come out of DH that is influencing more typical MTB styles and that is less cogs on the rear wheel. 

While the two "Big S" corporations chase 12 speed dominance and a little Spanish operation is pushing 13 speeds already, there are some companies looking at what less cogs on a system can do for mountain bikers. For one thing, the system can be more durable, longer wearing, and less expensive, theoretically. One company pushing this technology is BOX Components. 

It's a nifty looking system, and it is less expensive. It may not be lighter weight, but it certainly could be more durable. I mean, just look at the chain. If there is one thing that these 11 and 12 speed systems are really pushing the limits on, it is chain technology. I'm starting to hear about more snapped chains and quick links these days. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why that is. 

One other thing a lot of folks don't understand is the "margin for error". This is the concept that a cassette with less cogs, thicker cogs, and heavier duty chain is less prone to minor out of alignment/adjustment issues. I remember seeing folks with 7 speed MTB components that were running around, happy as larks, with slightly bent out of whack rear mech hangars and derailleur cages. Try that with you fancy-pants 12 speed stuff. Your bike probably won't even shift correctly, if at all. 

So, it is cool to see companies bringing more durable, less complex systems back into the fold. TRP also announced a 7 speed DH based system as well. I think there is definitely a place for such things. Less maintenance, less "margin for error", and it means more fun for a longer time. That's what it really is all about anyway, right? 

Stay tuned for more show related news....

More Thoughts On The Demise Of Interbike

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Late last week the bombshell announcement that there would be no 2019 Interbike show was dropped on the world.

No one cared but bike nerds......

I just wanted to get that out of the way first, because in reality, only diehard cycling nut-jobs give a rip about any of this stuff. (Which, in a way points out a big problem, but that's another story) Anyway, I figured that I would offer a little bit more in depth thought and analysis from my perspective now that the dust has settled a bit. My initial take can be seen here.

There were a lot of reactions ranging from "it's about time" to all sorts of hand wringing about what is going to become of cycling now that its central gathering force is now going to be absent for the foreseeable future. I have two main thoughts about this and the first stems from what I read in Emerald Exposistions' original statement on the matter, which I doubt a lot of folks have actually taken the time to read.

They (Emerald) said that their hope is to integrate, or set alongside, any future iteration of a bicycle show with any of their several outdoor sports expositions. Emerald owns and operates several sports shows, so this would perhaps make sense in the short term. Also, it was mentioned that any future bicycle show might be regional in nature. This also makes a LOT more sense than one, more or less West Coast-centric show which not a lot of shop owners and employees can get to for various reasons. Travel expenses being tops on that list, obviously.

When I look at what Emerald Expositions states in that release, I am reading that,"Since Interbike is small, and too centralized in the West, it makes more sense to us to regionalize the show in multiple places and on multiple dates to maximize attendance. It also makes more sense monetarily to combine it within other shows which will bring more eyeballs to both cycling and other outdoor sports."

Regional shows like those put on by distributor QBP and CABDA show promise

 Let's face it, bicycling is in a cycle where it is seemingly at a low point. Show attendance has been in decline at Interbike for well over a decade. In that same time, regional bicycle shows have thrived. Sea Otter being the preeminent one, but shows that distributor QBP put on- Frostbike, Saddledrive, and shows like CABDA have drawn good attendance figures for years in a regional capacity. You have to figure that the folks at Emerald Expositions are at least paying some attention to that.

However; my second "main thought" concerning the demise of Interbike has to do with something I saw very, very few folks touch upon in the reactions I saw to the announcement. That is a thing that is as plain as the nose on my face- The Information Age. 

Many of you know I refer to the internet as the "innergoogles" because between all the ways we can share information and Google's search engine, anything you want to know about you can probably find out about within seconds. Anything. Including the latest, greatest bike gear and bicycles. Not only that, but you can likely get that info these days direct from manufacturers, or brands, and if not directly, through their PR firms. Whatever the case may be, the end result is that news can be found fast. You don't really need magazines, radio, T.V., or trade shows. All you needed was someone there to upload it all to the "intergoogles" and BOOM! End of traditional business model, baby.

This cultural shift, which happened over a period of the last 20 years, has completely upended, or what current marketing likes to say has "disrupted", everything. Literally everything. Media, schools, retail, business, music....... You get it. Everything. This includes trade shows like Interbike. Even the Interbike people tacitly admitted this when in 2017 they made a big push for everyone to attend the next Interbike in Reno, Nevada because it was the only place the industry could meet face to face.

Notice- they didn't say we needed to go to "get business done", or to "see the latest bicycles and technology", or that we should even go there to ride bicycles. They harped on the "face to face", meet people angle, because, well..........that was the only reason left to go. Meanwhile industry expo attendees were left to foot the bill for a show they brought their wares to that had no relevance in the marketplace anymore. Their return on investing in the show? The meeting of other people in the industry? I'm sorry, that's all great and stuff, but the accountants aren't down with it so much. Those accountants probably would rather that you meet people on your own dime. On the other hand you had bicycle dealers who had already placed pre-season, (if that is still a thing) orders, and had already seen the latest gear and bicycles debuted, reviewed, and forum dissected to death for weeks before Interbike ever opened their doors for that particular year. Nothing to see here.......so why go? 

From my perspective, Interbike lost relevance altogether eight years ago. The last few times I went I was pretty much wasting time and money. The decision was made in 2013 not to ever go again, and frankly, I was completely justified in that decision over the years. As a person who could be said to be loosely associated with the industry in some capacity, I suppose, I wasn't missing anything that had any relevance to my sites, I was certainly saving money, and saving time. For me, it was a win-win not to go to Interbike.

Finally, I do not see anything like Interbike ever happening again. If there is another, centralized, all-encompassing bicycle convention, it won't be "Interbike". It will be something completely different.

More Thoughts On The Demise Of Interbike

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Late last week the bombshell announcement that there would be no 2019 Interbike show was dropped on the world.

No one cared but bike nerds......

I just wanted to get that out of the way first, because in reality, only diehard cycling nut-jobs give a rip about any of this stuff. (Which, in a way points out a big problem, but that's another story) Anyway, I figured that I would offer a little bit more in depth thought and analysis from my perspective now that the dust has settled a bit. My initial take can be seen here.

There were a lot of reactions ranging from "it's about time" to all sorts of hand wringing about what is going to become of cycling now that its central gathering force is now going to be absent for the foreseeable future. I have two main thoughts about this and the first stems from what I read in Emerald Exposistions' original statement on the matter, which I doubt a lot of folks have actually taken the time to read.

They (Emerald) said that their hope is to integrate, or set alongside, any future iteration of a bicycle show with any of their several outdoor sports expositions. Emerald owns and operates several sports shows, so this would perhaps make sense in the short term. Also, it was mentioned that any future bicycle show might be regional in nature. This also makes a LOT more sense than one, more or less West Coast-centric show which not a lot of shop owners and employees can get to for various reasons. Travel expenses being tops on that list, obviously.

When I look at what Emerald Expositions states in that release, I am reading that,"Since Interbike is small, and too centralized in the West, it makes more sense to us to regionalize the show in multiple places and on multiple dates to maximize attendance. It also makes more sense monetarily to combine it within other shows which will bring more eyeballs to both cycling and other outdoor sports."

Regional shows like those put on by distributor QBP and CABDA show promise

 Let's face it, bicycling is in a cycle where it is seemingly at a low point. Show attendance has been in decline at Interbike for well over a decade. In that same time, regional bicycle shows have thrived. Sea Otter being the preeminent one, but shows that distributor QBP put on- Frostbike, Saddledrive, and shows like CABDA have drawn good attendance figures for years in a regional capacity. You have to figure that the folks at Emerald Expositions are at least paying some attention to that.

However; my second "main thought" concerning the demise of Interbike has to do with something I saw very, very few folks touch upon in the reactions I saw to the announcement. That is a thing that is as plain as the nose on my face- The Information Age. 

Many of you know I refer to the internet as the "innergoogles" because between all the ways we can share information and Google's search engine, anything you want to know about you can probably find out about within seconds. Anything. Including the latest, greatest bike gear and bicycles. Not only that, but you can likely get that info these days direct from manufacturers, or brands, and if not directly, through their PR firms. Whatever the case may be, the end result is that news can be found fast. You don't really need magazines, radio, T.V., or trade shows. All you needed was someone there to upload it all to the "intergoogles" and BOOM! End of traditional business model, baby.

This cultural shift, which happened over a period of the last 20 years, has completely upended, or what current marketing likes to say has "disrupted", everything. Literally everything. Media, schools, retail, business, music....... You get it. Everything. This includes trade shows like Interbike. Even the Interbike people tacitly admitted this when in 2017 they made a big push for everyone to attend the next Interbike in Reno, Nevada because it was the only place the industry could meet face to face.

Notice- they didn't say we needed to go to "get business done", or to "see the latest bicycles and technology", or that we should even go there to ride bicycles. They harped on the "face to face", meet people angle, because, well..........that was the only reason left to go. Meanwhile industry expo attendees were left to foot the bill for a show they brought their wares to that had no relevance in the marketplace anymore. Their return on investing in the show? The meeting of other people in the industry? I'm sorry, that's all great and stuff, but the accountants aren't down with it so much. Those accountants probably would rather that you meet people on your own dime. On the other hand you had bicycle dealers who had already placed pre-season, (if that is still a thing) orders, and had already seen the latest gear and bicycles debuted, reviewed, and forum dissected to death for weeks before Interbike ever opened their doors for that particular year. Nothing to see here.......so why go? 

From my perspective, Interbike lost relevance altogether eight years ago. The last few times I went I was pretty much wasting time and money. The decision was made in 2013 not to ever go again, and frankly, I was completely justified in that decision over the years. As a person who could be said to be loosely associated with the industry in some capacity, I suppose, I wasn't missing anything that had any relevance to my sites, I was certainly saving money, and saving time. For me, it was a win-win not to go to Interbike.

Finally, I do not see anything like Interbike ever happening again. If there is another, centralized, all-encompassing bicycle convention, it won't be "Interbike". It will be something completely different.

News Season: Pre-Interbike Intros

Hayduke Lives: Esker Cycles Hayduke steel hardtail

Note: A bonus post detailing some interesting bits that are coming out around the time of the Interbike trade show, which happens this coming week in Reno, Nevada. I won't be there, but anything I find interesting, I'll post here if I think it warrants it. Thanks!

Hard tail mountain bikes were, arguably, brought back from the dead by the 29 inch wheel in the early 00's. Steel hard tails led the way back then, and with the advent of adventure cycling and "bikepacking", steel hard tails have reserved a special place in the hearts and minds of many off road cyclists, this one included. All my current off-road bikes are steel. Even a couple I don't even have up and running!

Salsa Cycles axed its venerable and long running El Mariachi model a few years ago now, and since then the crown for the best steel, mass produced hard tail 29"er has been passed around to a few companies. Niner Bikes came out with a revised SIR 9 a while back that most closely approximated what I felt was an "evolution" of the El Mariachi. Another contender for that was the Advocate Cycles Hayduke model. But then the company, and its bikes, sort of faded away. However; recently the folks behind Advocate have revised their business model, canned Advocate, and re-branded and launched a new company called "Esker Cycles". They brought the Hayduke over, albeit a new Hayduke with some new frame tubing and minor geometry tweaks.

Since this has the closest relationship, via one of the company's principals, to the old El Mar, I would say that the successor to the El Mar has to the Hayduke, a fully modern steel hard tail. A choice of two swappable rear drop out plates,  multi-wheel size and drive train capabilities, and a price for the frame, rear through axle, Wolf Tooth head set, and seat collar at $675.00 make this look pretty attractive. Completes will be offered starting at 2G. Pretty cool. Plus, it is supposed to be lighter and more responsive than the original Hayduke. See Esker's site linked above for more.

The new 45NRTH Ragnorok Boot

45NRTH Introduces Third Generation Transition Season Boot:

45NRTH is kind of a funny company when it comes to its naming conventions. Their tires are often named after obscure black metal bands or old Minneapolis area punk bands. Their boots get renamed every time they offer an evolution on the old design.

Yeah........so, think of this as the latest version of the Fasterkatt, only with several design changes and upgrades. The last model, which supplanted the Fasterkatt, was the Japanther. This, the Ragnorok, would be version three, if I am counting correctly.

Anyway...... The Ragnorok features a move to the BOA closure system and a rubberized, neoprene upper "sock"which has been redesigned as well. The silver edition, shown here at left, is fully reflective and will retail at $235.00. A non-reflective, black upper model is offered as well at $195.00. The soles, by the way, look like a dead ringer for my first edition Fasterkatt's, so apparently no changes were made there.

The shop where I work received a full size run of these boots and they look like a great boot. I still rock the original Fasterkatt boots and they have been rock solid for me as a way to ride in conditions which are wet and cold down to about 25 F, but much below that and my feet get chilled. These Ragnorok's are rated similarly, and I've no doubt they are actually better made and function better than my Fasterkatts do. Available at 45NRTH dealers now......

SKS Bluemels 65mm Fenders

SKS Offers New Blumels 65mm Fender Set:

SKS is a German based company best known for inflation devices and fenders. They make a full line of fenders which are well known in certain cycling circles.

Being introduced at Interbike this year, and available at dealers in November, is this new Bluemels 65mm fender suitable for 29"ers. SKS claims the front fender is 680mm long and the rear is 920mm long. MSRP is set at $74.99.

The only image I got was of what looks like a rear fender. You can make out some wide clearanced stays and what appears to be a rubber edge on the end of the fender itself. If this is indeed a rear fender, I would judge from the image that coverage is not all the way down the back, so perhaps this is meant more for mountain bike/off-road use.

But that said, it might be a handy design for bikes like Fargos and the lot which are used across a wide range of terrains and in varying conditions. I could see this being very useful for early season "sloppy" gravel rides or for those commutes where run-off from daytime melting is a concern during Winter.

SKS is also introducing a foot pump. I see another inflation device selling company is also doing a foot operated bicycle pump. Maybe this is a new thing for the near future. Ditch that old floor pump with a handle and tall profile that is so tippy! Use your feet instead! Ha! Well, to be fair, when I was a younginz, these types of foot operated pumps were still around. They were a relic even back then, but apparently the idea is being revived for 2019.

Stay tuned for more as I get things in...........

News Season: Pre-Interbike Intros

Hayduke Lives: Esker Cycles Hayduke steel hardtail

Note: A bonus post detailing some interesting bits that are coming out around the time of the Interbike trade show, which happens this coming week in Reno, Nevada. I won't be there, but anything I find interesting, I'll post here if I think it warrants it. Thanks!

Hard tail mountain bikes were, arguably, brought back from the dead by the 29 inch wheel in the early 00's. Steel hard tails led the way back then, and with the advent of adventure cycling and "bikepacking", steel hard tails have reserved a special place in the hearts and minds of many off road cyclists, this one included. All my current off-road bikes are steel. Even a couple I don't even have up and running!

Salsa Cycles axed its venerable and long running El Mariachi model a few years ago now, and since then the crown for the best steel, mass produced hard tail 29"er has been passed around to a few companies. Niner Bikes came out with a revised SIR 9 a while back that most closely approximated what I felt was an "evolution" of the El Mariachi. Another contender for that was the Advocate Cycles Hayduke model. But then the company, and its bikes, sort of faded away. However; recently the folks behind Advocate have revised their business model, canned Advocate, and re-branded and launched a new company called "Esker Cycles". They brought the Hayduke over, albeit a new Hayduke with some new frame tubing and minor geometry tweaks.

Since this has the closest relationship, via one of the company's principals, to the old El Mar, I would say that the successor to the El Mar has to the Hayduke, a fully modern steel hard tail. A choice of two swappable rear drop out plates,  multi-wheel size and drive train capabilities, and a price for the frame, rear through axle, Wolf Tooth head set, and seat collar at $675.00 make this look pretty attractive. Completes will be offered starting at 2G. Pretty cool. Plus, it is supposed to be lighter and more responsive than the original Hayduke. See Esker's site linked above for more.

The new 45NRTH Ragnorok Boot

45NRTH Introduces Third Generation Transition Season Boot:

45NRTH is kind of a funny company when it comes to its naming conventions. Their tires are often named after obscure black metal bands or old Minneapolis area punk bands. Their boots get renamed every time they offer an evolution on the old design.

Yeah........so, think of this as the latest version of the Fasterkatt, only with several design changes and upgrades. The last model, which supplanted the Fasterkatt, was the Japanther. This, the Ragnorok, would be version three, if I am counting correctly.

Anyway...... The Ragnorok features a move to the BOA closure system and a rubberized, neoprene upper "sock"which has been redesigned as well. The silver edition, shown here at left, is fully reflective and will retail at $235.00. A non-reflective, black upper model is offered as well at $195.00. The soles, by the way, look like a dead ringer for my first edition Fasterkatt's, so apparently no changes were made there.

The shop where I work received a full size run of these boots and they look like a great boot. I still rock the original Fasterkatt boots and they have been rock solid for me as a way to ride in conditions which are wet and cold down to about 25 F, but much below that and my feet get chilled. These Ragnorok's are rated similarly, and I've no doubt they are actually better made and function better than my Fasterkatts do. Available at 45NRTH dealers now......

SKS Bluemels 65mm Fenders

SKS Offers New Blumels 65mm Fender Set:

SKS is a German based company best known for inflation devices and fenders. They make a full line of fenders which are well known in certain cycling circles.

Being introduced at Interbike this year, and available at dealers in November, is this new Bluemels 65mm fender suitable for 29"ers. SKS claims the front fender is 680mm long and the rear is 920mm long. MSRP is set at $74.99.

The only image I got was of what looks like a rear fender. You can make out some wide clearanced stays and what appears to be a rubber edge on the end of the fender itself. If this is indeed a rear fender, I would judge from the image that coverage is not all the way down the back, so perhaps this is meant more for mountain bike/off-road use.

But that said, it might be a handy design for bikes like Fargos and the lot which are used across a wide range of terrains and in varying conditions. I could see this being very useful for early season "sloppy" gravel rides or for those commutes where run-off from daytime melting is a concern during Winter.

SKS is also introducing a foot pump. I see another inflation device selling company is also doing a foot operated bicycle pump. Maybe this is a new thing for the near future. Ditch that old floor pump with a handle and tall profile that is so tippy! Use your feet instead! Ha! Well, to be fair, when I was a younginz, these types of foot operated pumps were still around. They were a relic even back then, but apparently the idea is being revived for 2019.

Stay tuned for more as I get things in...........