Best in Show: 30 cool new bike products for 2015
Our 'Best of' picks from Interbike and Eurobike
By Mtbr September 22, 2014 EUROBIKE INTERBIKE NEWS
“What’s the coolest thing you saw?”
We hear that question after every trade show. The following–in our humble collective opinion–represents the newest, coolest and most interesting stuff our combined Mtbr and RoadBikeReview crew came across throughout the course of the 2014 Interbike and Eurobike trade shows. Some will be hits, others misses, but all are worth a look.
You’ll note the items are numbered–that’s not a ranking, rather just a way to keep you moving through the list. So without further ado and in no particular order, we present the 30 coolest new bike products for 2015. Check it out, then let us know what YOU think!
1. Shimano XTR Di2 Electronic Shifting
You shouldn’t even try XTR’s new, electronic Di2 shifting system, because once you do, you’ll want it…and most people will find its $3,500ish price tag tough to swallow. But XTR Di2 is less about what most of us can afford today and more about what it means for the future—things like custom configurability, suspension integration and sublime performance to name a few. Just like today’s “low end” STX grouppo beats Shimano’s line-topping XTR from just a couple generations ago, we’re excited to see what happens when Di2 trickle down electronic-onomics kicks in. bike.shimano.com
2. Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie Cyclocross Bike
While the rest of the industry flops about trying to decide on axle standards for disc brake-equipped road and cyclocross bikes, Van Dessel has devised a novel solution with its redesigned 2015 Full Tilt Boogie carbon ’cross steed. This lightweight racer can be ordered with either a QR or thru-axle compatible fork, and it comes with a set of modular rear dropouts that will fit a variety of current axle standards. It’s also mechanical or Di2 compatible and fits tire up to 40mm wide. Frameset $1799; SRAM Force CX1 Hydro build $4500. vandesselsports.com
3. Lupine Rotlicht Tail Light
The German-made $110 Lupine Rotlicht one-ups the standard back blinky by automatically getting brighter when the cyclist comes to a stop thanks to an embedded accelerometer that senses speed changes. The 160 lumen lamp also has a light level sensor that ups the output when there’s more ambient light or car lights shining on it, making the rider more conspicuous. lupine.de
Photos courtesy Park Tool
4. Park Tool IR-1 Internal Cable Routing Kit
Though we love how internal cable routing looks, wrenching on it can be a major pain in the ass. Park Tool comes to the rescue with a set of routing cables, fittings and strong magnets designed to ease and speed the process. It also includes fittings that work with traditional shift housing, brake hose and electronic shift wires. And if you think the estimated MSRP of $30 is pricey, then your time isn’t worth much. parktool.com
Photo by Jon Grinney
5. Norco Sight Carbon Forma Women’s Mountain Bike
Norco has signed, sealed and delivered a warm invitation to women who love to shred with the latest version of its award-winning Sight platform. The 140mm-travel Sight Carbon Forma ($4,415) is decked out with Shimano XT shifting and a RockShox Reverb dropper post, bringing good bang for buck. It’s also the best-looking paint job of the year. norco.com
Best_of_RLT_Flex801
6. Road Not Taken Flex Fit 108 Flat Pedals
A flat pedal with float? Yep, you heard it right. Road Not Taken’s Flex Fit 108s purport to provide more stability under hard cornering by pivoting up to eight-degrees fore and aft using elastomers to dampen the rotation. No word yet on pricing and retail availability. rntbike.com
7. Chrome Warm Jacket and Vest
Being conspicuous while riding in traffic once meant dressing up like a construction worker, but no longer thanks to Chrome Industries. Their new Warm vests ($120) and jackets ($150) combine safety and style reversing from a surprisingly stylish “be seen on the road” orange, to a cool “blend in the scene” black. chromeindustries.com
8. Masi Evoluzione Ultegra Di2
It may have been the snazzy paint that drew us to the Masi, but it was the smart spec—led by Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting—the snappy ride and attention to detail that won our hearts. And while $4,680 ain’t exactly cheap, it shows that pricing for e-shifting on a well-spec’d carbon bike is nearing affordability. masibikes.com
9. Scott RC ProTec Jersey and Bibs
Say goodbye to road rash with this new jersey ($125) and bibshort ($145) combo that utilizes carbon-impregnated abrasion resistant material on the shoulders and hips for greater skin protection in case of a crash. Scott developed this proprietary fabric in partnership with Swiss fabric manufacturer Schoeller and has exclusive usage rights for two years. scott-sports.com
10. 9point8 ThumB Dropper Post Remote
Though 9point8 would undoubtedly prefer you used their ThumB 3-way dropper remote with one of the company’s own adjustable posts, the cleverly designed actuator will improve any cable-pull based dropper. The versatile, $35, made-in-Canada lever can be mounted for parallel action either under- or over the bar, as well as perpendicularly next to the grip. 9point8.ca
11. Giant Defy Advanced SL Endurance Road Bike
Defy is not only the model name of Giant’s completely redesigned line of adventure/endurance road bikes, it aptly describes the platform’s relationship to logic (in a good way). The carbon SL is the lightest frame Giant has ever made, even lighter than the one its Giant-Shimano Pro Tour team riders are on. The fact that it’s disc brake-only, features relaxed geometrically, and rides on cushy tires are testament to the fact it—and not a race bike—is what most of us should be riding anyway (Defy Advanced SL 1 $4,950, Defy Advanced SL 0 $10,300). giant-bicycles.com
12. Thule ThuRide Thru-Axle Fork Mounted Bike Carrier
Between mountain, road and ‘cross bikes, it seems there’s a new thru-axle standard popping up every week, not to mention bikes with the humble quick release many of us still know, love and own. Thule‘s new $220 ThruRide aims to accommodate not just the standards we know about, but ones that may emerge in the future with a fork-mount rack that adjusts to accommodate thru-axels from 12-20mm in diameter, as well as traditional quick releases via an optional adapter. Available in February, the ThruRide is compatible with just about anybody’s cross bars and stands as a great option for people with a quiver of bikes. thule.com
13. Leatt DBX Six Zero Helmet
Sporting internal routing for hydration, safety features like a set of squishy, rotational injury-reducing discs, and multi-density V-Form Foam, Leatt comes out of the gate with a fully-featured, low profile and damn good looking full-face helmet. Naturally, the new lids—the $499 Carbon and $349 Composite—are fully compatible with the neck braces the company is know for. leatt.com
14. SRAM Guide RSC Disc Brakes
Please spare us the history lesson on Avid. We suffered through it too, though we actually have some XO Trails that work great. But sometimes you just need to leave the past behind and look forward, which is perhaps the reason these new brakes are SRAM-branded. Regardless, the Guides feature easy setup, great lever feel, and phenomenal braking power with exceptional modulation. Unlike most of the products on this list we have extensive time on the RSCs ($199 per wheel) and rank them up there with the industry’s best. sram.com
15. Giro Halter Bibs for Women
Women, rejoice. Giro has delivered a pair of bibs that takes all the dancing out of a nature break. No more dealing with bib-short straps and jersey removal thanks to Giro’s Halter Bibs ($150). giro.com
16. Intense Tracer 275 Alloy Mountain Bike
Made in America doesn’t come cheap, if it comes at all, but don’t tell that to the folks at Intense Cycles. New for 2015 comes the Southern California-built alu version of their Tracer 275 with an MSRP a few pennies shy of $3K. And we’re not talking frame-only—that’s for a whole bike, complete with their “Foundation” build which includes a Shimano 2 x 10 SLX drivetrain and brakes, dependable X-Fusion suspension and a host of other solid parts only a snob would be embarrassed to run. intensecycles.com
17. Rapha Cyclocross Shoes by Giro
For the sophisticated ‘cross officianado comes a $350 collaborative effort between the gentlemanly Rapha and designerly shoemaker Giro called simply the Cyclocross Shoe. Reminiscent of Giro’s Code mountain bike shoes, the stylish slippers feature an Easton EC 90 outsole, subtle hits of Rapha’s Super Cross color palette and ship in an eco-friendly pomme frites container so they might reek of Belgian ‘cross lore. rapha.cc
Best_of_Rapha_Giro
18. Giant Stance 1 Mountain Bike
Fully aware there’s a robust market for quality mountain bikes that don’t cost $10,000, Giant used show season to launch Stance—a line of budget-minded aluminum bikes that combine 120mm of travel with 27.5-inch wheels, a simple suspension platform, and an acceptable array of parts. At $1,875, we think the Stance 1 offers one of the best value-to-performance ratios on the market. giant-bicycles.com
19. ICEdot Emergency Trigger
The ICEdot Emergency Trigger mini-transmitter device easily attaches to a helmet strap and lets others know that you’re OK…or not. Hold it down for one second and your significant other receives a text message that allows them to track your whereabouts in real time. Hold it down for three seconds or more and it sends an emergency call for help along with you exact location. Available in spring 2015. Pricing TBD. icedot.org
20. Yuba Flip Flop Kid’s Bike
Not only is Yuba’s $160 Flip Flop the only kids cargo balance bike we know of, it’s also the only one designed to grow with your child. To do the trick, Yuba uses a one-piece main frame that’s curved downward for clearance, but can be flipped over for a taller, upward curve when the kidlet gets older, stretching out the reach and raising the seat tube height. Yuba says it will fit kids from one-to-six years old. And with that cute little rack on the back you might even be able to talk them into schlepping their own damn drink boxes. yubabikes.com
Yuba Flip Flop for Bigger Kids
21. Bontrager TLR Flash Charger Pump
Seating tubeless tires can be an exercise in extreme frustration, but Bontrager’s new $120 TLR Flash Charger combines pump convenience and environmental friendliness with compressor-like results. Simply pressurize the unit’s charge chamber by pumping up to 160 psi, then flip the lever to quickly discharge the stored air, seating your tire. From there, use the Flash Charger’s standard pump functionality to top it off. bontrager.com
22. Panache Button Fly and Button Up shirt
Making clothes that look and feel good on and off the trail has long vexed cycling apparel makers. Panache seems to have found the sweet spot, however, with their $89 Button Fly shorts and $99 Button Up shirt which mix good styling with functional stretch and ventilation. They’re redefining baggies with affordable clothes that fit and pedal well. panachecyclewear.com
23. 30-Seven Heated Gloves, Socks, Baselayers and Jackets
Extend your riding season deep into winter with 30-Seven’s new array of electric heated clothing. Using the same technology found in car seat heaters, this Belgian-based company is adding warmth to gloves, socks, baselayers and jackets. Lightweight rechargeable lithium ion batteries provide up to eight hours of warmth, and a handy portable remote allows you to control up to four items at once. Pricing starts at $90 for socks. Gloves and baselayers are $160 each. Jackets run $200 and up. 30seven.eu
24. Bell Super 2R Helmet
Putting a removable chin bar on a half-shell helmet is nothing new. Making one that might actually provide more than tertiary protection is another story, and we’re inclined to put some faith in the company that invented the full-face helmet in the first place. Mounting via three robust ski boot-like buckles, the Bell Super 2R’s Wraparound chin bar feels robust and doesn’t look like a flimsy afterthought. Definitely enduro-able, the $200 helmet should also find a home with non-racing aggressive all-mountain riders who probably should be wearing a full-face, but often don’t. Throw in another $20 and get a MIPS slip-plane liner. bellhelmets.com
25. Scott Genius LT 700 Tuned
After toying with their on-the-fly-adjust PopLoc suspension control concept for a number of years, Scott‘s Genius LT 700 Tuned may have arrived at the Holy Grail “One Bike” we’ve all been looking for. Though the 28-pound, 170mm-travel 27.5er lives for big gnar, the handlebar-actuated triggers make tuning the Scott for less demanding terrain a snap. The Genius 700 LT Tuned is a serious contender for the trail rider who thrives just north of XC racing and south of full-on DH. scott-sports.com
26. Schwalbe Procore Dual-Chamber Tire System
Schwalbe’s Procore Dual-Chamber Tire System consists of a high-pressure air chamber near the rim to protect against rock strikes, pinch flats and burping. It’s surrounded by a tubeless tire—Scwalbe’s or anyone else’s—that can be run at extremely low pressure for improved traction and float. On paper, it’s a pretty compelling story—and we’ve heard a number of pros testing the system are very impressed—but we’ll have to see how it works in the real world. Regardless, the thinking behind the $230 system is impressive and along the lines of what we’ve come to expect from the only company we know that exclusively makes bike tires. schwalbetires.com
27. EVOC FR Track Hydration Pack
Packs that come with spine protection are a great option for riders who find they have to choose between a back protector and a backpack. But they only work if they are in the right size—too long or too short and you could get into trouble. We love EVOC’s $170 FR Track for its availability in hard-to-find sizes that fit people from 4-feet, 11-inches and up. evocsports.com
28. Look 795 Aerolight
French bike maker Look takes integration to new levels with its lightweight, wind cheating roadster, the 795 Aerolight. This masterpiece in stealth industrial design hides its brakes inside the fork and under the chainstay, tucks the stem into the headtube, conceals the Di2 junction box inside the frame, and has some of the slickest internal cable/wire routing we’ve ever seen. Actually, you barley see the wires and cables at all. Exact U.S. pricing is yet to be released, but expect frame and fork to run north of $5,000. lookcycle.com
29. Santa Cruz Palmdale Grips
They’re just grips, right? Yeah sure, but they’re one of only three contact points between bike and rider, so they make a big difference. Santa Cruz‘s new $18 Palmdales are light, long, and just cushy enough for our lo-pro taste. With a tapering inner diameter and a single lock-on clamp, they’re simple and secure, while the mushroomed end feels good in the hand and finishes the bar without need for an end plug. santacruzbicycles.com
Photo by Jon Grinney
30. POC VDP Air Knee and Elbow Pads
These lightweight pads are less bulky and more breathable than traditional MTB body armor, making them a great choice when you’re not using a chairlift or a pick-up truck to get to the top of the trail. Pull them on for that rowdy descent, then stash them in your hydration pack for the next climb. POC knee pads $80; elbow pads $70. pocsports.com
Francis Cebedo, Kristen Gross, Gregg Kato, Don Palermini and Jason Sumner each contributed to this list.
http://reviews.mtbr.com/best-in-show-30-cool-new-bike-products-for-2015
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