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Interbike 2011 - Day Two
images by Nick Salazar
Sep 15, 2011  hits 77,216

Taiwanese carbon manufacturers bring all kinds of neat goodies to Interbike, including this one-piece carbon saddle. It doesn't look very comfortable to me, but to each their own.
Taiwanese carbon manufacturers bring all kinds of neat goodies to Interbike, including this one-piece carbon saddle. It doesn't look very comfortable to me, but to each their own.
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Tags » dash,  interbike2011,  mercury,  sidi,  vision
  • That's one big wall of shoes from SIDI.
  • Brand new for 2012, SIDI is introducing the T3, the successor to their popular T2 tri shoe. The T3 maintains the fit and features of its predecessor, but adds some new bits.
  • For one thing, SIDI's new T3 is available in a 4-hole Speedplay mount! The shoe has a very low stack height (SIDI says lower than Bont), and swapping to this versus a three-hole shoe and Speedplay's adapter plates saves over 60 grams.
  • For the regular three-hole mount, SIDI has introduced a vent that runs from the front of the shoe to the back, to help air flow, and to help drain water. The red bit at the middle can be slid backwards to close the vent.
  • The SIDI T3 comes in a wild synthetic gator skin upper.
  • The T2 is almost identical to the T3, but features an injection-molded Carbon Composite sole instead of the 3K sole of the T3. It's not quite as stiff, and slightly heavier.
  • Dash Cycling unveiled three new hubs: two new carbon hubs will be user-buildable (the current Mira and Veronica hubs must be built by Dash, as their press-fit bearings aren't easy to install), and come in at about 180g with steel bearings. 163g for full ceramics. On the right is an alloy hub which is still quite light,
  • As usual, the Dash construction is gorgeous. These have a little bit of titanium peeking out from around the carbon weave.
  • The front hub is minimal, simple, and likely works very well. I'm hoping to snag a set to test myself.
  • One of Dash's partners is Mercury Wheels, who built up a gorgeous 50mm aero rim with their ultralight Mira and Veronica hubs. The M5 rim is wide, similar to the new rims coming from companies like ENVE and Zipp.
  • The Dash rear hub mated to a superlight Mercury rim. Mercury is a new company, but making its own distinct rims. These aren't open-mold.
  • Mercury's 30mm rims are much like the ENVE 3, but has this crazy stripe weave.
  • Mercury also makes a rear lenticular disc with a 3k weave.
  • Dash and Mercury form a very light combination, and possibly quite aero too. I'm salivating.
  • Their 30mm rim is 25mm wide, with a blunt inner edge, much like the new crop of wheels from other major players in the wheel market..
  • SRAM illustrated its 'Mechanical Advantage' concept in a very poignant fashion with this bottle opener. After all, a bottle opener is a simple lever.
  • Garmin was on site promoting the heck out of the Vector - their new pedal-based powermeter due in March.
  • The Vector is very elegant, consisting of a pedal and a tiny transmitter unit. That's all there is to the whole system.
  • Despite worries by some that the transmitter could pose a rub risk while cornering, it really doesn't protrude much below where your shoe would anyway - here's the closest it gets to the ground during your pedal stroke.
  • Once you zoom out a bit, the Vector system nearly disappears.
  • Vision's new Metron bar is a bit of an oddball. It's their new top-end bar, but because it has integrated brake levers, it isn't fully Di2 compatible. This is likely because FSA is promoting its own Metron component group.
  • The Metron bar is fairly clean, featuring integrated brake levers and an integrated stem. This isn't necessarily the best idea, because it eliminates an important dimension of adjustability.
  • Vision's Metron bar routes the cables out the back, keeping things out of the wind.
  • Integrated brake levers mean you can't use Di2's brake lever shifters, which is a bummer.
  • See how the extensions are split here? That's to avoid cracking due to over-torque, but I wonder if the bar is compatible with regular 22mm extensions from other brands. No word from FSA.
  • Vision has no fewer than seven integrated aerobars - six pictured here, and the Metron.
  • Interbike is full of wild sights, like this outrigger-equipped truck.
  • Taiwanese carbon manufacturers bring all kinds of neat goodies to Interbike, including this one-piece carbon saddle. It doesn't look very comfortable to me, but to each their own.
  • KMC, who makes the best chain I've ever used, is expanding their line with some new coating and color options. You can get a black chain with red inner plates to match the stealth bike of your choice. I personally use the X10SL Gold on my rides.
  • Though not strictly tri-related, I couldn't resist showing you Mark Cavendish's custom green Venge from the Specialized booth. Gorgeous.
  • Mark's bar and stem are both Shimano Signature Series components with Mark's signature painted beneath their clearcoat.
  • Ritchey has expanded its bar line a bit, and has an airfoil-shaped aluminum bar now, although it's hard to make out in this picture.
  • The WCS Interval bar is a nice offering from Ritchey, with moderately aggressive drop and flat hand holds.
  • I'm prone to photograph anything that's bright orange. This is the Polar FT4, a simple, entry-level heart rate monitor.
  • The Volt is an interesting new ride from Stevens, which unfortunately suffers from Sidepull Brake Syndrome.
  • I am categorically against the practice of 'hiding' a front brake only to throw a monster loop of cable into the wind. I think it's ugly, defeats the purpose of hiding the brake, and also unfortunately means you can't mount your own brake instead. For me, it ruins an otherwise great bike.
  • There's the sidepull brake Stevens is 'hiding' behind the front fork. A lot of companies are using either this or the new TRP, but still throwing that cable into the wind. Blech.
  • The rear brake on the Volt is clean enough, using basically the same Oval side-pull as the front. It's less of an issue here than on the front, where aerodynamics are more critical.
  • The Stevens Volt has an interesting top tube that juts upward, so that your cables can fully sit in the lee of the stem. If you didn't have any spacers, it would be quite clean indeed.
  • Other than that front brake, it's quite a svelte-looking machine.
  • Good news! Looks like Kask IS going to release the Team Sky helmet, which is being called the Bambino. They had this one on a dummy, but I snagged it real quick to try on. The inner tag had the sizing pegged at 55-58cm, a very narrow range, and it was quite tight on my 59cm head.
  • The profile of the helmet is brilliant, with an ultra-short tail to minimize aero disruptions when you move your head around while riding.
  • Though it looks high-tech from the outside (and that magnetic visor works very well -- just snap on, snap off), the interior of the helmet is very rudimentary. The retention system is nothing more than a velcro strap!
  • The Liger Sarto -- interesting-looking, but again ... Sidepull Brake Syndrome.
  • The Liger was built up with multi-color Nokon cables, which are quite posh, but snaking out in the wind a bit too much for my tastes.
  • Who built this thing up? The extensions aren't even at the same height!
  • The Wilier Twin Foil looks cool with its integrated cockpit, but guess what? I hate the front brake. And that twin foil thing is of questionable merit.
  • Kestrel always brings it with a wild paint scheme on one of their rides. This is their 4000, with some kind of crazy monkeys painted on it. I'm serious.
  • See? Those are monkeys, I think.
  • Whatever they are, the paint job looks cool.
  • THIS is how you do a front brake, if you aren't going super-clean like the Speed Concept. Just a simple center-pull. No nasty cables, no awkward routing. Simple and effective.
  • Purely Custom always shows off some nice colors.
  • Clif Bar has an organized structure to its product offerings, and when you're supposed to eat them. They always keep Interbike attendees happy with the free samples.
  • Clif's booth looked like a party, and was always well-attended by hungry people.
  • Deda's Bandito bar is a mystery. No arm cups to be seen, and very weird features.
  • The front of the Bandito actually has a vent! Can this actually be aerodynamic? I have my doubts.
  • Here's the exhaust for that front vent. The bar can achieve different rise angles via an internal shim (I think).
  • New for 2012, Deda's Kronos II is a more conventional bar, featuring moderately-aggressive drop and simple construction much like Felt's Devox.
  • Here's the Deda Kronos II from the side, to show the drop. The original Kronos is much the same, but without the drop.

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