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Interbike 2013 - Day 1

 Sep 19, 2013 article & images by Nick Salazar

At long last, Selle Italia has recognized that split-nosed saddles aren't just a fad, and they've designed their own version called the 'Iron,' not-so-surreptitiously referring to our sport's most prominent type of race.
At long last, Selle Italia has recognized that split-nosed saddles aren't just a fad, and they've designed their own version called the 'Iron,' not-so-surreptitiously referring to our sport's most prominent type of race.
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My first day on the showroom floor was busy, and packed with some pretty cool sights. Triathlon-specific products are becoming a bigger staple throughout the industry, and the sport is definitely growing in popularity. Have a look through the gallery to see some of the cooler things I found this year, the first of Interbike's new home at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.



Tags » carbonsports,  interbike2013,  kurtkinetic,  selleitalia,  sram,  vision
  • At long last, Selle Italia has recognized that split-nosed saddles aren't just a fad, and they've designed their own version called the 'Iron,' not-so-surreptitiously referring to our sport's most prominent type of race.
  • The Selle Italia Iron has a split-nose design, but is significantly narrower than the more popular offerings from Adamo, Cobb, and Dash.
  • Although it functions like a split-nose saddle, the Iron is technically joined in front, which helps avoid infringing ISM's patent.
  • The Iron is very light for a standard production saddle at about 160 grams for the full carbon version. The shell is quite thin, but still very durable, and comes without a rider weight limit.
  • Selle Itaia's wall if saddles.
  • Wheels Mfg is a niche brand that makes a lot of unique problem-solving adapters and tools. This is their highly-useful, eminently-versatile bearing pull kit.
  • This is a Wheels Mfg adapter which allows the use of 24mm SRAM cranks in a BBRight frame.
  • Ice Toolz had many of their wares on display, and this one really caught my eye. It's a versatile allen wrench that combines 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm heads on a single handle. This would be a nice saddlebag tool, although I think I still prefer the Fix It Sticks that I recently reviewed.
  • How awesome is this? Control Tech had a new aerobar on display, and a custom-made mini aerobar in the shape of a fighter jet! It' a nice way to think about your aerobars, isn't it?
  • The aerobar-jet is just so cool-looking.
  • So it's not for sale (and wouldn't be that useful), but I couldn't resist taking these pictures.
  • Okay, on to the main event. This new bar from Control Tech is a very sleek, minimal bar of limited adjustability but probably excellent aerodynamics.
  • You can see that the Control Tech bar has an integrated stem, much like the 3T Ventus. But it doesn't have any stack adjustment, limiting its usefulness.
  • The side view gives you a better sense of the bar's geometry. I'm intrigued by the big boomerang shape, but not a huge fan of upturned hand holds.
  • Also on display was the new USE R1 aerobar, the successor to the popular Tula. The R1 takes the radical concept of the Tula and adds a lot more adjustability.
  • No one has accused the Tule or this new R1 of being overly convenient, but this radical bladed brake lever is supposed to be an aerodynamic win by keeping things within the frontal profile of the bar, eliminating the extra frontal area of a brake lever.
  • The R1 has a very small frontal area, and designed to be small enough to potentially replace some integrated bars - USE already makes an adapter to fit this bar into the Shiv TT. And of course, they make a round adapter to allow the bar to fit into a 31.8mm stem.
  • The R1 saves even more frontal area by using an internal compression plug to secure the extensions. Those red bits are what you tighten to secure the extensions.
  • Because the bar has integrated brake levers, there is no Di2 compatibility, and therefore no need for a big cable port.
  • The hardware can be mounted narrow as pictured, or ultra-narrow by using the bolt spots further in.
  • The R1's stack adjustment is achieved by stacking spacers, and keeping them aligned via these tiny pins tht you have to carefuly place between each spacer. These have got to be a pain to keep track of and install.
  • I think I end up shooting this product year after year, but it's hard to resist the pretty lights.
  • Rotor now has 110 BCD versions of the 3D, 3D+, and Flow cranks.
  • Aluminum frames largely still rely on pre-formed tubes
  • After years of development, missed deadlines, and endless teasing, the Garmin Vector is finally available to the consumer! I'm going to try to get my hands on a set to test.
  • Zipp's new SL Speed bottle cage comes in carbon and aluminum versions, and has an open center to make it more easily compatible with BTA products like the Profile Design HC Bottle.
  • The SL Speed cage has a nice lip around the top edge to make it easier to seat a bottle.
  • Zipp has also upadted the Platinum Pro pad, manufactured by SwissStop. Their pads are some of the best on the market for stopping carbon rims.
  • SRAM's large road cassettes allow some very convenient low climbing gears for when the road gets vertical.
  • SRAM's very large floor space featured examples of every road group with each component just floating in mid-air.
  • Zipp's new SL Sprint stem is a big ol' chunk of carbon fiber that promises to be incredibly stiff and take just about any amount of torque you can manage to put to it.
  • The Zipp-dedicated portion of the SRAM booth is always highlighted by an enormous row of carbon hoops all sitting in a row.
  • A wall of color from a maker of powder coat colors.
  • This is how Interbike feels to me much of the time.
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight.
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight.
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight.
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight.
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight.
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight.
  • The Lightweight Fernweg Obermayer -- I have my eyes on these wheels
  • The Fernweg has a blunt inner diameter and a relatively narrow (21mm) rim width. It promises to be light, stiff, and aero. What more could you want?
  • The new bike from Carbonsports Lightweight, complete with Lightweight bottle cages.
  • A new paint scheme for the Scott Plasma 3, but other than that, it's the same bike we've seen for a few years now.
  • A new paint scheme for the Scott Plasma 3, but other than that, it's the same bike we've seen for a few years now.
  • Kurt Kinetic has made some big changes to its hugely popular Rock-n-Roll trainer. The footprint is smaller, yet the unit is more stable thanks to a change in the elastomer mechanism. I look forward to reviewing the revised version of this awesome trainer.
  • Kurt Kinetic has made some big changes to its hugely popular Rock-n-Roll trainer. The footprint is smaller, yet the unit is more stable thanks to a change in the elastomer mechanism. I look forward to reviewing the revised version of this awesome trainer.
  • Kurt Kinetic has made some big changes to its hugely popular Rock-n-Roll trainer. The footprint is smaller, yet the unit is more stable thanks to a change in the elastomer mechanism. I look forward to reviewing the revised version of this awesome trainer.
  • Kurt Kinetic has made some big changes to its hugely popular Rock-n-Roll trainer. The footprint is smaller, yet the unit is more stable thanks to a change in the elastomer mechanism. I look forward to reviewing the revised version of this awesome trainer.
  • Kurt Kinetic has made some big changes to its hugely popular Rock-n-Roll trainer. The footprint is smaller, yet the unit is more stable thanks to a change in the elastomer mechanism. I look forward to reviewing the revised version of this awesome trainer.
  • Here's a look inside Kurt's unique sealed fluid unit that uses magnetic coupling to ensure no leaks.
  • The new Vision Metron levers have a claimed weight of 45 grams FOR THE PAIR - if true, that would be the lightest lever on the market. I hope to test them out.
  • The TFA bar was vaporware for a long time, but is finally available for purchase.
  • The TFA bar does have adjustable extensions, but otherwise suffers the classic limitations of a one-piece aerobar: no stack adjustment, no reach adjustment, and practically no pad adjustment at all. It's a super slick piece of equipment, but probably not usable for the vast majority of riders.
  • The Vision Metron crank is decidedly aero, but also quite heavy.
  • The Metron crank is just gorgeous. Look at all that uni-d carbon!
  • If you can't tell, the theme of Metron is 'aerodynamic components.' the Metron rear derailleur has a full cover similar to the Berner derailleur that got some popularity in the 2007 Tour de France.
  • The Metron's rear derailleur cover only shields the outside of the pulleys, making it easy to route cable or adjust the derailleur if needed.
  • The Vision Metron rear derailleur.
  • The Vision Metron rear derailleur.
  • The Vision Metron rear derailleur.
  • The Vision Metron rear derailleur.
  • The Metron rear derailleur also uses an extra-large lower pulley, which supposedly reduces drivetrain friction. In my experience, there's virtually nothing to be gained in chasing Watts of drivetrain friction, but it can't hurt if it's already built in to the derailleur!
  • The Vision Metron rear derailleur.
  • The Vision Metron front derailleur.
  • The Vision Metron front derailleur.

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