In case you haven’t noticed from everyone’s NAHBS coverage, there was a lot of Mosaic at the show similar to the number of S-Works at your local crit.
One of the most talked about Mosaic with a red to silver fade at the SRAM booth
Seriously, there was enough to do a whole NAHBS gallery on just the Mosaics. I almost did.
There was one that didn’t get much buzz though. Our friend Billy got engaged this past fall and he commissioned a custom Mosaic as an engagement gift for his partner in crime, Beth.
It’s a custom RT2 650B built around a SRAM Force 1×11 drivetrain plus a heavy dosage of parts from Paul Component and White Industries throughout. As a matter of fact, Paul handmade a pair of titanium rings for the couple. There are also three bottle mounts for those long trips in the woods and since it’s a Mosaic, it has sweet black paint with pink trim and a dash of glitter.
An understated, yet extremely durable and U.S. made White Industries crankset
Buttery smooth White Industries headset will last for years to come
Paul Component Klamper mechanical disc brake for the braking moments
Don't mind the dust on the frame, but this RT2 utilizes a full-length housing for its rear disc brake
How about that for an engagement gift?
B & B // B &B stands for Billy Beth Bed & Breakfast, a special ride conversation, aka long term imaginary retirement planning
Besides a convention center full of bikes to look at, One cannot leave Interbike without components and accessories that accompany our beloved sport. From husband and wife booth to tricked out CES-esque affairs, here are ten items that we wouldn’t think twice to take home straight off the show floor.
As robust as the original Pioneer system was, the computer head-unit was more or less its Achilles heel. Sure, it worked and looked all business like a SRM, but it was comparatively rudimentary when pitted against refined offerings from rivals Garmin and Wahoo which have faster product cycles. The new, $360, 85-gram SGX-CA600 computer aims to change that. It now has a 2.2″ color screen surrounded by six buttons, improved resistance to water and dust, turn-by-turn navigation, and a much needed Bluetooth Low Energy compatibility which pairs with your phone to receive calls, emails and texts. The power and training metrics, arguably the heart and soul of the Pioneer ecosystem, remain the same, however. In addition, given that the computer can “talk” to your phone, there’s a companion app in both Android and iOS that enables users to set up their computers directly from their phones.
White Industries jumped into the headset game last year and this year’s highlight from the family-owned business based out of Petaluma is their new Micro Spline-compatible freehub body for the new, yet available Shimano XTR 12-speed group. Instead of the 22-spline found on the original Shimano design, White Industries went with 12 splines for the same effect. Word on the street was that Shimano was so interested they spent a good amount of time looking at it and taking plenty of pictures. But the best part about these 6/4 titanium goodies? They are backward compatible with older White hubs.
Thomson had a small booth near a quiet corner at the convention center and though they didn’t exactly have any new products to showcase, the biggest news was the new finish on some of their bomb-proof parts. You see, Thomson’s components have only been offered in either black or silver for as long as I can remember, but the Macon, Georgia-based firm will offer stems and seatposts covered in jungle-colored Cerakote, an extremely hard and durable ceramic coating commonly found in firearms, for $124.95, a $25 premium over the standard Thomson offerings. I was told more limited edition colors are also a possibility, depending on the consumer response to the jungle color. Frankly, the earthy, greenish hue gave me a flashback to those Easton MG60 magnesium stems that have been been long discontinued. Unlike the MG60 that easily corrodes and is stupid expensive, these Thomson parts and the Cerakote coating might just outlive your bike.
Donnelly makes some of the best cyclocross and gravel tires around, but you already knew that. The update out of Interbike is that tan sidewalls will be an option on the popular X’plor CDG, X’plor MSO, Strada USH, and X’plor USH models in a few weeks’ time. Sure beats a boring black sidewall if you ask me.
Tubeless sealants are pretty much a dime a dozen these days but Muc-Off’s iteration managed to stand out with some clever design elements. Besides being able to patch up punctures up to 6mm while being non-corrosive, biodegradable, washable, and works from 15psi to 120psi and in temperatures from -4°F to +122°F for an estimated six months, the pink No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant has been incorporated with a UV dye similar to some of Muc-Off lubes so users can easily spot any leaks with a UV light. Although the larger 1-liter bottle will appeal to those with multiple bikes , I particularly liked the smaller, 140ml pouch with an opening designed to slip right onto a standard presta valve for a leak-free pour while still being able to precisely measure the amount of sealant by looking at the clear graduation marks on the back of the pouch. The No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant will be available October 5th for $9.99/140ml pouch, $12.99 complete starter kit (140ml of sealant, UV light, a top-up cup plus a valve core remover), and $39.99 for one liter.
Cane Creek’s extraordinary (and extra expensive) titanium eeWings cranks are so darn cool and they’re now even more lust-worthy with the inclusion of a sole Stages powermeter on its driveside. Only the mountain eeWings in 170mm and 175mm are available at the moment for $1,499, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it eventually extends to the new all-road crankarms or even go dual-sided for even more dough.
Let’s face it: If buying the perfectly-shaped handlebar and stem isn’t already hard enough, buying a one-piece bar/stem combo is downright terrifying – one piece means zero room for error, damn it, so you better get it right. Vision has had the 5D Integrated bar/stem in its lineup for some time and its 10° forward arcing wing top has attracted both fans and critics. Vision listened and there is now an alternative to choose from, the 6D Integrated. The 6D shares an identical width (400, 420 440mm), 2° outward bend, 80mm reach and 125mm drop, but its top has been replaced with a straight 0° aero-ergo top. The 6D comes with a claimed weight of 395 grams and is available for $594.99.
The 152-year old British firm first introduced the Cambium line of saddles in 2013 and it was the modernization on what we’ve come to expect as a Brooks saddle. Updated shapes, materials, and construction, but it still retains some of its classy looks. The original Cambiums came with a vulcanized natural rubber and an organic cotton top, but the All-Weather version, with its waterproof nylon top is specifically made to combat against all that mother nature has to offer – which makes it especially enticing for those living in areas like the Pacific Northwest where rain comes often and unannounced. The C13 is available in 145mm and 132mm in width in both the standard shape and with “Carved” cut-out pressure relief window. Thanks to its aluminum rivet, carbon frame and carbon rails, the C13 is also Brook’s lightest ready-to-ride saddle. Available for $220.
Also from the saddle department is an updated Landyachtz Reform saddle we first saw in Vegas last year. The integrated USB thermo-molding system remains, but the MagSafe-like plug has been rotated 90 degrees while the saddle shell is now fully carbon fiber for increased range of adjustments which further trims the weight down to sub-200 grams. There’s also a new chopped-nosed saddle shape to choose from. Available this coming spring for $349.
Say all you want about how suspension stems and seatposts are sooo 90s. Chances are you probably wanted it at some point in your life before realizing those from the history books didn’t work so well. I had my reservations about Redshift’s suspension stem at first but it turned out to work admirably well for all its intended purposes so why not be open-minded about this upcoming ShockStop suspension seatpost with adjustable preload on its steel spring and 35mm of travel from its dual parallelogram design to keep the saddle level at all times. It is available for pre-order now for $159.99 after a very successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $430,129.00 and is expected to deliver around Spring 2019.
As a matter of fact, founder Paul Price loves it so much that not only does he has his own personal mug on standby at the brewery. He also took a whole a bunch of us on a tour while attending Paul Camp last year. Needless to say, I drank a lot of Sierra Nevada that weekend.
Turing the brewhouse into a bike showroom…
So it’s no surprise Paul is partnering with the legendary brewery (at last) for an one-off show bike featuring the best of NorCal creativity and American manufacturing… a idea conceived while brainstorming for the most fun way to go on a beer run… yes, a brainstorming sesh about a beer run.
All the KMC chains for your needs. Photo: Stephen Lam/ element.ly
Besides rows of beautiful bikes for all to see, one of my favorite things to do at InterBike is to walk (semi) aimlessly around the show floor and see where it leads me to. Often even the most mundane booth can have something cool out in the open. There’s nothing better than seeing the product in person. I liken it to going on a treasure hunt on nothing but bikes.
It has been teased over the past year or so, but the White Industries headsets are finally here. Stainless Enduro bearings match the U.S.-made aluminum cups and hardware in six different colors, plus 3 top cup sizes and 3 bottom cups to cover the majority of the popular headset standards. The headset will range from $100-160 depending on sizing and colors. If their hubs are any indication of their performance, then these beauties should work very well for a very long time.
The market is flooded with hubs these days. If you’re curious about all that goes on inside a hub, then this box of DT Swiss cutaways should give you a sense of that. Various freehub bodies, hubcaps, and their upgradable ratchet engagement system in three flavors: 18t/20 degree, 36t/10 degree, and 56t/6.6 degree.
Kenda first showed the update to their lauded Nevegal tire under embargo back in July but alas, it’s finally out. While previous generations of Nevegal had a solid rep of being a grippy tire, they also have a good amount of rolling resistance to them. The Nevegal 2 pro is out to change that. Kenda claimed the Nevegal 2 pro by redesigning the tread pattern and incorporating what they call EN-DTC dual rubber compound to reduce rolling resistance by half. Cornering, climbing and braking traction are said to be just as grippy and predictable. The tire casing, dubbed K-ACT, is tubeless ready with an additional layer of K-Armor puncture band that allows it to use less rubber as it adheres better than kevlar, thus resulting in a lighter and more supple casing. We tried the Kenda’s Valkyrie with K-Armor and it proved to be very effective. Also worth noting is that the Nevegal 2 is approved to be used on e-mountain bikes up to 30mph. The Nevegal 2 pro will be available in 27.5 x 2.4/2.6, as well as 29 x 2.4/2.6
There are heat moldable insoles and shoes but now Landyachtz is making moldable saddles. The Canadian longboard company surprised quite a few with the reform that incorporates a USB plug at the underside of the shell to allow the integrated heating unit sandwiched between the carbon shell and high-density foam to warm up, thus making it pliable. Molding is then done with the rider using the saddle atop a stationary trainer and is ready in about twenty minutes time. Landyachtz will offer three different saddle shapes for $299 with molding session available at participating shops.
In short, Stages is finally offering a dual-sided option of their powermeter after years of teases. Existing Stages users will be familiar with the measuring pod on the non-drive side crankarm. What’s new with the LR is the drive-side measuring unit, a mere 20 gram addition that is situated below the crankarm for those who want bilateral power monitoring. Functionality wise, it works just like their original unit with 2% accuracy at 100 watt/90rpm, ANT+ and Bluetooth compatibility, updatable firmware, plus 175 hours of use on a user-replacable battery placed within an IPX 7 water resistant pod. It will be available this fall with Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 ($1299) and Ultegra R8000 ($999) cranksets.
TT hydro disc brake with SRAM eTap Blip. Photo: Stephen Lam/ element.ly
Brake specialist TRP showed off their new TT hydro disc brake system specifically made for time trial/triathlon bikes. The lever is (of course) carbon connected to an asymmetrical body wrapped in a grippy replaceable rubber hood. As TRP is not in the drivetrain business, their engineers have come up with a design that can integrate either SRAM eTap blips or Shimano Di2 remote climbing switch (below). The levers then connect to their Hylex calipers on non-toxic mineral oil with quick connect hoses for ease of maintenance. The brakes will sell for $199 each.
TT hydro disc brake with Shimano Di2. Photo: Stephen Lam/ element.ly
When I first saw the Ergon ST Core Ultra Saddle I immediately thought that foam layer looked awfully similar to some popular German running shoe. Turns out my suspicion was correct. It is a layer of expanded thermoplastic polyurethane called Infinergy. It’s a lightweight closed-cell elastic foam developed by chemical giant BASF which has been made mainstream by the Adidas Boost series of shoes. To implement into the saddle, Ergon employs a layer of Infinergy foam as a damper between two hard shells (instead of one) where the rigid bottom shell bears the load and connects to the rails while the flexible upper shell supports the padding which allows the foam beneath to better respond to pressure. The ST Core Ultra will be available for $149.99 this coming Spring.
The idea of a 1×13 drivetrain isn’t new as it’s been floating around since 1×9 grew to 1×12. There isn’t anyone making production runs of 1×13 (yet) but the 1×13 drivetrain at the Phil Wood booth is sure cool to gawk at. It’s a bit of a hodge podge mixture consisting of a Shimano 11-40 11-speed cassette added with OneUp 46t and 50t cogs which are then mounted to a custom freehub body on a 150mm wide hub. The drivetrain is driven with a modified XTR mechanical derailleur with an upgraded OneUp Shark cage mounted to an offset adapter to accommodate the extra required cable pull. No word on pricing or whether it’ll ever make its way to production.
