Tech News – November 23, 2004 Edited by John Stevenson Got tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads. Epic Falcon Photo ©: Epic Epic introduces Falcon Vancouver, British Columbia bike maker Epic Titanium Bicycles has announced the Falcon, a new titanium road frame with a weight of 1.25kg and a recommended retail of US$1,250. Epic is a small, rootsy outfit founded in 2000 by Kurt Knock (and if he'd introduced this bike back then we'd have been able to concoct some bad headline gag about a millennium Falcon which we'll throw in here anyway because some attempts at humour are too awful to pass up). The company originally focused on mountain bikes, but has expanded into road and cyclocross and is heavily involved with the local racing scene. Knock himself raced mountain bikes, lining up against local hero Roland green when they were both juniors, and is now BC 30-35 masters champion on the road. While Knock is responsible for Epic's designs, the actual manufacturing is farmed out to a framebuilder in Europe, who uses straight gauge, cold worked, stress relieved, seamless aero-space grade titanium to craft Epic's frames, which then make their way to Canada for finish, QC and build-up. About the Falcon, Knock says, "We set out to design the best all-round race bike possible. Not only is this a great race bike but a realistic road bike for those who like putting in long rides." Falcon features include an aero down tube and CNC-machined head tube for integrated headset. Knock stresses that this isn't a climbing special, but for those who crave something lighter still, Epic is working on a lighter weight compact geometry frame. More info: www.epicti.com Leggera Piuma Photo ©: Leggera New Modolo KX-carbon seat post Photo ©: Leggera Leggera Piuma floats out Another of the bike industry's small and interesting companies is Australia's Leggera, whose Piuma frame was launched at the recent Cycling Australia show. Leggera means 'light' and piuma is Italian for 'feather' so you'd expect a minimal impact on the scale and you wouldn't be disappointed - Leggara's Paul Farrell says the frame weighs 960g in a 54cm. However, it's not all about weight. "I'm not a great supporter of super lightweight bikes for general public consumption as I believe that there are other attributes that combine to make a great bike, not just low weight," says Farrell. "However our clients appear to be increasingly interested in the headline figure so with our Piuma show bike we decided to go low, without sacrificing durability. It's really not that hard to achieve a sub-UCI legal bike - even 6 kilos is quite easy using regular off-the-shelf parts as long as you stay with quality components." Leggera frames are manufactured in Taiwan, and complete Piuma bikes feature a collaboration with Italian component maker Modolo. The Piuma will be the first production bike to feature Modolo's new 'boltless' SLS stem and the new KX-carbon seat post. Modolo also supplies the KX-Curvissima carbon bars and carbon bidon cages. A complete Dura-ace/Kysrium equipped Piuma starts from US$5400.00. More info: www.leggerabikes.com Dura-Ace goes triple Shimano has announced that the company will offer a triple-ring version of its Dura-Ace crankset in 2005. According to Shimano, the Japanese component giant has been receiving requests for a triple ever since the ten-speed incarnation of Dura-Ace was introduced late in 2003. The new crank will come with 52/39/30 rings and be available in 165-180mm lengths, in 2.5mm increments. It will be available in May 2005. Shimano says the Dura-Ace triple will be completely compatible with the recently-introduced Ultegra triple for Ultegra owners wanting to upgrade to the company's top model crank. However, moving from a Dura-Ace double to triple will necessitate a minimum of a new front derailleur and left-hand shifter as well as the crankset. Shimano Australia's Matt Bazzano told Cyclingnews that he didn't yet know just how Shimano planned to offer aftermarket upgrades. We'd hope to see a kit of chainset, left hand shifter and front derailleur to avoid the rather scary cost of a whole new set of shifters. More info: This is so new it hasn't yet appeared on any of Shimano's websites, of which the most up-to-date (that is, it actually has info and manuals on 2005 equipment such as the new Ultegra) is www.shimano.com.au Former MTB pro Daryl Price Photo ©: ScottUSA Price joins ScottUSA We don't usually report the various comings and goings within the bike industry, but we're pleased to mention that former top mountain bike racer Daryl Price has just landed a berth with ScottUSA bikes as product coordinator for its US division. Price was one of the top US MTB pros back in the early 90s, alongside Ned Overend, John Tomac and Juli Furtado. He has worked a variety of jobs in the bike and related industries since retiring as a racer, including gigs as product manager at Smith Sport Optics and marketing manager for Giro Sport Design. Litespeed returns to racing Last seen in the pro peloton under Lotto a couple of years ago, Litespeed is making a return to supporting pro road racing with the new British-based Continental team Recycling.co.uk/MG X-Power. The team will ride Litespeed bikes with FSA finishing kits supplied by UK FSA importer Moore & Large. Litespeed is also putting in some financial support for the team in a deal that ryuns to the end of 2006. Vroom! Vrooooom! Photo ©: Turbospoke Vroom, vroom! Finally, we can't resist this - Tampa Florida is currently being subjected to a TV ad campaign for this must-have widget, the Turbospoke. Remember when you were a kid, and you clipped a playing card to your bike so it would hit the spokes and make a motorcycle engine noise (okay, if you had a very good imagination). Turbospoke is a playing card in the spokes on steroids. "Its the most fun ever on a bicycle," says the inventor Tom Maxwell in this press release. We'll resist the temptation to suggest young Mr Maxwell should get out more (now 19, he was 16 when he invented the Turbspoke). Turbospoke also plays up the safety advantages of being heard, and given the obliviousness of many road users, they might just have a point. And if road bikes get any lighter, it'd help keep them at that magic 6.8kg... More info: www.turbospoke.com