Eurobike 2000, August 31-September 3By Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent Part two of our feature on the Eurobike trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany showcases the latest from Assos, Mavic, DT, Polar, Hutchinson, Castelli, Sixtus, Look, Blackburn, Giro, Specialized and Cannondale. Eurobike part one can be viewed here. Part IIGiro
Giro's new "Pneumo" helmet was a star at this years Tour as Lance Armstrong's new lid; a 19 vent, 256 gram super sleek design (with a cool clip on mini-visor) from the Santa Cruz, Ca. firm. Available in four color variations, including a limited edition USPS model, you'll have to wait 'till next spring for your new "Pneumo". A cool new Giro kids MTB helmet for kids, "Flurry", too. Website: www.giro.com PolarFinnish company Polar Electro Oy has revamped their series of heartrate monitors with the sleek "S" series, including the S510 and S710 with integral cyclocomputer functions. All the stocking stuffer a roadie might want this Christmas. Top of the range S710 links with a PC via IR to download personal performance data via a new Polar IR Interface. Check out your calorie burn, Vo2 max and with the optional "Power" kit, you can even see your wattage produced and left/right pedaling efficiency! As if you really want to know... Price for the new Polar S710 is $289.00/549.90DM Websites: www.polarusa.com or www.polar-electro.de LOOK
Look has an innovative, all-new pedal, called the CX7. All carbon, 170 gram, the pedal may be an outstanding example of a design that needed updating. Look has refined this design since showing last year's proto. Canting, or adjustable pedal angle, over a 10mm, is a key feature of this pedal. Coupled with 4 adjustable pedal splines gradated from +3 to -3, the CX7 allows a rider to fine tune his/her shoe pedal fit. Is the Look KG 396 the fastest bike in the world? No, but watch out for France's crack Olympic track squad to rack up the golds aboard these babies. And the Kelme model KG 281 carbon road frame is a must have for a Tour De France wannabe. Website: www.lookcycle.com BlackburnBlackburn's new "Team Pump" TP-5 looks like a piece of high design. A maxi-pump made for major pressure, the The TP-5 has an aero superstructure containg a powerful dual stage pump. Two new "Toolmanator" mini tools offer plenty of choices in case of breakdown. Websites: www.blackburndesign.com Specialized and Cannondale
Authentic team bikes were hot properties at this year's Eurobike. Sal "Toto" Commesso's Cannondale CAAD 6 was front and center at Cannondale's booth, while Specialized gave their new Team SL Festina team bike replica a key role. SBC is a newcomer to pro road racing for 2000, but with Beloki's 3rd place in the Tour De France and Angel Casero's second place in the the Vuelta a Espana. Not bad for a rookie effort. Websites: www.specialized.com www.cannondale.com ASSOSConsidered the vademecum in cycling wear, ASSOS has its ultra top end "Campionissimo" shorts. For 2001, the Swiss firm is offers il Campionissimo with ACDX lycra spandex, or so-called "Power Lycra", for its return stretch compression, or "power" properties. Although super-premium priced, ASSOS has delivered year after year the most sought-after cycling wear. Another innovative item for ASSOS is the new "Uni" jersey. Made with a unique raglan sleeve design where the upper part of the shoulder is made in stretchy spandex, while the lower sleeve and underarm is sewn in a microfiber. This offers complete freedom of movement in the arm and chest area, while the microfiber provides superior "armpit ventilation". Website: www.assos.com CastelliCastelli has unveiled the Team Italia Sydney 2000 design for "gli azzurri". Always sought after, the high-style '00 Games strip is perhaps Castelli's coolest Italia jersey yet. Plus Castelli's new "gamma" has something for almost everyone (new shammys and great women's wear from Paola Pezzo's Primadonna collection)
HutchinsonHutchinson, the French tire company with an American name, has supplied tires to the last two TDF winner(s); Lance Armstrong and his USPS team. For 2001, Hutchinson has introduced an new range of top-end road tires, made with an innovative co-extrusion based technology called "4X". The new process enables Hutchinson to precisely align the various rubber compound bands on the tread for optimum performance. Three "Carbon Comp" models are on offer; CCGold CCB Black and the 180gram CCAirLight. Website: www.hutchinson.fr/tires
Mavic
Rather than bringing out new wheels for 2001, Mavic has made compatibility their key initiative for road wheels. Mike Johnston, Mavic's marketing manager and a devoted cyclingnews.com reader told us that "we now have complete compatibility with our new freewheel bodies for both Shimano 9 speed and Campy 10v." In addition, Mavic's popular Classics wheel has been upgraded to the "SSC" (Special Service Course) category, with the addition of ceramic braking surfaces to the Maxtal SUP rim Website: www.mavic.com DT SpokesFor those folks who still build your own wheels rather than purchasing one of the new generation of fast off-the-rack wheels, DT Swiss offers a complete line of wheelbuilding tools, DT proline. There's a high precision Swiss made dial spoke tensionmeter, nipple drivers and wrenches, Spoke Freeze for nipple fixing and even a special wire for tying and lacing spoke lacing points! Website: www.dtswiss.com SixtusGood old Sixtus! The Bavarian "professional muscle care" firm had their always welcome range of herbal care products for roadies at Eurobike. Their Gesass or "buttocks" cream is great for shammy treatment, while Start-Oil and Sport Cream are used before a race. Sport Spray is a cold, herbal (arnica) spray for short term cryotherapy, while Spray Bandage offers a disinfecting aerosol dressing for crash scrapes. Used by leading cycling and soccer trainers. Website: www.sixtus.de |
