Tech news for September 25, 2001By John Stevenson Got tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads. 2002
Campagnolo 2002 CampagnoloNew and not soAfter we featured Campagnolo's Eurus wheels in our Eurobike report a couple of weeks ago, we got a note from Arthur Anderson in Australia, who says he's been building similar wheels from standard components since 1999. He adds "As this wheel uses standard, off the shelf parts, so I was surprised to see Campag use it, as they have the ability to manufacture specific hubs for smarter designs (as with Rolf and Mavic)." As it happens the Record-level Eurus is the top of a trio of wheels that use what Campagnolo calls the G3 System, and they do use dedicated hubs. The Eurus will weigh a claimed 1,550g per pair, while the Zonda G3 uses Centaur class hubs (2001's Daytona) and is claimed to come in at 1,660g per pair. Finally, the 1,830g/pair Scirocco has hubs derived from the Veloce rear and 1998 Chorus front. All three tale clincher tyres and have optional Shimano-compatible freehub body.
More information: Campagnolo's website New GiantsStanding on the shouldersWe've just had a sneak peak at 2002's Giant bikes, courtesy of the good folks at Giant USA and Giant Australia, and pretty darn tasty they are too. For starters, there's an addition to the TCR line-up of road racing bikes. The core range still descends from the Campagnolo Record-equipped Team down to the Shimano 105-clad TCR2, but coming in very fast from leftfield is the TCR Aero. With elliptical tubes and tri bars, it's intended for time trials and triathlons. sidebar, right). However, this Centaur is basically the 2001 Daytona group under another name, in this case in a 9x3 configuration.As the world's biggest maker of decent-quality bikes, Giant can be expected to have its finger fairly well on the pulse, so an expansion of its road range to ten bikes is a strong sign of the health of the sector and the growing rebirth of interest in road cycling. In the dirt, Giant splits its offerings into a number of ranges. There's the inevitable pair of gravity sleds for downhill racers, the DH team and DH Comp, and no doubt these will appeal as ever to weekend warriors who don't want to pay Intense or FOES prices to bash down a mountainside. For those of us with a more normal ratio of brain-to-gonad size, the range hasn't changed hugely. New kid on the block among the XtC SE hardtails and NRS and AC suspension models is the AC Air Lite. Last year's AC Air got rave notes for its combination of do-everything 'freeride' setup and sane weight, so a lighter version with a RockShox Psylo SL fork was almost inevitable. You could say that this is a refined version of the original AC Air, and the 2002 AC Air with a Manitou Black Elite fork and Shimano LX/XT components is the real new model. Either way you look at it, you now have two to choose from. More information: Giant's website Cannondale gets bentSit back and think of Pennsylvania
As you'd expect, it's welded from 6061 aluminium. According to Cannondale, the 'bent is the creation of Cannondale designer Chris Dodman, a Brit who has been building, riding and racing recumbents since 1988. However, unless things have changed dramatically since I was last there in 1998, Cannondale's claim that in the UK recumbents "enjoy a level of popularity that is unmatched in the U.S." needs salting. The UK's not short of out-of-the-box thinkers, but the streets are hardly full of recumbents. Nevertheless, Cannondale says this bike is aimed at "cyclists who traditionally have opted for hybrids or comfort bikes." Makes sense to us at Cyclingnews. With luck, they'll give one a try for the comfort factor, get hooked and move on up to a proper bike. More information: Cannondale's website SnippetsDT Shocks
Comfortably reclining on a bed of best Swiss limestone, this is the unexpected but distinctly competent-looking new shock from DT Swiss that we mentioned a couple of weeks ago. First samples are expected to be in the hands of OEMs and importers after the Interbike show at the beginning of October, and DT plans actual production in February. More information: DT's website | ||||||
Kreitler & White Bros acquiredEko Sport, manufacturer of the popular Englund Total Air cartridges (a spring and damper replacement for many models of mountain bike fork) has bought Al Kreitler Custom Rollers and the White Bros line of mountain bike suspension forks. White Bros wants to concentrate on the motorbike side of its business, according to a report on the website of US trade bible Bicycle Retailer, while Kreitler has been for sale since the death of company's principal, Al Kreitler in July More information: Kreitler's website White Bros' website Salsa recalls rims
The Salsa Alto Disc rim is a black mountain bike rim with a 543 ERD made in 32 and 36 hole models. It is a disc-brake specific rim. The rim is labeled "Salsa Alto" in yellow, red, and white. The rim also has large "Salsa" decals on the side. Salsa Alto rims were sold by Quality Bicycle Products and other distributors to retail bike shops across the United States. The rims were sold from January 26, 2001 to September 6, 2001. Consumers are asked to stop using the product. Consumers are then directed to contact the retail bike shop from which they purchased the rim to facilitate the recall replacement. Bike Shops can then secure a return merchandise number. Salsa will either credit the purchasing retail bike shop for the rim or provide a replacement rim or wheel depending on whether or not a rim or wheel was originally purchased. Salsa can be reached at their Alto Recall Hotline 877-887-2572, faxed at 877-337-2572, or by e-mail at pman@salsacycles.com. Their address is 6400 West 105 the Street, Bloomington, MN More information: Salsa's website Orbea Rave
Our mention of Orbea in the second Eurobike show report, brought this rave from Andy at the UK Orbea importer Prendas Ciclismo. We wouldn't normally run such a blatant plug, but when someone's this enthusiastic, we get all soft-hearted. "Just read your comments about Orbea bikes from the recent show. I've attached a pic that might interest you – David Etxebarria's bike. We are the UK dealer for Orbea bikes and we have received great reports from everyone who's bought an Orbea from us. Mick here has one the same as your picture and says it's the best bike he's ever ridden. Considering the Italian exotica he's had in the past that's no mean boast! "We love the way the customer can specify which tubing/forks/groupset etc they want, even down to choosing the colour and whether sloping or standard top tube. All hand made in Spain within 4 weeks with a lifetime warranty. The first one we sold was the Altec 2+ tubing with carbon rear stays and full carbon Time forks. The guy wanted Euskaltel colours (which is semi-metallic when seen up close – you really do need those shades!) but no Euskaltel logos so it would match his club kit and his name on the top tube. This was done with no problems from Orbea. Comparing prices on this model with equivalents – Pinarello Prince £1499.00 – Orbea just mentioned £720.00! "At the moment I'm having to dodge the cabs as my bike isn't arriving until Tuesday next week, then it will be cap on backwards with peak turned up and shades on!" More information: Orbea's website | ||||||
