E Is For Excellent

After much hoopla last year when Ernesto Colnago introduced his C50 for the fiftieth anniversary of his firm, Colnago has an all-new, all-carbon, made in Italy model called the E-1. "We wanted to create a full carbon bike that was not as expensive as the C50, but offered many of the same benefits of light weight and rigidity", Ernesto Colnago told Cyclingnews.

The Mago Of Cambiago has mated a sloping monocoque front end to his tried and true carbon B-Stay rear triangle. "We think this bicycle will be very popular with recreational riders", explained Colnago. "We've tested it in many Gran Fondo events this year and had a very positive perception to the ride and comfort as well as the performance." Note Colnago has addded FSA's hot new Mega XO carbon fibre crankset to this show version of the E-1.
 

Eddy's Super Premium

It's his 25th anniversary in the bike business, and Eddy Merckx has some cool new models. His Premium model is made in Easton 7000 series Scandium tubing with attractive tube shaping and an integrated headtube. Eddy's Premium is available in both sloping and standard frame configurations.
 

Trek hits the slopes

In a departure from its usual traditional road geometry, Trek has has introduced a new model for 2005 called Pilot that addresses the growing demand for sloping geometry.
 

High octane, low weight

Trek's hottest newest mountain bike is called Top Fuel 98, an evolution of the popular Fuel model, upgraded for 2005 with the same OCLV 110 carbon fibre that Lance Amstrong uses in his Madone SL road bike. Trek has added a RockShox MC3 rear shock and plenty of Bontrager Race X Lite components for this model which uses a RockShox SID Team with 80mm of travel up front.
 

120 and counting

Here's a shot of Specialized's new for 2005 Stumpjumper 120, with the number denominating the amount of rear travel, thanx to the Fox Talas rear shock and revised frame geometry.
 

Carbon Tarmac gets the nod

We already showed the prototype of this new all-carbon rig from Specialized at the Tour de France and after making it to Paris, Mike Sinyard gave the green light for Specialized's new Tarmac Carbon. Although the Tarmac will still be offered in its original carbon/aluminium configuration, the Tarmac Carbon is a 100 percent carbon monocoque frameset.
 

Retro Belgo

As well as Team Cyclingnews, Belgium's Bioracer sponsors Chocolade Jacques and the national teams of the Netherlands and Belgium. Here's the new Team Belgium strip for 2004, a clean retro look that recalls the heyday of Eddy Merckx and Freddy Maertens.
 

It's all in the name

Casco is Italian for helmet, and German helmet maker Casco sponsored the German national trackteam with some wild looking lids that resembled old-style roller derby helmets worn by the likes of Joanie "Blond Bomber" Weston, but this new, top of the line Vautron offers an innovative 2 in 1 concept that allows users to switch out visors on the monocoque in-mold lid that also features a built-in aluminium rollbar for additional head protection.
 

Wheels like a watch

Swiss spokemeisters DT have been making pre-built wheels for several years and for 2005 their line includes two MTB models, as well as these RR 1450 road wheels. With a claimed weight of 1450 grams per pair and 28 (DT Swiss, naturally) spokes per wheel, laced with DT rims and hubs DT's RR 1450 wheels may not be carbon exotica, but you can be sure they are only the top Swiss quality. After all, their hometown Biel/Bienne is also the home of Rolex watches.
 

Mavic fills last wheel niche

French wheel firm Mavic debuted an interesting new wheelset at Eurobike, called Ellipse. It's a great name, considering that these wheels are destined for entry-level track riders and use clincher tires on 6160 SUP aluminium rims, laced two-cross and laced to aluminium hubs. Claimed weight is 957g front and 1039g rear.
 

Ride it or drink it?

German bike maker Red Bull has this high-end carbon fibre & aluminium rig on offer at Eurobike for everyone who gets a caffeine-like charge out of dropping eight grand on a bike!
 

Turning in a Blur

Santa Cruz now offers its legendary Blur suspension mountain bike model this year in a four-cross version; 115mm rear travel but revised frame configuration for the tight turns in mountain biking's wildest event.
 

Totally carbonated

German lite-freak Markus Storck has his new top of the line Carbo-rad on show at Eurobike, the (reported) 985 gram Scenario C.09 frameset (55cm). The Carbo-rad boasted just about everything in carbon, including AZ Lightness carbon brakes.