Interbike 2004

Las Vegas, USA, October 4-8, 2004

Knobby and shocking: MTB

It's been a long time since we saw anything dramatic in the mountain bike area at Interbike, and this year was really no different. As before, mountain bike development continues in a wide variety of directions from super-singlespeeds (titanium and disks? We thought single speeds were supposed to be cheap and simple!) to long-travel monsterbikes for hurtling downhill.

The most interesting area for those of us who are neither cross-country racing whippets nor no-fear downhillers is perhaps the long-travel, lightweight bikes that are emerging around 'stable platform' shocks from progressive, Fox, Manitou and others. With typically three to five inches of travel these bikes are the emerging hot item for mountain bikers who want to just own one rig to do just about everything.

Photos

Fuji introduced the new Adventure Photo ©: Jon Devich	Another new model from Fuji is the Diamond RC Photo ©: Jon Devich	The rear end of the Fuji Diamond RC Photo ©: Jon Devich
A close up look at the Diamond RC Photo ©: Jon Devich	Independent Fabrications Photo ©: Jon Devich	A close up look Photo ©: Jon Devich
Scott displayed its new carbon hardtail Photo ©: Jon Devich	Scott also brought out its downhill rigs the High Octane 1 and 2. Photo ©: Jon Devich	The head tube angle Photo ©: Jon Devich
The adjustment points on the rear of the Scott. Photo ©: Jon Devich	Front end view Photo ©: Jon Devich	Progressive Suspension's 5th Element coil shock Photo ©: Kristy Scrymgeour
Progressive Suspension's 5th Element air shock Photo ©: Kristy Scrymgeour	Another Fifth Element shock Photo ©: Kristy Scrymgeour