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Dauphiné Libéré Photo ©: Sirotti
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Eurobike show
Germany, August 31-September 4, 2005
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Part 6 - Litespeed, Cannondale, Crank Bros, IRD, BMC & lots more
Litespeed's litest
Photo ©: Chipps
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Litespeed, light bike, light wallet
Litespeed have been building buzz for the last couple of months about
what must be the lightest ever titanium frame (and probably the lightest
production frame ever) , the new version of the Ghisallo. It's not like
the original was exactly a boat anchor at a midge's under 2lb (900g),
but Litespeed is claiming a staggering 770g for the new incarnation, a
weight that clobbers even the fanciest carbon fiber exotica.
When too much titanium is never
enough
Photo ©: Chipps
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Reaching for your credit card already? Better make sure your account
is generous; Ghisallos start at US$4,199 for a bare frame and go up to
$8,199 for a complete bike with Shimano Dura-Ace and Ksyrium SL wheels.
But if you really have a stupendous amount of wonga burning a hole in
your pocket, Litespeed also showed a titanium racing tandem at Eurobike.
How much? We didn't ask; that would have just proved we couldn't afford
it.
Cannondale Scalpel in carbon
Photo ©: Chipps
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Christophe's Cannondale
Cannondale's Scalpel suspension bike is popular with cross-country racers
who want some cushion without a lot of extra weight. Cannondale pro ride
Christophe Sauser was spotted at the world's aboard this new version of
the Scalpel with has carbon fiber top and down tubes, in the style of
Cannondale's Six13 road bikes.
Random notes
Here's a bunch of other interesting stuff spotted at Eurobike.
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All the colours of Crank Brothers
Photo ©: Chipps
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Pedal specialists Crank Brothers have even more colours in the
Candy mountain bike pedal, which provides a small platform for riders
who find the Egg Beater pedal just too minimal. If you can't get a colour-match
with your frame from this lot, it's time to go looking for a powder-coater.
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Interloc also showed these carbon
cranks
Photo ©: Chipps
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Interloc Racing Designs has a line of carbon fiber cranks, including
these sleek units with a hidden chainring bolt behind the arm - very reminiscent
of Campagnolo Record.
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BMC Pro Machine
Photo ©: Chipps
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BMC's new Pro Machine was present and correct, resplendent in
its bare carbon finish. The bike Phonak rode in this year's Tour sports
BMC's signature seat cluster and lops substantial amount of weight off
the previous aluminium version.
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Giro Lance lid. Comeback certain.
Photo ©: Chipps
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The whole cycling world is consulting Nostradamus, casting runes, checking
out tea leaves and examining the entrails of farmyard fowls to determine
whether Lance Armstrong will make a comeback for the 2006 Tour to try
and "piss off" the French. But at the Cyclingnews tech desk we're certain
Big Tex will be back because Giro still has his helmet, this Atmos
with a lone star in yellow. Our money is on the Texan lining up in France
again in July.
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Storck PowerArms
Photo ©: Chipps
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As well as being the first and now biggest of the Fall trade shows, Eurobike
has a uniquely German flavour because of its location in, well, Germany.
Everyone likes light gear, but the bike German industry seems to be completely
obsessed with shaving grams and for years companies such as Tune and Storck
have been pushing the envelope in using exotic materials to make ever-lighter
components, while likely giggling to themselves at the UCI's prehistoric
adherence to bikes that weigh 6.8kg. Storck's PowerArms are claimed
to be the lightest in the world at 315g - just the thing for that next
featherweight bike project.
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Sugoi has a plan
Photo ©: Chipps
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Step three - profit! Or at least, that's what we assume Sugoi
is hoping will happen with this jersey, Okay, so the little fella doesn't
actually look like a South Park underpants gnome at all, but meh - after
a few days of treading the halls of a trade show you take your laughs
anywhere you can find them!
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PhotographyFor a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by
Chipps/www.singletrackworld.com
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Cannondale Six13
- the latest version of Cannondale's carbon and aluminium flagship has an aluminium seat tube instead of the previous model's carbon. That simplifies construction and reserves carbon for the bigger tubes, where it has most benefit.
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Cannondale Scalpel in carbon
- already ridden to a silver at the world MTB championships by Christophe Sauser, the carbon/aluminium incarnation of Cannondale's cross-country suspension racer promises to shave weight of an already light platform.
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Litespeed's litest
- Litespeed officially unveiled the 2006 version of its featherweight Ghisallo frame at Eurobike.
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Every little counts
- Litespeed has fabricated a bottom bracket shell for the Ghisallo from three separate pieces, to put thicker material under the outer portions of thread
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Litespeed Ghisallo top tube and decal.
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Ghisallo dropouts
are as minimal as a very minimal thing.
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When too much titanium is never enough
- Litespeed presented this totally go-faster twofer with Zipp wheels and an aero bar.
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Cantilevers just won't die
- the centre-pull brake design continues to be popular with cyclo-cross and touring riders and these Cafam brakes from IRD are 'Mafac like', hence the name.
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Interloc also showed these carbon cranks
- the 135mm BCD version uses a hidden fifth arm on the spider, and there's a compact option too.
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And cranks too
- SRAM's road group will also include carbon fiber cranks from the company's crank arm, Truvativ.
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Kryptonite New York lock
- Kryptonite will probably be forever remembered as the company whose locks could be opened with a pen top, but is bouncing back with renewed emphasis on high-security items like its beefy New York lock.
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CSC's Jens Voigt
took a break from winning races to sign autographs
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Giro has some snazzy
helmet colour schemes including this version of the Atmos with a lone star in yellow. Just the thing for a certain Texan's threatened comeback.
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Giro's Discovery Channel team lid
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Sugoi has a plan
- Step 1: Gnomes. Step 3 - Profit! Underpants not included.
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All the colours of Crank Brothers
- if you can't find a Candy to match your bike, consider a new paint job.
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Nike Lance shoe
- here's a look at the top of Nike's new Lance shoe which features nicely understated sliver and black styling and a ratchet strap that's integrated with the heel cup to keep your foot well and truly in place.
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Seven Diamas
- US maker Seven cycles made the trip over to Eurobike to show off its dramatically-styled new custom carbon Diamas.
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Storck PowerArms
- at a claimed 315g per pair (without rings) these German carbon cranks are some of lightest around
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Steel's still real
- and still available from Derosa in the shape of the Primato. A handful of other marques showed steel frames at Eurobike, showing that there's life in the classic frame material yet.
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BMC pro machine
- used for the first time at this year's Tour de France by the Phonak team, BMC's all-carbon lightweight will be available to the Rest Of Us in 2006.
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BMC's trademark seat cluster
executed in carbon on the Pro Machine. We're not convinced there's a big benefit over standard seat cluster, but it sure looks cool.
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