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Eurobike show
Germany, August 31-September 3, 2006
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Part 8 - SRM-ready carbon for everyone
European Editor Tim Maloney checks in from Eurobike with SRAM-ready racing bikes from Italian manufacturer Kuota and new offerings from Canyon; Germany's Internet-only seller of carbon MTB and road bikes.
Kuota Kreations At Eurobike
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Created five years ago by the Comali brothers of Albiate, Italy as an offshoot of their succesful bicycle fork business (Sintema Sport), Kuota has grown in leaps and bounds to become one of the most sought-after bicycle brands worldwide.
All new for 2006 is Kuota's KOM model, aka “King of Mountain”, with a lightweight carbon composite frame that has a monocoque front triangle with Kuota NanoTechnology 3K4H high-impact weave carbon fibre using differential lamination, a massive bottom bracket that is mated to a close-coupled 402 mm.
Perhaps inspired by Pinarello's Dogma, the KOM's Kuota Super Drive has a 1-1/8in top / 1-1/4in integrated head tube-bearing races. Kuota claims the KOM weighs less than 900 grams (without fork; size not specified) and comes in five 5cm sloping sizes (48-58cm)
Kuota also has a new mid-range bike for 2006 called Kebel, a name that comes from "che bello" (how beautiful), pronounced Kebèl! in the Comali's Brianzolo dialect. A light and strong monocoque frame that Kuota claims weighs 1100g (without fork; size not specified), the Kebel also has monocoque forks and an aero seapost. Like the KOM, the Kebel has a 1-1/8in top tube and 1-1/4in integrated head tube bearing races and is available in 6 sizes from small (48cm) to XXL (61cm) with 5mm sloping geometry.
Kuota also showed off at Eurobike their new carbon fibre kompact kranks and a SRM Ready Kredo with integrated SRM wiring and carbon crankset for SRM.
No Canyon Snail: Germany's Canyon Has New Look For 2007
German bike maker Canyon only sells over the internet and has had remarkable success in the last few year. Their Ultimate F10 Team sports all new graphics, echoing a look that runs through the entire Canyon line for 2007.
Founder Roman Arnold of Koblenz may be the ultimate German "bike freak" and his passion and attention to detail has won Canyon many awards, including "Best Lightweight Carbon Fibre Frame In The World" from Germany's TOUR Magazine earlier this year, beating out competitors like Cervelo R3, Scot CR1 Team Issue, Look 585 and Time VRX among others - although the Ultimate F10 Team wasn't the lightest frame tested, it was judged on a combination of price, weight and stability.
With a F 10 Ultra High Modulus Carbon frameset, Smolik Race SL full carbon fork, the complete bike weighs in at a claimed 6.5kg, but the show bike pictured here with Lightweight wheels may be closer to 6kg!
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews
- Kuota's new mid range carbon creation: Kebel
- Kuota's SRM Ready with integrated SRM wiring and carbon crankset
- Close up Of Kuota's SRM Ready Kredo cockpit
- Kuota's King: all-new lightweight KOM for 2007
- Massive bottom bracket on Kuota KOM with Kuota's new carbon fibre cranks
- Close-up of Kuota KOM toptube, showing off Kuota's NanoTechnology 3K4H high impact weave carbon fibre.
- No Canyon Snail: Germany's Canyon has new look for 2007
- Canyon's light story extends to the dirt with their new Ultimate CF hardtail mountain bike range, shown here in 8.0 version with Fox 32FX forks, Shimano XTR & SRAM X.O mix groupset and Formula Oro Puro disc brakes.
