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London Cycle Show -
London, UK, October 5-8, 2006
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Part 3 - Oct 5-8: The bikes from Little Britain
By Ben Atkins
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Condor
Condor is London’s best loved bike shop and have been producing frames since 1948. A great many of their frames are built up as fixies, either for the track or for getting around town - something that 'courier chic' has led to a great increase of.
Most of their frames get new paint and colour schemes for 2007, the most striking of which is their new-look top of the line carbon fibre Baracchi. It now comes with striking chequered pattern carbon and the seat and down tubes are decorated with silver grey graphics, which, when viewed up close can be identified as the profiles of all of the Etapes du Tour. No prizes for guessing to whom this frame is being marketed!
Pinnacle
A new name in British bikes is Pinnacle. They presented a variety of frames at different levels, the most striking of which was the carbon and aluminium Aeos.
Kinesis
British design and Taiwanese manufacture are presented once again by Kenesis. Finally, after two years of development, they present a full carbon road frame. The one on display at the show though was still a prototype and was not fully built up. The frame will be in full production for 2007.
Kenesis also presented a new top of the line mountainbike frame - the Maxlight XC120. The frame is manufactured from hydroformed “Kinesium” and is designed for long travel forks of between 100 and 130 mm. It comes in a variety of colours including a very attractive Mocha.
Cotic
Cy Turner has expanded his range considerably for 2007. He has finally given in to pressure and produced a single speed frame - the Simple. Also new in the MTB range is a freeride frame, the B Fe (pronounced “beefy”). Both are built with the same long-travel fork geometry as the existing Soul and Soda frames, both made from Reynolds 853 - the B Fe features some pretty sturdy gusseting.
Cy was also presenting his new urban road frame - the Roadrat. This frame was develped because Cy was fed up with having to ride his mountainbike in town and wanted to develop something faster that would still be a familiar ride. What he created was a frame for 700c wheels, but with mounainbike geometry. It can take disc or cantilever brakes, drop or flat bars, and can be built as either single or multiple gears - it can even be a fixie.
Sigma Sport
Sigma’s most striking new frame is the Kronos 2, a new version of their time trial frame. The full carbon frame now features an aero seat post and is lighter and stiffer than their existing frame. They also presented new colour schemes for their team issue Nemesis. It is now available in Sigma Sport team colours - to match your Sigma team kit! - as ridden by former British Champ Matt Stevens in the British Premier Calendar.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Ben Atkins/www.cyclingnews.com
- Condor Pistas on or off road, now in a number of colours.
- The new Condor Stadio London's ultimate track bike.
- The Condor Leggero in full lightweight racing livery.
- Condor have revived the old Paris brand - by special order only.
- Condor's gorgeous new-look Baracchi.
- The Condor Baracchi's paintjob up close - those are the profiles of every single Etape du Tour!
- Okay, it's not new this year, but the Classico - whether fixed or geared - is gorgeous!
- New brand Pinnacle's Aeos 1.0: aluminium frame with carbon top tube and seat stays.
- A nice row of Kinesis frames.
- After two years of development, Kinesis at last have a full carbon frame, still a prototype.
- The new Kinesis Maxlight XC120 - gorgeous brown colour.
- Cy "Cotic" Turner has given in to pressure and made a single speed frame - the Simple.
- The new Cotic Roadrat: an urban warrior bike - MTB geometry with 700c wheels.
- The Cotic "B Fe" (Beefy) is the new freeride frame with the same geometry as the XC bikes.
- The Sigma Kronos 2: a lighter and faster new version of their TT frame.
- Sigma's Nemesis - now available in the shop's team colours.
Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk
- Condor holds the Leggero up high.
- Carbon fibre detail on the Condor Leggero
- The Condor Leggero equipped with Campy Record.
- Just for the London show?
- Leggero's seat stay has a sleek look.
- Carbon everywhere including the rims.
- Wavy chainstays make the Leggero look fast.
- Carbon down to the front derailleur.
