Showtime ’07: Inter—BIKES!
Paint made an even bigger come back this year, partly because it’s back in fashion, and partly because some of the main players brought little change to the show floor from last year…
But one brand that consistently advances its line are long time friends Kuota Bicycles. For the last few years their range topper for Tri and TT has been the Kalibur.
But this year’s latest in time travel rolls in, named after the famed Iron Man run, the Kueen K.
This is a completely redesigned (PEZ even had a little input in the rear end) time trial and tri rig built not only to help Norman Stadler again make the pro Tri field look like the pro tricycle field, but will also be under Continental Pro Team Agritubel, meaning you’ll very likely see them not only in the Tour De France, but several other major races in 2008.
The Kueen K was so popular it was tough to get a shot that didn’t involve other media guys (like Inside Tri). Note the rear facing front brakes as Mario shows some of the design points…
The Khan is back, and sexier than ever dressed in Formula 1 inspired livery…
And Kuota have redesigned their Kredo into an adjustable ISP design that’s also begging for a custom PEZ paint scheme.
A simple post design that doesn’t pretend to do anything but raise the clamp point and also take a bit of scare out of ISP and Frame cutting (AKA resale value eliminating) the other designs have. It’s kinda an inside-out version of what Trek have and we like it…
De Rosa really did a hell of a job revamping their line in the last couple of years as well.
To be honest, I felt like their new King was one of the best designs on the floor and was slick with it’s version of ISP and internal cable routing for the down tube, but still managed to maintain a conservative old school feel.
Also impressive is that the King rolls out in a nice 10 size selection.
The Idol was also on display (along with several other models) and looks as good coming…
As it did going… (read the PEZ test here)
It’s in 6 sloping sizes and is also available in custom fit for anyone looking for that dead on feel and handling that comes when you really know how to spec your baby.
Parlee Cycles are also no stranger to custom fit…
But in this case it’s their new Z4…
Parlee have had a range of what they would consider standard geometry, but have also been paying attention to what fits their followers best and have taken years of leading the custom carbon class into account in establishing the Z4 as a more affordable stock range.
It still features a high end tube spec as their custom sleds have always done (Note the uni weave tail…)
And a similar build process to their Boston based bad-asses. It simply works toward putting Parlee in the price range for more people.
But that doesn’t mean they’re lowering their standards at all, as evidenced by my choice for the sleekest bike in the show. We showed a model last year and this year we get the goods on the custom TT.
This thing is so clean that it makes some track bikes look cluttered…
Lots of details to the bike and not enough room here to list em all, but the rear brake mount and shielded position for air flow, the geometry and tube section ties ins, even the seat post section were all simply well done…
One Track bike that wasn’t clutter rolled in with a clover up front.
Colnago’s Track package was one of those bikes that should only be sold to people that qualify as genuinely fast… Anything else is a disservice to something that looks like this…
No, those are not shallow drop bars…
The track bike was in contrast to something equally sweet, but in a different flavor in the new look for the C-50.
But my favorite Colnago wasn’t in one of “today’s” favorites of white or flush carbon and wasn’t Carbon at all… It was the simple steel dressed for Giuseppe Saronni and begged for a new (old) fork, a 90’s silver levered Campy group and a custom set of wood rimed sew ups…
In a bit of a contrast to the Bepe Edition Colnago were the new sets from LookCycle-USA.
We’ve been on the 585 and this year brings you a “high degree of polyvalence” with the new 586!
I have no idea what polyvalence is, but the 585 was one of my all time favorite all round bikes with exceptional ride quality, low weight and very good performance. So If Polyvalence means even a touch better bike, the 586 will be one hell of a nice bike. We’ll be testing it as soon as we get one!
But if you absolutely have to have the highest number, your choice is the 595.
This bike leans a bit more toward stiffness for Look and if you choose, you can go for the Ultra version adding 15% more stiffness (same goes for the 586 by the way).
Personally I admire the hell out of Look for making the effort to try and give people what they might want in a ride by offering a few high end models in Origin and Ultra lay ups. Look haven’t forgotten ride quality and do a great job of acknowledging personal desire rather than stuffing “Stiffer” down your throat as if it, along with weight were what Bikes are all about…
We’re sure Look have TT bikes, but for some reason I didn’t notice em…
And last on the block is a non PEZ-like Mountain bike… But this thing’s so sweet it has to get in the shot.
The big question is, will Look make an SC (Super Comfort) version of their road bikes that will feature a softer rubber in the tube for their ISP system not unlike what “may” be in the works for their mountain goat? Of the higher volume production guys Look are the most likely to value ride quality enough to say “screw it” and knock out a rig so silky you’ll think you have rear suspension…
STAY TUNED.
The next round will feature even more of the bikes on your lust list!
Have Fun,
Charles Manantan
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