Welcome to the Wednesday Group Ride, a collection of small news bits from the overload of info coming into our offices. Stuff that we simply don’t have time to do a full story on but wanted to share anyway.
State Bicycle Co. has added a Black Label Series, a 6061 aluminum track bike with a double butted, TIG welded frame and Essor full carbon fiber fork. It’s built up with a SRAM S100 crankset, flip-flop hub and house brand Pista drop bars. Retail for the complete bike is $759 with a choice of five frame colors.
Lots more random bike stuff below…
The Mudhugger comes out of the UK, where riding in foul weather is virtually guaranteed if you want sufficient trail time. Front and rear models attach to suspension frames with ease, with the front handling any wheel size and the rear units generally accommodating 26″ and 27.5″ tires or 29ers depending on model.
Flexr Sports has developed an insulated water bottle with a disposable, biodegradable and BPA-free liner. Don’t like residual flavors or cleaning? Just pull out the liner and replace it. It also eliminates sloshing – the liner collapses on itself as you drink. The easy squeeze body and quick spout make it easy to gulp a lot, too.
While we’re on disposables, Coghlan’s new Adhesive Signal Light is an LED blinky that’s hermetically sealed against moisture and dust, making it an ideal (but not reusable) emergency flasher. It’ll run 80 hours and can be seen up to a half mile away. Set it to fast or slow strobe, solid or off. It’s just 2″ tall and about as thick as a credit card and weighs next to nothing. Retail is just $5.99.
The new Praxtour CTR takes indoor cycling to a new level of realism. Fans blow air across you, lending an air of movement while their onscreen workouts move at the pace you’re pedaling. Numerous videos of European classic road bike races are available. The entire bike rocks and tilts to simulate climbing and descending, also tied to the actual terrain in the videos. It’s all touch screen and self contained, too, just plug and play. You can even sync up and race your friends. Assuming, of course, you can each shell out the $6,000 asking price. Too much? They have less expensive systems that use your own bike and PC.
Along those premium lines, the Buxum Tourmalet Bike Box could be the toughest bike case out there. With reinforced corners, all-aluminum construction and an internal anti-crush system protect your bike from the worst that baggage handlers can do. Solid yet adjustable fork and axle mounts hold your frame tightly in place with space all round it. Four steel twist latches close it tightly and can be locked. Weight is about 26.5lbs, keeping it in line with ABS plastic versions from other brands. There’s also the Ventoux (for larger bikes) and Galibier (for bikes with S&S Couplers). For now, shipping costs from Hong Kong bring the total for U.S. customers to about $1,050, but they’re looking for North American distribution soon.
CloseoutBikes.com, which we reported on here, has changed names to Bike2020. As in 20/20 vision on the new-old-stock bike you want. Don’t remember what they do? Simple: They help bike shops sell through prior model year bikes, closeouts and other such remnant complete bikes by providing a quick, easy to search database that points you to a local bike shop.
Got a few minutes to kill? Head over to Tracker Ride Epic and ride along (by playing a video game) for each stage of this year’s Absa Cape Epic. You can win prizes, or just track your favorite riders in the real race, in real time.
For a video game like experience that won’t make you feel so sedentary, check out this tAlleyCat online competitive cycling app on Kickstarter. It’s in its final days and needs some funding help to get better. Video’s not so enchanting, but the tech seems really cool and pits you and your friends against each other virtually in real time.
Tantalus Cycling is a startup triathlon brand launching with affordable deep carbon racing wheels. Named after Tantalus Road on Oahu, it’s the brainchild of Matt and Laura Radniecki. Sure, the wheels are using an existing design, but you can get a set of the Velox 8 (88mm deep) wheels built with Novatec hubs and cnSpoke aero spokes for just $850 as part of their Indiegogo campaign. There’s also a Velox 6 (60mm deep) on offer, with a limited number at $800. Or get a combo 6/8 front and rear. All are built with 20 spokes front and 24 rear, with matte or gloss carbon finish. Shimano/SRAM or Campy freehubs. They come with a 2-year warranty. Wheel rentals may be coming this summer, too.
Think cargo bikes can’t be sexy? Butchers and Bicycles out of Copenhagen gives it a pretty good go with this incredibly well done commercial for a spectacular cargo trike. The trick (besides good cinematography and music) is the pivoting frame that makes speedy corning and hammering feel natural rather than scary as hell.
