2014 Eurobike Awards: Clever Clothing, Accessories, and Gear

Eurobike has come and gone leaving with a flood of new products and more content than we ever could hope to publish. Much like the Taipei Show, each year Eurobike puts on a design competition and this year awarded 56 manufacturers with either a Eurobike, Gold, or Green award. Judged by a panel of 6 experts from different corners of the cycling industry, the awards are always a good source of at least a few new and interesting products like the Drink Clean system above.

Perfect for those that hate mud and dirt on their water bottle valves, the rotating nozzle hides away to keep the part you drink out of clean. Made in Germany out of eco-friendly, food grade plastic, the bottle seems like it could be a hit when it becomes available.

There is plenty more where that came from next…

Messe Friedrichshafen provides us with a look inside the Eurobike Awards and how the expert panel makes their way through 500 entries to pick out the winners.

Rounding out the accessories category, Norco got some recognition for their Urban Bag. Not only does the bag include easy to use vario hooks to attach to standard bicycle racks, but the bag features a built in tablet sleeve in the flap which allows use through the clear cover. Now, where’s my Strava app for iPad…

We’re not sure we’d want our smart phones attached to the handlebar with a silicone band, but that didn’t stop BikeCityGuide Apps from receiving an award for their silicone Smartphone mount Finn. Claiming to hold any phone to any bar without issue, the mount does include a voucher code for their cycling app BikeCityGuide. The low price and app that will help you pedal around a foreign city actually makes this pretty appealing.

At first the Cycloc looks more like something you would find in your kitchen than around bikes, but it is actually a bicycle storage rack. Place one wheel through the upper hook and the other tire rests on the lower wall protector for a simple, out of the way storage solution.

POC’s Cerebel aero helmet won an award thanks to its design quality, comfort, and choice of materials, which was similar to the choice of the Uvex 702 glasses – though the 702’s magnetic lens changing technology was probably the kicker. Tern won an award with another bike mount, though this one requires a fairly long seat post for use. The beauty of the Tern Perch is that the extremely minimal rack almost hides from view with a bike in place making it into a beautiful display.

We covered the Lock8 when it was first going through a Kickstarter, and now the connected bike lock has won a Eurobike award. The included app makes it easier than ever to lock and unlock your bike, while the lock itself has built in sensors that will trigger an alarm if someone tries to steal it.

In the Concepts and Services department, Bike-Energy earned recognition for their universal, future proof charging station for cars and e-bikes. The design is small so it saves space, and it’s also fairly cheap compared to current charging stations. As a Gold Award winner, the Winora Group Dealer Center is basically a purpose built touchscreen computer system for dealers to use when selling bikes.

In spite of the similarities with Manitou’s QR15 Hexlock system, Focus won an award for their R.A.T. axle system which does make for a thru axle system that is easier and faster than a standard quick release. InterLock continues to win awards with their bike lock that integrates into a seat post and the company told us there are a few new products in the works. The same goes for Magura with their eLECT full suspension lockout system. Now available for both the front and the rear in a unit that works as one to automatically lock out the suspension.

It’s honestly not a big surprise that the Schwalbe Procore system won an award – after we saw it in Germany we were ready to mount it up to our own bikes. Getting past the unfortunate name, the FAG-Velomatic is actually a pretty interesting device. Providing automatic shifting, the FAG-Velomatic can be controlled through the Velodaptic app which allows you create custom shifting profiles based on your riding style. Definitely one of the simpler items to win an award, the MOTO Reflex pedals use a bearing-less design, a clean aesthetic, and customizable griptape system for traction.

When you mount up fenders, chances are good it will be darker than usual making lights a good idea. A partnership between Curana and Busch & Muller resulted in these sleek fender/light combinations which are offered in 15 and 30 Lux versions. Waterproof, StVZO approved, easy to turn on and off, plus with an adjustable beam angle, the ilu fenders are pretty slick hence the Gold award.

Two other Gold winners that we’ve featured a few times are Wahoo’s KICKR indoor power trainer, and Topeak’s Transformer XX floor pump/bike stand combo.

As the only piece of clothing to win a Gold award, the Triple2 Urban Winter cycling jacket combines an integrated waterproof membrane with Pontetorto Technowool, and Lavalan Sport wool filling for a perfect jacket to battle the elements on your ride without looking out of place when you get to your destination.

Are you a weight weenie? Then don’t be caught wearing heavy clothing. Adidas steps in with their award winning Adizero bib shorts which weigh an incredible 99g. In addition to being insanely light, they should also be very good for hot days.

Cannondale and Scott both got in on the awards with their clothing as well. Cannondale’s Elite Nano jersey and bib shorts take on summer heat with a design that keeps the rider cool and stays aerodynamic even when the zipper is undone, while Scott’s RC ProTec outfit uses carbon yarns and ceramic printing to make severe road rash a thing of the past.

At first Vaude’s Minaki Shorts may look like Enduro gone wrong, but they’re actually clever if you ride in an area with rapidly changing temperatures. Designed to be worn over mountain bike shorts, the Minaki shorts add a quilted layer of warmth that are easily take off without having to remove your shoes. The PrimaLoft insulation then allows them to pack down extremely small for easy transport.

Giro won not one, but two awards thanks to their Empire SLX 175g (!) road shoes, and the polar opposite Rumble VR casual clipless shoe. PEdAL ED and PlychromeLAbe got together to create the PEdAL ED LAB Jacket which is reversible, waterproof, stretchable, and is designed to cool the rider in hot weather and warm the rider in cold thanks to the reversible nature. We’ve loved the Sugoi Zap jacket since we first saw it thanks to the incredible reflective nature and it appears the judges liked it too.

It looks like integrated bib/baggie shorts might be the next big thing with products like the Fraser Premium Loose Fit Short. After seeing these at Eurobike we saw the new Gore Bike Wear baggie bibs at Interbike, both of which offer bib performance with baggie styling in a single piece.

Finally, Roeckl won an award for their superlight weight and thin waterproof/windproof pull over gloves. Designed to be worn over other gloves, the 26g waterproof Malvas gloves provide protection from the elements at a moment’s notice. Triple2 also won an award for their Urban Rainpant. Using a 3 layer laminate construction, the breathable, waterproof pants offer a lot of versatility and still look good.

Check out eurobike-show.com for the few award winners that weren’t on display.