We found a number of interesting bikes and baubles when we dropped into the inaugural Vienna Bike Show several weeks back, and going through our photos there are still a few articles worth of goodies to share. We’ll start off this week with a broad range of accessories and a line of bikes that go from the tiny up to the extreme. This bell crafted by Valentinitsch Design really caught our eyes just as we stepped into the show. Fit on the front of a simple frame that beer maker Heineken had commissioned (and with a matching tail light) as part of their Ridentity campaign, it nicely balances modern tech with a classic look. Hop past the break for a closer look, plus some European made 36ers, handmade carbon accessories, and an update to the disc brake version of the Werking Cycles Model S that we got a glimpse of at the end of this past summer…
Maybe the most unique aspect of the Vienna Bellelight is the incorporation of a striker on top that turns the entire headlight into a brass bell. That made the internals a bit more complicated as they had to float inside of the hammered brass housing to get a good ring. Inside though were three high output LEDs powered by a rechargeable battery. Out back was a matching hammered tail light with a red lens over its LEDs. Unfortunately, it seems that for now this set might stay a on-off piece, as it would make a nice addition to a lot of urban bikes.
TrueBike
On the opposite order of scale are the 36ers of TrueBike. Founded in the Slovak capital, TrueBike had first wanted to see if the oversized wheels could really deliver an improved ride. Over a few years of building bikes around 36″ wheels, they’ve developed a design that they say is a blast to ride over all kinds of obstacles and maintains its speed better than smaller wheeled bikes.
TrueBike has developed a unique frame with dual diameter toptubes that bend around the seattube, turning into the seatstays. The bikes also get a matching fork with two sets of small diameter legs that create a truss for predictable steering over the big wheels. Starting at just 2700€ +VAT and around 19kg (42lbs) for the fully custom single speed build, it only adds another 100€ to add a 2x or 3x XT drivetrain.
Werking Cycles
We’ve seen the custom carbon bikes that Werking Cycles produces in-house from their Lago di Garda, Italy workshop, but they also craft a bunch of light carbon accessories as well. They gave us a preview of a plate-style 1x chain guide will keep the single ring drivetrain on your ISCG-equipped bike running smoothly without much of a weight penalty. The top is said to use a 3D printed nylon guide that is both low-friction and can be cheaply replaced when it wears out after a couple of seasons. No word yet on pricing, but it should be available soon and will work with either round or oval rings.
Already on the market is their 13.5g full carbon bottle cage that sells for 49€ +VAT, the extra light carbon seatpost clamp that is said to weigh just 6.4g and sells for only 33€ +VAT in four sizes, and the lightweight modular GPS mounts that all cost 49€ +VAT in several varieties. The computer mounts are available to fit regular 31.8 handlebars, TT bar extensions, and direct mount standards for integrated bar/stems. They use an interchangeable computer interface that Werking currently offers mounts for Garmin and Polar computers.
The Werking Cycles Model S that we saw back in August had still only been produced in its rim brake form. We got a sneak peek at one of the earlier prototype sets of chainstays that were still using a post mount rear brake. But like they had alluded to at the time, they were also working on a flat mount set of stays. This solution let them stick with a straighter set of chainstays, and of course adopts what has become the new road disc brake standard. The 3600€ custom geometry Model S framekit uses a modular 12mm thru-axle out back that can also be swapped out with a QR version if so desired.
