Best in Show: 30 cool new bike products for 2015
“What’s the coolest thing you saw?”
We hear that question after every trade show. The following–in our humble collective opinion–represents the newest, coolest and most interesting stuff our combined Mtbr and RoadBikeReview crew came across throughout the course of the 2014 Interbike and Eurobike trade shows. Some will be hits, others misses, but all are worth a look.
You’ll note the items are numbered–that’s not a ranking, rather just a way to keep you moving through the list. So without further ado and in no particular order, we present the 30 coolest new bike products for 2015. Check it out, then let us know what YOU think!
1. Shimano XTR Di2 Electronic Shifting
You shouldn’t even try XTR’s new, electronic Di2 shifting system, because once you do, you’ll want it…and most people will find its $3,500ish price tag tough to swallow. But XTR Di2 is less about what most of us can afford today and more about what it means for the future—things like custom configurability, suspension integration and sublime performance to name a few. Just like today’s “low end” STX grouppo beats Shimano’s line-topping XTR from just a couple generations ago, we’re excited to see what happens when Di2 trickle down electronic-onomics kicks in. bike.shimano.com
2. Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie Cyclocross Bike
While the rest of the industry flops about trying to decide on axle standards for disc brake-equipped road and cyclocross bikes, Van Dessel has devised a novel solution with its redesigned 2015 Full Tilt Boogie carbon ’cross steed. This lightweight racer can be ordered with either a QR or thru-axle compatible fork, and it comes with a set of modular rear dropouts that will fit a variety of current axle standards. It’s also mechanical or Di2 compatible and fits tire up to 40mm wide. Frameset $1799; SRAM Force CX1 Hydro build $4500. vandesselsports.com
3. Lupine Rotlicht Tail Light
The German-made $110 Lupine Rotlicht one-ups the standard back blinky by automatically getting brighter when the cyclist comes to a stop thanks to an embedded accelerometer that senses speed changes. The 160 lumen lamp also has a light level sensor that ups the output when there’s more ambient light or car lights shining on it, making the rider more conspicuous. lupine.de
Photos courtesy Park Tool
4. Park Tool IR-1 Internal Cable Routing Kit
Though we love how internal cable routing looks, wrenching on it can be a major pain in the ass. Park Tool comes to the rescue with a set of routing cables, fittings and strong magnets designed to ease and speed the process. It also includes fittings that work with traditional shift housing, brake hose and electronic shift wires. And if you think the estimated MSRP of $50 is pricey, then your time isn’t worth much. parktool.com
Photo by Jon Grinney
5. Norco Sight Carbon Forma Women’s Mountain Bike
Norco has signed, sealed and delivered a warm invitation to women who love to shred with the latest version of its award-winning Sight platform. The 140mm-travel Sight Carbon Forma ($4,415) is decked out with Shimano XT shifting and a RockShox Reverb dropper post, bringing good bang for buck. It’s also the best-looking paint job of the year. norco.com
6. Road Not Taken Flex Fit 108 Flat Pedals
A flat pedal with float? Yep, you heard it right. Road Not Taken’s Flex Fit 108s purport to provide more stability under hard cornering by pivoting up to eight-degrees fore and aft using elastomers to dampen the rotation. No word yet on pricing and retail availability. rntbike.com
7. Chrome Warm Jacket and Vest
Being conspicuous while riding in traffic once meant dressing up like a construction worker, but no longer thanks to Chrome Industries. Their new Warm vests ($120) and jackets ($150) combine safety and style reversing from a surprisingly stylish “be seen on the road” orange, to a cool “blend in the scene” black. chromeindustries.com
8. Masi Evoluzione Ultegra Di2
It may have been the snazzy paint that drew us to the Masi, but it was the smart spec—led by Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting—the snappy ride and attention to detail that won our hearts. And while $4,680 ain’t exactly cheap, it shows that pricing for e-shifting on a well-spec’d carbon bike is nearing affordability. masibikes.com
Continue to Page 2 for more Best of Show picks »
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