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Interbike 2004
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Dirt Demo |
A Class-DT Swiss |
Ellsworth-Hayes |
Intense-Marzocchi |
Maverick-Scott |
Shimano-Yakima
For those of us who don't like to take 35 foot drops, there's Shimano Hone. Like its cousin Saint, Hone gets all burly on us without weighing in like the Biggest Loser. Look for this line of components to appear on more and more "all mountain" bikes as its availability increases.
Love it or hate it—it looks like Shimano is putting out more and more Dual Control levers.
One of the coolest features of Hone is that it features the axle-mounted rear derailleur. This not only eliminates the finickiness of a derailleur hanger and its alignment with the gears, but now all those singlespeed frames sold without hangers could see some life if their owners ever wanted gears. Quite cool.
Sinister started out with a hardtail, then just last year introduced their 9" downhill bike. This Splinter MX is a 6" travel bike and is available in two versions—as an all-day lighter weight version or a longer travel, heavy duty mountain cross/freeride version (pictured).
This is the same model bike that Jason Schwinabart flogged in our test review from issue #104. Sinister is still building the same burly bike.
Knuckledraggers rejoice! SixSixOne's $45 Cedric glove has a carbon fiber knuckle guard. Might even be handy for commuting pursuits. Like all of 661's gloves, they're available in sizes XSÐXL.
SixSixOne has a plethora of helmets—from motorcross protection to cross country lids—to guard your noggin without gouging your wallet.
The MX-2 knee brace by SixSixOne should be good for people with previous ACL injuries or anyone who wants to look like a Storm Trooper.
You probably won't recognize the name, but Spinner manufactures forks in Taiwan for a number of other more popular brands. They've learned a thing or two and decided to break into the market by introducing (and I quote) "the lightest production fork." It weighs 2.4lbs. and uses an air spring and a unique "spool valve damping system." Look to pay $600 for this limited production run fork. Get it directly from their distributor, InSync at 650.965.4442.
The missing piece. Until now, bike manufacturers have been forced to deal with Shimano if they wanted to include a front derailleur on their bikes. Now, SRAM introduces the $35 X Generation front derailleur with adjustable clamp to fit a range of frame tube sizes and two cable routing options—bottom or top tube. One size truly fits all. Way to go SRAM!
You know what they say about red heads...The SRAM girls clad in bright colored wigs were trolling the Outdoor Demo and the show halls to slap a tattoo on any willing attendee. There was a contest going on to win a date with them, but the winner wasn't any Dirt Rag staffer or anyone we knew, so that's the end of the story.
If you've noticed Surly's Large Marge rims, here's their intention...to be mounted on the all-new Pugsly Snowbike. The cog on the non-disc side apparently lets the front wheel double as a rear wheel if needed. Start learning how to weld though, if you want something like this, as it won't be available until next spring, just in time for that clucking rabbit commercial...
Titus took carbon and titanium to the next level with their Exo Grid technology. Each tube is custom fit to a rider's specifications, then the diamond shaped holes (or in this case, logo shaped) are cut into the tube. The tube you see here is halfway through the process—the next step is to fill in the holes with layers of carbon fiber. Precision, skilled work comes at a cost though—like $3700 for a frame only.
Trek's Bruiser line gives you a burly bike on a budget. Bruiser 1 $409.99, Bruiser 2 $689.99 or the, Bruiser 3 for $1049.99
Trek worked closely with RockShox to bring the Fuel EX to life. Before you dismiss it as just another Fuel, notice the handlebar mounted adjustment knob, which controls the platform damping of the RockShox Motion Control shocks. Big deal, right? You bet—the remote simultaneously controls the front and rear shocks, while still allowing for independent adjustment.
This is a gold edition bike celebrating Lance's six Tour de France victories.
Truvativ joins Sachs, Avid and RockShox as part of the SRAM family. The deal was made public in the weeks prior to the show, but Truvativ had their own booth at the show, complete with a smattering of carbon goodies, like these XC handlebars in a 31.8 clamp diameter.
Truvativ calls their outboard bearing crankset the Giga X Pipe GXP. The Stylo Carbon pictured above comes in at 848g with bottom bracket and is claimed to weigh less than an XTR set-up. Available in either 170 or 175mm.
The Flux is Turner's 4" offering. It comes in at about 5.5lbs. and has a 70/73.5° head and Turner's take on a four bar with Horst Link, for about $1800.
The Nitrous is a trimmed down Flux. This purebred race machine has a rider weight limit (165lbs.) and is intended for the likes of Geoff Kabush (NORBA Short Track Champion). In small, medium and large only, for about $2100.
The Six Pack 6" travel bike uses the same four bar Horst Link design as the rest of Turner's line-up. Kudos for the ISCG chain guide mounting system.
Sherwood Gibson, owner of Ventana Bikes, is an ultra-nice guy with some killer bikes. His most recent addition to his fleet of bikes is the X-5. This 5" travel 6061-T 6 tubed bike has a 15mm main pivot bearing and 10mm bearings in the other spots. Frames are available in two inch increments from 13Ð21" and should run just a hair shy of $2000.
This Woodman do-it-all bike was an interesting looking ride. Looks and handles sort of like a trials bike, but has rideable geometry and gear capabilities to get from session to session. The frame will run you just over $400.
Woodman also makes a pure trials frame. Pictured is the 26in wheeled version. Once again, around $400 will buy this frame, which features all out competition trials geometry.
Yakima debuted this sliding roof rack for those who can't reach the tops of their vehicles.
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