Interbikin. F' Yeah!

Interbike.  Those who know, know.

The biggest annual gathering (ok, 2nd biggest - eurobike you win) of the bike industry. The highlight of the year for many a bike company, launching new products and new year models.  Wall to wall bike celebrities and amazing amounts of bling - lots of which Australia will never see.   Koiled headed over with our usual brief to hunt out the high end products and see what we might add to our import portfolio delivering on the aim of bringing the best products to our shores.  As frame builders too, it is always important to see what is new and what components we may consider as we build up the trickest bikes going around.

First up - Outdoor demo.  Set about 30mins outside of Vegas in Bootleg Canyon Nevada - this place is home to some of the IMBA 'epic ride' trails.  The place was wall to wall demo bikes and a massive pile of nutrition companies keeping us fuelled for the day.  And rocks. Lots of rocks.




One of my favourite rides was the Spot Honey Badger 29er SS, belt drive.  Some interesting redesign of the rear stays made it one of the most compliant hard tails I have ridden. I could see it being a legendary 24hour bike for those lunartics (Hi Bec!) who are keen on SS. Unfortunately it did not pass the Duggan test with him flatting at the furthest point from HQ.  Damn!  While the 32-19 was a handful for me suffering in desert I still loved this bike.  Belt drive is weird. Quiet. Smooth.  Not completely sure I am ready to trust it yet ... but interesting nonetheless.

Next up plan was to compare the electronic shifting options of shimano and campag.   Campag had Athena EPS setups on Pinarello Dogmas.  This is a contraversial statement - in my hands Dogmas handle like dogs.  My current bike is about a million times more balanced and responsive.  Reassuring.  While I liked the lever redesign on the new EPS, reachable for small hands from the drops,  I did not like the speed of shifting.  It was direct and never missed, but it was slow.   Really slow. As in I just missed a wheel slow.  Not for me then.

kicking back in the SRAM tent while the boys set up my ride.

Another highlight was testing the new SRAM XX1 setup with the new gripshift.  A redesign of the internals, moving away from bearings to a much lighter action is a significant improvement.  I also found the 1 x 11 super comfortable.  Mounted on a Kona Satori 29er dually it was an interesting comparison to my usual 29er dually, the Santa Cruz Tallboy.  The mechanic looked frightened when I asked for a larger size and looking at my pink gear warned me 'it is a lot of bike to handle'.  I smiled.  He is right that it was heavy in the front end and ponderous at low speed but once I had it rolling on the singles it was smooth.  Still prefer my Tallboy hands down though as my kick ass race bike - maybe she needs some XX1 loving for the new season...

Shan preparing an Origin8 Crossbike..... for death.

Shan rolled this one on a crossbike. I wish I had trail pics, because a crossbike on that trail is mental.  True to form the Origin8 also failed the Duggan test, as he folded the chain ring again at the furthest point from HQ.  Walking in the Nevada desert sucks. The other notable ride was my first Tandem attempt on a Co-motion Periscope roadie. I can see why tandem touring is super fun.  Especially on a blinged out custom calfee tandem ..... hmmmm.  Calfeeee....

From the outdoor demo, it was then into three days of indoor, endless bike bling.
Cameras were banned unless you were press - so these few shots were taken with my phone on the sly!

I am in love with Adamos.  Michellie please find me a PINK one!

I have recently fallen in love with ISM Adamos.  And there was a super limited run of euro pink. Time to start begging - a Koiled must have!

Love this frame.  Not a decal in sight but I will bet TR's teeth it is a Pop's Fabrications. Can't miss them.

Cruisers were going off in a big way.  This Soul Cruiser had a couple of positions for BB placement to enable adjustment for laid back mofo's with differing leg length.  Bad Ass.  Mifflin has already ordered one.

The blingest shoes I have EVER seen.  Simmons custom carbons.  Get your feet cast and they fit like a...err.. glove?  WANT.

Designed to coincide with Interbike there was a tour across America of returned service men. This bike says it all. Respect.

Antlers are where it's at.  Apparently.

I cannot imagine why I would ever need one, but fat bikes are cool and in my opinion the surly moonraker is the coolest.  Mostly because I love the gunmetal glitter paint job - makes me think of a 70s t-shirt. 

Actually, now I think about it - if I was lost in the woods and had to make my own rollers from a fallen tree (Stef) then yeah - I totally need a FAT BIKE.

Riding those uneven, rough wooden rollers no hands...... chicks dig skills. 
And that was that.  Great way to stay inspired during an offseason!