Interbike 2013: Bits and Pieces, Odds and Ends

Alright, I am nearing the end of the Interbike stuff now. Aren't you glad? Have you had enough? I have two more for you tomorrow, including the all-important best of show. Until then, though, here are a few things of note not covered by any previous category.

Among some of the things that media people look for when they cover these sort of shows are trends. Some of these virtually disappear after a year or so (laced shoes), while others might last longer and, in fact, even become new standards. One of the trends I noticed this year was the single, small chainring on mountain bikes, coupled with some simply massive rear cogs. Doesn't really work for me; I guess the market will decide how long the trend lasts.

It is a trend that has been growing over the past couple years - disc brakes on road bikes. Though still a minority share of the braking market, I noticed more disc systems than ever, not just on the sport/performance bikes, but also on the more utility oriented bikes such as this Opus Zermatt.

Every year a few companies brings some vintage vehicle as a backdrop to their display, the Chrome truck is a kind of fixture, Ryders Eyewear brought a Delorean to match their staff's futuristic costumes, and Shinola had this green pickup.

Look, just Look. Luckily my LBS, and team sponsor, is a distributor. Of course finding the money for one is another matter.

Always look forward to see what Fondriest is rolling out. 

Colnago - still a metal prize in a carbon world.

Diamondback, best known in other areas of the cycling world are determined to make a splash on the road realm; their lineup of models is a strong start toward that end.

The past few years have seen an increasing focus on women riders; Raleigh is yet another major company with women-specific models for the road.

Brooks had this handy-dandy wall graphic for their line of various bags and baskets

Not a lot of use for this where I live, but hey, during the winter
I might put this on the bars of the Basso just for the look. Brooks.

stand-offish, indifferent, maybe just better

Bikes of fast men...

and fast women (does that still carry a double meaning these days, or has society moved beyond that).

Mike Conway of Rouleur brought some of their fine publications with him. Nice quality, but they are a pretty penny; luckily you can get a little bit at Rouleur the blog. For free.

The Pashley Parabike is not new, it has been around a few years now. Taking as inspiration the bicycles used by British paratroopers during World War II, the cool factor is pretty much off the charts. Well, maybe not as much as one of those old vintage war-time models that fell out of the sky along with their riders, but still pretty cool. It only comes in one size, with 26" wheels and Sturmey Archer hub. Though not shown, I believe it will accommodate a rear rack, to haul stuff around town, or for a jaunt into the country - assuming you have appropriate country within jaunting distance.

Interbike is great exposure for the various bicycle related charities, and I always make it a point to visit them. Paraphrased from their flyer: Zambikes was established in 2007 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing improved access to medical treatment in rural Africa. Readily available transportation options in many rural areas of the continent are limited to foot and handcart, with clinics or improved medical facilities a typical 3 to 10 mile journey away, many people in need of immediate care have little recourse to a slow, painful journey. To address this problem, Zambikes has developed the Zambulance trailer which easily attaches to any bicycle or motorcycle, dramatically slashing transportation times, and doing so while providing greater comfort to those in need. With two production facilities, one in Zambia, the other in Uganda, the company has delivered 1000 Zambulances and 10,000 Zambikes. The Zambulances have been responsible for saving a life every nine days. For more information on how Zambikes are helping meet the needs of Africa's rural populations see their website.

Truth be known I don't so much get the affection some people express for wool. I mean sure, it is useful (and I have been thankful for my one long-sleeve wool jersey during the winter), but I don't really care for the way it stretches when any weight is introduced to the back pockets. Never-the-less I have always wanted a nice wool jersey for the rare vintage ride I might do. These modern creations by De Marchi hark back to an earlier era, and do so with great style.

The loss of Chris Contreras early in the summer still stings to many in the SoCal community - so it was cool to see this jersey front and center of the ICE sportswear booth.

As with all these reviews from Interbike 2013, I have not received any prior compensation, nor promise of later compensation, from the above mentioned company, nor am I connected to them in any way. Views expressed are the result of my observations and subsequent research only.