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FEATURES: THE LATEST ARRIVALS
Road Bike Action
April 11, 2011
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The 2012 Airborne Delta cyclocross
bike will be publicly unveiled at this weekend's Sea Otter Classic in
Monterrey, CA. Standout spec includes the Sram 10 speed Apex drivetrain
and Avid BB disc brakes. Yes, disc brakes which are UCI legal. As
opposed to the silliness of the $5000 'cross bike, at $1099 the aluminum
framed Delta is the perfect spare bike to abuse and get dirty.
The Delta is available in five different sizes. The 32 spoke Alex wheels run with 140mm rear/160mm front Avid BB disc brakes. The mechanical-pull stoppers are super easy to adjust and work on.
The Delta should be available soon so you can start your 'cross season training early.
CAMPY GOES 'CROSSIN'
The new CX cantilever brakes have been specially developed to interact
perfectly with the Campagnolo Ergopower 10-speedand11-speed controls.
The form of the brake s is optimized to guarantee the best transfer of
braking force from the levers to the wheel and to prevent mud from
accumulating between the wheel and the brakes. The brake pads are
adjustable and the distance between breaking pads ranges from 20mm to
35mm,which makes it possible to use tires ranging from 19 to 35mm and
rims from 19 to 22mm.
Cable tension adjustment is fast and precise using a wheel system. The
claimed weight of the CX cantilever brakes is 138 grams (including
cables and accessories) and they are available in either black or
silver.
When we were interviewing Valentino Campagnolo last year, he spoke about how they were using cyclocross as way to R&D their electronic drivetrain. Another result of the 'cross effort was these new 50mm deep Bora CX wheels. The Bora's use of a
special double seal, specially designed for cyclocross use which should
better protect the wheels from mud and dust build-up. The Bora CX wheels
weigh 1350grams. Forza Campagnolo!
With all this talk about the latest hard parts, don't forget the
plethora of softgoods out there, like this sweet new messenger bag from Timbuk 2. All Timbuk bags are handmade in San Francisco and they've recently added
13 new custom fabrics to the wide menu of colors and materials,
including this sweet Rio Grande Stripe. From classic messenger bags to
backpacks, totes and computer bags, this is a cycling friendly company
with products to enhance your cycling experience.
How about the sweet tri-colore Lazer Helium helmet? Unique to the Lazer is their Rollsys adjust system that uses a top mount dial to adjust the helmet's fit around the entire circumference of you head. The 312 gram lid has 19 vents and is available in a wide variety of colors including a Katusha team replica version.
We first spotted these Bontrager RXXXL shoes at Trek World last year. Then we saw them on the Trek-LiveStrong team at the Redlands Classic. And then, we finally got a pair. These red togs are actually the limited edition version with three velcro straps. For the same $299 price you can get the 407 grams XXX Lites that use a top micro-adjust buckle for the top closure.
Founded back in 1947, Motorex has continued to expand their line of Swiss engineered lubes and cleaners in the cycling market. Now sponsoring a number of key road and mountain bike teams (including Team BMC and KBS).
ORBEA MEANS CLOTHING TOO
 For the eight years Orbea Cycling Apparel has been in existence we have listened to users so we can evolve in our designs and apply all our knowledge to each stitch. In each stitch? Not just because we apply ultrasound seamless technology. Why? Because it improves your comfort, it increases your performance and all this means greater satisfaction on the bicycle.
“The starting point," says Orbea's clothing brand manager Joseba Arizaga, "is to understand what a cyclist needs making the most suitable technologies and materials available”. "And that is where the SSN technology we borrowed from our racing bikes comes into play. Just as SSN was developed to obtain a perfect performance on all the Orca frames regardless of the size, we applied it to our chamois pads. How? We have designed different pads depending on what you are like. We have modified thicknesses and densities so you can find the one that will allow to develop the best performance."
For men Orbea provides eight different models for your body ranging from
Pro SSN (top of the range), Pro (comfort, design and innovation),
X-Series (articles with compression fabrics), Fitness, Race, Sport, Logo
and Black Series. In addition to superb quality waterproof jackets,
ultra light raincoats, and vests. Not forgetting complements such as arm
warmers, leg warmers, kneepads, shoe covers and socks.
For women
three different families: Dama Pro (top of the range), Dama Series
(comfort, design and innovation) and Dama Black Series. And of course,
an ultra light rain jacket and full accessories including jackets, arm warmers and leg warmers. Orbea Cycling.
CASTELLI'S PROTO SKINSUIT TAKES PARIS-ROUBAIX
Ten rounds of sampling and numerous tests later, Castelli invented the first skinsuit for road racing. The upper part is essentially a full zip aero jersey with an improved fit and a new fabric on the shoulders to further enhance aerodynamics. The new and improved aero jersey is then stitched three quarters of the way around the waist to our BodyPaint bib-short. The front of the short/jersey is overlapped allowing the rider to relieve themselves on-the-fly. The SpeedSuit solves this longtime problem and holds the side panels in tension, making an area that was once a weakness now extremely aero.
The development of the SpeedSuit yielded a couple of unforeseen, but welcome improvements. First, as the jersey holds up the shorts, we’ve eliminated the bib straps and thereby increased the comfort. Second, with the construction of the front opening and full-length zipper, the rider can fully open the jersey to completely expose the chest.
Of course, that’s nothing too outrageous in comparison to a typical full-zip jersey, but with the Castelli SpeedSuit, the sides don’t flap around like a normal jersey, giving an aero advantage even while maximizing cooling on a long hot road stage. Finally, the construction of the suit holds the three rear pockets more securely than a standard jersey, so when the jersey is loaded up with bottles, jackets, food, and anything else you can jam in there and the carried items are better anchored, so they don’t move around. Available in 2012.
Hey, look what we just got! Look's radical 695 is some kind of bike and you'll find out all about it in the July issue.
So this weekend the RBA Power Rangers will be headed up to the Sea Otter Classic, probably the best citizen based bike show/race/coffee klatch in all of North America. Despite it's heavy dirt bike leanings, there is still some good road racing going on and plenty of cool new cycling gear on display. Stay tuned.
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