Interbike After Party
I feel the need to write an epilogue to the whole Vegas experience to bring the cost per word for the trip under $1. Let’s use that tried and true hack journalism trick, the list, to get the job done.
My top five favorite things about the Interbike show:
1. Beer
2. The Clif bar booth – mmmm, samples…
3. Running into New Yorkers
4. It’s not held in Hell
5. I lied, I don’t have five
My five top favorite products (that’s good English)
1. The idea of the new wireless PowerTap (I qualify this by saying “idea” because it’ll have to show some durability – not like we’re going to get a free one to test anyway)
2. I like the Look 595
@##=#<3,r>@##=#3. Man, this is hard, I’m going to guess – Cervelo?
4. The SRAM shifters were fun to play with – I didn’t review them before (Andy and Alex did) and they seem like something you would want to test for an extended period of time. At least that’s what the bike shop owner with the bad breath and the Campy fetish told me. Some people reference the dictionary or scientific papers, I reference guys with mustaches and halitosis.
5. Once again I got nothing, but that’s a solid eight things I like – more than I thought I’d come up with.
5 1/2. Oh wait, I forgot to mention e-Soles! Those guys are foot geniuses! They did a scan on me and could recommend a cycling shoe based on my foot shape. Of course, they recommended the $300 DMT Kyoma Flash, but it’s nice to know anyway…
The top five things I didn’t like:
1. The Derosa Tango – that’s just a very ugly, bad bad bike. It seems Italy just mailed it in this year.
2. Ass paint – and not paint that you use on your rear end either (although there was some of that last year in Vegas) – everyone gets a “D” on paint this year. I’m sorry, I will not socially promote anyone, everyone gets left back this year.
3. The Seven Diamas – a full bike for $11,000, that is an embarrassment to all cycling aesthetics? Where’s my black Amex card? Oh wait, it’s right next to my engraved invitation back for Interbike 2007.
4. The swoop – I’m not buying it. I don’t care if you train a pack of otters to diagram the advantages in a Hollywood style aquatic dance number, I’m not buying it. I’m not saying I wouldn’t love to see it, but I still won’t buy it.
5. Colnago’s lack of paint panache – only one who climbed so high could fall so far. And I’m very proud to have used panache correctly in a sentence.
6. Bonus hate! Wheel flanges – nuff said…
Seat paint, ass paint. Not the same thing.
Here’s where a general wrap up should happen, something wise and deep, but let’s be frank, I’m not really up to that challenge. What I did notice was that you could really tell who was doing solid R&D and who was ordering their carbon tubes a la carte from Taiwan. Cervelo seems to really think everything out, and I think it’s because they do a lot of things in-house. It makes a big difference when you can fiddle around and develop things directly instead of ordering away for parts and then slapping things together.
There! The trip now cost $.95 a word! Not only is that good journalism, but cost effective also!
The classiest stop in Vegas (airport slot machine smokebox). Next stop, hell…
Cervelo just recalled 650 carbon frames for coming apart.
do you still like them?
I’ve had the P2k and the P3c and love both. There’s no doubt that the R2.5 had issues. I’ve heard about BB problems with those, and one frame I saw at a show had a visible gap down one of the lugs. I don’t speak for Schmalz (this is his article), but I’ve always like their R&D, but I’m glad I didn’t get the R2.5.
Andy should speak for me…
which is dorkier D&D or tri bikes? you decide
I’ve got a legion of orcs that say D&D is cooler…
when super high-end stuff like Cervelo’s have recalls. It’s sick this high-end stuff
How about that cervelo commercial where an iron weight is seen dropping on the head tube of an R3 (?) while Mr Vroomen proudly proclaims in the forground "how many frame manufactirer’s would do this to one of their frames?" – I guess none, it breaks them
I think the best thing at interbike is that mullet!
Or maybe the girl with what appears to be a big P__sy on her chest!
the best thing at Interbike is that cutie ERIN!
Did you guys speak to the guys pusing the new power meter that uses a shoe insert to measure power?
I got to ride the SRAM force drivetrain during the hangover ride. They were on a Cervelo R3. I usually ride Dura-Ace STI and the SRAM shifters felt very similar. The shifts were fast, smooth and quiet. The shifting motion was simple and effective. I still found myself trying to move the brake lever every so often, but I think if I was using these regularly I could break myself of that habit. I think SRAM has a hit on their hands.
That girl with the chest tat looks like the Scott Peterson homewrecker!
You guys see any sign of the Cervelo track bike revival?
Schmalz’ new mullet.
Glory Cycles is having a sale on the discontinued blue color of DMT Flash and Kyoma, so you can give them a whirl for a reasonable price. I got some eSoles through Altheus — Chris there really knows his stuff, the fitting was educational and the product works.
Thanks for the DMT head’s up, but it’s not in the budget this month. I have to buy presents for the preschool birthday circuit.