BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Read the first part of this feature here.
Windwave
Windwave tells BikeBiz that it feels its 2011 Core Bike line-up is one of its very strongest product line-ups, with improved dealer margins on revised products.
Brand new for 2011 season is the steel urban bike range from Traitor Cycles, including the Luggernaut, featuring classic lugged construction using Columbus tubes. The range also boasts ‘new school’ features like forged stainless steel dropouts, room for larger tyres and fenders, rack mounts and cable routing for internal gear hubs. The Luggernaut is available in fixed, singlespeed or three-speed build kits.
The full range of wheel sets from FSA and Vision will also be at Whittlebury Hall. The popular entry-level RD60 wheelset will be showcased alongside the FSA Team Issue, featuring a carbon/alloy clincher rim that weighs in at 1400g.
Marzocchi’s 2011 range is the strongest since the original launch of the Bomber, according to the firm. Quality and performance are reportedly second to none, with the range already attracting high scores from the online and print press. The 2011 pricing structure is designed to make it easy for retailers to become Marzocchi dealers too, and there is a competitive staff discount to help shop staff get on the latest product. The new XC models from the brand start with the entry-level Marathon – weighing in at 1858g (with £239.95 SRP), and run all the way up to the Corsa Supraleggera weighing in at a competitive 1490g, with a £599.95 SRP.
Paligap
Saris has two new rack options available to the trade: the Bike Porter – a three-bike carrying steel frame constructed rack, and the Gran Fondo – an exclusive to Europe two-bike rack that fits cycles with 700c, 26-inch and 29-inch wheels. Both racks include ratcheting anti-sway straps to secure and stabilise bikes, while the Bike Porter also features the EasyAttach fit system that easily adjusts to fit most vehicles.
Kona has a raft of new rides available too, including the Supreme Operator downhill bike – a sleek, sexy, light and fast easy-to-maintain ride. The Supreme Operator comes with a slacker 64-degree ead tube angle, new 1.5-inch zero stack, tapered, internal head tube, mega-sized main pivots and an axle that slides in from the drive side of the bike so the rider can adjust and/or tighten the main pivot. Also featured is the World Cup-ready 200mm travel DH race bike stock with a Saint group and Easton Havoc cockpit.
Kona’s first complete carbon fibre mountain bike – the Kula Watt – will be on show too. Weighing in at a mere 1090 grams for its 18-inch frame, it features the customary Kula geometry and a new BB30 bottom bracket.
The Paligap stand will also see the Ritchey components new Wet Red finish on a range of bars, stems, posts and saddles. Fast Forward’s new F2R full carbon clinchers will be showcased too.
Meanwhile, Paligap’s recent signings, including Brev M’s fixie components (wheelsets, bars, stems, etc) and the MCipollini bicycle and clothing lines – including the very high-end RB1000 – will be at Core. The Cipollini-headed brand, featuring product made by hand in Italy, will be sure to attract attention.
SealSkinz
Following the brand’s Core debut last year, SealSkinz is bringing 12 innovative new products to Whittlebury Hall in January 2011.
Eighteen months of intense development went into the redesign of SealSkinz’s sock range. The results include the Thin Socklet, designed to be worn with vented or cleated cycle shoe, the thin and lightweight below-ankle-length waterproof sock has a fine merino wool lining. Other foot-centric wear includes the Thin Ankle Length Sock, the Thin Mid Length Sock, Mid Weight Mid Length Sock and the Thick Mid Length Sock.
It’s not just about the feet though, the SealSkinz glove range has been updated too with four gold standard ‘Performance’ gloves. The range includes the Performance Road Cycle Glove, the Thermal Road Cycle Glove, the Performance Mountain Bike Glove and the Performance Handlebar Glove. Ladies are catered for too with the Winter Cycle Glove. New for 2011 the rugged and insulated waterproof glove includes gel pad protection for a comfortable ride.
Two new hat styles have been developed for 2011, designed to meet the demand for lightweight and versatile head protection. First up, the waterproof cap is a fully windproof breathable baseball-style cap, while the Thermal Waterproof Cap sports a microfleece lining and drop down ear flaps for additional warmth.
Silverfish
New for 2011 from Canadian Race Face is a wide range of ten speed compatible chainsets and rings in everything from 2×10 NEXT SL carbon race cranks through to the all-new trail ready 2×10 and 3×10 Turbine cranks. Also new from Race Face is the Turbine BB – set to come as standard on all NEXT, SIXC and Turbine cranks. Race Face also continues to offer soft goods and body armour alongside those high performance components, with more protection to the women’s line-up and an improved men’s offering. New colourways, d30 and strapping systems have been used in the men’s range, while for women the Kyber knee is designed for maximum protection with an easy strapping system.
Cult Canadian brand Rocky Mountain is in its 30th year of mountain bike manufacture, with two all-new models for 2011. The Element RSP and MSL offer riders either 98mm or 120mm of rear wheel travel from an all-carbon frame.
CHUB will be displayed by Silverfish for the first time at Core. Sporting large flanges and carbon centre sleeves, the lightweight hubs are renowned for their looks and have a global following. German sport and luggage brand EVOC will be on show too, with a possible appearance made by EVOC team rider Steve Peat in the offing.
Spanish Spiuk is new for Silverfish and will feature prominently at Core. With a range consisting of everything from pre and post competition body oils through to helmets, shoes, eyewear and a softgoods wardrobe for most disciplines of cycling, the brand will be a key draw.
SiWiS
Si Watts will be exhibiting at Core Bike with his web company SiWiS, giving cycle dealers the chance to take a closer look at its internet solutions for bike-related companies online.
SiWiS provides firms with bespoke web work, giving dealers the chance to have a dedicated system built to suit their individual needs, or to select the i-BikeShop etail system – a ready-to-go e-commerce solution that includes simple self-management systems to make looking after the content of sites easy for novice users.
Watts himself has worked in the retail environment and later as a rep for a major player at the time. The firm started out from Watts’ hobby of building websites for a few select customers, which then rapidly turned into a thriving business catering almost solely for the web needs of bike-related companies.
Upgrade
Upgrade has bagged three new brands for its 2011 portfolio: Cycloc, Freedom by WTB and Speedfil.
The Cycloc bike storage pod design has been around for a while, but the product has been totally revamped with an injection moulding process, making it more commercially viable for dealers. The 2011 version comes with a 55mm spacer to move the pod away from the wall for bikes with wider handlebars. The list of features include security holes for heavy duty locks.
WTB’s Freedom brand is born of the growing urban, commuter and leisure cycling movement. The after market product range includes tyres, saddles and a fixie style grip and is set to grow with the brand sector.
The Speedfil Hydration System is being pitched as a revolutionary cycling product designed to enhance athletic hydration and aerodynamics, available to athletes without having to take their hands off the handlebars. The wind tunnel developed, frame-mounted system smoothes airflow around the frame while the rider is in motion. Hydration is immediate with a bite valve and tube at the ready for when it’s needed.
Aside from the trio of new brands, Upgrade will also take the Lezyne range of accessories, with new CO2 mini pumps – the CFH range – and dirt floor pumps among the highlights. DMR, Reynolds, Kinesis, Microshift and Effetto are just some of the other reasons to visit the Upgrade part of the Core Show.
Merida UK
The firm has six entirely new platforms and numerous re-designs which make up the Merida offering for 2011. Highlights include the One Twenty Carbon, sporting 120mm of travel and only 160g heavier than Merida’s stiffest and lightest bike in the 100mm travel category – the Ninety Six carbon. On the road the new range-topping Reacto “Breakaway” bike ups stiffness and aerodynamics with no additional weight gain compared with the Scultura Evo.
The firm will also showcase Alpina helmets. The German brand uses the same high spec raw materials and high-end details throughout the whole range, from the entry level £19.99 kids helmet through to the £70-plus models. The light and comfy range features three shell sizes from the mid-range styles and a full crash replacement policy. Hot from its debut at last year’s Core, Birzman tools will also feature prominently at Core. A new entry-level multi-tool will be unveiled alongside new track pump products.
Fox
The all-new Striker Helmet is among the attractions from the Fox Core Bike offering. Lightweight and race-ready, the sleek helmet debuts spring 2011. Protection for the noggin is also offered by the Transition Hard Shell, in a classic ABS shell in street/park style.
Clothing is covered with the Breakaway Soft Shell Jacket and the Ventilator Short – an ultra lightweight riding short with functional updates. New technology will also debut at the show in the form of Poron XRD Extreme Impact Protection, used in Fox’s new Ballistic arm and knee sleeves, and also in its Unabomber and Stealth Bomber gloves. Meanwhile Fox’s proprietary Aircool jersey is new for 2011, sporting Fox Air-Cool fabric which offers up accelerated moisture wicking. Innovative gloves are among the other highlights from Fox.
Cordee
Now established at Core Bike after its debut showing in 2009, book distribution specialist Cordee will be at Core with a wealth of titles. Retailers looking for guides for their local area will be well catered for, the firm tells BikeBiz.
The Philips Cycle Tours series of local interest, leisure riding routes is being rebranded and fully revised, with the first three in the series launched in the summer and the next trio coming in spring 2011. They include Around Oxford, which features 15 road rides and five off-road rides in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, while also touching on adjoining parts of Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire.
‘Chilterns, Hertfordshire and Essex’ covers everything east of the Oxford book all the way to the Essex coast, completing a loop around London. Alongside these two new books and the existing South of London guide, pretty much everywhere within 60 miles of the capital is covered. Chilterns, Herts and Essex has 15 road rides and five off-road options too.
Finally, The Lake District, Lune Valley and Eden Vally covers 20 rides around the picturesque regions.
