BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
CoreBike put on another highly praised trade show last month, drawing hoards of retailers to Northamptonshire. For those who missed out Mark Sutton provides a guide to the show’s highlights. This is part two of four articles covering the show.
Silverfish
It was new gear galore on the Silverfish stand and thanks to the end-to-end cover of marketing man Pete Drew, we’ve plenty to talk about.
First up and of particular interest to retail, Cove now has stock of seven complete bikes, meaning customers can now have their Stiffee ready to ride, right after a small tweaking in the workshop. Let’s see if that sentence makes it past proofing…(Ed: it did)
Race Face has a new crank at either end of the market, introducing the Chester crank with external splined BB. For many hundred pounds more (£549.99), customers can take home the new carbon version of the Six crank. The Six C is a full hollow carbon unit with a steel insert for the pedal thread. Sticking with RaceFace, a new high rise version of the Atlas bar is now on sale with a 1.125 inch rise, or available in a flat alternative.
E.Thirteen has been busy too, showing its unique take on what a freeride pedal should be with the LG1+. Made from the same tough material as its bashguards, this pedal has a replaceable, clip on body for each side of axle, which is then bolted down by the pedal pins. The LG1+ will be available in black and white.
Formula had an expanded product line on show, but the highlight came from the RD brake – a world first of sorts, in that it’s ovalised piston and pad combination offers 18 per cent greater braking force than it’s rounder counterparts.
SealSkinz
Not a huge amount to report here, given the wide plethora of changes brought in last year, yet SealSkinz did introduce some items of interest at Core, as well as a logo revamp to give the brand a stronger identity on all packaging.
SealSkinz has introduced a £45 performance orientated cycling glove for the roadie. Both waterproof and windproof, this is an ideal garment for winter rides and should last a few seasons too, offering a Pittard’s leather palm and stretchy outer fabric.
Two new cycling caps, including a Belgian style cap with lowered neck warmer features, as does a new child’s beanie designed to match the kids gloves.
Cordee
Cordee’s room can be summed up with the phrase ‘something for everyone’. A simple £5 packet of Top Trumps perhaps drew the most excitement from trade members eager to pit their Chopper against other classic bikes in the card deck. Games are won and lost on comparisons of weight, price, gears, year produced, number made and more.
For those with creative customers, a great countertop book would be the new Feed Zone cookbook for athletes. It’s not shy of including some of the more calorie filled delights, either, offering a good mix of food groups in its recipes, including the two most important, cheese and bacon. At £17.95, The Feed Zone is not only a comprehensive cookbook, but something for the kitchen-savvy cyclist open to experimenting with DIY energy bars. Stock is due with Cordee in March.
Italian racing and brand fans are catered for too in the form of both Campagnolo’s history book and a guide to Italian Racing bicycles, a current best seller. Both are £30 at retail.
Chicken Cyclekit
Drawing interest to its exhibition with a Campagnolo EPS-equipped Deda Absolluto RC rigged up to a Jet Black trainer, Chicken Cyclekit offered test rides, a first chance for many to hop aboard a bike built with the rapid firing electronic system.
There was plenty more for the speed freaks to ogle too, including a number of handlebars that look like they may have been inspired by glidy underwater creatures.
The first of these is Deda’s Bandito bar, retailing for £599.99. This, as the price indicates, is exclusively for the serious time trial athlete. Finished in a matte carbon effect, this 540-gram bar has an adjustable lift angle, vents for airflow running through the centre of the stem and is in stock with Chicken in three sizes – 100, 110 and 120 by 42.
Also created with aerodynamics at the forefront of its inspiration, Cinelli’s Ram 3 handlebar (pictured centre) now has a T700 monocoque carbon fibre body, reduced palm area, improved channels for resting thumbs and weighs in at 410-grams. The Ram 3 retails for £434.99.
Meanwhile, Cinelli also has a new 6061 aluminium bar for the fixie crowd, called the Mash Bullhorn, at 40cm long and weighing 290-grams.
A further round up in pictures can be found here.
