BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Profile Racing’s owner Jim Alley told Bikebiz.co.uk that OE interest in the H.I.P. system had been "huge" at Interbike. No OE has yet to sign on the dotted line, but they no doubt will.
The H.I.P. system isn’t exactly a RockShox-type category introduction but it’s significant nonetheless.
Here’s the description from Profile’s catalogue:
"The Hidden Internal Piston stem uses the force of four front bolts to clamp the bars to the stem while simultaneously clamping the stem body to the fork tube using a concave-ended piston through the center of the stem body. This eliminates the need for clamping bolts on the fork tube end. The result is a clean looking component with less weight and greater knee clearance."
Profile has also introduced a new way of installing BBs. Its Evolution bottom bracket (also patented) is installed with two proprietary Profile wrenches instead of a pressing tool or hammer. It’s self-removing, when one side is loosened, it forces the other side out.
And since the cartridge is essentially a single unit when assembled the bearings in each half are perfectly aligned, "allowing the crank arm to spin freely like never before," says Profile.
http://www.profileeurope.co.uk
PIX:
Above, Profile’s CNC-machine Inferno chainwheel.
Below, the HIP stem
PS
Before certain trials specialists ask, no, there wasn’t a great deal of trials stuff at Interbike.
