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VeloNews Road Road Racing

A final Interbike Notebook

Photos By Matt Pacocha Kona Ute Photo: Matt Pacocha Photo Gallery…

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

By Matt Pacocha

Kona Ute

Kona Ute

Photo: Matt Pacocha

Photo Gallery

  • Kona’s utility hauling bike the Ute is back and refined for its second season. The 2009 bike has a new U-style kickstand and improved rack and waterproof bag system.
  • Kona only makes women’s specific triathlon bikes, because according to Kona’s Pat White, “who wants to see men in spandex?” The Lisa TR builds off an aero shaped 7005-aluminum tubeset.
  • Kona reports that in this day and age of carbon, its steel bikes are selling better than ever, so for 2009 it updates its lugged Kapu with a 1.125 head tube and fork steerer.
  • The Kapu is built with Dedacciai SAT steel, bronze welded with chrome lugs. It has rack and fender mounts along with clearance for larger 25mm tires as a standard feature. Ultegra and FSA parts round-out the package.
  • The Major Jake is the team issued Kona factory ’cross frame. It’s scandium and built for production with a Shimano Ultegra transmission. Kona equips it with Alpha Q’s CX20 fork, the same model the team uses.
  • Stinky, Kona’s 7-inch platform, comes with shorter chainstays, a 1.5-inch headtube and a new array of rocker links and oversized fasteners. Stinky comes with ISCG mounts and cable bosses that make it Hammerschmidt ready.
  • Time’s new aero road bike, the RXR, has a frame that comes in under a kilo. The module, which includes a fork, Translink seatmast, headset and stem weighs 1.7 kilos.
  • Time RXR 2
  • The seat tube sports an aero shape with a wheel cutout up through the entirety of the Translink seat mast. The RXR made its debut at the Tour de France and participated in the Olympic road race and the 2008 world championships.
  • The RXR uses Time’s patented RTM molding process. RTM allows the frame to be easily repaired by removing and replacing damaged tubes. This gives some piece of mind considering the RXR module costs $6000.
  • Time has a new traditionally tubed frame called the VRS Vibraser. The new bike has double the Vectran fiber when compared to the VXRS ULTeam frame. The added vectran makes the frame almost 200 grams heavier but offers superior road shock absorption.
  • The Vibraser will be ridden by Time’s pro teams in the classics and in training for its added comfort.
  • Time will cash in on the color white for 2009 with its new RXS Racer pedal. It features a hollow steel axle, a composite body and Time’s Angular float, lateral float and Sensor technology, which regulates the feel of the float. The pedals weight 260 grams per pair.
  • FSA was the first major manufacturer to start the Ceramic Revolution, and it continues with headsets in 2009.
  • FSA’s RD-488 carbon tubular wheel is improved with uni-directional carbon rim walls, a 3k weave in the spoke bed and basalt brake track. External Spline drive nipples and a respectable 1390 gram weight make a perfect carbon wheel for ’cross.
  • FSA’s XC-150 wheelset is 15QR compatible and weighs 200 grams.
  • The Vision drink system allows you to drink without breaking your aero position. FSA claims it makes the bike faster than without. Hydra Pak makes the internals that hold one liter and it can be refilled on the fly.
  • The old 96er, yep, Moots’ Gristle is named after a steak in the movie the Great Outdoors. Jon Cariveau, Moots Brand Manager, says that he likes how the smaller rear wheel handles versus a straight 29er. It’s got more snap, but you have the roll-through of the front wheel.
  • Giant incorporates a co-pivot to provide more Maestro suspension travel at a reduced weight for its Anthem platform. The new 4-inch travel bike is called Anthem X.
  • The devil is in the details and Giant didn’t miss one on its new cross-country race rig, Anthem X, it equipped the rig with blue anodized alloy water bottle cage bolts.
  • Giant’s TCX is ready to roll from the showroom floor to the cyclocross race course. It is easily one of the best-priced workhorse cyclocross racer’s for 2009. The Aluxx alloy bike borrows technology including a tapered steerer tube and big ‘MegaDrive’ down tube from the new TCR line.

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An American in France

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