Eurobike Tech: Ergon ergonomics, Thule luggage and Focus ’cross bikes
Eurobike day one highlights include 'cross bikes from Focus, Ergon saddles, seatposts, and cockpit components, and lightweight luggage racks from Thule
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The Zeppelin is not dead! Rigid gas-filled airships were born here in Friedrichshafen in 1899, and not only the dirigibles themselves, but also businesses and a museum named after their famous inventor, Count von Zeppelin, can be found here. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
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It’s no wonder Focus has seven cyclocross bike models; Mike Kluge was two-time amateur world cyclocross champion in 1985 and 1987 and pro world cyclocross champion in 1992, the year he founded Focus. The following year, he won the German national ’cross title and was runnerup in the worlds on a Focus bike. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
The Focus Mares CX 1.0 Rapha 20-G Red cyclocross bike sells for $7500 and is the same SRAM Red-equipped bike raced by Jeremy Powers, Chris Jones and Zach McDonald. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
The Focus Izalco Team SL 1.0 frame lost 200 grams from its 2012 model to this new 2013 model! It is now in the 950-gram weight region, depending on size. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
To maintain the large seat tube diameter that provides it with great lateral rigidity at a minimal weight cost, a distinctive recessed section on the drive side is built in to provide optimal positioning for the front derailleur—particularly a must with the notoriously fussy to adjust 2013 SRAM Red front derailleur. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
Ergon’s SR2 BioComp Concept saddles are made out of flax fiber. Using what Ergon claims to be the strongest weave of flax fibers in the market and by tweaking the layup, engineers have fine-tuned the flex and damping torsionally and longitudinally to build in what they claim to be optimal suspension into the saddle. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
Ergon’s road suspension seatpost is as light as almost any carbon seatpost, but it is split into two posts that are each semicircular in cross section. Loosen the bolt holding the two together at the bottom and slide one up or down relative to the other and you adjust the tilt of the saddle. You can also flip the post around to change the setback while still having a level saddle. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
There are bearings in the front and rear attachments of the Ergon suspension seatpost’s saddle clamp, so as the post flexes, the saddle stays level. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
Close-up of Ergon’s integrated carbon mounts that the Magura MT-8 and SRAM XX levers bolt onto; no band clamps needed here (but it’s too late to change your mind about stem length, bar or grip angle, or shifter or brake lever position and angle). Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
234 grams for Ergon’s combined stem, handlebar, ergonomic grip, shifter mount, and brake lever mount. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
View of a more finished version of the Ergon custom integrated MTB cockpit and the SRAM shifters and Magura brake levers that mount to it. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
Thule’s entire rack and pack system is lightweight and mounts on any bike; it requires no rack mounts on the frame or fork. Shown clamped on the handlebar mount is a wallet pack and forward-projecting pack with a stiff bottom. Photo: Thule
This bike has an iPad case that clicks onto the same handlebar mount as the wallet pack shown on the previous bike. Photo: Thule
The Thule handlebar mount has modular button-release clamps that any of a wide array of packs snap onto, like the wallet pack, iPad pack, and forward-projecting pack with a stiff bottom shown in the previous photos. The mount fits various handlebar diameters, and the two baseplates can be moved around on the mount to any position, or just a single plate can be used to attach a single pack. Photo: Thule
Thule’s waterproof panniers mount to the rack by means of quick-release clamps that are opened by pulling the blue tab to engage them onto or release them from the rack’s top rails. The plastic top plate of the rack also snaps on and off with quick-release clamps; a number of different top plate styles are planned. Photo: Thule
Pulling the blue tab pulls a cable that twists the mounting clamps to slip onto or off of the rack’s top rail. Photo: Thule
A powerful rare-earth magnet in the inboard side of each Thule pannier adheres the side of the bag firmly to a magnet clamp mounted to the rack strut. Photo: Thule
As soon as the inboard wall of the pannier is even close to the magnet clamp, the powerful magnetic attraction pulls the two firmly together. Thule panniers, as well as mounting hardware like the magnet clamp on the rack strut, can be mounted on any rack—not just on Thule racks. Photo: Thule
The aluminum rail housing the mounting clamps and blue pull tab can be flipped to expose the clamps for mounting on the bike or to face inward when carrying the pannier with its shoulder strap. Photo: Thule
Thule packs are designed to look good and carry easily, on and off of the bike. The aluminum rail housing the mounting clamps and blue pull tab looks good when flipped to face inward for carrying the pannier with its shoulder strap. Photo: Thule
Thule panniers are waterproof with a roll-top closure. The side pocket is transparent, so you can slip a taillight in it and it will shine through while staying dry. This is the smaller bag size. Photo: Thule
You can carry Thule panniers by the handle like a suitcase or over the shoulder by means of the sturdy enclosed strap. Photo: Thule
The Devil, Didi Senft, is not only a crazy guy waving a big red pitchfork at bike racers in the grand tours; he also is a builder of giant bicycles with his own bicycle museum. He also likes to welcome visitors to the Eurobike show. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
The Zeppelin is not dead! Rigid gas-filled airships were born here in Friedrichshafen in 1899, and not only the dirigibles themselves, but also businesses and a museum named after their famous inventor, Count von Zeppelin, can be found here. Photo: Lennard Zinn | www.VeloNews.com
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (VN) — The town known for the construction and first flights of Count von Zeppelin’s dirigible airships 113 years ago always likes to be first with new ideas. The first day of the Eurobike show is a big one for the bike industry, as it is the first occasion for many companies to show the world what they will be introducing in the coming year.
Exhibiting in its home country, Ergon is positioning itself as more than just a maker of ergonomic products to increase cycling comfort, but rather also as a maker of superlight ergonomic products to increase cycling comfort. It has a number of extremely light composite products that do not veer from the comfort theme — handlebars with integrated stem, grips and shifter, as well as brake mounts, saddles and suspension seatposts.
One very interesting development is Thule growing out in an entirely new direction, called “Pack ‘n’ Pedal.” The Swedish company also owns Case Logic (luggage) and Chariot (bike trailers), and it is bringing all of its technologies together in growing this new branch. Thule’s new line includes bike racks and bike luggage combining elements of each of its three brands, all while looking good doing so in classic Swedish style.
Thule’s aluminum racks attach to the frame and fork by means of straps that are reeled in with a hex-key-operated ratchet wind-up pulley, allowing them to fit on rigid or suspension forks and frames of a wide array of shapes and sizes. A rider can interchange the rear link lengths (all supplied) to ensure a level rear rack. Thule has long been known for domestically manufacturing the products that it sells in the U.S., but its new racks and bike packs will be made in Taiwan.
The Eurobike show has started under perfect weather, which is not always characteristic for this area. As Nick Legan and I are commuting an hour to the show each way on bikes, we’re hoping it stays this way.
