Tech Report: Frostbike Heats Up

Sorta like the swallows returning to Capistrano, one of my regular annual duties is to bundle-up and head out to Bloomington, Minnesota, for Quality Bicycle Products' annual open house. One of the largest bicycle distributors in the United States, QBP opens its door every February to interested shop owners who are keen on getting a glimpse at some of this year's latest technology. Representatives from many of QBP’s clients make the trip out, set up a booth and profess the merits of their products. In short, it’s a really mini-Interbike without the cigarette smoke, slot machines or

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Distributor QBP’s annual open house showcases latest technology

Photos

By Andrew Juskaitis

Cane Creek’s Peter Gilbert shows off the improved $50 Ergo Control II bar end that cleverly integrates with an …

Photo: Andrew J.

Sorta like the swallows returning to Capistrano, one of my regular annual duties is to bundle-up and head out to Bloomington, Minnesota, for Quality Bicycle Products’ annual open house.

Just who is that sporting the highly sought-after VeloNews messenger bag? Why, it’s none other than Shimano’s …

Photo: Andrew J.

One of the largest bicycle distributors in the United States, QBP opens its door every February to interested shop owners who are keen on getting a glimpse at some of this year’s latest technology.

Representatives from many of QBP’s clients make the trip out, set up a booth and profess the merits of their products. In short, it’s a really mini-Interbike without the cigarette smoke, slot machines or bottomless Sapphire martinis.

ITM’s Eric Sakalowski shows off the beautiful carbon 9 Sword bar/stem combo.

Photo:

In fact, the 2004 Frostbike (as the QBP folks have cleverly dubbed their open house) provided me with the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with individual manufacturers – significantly more than the 10 minutes of blab-and-dash we usually manage at Interbike.

While we’ve already reported on much of the developments displayed at Frostbike this year, some manufacturers came with some nice last-minute additions to their 2004 lines, and some even hinted at developing 2005 technology.

These clipless XPedo pedals weigh just a scant 220 grams and cost a hearty 9

Photo: Andrew J.

In all, it’s become one of my favorite trips of the year, not just for the warm welcome and cool technology we get to check out at QBP, but the opportunity to experience classic Midwestern hospitality, not to mention round #8 of the AMA Supercross series.

Friendly smiles, all the cheese your stomach can refuse and 24-hour no-holds-barred fireworks stands…Minnesota has it all!