Interbike 2009 Outdoor Demo Day 1 Highlights

Today was the first day of the Interbike Outdoor Demo. I saw a few people I know and got to meet some people that I have only known online. Of course there was way more bikes and bike gear than could be seen in a day.

Delta 7 Mesh Bikes

Although I’ve seen several photos of Delta 7 IsoTruss bikes, I had never seen one. Touching one was different than what I expected. It feels very smooth and I had expected a rough almost sharp feel. You can also squeeze it very hard and not feel it deform at all. They said it can be built up for racing around 18 pounds but there are other mountain bikes that are as light or lighter.

I took one of the mountain bikes out for a spin. It’s very stiff and responsive and as with other carbon bikes it dampens the bumps. Honestly though it rode like an average carbon fiber bike. Maybe I’d have a different opinion if I spent more than 15 minutes riding but I don’t see an advantage over other bikes.

Ibis Tranny

The Ibis Tranny is another hardtail carbon bike that I test rode. I loved the way it climbed and handled.

The Tranny has a very innovative design. It can also be used as a real single speed bike. There’s a bolt behind the bottom bracket that can be loosened and then the chainstays lengthened to tighten the chain. The whole rear triangle is easy to remove so you can pack it small and not pay the exorbitant airline bike fee. Even with all those features, the frame is about 3 pounds and a complete bike with WTF group is about 19 pounds.

Surly Pugsley

The Surly Pugsley is another bike that I’ve seen plenty of photos but never ridden one. The Pugsley is designed for winter riding in soft snow and also does well in the sand on beaches.

I didn’t find any snow in the heat of the Nevada desert but I did find some soft dirt to ride in. The bike floated nicely over the top where I would have come to a stop with normal sized tires. With 4 inch wide tires and a lot of weight, it was surprisingly easy to ride and handle.

Moots Gristle 69er

I’ve tried finding a 29er that I felt would fit me. With my short legs none have seemed the right fit. 69ers are designed for people like me. They have a 29 inch wheel in front to help roll over obstacles and a 26 inch wheel in the back so the fit is better for shorter riders.

I found that the larger front wheel gave a noticeably different feel to the bike. I think it was compounded because the only size demo bike Moots had was a size too big for me. It did roll over rocks easily and cornered well even though it felt different. I think with a proper sized frame I could quickly get used to and love the 69er.

Kidz Tandem

The Kidz Tandem is a tandem bike where the kid sits in the front so they can see where they are going. Although there are handlebars for them to hold on to, they can’t steer. There’s a linkage from the 2nd handlebar for the steering. The owner says the bikes have been popular with parents with kids that have autism, CP, etc.

The bike is modular so the front seat can be replaced with a baby seat. There’s also a cargo basket that fits in place of the seat for doing grocery runs solo.

Kuat Hitch Racks

The Kuat hitch racks are made out of aluminum and are very light unlike some of the other hitch racks I’ve had to lift. The Alpha weighs only 13 pounds! They are coming out with new racks that have more features and have trays for the bikes to sit on instead of hanging. Even these racks are light. The NV coming out next month will be 42 pounds but has a built-in bike repair stand and integrated cable lock.

The Kuat racks fit either 1.25 inch or 2 inch hitch receivers. Instead of having to reach around the bike to attach it with a bolt, it uses a cam that you can easily access on the side away from the car.

For more photos, you can check out my Interbike 2009 Outdoor Demo Day 1 album.

– UltraRob

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Tags: cycling, Interbike, mountain biking

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