Interbike2014: Outdoor Demo Part 1

Chipps reports from the Outdoor Demo bit of the Interbike Show.

Outdoor Demo gives dealers and journalists the chance to actually test-ride some bikes on the mountain bike trails out in Boulder City. It’s not an ideal location for test-riding mountain bikes to the limit as the whole countryside appears to be made from loose gravel, but that doesn’t stop thousands of dealers and journos from having a go. And for this year, some unseasonable clouds and rain threatened some flash-flood mayhem, but in the end missed the event and soaked Vegas instead.

On first impression, there didn’t seem to be anything new on show, but that’s partly due to the Eurobike show and the string of new product releases that now happen during the year rather than at one particular event. However, there was actually a lot of new things on show and I expect that a bit of delving once the show heads indoors should yield some good results.

So, here are a few things of note from Outdoor Demo. There’s more where this came from.

Intense

Intense has updated the Tracer. The new Tracer Alloy 27.5in is still made in the USA and now has hydroformed tubes, rather than the old welded-seam monocoque frames of old. The geometry is exactly the same as the well-received Tracer 275 Carbon, only the price is a lot lower, with complete bikes from £2,800.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Lezyne

Lezyne is still making lovely machined goodies,  but is adding more lights as well.

 

The Macro Duo light has a clever ball joint (where have we seen that before?) and a front helmet light with rear LED too

 

 

 Salsa

Salsa had its new carbon Spearfishes on display. Most in demand seemed to be its Bucksaw full suspension fat bike and Beargrease Carbon too. It also had Dave Weagle on hand (and in disguise) to explain some of the thoughts behind his Split Pivot system. He reckoned that there was more science in the frame design of the Bucksaw than there was in a World Cup DH bike.

 

 

 Giant

Giant had some very neat looking paintjobs on display. We also spotted cyclocross racers Adam Craig and Lars van der Haar (although that was in a Russian-themed cocktail bar last night) ready for tomorrow’s Cross Vegas event.

 

 

We’ll have more reports soon, so stay tuned and follow this link in order to see all our Interbike coverage over the next week and a bit.

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