The crowded booths, shiny product and throngs of roller bag-toting attendees have long gone from the halls of the Eurobike 2014 show in Friedrichshafen, and Interbike is ramping up in Las Vegas this week. But we still have some remnant bits from Eurobike to share with you.
Pashley Pathfinder
First up in this post is the steel Pashley Pathfinder. We’re told it’s not yet on the market, but its aimed to be a take-it-all rig styled as only Pashley can. Its beautifully lugged frame is classically styled, and features nice rack and fender mounts.
Other classic features, such as a chromoly fork and bar-end shifters, are tempered with more modern equipment such as Avid disc brakes and a Shimano Alfine drivetrain.
Lapierre Pulsium 300
In a more modern and radical departure from the old-school variety of the Pashley, is the Lapierre Pulsium 300.
With technologies originally designed to be raced by top pros over the horrible conditions of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, this “endurance” road bike features an elastomer insert positioned on the top tube near the seat tube. Referred to as SAT (Shock Absorber Technology), the theory is that this little rubber piece will reduce vibrations from cobble stones, rough roads, dirty trails and other unpleasant travels, allowing longer, more comfortable rides.
Its geometry also aims for more comfort on long rides. A higher head tube puts the rider in a less aggressive position, and longer chainstays promise less work to keep the bike stable. That all adds up to less fatigue during long days in the saddle.
The Pulsium ships with 25mm tyres, but there looks to be enough clearance to run at least 27’s. After all, Paris Roubiax wouldn’t be such fun on just 25’s. While the Pulsium 300 is spec’d with a Shimano 105 groupset, other models in the Pulsium line up, such as the 500, have higher-end build kits, including disc brakes.
