Interbike Demo Days
I like to get as much work done as possible, here, Monday, on the least crowded of the 2 outdoor demo days. The show runs through Friday and a lot of the industry arrives a little later in the week. Monday is the slower of the 2 outdoor days so I have a little time to talk to the exhibitors.
I spent a half-hour with Justin Gold, founder of Justin's. I love stories like this: Outdoor enthusiast makes good. His story felt like mine. Didn't quite know the color of his rainbow. Started blending up his own nut butters, for his own use. Fifteen years, 50 angel investors, private equity, eventual buyout later he's gotten over the hump. Now Justin's is available for purchase everywhere but Justin is still at Interbike because he's still an enthusiast at heart.
I predict Slowtwitchers are going to hear about, talk about, debate, consider, noodle, sniff and think hard about Pro Shift. Simply put it makes your eTap or Di2 system an automatic transmission. It's programmable, and it doesn't require you to pick a single cadence. You can choose a cadence for ascents that is different than you cadence for level roads. Pro Shift is one of those great products that invites – requires – a discussion on the nature of cycling and performance.
Remember SuperDave on the forum? That's Dave Koesel, in the black shirt. For years you asked him questions about your Felt bikes. Now you ask him questions about your 3T products. And yes, you see OPEN in the background, because (Cervelo co-founder) Gerard Vroomen is an equity partner in 3T as well as owning the bike brand OPEN.
That's Michael Folan (foreground) and Mark Martines (background) of Infinit Nutrition. We discussed the upcoming focus of this company, which is intriguing and I think pretty compelling.
You're looking at this Orbea road bike and maybe you're wondering what's special about it? Nice bike. But there's something very particular about it. Give up? It's got a wireless electronic shift system on it. With the batteries local to each component. Oh, you mean SRAM's eTap! Nope. FSA's WE system (Wireless Electronic). And yes, there will be a TT version of this.
Argon 18 was here, along with an E-117. I think this company is one of the top 6 or 8 tri bike makers right now. If I was a retailer considering bike lines this one would be on my radar.
Speedplay was there with all its pedals. Speedplay had an easy time making a really great road pedal. It spent a lot of time trying to figure out MTB. But it finally cracked the code a couple of years ago with the Syzr.
I think this is my new bike. This is a row of Bad Habits from Cannondale: dual suspension plus bike. I can't see why carbon is required on a bike like this. It's back to aluminum for me, baby.
