INTERBIKE 2002: IMPRESSIONS
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no more pinch flats

IRC's Air Hub is designed for cruisers and city bikes and the company hopes to sell the idea to a major bike maker. The device is comprised of a hub, hose and valves that pump air into the tire as you ride so that your tires are automatically topped off on every ride. A release valve ensures that you can't overinflate the tire. Voila! No more dealing with pumps; fewer punctures due to pinch flats and a bike that always pedals easily. Something like this could get a lot more people riding their bicycles.


the Aeron seat

SaddleCo's Flow seat is designed on the same principle of the famous Aeron office chair: suspend the rider is a hammock of mesh. Sitting on this seat is sweet relief because it gives beneath you molding to your sit bones and flexing as you pedal to accommodate your muscles and anatomy. Also, the mesh breathes to keep you cool and dry. The frame is made of plastic and the rails will come in the usual variety of materials. Right now they have a racing model only, for about $120. Other designs are planned.


superlight folder

Dahon's Helios Limited Edition is a 17-pound folding bike with an aluminum frame and Rolf wheels! This elegant machine sports Shimano's new folding-bike components and Dahon's simple and quick hinge, which allows collapsing the bike to suitcase size in about 15 seconds. Dahon has long been known for affordable folders and it's nice to see them branching out into high-performance models. I haven't ridden this bike, but I'd sure like to because it looks fast and would be cake to carry.


dynamite dropout

Always innovating, Burley has introduced two new single road designs for '02, one of which sports this wonderfully weird dropout. This bizarre dropout can handle racks, fenders, derailleurs and internally geared and singlespeed hubs. For the last, the frame is equipped with an eccentric bottom bracket to make chain tensioning a breeze.


Burley for one

Here's Burley's other single, this one a little more conventional. The reason this is noteworthy is because Burley builds its bikes in Oregon, is a coop owned by the people who work there, usually keep things affordable and still appreciates steel. Also, I imagine Rob Templin, who logs as many miles on the road as Lance, helped with the design.


say it ain't so

Instead of a booth, Bicycling and Mountain Bike Magazines had this SUV parked just inside the entrance to the show. Rumor has it that they drove it from Pennsylvania to Las Vegas for Interbike; probably a lot cheaper than paying for a real booth. Yet, isn't it hypocritical to embrace something that's ruining cycling all across America?!