Park Tool has been there every year I have, handing out H20 and sunscreen

If you step back and take a look at the scale of which Interbike is held, it can be pretty overwhelming. Even more impressive is the ability to hold part of such an even outside, in the Nevada desert. Between the heat, wind, sand, and hoards of bike geeks it’s amazing it goes off as well as it does, which is largely in part to the amount of volunteers and people behind the scene.

Park Tool has always been right at the shuttle drop off point for as long as I have been going to Vegas, their tent staffed with great folks whose sole purpose is to keep attendees hydrated and sheltered from the sun.

Van's Protec Booth

There was always a huge line at the Van’s Protec booth, due to their tireless efforts to keep show goers fed and hydrated. Unlike the other food trucks at the show, the Van’s folks provided the incredible spread here, including fresh cooked bacon, for free, gratis. Kudos to the chef for some awesome bacon brats!

There were also countless other folks keeping the show moving that I didn’t get shots of, including security, the bag and gear check, and Henderson and LVPD. Thanks to everyone who made this, the last show in Vegas, such a success!

Want to be part of racing history? Or do you just want to win a pound of Copper Door Coffee?  Help Mike name the new 3-day version of the Breck Epic.  Show your creativity and try to come up with something better than the drivel that Dicky’s spewing out on their Facebook page.

Oh, and if you want that 25% off early bird registration discount for the 2011 event, which we highly recommend racing in, you’ve got until Sunday night.

Parked in front of Civia’s booth at the Outdoor Demo, was their newest city creation, the Halsted cycle truck. As the popularity of they cycle truck category of bikes grows, it’s not surprising that more bike companies are picking up the trend.

While not a new idea, the concept of carrying heavy loads on a platform over the front wheel which is supported by the frame is starting to catch on, again. This design keeps the wheelbase short for improved steering and handling, and also doesn’t weight the front wheel allowing for easier turning. The 20 inch wheel in the front allows for the cargo to be kept low, also keeping the center of gravity lower.

Check out a few more angles after the jump!

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Though Ergon’s Flink-equipped packs have found many firm believers over the past couple of years (see a review of the BD2 here- we have the replacement BC2 on test now), the company knows that not everyone is looking for as large, complex, or costly a pack as the Flink system requires.

The BX2 is a completely new pack that maintains Ergon’s ideal of lowering the rider’s center of gravity and transferring their packs’ loads to the wearer’s hips.  The 8-9.5L pack has an adjustable harness that adjusts to various rider heights and uses some of the airiest mesh we’ve ever seen in order to maintain airflow.  The BX2 will be available next spring fro around $90.  Click ‘more‘ for more pictures…

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Though uncommon Stateside, Exposure are a dominant player in the UK bicycle lighting market.   We had a talk with their US distributor Ibex Sports at Interbike last week and found a lot to be excited about.  Look for a full hands-on rundown later this fall.  Until then, here are a couple of, erm, highlights:

Is it possible to have too much light?  Though we’ve been saying for a couple of years that the lumen wars have provided all of us with more than enough light for riding in the dark, it’s still hard to resist 1,800 lumen from a self-contained Pepsi can-sized light.  I couldn’t help but giggle when putting a noticeable spot on the Sands Convention Center’s well-lit ceiling over 50 up.  The Exposure Six Pack’s 3 hour runtime at 1,800 lumen means no need to moderate output for most rides, and the 10 hour runtime on medium (~600 lumen) will make 24-hour racers happy.  For those who get really lost, the Six Pack runs 24 hours on low.  It’s CNC machined by USE in the UK, and is self-contained (no wires).  Not bad at all for $500.  More lights after the jump…

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When we ask bike companies what products in their range they’re most excited about, the answers are often surprising.  While cost-is-no-object bikes and gear are always exciting and can point to what the future holds for the rest of us, making a truly exciting price point bike can be just as much work- if not more.  Lapierre’s response to our question at Interbike this year was to point to their Audacio 400. Click ‘more‘ for more details…

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Though most famous for their aerodynamic carbon fiber wheels, HED also make a solid line of alloy-rimmed wheels as well.  I’ve been beating their ~1400g Ardennes clinchers mercilessly on my daily commute and on dirt roads for the past two years without a complaint.  New for 2011, HED are offering the $850 Ardennes LT and $750 Ardennes CL wheelsets with tubular rims.  Perfect for cyclocross, tubular Ardennes wheels have wider than normal rims and shallow center channels to better support the tire.  Given the clinchers’ weight, they should be some of the lighter wheels available for the price.  Unfortunately for ‘crossers, the tubular versions won’t be shipping until December.

hedcycling.com

“After Work Ride” by David Couse. Check out his photography website.

To see more Pics of the Day, click here, and to submit your own photo to be shown to the world, go here.

In addition to their new road bikes, Bianchi had several Pistas (track bikes), fixed gears, singlespeeds and some retro classic steel road bikes on display.

Above, the new Campione is a double butted chromoly 16-speed “10 speed” bike with a muted sparkle black paint job that’s targeted at the hipster that wants some gears but wouldn’t be caught dead on a “road bike”.  Downtube shifters, cloth bar tape, pannier mounts and leather wrapped toe clips round out the package for $800.

Other fresh goodies with minimal gears after the break…

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While most manufacturers unveiled their new products on the floor of Interbike, Giant Bikes launched their new line of cyclocross bikes under the lights at the prestigious ‘Cross Vegas cyclocross race, revealing reworked version of their basic TCX, the top of the line TCX Advanced SL, and their women’s specific model, the TCX W. See the whole line after the break.

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PRESS RELEASE –

Five new Originâ„¢ pack models feature integrated hydration, lightweight design and weatherproof construction

Seattle, WA (September 16, 2010) Cascade Designs, Inc., the Seattle-based industry leader in the design and manufacture of premier outdoor equipment, today announced the upcoming release of a new line of Platypus Origin hydration packs. Drawing on years of expertise in the hydration category, the new line of weatherproof, lightweight hydration packs is designed and built to offer the best performance, comfort and customization for a wide variety of outdoor sports.

Each of the five new Platypus Origin hydration packs features superior gear protection in any weather, with precisely integrated hydration and a refined, contoured fit designed for a variety of day and overnight activities. A premium, taste-free Platypus Big Zipâ„¢ SL reservoir is the foundation of every pack in the line. The designated hydration compartment is built to easily accommodate both the two-liter and three-liter sizes without affecting the capacity of the pack itself. Weather-resistant zippers provide easy access to the pack interior, while multiple tube routing options allow the user to place the bite valve where it works best for them. Constructed with technical, lightweight, weatherproof fabric, plus taped and sewn seams, contents stay protected while the aesthetic and design of the pack remains clean and uncluttered. Further design enhancements include pressure-relieving BioCurveâ„¢ ventilated center back panels, stretch-woven fabric for comfort on touch points and simple, intuitive storage and loops for gear and helmets.

“With 10-plus years testing and perfecting hydration reservoirs, we’ve tried a lot of packs,”said Erik Flink, Division Director, Hydration and Water Treatment for Cascade Designs. “We recognized the need to build a pack from the ground up, with our Big Zip SL reservoir as the foundation. This line is the result of countless hours of obsessing over the details using the same design attributes we apply to all Platypus products-deliver maximum performance as simply as possible-and our testers have been thrilled with the results.”

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Niner had this RIP 9 hardtail concept bike on display with the note to the right…basically saying “If you want this, let us know.”

Shown in a yet-to-be-named new blue color, the RIP 9 Hardtail is built with dirt jump and slopestyle in mind, and from the desert dust on the frame, it’s been tested very recently. Built with the RIP 9′s front triangle and rear stays, the rear wheel is tucked up pretty close since there’s no suspension linkage to get in the way. A bent seat tube gives the rear tire enough clearance for mud. It’s designed around a 1×10 drivetrain, we say if they build it, there should be a sliding dropout option or swappable rear axle mounts so you can run it singlespeed or geared, which could add “pump track” to its bag of tricks.

Check out another photo of it, plus all these goodies after the break…

• Even more new colors for 2011
• Totally trick custom color matched bits from other companies
• Their new tapered headtube design on WFO and RIP
• New head angle geometry for WFO and RIP
• Carbon fork news

Come on in and drink the kool-aid…

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