This Summer we visited Rockshox’s Colorado Springs, CO, offices where they dream up, design and test Rockshox and Avid products.

Rockshox product manager Sander Rigney took us around, let us take pictures in some areas (and absolutely, definitely not in others), and here’s what we saw.

Above is the Blackbox hall of fame. For the uninitiated, their Blackbox program is a skunkworks…the place where things get to come to fruition in budget-be-damned, one-off, let’s-see-if-it-can-be-done fashion.  The forks above represent the history of Rockshox Blackbox experiements. Jump on past the break to see some closeups and the rest of their facility, including a little S&M video of fork torture testing…

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It’s safe to say that the Rallon could easily be the bike you didn’t see coming from Orbea. At 150mm of travel it is by far their biggest mountain bike and definitely marks a new era at Orbea. It’s pretty clear that regardless of how the Rallon performs, Orbea is completely vested in the mountain bike market and they are pushing to create truly competitive mountain bikes that will stack up against the toughest competitors, especially in the US market.

All of this is well and good, but the obvious questions remain: how does it ride, and is it worth your money?

Find out after the break!

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Click on the image for full size view. Press release and event details after the break…

Updated: Corrected Headline to Thursday…thanks to the reader that read the release better than us.

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Lifeboat Events, the company that puts on DealerCamp and PressCamp has added a third event to focus on the increasing market and importance of bicycle commuting and transportation: Urban PressCamp. It’ll be held just prior to the annual Bike Summit in Washington, DC, in March and connect media (which hopefully includes Bikerumor…hint, hint, Lance) with cycling brands that focus on transportation and commuting with their product lines.  Full press release after the break…

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A while back, we covered Jay Leno covering the German bike manufacturer PG-Bikes newest creation: the ultra exclusive $80K BlackTrail electric bike. The BlackTrail is no ordinary e-bike though, as it is almost completely made of carbon fiber, weighs about 40 pounds (most electric bikes are extremely heavy), and is capable of speeds up to 62 MPH!

The BlackTrail is simply an exercise in what is possible, and clearly isn’t going to be seen zipping around many streets near you. Heck, at that price, I’d be surprised to see many of them actually ridden, but I’m sure a few of the 667 made will see some use.

More details after the break, plus get a glimpse of Jay Leno’s new bike after the break!

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Adding to the Luxembourg powerhouse already forming with the announcement of the Schleck brothers and Jens Voigt earlier in the year, the big news now is the announcement that Spartacus will be following suit, and joining Frank, Andy, and Jens  on Trek’s. More or less shaping up to be a reincarnation of team Saxo Bank, the new team will surely be a competitor and one to watch for 2011.

Check out the full press release from Leopard True Racing after the break!

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“Behind The Barriers” Episode 8 from Behind The Barriers on Vimeo.

“We usually get up in the morning, have some breakfast, then we make fun of each other for a little bit, and then we get ready and go for a little spin…” – Jeremy Powers on the dynamic between him and his Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld teammates

Behind The Barriers is a reality T.V.-like series based on cyclocross star and regularly-hilarious dude, Jeremy “JPow!” Powers. Somerville, MA based Film maker, Sam Wiley Smith follows Powers throughout his 2010 ‘Cross season, capturing all the absurd antics, as well as a bunch of incredibly well shot race footage. Smith is well-known for his seminal cyclocross films, Transition: An American Cyclocross Season and Transition 2: ‘Cross The Pond.

Some of the best moments of the series occur during smack-talking sessions between Powers and his Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld teammate, Tim “Tom” Johnson. A third teammate, Jamey Driscoll plays the Laurel to the two Hardys in this lopsided double-act which transcends mere cycling entertainment and enters the realm of mass-appeal. Remember the Discovery Channel show Ice Road Truckers? It was an incredibly boring show about large men sitting in warm trucks, not-dying, or doing anything interesting…ever. If people will watch that cr—stuff (hey, the C-R-word is a swear…to a seven-year-old) they will definitely watch a show about really funny dudes in logoed-leotards riding around in vans and racing bikes.

“Coming up next on Behind The Barriers — Todd Wells attempts to the bunny hop the doubles at the USGP in Ft. Collins…” (cue ominous music).

The above video is episode 8 of the series, see episodes 1-7 after the break…

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We’re not going to lie…we really can’t wait for the 2011 NAHBS. Not only is it in Austin, but it’s a great way to kick of the year’s shows by getting a look at the craftsmen and women that pour their heart and soul into building bicycles. If you weren’t a regular reader back in February, just search “NAHBS 2010″ (in quotes) in the search box on the upper right of our site and look with amazement upon the two-wheeled beauty that we captured in pixels.

If you’re headed that way next February, or you’re considering it, jump past the break for the latest news for exhibitors, a new category for bicycle designers and earlybird deals for those that just want to stroll the aisles slackjawed…

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Man, I wish that messenger gear looked this cool when I was riding for a living.  Back in the day (really not that long ago) we were making do with road gear while attracting appalled stares from office staff and bar patrons in our Lycra and polypro.  Ten short years later, companies like Chrome have done loads to make cycling clothing and messenger equipment not only socially acceptable, but actually appealing.  When fall’s first chill arrived this year, I put in a request for Chrome’s merino wool Cobra hoodie- and have worn it non-stop since it arrived.

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Photo submitted by biawaktasik, who gave us a Wikimap link of this location. Sweet!

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

German wheel manufacturer Citec has released a carbon wheelset with a replaceable aluminum braking surface. According to Citec this “protects the carbon rim from premature brake wear and improves heat dispersion.” And when the braking surface does wear out (not-so-prematurely) it can be replaced at the factory.

As the folks at Citec say the old saying goes: “Last one to brake is a chicken!”

Wait…that makes no sense, wouldn’t the chicken brake first, while the not-chicken would brake last? Maybe it’s a lost in translation thing. Maybe in Germany the chicken or “huhn” is a totally bad-ass animal.

I don’t know, but I do know that there are photos, specs, and weights after the break…

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“But what I didn’t realize was just what a nutter the cyclist could be.”

- James May, Top Gear

Pro downhiller Gee Atherton and Enduro Motocross dude David Knight square off in a race pitting man against machine, or rather, a race pitting man on a machine WITHOUT a motor versus man on a machine WITH a motor. It’s something we’ve all pondered while out riding on those trails that we share with our motorized brethren — can those guys ride what I’m riding as well as I’m riding it? The concept (and the sort of contrived smack-talking) is very Top Gear, and Gee Atherton is no stranger to working under Top Gear-like conditions. In fact, he appeared in an episode of the BBC show a couple years back wherein he raced his bike against a Renault Clio driven by James May through the streets of Lisbon.

See the Top Gear vid after the break… (more…)