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Tradeshow Roundup: Road Bikes – Part One

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2014 Carrera road bikes

Man, do we need a European correspondent! So many brands to see at Eurobike that just don’t make it Stateside that make gorgeous (or at least interesting) bikes, Carrera being a fine example. Their bikes are always curvy and angled in just the right ways, but what else would you expect from the Italians?

More from them, Culprit, Deda/Dedacciai and others below…

2014 Carrera road bikes

The Carrera One-D is carries similar lines as their SL but adds disc brakes!

2014 Carrera road bikes

The Phibra is simply stunning. The arced top tube into seat stays combines with a curvy downtube to make what they is the perfect road bike. Combine it with their obnoxiously awesome color choices (check their website) and it’s sure to be polarizing in all the right ways. The last thing I need is another bike in my stable, but Good Lord to I want one of these.

Culprit-Croz-Blade-lower-price-builds-eurobike-2013

We’ve reviewed the Culprit Croz Blade in the past and found it to be a fast, stiff road bike. Now, they’re available at more price points with multiple build specs. They’ll start at just $2,995 with SRAM Apex/S700 hydraulic disc brakes and Reynolds Stratus Pro disc wheels then go all the way up to an Ultegra Di2 build with the new Shimano Hydraulic Disc Brakes for just $5,195. Or choose SRAM Red 22 Hydro-RD for $5,095. Both will come with the new Reynolds Assault Disc carbon clinchers, giving you a killer build on a (non-UCI) race-ready frame. A non-disc build is also available with Red 22, and there’s a mid-level Rival/S700 disc build with Token carbon wheels.

Culprit-Legend-Triathlon-Bike-hidden-stem-eurobike-2013

They’ve also finalized the design of the Trigon aerobar stem to hide the cables for the Legend TT bike. Culprit founder Josh Colp consults for Trigon, hence the branding partnership on these bits. We’re working on a review of their kid’s road bikes, too, which would make an excellent under-the-tree surprise for your favorite little (spoiled) cyclist. Check ’em out at CulpritBicycles.com.

Airstreem-wrapped-aero-road-bike-eurobike-2013

Airstreem just announced new road bikes, but they still had something to see back in August. I caught them at the end of the last day when everyone was packing up, hence the handlebar position. The graphical wrap on this bike isn’t a stock offering, just a show piece:

Airstreem-wrapped-aero-road-bike-eurobike-2013

Airstreem-wrapped-aero-road-bike-eurobike-2013

Dedacciai-Deda-Flash-TT-Triathlon-bike-fork-stem-eurobike-2013

The Dedacciai Flash TT uses a heavily integrated stem and headset system that provides a sleek, slippery front. There’s also 6mm of length adjustment at the front of the stem thanks to a rotating clamp that surrounds the handlebars. Frame weight is 1,200g (med., claimed) and fork is 440g with integrated linear pull brake. Fairings under the BBhide the rear brake from the wind, too. Rear dropouts allow for 15mm of horizontal adjustment of the axle.

Ekimov-Panasonic-team-race-bike

At the opposite end of the aero spectrum is Ekimov’s Panasonic race bike. Still cool.

Ekimov-Panasonic-team-race-bike

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CulpritBicycles
10 years ago

For those interested in Culprit, Unfortunately our website is still under update. You can find the full spec and details here.
http://roadbikebuyersguide.com/search.php. Pricing includes color options, jersey, bib, torque wrench and carbon bottle cage, bottle. However we no longer pay for fitting or shipping. If interested, please email for more details. service@culpritbicycles.com
Graphics have changed, see the link above.

Erik
Erik
10 years ago

Not to take anything away from the other bikes but classic road bikes like the Panasonic Ekimov rode are still the most beautiful to my eye. There’s just something about the lines and simplicity (and the horizontal top tube) that make them timeless. Carbon bikes now are obsolete in two to three years and their resale value is horrible.

Jacob
Jacob
10 years ago

I’m based in the UK and would love to be your European correspondent (shameful plug…). I minored in journalism (a while back) so ping me an email if you are interested. Now for the bikes, I don’t think that you can beat the Italians for style and flair. I haven’t personally ridden Carrera or Culprit bikes but if they are anything like my Colnago they will ride as good as the look.

AlanM
AlanM
10 years ago

@Erik, how are carbon bikes obsolete in two to three years? Mine seem to keep riding along just fine.

ant1
ant1
10 years ago

@AlanM – you poor misguided soul. you probably also think an iphone 5 is still acceptable. they can’t build obsolesence into the frames for legal reasons (they have to keep changing bb standards to achieve the same effect), so it’s up to you to realize your shit is passe and upgrade. how can you possibly be enjoying your ride if you’re not on the latest lateral stiffness and vertical compliance? nobody keeps a car/wife for more than a few years, why should bikes be different?

pornitswhatlwouldratherbmaking
pornitswhatlwouldratherbmaking
10 years ago

That One-D is the coolest thing Ever!!!! l love the very sloping toptubes and the disc brakes… omg. lf it has thru axles, its over 🙂

Erik
Erik
10 years ago

Obsolete might have been the wrong word. But there’s definitely much more of a rat race when it comes to carbon frames than steel or titanium. Steel and Titanium bikes have gotten to the point where they can almost be considered timeless in comparison. Steel and ti bikes also will last longer sue to their inherit strength and are easily repairable. Their resale is also much better. Just look at the bay and see the depreciation of a high end carbon frame compared to high end Steel or ti frame. Not even close. My state of the art BMC Slr01 depreciated more in 1.5 years than a moots, pegoretti, independent fab, etc. will in 10 years. For me, I’ll take the panasonic anyday. Just my opinion though.

Ajax
Ajax
10 years ago

I’m going to agree with the other guys. Carbon doesn’t go obsolete in 2 years. Don’t be a snob. Steel and Ti are good, but carbon is better.

CasteelG
CasteelG
10 years ago

You are aware that carbon is easily repaired these days as well, right? Also, carbon has a better fatigue life than steel or titanium.

Pancakes
Pancakes
10 years ago

Agreed, I’ve got 5-6 year old carbon bikes that still ride fine. As far as residuals, it’s not about the material, bikes of all materials can depreciate horribly.

Chris L
Chris L
10 years ago

@ Erik:
You really haven’t a clue. Carbon is every bit as repairable as steel or titanium. Actually, it’s MORE repairable because a repaired carbon will almost always be stronger than it originally was when new. This is the exact opposite of a steel frame – every time you heat up a steel tube it gets weaker and there are limits as to how easily repaired steel can be. That said, I still personally prefer steel in almost every way and the bikes do have a timeless quality that carbon bikes do not. You can look at most carbon bikes and almost immediately date them.

Erik
Erik
10 years ago

Chris –
Where did I say that carbon bikes were not repairable? I said steel and ti frames are “easily repairable,” which they are. Of course carbon frames are repairable but its more complicated and its going to cost more even for a small repair. For example, my friend just cracked his Trek Madone at the seat tube where the water bottle mount is located (a bike shop over torqued a water bottle screw.) The crack was only about 1/2 inch long at most. He was quoted 900 dollars with shipping to have it fixed by a well know carbon frame dealer. Trek told him the bike was unsafe to ride. In the end he got a new frame.

yogibimbi
yogibimbi
10 years ago

@Eric: The depreciation of the carbon bikes also stems from the fact that most of them have a shameless novelty tax attached to them. This tax is completely lost on resale as soon as somebody’s behind has touched the saddle.

Ajax
Ajax
10 years ago

@Erik, you said that only steel and ti are worthwhile. And at the same time you stated that all carbon bikes suck and that the material in carbon is inherently worse than steel and it, and that the longevity of carbon is good for only about 2 years maximum, and then users would notice their carbon bikes not being as good.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago

@Erik

Two anecdotes for you concerning the price and feasibility of carbon repair.

Anecdote #1: my friend wrecked his Madone and put a big crack in the top tube. He brought it into my shop, and we tore it down and sent to Calfee. It showed up again after 3 weeks or so. We built it back up with new cables, housing and tape, and his final bill was a little less than $650, including all our labor(we charged him a “Major Overhaul” which includes a full drivetrain clean, overhaul of all bearings, wheel true, etc), the repair, the shipping, and what we replaced on the rebuild. The repair was a very clean 6 inch wrap around the cracked area that was fully flush with the surrounding clear coat.

Anecdote #2: my coworker, a long time mechanic and all around smart dude, bought a DIY carbon fiber repair kit off eBay for about $100. He started practiced on a few totally trashed warranty frames, and then went on to repair a Jamis Xenith Pro with a chainstay that had been run over, and a Scott CR1 with a big hole in the top tube. His work is slightly less clean than what I’ve seen from Calfee, but it is just as structurally sound. He recently built up a frame under the tutelage of David Bohm, and he’s going to transfer all his sweet parts off the CR1 to his new frame, and chop through the seatstay, put a Gates belt through it, bond it back together, and have himself belt drive single speed carbon fiber road bike just for the laughs.

In conclusion, carbon fiber repair really isn’t anymore expensive than steel repair, and is much, much easier to learn than how to braze or TIG. I actually have taken a few TIG classes at the local JuCo, and I’m pretty sure I could not have learned how to so it off of YouTube.

Champs
Champs
10 years ago

My 10 year old carbon rides as well as it ever did, but it does look a little long in the tooth, and so would a CAAD of the same vintage—this is what bikes are made of today, and designs march forward.

Steel and titanium of that age looks pretty much the same as it does today. We could debate whether that’s because they’ve stagnated or reached perfect optimization, but that would be irrelevant. The looks have “staying power” because the crappy examples have long since been melted for scrap or thrown into the bottom of a river. Classic keepers, commissioned customs, the cream of the crop, and little else remain. It’s called survivorship bias.

Mike
Mike
10 years ago

Good luck getting Titanium repaired cheaply. Compared to carbon or steel repairs, titanium is rather expensive and difficult.

Nick T.
Nick T.
10 years ago

Not sure about titanium but I just had my steel frame fixed for $375 which I believe is a lot less than fixing carbon. They just popped out the top tube and put a new one in. Also have to agree that carbon resale is pretty bad but I think thats because people tend to want the latest and greatest when it comes to carbon and not due to it being obsolete. Most carbon frames will last a lifetime if treated well.

lonefrontranger
lonefrontranger
10 years ago

there’s a carbon repair shop here in Boulder, CO (Kappius / brokencarbon) that has done carbon frame repairs for as little as $150. And the repair is stronger than the original frame. I’ve seen his work – if you don’t care about getting the frame repainted to match, or if you already have a black-on-black design it’s cheaper than replacing a high end derailleur.

Carbon also does not fatigue, rust, or oxidize. And if you think steel “classic” frames look beautiful, that’s fine, but it probably shows your age. I think they look old / funny / obsolete but I’m more accustomed to compact frames having come into the sport about when that standard was taking off. Everyone in photos from about the mid-90s or before just looks to me like they’re riding a weirdly skinny / wimpy bike that is 2 sizes too big for them. And seriously what is UP with the weird hood positions back in the day? So it’s all in what you’re used to.

Technology moves on. You don’t see toeclips, downtube shifters, quill stems or handlebar-mounted bottle cage racks on modern frames either, but I know of people who argue vehemently that these things are “classic” and should never have gone away.

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