BikeRumor.com

Funny the disconnect here: Casino Convention Center director needs to fill their calendar, so they send out pamphlets and letters soliciting various groups asking them to consider their location when planning their next group get-together… Sounds like that particular director doesn’t know what the rest of the world is saying about their town. Well, Blackhawk, you’ve lost at least one potential consumer of your goods — The League of American bicyclists. So says Andy Clarke, the president of the organization. They’ll be considering other, more suitable, places for the time being. Um, thanks.

via BikeDenver.

About two years in development, Giro has finally pulled the cover off their new cycling footwear line. Debuting across the pond at Eurobike, the new line includes road, mountain and women’s shoes plus their Supernatural Fit Kit, an adjustable footbed system to customize the fit.

Pro Levi Leipheimer has been running them this year in several races to test them (including the Tour de France), and Giro used input from Retul founder Todd Carver to dial in the fit.  Some models feature Easton carbon technology (Easton, Bell and Giro are all owned by the same company), and uppers include premium materials like Tejin, X-Static and custom fasteners. The last is completely designed from the ground up by Giro.

They’ll be available in January 2011 in about 500 U.S. dealers, plus dealers in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Benelux, Scandinavia and the UK.

Pricing and a photo of the top-of-the-line Prolight SLX road shoe after the break…

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Nuvinci / Fallbrook Technologies’ new N360 hub drops size and weight while increasing its gear range over their original model. In the process, they seem to be picking up quite a bit of regular and e-bike OEM placements both here and afar.

Gepida, Mosquito, Raleigh, Victoria, Ellsworth, Breezer and Organic have all spec’d the new N360 on their bikes for 2011. The system will also be available as an aftermarket kit for those wanting to convert their current cruiser or commuter.

The system uses a CVP (continuously variable planetary) transmission that replaces gears with spheres. This gives it an infinite number of ratios between the lowest and highest setting. There is a 360º range of gearing available, which is slightly less than the 409º on Shimano’s new 11-speed Alfine, which relies on individual gears.

The new N360 reduces the amount of shifter rotation required to change the ratio, and it shifts easier under load. For e-bikes, being able to shift when stopped will help reduce power usage by getting into an easier gear for takeoff without having to be moving to change.

PRESS RELEASE: 88bikes Foundation, a micro-philanthropy project that gives bikes to kids in developing countries, has been selected for sponsorship by expedition gear manufacturer Eddie Bauer/First Ascent through their “Be First” program, which supports groups that “endeavor to accomplish what has never been done, or that otherwise challenge the limits of what is possible, and embody the drive to be first and an untamable spirit of adventure.”

The grant will provide general support to VILLAGES, 88bikes’ fifth and biggest project to date. Taking place June through November 2010, 88bikes is reaching out to children in Africa, Mongolia, Latin America and the United States and on Native American reservations, focusing on small rural locations where their bikes can have a major impact.

“Eddie Bauer’s support is crucial in helping us fulfill our ambitious VILLAGES project during the next several months, and to expand and maintain our programs throughout the world. It’s wonderful to welcome a partner who believes as fervently as we do in the power of getting out there and experiencing life,” said Dan Austin, founder of 88bikes.

Continued Austin, “We were especially touched to hear that the company felt that this was something Eddie Bauer himself would have embraced.”

The goal of the VILLAGES project is to distribute 1,000 new bikes to local children. To date, 697 bikes have been sponsored through donations of $88 per bike. 88bikes also plan to set up four to five bike shop “hubs” serving these rural communities and establish bike shop apprenticeships and workshops for each location.

The project’s next “Moment of Happy”- the event where the children receive their bikes- is taking place in Mongolia in late August. They will be distributing 200-400 bikes to children in rural communities near Arvaikheer.

Eurobike is just getting into full swing, and we’re sitting here in the the U.S. bummed that we couldn’t make the trip and trying to use the time to play catch up on a summer’s worth of press trips and miscellany (don’t worry, we have plenty of fresh content to fill the pages, and a few folks are sending in some spy photos from the big show). But, we do have the Interbike invites and things rolling in to keep us motivated for the other big show, the first of which is Lazer Helmet’s Oasiz Party at the Hardrock. Viva, baby, viva. Custom helmets and all.

You can check out the new Oasiz with its magnetic “magic buckle” right over here.

PRESS RELEASE: The 5th Annual Trek Women Breast Cancer Awareness Ride on October 9th will bring thousands of women – and men – together across the country to have fun, be healthy and raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Registration fees will go toward the 2010 fundraising goal of $150,000, and each rider will receive a special gift bag from Trek Women and their local Trek Retailer to commemorate the day.

Both the 10 and 20-mile rides are casual and family-friendly, making them a perfect outing for anyone who wants to enjoy time riding with friends and family members while raising awareness and money for breast cancer research, treatment and prevention. Many Trek retailers host parties before or after the rides, and a listing of participating dealers and more information can be found at www.trekbikes.com/women/awareness_ride.

“Trek Women is asking for support and commitment from riders across the country to help make this year’s goal a reality,” said Leslie Prevish, Trek Women Brand Manager. “Millions are touched by breast cancer each year, so we’re encouraging folks to ride for themselves, their loved ones and friends to show support and raise money for this important cause.”

Last year, more than 3,500 riders enjoyed BCAR events at 100 Trek retailers nationwide, raising a total of $105,000. Since BCAR started in 2006, more than $233,000 has been raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, whose mission is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime by providing critical funding for innovative clinical and translational research at leading medical centers worldwide, and increasing public awareness about good breast health. In 2010, 88 cents of every dollar donated went to research and awareness programs.

Trek Women is a community of riders who engage with the Trek brand through the Trek Women Web site, www.trekbikes.com/trekwomen, or Facebook page, www.facebook.com/trekwomen.

(We posted about this before, but just a reminder so you remember to put this event on your calendar…) Check out the website for more information on the Philadelphia Bike Exposition. Held the weekend of Halloween in, appropriately, the gothic looking 23rd Street Armory. There will be exhibitors of artists, bike manufacturers and distributors, panels, bike rides, seminars, swap meet, demos, and a fashion show that could be quite interesting given the date of the show. Sponsored by Bilenky Cycle Works and The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, the show is designed as an all-inclusive bike event open to all genres of cycling.

Thanks to Chris at BishopBikes for the tip.

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

By this point, everyone knew that the Schleck brothers were no longer going to be a part of Team Saxo Bank, and that they were to be picked up by the new Luxembourg Pro Cycling Team.

What wasn’t know was what manufacturer was going to step up to replace the Specialized bikes underneath the new team. It was announced today at Eurobike by Trek and Brian Nygaard of the Luxembourg Team, that Trek would be the official equipment supplier and adviser of the Luxembourg Pro Team for 2011 and beyond.

While the complete roster is not yet finalized and the title sponsor is yet to be determined, Frank and Andy have both confirmed that they would indeed be racing for the new team which will be led by Director Kim Andersen.

In addition to riding both the Trek Madone and Speed Concept, Trek will outfit the team with the full line of Bontrager components. Drivetrains will be covered by Shimano with a fleet of Di2 equipped rides.

Trek is quick to point out that this sponsorship is in addition to the RadioShack team that is currently equipped by Trek. Both teams will be riding Trek bikes for 2011, with RadioShack being the US based team, and Luxembourg the European squad.

Check out the complete press release after the break!

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Every once in a while, manufacturers spit out some one-offs and test colors, and we were lucky enough to snag these sweet metallic orange Giro Havik2 frames with mirror blue and mirror silver lenses, none of which are currently on the market.

Truth be told, we like these better than any of the standard offerings, both for the frame color and lenses (of course, we’re a bit partial to orange and blue here…), but the important thing to Giro is what you think.  So, what do you think? Like them? Want to see them offered? Leave a comment…Giro’s listening.

Oh, and these are the Havik2 frames, meaning they’re the second generation. The original Havik frames had some folks complaining that they fit too tight and caused headaches (which we noted in our review), others said the bridge sat too close to the brow and that sweat ran down the lenses (something we didn’t notice personally). Click past the break to see side by side differences of the frames. They’re minimal, but from a comfort standpoint, the Havik2 is much, much better…

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With Cyclocross season coming up shortly it would be a good idea to brush up on your skills–and going back to basics, 1900’s style, might be a good way to start. Check out this article “Advice For Friends of Cyclocross” by Eugène Christophe, printed originally in the Jan 20, 1921 issue of Le Miroir Des Sports, and reprinted in English by Joel Metz on his website Blackbirdsf.

Eugène Christophe won the French Cyclocross Championship six times between 1909-1914, and wrote this primer as a way to educate the cyclist in the handling of their bike, for Cyclocross (to paraphrase) is only dangerous for the clumsy and for the daredevils. Christophe also believed that Cyclocross was an excellent way for roadies to cross-train during the winter season and his advice was to be a sort of “physical education of the cyclist”. So, read it, and educate yourself. Plus, the photos are fantastic!

By the way, Joel has an extensive collection of early cycling information on his website, including an early history of the Bay City Wheelmen, Paris Courier racing in the late 1800’s early 1900’s, Pre-War Cyclocross, and information on various bikes and bike parts–including Jack Taylor cycles. If you’re in the Portland, OR, area, support Joel by using his messenger service, Magpie Messenger Collective.

Photo via Kaptain Amerika.

Thanks to an anonymous tipster that made the trip across the pond to Eurobike for these sweet photos of Litespeed’s new 2011 C1R aero road bike. Other than the obvious, like a full integrated seatpost, massive headtube and bottom bracket sections and bladed fork, we don’t have a lot of details.

Jump in for closeup photos…

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“Series ‘Wall’ 085″ by jun.skywalker.

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

FIND is Reset Film’s eagerly awaited sequel to HOME and is shot in gloriously detailed high definition.The Gala Premiere will be in Glasgow on the 7th of September at 8:15pm, full details are available from the GFT website. For this night only, FIND will be shown with it’s fantastic prequel HOME and will include a personal appearance by the Director and some of the riders in the film. Tickets will sell out so early booking is advised. (more…)

Even the Knog cycle computer looks a little too much like a computer for any chic fixed gear bike that eschews all extraneous bits like, you know, functionally wide handlebars. But for those that simply have to know how fast they’re skinny jean painted legs can turn that 42/16 gear combo, this concept from Redfish Creative may appeal.

The leather and brushed metal finery holds a retro style dial speedometer, with an extended handle that holds an odometer and doubles as a lever to ring the (digitally recorded) bell. There’s also an analog clock inset in the speedometer’s face, and the odometer can switch between showing trip and total distance. Info comes from a wheel sensor mounted to the fork.

Via Switched.

Bontrager has unveiled a new line of road saddles called Affinity. Following their release of their new mountain bike Evoke InForm saddles at Sea Otter earlier this year, the Affinity line is geared toward the pavement crowd and runs the full range from Race, RL and RXL models. Compared to their original inForm road saddles, the Affinity line is for riders that sit slightly more upright than a super aggressive racing position, which Bontrager says is the largest segment of road riders.

We just received a black RL and white RXL in the post to test out, and they do look very nice, particularly the RXL. Each model is available in different widths with both men and women specific models. The deal with inForm technology is that it not only measures width of the sit bones to help you get the right saddle, but it takes into consideration the tilt of your pelvic bone based on the type of riding the saddle is intended for, too. That, combined with pressure relief zones, claims to make their seats extremely comfortable for long hours in the saddle. Bontrager (ie. Trek) dealers should have fitting mechanisms in their stores to help you get the right size.

Full press release, actual weights for RL and RXL and more photos of every model after the break…

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