Home > Clothing-Gear-Tools

2012 Sea Otter Classic Randomness – Sidi Shoes, Pivot Mountain Bikes & Smart Bike Washer

2012 Sidi cycling shoes get adjustable heel cup retention mechanism
14 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

2012 Sidi cycling shoes get adjustable heel cup retention mechanism

For 2012 Sidi added a mechanical adjustable heel retention mechanism. Apparently this was introduced in the fall trade shows, but this is the first we’ve seen of it…all they showed us there was there new Speedplay specific sole. It’s available on their Genius 6.6 Carbon Lite, Ergo 3 Carbon and Dragon 3 Carbon SRS shoes for now.

Pivot mountain bikes switch to direct mount rear derailleur standard

Pivot mountain bikes didn’t have anything brand new to show yet (but there are promises that new bikes are coming later this year, possibly as early as June). They are implementing a rolling change to their carbon fiber models first with the adoption of the new Direct Mount rear derailleur standard.

Pivot mountain bikes switch to direct mount rear derailleur standard

Founder/owner Chris Cocalis says it’s a pretty easy mold change to get it on the carbon bikes, but the alloy models will follow in due time.

Smart Bike Washer mobile bicycle washing station uses fully closed loop degreasing cleaning fluid

The guys at Smart Bike Washer showed off their fully closed loop washing station and said it’s a cash cow for shops. Their special formula of cleaning fluid takes grease off the chain but is gentle (and safe) enough for any frame.

Smart Bike Washer mobile bicycle washing station uses fully closed loop degreasing cleaning fluid

The unit uses bioremediation to break down hazardous wastes and pollutants. In short, crud from your bike rinses through a filter and is subjected to hungry microbes that make the run off benign. They say it’s safe for your skin and the air around you, and it eliminates the need for special handling or removal of chemicals. It also eliminates the need to run through aerosol degreasers and other solvents and chemicals in your shop, which should cut costs and clear the air a bit.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

14 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ezra
11 years ago

I wonder how much a bike wash cost?

OlyOop
OlyOop
11 years ago

Well, the gizmo costs $2500, the solvent/microbes $135, and a filter $16, so shops won’t be giving away their washes. I like the “closed loop” concept a lot, though.

mattl
mattl
11 years ago

Cool idea, but I prefer the crest ultrasonic tank. Same price and you don’t have to scrub! And it relubricates!

david
david
11 years ago

@mattl

How does it relube?

Bart
11 years ago

The station works amazing…this will be our second season on it. We easily put 15-17 bikes a day through it(in season) and it just keeps plugging away.

Chipollini
11 years ago

That bike wash thing is old news, it uses enzymes that break down grease, oil, and other petroleum products created by bacteria that are in a tank under the washer – it must remain plugged in to keep a constant temperature allowing the bacteria and the enzymes to be viable. The huge problem with what the man in the photo is doing. This washer is very effective, and it will de-grease the internal pieces of the chains links, seep into the BB, and hubs, and any where lube is needed – effectively causing your bike to suck. Your derailleurs and shifters come lube internally, and if your LBS was on spot they’d have lubed the cables and housing. Because petroleum products are non-polar hydrophilic in nature they repel water to a degree preventing rust and other corrosion. So one could inadvertently cause corrosion by using this process. It’s best to just take the parts of individually and clean them with this product. Don’t let anyone do this to your bike. Truly only the cassette, chainrings, and tools should be used with this washer

chew
chew
11 years ago

is that XT RD a new Shadow Plus variant for XT 2013 similar to 2013 SLX?
it sure looks like it

Gillis
Gillis
11 years ago

Sidi has had a heel retention widget for years. Not sure why it’s being reported as new.

Evan
Evan
11 years ago

Being a die-hard Speedplay user, those Sidi Ergo 3 Speedplay specific shoes are pretty neat, but the weight is crazy, something like 650 grams for a pair size 43. I know comfort and fit are important, but still.

Justice
Justice
11 years ago

That cleaner works great! But, we rent outs as part of our Cintas service and they take care of all maintenance and repair.

Brian
Brian
11 years ago

Interesting Idea, but it’s HUGE. I have no place for something that big in our store.

@David, the crest ultrasonics are capable of having two pans- your main pain does the cleaning, and then you have a second pan with a lube solution.

Best part is, it takes up no space (unless you have the larger versions)

PDXFixed.com
11 years ago

That is LITERALLY the exact same thing as a Cintas SafeWasher, the same parts cleaner that thousands of bike shops have been using for years.

Well, at least they got a different decal on the front of it?

http://www.cintas.com/facilityservices/partscleaning.aspx

Nick
Nick
11 years ago

“all they showed us there was there new Speedplay specific sole” grammar fail guys…

We’ve got one of those parts washers and it’s really good. Does tend to mess your hands up eventually though, although admittedly far better than the petrol based one we used before!

SmartbikeWasher
11 years ago

@PDXFixed.com indeed, SmartbikeWasher is very similar to the Cintas SafeWasher. It is made by the same fine manufacturer, ChemFree Corporation in Norcross, GA. So, the base machine is the same, but there are key differences: a different cleaning solution, an integrated bike stand, and additional filtration to stand up to the mud/dirt that can come from mountain and ‘cross bikes. Different product, unique model, different decal. Not unlike bikes, eh? Not every “Specialized” or “Trek” would be looked at as “literally the exact same thing” – because the differences matter, so they carry a different name.

If one is in need of a great parts washer, the Cintas SafeWasher is an excellent product with service from a great provider. However, bike shops deal in BIKES, not just PARTS, so if one is cleaning bikes AND/OR parts, the SmartBikeWasher is the more productive machine since it will do either with the same surprising results.

A parts washer doesn’t reduce tune times by half. A bike washer does. The magic is in saved steps, greater efficiency, yielding better results in less time with fewer consumable costs.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.