BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
CoreBike put on another highly praised trade show last month, drawing hoards of retailers to Northamptonshire. For those who missed out Mark Sutton provides a guide to the show’s highlights. This is forth of four articles covering the show.
2pure
Travelling down from Scotland, 2pure understandably used Core to show off more or less its entire catalogue of brands, introducing dealers to promotions from Lizard Skins, foolproof wheel security from Pinhead and the much anticipated Ibis Mojo SL-R.
Lizard Skins has introduced a countertop customisation box, available to all 2pure dealers. The presentation case holds a pair of sample grips and ten varied lockrings – which shops can have customised with their logo for a commitment of just 50 units.
Pinhead debuted three sizes of locking wheel nut. The £27.99 package secures one wheel with a custom key and specially moulded bolts.
Drawing the crowds was the appearance of Ibis’ SL-R, which has just landed in stock with the distributor. This evolution of the award winning Mojo carries a refined down tube and improved cable routing, even for those speccing a height adjustable seatpost with bar-trigger. Now tipping the scales under five pounds, the weight has reduced, yet stiffness is higher at the junctions and a tapered steer and 142mm axle are natural evolutions from the prior Mojo.
2pure also chose Core to debut POC’s VPD 2.0 line, demonstrating the inner workings of the shock absorbing pad with two rubber balls, one bouncy, one impact absorbing. Offering greater tear resistance over the original VPD, this line won’t deteriorate over time, offering continuous shock absorbtion throughout its life, as well as staying supple when not under threat of impact.
Windwave
Marzocchi continues to progress, introducing its 29er Corsa line, starting at just £350.
Above this prices are yet to be confirmed, though Dan Jones of Windwave told BikeBiz: “There’s some pretty technical internals within each meaning the performance is up there with the best. You’ll find a hollow forged crown mid-range and carbon crown and steerer at the top-end.”
All three price points will come with bar-mounted remote lockout and a newly developed stronger lower leg hints at a higher quality product going forwards.
Nokon has committed to cutting down the number of SKUs needed by dealers, introducing a £59.95 cable package that will do any job, be it gears, or brakes. A new ten-piece foam slatwall board is now carried by Windwave for dealers buying in a certain quantity.
Perhaps the most interesting to retail, however, was the behind the scenes goings on with FSA. A Windwave-based UK service centre is in the works right now, with Russell Harding appointed to take charge.
Sticking with FSA, dealers with Windwave accounts can now be supplied with two headset ‘finder’ tools, to determine which standard is needed for workshop jobs. Valued at £33.90, the tools and accompanying poster chart is available on request.
New recruit Harding was also using Core Bike to demonstrate the efficiency of the BB386 Evo standard, a platform that reduces the number of SKUs carried by retailers fitting cranks.
Saddleback
Another new bike bag brand has joined the fray, with Saddleback taking on Sci Con, bike bag sponsors to pro tour teams including Liquigas, Garmin and Radioshack.
At £375, the Aerocomfort plus allows for the bike to be transported with just the wheels removed and stored in a separated interior compartment. An internal aluminium frame allows the bike to be fixed down to prevent movement, while the underside features a patented roller system for ease of movement at the airport. Saddleback will also carry a range of spares, as well as smaller luggage gear and various saddlebags.
Catching the eye of many passing through was what many assumed to be some sort of disco dancing shoe. It was, in fact, Bont’s UCI banned Crono shoe – a time trial shoe that looks like it’d fly if thrown. This 295-gram carbon fibre shoe has a 3.6mm stack height and is heat moldable.
Elsewhere, Ceramic Speed Bearings have been repackaged to be more attractive at retail, while the Chris King brand now has a Campagnolo compatible freehub body.
Meanwhile, For Goodness Shakes has brought a concentrate solution to market, that when mixed with water, becomes a sports drink. Stock of this solution, dubbed Nectar, is already available and a fuel tank will cost £25 and produce 40 servings.
Paligap
Paligap gave the Challenge tyre brand its debut under its distribution umberella at Core – pointing dealers toward some of the brands handmade tubulars, including a clincher compatible model – the Grifo 32.
BioLogic displayed one of the more interesting items – its unique Pango folding helmet, which almost flatpacks for ease of storage in a backpack. The side panels of this unit fold down and click into a rigid position, while the back folds inwards when collapsed. It’s not heavy when compared to a standard helmet either, at just 500 grams. Available in black or white, Paligap has stock now.
Placing ABD in a dedicated room, Paligap flew in a brand expert from Australia to talk to dealers about the Team Issue XXL frameset, among other bikes and aftermarket bits from the freestyle brand. The Team Issue is ABD’s answer to the fastest start possible out of the gate, with large chainstays and a 15mm axle providing and incredibly stiff back end, while a BB30 bottom bracket, combined with E.thirteen race crank will further transfer all pedal force directly to the ground.
Kenesis K7 alloy, the highest grade quality available from the manufacturer, is used and the frame crank and rear hub package will retail at £620.
The race BMX bikes and dirt jump mountain bikes seen at Core Bike land with the distributor in May.
A further round up in pictures can be found here.
