Light it up...
Interbike 2008 Lifts Off
Words by Ed Snyder. Photos by Ed Snyder.
You know the drill. This is it. All the goodies you have wanted to see, dreamt about and wished you could hold... dumped in to the biggest adult playpen in America. Stir in healthy helpings of biking press, product managers, dust, heat and then toss in a touch (or more) of alcohol and you have the recipe for Interbike.
Year after year this cosmic cycling convergence brings together the best and worst cycling has to offer. And year after year we are here to help sort it all out. This year Cam and Fergs get to toss the new big bikes around while I am taking the slightly more mellow approach to Bootleg Canyon laps. Just having worked my way back from a broken leg I earned over the AirPrentice weekend at Whistler, my focus for the Dirt Demo is on lighter, long-travel AM bikes. The kind I can spin halfway up the canyon with one leg, when it is pushing 33 degrees out in the desert and shade is as rare as dry, sunny runs on the shore... in November.
Of course on top of all the bikes, riders and burly freeride bits we can find; we'll also toss in all the offbeat and just plain weird we can cover in our week-long odyssey that is Interbike coverage. Without further ado, let's light it up.
My first stop of the day after a healthy dose of breakfast burrito and sunscreen was the Titus booth. I have always admired the quality and approach of this Arizona-based company, and today was the perfect opportunity to throw a leg over one of their creations. They have completely reworked their freeride bike; the 160mm El Guapo.
The new version of the El Guapo is showing off some serious curves.
Titus pays Specialized to use their Horst-link design, placing the pivot on the chainstay. If you have ridden a Specialized Enduro, StumpJumper FSR, or Epic in recent years, Titus rear suspension action will feel very familiar in a good way; it works. That is where the similarity ends.
The rear end of the Guapo is built to take it. Insert your own joke here.
Titus added a completely new hydroformed tubeset to the front of the El Guapo. It not only looks fantastic, it also helped the designers shave almost half a pound. For those of you with extra disposable income they also make a titanium version (no hydroforming here, straight Ti tubes only).
Don't lie,you know you want one. All those gorgeous curves and a 1.5 headtube to boot.
Although I was super tempted to flog the new El Guapo,the ankle reminded me that this would be my first mountain ride since mid-July and I wisely opted for something lighter. That led me to a lap on the ridiculously light (and aptly named) Titus Motolite. Titus has built this frame for years and has slowly kept tweaking it, ever so slightly. The end result is like your favorite soup mom made; damn near perfect in a lot of ways and always a favourite on the menu.
Like the sign says, "human power only", but with a frame this good you don't need anything else.
The version I grabbed has carbon fiber rear stays and climbed like dream. Even with a fairly modest build kit it was easily sub-25 pounds, including capable tires. It climbed very well and despite the presence of a lockout on the rear shock I never felt the need. All the pivots are correctly placed, the carbon provides stiffness and the light weight allows you to power up the hill no matter what the terrain or traction. I can easily call this one of the best climbing rigs I have ever ridden.
The carbon stays are functional as well as being very easy on the eyes. The XT Shadow drivetrain was smooth as silk too.
Once I worked my way to the top the fun began in earnest. This bike feels like it is jacked in to the back of your head, ala Neo in the Matrix. Think about turning, lean the bike slightly and it happens almost before you know it. Apply power to the pedals and the bike jumps forward. Everything happens just how you think it should, maybe even a bit faster. Once your head catches up to the bike it is a smooth smile-fest all the way to the bottom. The Motolite is a true gem.
Titus has taken the next step with the basic idea of a Motolite this year and added hydroformed tubeset on the front end. This new familiar but totally different beast is called the FTM. If you believe the near-perfectly refined concept can get better, keep your eyes on the Titus website for more details.
The new FTM frame from Titus, looking to make a great thing even better.
After a quick break with some much needed liquid refreshments, it was off to snag another ride I had always admired from afar. I headed over to the Ibis the booth and the fellows there were nice enough to toss me back out in to the desert aboard their carbon Mojo. The Mojo uses the terrific DW-link suspension, the same system Iron Horse has used for the last several years (but not for 2009). I owned an Iron Horse MkIII from those years and that gave the Ibis a familar feel.
This Mojo had me rising... up the road in Bootleg Canyon at a nice pace. The pea green colored is reserved for the Ibis demo fleet.
Although the suspension is similar the execution is not. The Ibis features both a slacker head tube angle and steeper seat tube angle. This combination puts the rider in a far different position that felt very natural. The bike was a bit taller and softer than the morning's Motolite but just as enjoyable.
It is very light an bobbed a bit while climbing. Turning on the propedal limited traction in the sandy conditions, so I just stayed seated and spun the top of the road. Although the temperature had climbed in to its mid-day baking range, climbing on a bike this light almost always makes it bearable. On the way down the Mojo came alive and loved to carve the bermed turns that make up the canyon trail system. A soft, slowly leaking rear tire brought an early end to my fun, but not before I got a good taste of another great bike.
Ibis too has tried to make their best better and will be offering a "Mojo SL" version this year. It has a lighter bolt kit paired with a new matte coating that has a bit of rubbery feel to it. The end result is a Mojo that is both lighter and more durable.
After turning in two more rides than I have in the last two months I retired to the pits to cruise booths. Here are a few bits to whet your appetite for tomorrow:
We will have a lot more from Chris King later in the week; but for now you can just oogle over this new bottom bracket.
A new lid to drool on from Rudy Project
With gas costs what they are these days, Surly's Big Dummy is looking smarter all the time.
The return of Biopace chainrings (look that one up kids)? Not quite but look closely... these rings are not round.
One of the great things about Interbike is never knowing when you might run in to a real mountain biking legend in the flesh. This guy certainly qualifies. I give you the real John Tomac.
So that is the wrap of day one from the wilds of Nevada. Good night from Vegas. Try the veal, I'll be here all week.
Wish you were here? Have something you just can't live without seeing? Spill it...
