Cycling & bikes - Interbike 2018 Report

On 9/21/2018 8:55 AM, Emanuel Berg wrote:
sms wrote:

Rather than post the report here, I put it up
on Google Docs, including photos.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wAiw__UK7KkYw1CO2lbSIdy14p0LXdH8RpnVqneDv5k

How about yanking the text here?

"The version of the browser you are using is no
longer supported. Please upgrade to
a supported browser."

Geez, what browser are you using? I tried Chrome, Firefox, and Interned
Explorer and it works on all of those.

Interbike 2018

I drove up to Interbike for the day yesterday. This is the first year
that the show was held in Reno. It had been held on Las Vegas for many
years.

The show has shrunk tremendously in size. You could easily see
everything in four hours. There were far few exhibitors and far few
attendees, but I went on the last day and it may have been busier when
it opened on Tuesday; Reno is a lot more difficult and expensive to get
to than Las Vegas for most. For me it was easier and cheaper, I left
home at a little after 5 a.m. and was there in about four and a half
hours. Parking right by the entrance for $10. Because the show was so
small, I finished early and decided to drive home through Yosemite, a
considerably longer route in terms of time and distance. If I go next
year maybe I should stop and pick up Jorge and then take U.S. 50. Jorge
could explain to all the manufacturers how to build a better bicycle.

Electric bikes from China dominated the show. There must have been a
hundred companies with electric bikes, batteries, and chargers. There
was little interest. So many of these companies show up and the
employees sit in the booths bored out of their minds looking at their
phones. I think that China subsidizes the attendance of these companies
at trade shows. In one booth, of a reseller, he said that he sells a lot
of e-Bikes to people that lose their driver’s licenses due to DUIs, and
that he had personally had four DUIs..

Lights. There was one company from China with a very well-designed
all-in one light. It’s the first front light I’ve seen with a modulation
mode, which they called a “breathing mode.” This is like what is used as
the daytime running light on many motorcycles. It’s at lower brightness
and it’s not a strobe. On high, this light has a claimed lumens of 1600.
It also has a temperature sensor and lowers the brightness automatically
if it gets too hot. A lot of the el-cheapo lights don’t to that. It has
one wide beam and one narrow beam. It also serves as a USB power bank.
It’s this one: Could this light be Frank-Approved?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GACIRON-professional-Bicycle-Light-Power-Bank-Waterproof-USB-Rechargeable-Bike-Light-Side-Warning-Flashlight-1600-Lumen/32802747811.html.It
wholesales for $32 and retails for about $70. I bought the show sample
for $50.

There were no dynamo lights this year, though one Korean company showed
a very nice new \wheel dynamo that puts out 5VDC@1A.
http://wus.co.kr/default/.

Coffee Bike. If you like drinking coffee while riding, the Coffee Bike
is probably your best option. You can sell coffee to other riders that
pass you. http://www.eqtbike.com/

JCBs. I’m always on the lookout for JCBs (Jorge-Compatible Bicycles).
Can it stand up to abuse? Yes! Can it carry a growler? Yes!

Folding bikes. Tariffs were a big topic of discussion, with companies
starting to move production from China back to Taiwan, but also to
Vietnam. Tern, the company started by the son of the founder of Dahon,
has moved into electric bikes in a big way. Apparently the Brompton
patents have expired as there were two very nice folders, a Carbon-Fiber
model from a Korean company, and one from Dahon, that shared some of the
Brompton features. Brompton wasn’t there this year.

http://chedech.com/ Carbon Fiber Folder. Available in Electric Version
as Well. 18” wheels are a better choice for folders in areas with low
PCIs (Pavement Condition Indexes).

Dahon’s Curl series folds with the chain on the inside, like the Brompton.

Oyama, one of the oldest folding bicycle companies that you’ve never
heard of, had an awesome electric folder that I rode.

Here’s one review of it:
https://electrek.co/2018/08/03/2018-...ctric-bicycle/
Unlike the reviewer, I think that I started off in the highest assist
mode. Holy ****! I was not prepared for that. Luckily the show floor was
pretty empty by then.

Retro Bikes. Rivendell was there for the first time in a long time. I’ve
been going to Interbike on and off for more than 20 years, and this was
the first time I’ve seen them there. Grant Peterson was in the booth and
they were giving out free copies of his new book, “Just Ride”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761155589 but they ran out and are mailing
copies to those that wanted one. The big banner with their company name
included the words “No, no e-bikes.” He was busy talking to other
retrogrouches so I didn’t get a chance to ask him about disc brakes,
aluminum frames, carbon forks, or when he would offer electric versions
of Rivendell products..

Titanium. Ora, from Taiwan was there. They make titanium and steel
frames. The titanium bicycles sold by Bikes Direct use their frames, as
to most other non-specialty titanium bikes.

Mixte. A lot of Mixte bikes on display. These seem to be making a
comeback. You can even buy a Mixte Schwinn at Walmart.

Food and drinks. As usual, there was no need to buy any lunch. Between
bars, drops, goos, and hydration drinks there was plenty of free food.
Everyone has invented the ultimate new edible. Alas, the company selling
pickle juice was not there this year. My wife started using the NUUN
tablets on a trip to Peru and likes them. They are kind of like the
modern version of Fizzies.

The future of Interbike. Trade shows don’t go on forever. Who remembers
the National Computer Conference and Comdex? Interbike seems to be
moving in that direction. The choice of Reno turned out to be bad,
mainly because there are so few non-stop flights from cities throughout
the world. Las Vegas, while not a very nice place, at least has cheap
hotels and a large airport. The Outdoor Expo was held at the Northstar
ski area in California, about an hour’s drive from Reno. There were some
interesting products, but most bike shops can’t stock esoteric,
low-volume products from small companies, and the small companies often
can’t afford to offer the kinds of high margins that hops need (100%
mark-up, called “Keystone”
http://www.businessdictionary.com/de...ne-markup.html .: