Sometimes you learn a lot at industry conventions.
Of course, most convention-goers aren’t really thrilled about the convention itself. Participants tend to be more interested in the free doughnuts and coffee, the opportunity to be out of the office for a few days, and maybe having a few beers with colleagues in the evening (if the boss isn’t around).
Then again, I work in the biking industry. Specifically, bike tourism. So my industry events are a little more interesting.
Such as attending the annual Eurobike convention in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Eurobike is the leading global trade fair for the bike business. Think of it as a European-style Interbike. Interbike was the American equivalent (until its new organizers canceled the annual 37-year event in 2018).
So, you can imagine how my trade events may be more interesting than yours.
In brief, there is a lot of focus on smart-technology and e-bikes. Especially in the European market, e-bikes appear to be taking over a larger slice of the market-share, as motors get smaller and materials get lighter.
Even at Ciclismo Classico, the requests for e-bikes increase daily. More e-bikes means more people on the road. And that’s great, especially if you’re Eileen Epstein.
So here are a few take-homes I got to see firsthand at the exposition.
Getting Smart in Your Head
The team at Briko has had a lot to work on over the years. I wrote about the amazing technology they presented this year in the Ciclismo Classico 2019 gift guide.
Their Cerebellum helmet is a wild game changer in the helmet world. It gives you LED position lights (as do most “smart” helmets these days) plus an active live camera on the back of your helmet linked to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Thus you can see what is approaching you in real-time.
No more turning the head around and swerving into oncoming traffic. Just don’t distract yourself too much from the road with your smartphone on.
The helmet will also give you rear collision warnings, message any of your friends or family if you are involved in an accident, take continuous pictures and video of your environment while biking…and it will even remind you to drink water.
You could almost say the helmet is smarter than the cyclist.
Know No Crowds
Outdoor Active is another online company that I like. Their focus is to send people to less crowded destinations. In fact, the greatest threat to European communities is over-tourism, according to Chris Doyle, ATTA Executive Director for Europe and Central Asia.
Outdoor Active is sending people to more remote locations. They calculate crowd volumes in real time. Their vast database of trails, ski resorts, coastlines and quiet roads, gives you plenty of space to practice your sport of choice.
The system isn’t operation yet in the US, but if you are planning a nice hike with your family, say, in the French Alps, this could be a useful tool.
Fire-Up the Ink-Jet
Kinanzo Design is an engineering firm out of Slovakia. They design and create all kinds of interesting parts for cars, boats and the aerospace industry.
Because instead of welding together aluminum rods or fixing a plastic mold for carbon fiber, these guys took aluminum powder and “created” every square millimeter of the bike, ensuring the integrity of the entire frame.
And they incorporated a motor and battery into the frame. They built the bike around the motor (as opposed to inserting a motor into a pre-existing frame).
And, 3-D printing costs less. It also gives you quicker turn-around times. Thus, less raw materials wasted and less energy consumed.
Better for the planet.
If Only Coppi Knew…
Pollini traditionally makes motors for mini-bikes and scooters.
At Eurobike, this Bergamo company presented some incredibly small ebike motor/battery combinations.
Imagine a battery mounted underneath the down tube under your water bottle. The motor is wired directly in through the tube.
And the motor is so small, you can put it on a road bike.
And all the major Italian bike manufacturers are doing it.
De Rosa, Bianchi, Tomasini, and Wilier Triestina (and many other Italian brands) are using Pollini’s technology to answer an increasing market demand: Road E-bikes.
Giving Back to Planet Earth
A lot of companies are making 100% recycled water bottles for your bicycle. That’s great. This way your old water bottle gets reprocessed as a new water bottle.
But what happens to older water bottles that don’t get reused? That’s a lot of plastic in the world adding to the already massive single serve water-bottle issue we have created with one generation.
Polipromotion gave me an inside look at the prototype for the 2020 version of their 100% biodegradable bicycle water bottle.
The Portuguese company already produces environmentally friendly, BPA-free and 100% recyclable products. Their commitment to the European directives to reduce plastic are coming in the new year with a series of biodegradable bottles.
If You Can’t Drink Them, Wear Them
Speaking of water bottles, Pearl Izumi has found a small solution to this same problem.
But not only is Pearl Izumi looking to make recycled jerseys. They are also continuing to outfit cycling adventures with sustainable clothing. They hope to have up to 90% of their catalog made from recycled materials by 2022.
In addition, they were the first bike brand to eliminate “handtags” (by 2019). Pearl Izumi provides all care and material information on small business-card style recyclable paper, which can be recycled in any paper bin.
So not only do you keep yourself warm, but you also do the world a little good at the same time.
Changing Gears
This is just cool.
Ceramic Speed is a company out of Denmark, which has a remarkable story to it. Find out about Ceramic Speed to understand why they don’t just focus on ceramic bearings.
They released a new concept in drivetrains positioned to change an industry. They are striving for the most efficient drivetrain technology. In fact, they’ve already achieved 99%.
So, forget your old transmission and the delights of chain-suck and the joys of dropping the chain. Forget dirty pulley wheels and skipping cogs.
The future is here.
And it’s…cool.
Zip it Up
Here is another product I found amazing enough to write about for the Ciclismo Classico 2019 Gift Guide.
Sometimes living in cold climates gives you plenty of time to invent cool stuff.
For example, when living in Norway (or Boston), it’s not uncommon to have a day with ice-covered roads. And you have slicks on your bike.
What should you do about that? Put on new wheels with studs?
Not at all. ReTyre allows you to zip on studded ice- or snow-tires and take off into your own winter wonderland.
Not too keen on biking in the winter?
Then you can convert your road bike to a gravel bike with one zip of the tire. Gravel to mountain? Do the same.
Make sure to follow me as I attend Eurobike 2020 next year. Let us know what you think is the greatest technological bicycle advancement in the comments below. Let’s discuss!
