#tech

Reportage By: Petor Georgallou

From Baden-Württemberg to Frankfurt: A EUROBIKE 2022 Über-Gallery

A few weekends ago I found myself at Eurobike in its new Frankfurt übervenue. Eurobike has always been huge, but this year I was made acutely aware of the distances involved by the cab driver who dropped me off at the wrong entrance, and then charged an additional nine Euros for the 10-minute cab ride to the correct entrance. I bumped into another journalist who showed me her step count for the day, which prompted me to check mine, showing that I’d walked almost 60km or 40 miles of Shimano blue carpets over the space of two days. Shocking!

Reportage By: John Watson

Workbench Review: Ratio’s 11-Speed Road to 12-Speed Eagle Drop Bar Conversion Kit

I’ve got this bike. It’s a touring bike. So when it’s loaded down with gear, it can get quite heavy. To remedy this, I built it up with an Eagle GX rear derailleur and cassette, giving me a whopping 10-50t range (the new GX goes to 52t even). To shift this range, I used a barcon shifter from Microshift because as you are well aware, SRAM doesn’t make a cable-actuated road shifter that’s compatible with their MTB mech lineup.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with the Microshift barcon. I was and have been more than pleased with this option but then Ratio, a small startup out of the UK announced a 11-speed road to 12-speed mountain upgrade kit.

I think this is one time when we can ignore that old Eddy Merckx adage “Don’t buy upgrades, ride up grades…” Sorry Eddy, Johnnie’s bike needs this.

We posted about Ratio’s kit back in October. I ordered a kit the day the post went up but didn’t get motivated to do the install until I felt like I had a reason to. A few friends here in Santa Fe are taking on an all-road tour in April, and I wanted to get this bike dialed in before that trip, so last week, I swung by Sincere Cycles with the Dreamer and Ratio’s kit with hopes of rolling around on an 11-speed road shifter working with a 12-speed mountain…

Radar

Makin’ Moves with the Suunto Traverse GPS Watch

Wearable tech doesn’t have to be techy. Apple, Garmin, and many others make watches that can be linked to various ride tracking apps, yet I found myself drawn to the Suunto line, a lesser-known GPS watch brand. Part of my interest in Suunto was due to that they design and manufacture their watches in Finland, a country that seems to specialize in GPS watches and devices. For me, switching a computer from bike to bike, and managing the mounts for each, was too big of a pain in the ass. Convenience is king when your life revolves around riding, reviewing, and documenting bikes and bike rides. I’ve been making moves with the Suunto Traverse for three years now and truly believe these watches are worth their hefty price tag.

Radar

Bicycle Design: An Illustrated History by the MIT Press

For those of you who hold an interest in the evolution of the bicycle over the ages, this book is for you. Bicycle Design: An Illustrated History is a publication by the MIT press that breaks down each of the innovations that have brought us to the modern machines we use everyday…

See more below!

Radar

The Invisible Bicycle Helmet

Ok, this is very interesting on many levels. It’s like an airbag for your head and while most attempts at projects like this are far-fetched, the Invisible Bike helmet actually feels very real. Personally, I think a bike helmet that fits you, both physically and stylistically will be a joy to wear. Or you could wear a weird scarf-looking thing… See more at the Invisible Bicycle Helmet.

Radar

Micro Arc Oxidation = Re-Appropriation?

Bicycle application. Now?

I’ve seen this floating around and wondered why the aluminum frame builders don’t offer this treatment on their frames. Sure, it’s gotta come down to numbers but micro arc oxidation might be a great re-appropriation for track bikes. Maybe LOW could try this out?

“Three times stronger than stainless steel”

Thanks for sparking the post, Oscar.