Designs Envisioned by Riders Will Be Available to Public

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., - Oakley, Inc. today announced updates regarding the 2009 Tour de France and the concurrent worldwide release of JAWBONE(TM), a revolutionary breakthrough in performance eyewear. Details were provided on specific color combinations of JAWBONE crafted for Tour riders who will rely on the product’s new design technologies in competition. The company noted that the Oakley Custom Program (OCP) will allow fans to salute their heroes by selecting similar component color combinations.

“‘Science wrapped in art’ has been our aspiration from day one. The Tour de France presents a perfect platform for us to unleash our new custom JAWBONE eyewear,” said Colin Baden, president of Oakley. “Our Tour riders are absolute originals, each with a unique style and approach to life. The Oakley Custom Program lets them take this unbelievable optical instrument called JAWBONE and make it their own by choosing colors — not just for the main frame but for four component categories as well. Performance becomes art, and with JAWBONE eyewear included in our custom program, consumers will have the same freedom to build their own unique version of this innovation,” Baden concluded.

Oakley riders George Hincapie, Mark Cavendish and Oscar Pereiro chose Pearl White for the frame color and White for the stem sleeves of their custom JAWBONE designs. For the jaw component that locks the interchangeable lenses into place, Hincapie picked Team Yellow while Cavendish went with Polished White and Pereiro opted for Pearl White. A “bolt” component of Oakley’s new SwitchLock(TM) Technology turns science into an accent of style, and both Hincapie and Cavendish selected Pearl White for this part of the design while Pereiro went with Blue. Hincapie completed his custom frame with an Oakley icon in Gunmetal. Cavendish chose Yellow for the icon while Pereiro completed his red/white/blue theme with Team Red.

Read the rest of this entry »

Doug Dalton (Cannondale R&D) shows us the highlights of the new 2010 SuperSix.

Points of Interest:
-this tour winning frame goes from 960 grams to 860 grams (for 56cm) still with incredible Cannondale stiffness.
-New SuperSix uses a combination of Hi-Modulus and Standard Modulus carbon fiber.
-1 1/8 to 1 ¼ steerer tube within an hourglass head tube-Exreme bottom bracket stiffness
-chain stays and BB are made from one monocoque mold for ultimate stiffness
-asymetrical chainstays for differing loads and strengths

More photos:

website: http://www.cannondale.com/

Adrian Montgomery of Scott USA gives us a brief overview of the completely redesigned 2010 Scott CR1 SL.

Points of Interest:
-CR1SL has been completely redesigned for 2010.
-Compliant flex zones in the chain stays for approx. .6 mm of rear wheel bump absorbing travel
-Integrated Molding Process in the front triangle (the top tube, down tube, and head tube are all made in one single process)
-Compliant fork
-HMX blended carbon fiber SL frame weight is 860 grams, HMF version is 930 grams

More photos:

Ride Impression:
Besides taking pictures and video, I also had a chance to actually ride the Scott USA CR1 SL at the Bike Press Camp held recently in Sun Valley, Idaho. I rode about 22 miles, out and back from the Sun Valley Resort. The terrain was mostly rolling, with absolutely no extended climbs or downhills. So my ride impression here is strictly limited to what I noticed on such a tame route.

The most noticeable aspect of this bike is the comfort that is afforded from the rear suspension design. I purposefully rode over bumps and cracks just to see how much dampening effect the flex zones gave and the design is something that you can really feel. It’s not hype, it works! The pavement irregularities that I rode over were definitely muted by the rear as well as the front.

I would have liked to try an extended climb with this bike, but on the short climbs and whenever I stood up to pedal, I did not feel like I was losing any efficiency. However, this is something that can be easily measured if I were to ride this bike on my own local roads and climbs, that I time myself on (barring other differing factors like bike weight, time of day, what I ate for dinner the previous night, etc…)

In short, the bike felt very comfortable but did not feel mushy while climbing or sprinting.

At 860 grams, the Scott CR1 SL weighs exactly the same as the new Cannondale SuperSix (that I had also hoped to ride, but my size was not available.)

Check the Scott USA website to find a local dealer and schedule a test ride for yourself!

website: http://scottusa.com/

Lester Muranaka from Delta 7 Sports shows us the production Ascend road bike. He also explains how Delta 7 Sports has addressed the bond issues that they had with past bikes (like the hardtail mountain bikes at the Outdoor Demo at Interbike last year). Also, there is some big changes coming for the 2010 construction of the Iso Truss.

Points of Interest:
-Frame weight est. 1.8 lbs (56”)
-Lifetime Warranty
-Carbon fiber frame
-Exreme bottom bracket stiffness
-Limited Production
-Most durable frame available
-Now has bottle cage mounts

More photos:

Details from the Official Delta 7 Sports press release:

Price: $5995 USD
Build Kits: SRAM RED or Campagnolo Super Record
Warranty: Lifetime Warranty
Product Description:
Extremely stiff and light, the Ascend™ maximizes the IsoTruss® tube structure proving to be the best carbon fiber bike available. Truly stunning visually with ride qualities and features unmatched by any other tube structures. An extremely stiff bottom bracket and stronger than any other in its class. Unique carbon fiber and Kevlar frames are limited production and handcrafted in the USA.
“Experience IsoTruss® Technology”

website: http://delta7sports.com/

From the Sugoi Spring 2010 collection, Gordon Wright shows us some of the latest road specific clothes from Sugoi. Shown here are the RSE bib shorts and jersey and a couple of super light weight outer layers.

-The RSE bib shorts feature a brand new FX chamois, with added mesh inserts for ventilation.

-RSE jersey is made for hot weather and is extremely effective at transferring mosture away from your body. Made with Gobi and Vector Stretch fabric.

-Hydrolite Jacket with pit zips keeps you from looking like you have an apocalyptic rash

-Helium, durable water resistant fabric that is SUPER light weight. It weighs 1.12 ounces per square yard of fabric, this complete jacket weights only 3 ounces. I held this jacket in my hands and it felt amazing.

Helium Jacket:

More Sugoi photos:

Details from the Official Sugoi Product Launch Press Release:

SUGOI Presents Spring 2010 Line

SUGOI Performance Apparel, a division of Dorel Industries Inc., (TSX: DII.B, DII.A) is proud to present the Spring 2010 collection – a collection that features cutting-edge fabric technology, performance-based comfort and a significant advance in compression fabrication.

SUGOI’s product line is categorized by Equipment and Culture, demarking premium-quality race and training apparel from casual and lifestyle pieces; no Equipment is more advanced than the company’s expanded Race and Recovery (R+R) compression line.

“Compression fabrics have been embraced by a wide range of athletes, and we’ve spent five years putting compression innovation in our products,” notes SUGOI President Stan Mavis, “The performance benefits of compression have been proven, and with the Spring 2010 line we’re introducing proprietary fabrics and manufacturing processes that will redefine the category.”

NEW for 2010: SUGOI’s R+R line is centered on Piston™ fabric technology, which uses polyamide-based materials that boast the lowest weight per square inch available in warp-knit compression fabric. Combined with the company’s proprietary PowerKnit process, 3D ergo fit panel zone construction and using an ultrafine 36-gauge knitting process, Piston™ fabrics provide exceptional performance and recovery benefits.

The super-light Piston™ 140 is used for upper-body garments, while the denser Piston™ 200 makes up lower-body garments including calf guards. The R+R line provides performance benefits to athletes over a range of sports including running, triathlon, cycling and more.

Specializing in compression technology for over 10 years with DuPont Lycra® and Dow XLA®; Dr. Michael Hunt, PhD states: “SUGOI has a proven history of incorporating the highest level of technology and materials within their lines, and the new SUGOI R+R collection is no exception. All SUGOI R+R compression garments capitalize on focused compression with SUGOI Piston™ technology, and provide athletes with graduated support, which increases circulation and reduces the chance of injury.”

SUGOI’s new RSE collection is an advancement on the multi-award winning RS series; the ultimate in technical cycling apparel. Advanced chamois technology, breathable tight knit fabrics that cut through air and specially applied zone construction allows the RSE series to promise incredible performance.

website: www.sugoi.com

Blue Competiton Cycles is well known for their hi-end competition road bikes and tri bikes. Here are two new 2010 aero carbon models, the AC1 and the AC1 SL. The AC1 is priced slightly higher than the RC8 (for frameset) and the AC1 SL is about $1100 more than the RC8.

In this video, Chance Regina (National Sales and Marketing Manager) shows us the highlights of the all new AC1 and the AC1 SL:

More info about the AC1 and the AC1 SL will be available on the RideBlue.com website soon. Also look for coming info about the new 2010 Norcross cyclocross bike and the new Triad SL.

More AC1 photos:

Blue AC1 SL:

(Read about the full carbon, full suspension mountain bike from Blue, the Ryno.)

website: www.rideblue.com

GREENVILLE, S.C. – With two months until the nation’s top professional athletes vie for the prestigious U.S. national cycling championships, a solid roster of 20 South Carolina businesses have committed to support this prestigious event. Organizers expect over 60,000 spectators for the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, now in its fourth year in Greenville, S.C., which will take place August 29-30, 2009.

Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS), one of the largest not-for-profit healthcare providers in South Carolina, returns for a fourth year in partnership, third year as title sponsor, for the championship weekend. Both the City of Greenville and County of Greenville return as official event hosts, providing valuable public safety support that is vital to all spectators and competitors. One of the new sponsors for 2009 is Duke Energy, which joins as the event’s presenting sponsor of the Individual Time Trial Championships held at CU-ICAR.

“Obviously, we are grateful for the continued public and private support of the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, especially during these challenging economic times,” noted Chris Aronhalt, managing partner of Medalist Sports, which produces the event on behalf of USA Cycling, Inc. “The Championships are a perfect fit to the Greenville community in many ways – a world-class cycling event which brings national attention to Greenville, promotes health & wellness activities, and, at the same time, raises significant fundraising dollars for the local cancer community.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Team Columbia-HTC’ will ride the 2009 Tour de France under new three-year sponsorship agreement

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. and Taoyuan, Taiwan, June 29 — High Road Sports, Inc., the owner of Team Columbia-Highroad and HTC Corporation, a designer of mobile phones, today announced a three-year sponsorship agreement that prominently places the HTC brand at the starting line of the 2009 Tour de France on July 4 in Monaco.

“High Road Sports is elated to be partnering with HTC, a recognized leader and growing global brand in mobile phones,” said Bob Stapleton, Owner, Team Columbia-HTC. “Team Columbia-HTC is now sponsored by two leading companies in their related industries and we are ready to show the growing power of our partnership at this year’s Tour de France.”

The team currently called Columbia-Highroad, and known in 2008 and 2009 as the team with the most victories in professional cycling, will compete as “Team Columbia-HTC” and will present the new team uniform in Monaco on July 3, the day before the start of the 96th Tour de France.

Read the rest of this entry »

Chris Jones (second from right) earned a runner-up finish behind Scott Zwizanski (center) at the Fidelity Investments Burlingame Criterium Sunday.

Alison Powers and Ian MacGregor each scored victories and Ken Hanson and Chris Jones added podium finishes at criteriums in California to cap a successful weekend for Team Type 1.

MacGregor took Saturday’s opening stage of the Dead Dog Classic Memorial Stage Race in Albany, Wyo., on the way to a fourth-place overall in the two-day, three-stage race that featured the largest field in its 21-year history.

MacGregor out-climbed the rest of the field on two ascents of Snowy Range Pass to solo in ahead of Bradley White (OUCH presented by Maxxis) and Ian Gray (Ciclismo Racing). White went on to win the overall crown.

Powers beat Eszter Horanyi (Waltworks/Fuentes Design) by nearly three minutes in Cross Country Super Loop, the second race of Colorado’s Winter Park Mountain Bike Race Series. The 17.2-mile (27.7 km) race featured 2,626 feet of climbing. The reigning U.S. time trial champion used it as a tune-up for next month’s USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships in Granby, Colo.

In Southern California, the odds weren’t in his favor, but Hanson said he had to take a chance when he hit the front of the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix with the finish line in sight.

Read the rest of this entry »

TEMPE, AZ – After decades of winning the world’s top races and creating impeccable racing machines, BH Bikes is creating a new future in road racing bicycles. The new BH G5 is the most advanced road frameset ever built.

We were not content to just make it lighter or stiffer. We utilized revolutionary molding techniques, tube shapes and even re-thought the way components attach to the bike. The end result is a frame that is 810 grams, including the integrated seat mast, front and rear derailleur hangers and bottom bracket shell. We achieve this weight while making the bike stiffer and stronger and giving it supreme road manners. The G5 rockets up hills, carves downhills with extreme stability and sprints with authority, all while muting road vibrations.

The G5 is built to be compatible with BB30 cranks or standard cranks with an innovative bearing design. Our aero cable channel makes the G5 stiffer torsionally and also has unique downtube mounts for the Shimano Di2 battery. The 1 1/8” to 1.5” fork adds to the precision and strength of the G5 without adding any weight.

Read the rest of this entry »