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Core Bike Show highlights 2015: Kinesis, Alé, Tifosi, Effetto Mariposa

Running a few weeks later than planned, but I wanted to share thoughts on some of the things that stood out to me at the recent Core Bike Show. For those of you who don’t know, it’s an invitation only UK trade show. It’s mainly aimed at bike shops and their staff but the press are also welcomed on one of the days. It can be a show for new releases but more often it’s when folks who don’t go to Eurobike see new products in person in the UK.

For me there were a few stands with products that stood out on the day and they’re listed below:

Kinesis 4S Disc

DSC01199Kinesis were possibly the bike brand with the most new models on display, which were mostly disc versions of existing bikes, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t interesting. The GF_Ti has been a big hit in the caliper braked version and a disc version makes a lot of sense. Again, a disc version of the 5T Cyclocross bike also makes a lot of sense. The same could be said about the 4S Disc too but it looks like Kinesis are being particularly smart with this bike as they told me it would be disc and caliper brake ready. That’s right you will be able to buy a 4S disc and run your current caliper braked gruppo until you’re ready to switch it to discs. Maximum versatility. Not only that but they say it should probably take wider tyres – up to 30mm with full guards. Nice … oh and you can run mechanical or Di2 on it as well as post mount or the new flat mount disc brake standards. The current 4S disc has been a big seller at it’s £550 retail for the frameset and Kinesis told me they expected the 4S Disc to be around £600. My prediction is these will fly out the door once people realise all the options they offer for the present and the future. However, you’ll have to wait until further in the year as they told they’ll probably not be finished and here until mid to late summer.

Alé Cycling Clothing

DSC01210Distributor Paligap had a big range of new Italian brand Alé on show. It’s been getting good reviews and I recently tried a jacket (in a review in a high circulation bike magazine) and was very impressed with it. The range looks very Italian, with shall we say, bold styling and my view based on sampling one product is that it’s well worth checking out. Visually it makes a nice change from some of the other big brands.

Gravel wheels!

Reynolds ATR carbon gravel wheels

Reynolds ATR carbon gravel wheels

You’ve heard of gravel bikes if you’ve followed the bike press over the last year or so. It’s road cycling’s 29er perhaps. Emanating from the USA, gravel bikes are road bikes with clearances for larger tyres, longer wheelbases for comfort, disc brakes and endurance geometries.

So it’s not a surprise now to see wheels specifically designed for this kind of bike and riding. Stan’s had the new Grail wheel on display and Reynolds had a new ATR carbon wheel for this market. Gravel wheels are disc specific, probably tubeless and with wider rims.

Stans Grail gravel wheels

Stans Grail gravel wheels

If gravel wheels are part of the switch to disc there’s more high end disc wheels hitting the market too, with a new Reynolds 46 Aero disc, a direct competitor to the Zipp 303 Firecrest disc wheels out last year. The Reynolds had very nice new graphics too.

Reynolds 46 Aero Disc

Reynolds 46 Aero Disc

I’ve ridden the caliper Aero 46 and was very impressed, very quick and stable in crosswinds. A do it all wheel (although I must confess I personally prefer the Aero 58 for more speed).

Lizard Skins now make gloves….

DSC01207You might have already spotted this but I hadn’t – and quite a broad range too.

New aggressively priced and specced road bikes from Tifosi…

Tifosi CK3 Giro 105

Tifosi CK3 Giro 105

Tifosi is a house brand of UK distributor Chicken Cycles and has been making bikes for many years. The Tifosi Audax bikes have a strong following and are well respected. They had new road bikes on display including this smart looking Tifosi CK3 Giro featuring 105 components for £899. Two cheaper builds (Claris and Sora) are also available and a range of colours.

New Effetto Mariposa Carogna Tub tape

DSC01222I was told effusively how good this new tub tape was at a stand other than its own distributors, which piqued my interest as you don’t often get staff at a distributor raving about a product a competitor distributes. Apparently it’s reusable, has better temperature performance and the glue activates more as the pressure of the tyre rises. This could be just the ticket for those of you considering trying a set of tubs but who don’t want the hassle of glue.

Well priced Lapierre Sensium Di2 with Hydraulic discs..

DSC01231On the Lapierre stand I spotted this carbon framed Sensium 500 disc road bike featuring Ultegra 6870 Di2 and Shimano’s fantastic (if a little heavy) R785 hydraulic disc brakes for a retail of £2999, which seemed like good value to me. I’ve not tried a Lapierre but I’ve noticed them getting some very good reviews in the press and if this keeps that form going, it could be a good option for anyone looking for Di2 and hydraulic discs.

Thanks for reading…