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We felt like we were GWINNING, just being able to attend Interbike in our first 6 months of existence. The sheer number of shiny objects that were present to catch our attention and keep us off balance, was staggering. FOX RACING SHOX had the Trek Steed , that the 2011 World Cup DH champion Aaron Gwin, rode to a record 5 wins this season. Standing in the presence of this significant bike, left us hoping some magic would rub off, it unfortunately has not. If you name a World Champion in any cycling discipline, there was a good chance that their bike was somewhere in the exhibit hall.
One of our first stops was at the WTB booth, as we had hopes of pickin up another DEVO saddle. They were not selling any merchandise in their booth so we browsed a little bit and moved on. This STRYKER TCS ALL-MOUNTAIN wheelset really caught our eye as a solid choice for an AM/TRAIL choice. Depending on the configuration selected, you are looking at a pricepoint around $1000 and an overall wheel weight of roughly 1700g. These are both respectable numbers for a wheel that is built to take a beating, run tubeless, an featuring a solid 3 lace bladed spoke job. The visual statement made by the white rim and graphics make us think this would look nice on the current neon bright colored trend we are seeing with new bikes. As someone that runs a raw frame, I would personally like the option of a black rim but that is just me being ultra picky.
One of our first stops was at the WTB booth, as we had hopes of pickin up another DEVO saddle. They were not selling any merchandise in their booth so we browsed a little bit and moved on. This STRYKER TCS ALL-MOUNTAIN wheelset really caught our eye as a solid choice for an AM/TRAIL choice. Depending on the configuration selected, you are looking at a pricepoint around $1000 and an overall wheel weight of roughly 1700g. These are both respectable numbers for a wheel that is built to take a beating, run tubeless, an featuring a solid 3 lace bladed spoke job. The visual statement made by the white rim and graphics make us think this would look nice on the current neon bright colored trend we are seeing with new bikes. As someone that runs a raw frame, I would personally like the option of a black rim but that is just me being ultra picky.
DAKINE CROSS-X GLOVE
Amongst the many patterns that you take notice of while at Interbike, is the seasons new color scheme trends. Black and Green although a little bit of a hold over from last year, appears to still be going strong. While checking out the Dakine booth we happened upon this sick black and green pair of Cross-X gloves. It may have been the colors that drew us in but there is a complete design change that really grabbed out attention. The Cross-X started it all for Dakine's entry into the glove market. This is a glove that is designed to be comfortable but to also withstand the abuse, with its bomber construction. The Cross-X is built full of the features you would expect from a quality glove. Check out the spec list here:
Features
Features
- Back of Hand: Moisture wicking 4-way stretch polyester, embossed neoprene, sonic welded armor, Palm: Clarino® synthetic suede, Palm Padding: 3mm foam, Closure: Adjustable hook and loop, Neoprene knuckle flex panels, Terrycloth thumb panels, Silicone gripper finger tips
LOADED USA COMPONENTS
NOTICE: The above photo in no way can bring justice to the sheer beauty or craftsmanship that goes into the LOADED USA Components. We strongly urge you to head to their website to see exactly what we mean. Unfortunately we were dealing with some camera issues when we met with Anthony from Loaded USA, so this is the only glimpse we can give you. We were already familiar with the awesome product that is put out by Loaded USA but we did not realize how many various components they make. The list of bling that you can add to your bike is rather extensive : Stems, seatposts, handlebars, pedals, binder clamps, wheelsets, hubs, spokes, skewers, stems, rims, headsets, and chain ring bolts. If your like us, then your already figuring out how good your bike could look with a little component makeover. The one thing that we were not aware of, an that impressed us the most, was the custom built wheelsets that they offer. Anthony informed us that you could have a full hand built custom themed XC,AM, or DH wheelset put together starting around $600. He specifically mumbled something about a Captain America build, but we had wandered over to look at the beautiful new ultrathin Flat Titanium pedals (Not pictured due to aforementioned camera issues ) that he had multiple people wanting to purchase while we were in the booth. We are hoping to do a full cockpit swap on our bike and give some firsthand feedback on the quality and durability of the truly stunning LOADED USA product line. Stay Tuned!