Our roving (raving?) US correspondent, Fahzure, has been on the road again, this time he headed to Outerbike.
Outerbike is a bicycle consumer demo event and party that takes place twice a year in Moab, Utah and, for the first time this year, additionally in Bentonville, Arkansas. It’s a great opportunity for bike shoppers to ride several bikes, on the same trail even, over a few days in order to choose the best option for their riding needs. Increasingly, it has also become a mini-product showcase for smaller bike businesses, especially highlighting regional manufacturers and consumer direct products. So, enjoy this gallery of of Outerbike bicycle innovators doing it their own special way.
1. Evil Bike Company
Evil Bike Company is (finally) moving to Bellingham, Washington which will make the near daily commute to ride much shorter. They were/are in Seattle, WA (a big city with limited ride options and horrible traffic) and had to drive 1:30 north to Bellingham to ride good trails. Now that commute is 10 minutes.
Evil was showing off its line of super tough bikes with highly tuned Delta rocker suspension systems and featuring integrated chain guides, like on this 130mm Calling.
2. Transition Bikes
Transition makes carbon and aluminum bikes including the affordable and very burly Scout, seen here. Designed around a reduced offset fork and with a revised rear suspension that allows for some chain growth to the sag point, the rear suspension is efficient early in the travel and largely independent of pedalling deeper in the stroke, while keeping handling nimble up front.
3. Fezzari
Utah’s own Fezzari, a consumer-direct bike maker, was showing off its line of very affordable aluminum and carbon mountain bikes. All the Fezzari bikes now feature a horst-link style suspension, and the new carbon Signal Peak (starting at $2999.00 with Eagle) is their quick handling dually designed for epic XC experiences.
4. Magped
Magped was demoing its enhanced flat pedal design which features magnets of varying strength to help retain your foot. They’ll be coming out with a dual sided version soon and claim it’s the perfect pedal system for making your pedal platform comfy and efficient. [Let’s hope they’re better than this magnetic pedal effort.]
5. Fasst Company
Want to give your wrists and arms an easier time in the chunder and on large hits? Fasst has brought its moto bar technology to MTBs with a carbon fiber and aluminum handle bar featuring a hinge and interchangeable elastomer springs. Fasst claims less fatigue and, with movement in a single plane parallel to the fork, natural control and feel.
6. Pedalling Innovations
Want to be able to steer your bike with your feet? Pedaling Innovations’ massive 143X95mm platform may allow you to do just that. Riders came back pleased with the support, while Pedlaing Innovations claims all sorts of efficiency benefits as well. [We’ve previously reviewed some here]
7. Why Bicycles
Why Bicycles recently relocated to Carbondale, Colorado and has continued to refine its Ti frame designs with high quality detailing. Unique to Why is the extensive use of cold worked tubing to create tubing profiles that are optimized for stresses at tube junctions and weld surface.
8. Spot
Spot’s Living Link suspension system relies on a carbon leaf spring functioning as both link and secondary spring. Invented by Avid’s Wayne Lumpkin (so many big ideas), this design gives the bike extra bottom out resistance/progressivity while allowing the shock to operate with a compliant, flat rate.
9. DVO
DVO had on display the Sapphire (34mm), Diamond (35mm) and, shown above, the robust Onyx (36mm), presently 27.5in, but 29 coming soon. Also, on display was DVO’s Garnet dropper post and the Jade rear shock, shown on this Giant ride (available for demo), which has some upgraded seals.
10. The Pro’s Closet
Looking for an attractive vintage ride or last season’s hot rod plastic bike at below alloy prices? The Pro’s Closet probably has something for you in their constantly changing inventory of used and demo bicycles and equipment. Also impressive is the TPC virtual museum, full of vintage and antique mountain and road bikes, extensively restored and documented on their website, two of which made the trip to Outerbike: Matt (John’s brother) Parker’s Yeti Ultimate; and Tinker Jaurez’s Klein Adroit, both 1993.
Check out Fahzure’s Interbike coverage here and on Instagram if you like your bike tech to be just a bit different.