SHOW REVIEW | ICEBIKE*
Thought that Madison’s showroom layout looked good? Seminar speaker and merchandising guru Mercedes Ross took charge
Ice*should be so lucky
Falling toward the end of the show calendar, Madison’s iceBike* drew crowds like never before. Mark Sutton did the rounds. From product through seminars and special guests, it’s all here…
MADISON CLOTHING Madison’s new POS for its clothing line drew flocks of retailers curious about the eyecatching backlit panels, debuting at the show. Commitment tiers are yet to be confirmed, though Madison clothing brand manager Chris Whitaker told BikeBiz: “Dealers have responded very well throughout the show. This has been the most positive response we’ve had to both the POS and clothing.” Plenty of new flouro gear made an
appearance, bulking up the brand’s commuter catalogue with gillets, jackets and jerseys. Madison’s also experimenting with new fibres, introducing bamboo undershorts among other goods. In a men’s and women’s cut, the undershorts are backed with Madison’s limited lifetime warranty. With strong thermal properties, the anti-bacterial fabric quickly wicks moisture to the surface, making it ideal for long jaunts in the saddle or triathlons.
KRYPTONITE Before telling us about a bundle of new chain locks, Kryptonite pointed us to two new brackets designed to hold d-locks in transit. The first is the H-bar carrier, designed to fit handlebars as small as 22mm, to 32mm in thickness. What’s more, this bracket will carry the majority of u-locks on the market. Hook
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and loop straps keep the unit firm and free from rattle. A frame-mounted version, costing £12.99 is also available. New to the range and due in stock end of
April are new chains in various lengths hitting each level of Sold Secure. Weighing in with a Gold Sold Secure rating are the Evolution chains, available in short, standard and long lengths at £44.99, £64.99 and £89.99, respectively. Landing with Madison late March, a spokesperson told BikeBiz: “The shorter versions act as a flexible u-lock and the chain locks into the head with a dead bolt effect, so it’s a real solid unit.” Retailers should also look out for the ‘Keeper’ chain, coming in with a Silver rating and comprising 7mm four sided chain links made from 3T manganese steel.
HYDRAPAK
A hidden delight of the Hydrapak stand came from a not so typical water bottle, the brand’s Gel Bot. This unit has a separate internal tube to hold gel, which is released when you push the nozzle down and squeeze. While the nozzle is pulled open only water can be released. Another unique variation on the water bottle came in the form of the ‘Soft Flask’, a £12.99 collapsable flask with patented bite valve. A Hydrapak spokesman told BikeBiz: “Many of our components are compatible with product from
Dakine, Soloman and even Camelbak, including our reservoirs, themselves unique thanks to our ‘Shapeshift’ spine ziploc system – in a nutshell, this eliminates the side to side sloshing of liquid while in the saddle.”
SARACEN It was prototypes galore on the Saracen booth, which also hosted the team launch as the final day of show came to a close. The three builds shown were a 100mm Kili 29er, a 120mm Zen 29er and a new cyclocross rig. Five builds of the Kili 29er are planned, spanning £550 through £1,500, while the Zen rides much like the 140mm Ariel, according to brand manager Simon Wild. He told BikeBiz: “You’ll really notice the rolling resistance lessens with these bikes, they make you feel fit. The 120mm Zen is trail friendly, light and fast enough for long rides.” Of the cyclocross rig, Wild said: “This is the mountain bikers cyclocross bike. It’s carrying a shorter stem, is more upright and has rack mounts should anyone want to use it as a workhorse. What’s more, it’ll take a 30.9 gravity post, for quick saddle height adjustment.” Guideline prices for this model weigh in at
£800 for a dual mechanical disc spec, or for SRAM RED, £1,300. Both will be available around September time.
>> BIKEBIZ MARCH 17
Kryptonite has new locks at each step on the Sold Secure ladder
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