SHOW REVIEW | ICEBIKE* GUESTS: SEMINARS AND CYCLE FITTING
SOME FAMILIAR faces were back again this year, along with fresh additions. iceBike* veteran Jay Townley returned to give a talk on what he calls ‘digital Darwinism’. In short, Townley’s speeches centred
Blackburn’s new fully waterproof panniers were a big hit
Easton gave those dabbling in the outdoors trade plenty to look at
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SCIENCE IN SPORT Nutrition giant Science in Sport has
introduced the ‘Intropack’ for dealers struggling to make inroads in sports nutrition. At £13.50, the box packs in £19 worth of gels,
powders, energy and recovery bars and a water bottle. This pack will include the soon to be rebranded Go and Rego product, undergoing a design makeover for April launch.
Madison’s new point of
sale (below) and Nutrak’s tyre range (above)
GAMUT Gamut introduced a new single ring bashguard and chain guide to supersede the P20 and P40. Largely revamped, the design carries an aluminium insert and redesigned, reduced weight backplate. There’s no lower roller either, with Gamut opting for an O-ring design, which chains simply slide over with no noise and little friction. O-ring spares are supplied in the box, though can also be obtained from most hardware stores. The new model lands with Madison in April, comes in 100-grams lighter than the P30 and is 34 and 36-tooth compatible.
WHEELS MANUFACTURING Now boasting 163 gear hanger replacements having added another for the new Cervelo s5, Wheels Manufacturing continues to provide dealers a one stop shop for frame spare parts. The firm is, however, diversifying its offering,
introducing converters for BB30 and press fit, to Shimano compatible, as well as adaptors for Campagnolo and BBright frames. UK prices are to be confirmed, though the BB30 and press fit adapters will cost between 30 and 50 dollars and the BBright, around 50 dollars.
18 BIKEBIZ MARCH
Hangars for Giants TCR line, Willier’s latest bikes and the Merckx EMX5/7 are now available.
BLACKBURN Taking pride of place on the Blackburn stand was the new line of luggage, from saddlebags, through full size panniers. The new Barrier, perhaps the highlight of the
bunch is Blackburns 100 per cent waterproof welded seam 29-litre pannier – costing just £59.99 at retail. As with all Blackburn luggage, the Click Fix system features, tying it to the brand’s pannier rack product. Reflective accents adorn the front panel, while either side of the bag features a cut out for clipping rear lights. The Barrier saddlebags cost £14.99 and £19.99.
PARK TOOL It was new products galore on the Park Tool stand, which was manned by brand expert Roger Olsen, flown in from the US for iceBike*. A total of 15 new products join the catalogue,
including Campagnolo Power Torque adaptor sets, new crown race cutting adaptors, steel core tyre levers, DT Swiss and Mavic compatible spoke wrenches, thru axle adaptors for truing jigs and much more.
The highlight for workshops has to be one of the simpler products in the catalogue, however. Park has upgraded its Nitrile workshop gloves and, as demonstrated by Olson, these will stretch as far as the elbow without disintegrating, as is often the case when working with budget counterparts from most hardware stores. All new tools are backed by Park Tools’ limited lifetime warranty.
around ensuring your business isn’t left behind by society and technology, as together both seemingly jump light years into the future with the help of new gadgets and services, be it social media, or QR scanners linking customers up to price comparison websites. Townley told BikeBiz: “It’s not a good idea to bury your head in the sand with these things. We’re in a part of history where online is experiencing a big transitional change and those that embrace advances can do good business, or at least raise their profile. Others who don’t, I fear, will drop off the face of the earth as time ticks on. There are now four generations using Facebook, not just the younger generations, a common misconception. With an up to date website, keeping tabs on social media activity, offering handheld device compatible services and selling a package that can’t be found online, retailers can stay ahead of the game.” Making a debut appearance at iceBike*
and drawing crowds of intrigued retailers, Gait analysis specialists from MAR Systems were demonstrating the art of precision bike fitting. Jonathan Hedges of Mar told BikeBiz: “Bike fitting is an excellent way to get the upper hand over the big boys online. Independent retail can give a personal fitting with our software package from as little as £85 per month. This online software takes into account the customer’s measurements and delivers the best base bike solutions in an easy to understand traffic light system. We can bike fit for comfort, sport or competition use, as well as alleviate most aches and pains using analysis.” Hedges also explained the benefits in terms of SEO, for those using video to assist in bike fitting. He added: “We have a direct upload to YouTube function and since search engines are hot on video and PDF content, stores assisting their customers via video analysis can make big gains online with just a few links.” For more information on MAR, see
www.mar-systems.co.uk.
Jay Townley (left) and Mar’s Jonathan Hedges (right) at iceBike*
BIKEBIZ.COM
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