• Bikes & Tech

Tech Updates: Northwave, Campy and more

by Zack Vestal

• November 25, 2009
• Comments

The fall trade show season is now just a distant memory, and 2010 cycling gear is already hitting the shelves. It’s never too early to start thinking about new toys for the coming cycling season, so we’ve got a roundup of a few tech items that caught our collective attention here. These are compiled from company press releases, because we’ve not got this gear in hand yet. But stay tuned, and we’ll try to cook up some actual reviews.

Northwave introduces 2010 Razer mountain bike shoe

The Northwave Razer mountain bike shoe promises to be lighter and more comfortable than its predecessors.

Renowned Italian cobbler Northwave announces their new, top of the range 2010 Razer mountain bike shoe. It’s geared toward racers and elite riders as a lightweight, performance driven design.

Using experience from the Aerlite MTB series, Northwave designed an entirely new sole and upper for the Razer. With research and athlete input, Northwave’s 2010 top shelf shoe is lighter, offers a more supple upper and has a thinner carbon sole to bring the foot closer to pedal. These characteristics have been achieved without sacrificing ventilation or stiffness in the sole or support for the foot in the upper.

The new sole, dubbed “The Thin Profile Sole”, has a much lower profile in the outer sole itself. This reduced overall weight and permits an easier, more intuitive pedal interface. The outsole traction lugs are also improved, with dual-density rubber. One is a softer durometer for sure grip on all surfaces, while the other is firmer and gives excellent support and greater durability. This structural sole is supported by carbon layer that gives the shoe its overall stiffness, but at the same time is thinner than ones used in the past giving it lower foot-to-pedal stack height.

The all-new upper uses more supple materials and Northwave’s Aerator System for ample ventilation. There are no overlapping materials and the mesh is placed in key areas for maximum foot comfort. A new “Omega” heel cup gives the Razer superior heel stability and allows for cooling via rear air vents. Northwave continues to use its ASR2 instep closing system including the innovative S.B.S. buckle. This allows for a precise closure over the instep area giving the greater control and power transmission. The size range has also been lowered allowing for more women to step into the Razer.

The $250 Razer has already been in use on the World Cup MTB circuit with European Cross Country Champion Ralf Naf riding to victory and long-time Northwave athlete Jose Hermida, who both ride for the successful Multi Van-Merida MTB Team. It’s available in full sizes 37-47, and half sizes 39.5-45.5

On the Web: www.northwave.com

Light the night, stuff stockings, see and be seen with Sigma MICRO lights

Even Santa’s sleigh needs to be seen while gliding across the sky delivering presents to all the good little boys and girls. And of course, Santa chooses the best- the Sigma MICRO. This little light allows you to be seen, period. No matter if you find yourself in a downpour, a blizzard, or a crystal clear night, you will be noticed.

The Sigma MICRO is available in 10 colors, each featuring either a red or white LED light. The MICRO has two modes, flashing or solid and achieves its super brightness through specially designed optics. The light can be fastened almost anywhere thanks to its two flexible Velcro straps. On the bike, the helmet, the kid’s backpack, the stroller, the dog’s collar or anywhere else that safety is a priority. Stuff everyone‘s stockings full of colorful MICROS for only $10 each.

On the Web: www.sigmasport.com

Campy makes life a little easier with 12-29 cassette cogs for 11-speed groups

A little help up the hills never hurts, says Campagnolo with their new 12-29 cogsets.

Anyone who lives in or near the mountains knows: the only way to defy gravity on a bike is with large cogs and small chainrings. Campagnolo raised the bar in 2009 with multiple 11-speed groups, with closely spaced cogs to cater a perfect spin to suit the terrain at hand. For 2010, Campy kicks it up again with 12-29 cassette cogs for the 11-speed groups, with the added benefit of easy rear derailleur compatibility.

The new cassette exceeds the 28 teeth of the sprockets offered by SRAM and Shimano, and enables the 11-speed drivetrain to be even more versatile. In fact, the new 12-29 cogs paired with a compact 50-34 crankset permits gear combinations similar to those of a 53-42-30 triple crank. Further, the use of a compact crankset rather than a triple makes it possible to obtain better chain alignment and a big reduction in weight, a crucial factor when you’re confronting those really demanding climbs.

But the really big news is that Campagnolo has managed to keep a single rear derailleur configuration, thereby avoiding the problem of the double option: a rear derailleur with medium or short arm. With 11-speed groups there is just one rear derailleur and it can work precisely and optimally from sprocket 11 to sprocket 29 with all the combinations of Campagnolo 11-speed cranksets available. You won’t have to purchase a new 11-speed rear derailleur: just fit the 12-29, take off with your bike and challenge the big climbs.

The 12-29 cassettes will be available in November 2009 for the Super Record™ and Record™, and in February 2010 for the Chorus™.

On the web: www.campagnolo.com

New company Überhund kicks off with Blitz integrated aero bar

The lack of hardware and pad risers gives the Blitz a super sleek presentation to the wind.

Überhund is a new company with fresh ideas aiming to start new trends in the cycling industry. Product manager Bert Hull has roots in the automotive composites and aerodynamics fields, and aims to bring proven technology and manufacturing processes to the cycling industry. Marketing Director Peter Knoop expects that the established component companies will adopt the aerodynamic and ergonomic features of their new Blitz aero’ bar and hopes that their environmental policies will become commonplace among component manufacturers.

Hull began experimenting with boundary layer control surface treatments in 2002 and developed a series of aero forks for Alpha Q that generated 4 percent less drag than smooth forks of the same shape. Ridley bikes later adopted this technology (renamed R-surface) for aero frames with similar drag reduction claims. “Application to a time trial bar was the next evolution of this technology, and we have other products in the works,” claims Hull. The Blitz aero’ bar features boundary layer control strips at the top and bottom of each wing just forward of the thickest cross section of the 3-1 ratio (UCI Legal) NACA airfoil cross section to help the air flow smoothly over the bar.

The Blitz is 40cm wide, with a drop of 4 cm. The grips are long enough for larger hands, and a unique, bulged shape that provides 36 percent more surface area than a standard 22 mm round grip. Überhund says that with the surface texture, it gives sufficient grip to make bar tape unnecessary.

The width adjustable (but not height adjustable) arm rests are very low, just millimeters above the bar clamp, for an aggressively low aero position. Height adjustment is achieved by raising or lowering the stem rather than the pads. To keep weight minimal (less than a pound for the XL length, including pads and hardware), the Blitz aero’ bar has no length adjustment. Instead the Blitz aero’ bar is offered with s-bend extensions in three sizes from 275mm to 315mm in 20mm increments and with straight extensions in 270mm and 310mm lengths with trim guides allowing the user to customize the length as much as 50mm shorter. Custom length S bend extensions (200mm – 350mm) will be available spring of 2010 by special order with a lead time of one week for an up-charge of only $25.

Protecting the environment with eco-friendly manufacturing, materials, and distribution is important to the owners of Überhund. Operations V.P. John McLauchlin makes environmental policy a priority. “We use a variety of strategies to make sure that our products have a minimal environmental impact. We are one of, if not the first, component manufacturers to use low V.O.C. paints exclusively. We try to use minimal packaging using sustainable materials, and use the most efficient shipping possible for fuel efficiency, which incidentally is usually the cheapest, if slowest, method to get our products from our factory to our distributors and OEM’s.”

The Blitz aero’ bar is available now in gloss black for $549. Weight varies between 430-450g, and a white version will be available this spring.

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