Outdoor Retailer New Products Report 1-Bicycles (?) of the show;Transalp, Brah

The Outdoor Retailer show is a good opportunity to guage the health of the industry, get a few fashion cues, and find a few wacky bikes.

What do Euro Randonee types do in the summer time?  According to the folks at Ortovox, rather than ride up, they prefer to backpack up and scooter down on these:

The whole shebang fits into this goofy looking backpack (hydration provisions, anyone, cause you're gonna need it with 10+ Kilos (euro!) on your back):

 Adjustable length footpeg support, two different size wheels (shown with 20/16 in wheels... Bighit, anyone), single pivot suspension:

24 in wheel fork and 100mm spacing hubs front and rear mean you can upgrade it to the "extreme" version by putting a 24 in wheel up front and the 20in. in the back:

Yes, Fahzure rode it, and while riding anything in the trade show aisles is fun, my ankles scuffed on the sharp edges of the foot peg extension, the stance was quite narrow and this shock with an MCU (see last week's Humpbike) spring/damper left much to be desired. In a word Jibskate:

 

This Swiss Army bike is more form than function:

A nice Ti bike with S&S couplers:

Big rear cogs mean big front chainrings.  The Timbuktu booth, of course...Jordan you copping to this bike?:

Fillet brazed and clear coated Bromptom provided by our local Saturday Cycles in the Po Campo booth (more on them later):

Bikes on racks:

Why are these bikes so popular? Is it a coastal thing? Custom in the Keen booth, love the rear disc...solid:

This Nirve (the only bike company with an indoor presence at the show) bike had classic lines and colors: