2nd Look: Interbike 2015

The Bike Industry Finally Figures Names Out

Fact: the outdoor sports industry is generally terrible at naming things.

Product names tend to be either as exciting as a bowl of oatmeal, or so XTREME that they’d make a Mountain Dew commercial blush. But a few companies have figured it out:

Tianjin Flying Pigeon Bicycle Development Co.

Bird names are nothing new in the world of outdoor activities, but they’re typically so aggressive: screaming eagles, bloody raptors, and cranky vultures dominate the market. Among other things, Tianjin Flying Pigeon Bicycle Development Co. produces commuter bikes. And most people aren’t looking to ‘Thunderhawk’ their commute, they just want to enjoy a pleasant pedal to work. Flying Pigeon offers a peaceful alternative:

Lionhero

This one is really a toss up for a “Great Name” or “Terrible Frame Design” award, but since this frame design has been around for a while, we’ll stick to the name: Lionhero.

Lions are cool. They exude power and nobility.

But what’s even cooler than a lion?

Heroes!

Soul Ripper

What are you looking for in your next ride? To tear the souls out of the living? Then the Soul Ripper is for you. Just make sure you don’t get your shorts caught in one of the many pivots. Rip souls, not clothing.

Miscellaneous Tomfoolery

With all of this serious innovation, it’s sometimes easy to lose track of what biking is all about: shredding the gnar on a rig inspired by your favorite Disney character:

Make sure to get the matching helmet:

If your electric fat bike just isn’t cutting it, you may want to upgrade. This beast is all-wheel drive, perfect for smoking your buddies up those sand dune climbs we all are always riding every weekend.

While you’re at it, you probably want to improve your hip alignment. Luckily, Esssax has a solution. With their aptly named Shark saddle, you’ll never need to worry about your rear sliding off the side of your seat again. But be careful: combined with a dropper post, this thing could be lethal.

Another fact: electric bikes are already kinda played out. So if you’re going to add a motor to your ride, you want it to at least sound cool. If you’ve been looking for a deranged combination of a harley and a kid’s trike, Solink has your solution.

Bottom Line

After two days at the Outdoor Demo plus three more on the show floor, we’ve tested Interbike 2015 (and our bodies) to their limits. While some products at the show had us feeling a little like Kali’s test dummy…

…overall, we were impressed. Interbike 2015 delivered a remarkable combination of innovation, entertainment, stupidity, and technology. Our primary hope for Interbike 2016?

Better maps.