This morning, I went to the Motocross International exhibition, which handles brands like Surly and Salsa. As soon as I entered the venue, the first thing that caught my eye was this single yellow bike.
Surly's Karate Monkey. The new complete bike has shifted from a 29-inch wheel size to the 27.5+ standard, equipped with 27.5x3.0 tires. This means the outer diameter of the tire remains the same as a 29-inch tire, but with an increased contact patch, improving both climbing and descending performance on unpaved roads. The maximum tire clearance is 3.0 for 27.5-inch wheels and 2.5 for 29-inch wheels.
Next up is the familiar Surly Cross-Check.
This season's flat-bar Cross-Check has moved from the previous single-speed setup to a 1x9 drivetrain. It also comes with a rear rack, making it a perfect bike for commuting to work or school. If you feel like doing some long rides, you can always swap it over to drop bars.
Now, I’m sure many of you have been waiting for this.
This is the Leap, the new longtail kit from Xtracycle. Since the Free Radical kit was discontinued, all of you who wanted to turn your bikes into longtails but couldn't, the wait is over. The Free Radical kit was basically a longtail kit for 26-inch bikes, but this Leap can be installed on bikes ranging from 20-inch all the way up to 29+. I'll test whether it really fits a 20-inch bike on my own BMX, but in the meantime, please note that it is scheduled to arrive next February, so please bear with us a little longer.
Fairdale's single-speed cruiser, the Flyer.
How about adding full front and rear fenders and a front basket to go on a picnic?
For this season's Salsa, a model with Shimano Claris components has been added to the Vaya lineup.
You might think 2x8 speeds is a bit low for a Salsa, but it's more than enough for everything from daily rides to gravel touring.
Finally, the brand you’ve all been waiting for: All-City. As the person in charge of All-City at Circles, I had to save this brand for last. Let's start by introducing the new model, the Pony Express.
It features tire clearance for up to 700x38c tires even with fenders, and comes equipped with rack mounts. It uses a touring bike geometry that is easy to ride even for those new to sports bikes.
This season's Macho King has switched from a 9mm quick-release front fork to a 12mm thru-axle Whisky carbon fork.
This has increased front-end rigidity and improved handling performance. It’s a bike that allows you to faithfully follow the lines you want to take in cyclocross races. Which means it’s a bike that leaves you with even fewer excuses.
I'd like to end by introducing this model, which I was personally happy to see.
The Natureboy, which hasn't been seen for a long time, is back—dressed in white and featuring V-brakes. While disc brakes are becoming the standard for both cyclocross and road bikes, rim brakes still have the edge when it comes to ease of maintenance. If you want to service your own bike as much as possible, choosing rim brakes is a valid option.
There are still many models I couldn't cover this time, so if you're interested, please come by the shop and talk to us. This was an exhibition for popular Circles brands like Surly, Salsa, and All-City, but the 2017 season exhibitions have just begun. We'll continue to share news from the exhibitions, so stay tuned!