Thursday 5 September 2013

Eurobike 2013 - Demoday Dispatches in Brief

Beautiful roads... full X-Bionic kit and a stunning Airstreeem racing steed. Severe cold-or-no, a day I was not about to miss.
Dispatches from Eurobike 2013...
Full reports, articles and test reviews will appear soon on:


Six hundred kilometers in the trusty, and increasingly battered, Skoda saw Leslie 'The Historian' Reissner (Tin Donkey & Pezcyclingnews) and me arrive at our superbly isolated home-away-from-home, the 'KONGO Gasthaus. But more appropriately as...

Inhaber 
Familie Schorer 
Wieser 5 
D-88279 Amtzell

Our delightful hostess, Erika and her husband made us feel immediately at home and more than welcome guests. I was very grateful for personal touch as Erika even mothered and nursed me back to some semblance of health, with on-the-house paracetamol and a steady supply of tissues.

Thanks Erika :-)
Skoda-bear unwrapped - one for David Scheid!
The very friendly and well appointed 'Congo' Guest House, with Skoda.

View from the 'Kongo' dining terrace
Another fabulous view from the balcony
A view from the car park - the roads, ah, the roads... where was my bike!
Our room - a double bed... eek! Hacking cough and epic snoring aside I believe LR managed a few hours sleep!
Home grown veggies - wunderbar in Kongo-land!
Right, that's the accommodation taken care of. Onwards, with a deliberate capital O, to Eurobike 2013

This was to be more than just a fans visit as I was tasked by no less a webiste than www.cyclingshorts.uk.com to produce a steady flow of decent copy and plenty of pics. If I could throw in an interview or three that would be great too.

Armed with laptop, camera, notebook and pen, and, not forgetting, the much prized full Press accreditation, we sallied forth from the Kongo and all roads - those beautiful roads - led to Friedrichshafen and the Messa of bicycle dreams.

Well actually they didn't as this was Tuesday and Demoday!

Here are a few photo's from Demoday 2013 to whet your appetite - a full gallery and report will appear on www.cyclingshorts.uk.com as soon as I've written the thing!

Wilkommen!
The Historian outside the press WiFi room - little did we know that this would be the only useful access to the internet we would have all week.

Happy tester of Tern folding bikes - see CyclingShorts Review.

A parade of Pinarello's - ready to ride.

Me, testing the new Kinetic Rock & Roll Turbo Trainer with the additional Pro flywheel. A fantastic trainer - I ordered the flywheel - full review of the new old Vs new model coming soon on www.cyclingshorts.uk.com.

The very friendly Klever electric bike stand. A really fun machine - I couldn't stop grinning when out on the road. Loved it. Yep, review coming soon on ... 

The infamous Haibike eRacing bike - clever engineering but why would you need an electric motor on a racing bike? No comments on the 'Gruber assist' and Sparticus if you please! 

The roads - Bliss! Three happy testers.

The astonishingly spelt Airstreeem bike - my favourite affordable machine (approx. €2000) and Alex. I really took to this wonderful little Austrian company. A 10 person team who design absolutely everything, from ball bearings upwards. This particular bike rode like a dream.

With John Hamman, passionate and smart CEO of iBike Sports. The Power meter for the People? The iBike Newton Powerstroke+. Now this is a must have product - very affordable when compared to direct drive power meters. A big product test review to come in time for Christmas on www.cyclingshorts.uk.com. I just need to contact John to arrange the loan of a test device - keep reminding me! 
My favourite bike food of Eurobike 2013 - Chimpanzee: Power of Natural Energy. The chocolate espresso and the rather odd (but I bought a box) Beet root and Carrot were fabulous. Vegetarian too. I'm no expert but I would guess highly suitable for those following a plant based lifestyle too. Loved their enthusiasm and genuine knowledge, care and friendliness,




One for my biomimetic students of the Deutsche JuniorAkademie NRW 2009-2013 and onwards: The yet-to-be-released X-BIONIC biomimetic cycling kit. The jersey function and weave (main function on rear of jersey) was inspired by the Thorny devil lizard. The bibshorts - the human male! Brilliant and it seemed to work perfectly - I wore the jersey and bib-shorts all day (5+ test rides and lots of walking) Another very big review to come on Cyclingshorts - I spent two hours with the product designer the next day. This could well be the future of all design - I certainly hope so... using nature's principles to develop technology that evolution has not come with.

A little something Italian at the magnificent Vittoria stand / Pizzeria!
Oh to have this following me on a weekend ride!
Full pizza service, with wine, beer or, as in my case, lemon juice and water.
Grazie Vittoria!

Grüß Gott und Auf Wiedersehen!

I hope you enjoyed this tantalising taste of Eurobike's Demoday 2013. Keep checking in for more and don't forget to visit the far more professional www.cyclingshorts.uk.com for fuller reviews and reports.

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