Day #1. We are up and in the smelly (its always nice to stand in line for an hour at 8am with the smell of sewage so thick you think you might pass out) bus line up for the first day of Bike Demos out at Bootleg Canyon.
The weather report is calling for another record September day of 107F so we are a little nervous about how long we will be able to ride in that kind of heat.  But thankfully once we got to Bootleg Canyon and we saw the hundreds (maybe thousands!) of bikes we could choose from to ride we quickly forgot all about the heat.
Team Velocity’s first choice of steed. The 2011 Commencal Supreme 8.
There were 2 flat deck shuttle trucks that held dozens of folks with their bike to take everyone up to the DH trails. The wait for a shuttle was usually very short and as long as you made sure you weren’t on the very back it felt relatively safe.
In the background is one of the shuttle machines as a member of Team V hits the road gap.
Demo steed #2 – the Devinci Wilson.
During the day we were fortunate enough to ride the Santa Cruz carbon V10, Specialized Demo 8, Giant Glory, Intense M9 and the Turner DHR. I learned a lesson testing many bikes all in the same day. I’m sure a bikes frame alters the way it rides but the bike setup makes all the difference in the world. Having a properly setup suspension, etc will make your bike feel amazing. So give some love to your bike!
Aww friends forever. They even ride teeters together.
This is the size of drink needed to unwind from a day at Interbike.
Day #2. Since day 2 drew many more people than the previous day we decided to split Team V and head in our own directions. Some wanted to stick to the DH rides while some of us wanted to explore a bit more in the bike world. At Bootleg Canyon there is a nice network of XC trails to ride and you don’t have to wait for the shuttle. Which means more riding time!
Testing out the Specialized womens specific xc/am rides, the Safire and the Era
We liked the Safire and Era so much we didn’t take them back for quite awhile. But we also managed to get out on the Turner 5spot, Turner Flux, S-works Specialized Enduro and the Santa Cruz carbon Nomad. The Demo days are not limited to only mountain bikes. There are road bikes, tri-bikes, electric bikes, snow bikes, and pretty much any kind of bike you can imagine. My partner in crime for the day had just finished the Penticton Ironman and was all excited about testing some road bikes. Since I had never been on a road bike I was pretty excited too!
Its so light, check it out. My muscles aren’t even flexing!
The S-works Specialized Amira. Â I enjoyed it so much I was scared to ride it for another lap. A road bike may be in my dreams but it is certainly not on my savings account wish list. Once I finally gave the road bike back we spotted these:
The Surly Pugsley.
They are manufactured out of Minneapolis and are created to go where standard ‘all terrain’ bikes flounder. As stated on their website: The floatation and traction afforded by large-volume, low-pressure tires can get you over and through otherwise unrideable terrain, such as sand, mud, ice, and many kinds of snow. They were super fun to ride around the trails at Bootleg Canyon but not exactly useful for the trail riding in the Lower Mainland. However not nearly as hard to pedal around as they look! And that concludes the Interbike 2010 Demo days! Exhausted, sun-burnt and starving we head back to the Strip to recoup by the pool for the conference portion of the show.
Interbike is host to thousands of booths. Half of which would be hard to see in the time provided. So here is a small taste.
All the bikes (and more) from the Demo days are on display. Here is the Specialized S-works Enduro. This picture does not do it justice. It is a gorgeous bike.
Sam Hills bike was at the Specialized booth, too bad he wasn’t.
But check out the personalized shifter levers and grips. Oooo aaaaa.
Steve Peat’s bike was at the Santa Cruz booth and so was he!!!
The new Fiveten Women’s Karver. No more purple, in 2011 its Newsprint. But why no flap like the mens still?
I find Womens cycling clothing is getting cuter by the year and 2011 is no exception. If you want to look pretty and stylish on the trails then start saving your pennies because you will want many new items. Both Dakine and Sombrio have some very nice pieces coming out this spring. But I have to give special mention to Loeka. Their line coming this spring is their best yet in my opinion. Colours and patterns are a personal preference for sure but the fit and quality are what caught my eye. I’m excited about the new Kulla Bottom Juno riding pant!
Between the demos, gear information, and nightlife Interbike is completely and utterly exhausting. But all in all it is a super great experience and if you ever get the chance, go!
Great write-up, C! How was the Nomad? I’m def. interested in the new Loeka gear since I’ve never been a fan of their fit and fabric…spring 2011 can’t come fast enough!