Outside Magazine Shares the Best Gear of Interbike

specialized diverge carbon di2 gear of show ph

Interbike is the annual North American gear show for the cycling industry. Each year, hundreds of companies descend on Las Vegas to show off their latest and greatest products, while thousands of people within the industry attend to get a glimpse of where cycling – both road and mountain – is headed in the months ahead. Often, there are some amazing new bikes, clothing, and other gear on display, and this year Outside magazine has shared their selection for the very best equipment that was on display there.

Outside says that “adventure cycling” was all the rage at the show this year, and as a result, a number of bike manufacturers introduced models specifically for this type of riding. Adventure cycling includes off road riding, but not to the level of mountain biking. It is road biking, but with gravel, dirt roads, and light trails thrown into the mix. Specialized introduced the new Diverge Carbon Di2 just for that specific style of riding, and the Outside editors say it is the most refined adventure bike yet.

Other items to get the nod from the magazine include a new apparel line from Scott designed to minimize road rash in a fall, a video camera-tail light combo called the Fly6 that can help keep road cyclists safe, and the Stromer ST2, and electric bike that seems to be leading the pack in that segment of the market. Shimano’s latest electronic shifter earned a spot on the Editor’s Choice list as well, with an update to the system that will have the hardcore cyclists rushing to their favorite bike shop.

One of the great things about the cycling industry is that the gear that is cutting edge, and expensive, today, will eventually trickle down to the more affordable categories in a few years. So, while we can’t all ride around on a super-light, $10,000 machine, the components that make up those bikes will one day be on ours bikes as well. In the meantime, we just have to be patient, wait for our turn, and drool a bit in anticipation.

Kraig Becker