Enve team bike and a wireless 1x16 electronic groupset: Tech editor Simon Fellows' Eurobike highlights

The annual cycling trade show in Frankfurt is something of a colossus, both in its importance within the industry and the sheer size of the site. Because of this it's nigh on impossible to see everything at Eurobike, such is the number of products on show. But I've done my best in the pursuit of providing you with some intel on what to expect in the way of product launches in the coming months.

Here is a rundown of those items that really caught my eye...

Vision Metron 37 wheelset

Vision has developed a new 37mm deep climbing wheel, the aptly named Metron 37. Together with the ‘all-rounder’ Metron 45 and deep-section aero Metron 60, Vision now has a trio of recently introduced Metron wheels to cover most bases.

The Metron 37 features a full carbon rim, a P.R.S. 72t ratchet-style hub with 5 degrees of engagement (God bless DT Swiss…), and alloy, bladed straight-pull spokes - 21 up front and 24 in the rear. 

The rim is hooked, and has an internal width of 21 mm. Weight is 1,200g, which is approximately 150g lighter than the Metron 45. Price is €2,149 Euros.

FSA Powerbox Team Edition

The Powerbox has been around for a few months now, but we couldn’t resist getting a closeup of those teeth. Sprinters are well-known for dropping chains in the heat of battle, an issue the Powerbox, which is part of FSA’s MegaTorq range, is said by FSA to alleviate.

The 2X tooth profile looks impressively shark-like to us, but aesthetics aside, FSA says the fillet radius has optimised to provide a contact  ‘sweet spot’ between chainring and chain roller. It also reckons that Tour-level sprinters are now putting out as much as 350kg torque, but chainrings are rarely tested beyond 300kg. To provide a healthy margin, MegaTorq rings are tested to 450kg. 

The Powerbox Team Edition also features left/right power meter cranks with Bluetooth connection. It’s currently being ridden in the Tour de France by Israel - Premier Tech and EF Education Easypost. Price is €1,349.

PRO Stealth Superlight saddle

PRO has updated its Stealth Superlight saddle, shaving 15 grams and making potential improvements to comfort. 

“We’ve managed to reduce the weight slightly, but have also increased the width of the central channel, and updated the EVA padding distribution, to help avoid soft-tissue issues,” says Mark Kikket, Team Manager, Product Development, Shimano. “Originally, we developed this short-nosed saddle for aggressive aero positions but we’ve found that many road riders have adopted it because they appreciate the comfort.”

The Stealth Superlight features a handbuilt carbon base and rails, and now weighs just 130 grams in 142mm width. It is also available in a 152mm size. 

PRO Vibe Aero Cockpit

PRO has made fundamental changes to its Vibe Aero carbon bars and matching stem. The overall shape has been completely overhauled, with a 10-degree flare on the drops enabling much narrower tops for improved rider aero positioning. The top profile has also been revised, not just for direct aero gains, but also to provide wrist support when you’re tucked but gripping the hoods.

Additionally, these bars have been optimised for Dura-Ace and Ultegra shifters, with an ultra-smooth stepless transition from hood covers to bar top. There are absolutely no lumps and bumps to be felt here. The bars have also been designed so that Dura-Ace levers can be tilted inwards as much as possible without contravening UCI regulations.

Cabling, including hydraulics, is internally routed but clever little ‘aero covers’ placed where the bars meet the stem allow cabling to break out for bikes that don’t feature fully internally routed integrated headsets. These aero covers can also be completely removed to provide space for tri-bars, or kept in place to hide Shimano satellite shifter buttons.

PRO has retained a separate bolt-on stem to give riders more flexibility when choosing the best bar width and stem length combo for their needs. Available bar widths are 37, 39 and 41cm.

Shimano RC703 road shoes

Shimano has rebooted its RC703 road shoe, transforming it into a more premium product with features that have trickled down from the Japanese giant’s S-PHYRE pro road shoes. In fact, it’s now almost indistinguishable from the top-tier RC903 (see below). If the RC903 is Dura-Ace level (our words, not Shimano’s) then think of the RC703 as comfortably fitting within the Ultegra line.

The breathable synthetic upper is now more premium to the touch, and the seams around the midfoot and forefoot are, well, almost seamless in construction.

The carbon outsole is the same as the outgoing RC702 - it’s one of Shimano’s stiffest, scoring 10/12 on the brand’s scale - but a revised midsole has significantly reduced the stack height.

The women’s last, which is narrower than the men’s, has been overhauled to provide a better fit for more riders. Half sizes and wide options are available for the men’s model, while the women’s model (RC703W) is only available in standard sizes.

Weight is 244 grams for a size 42, and price is £230/$250/€229

Similar improvements have also been made to Shimano’s RC302 line (think 105) and its entry-level, three-strap closure RC102 line. Most products will start shipping from August.

We reckon we’re going to see a lot of Shimano’s top-end track shoe, the RC903 Power, at the Olympics. It’s been around for a little over six months now, plenty of time to meet Olympic regs. Note the lack of Boa on the midfoot, which provides room for track riders to strap in. A shoe designed to transfer maximum power over short events, the upper is much less compliant than the regular RC903.

Shimano MW502

Also new on the Shimano stand was this winter wrap-over, SPD-compatible winter boot. It features a breathable Dryshield membrane to keep your feet dry and a plush fleece liner to keep them warm. The wrap-over closure reveals a speed lace system that’s easy to get to grips with, even when wearing gloves.

Weight is 244 grams for a size 42, and price is £$225/€159.

Exclusive - H_Cyclo sustainable carbon from Hunt

We were given a very quick, extremely covert look at a yet-to-be-released Hunt technology its calling H_Cyclo. It’s a thermoset resin that works exactly like a normal epoxy, but can be broken down by a specific cleaver that allows it to be recycled in a much less energy-intensive way. In other words, Hunt has managed to find a way to make its carbon fibre rims recyclable, an issue the bike industry has struggled with for years.

The resulting carbon strands are short, but can still be used for ancillary products such as derailleur cages and tyre levers. Expect this new material to be rolled out across Hunt’s entire range in time.

Parlee Taos gravel bike

A reinvigorated Parlee – the US brand suffered some financial hiccups last year – was showing off its new gravel bike. It’s named after the town and surrounding area in New Mexico, which is regarded as a peerless playground for all things gravel.

The Taos neatly fits into Parlee’s factory-made line that already comprises the RZ7 road bike and the Ouray allroad bike.

The Taos is striking for a couple of reasons. Firstly, its carbon frame is manufactured in Western Europe, rather than the Far East - a small but growing trend as brands seek to protect themselves from trade tariffs and security concerns. 

Second is the way the frame is manufactured. It’s a monocoque design, which means it comes out of the mould in one piece. Interestingly though, the resulting carbon fibre is so smooth it needs next to no finishing. All Parlee does is add a coat of wax, there’s no paint, no lacquer.

It’s a very handsome bike, note the steeply pitched top tube - that’s partly for seat post compliance and partly to increase stand-over height for female or smaller riders.

With its T47 BB, flip-chip and UDH dropouts plus clearance for up to 50mm tyres, this is a thoroughly modern gravel bike.

SRAM and Shimano builds are available with prices starting from around $6,500.

Enve Melee Team Bike

This is no replica, but a bonafide Team TotalEnergies of the same batch that’s been raced in the Tour de France now. The Melee also happens to have won the ‘Most Desirable’ category in our recent Race Bike of the Year shootout. 

There’s nothing particularly new here, and many TotalEnergies riders have already chosen to swap the bars out for a more aero Enve model. However, note the giant Novaride Carbon Ceramic Derailleur cage and pulley wheels - a relative bargain at around the €200 mark.

Elite Square

Up until now, we’ve only seen renderings of the Elite Square smart bike, so it was fascinating to swing a leg over and take a spin. It’s a direct competitor to the Zwift Ride but the application is very different. The Square is more brutal in appearance, far more masculine. The other obvious differences are the belt drive, which was completely silent in operation, and the adjustable cranks. 

Elite says the Square is compatible with every smart trainer, not just its own. It will be shipping it by the end of the year.

Maxxis High Road SL

Maxxis enjoys an incredibly high profile in the MTB world, yet it’s almost unknown by roadies. It was pushing a brand new version of its premium High Road SL road tyre, surprisingly in a now unfashionably narrow 25mm width. 

Boasting a silica compound and increased puncture resistance, Maxxis says the new High Road SL has 25% better rolling resistance than the previous version. Weight is 270g.

Spotted – Parcours Aero Gravel Wheel

What can we tell you about this new gravel wheel from Parcours? Not much because it’s under embargo until next week, we can’t even tell you its name. However, Parcours did allow us to take a photo of part of the wheel, from which we can tell that it has a 47mm depth. That means it almost certainly has an Aero focus, probably optimised for 40mm tyres if the mounted GravelKings are anything to go by. We’ll be able to bring you more information next week, so keep checking back.

Continental Aero 111 tyre

This was possibly the hardest product to photograph at Eurobike, because there was always a crowd surrounding it eager to get a look. We brought you news of this new aero-enhanced tyre a few days ago, but it was interesting to see the characteristic square dimples in the flesh. 

Co-developed with DT Swiss and Swiss Side, these ‘vortex generators’ allow for a smoother, more controlled airflow, from the tyre right across the entire surface of the rim. The tyre is only effective on the front wheel - Continental recommends mounting a regular GP 5000 S TR on the rear. It’s pictured on a stunning Canyon TT bike, with DT Swiss PRC 1100 80 wheels – a natural pairing you’d think, but read on…

DT Swiss ARC 1100 DB 38 and Continental surprise

I planned a visit to the DT Swiss stand to take a look at its new ARC 1100 DB 38 climbing wheel. There were no great surprises, it’s a beautifully made, sub-1,300 gram carbon wheel made for pointing uphill. No doubt, it’s pretty agile on the way down too - we’ll bring you a full review soon.

What did surprise me is that DT Swiss is recommending the Continental Aero 111 to go with it. Apparently, provided speeds hit about 30kph or more, the Aero 111 will benefit any roadie, even one on relatively shallow-depth wheels, such as the ARC 1100 DB 38. 

Ere Tenaci GT25

Ere has introduced an entry-level, shallow-rim gravel wheel priced at £999/$999/€999. A set weighs in at 1566g and it features a full carbon hooked rim with a depth of 25mm and an inner width of 26mm. It’s taken a belt and braces approach to strength, with 24 Sapim CX Leader spokes both front and rear.

The freehub features a DT-Swiss-inspired ratchet system, and compatibility options include Shimano, SRAM and Campy.

ABUS Infinity Loop

ABUS had a plethora of new locks at its stand, including the ingenious Yardo, which is activated by fingerprint, and the Bordo 6200K folding lock. The latter is way lighter than others in its class because the folding segments are made from I-beam profile members. 

However, the lock that caught my eye was Infinity Loop. Ordinarily, if you buy a 1m chain by the time you’ve doubled it back on itself to secure it you’ll end up with approximately 50cm of usable length. By adding adjustable loops at both ends of the Infinity Loop, ABUS has liberated almost the entire chain length for use. Simple, but genius.

The Infinity Loop features a covered 6mm square chain and weighs 1400 grams

ABUS Helmets

ABUS was having a lot of fun displaying its HYP-E urban helmet, designed primarily for e-bike riders. Helmets with integrated lights are nothing new but the HYP-E takes the idea and runs with it further than any helmet has done ever before.

There are lights front and back, plus a brake light that can be rigged up to work with your levers. Additionally, there are indicators too, operated via a handlebar-mounted switch pad.

The Gamechanger TT 1.1 is a touch more restrained but just as purposeful. The TT helmet has just had a refresh and now features a flexible soft EVA collar/tail at the rear that conforms to a rider’s neck and shoulder area when they are going full tuck. This reduces the chance of gaps disrupting the flow of air. The helmet outer shape has also been revised to make it slightly more aerodynamic.

KTM Macina Style FS

This is a very intriguing bike that KTM politely refused to tell me anything about. It’s a trekking/adventure ebike with a step-through frame. Unusually, it features both Di2 and rear suspension. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

The reason that the KTM team were keeping so quiet is that it also features a yet-unreleased version of the Bosch Performance CX electric drivetrain system.

Vistar Powershift

Vistar Powershift, a collab between Classified and TRP, generated huge interest at Eurobike. At times, it was impossible to move on the Classified stand for people.

Classified had the new fully wireless 1x16 electronic groupset set up on a road bike as well as a Ridley that had clearly seen some action at Unbound. The message was broadcast loud and clear - this is an ultra-efficient groupset that refuses to be typecast as just for TT or just for Gravel. It has universal appeal.

Product manager Yannick Mayer was also keen to point out that Classified is an open company that wants to work with everybody in this space.

“We’re not a groupset manufacturer,” said Yannick. “Powershift is compatible with every groupset, the main difference with TRP is that shifting is entirely incorporated into the levers, rather than having to use satellite buttons like we currently have to with SRAM and Shimano.”

It will be interesting to see whether the two big brands will ever consider fully embracing Powershift, or whether they consider Classified as too much of a threat. Perhaps a Classified x Campagnolo collab is a more realistic proposition?

Avec

Avec describes itself as a “bike-fit first” brand. It’s apparent in the Avec Sythe aero bike on display at Eurobike, which features its prototype ergonomic handlebars that are designed to help the rider find “their optimal aerodynamic position”. Vitally, the bars are also shaped to aid the rider in keeping this position - a small frontal end isn’t much good if you can only hold the position comfortably for a couple of minutes!

The bars also sported Avec’s new AerGrip that’s said to offer 7mm of cushioning while at the same time promoting a more ergonomic hand position that might help you save a few watts.