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So the biggest promise of the whole show may come from the Ellsworth/NuVinci concept bike.
Its NuVinci drive system is the latest shot at what many engineers have called “the Holy Grail” for inventors, a continuously variable transmission. The idea of a CVT is that instead of having distinct gears, a mechanism somehow provides a way for an input and output to change their relationship smoothly to “gear up” and “gear down” smoothly, without jumping from gear to gear.
Here's the page on CVTs from Howstuffworks: It notes that the first CVT patent was granted in 1886, and that US carbuyers have been able to buy CVT autos since 1989, but that most automotive systems use a pulley system, where a belt moves higher or lower in a gap between two cones, changing the effective size of the pully.
The NuVinci system, on the other hand, borrows from planetary drives, enough that its manufacturers call the NuVinci a “CVP” system, or Continuously Variable Planetary. In this design, a series of 3-12 drives function as the “planet” gears in a planetary system with a movable cage altering their relationship to the “sun” gear. The whole thing is bathed in a new fluid from Valvoline called Inveritorc.
Cars generally control their CVTs through onboard control computers, figuring what ratio is best for given engine horsepower and torque. The NuVinci leaves that to the rider, so you will have an adjustable input, probably like a motorcycle throttle, that lets you choose “harder” or “easier” in any interval at any time. Suddenly hit the bottom of a big hill? Twist that grip all the way down. Want to pedal 3 more rpm on the flats? Twist it a little.
Of course, only time will tell whether this mechanism's going to stand up to everday (ab)use.
The Ellsworth is deserving of mention even if it were sporting a Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub: It's a gorgeous combination of cruiser-bike and motorcycle styling cues, slathered in immaculate Ferrari red, and even includes partial fenders.
OK cool on Coasting and all, but the website is like Myst of something. As Jason noted, "is there a secret telescope I need to look through to find the key to get in?" Ya know, I don't know either. The coasting people I met were anything but mysterious, but I'm just as lost on that website. Don't know if its not working right, not loading, PC only, or maybe I need a secret handshake password invite from Coasting Girl?
I was interviewed by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News for their Interbike Dailies and, well, I hope it was good! I'm back in Seattle, so I haven't seen the issue, but asked Mark V to grab me a copy. In the interview I mentioned a deal I've got on TypePad. If you didn't get a postard or meet me at Interbike, let me know and I'll send it to you in email.
Many other bloggers are blogging away at Interbike and there's a meetup tonight. Recent posts from the interbike o ' sphere include
Mark V is on assignment for Bike Hugger@interbike and just sent in this photo.
Mark is covering all-things fixed for us and I just posted his first report about a freakin' bamboo fixie.
Arguably the best in show, it's that or the Ellsworth, is the Sycip Alfine. Note the clean lines, attention to detail, powdercoat finish, and focus on an urban, utility bike. As I posted earlier, a theme at Interbike is bikes as fun transportation solutions. I wish I had more time to talk Jay as I was really impressed.
The Sycip bike also represented the struggle the industry has had in the USA with urban, city bikes. I heard that at Eurobike every manufacture had an Alfine bike and at Interbike there were just a handful.
At Bike Hugger, we're doing our part to see more bikes like this.
These two just stopped right in the middle of the show floor to check out each other's shoes.
Funniest part was that underneath their cool shoes were cycling socks!
I'd heard that all who go to Interbike seek out Limar Helmets Girl and when I found her, her aura was so strong it disrupted my cameras auto-focus beam, and resulted in this blurry photo.
Emma was nice enough to sign a poster for me and thousands of other attendees.
Just uploaded a bunch of new photos to our Interbike photo gallery, including Ellsworth NuVinci bike, Sycip Alfine, and more.
NYTimes.com | Blogging the Hand That Feeds You
Congratulations to Tim Jackson of Masi, also known as masiguy, featured in the New York Times today, in a story about business blogging. Maybe my favorite thing about the story is the awesome fisheye riding photo that kicks off the story.
Certainly, getting the company mentioned in The Paper of Record goes a long way to demonstrate the value of blogging your business. Bike Hugger Brother Byron, of course, has a dog in this hunt: He literally wrote a book on business blogging, and he's also serving as an unofficial Interbike ambassador for SixApart, offering a free month and a lifetime 10 percent discount for exhibitors interested in blogging with TypePad.
I keep coming back to the Coasting booth (that and Ellsworth) and sitting here with me is Coasting Girl. Shimano is noticeably excited about the Coasting concept and group.
So Coasting Girl, what do you think?
Well many things. Coasting is just what millions of Americans have been thirsty for. . .
Also pictured in the gallery photos are Devin and Anthony. Anthony works for Ideo, who worked with Shimano on the human factors - people who are riding bikes, in the target demographic, just want to ride and not worry about shifting and all of the other overhead. Summing up coasting in a sentence, it's not about the bike, it's the experience. Devin told me that Shimano is also spending lots of time on the retail experience. Creating an area in IBD stores for Coasting.
Here's an earlier post about coasting, where I was wrong on it just being a drivetrain and instead it's an intergrated solution and a concept. Nuvinci also asserted that the industry needs to stop marketing to its fan base and instead grow the market by positioning bikes as solutions to transportation problems.
I attended a historic industry event where the NuVinci Smooth Cruise VCP was announced. NuVinci is continuously variable planetary hub and promises to change the way bikes are designed and built. They showed that promise with an Ellsworth, limited edition NuVinci hub, belt-driven "Ride" cruiser/commuter bike. I'll get photos of it up later.
I'm going to meet with DaVinci and Ellsworth to discuss this hub and bike in detail and blog all about it. It was an impressive event, impresssive technology, and gee-whiz bike.
Last night we were guests at party for a US speciality retailer and their Asian manufacturer. It was a great example of international trade, pleasantries, deep respect, and a really fun party. The party was about building relationships and one of the ways they bond with each other is to exchange shirts with their counterparts: big guy, small guy, president, buyer, fashion shirt, bike shop shirt, men, women, all share shirts with each other (and drinks with cheers). With each shirt exchange, they congratulate each other on a successful year and to more business.
I'd heard that doing business in Asian is all about the personal relationships and know I know why. Thanks again to our hosts.
Byron sends along this photo from the floor of Interbike, which officially starts today. I'm sure we'll have more details when the show is open and the bike isn't locked down, but the long and short of it is: Surly is launching the first production all-in-one Xtracycle.
That means folks who love the idea of an Xtracycle will have one less obstacle to hurdle: No more kit-building. Also, I can't see any reason the StokeMonkey wouldn't work.
Questions for our eyes and ears in Vegas: Is Surly selling this as a frame or a bike? What are they calling it? What's the availability?
I'm crossposting this to both Bike Hugger and our special Interbike coverage site. Most of our Interbike content will be at the Interbike site, so if you dig this, check there.
So, over at the surlyblog, the fine folks at Surly Bikes are doing a little tease on two new projects they've got coming.
Putting 2 and 2 together, I noticed the other day (before their domain was apparently hijacked) that the Xtracycle guys mentioned that they would be in the Surly booth.
Xtracycle sells Surly's Karate Monkey with a Free Radical as part of a kit, but that's not something Surly would be this excited about. My prediction is that Surly is about to introduce a bike dozens of us must have thought about: an all-in-one Xtracycle.
The FreeRadical is a cool hack, but at its heart it's just that: a hack. There are a lot of advantages to building a long bike from scratch: uninterrupted stays should be stronger than a bolted interface, for instance, and you can match your componentry to the bike's new role right from the start.
A few smart people have already undertaken the longbike-from-scratch challenge. Xtracycle has talked about it, Curtis Inglis built a custom frame, Todd at Cleverchimp has the beautiful Xtravois, and Fraser Cycles has built a couple of long-wheelbase city bikes.
Xtracycle's presence means that, unlike Fraser's bikes, the Surly will be compatible with Xtracycles accessories, which I'm hoping includes the Stokemonkey.
This is just my hypothesis. If I'm right, Byron will be all over this tomorrow.
Marcus builds up his fixie and just sent this photo.
. Anticipating my comment, he said, 'll lose the red tape at some point. It was all I had, and the original idea was red lugs, but the proved harder than I had expected.
Nice.
Coincidentally, the 9th annual Viper car club meeting is in Vegas at the same time and same casino as Interbike. Car culture meets bike culture and Mike quipped, "we should trade rigs for a while!" 
We arrived. Walking through the Venetian on the way to get badged. Saw lots of fellow cyclists that looked just like this: backpack, helmet attached, shorts, etc.
The last time I was in Vegas, in 04, I wrote,
You don't know a town 'till you ride through it. Vegas was a miserable ride of strip malls, side streets, heavy traffic, horrible tasting water and urban decay until we got out of the city and into Red Rock Canyon.
The riding in Vegas, outside of the city, was great and the largest ever dirt demo is going on ride now in Bootleg Canyon. Mike and I will miss that, we're flying in this morning, but have got plenty more to blog about.
I'm new to Interbike, but have quickly learned that it's a must to get a photo taken with the Limar Girl like this one from last year.
Schwalbe's booth, Number 3425, is going to have tire giveaways and the flat defying Ultremo vs. the "Tooth Pick" machine. Pez Cycling has got plenty to preview, including more booth babes. Kona suggested we come by to see the new asphalt rigs and James from Bicycle Design has posted photos from the winner of the Shimano Alfine challenge.
From Elliott Bay Bicycles, Mark is on a mission to photograph single-speeds, Eamon will check the mechanics, and Bill will look for other custom frame builders. From Bike Hugger, I'm covering urban bikes and just heard that Xtracycle will be there in the Surly booth. Mike's plan is to meet the Limar girl (and cover fitness).
Starting Tuesday, we'll all be at Interbike in Vegas.
Spotted at Eurobike and hopefully at Interbike is the Bianchi/Ducati Panigale street bike with Shimano Alfine. 
Foregoing Interbike for it's own show, Trek invited dealers and media (no bloggers!) to the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Cyclingnews got a golden ticket to the event and reported with photos.
From the report, I've got another item on my list to check out. It's Shimano's Coasting drivetrain. Last month BikePortland posted some early photos and announced that Portland had been chosen as a pilot city to test the new drivetrain. (Seattle was possibly not chosen cause of all the hills?)
If Shimano and bike builders succeed with Coasting, that'll create a whole new bunch o' bike huggers.
And that's what I'm talkin' 'bout right there at Saracen Cycles, an urban bike with internal hub gears, Schwalbe big apples, and all. Exactly what I'll be looking for at Interbike.
Pez Cycling previews Interbike with a look at Emma the Limar girl, custom shoes, and more.
Having just wrestled with several different handelbar/stem/seatpost configuration to set up a stoker bar on Bettie, our sport-utility bike project, I was lamenting a massive industry with little to no standards. Along comes a new bottom bracket standard. Guitar Ted riffs on the topic and the tip on the BB30 standard site came from a reader.
I don't care what the standard is as long as we have something standardized, but doubtful any other manufactures are going to join Cannondale.
Mike Rogers is joining me at Interbike and will post on health, fitness, and the bike racing perspective. Frank wasn't able to make Interbike this year and will be missed.
Mike and I will arrive on Tuesday the 26th. My posts will cover the culture, commuters, and goods from the 10 x 10 booths.
When I'm in Girona next month, riding everywhere I can, I'll be paying attention to all the practical, commuter, working bikes. We're learning much from building Bettie, our sport-utility bike project and seeing groups like Shimano's Alfine raises my hope that we'd actually see commuters riding bikes like that in the States. They do in Canada with all sorts of electric-assist bikes. Not only that, but they set amazing records for human-powered vehicles -- dude rode 650.5 miles in 24 hours.
Velonews and Cyclingnews wrapped up their coverage of Eurobike and it's onto Interbike September 25 - 29 in Vegas.
Most interesting from their coverage is new LED lights that may eclipse HID lamps for commuting home at night. And presumably, that means more brightness with less cost.
The reports from Eurobike also shows the lack of coverage of commuter bikes (understood, considering the two news's audience), which is a topic we're going to Interbike to blog about and are extensively researching and developing with Bettie, our sport-utility bike project. For example, how 'bout a carbon commuter that's light, strong, and fast?
More on Eurobike
The first show in the season is Eurobike and Cyclingnews is reporting on the enthusiastic crowds and "826 exhibitors from 38 nations packing all the available space at the 11 halls and open air grounds at the Friedrichshafen Messe." Those crowds are all digging Campagnolo's new Ultra Torque splined crank, but I'm pretty sure, if I squint when looking at the photos, that those are balls in that outboard bearing and that's no way, no how gonna work here in Seattle.
This year Interbike and next year Eurobike!
Booths I'm planning on not missing include Twin Six (252), Castelli (2208), Salsa (974), Surly (4412) and whatever crazy-euro-commuter products I can find. Also plan on hanging with the Novara crew, Bill, Mark, and Eamon from Davidson Bicycles. Also looking for products like the RevoPower motorized wheel, which is like the Bizzarro world version of the Bike Hugger Bettie.
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