Eurobike 2023 Recap

Through my increased interest in bikes and the technology behind them, I attended Eurobike for the first time this year to see what we can expect in the coming months. Thanks to the blog, I was able to attend on the trade visitor days, which was great because many smaller manufacturers were only there until Friday.

My focus was naturally on gravel bikes, but it was also interesting to see what other types of bikes were available.

E-Bikes, E-Bikes, and more E-Bikes

The main theme of the fair became quickly apparent, which was the shift towards sustainable transportation/mobility. The largest booths were filled with new E-Bikes, motors, or general accessories (lights, mounts, etc.). Even at Shimano, the majority of their booth showcased how Di2 could be integrated into E-Bikes.

One of the biggest releases, the Pinion MGU (Motor+Gearbox Unit), is a system designed specifically for E-Bikes.

I don't want to judge too harshly, but I believe that for those who are physically able, a regular bike should suffice. If an E-Bike replaces a car or if someone is unable to ride a regular bike due to health reasons, they will appreciate these new technologies. However, there were also examples where motors simply have no place. A bike for preschoolers certainly doesn't need a motor.

Hall 9 and Why It Was Actually the Most Interesting Hall

Thanks to the blog, I could attend the fair during the week and had the chance to visit Hall 9, which was only open to trade visitors. Here, almost all suppliers and OEM manufacturers were represented, who build a large part of the bikes and components circulating in our market. Generally, it felt like all the really interesting things, especially for gravel bikes, were concentrated here. I could check out and test the L-Twoo eRX (which shifted quite well on the trainer, although a bit loud), look at new carbon frames and wheels from the particularly good and affordable WINSPACE and Light Bicycle, and even chat with the people behind them. I always feel like many people are afraid to buy directly from China or Asia in general, but I'd like to dispel those concerns. The folks at both booths were super nice and helpful. I think I'll buy my next wheelset from Light Bicycle. Many well-known titanium frame manufacturers were also present, producing frames for brands like Falkenjagd, Vpace, or Curve. It's always interesting to know the origin of these frames, and the manufacturers Waltly from China and Ora Engineering from Taiwan were both super friendly. Especially Waltly can be recommended for custom titanium frames.

I found it unfortunate that Hall 9 was closed to the public. I think it would have been a good opportunity for many people to get to know manufacturers and direct distributors from the Far East, where one can save quite a bit of money by cutting out the middleman, especially when looking for a new gravel frame.

Integrated Cables and T47 Bottom Brackets

In recent years, the industry (fortunately) has slowly moved away from pressed-in bottom brackets, as the required tolerances simply cannot be maintained, leading to creaking and squeaking bearings. The new standard that is increasingly being adopted, and was found on every single frame at the fair, is T47. The same goes for integrated cables, preferably routed through the headset directly. While this used to be reserved for aero bikes, it was now seen everywhere and on every type of bike at the fair, whether it's aero road bikes, gravel bikes, or mountain bikes. And yes, the clean look is nice, but for those who occasionally like to tinker with their bike themselves, it's better to steer clear of such solutions, as it's a nightmare to work on them without disassembling the entire bike. Also, servicing such setups is significantly more expensive than external or "simple" internal cable routing because the mechanic has to do the same work. While they might be faster at it, unfortunately, there's no way around it.

This setup is also increasingly being used on titanium or steel bikes, and in my opinion, it often looks out of place on these frames and doesn't always match the diameter of the head tubes. Below are a few pictures of a "well-solved bike" and also a titanium road bike where you can see the horror that I described in the previous sentence.

The New SRAM Apex Groupset

Out of nowhere, a few weeks ago, SRAM introduced their new groupset, which finally offers the opportunity to use drop bar shifters with a mountain bike rear derailleur.

The levers and the rest of the group were on display at the SRAM/Zipp booth, and I have to say, they look impressive. The shift/brake levers are very comfortable at first grip and much better than the old generation, closer to the eTap variant, which I personally appreciate. The shifting also made a good impression. The feedback was solid and felt nice to the touch. I believe the groupset is a clear upgrade; I just hope it finds its place on really budget-friendly bikes as well.

Wheels from 3D Printers Getting Closer

I find the topic of 3D-printed parts and frames very interesting. In the parts sector, it's now possible to create highly customized products tailored to the user (e.g., Poselda), and frames are also becoming more common. At the Pivot booth, you could examine the bike shown below, which is completely printed from the printer (split into several parts because the printer isn't that large). This allows for exciting frame designs to be realized. Of course, this still takes time (if I remember correctly, the frame costs at least 15,000 € as it stands there), but I believe we will see more of this in the future.

Campagnolo and the Patent Devil

At the fair, the new electronic shifting system from the Italians was also presented, and honestly, it couldn't be uglier. The levers no longer look like Campagnolo (the thumb lever is completely missing), the rear derailleur is huuuuge, and the front derailleur is also not up to scratch. For me personally, this group has zero character, even if it might work well in reality. Over at the Pivot booth, the "old" Chorus 12-Speed was mounted mechanically, and you have to admit that it really stands out. Crisp shifting with the Campy-specific thumb shifter. It just has something special and unique, even though I wish the group also came in silver. But the new electronic group doesn't have much in common with that. Due to SRAM's patents in the area of batteries for rear derailleurs/front derailleurs, Campy can't use the same battery for both, which just doesn't look good in reality. It's a shame; I hope they find their way back to themselves with the next groups.

Schwalbe and the New Branding

The Schwalbe booth was one of the larger ones at the fair. Alongside Jonas Deichmann, there were also many familiar faces to chat with. The most noticeable change was, of course, the new logo. Among the tires, the new Marathon was primarily showcased, which is made almost entirely from recycled rubber. In the future, this approach is expected to extend to existing models, which is certainly good news for the environment. It's great to see a company taking such proactive steps. Additionally, there's soon to be an Aerothan tire, which is expected to set new standards in terms of weight and rolling resistance. So, it's worth keeping an eye out, especially since the latest tires from the Schwalbe stable (G-One RS, Overland) have been quite impressive (reviews for both coming in the next few weeks).

That's it from me for now regarding the Eurobike. I found it exciting and at the same time overwhelming to be at such a trade show for the first time. There are so many booths, and it's almost impossible to see and process everything. Next year, I'll plan to take an extra day so I don't have to rush through the halls as much.

What else have you seen that fascinated you?