The AX-Lightness Vial pairs its own frame with a smattering of startlingly light in-house carbon fiber components. Claimed weight as pictured here is just 4.9kg (10.8lb).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Tr!ckstuff Trixer allows dirt jumpers to spin their bars ad infinitum but with a tidier hydraulic hose setup.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rolo fitted its Eurobike showpiece with THM-Carbones Clavicula carbon fiber crankarms and Praxis Works chainrings.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
THM-Carbones' ultralight Fibula road brake calipers feature a power-amplifying linkage. Nearly 100-percent carbon fiber construction yields a claimed weight of just 120g for the set.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The bare UD finish on Rolo's Eurobike superbike leaves the bond line visible where the chain stay section is bonded to the main triangle.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rolo's decked-out Eurobike display included Carbonsports Lightweight carbon fiber wheels and a THM-Carbones Scapula F fork with integrated linear-pull front brake.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rolo showed off this tricked out road bike with a claimed frame weight of 795g and a complete weight of 5.6kg (12.35lb) as shown with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2. Suggested retail price, however, is an astronomical €18,000.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Reset Racing's Air Port Pro no-leak head makes for more accurate suspension setups.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
German company Reset Racing is clearly a fan of Truvativ's HammerSchmidt two-speed crankset, offering owners this gorgeous machined aluminum tool to help owners with regular servicing.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbonsports showed this curious carbon fiber display in advance of its mysterious spring 2013 release.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Well-heeled buyers looking to save every gram can check out Haero Carbon's new integrated carbon fiber handlebar setups. Claimed weight on the drop bar setup is 250-380g depending on configuration.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
New company Haero Carbon offers this ultralight carbon fiber integrated aerobar setup for a whopping €849. Claimed weight is a paltry 350g.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The down tube and seat tube on Engage's new e11 road frame flare dramatically as they approach the extra-wide BB386 EVO bottom bracket shell for extra stiffness.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Check out the tidy carbon fiber front derailleur mount on this creation from Swedish builder Rolo.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The THM-Carbones Scapula SP fork has a stunning claimed weight of just 255g.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Tr!ckstuff's Doppelmoppel mechanical-to-hydraulic converter uses a pair of short links to actuate the individual master cylinders.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Tr!ckstuff's Doppelmoppel was one of the first mechanical-to-hydraulic converters and is still a very viable option for roadies and 'cross racers looking to go with hydraulic disc brake calipers.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Schmolke adds an oversized carbon fiber drop bar option for 2013. Despite the larger diameter, the claimed weight is identical to that of Schmolke's standard diameter model.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Schmolke's carbon fiber aero clip-ons are about as barebones as they get.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Claimed weight for Schmolke's carbon fiber aero clip-ons is just 195g - less than half the weight of Zipp's VukaClip setp.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rolo routes the rear brake cable through the top tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The one-piece carbon fiber seatpost and saddle obviously doesn't offer any fore-aft adjustment but it's ultralight.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
This Rolo Limited Edition model may have focused on trimming weight but the company still opted for Shimano's awesome Dura-Ace Di2 electronic group for this showpiece.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The ultralight Dash carbon fiber-and-titanium hubs aren't made in Germany - they're produced in Boulder, Colorado.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Rolo Limited Edition frame uses a straight 1 1/8" head tube to save weight.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
This Rolo Limited Edition model from A2J supposedly weighs just 640g for the bare frame yet is claimed to be stiffer than a Specialized S-Works McLaren Venge. The complete bike as shown is a feathery 4.55kg (10.03lb) but it'll cost you €18,000. Ouch.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Engage now offers the new e11 road frame, using design cues borrowed from its made-in-Germany AX-Lightness big brother but with construction done in Asia.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The internally routed cables on Engage's Clade frame peek out down at the bottom bracket for easier servicing.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Claimed weight for Carbon-Ti's new X-Wheel carbon fiber mountain bike 29er wheelset is just 1,250g.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The AX-Lightness Morpheus carbon fiber crank has a claimed weight of 380g for the arms and bottom bracket.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Topping off AX-Lightness's Vial complete bike is this tidy carbon fiber seatpost clamp.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Naturally, AX-Lightness fits its Vial with its own 3000 carbon fiber brake calipers, claimed to weigh just 120g for a complete set.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
AX-Lightness fits its Vial carbon fiber road frame with a BB386 EVO bottom bracket shell that allows for an extra-wide down tube and seat tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
AX-Lightness says its prototype carbon fiber time trial helmet - built in cooperation with UVEX - has already been raced at the Tour de France, the Olympics, and the Vuelta.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
AX-Lightness is now involved in a joint project with UVEX to create carbon fiber versions of the latter's time trial and track helmets.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Fancy a new headset or hub bearing press? Acros's version is one of the burliest we've seen. Note the lock-on grips, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Acros's new bottom bracket tool keeps the two cups in alignment as they're secured in the shell.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The CNC-machined Acros A-GE hydraulic shifter now incorporates more adjustability than before.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Several years on, Acros's A-GE hydraulic transmission is no less stunning than when we first saw it in 2006. That being said, we'd also like to see some progression, too, along with the possibility of a lower-cost option.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
German outfit Acros was again showing off its novel A-GE hydraulic transmission at this year's Eurobike show.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
AX-Lightness builds the Vial with asymmetrical chain stays and a swooping lines from the top tube into the seat stays.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon-Ti builds its new mountain bike wheels with Stan's NoTubes rims or its own carbon fiber hoops molded in Italy.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon-Ti builds its new mountain bike wheels around its revamped X-Hub MTB SL hubs. Changes include larger 17mm-diameter aluminum axles and more aggressively machined aluminum bodies.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon-Ti claims its new X-Clamp is the lightest quick-release seatpost clamp currently on the market with a claimed weight of just 20g.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon-Ti makes these ultralight titanium 2x chainring sets with carbon fiber reinforcements for riders looking to shave a few grams from their stock setups.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon-Ti's new machined titanium X-Monoring is designed for singlespeed or 1x drivetrains. Integrating the crankarm spline directly into the ring cuts down on weight and the titanium construction is expected to wear better than aluminum.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon-Ti offers these tidy carbon fiber headset top caps with anodized aluminum bolts if you need to dress up your ride a bit.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
German company Bike Ahead Composites showed these ultralight molded carbon fiber wheels at Eurobike. Claimed weight for the 26" clincher set is just 1,279g while the 29ers add only 100g. Naturally, tubular versions are offered as well.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Bike Ahead Composites builds its carbon fiber mountain bike wheels around custom Acros hubs with nearly every common cross-country fitment included.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Can't get enough carbon fiber in your bicycle diet? AX-Lightness's Zeus stem supposedly weighs no more than 70g. Suggested retail price, however, is a startling €630.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The seat tube on AX-Lightness's Vial carbon fiber road frame flares dramatically as it meets the BB386 EVO bottom bracket shell.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Claimed weight for this AX-Lightness carbon fiber saddle and seatpost combination is roughly 200g.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Acros is offering blue anodized A-GE hydraulic derailleurs in limited quantities. Front derailleurs are available in traditional band clamp, high direct mount, and low direct mount fitments.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
AX-Lightness and its Asia-built subsidiary, Engage, have offered a plethora of feathery carbon fiber components and road frames separately in the past but this year's Eurobike show had the heralded German composites specialists showcasing two complete builds for well-heeled riders looking for the ultimate in anti-gravity exotica.
AX-Lightness claims its made-in-Germany Vial road frame weighs just 745g for a medium size yet still delivers enviable stiffness thanks to its extra-wide BB386 EVO bottom bracket shell and correspondingly wide, rectangular-profile tubing, tapered front end, and asymmetrical rear end. Fitted with the company's own 3000 brake calipers, Morpheus crankset, Daedalus seatpost, 42mm-deep carbon tubulars, and saddle – all in carbon fiber, or course – claimed weight is just 4.9kg (10.8lb) without pedals and supposedly without sacrificing everyday durability, either.
Not surprisingly, that sort of boasting power will cost you – suggested retail price is €9,467.
AX-Lightness's Asia-built Engage division offers similar performance at more reasonable prices, however, which was showcased with the Clade e11 frameset and somewhat more attainable €2,480 asking price. The overall shape and features (such as the tapered front end and BB386 EVO bottom bracket) are carried over essentially unchanged from the AX-Lightness version but the more mass manufacturing-friendly construction methods boost the claimed weight slightly to 795g.
Similarly, the Engage Gavial carbon fiber brakes sport a similar design to the full-blown AX-Lightness 3000 single-pivot brakes but with chunkier molded carbon fiber arms and a slightly heavier claimed weight of 130g per set. Even with manufacturing in Asia, though, the Gavials still fetch a heady €300.
German Carbon Group shows off the country's finest
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The German Carbon Group conglomerate once again served up a smorgasbord of extreme lightweight composite goodness. Perennial booth member Schmolke showed off its new oversized carbon fiber drop handlebar, which despite the larger diameter and increased stiffness is supposedly the same weight as the standard version – just 130-150g depending on size.
Meanwhile, the folks at Bike Ahead Composites touted the virtues of its molded carbon fiber mountain bike wheels, each with just six chunky hollow carbon fiber spokes, custom hubs in a multitude of fitments built by Acros, and claims of outstanding stiffness and durability.
Bike Ahead will offer the new wheels in both 26" and 29" sizes, both in tubular and clincher varieties. Claimed weights range from 1,169-1,379g per set.
Upstart company Haero Carbon arrived at Eurobike with two integrated aerobar models: one built around a flat TT-style base bar and another based on a more conventional set of road drops. Both feature molded-in sockets with collet-type anchors for aerobar extensions, making for ultralight all-in-one cockpit setups for riders that prioritize saving grams over achieving a perfect position (adjustability is distinctly limited).
Claimed weights range from 250-380g depending on configuration but prices are expectedly stratospheric, topping out at an incredible €849.
Sharing space in the booth was a company that wasn't actually German. A2J Technical Artisans – officially based in Luxembourg but with production in Sweden – displayed a pair of stunningly lightly complete builds.
The 795g Rolo Limited Edition frame is offered with a fixed geometry but custom lay-up that supposedly produces the second-highest stiffness ever measured by test lab Zedler (second only to Rolo's own "super stiff" lay-up. Complete with a PRO integrated cockpit, Berk one-piece carbon fiber saddle and seatpost, Lightweight carbon clinchers, a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission, and a Scapula F fork, Clavicula M3 crankset, and Fibula brakes from THM-Carbones, claimed weight is just 5.6kg (12.35lb) – with a retail price of €18,000.
Got a spare 18,000 Euros? The Rolo Limited Edition could be for you
Rolo's second showpiece was lighter yet with a claimed Di2-specific frame weight of just 640g and supposedly better stiffness than Specialized's S-Works McLaren Venge. Add in a set of Schmolke handlebars, another one-piece Berk seatpost and saddle combo, RAR carbon wheels, a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 group, and THM-Carbones' Scapula SP fork, Clavicula cranks, and Fibula brakes and what you end up with a complete bike weighing only 4.55kg (10.03lb) – and costing another €18,000.
New drivetrain options from Carbon-Ti
Italian company Carbon-Ti put its wares up against Germany's best, including a trick one-piece X-Monoring for use with singlespeed or 1x mountain bike drivetrains. The machined titanium chainring incorporates splines for direct attachment to a cranksets from SRAM/Truvativ, Cannondale, or Specialized. Tooth options range from 32-36T in one-tooth increments.
Other new bits include updated hubs with bigger 17mm-diameter aluminum axles and more aggressively milled-down aluminum bodies, complete mountain bike wheelset builds using either Stan's NoTubes or made-in-Italy carbon fiber hoops, and an ultralight quick-release seatpost collar that weighs as little as 20g depending on size.
Machined aluminum bits from Acros, Reset, and Tr!ckstuff
CNC-machined aluminum may conjure images of the mid-90s but the small batch production method was alive and well at Eurobike, particularly among several European brands.
German company Acros continued to push the virtues of its A-GE hydraulic mountain bike transmission, now with more front derailleur fitments, more flexible shifter mounting options, and a limited edition blue anodized finish. Also catching our eye were a burly headset and hub bearing press and external-bearing bottom bracket installation tool with a full-length aluminum guide to keep the two sides perfectly aligned.
Just a few steps over were the folks at Reset Racing, who once again showed off an impressive range of radically aggressive flat pedals and colorful aluminum bottom brackets and headsets. More impressive to us, however, were the intricately machined tools for everything from precise suspension component air pressure tuning to servicing Truvativ's cult-favorite Hammerschmidt two-speed transmission.
Finally, Tr!ckstuff was again showing off its nifty Doppelmoppel mechanical-to-hydraulic brake converter, which we found to provide "power to burn" and excellent modulation. Hydraulic options from the likes of SRAM and Shimano are reportedly still a ways off so in the meantime, converters like these from Tr!ckstuff, Hope, and TRP are still the only options available.
