The software interface is impressively elegant, intuitive, and easy to use - though it's currently only Windows compatible so Mac users will have to use an emulator.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Kuota's Kharma Glam may just be a specially painted version of its standard Kharma but it's still eye-catching regardless.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The battery is neatly tucked away on the non-driveside chain stay.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The Di2 version of the Kuota KOM features internal routing for a cleaner installation.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Lots of carbon fiber bottom bracket areas are referred to as 'massive' but this one actually is. There's a lot of carbon fiber down there.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Kuota's K30 BB30-compatible crankset features Stronglight's Adjustable Length System for effective crankarm lengths of 170, 172.5, or 175mm, all without having to swap arms.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The Kult chain stays start out tall at the bottom bracket but flatten out as they approach the dropouts.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The front end of the Kult features a tapered 1 1/8"-to-1 1/4" steerer.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Last year's Kuota Kredo Ultra has now evolved into the Kult for 2010.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The semi-integrated seatmast allows for plenty of height adjustment.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Kuota has added a special Di2-specific version of its KOM flagship to the range with internal routing and no conventional cable stops.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Niterider will initially offer the Pro LED lights with six-cell and eight-cell Li-ion batteries, though a lighter four-cell unit will likely be available in early 2010. All of the batteries mate to a new quick-change cradle for faster transition times, cheaper replacement battery costs, and easier frame mounting.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The battery contact area is surrounded by rubber seals to prevent water contamination.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The Pro LED uses Cree's new bundled four-LED emitter array for more output but from an impressively compact head.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
The new Niterider Pro-600 and Pro-120 LED lamps combine darkness-killing outputs with user-customizable modes.(Image credit: Emily Wren/www.emilywren.com)
Kuota has taken the lessons learned from the development of its Kredo Ultra road racer and applied them to a new model for 2010, the Kult. Frame weights relative to the Kredo Ultra have gone up 10-40g depending on size (claimed frame weights range from 1060-1250g) but larger tube sections and new nanotube-reinforced resins also supposedly make the Kult stiffer, stronger and more responsive for added appeal to stronger riders or those just looking for a beefier chassis.
More material up around the head tube adds front triangle torsional rigidity for more precise handling while a deeper (and presumably more aerodynamic) seat tube and seat stays are also used out back. As on the Kredo Ultra, the Kult also uses Kuota's 1 1/8"-to-1 1/4" 'Super Drive' tapered front end, semi-integrated seatmast, an enormously reinforced BB30-compatible bottom bracket shell and internal cable routing for a clean appearance. A reversible seatpost stub should also make the Kult a reasonable option for riders that occasionally mix road and multisport events.
Kuota will offer the Kult in six frame sizes with top tubes measuring from 505mm up to 590mm.
At the top end, Kuota's feathery KOM model carries on into 2010 mostly unchanged save for the addition of a BB30-compatible bottom bracket shell. A Shimano Dura-Ace Di2-specific model has also been added that features internally routed wires (and no external derailleur housing stops), a dedicated battery mount on the non-driveside chain stay, and specific graphics.
Niterider debuts smarter and brighter lights in time for fall
Niterider's 2010 range will be topped by its latest Pro line of LED lamps with the single-beam Pro 600 offering a claimed 600 lumens of output – roughly equivalent to its original HID model – and the dual-beam Pro 1200 will double that to a whopping 1200 lumens.
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Both models will use the latest Cree LED diodes, which actually bundles four emitters in a single array for increased light output in a still-compact package. Highly polished reflectors channel the output into useful patterns – one spot and one flood for the 1200 and a blend of the two for the 600 – and as always, both heads use a Borofloat lens that Niterider claims to deliver the best transmittance of any material.
That output does come with a lot of heat, though, so both heads are built with sturdy aluminum heads with aggressive finning and a plastic outer shell so they can still be handled without protection.
The 605g Pro 600 will come with a six-cell Li-ion battery that will power the system on the highest setting for around 3:30 while the 812g Pro 1200's eight-cell pack will add an extra hour on top of that. For short-haul racers, a lightweight four-cell pack will come sometime in 2010 and all of the batteries will fit into new quick-release cradles for faster changes and easier mounting on frames.
Perhaps the coolest feature of the new Pro lights, however, is the included 'DIY' software, which allows users to customize both continuous and strobe light settings – including individual settings for the flood and spot beams on the Pro 1200 – based on their particular needs. For example, racers may prefer to run a basic 'high/low' setup whereas commuters may choose up to four light levels at will to maximize battery life.
The software interface is impressively elegant and intuitive, too, and up to four modes can be programmed into the light head. Users can choose the preferred map on the fly, too, with the on-board top-mounted LED strip indicating the selected mode and remaining battery life.
Retail price on the Pro 600 is US$499 and the Pro 1200 will cost US$649. Both models are now available at Niterider dealers.
