As the end of the year approaches, the bike industry’s traditional launch season is coming to an end, with a barrage of new bikes and products for 2023 launched over the past few months.
Last week’s Rouleur Live show in London gave us an opportunity to check out – for the first time, in many cases – new gear from Kask, Giro, Bianchi, Ribble, Schwalbe, Cervélo and more, plus a bunch of other goodies.
Let’s get straight to it.
Kask Sintesi helmet
Having only been launched on Thursday, this was our first look at the new Kask Sintesi helmet. And very smart it is too.
The Sintesi is the latest addition to Kask’s range, designed, the Italian brand says, as a budget bike helmet for road cycling, gravel cycling or cycling to work.
Aesthetically, it’s a good-looking helmet, with a compact shape and generously proportioned valve layout typical of many of the best cycling helmets.
Inside, you’ll find Kask’s Ergo Fit retention system and antibacterial, anti-static padding.
Kask doesn’t use MIPS, but says the helmet passes its own WG11 internal test protocol, which apparently assesses the helmet’s protection against rotational impact.
Sintesi costs £90 and is available in no less than 11 colours. This burnt orange option caught our eye.
Giro Ethos MIPS helmet
Here’s another new helmet for 2023, the Giro Ethos MIPS.
While the Kask Sintesi remains a road helmet, this one is geared towards commuting, thanks to its integrated front and rear lights.
These lights can be controlled wirelessly by a bar-mounted Bluetooth controller, with four modes on offer: low flash, high flash, low steady and high steady.
It’s about this time of year that most riders in the northern hemisphere will be reloading or buying a set of bike lights for the winter, but can a set built into your helmet do the job or act as a supplement?
The helmet charges via USB-C, which has become standard for the latest tech products, and the inside of the helmet contains MIPS, the inner layer designed to protect against rotational forces in the event of a head impact.
The helmet comes in two versions: the regular Ethos MIPS ($250) and the Ethos MIPS Shield ($270), pictured here with the visor. UK prices to be confirmed.
Bianchi Oltre and Oltre RC
The Bianchi Oltre RC was launched last month but this was the first time we saw the new aero road bike.
Air Deflectors have grabbed most of the headlines – consumer bikes come with head tube-mounted wings, even if they’re not UCI legal – but there’s a lot going on besides.
It includes a new frame shape, with a distinctive curved fork and seat stay, 30c tire clearance and a cockpit from Reparto Corse, Bianchi’s new internal component arm, with a stem that splits in two.
As well as the top-of-the-range Oltre RC, the range also includes the Oltre Pro and, pictured above, the bog-standard Oltre.
This gets the new frame shape but not the Air Deflector wings or Reparto Corse handlebars.
Frame weight also bumps up to 990g, up from 915g for the RC and 965g for the Oltre Pro, which is the only frame in the range to also include Bianchi’s Countervail carbon technology, which is claimed to improve comfort.
Prototype Ribble Allroad SLe
We reported on this last week – Ribble’s Allroad SLe electric bike – and as an exhibitor at Rouleur Live, Ribble used the show to roll out the prototype in its 125th anniversary color scheme.
The bike is of course interesting – it’s an electric road bike with generous tire clearance (so, as the name suggests, we’re entering all-road bike territory here).
There’s also a prototype 3D-printed handlebar with bolt-shaped tops to direct airflow over the rider’s hands.
But the color is the real star of the show – it’s a marble finish available in three different colors (red, blue or green). Ribble’s images that accompanied the launch looked good, but they’re absolutely stunning in the flesh.
While the Allroad SLe pictured here is a prototype with no set release date, Ribble will make the paint scheme available on the Ultra SL R aero bike and Gravel Ti.
You’ll also be able to pay an additional £1,299 via Ribble’s online CustomColour program to have it splashed across any bike next year.
Filippo Ganna’s Pinarello Bolide F HR 3D
Here’s one of the most interesting – and arguably fastest – bikes we’ve seen this year: Filippo Ganna’s Pinarello Bolide F HR 3D.
This is the machine Ganna rode to break the hour record in October.
Pinarello used 3D printing to create the Bolide F HR’s complex frame shape, particularly the ribbed seat tube.
It’s designed to mimic the tubercles seen on the fins of humpback whales – an idea we’ve previously seen on Zipp’s sawtooth rims and which is said to help manage airflow in an area heavily disturbed by the rider’s legs.
We’ve already covered the bike in detail, but it’s also worth pointing out the titanium bullhorn-style handlebars (also 3D printed), cracked in a similar shape to the cockpit of Ganna’s TT bike.
Oh, and check out that monster 65 chainring on the crankset.
Cervélo ZHT-5 hardtail
Inconspicuously propped against a wall next to Cervélo’s stand was the brand’s new ZHT-5.
The ZHT-5 is Cervélo’s first MTB and, fittingly for a brand with a history so focused on racing, it’s a hardtail.
Cervélo describes the ZHT-5 as a “custom” hardtail for XC racing and it will be raced in anger for the first time at the opening round of the XCO World Cup in Valkenburg, Netherlands, next May.
The XHT-5 rolls on 29-inch wheels and has a 100mm fork. The geometry is described as “rationally progressive”, with a 68.5-degree head tube angle.
The frame is suitably light at a claimed 870g – Cervélo has made some of the lightest road bikes out there throughout its history and that continues here with the ZHT.
Elite Justo smart trainer
We’re just into indoor cycling season now, so smart trainers are being dusted off by many cyclists after their summer hiatus.
Justo is Elite’s newest trainer and features side-to-side movement in an effort to improve ride realism and comfort.
Elite makes some of the best smart trainers out there – including the highly rated Elite Direto, on which the Justo is based.
Other key talking points include +/- 1 percent power accuracy, maximum incline of 24 percent, and “Flex Feet,” which gives the Justo movement as you pedal.
We’re testing the Elite Justo right now, so look out for a review on BikeRadar soon.
Canyon Ultimate CFR
This one is likely to be one of the most popular bikes in 2023: the new Canyon Ultimate.
Our Senior Technical Editor, Ashley Quinlan, attended the launch of this bike in Nice and delivered his first ride review of the Dura-Ace Di2-equipped CFR model.
The Ultimate is Canyon’s all-around race bike and this latest version tweaks the geometry to mirror the Canyon Aeroad. It also gets some aero tweaks of its own and, as we’ve come to expect from recent launches, additional tire clearance (there’s room for 32mm tires, Canyon says).
The CFR is the flagship frame, and Canyon will also offer second-tier SLX and third-tier SL models.
Schwalbe G-One Overland gravel tire
The G-One Overland is new to Schwalbe’s range of gravel tires.
Schwalbe is a regular feature in our compilation of the best gravel tires, with the G-One series offering a wide range of models for a variety of gravel riding.
In fact, there are now seven G-One models in total: G-One Speed, G-One Allroad, G-One Overland, G-One Bite, G-One Ultrabite, G-One R and G-One RS.
While the likes of the Schwalbe G-One RS are aimed at gravel racing, the German brand describes the G-One Overland as “the gravel tire for commuters, adventurers and e-bikers”.
It is designed for 50 percent off-road and 50 percent on-road use, with a focus on durability and cornering grip through the thick blocks on the axle.
That durability comes into its own, says Schwalbe, if you spec these on an electric gravel bike.
Overland is available in 40mm, 45mm and 50mm widths.
We just tested a set of Overland tires, so look out for a review very soon.
Roster cycling jeans
Here’s a bonus entry to end this recap. Biker jeans, anyone?
Yep, we spotted this denim number from Roster.
Bibs for the commute and the office?
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