The future is adaptive: saddles and other musings from the world's largest cycling hub-bub

Amidst the cocktail parties, the gab about kit, tech and bikes, the new product releases, start-ups and cycling heavyweights all at (or not at) Eurobike 2019, there was a handful of innovative, interesting releases that caught my eye wandering several massive airplane hangers in Friedrichshafen on the Swiss-German border yesterday - 14 of them in total. While I made the mistake of booking meetings with Giro, Fizik, Notio, Pirelli, Look and others in opposite directions in different hangers, such is Eurobike. Live and learn.

Zwift caused a lot of buzz at the show, in a massive booth that conveyed the brand’s rapid growth, announcing steering functionality under the new FutureWorks brand. Due to be released to the public next week and moving forward, FutureWorks will be used to introduce new innovations from Zwift to their community for research and development. Feedback taken from the community on these new products will ultimately shape the final variation.

“Steering is perhaps the most gamified feature we’ve added to Zwift since launch,” said Jon Mayfield, Zwift’s Chief Developer and Co-Founder in a press release. “Steering has been developed to take this up a level and tempt more recreational cyclists and fitness enthusiasts to Zwift.” I don’t Zwift but I’ve spoken to their CEO Eric for an article in Canadian Cycling Magazine. He’s a cool guy with a clear vision of where he wants to take indoor, play-based training.

In a couple short years, the Zwift has become a favoured past-time for many - a point made obvious by the launch of stationary bikes from Wahoo, SRM and Stages all the centre of attention at their respective booths.

The Empire lace-ups get a phenomenal update for 2020, with an enlarged toe-box and other small refinements.

Over at SelleRoyal, Fizik had their Adaptive saddle range on display. The brand is saying goodbye to the Spine concept of old (Bull, Snake, etc) for a future that is customized to the user. The result is a spongy-feeling saddle texture that one could imagine having 3D-printed in a local bike shop in a not so distant future (once the infrastructure is available). The Brand’s new Powerstrap X4 and Vento Powerstrap Aeroweave R2 is an indication of where it is focused - developing lighter chassis and more breathable fabrics capable of taking on unpredictably hot summer rides.

Expanding from the successful Cinturato™ Velo range, I spent a couple minutes over at Pirelli looking at their new gravel and cyclocross tires, both with purposely designed tread patterns and new rubber compound. By the way, did you know that groad was a thing? Many many brands were quick to show off their kit, group, frames, bags and everything gravel-related in what undeniably felt like the largest cycling segment on display.

More to come from Eurobike. A full review of some new product from Giro, Absolute Black and hopefully LEM’s Motivator - a full-carbon exterior shell helmet tipping the scales at 220 grams. Very cool.

Like I said, first Eurobike in the books. Hopefully the first of many.