This Week in Desire | 28th September

This Week in Desire | 28th September

Off the back of Campagnolo's Ekar launch, unsurprisingly, we've got enough all-road machines to sink a ship, with solid representation from carbon, steel and titanium. The latest kit drop from the Danish designers lands and likely, disappears and Muc-Off jumps feet-first into the jockey wheel market. Welcome to This Week in Desire


Rouleur Desire brings together the latest and greatest tech releases, our Desire Edits featuring our picks from cycling fashion and the Desire Emporium, filled with exceptional products to enhance your cycling lifestyle.

Specialized S-Works Diverge

Specialized Diverge - Campagnolo Ekar | Specialized.com

It’s always a good sign when manufacturers embrace a new technology on their flagship bikes. Specialized have added to the gravel-specific Diverge line with a model dedicated to Campagnolo’s new 13 speed off-road groupset. Pair Ekar’s low weight and class-leading range with Specialized’s S-Works Diverge and you’ve got a mighty gravel grinder indeed.

Lapierre Aircode DRS

Lapierre Aircode DRS | Lapierre Bikes

We saw glimpses of Lapierre’s new aero flyer at the beginning of the year and it certainly got some attention from the team. While integration is the buzzword of 2020, Lapierre’s solution was particularly pleasing, with sleek lines  and slippery looking features. Groupama-FDJ have been putting it through its paces all year, with Démare taking his third national championship aboard his Aircode. How’s that for a promo?

 

Muc-Off Lightweight Oversized Pulley Wheel System | Muc-Off.com

The trend for oversized jockey wheels is a relatively new one, with CeramicSpeed holding the bulk of the market for those watt-saving upgrades. Lube specialists Muc-Off have taken the fight to the Danes, however, with L.O.P.S. (Lightweight Oversized Pulley System), designed in collaboration with McLaren, engineered to offer significant efficiency savings specifically in the individual time-trial with aerospace grade materials used throughout for every possible gain.

 

Pas Normal TKO | Pas Normal Studios

We can always rely on Danish designers Pas Normal Studios to produce visually striking, divisive and desirable apparel with their T.K.O range. Coined as their fashion-inspired, technical collection, you can guarantee that by the time you read this, they’ll all be gone. For AW20 PNS have brought the colour to fight those winter blues.

 

Stelbel Nina | Stelbel.it

Custom Italian gravel bikes are clearly like buses, with two coming along at once. Stelbel have dropped their latest frameset and it’s a beauty. Formed using Columbus Xcr tubing, regarded as some of the finest but most difficult to work with forms of stainless steel, Nina is truly built for all roads. Stelbel say Nina is an evolving concept, with quality materials at the heart and the ability to become the right bike for the right person.

 Passoni Cicloprato

Passoni Cicloprato | Passoni.it

When it comes to custom titanium, Passoni is the Italian poster-child. Their latest all-road model, Cicloprato, is no exception, sporting premium grade titanium tubing and A Columbus fork to ensure a sublime ride as you leave the tarmac. Dressed in full Campagnolo Ekar, ready for fashion week and sporting Vittoria’s tasty grey Terra tyres.

 

Orbea Gain

Orbea Gain | Orbea.com

Spanish outfit Orbea are another brand hard at work, launching iterations of three of their popular platforms in 2020. The latest to receive an update, is the Orbea Gain, engineered from the ground up to find the perfect balance between ride quality power and aesthetics. Gone are the days when your e-bike consisted of unsightly cables or gargantuan downtube. Spot the motor, we dare you. 

For more from Rouleur Desire, follow us on Instagram  and sign up to the Rouleur Chronicle for our weekly Desire Edits and the latest releases from our Desire Emporium.

 

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