With the slow demise of the all-encompassing Eurobike trade show, smaller events across Europe are growing in size and relevance. Cycleworld Düsseldorf is one of those. Originally just a domestic German event, it's grown into a much larger affair, and unlike most fairs of this ilk, this one is in a very cool ex-industrial location with its own unique vibe just ten minutes out of the city centre.
It was also the busiest event I've been to in years, with packed halls and a buzz that feels like it's been missing since Covid, which bodes well for an industry that's been struggling, so here are my show highlights.
Avona will be a new brand to many, being as it's only a year old, but it's backed by a team with years of industry experience. I spoke to them in depth at the show, and they said their goal is not to build the lightest or most aerodynamic bike, but the one that performs best in real-world conditions. To that end, they've just launched the Velum, which is a high-end all-round road bike, to sit alongside their existing gravel and XC MTB options.
It follows the same formula of mixing aerodynamics and low weight used by many brands, but it was their attention to detail that really stood out to me. They had a depth of data for every decision on the bike, unlike anything I've seen before, which they say has helped them develop what they believe to be the ultimate road bike with upgrade choices that actually make a difference in the real world and not just the spec sheet.
It comes in five sizes and four colour options, including a ready-to-paint option, should you want to go custom with a sub-800g frame, with their own wheels and the fastest available tyres (according to their testing), as well as a pre-waxed chain from CeramicSpeed for maximum gains from the outset.
In the writing embossed onto the rubber beneath the yellow stripe, the tyre says P Zero Race SL-R, suggesting that's what this tyre will be called. (Image credit: Neal Hunt)
Pirelli prototype tyres
I spotted a prototype tyre on the Pirelli booth; the Pirelli staff were being very tight-lipped about the new rubber, though if you look really closely, you can see it's marked up as a P Zero Race SL-R on the embossed sidewall details.
It does look very different to the brand's current offerings, with no visible tread and judging by the very close fit of the tyre and sidewall junction, I'd wager this new design has been designed to test well in the wind tunnel as well as on the road. It's been seen on pro riders too in recent weeks, so I'd expect more info to come soon.
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32in wheels were the talk of the show, with this Chiru standing out as one of the more striking builds
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
All of the 32in-equipped bikes we saw at the show were sporting these Bike Ahead Composites wheels and Maxxis Aspen tyres
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
It's been talked about heavily in XC MTB, had its first victory in the recent Cape Epic event, and it looks like 32-inch wheels are on their way to the gravel arena, too, with several brands with bikes on show.
Most used the same Bike Ahead Composites six-spoke wheels and Maxxis Aspen XC MTB tyres, which suggests products are still thin-on-the-ground, but having chatted to several brand managers over the weekend, it looks like we will have an influx of new wagon-wheeled gravel bikes this summer.
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Titanium is commonly found at trade shows, but here it seemed more abundant than ever
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
A number of Eddy Merckx bikes caught my eye
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
But the Chiru stand stole the show, with this aero bike
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
The brand is from France, and also makes the 32in gravel bike seen above, as well as a number of gravel, adventure and mountain bikes
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
The head tube is a real work of art
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
There's been a resurgence of titanium in recent years, not in the pro ranks but for bikes for normal riders like you and I, there's never been so much choice. There were plenty of brands with bikes on show, but it was the French brand Chiru and its Aerix aero road bike with its 3d-printed headtube and clever engineering details like flattened chainstays and a two-stage seat tube that really caught my eye.
Eddy Merckx also had two stunning-looking Ti bikes on show, though the road and gravel bike both use a much more traditional-looking round-tubed approach, giving the bikes a real timeless classic aesthetic when combined with the iconic chromed EM logo.
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No show is complete without a crazy build from Gustav 'Dangerholm' Gullholm
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
This time round it's a sub-5kg Scott Addict
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
The finish isn't a clearcoat, but instead a sand-and-polish finish that looks great and saves weight
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
No European bike show would be complete without a crazy build from Scott-sponsored custom builder extraordinaire, Dangerholm, and Cycleworld was no exception.
This year's build, the Scott Addict RC SUB5, follows the well-worn path of a super-light show bike, coming in at a frankly crazy 4.99kg, but what makes this different is that it's designed to be a properly usable build, not just a one-off piece of wall art. The finish is also something special. Up close, it looks like a clear coat lacquer, but it's actually been sanded and polished to such an extent that it has a high gloss finish, which not only looks cool but saves those all-important grams.
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This paint job from Cube was another eye-catching bike
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
The brand's Litening Air and Litening Aero bikes have been raced and won aboard at the top of our sport by the likes of Biniam Girmay.
(Image credit: Neal Hunt)
And finally, something from a brand you might not expect a flamboyant paint job from. Since it entered the pro ranks with Wanty-Groupe Gobert in 2015, to its latest sponsorship of TotalEnergies, Cube's road bikes have steadily improved into some of the best in the pro peloton.
In the past, it was known for being great value, but a bit underwhelming in the looks department and lacking some flair compared to more exotic brands, but that's something the brand clearly wants to change. This Litening Air C:68X is the perfect example and looks stunning up close, with this beautiful two-tone pink and purple finish that really stood out from the crowd.
