Go Clipless

And the winner is...?

Ok, ok, ok...before we can get on with this year's booth babe contest (the Vish swears it is coming this week) it is time to crown the winner of last year's contest.

J-Vicious searched high and low across the vast expanse that is the Interbike expo hall in search of the beautiful babe that you - fine GC readers - selected as the most deserving of the crown for 2005

And the winner is...

Where are the Booth Babes?

Right here!!  Vish returns to crown the 2005 Interbike Booth Babe and tell of his copious quest for new rides.  But before I get to the tales of the Vish, I'm excited to present the first of many Clippy awards and announce to the world which Babe of Babes gets the pleasure of topping my podium.

Who says GC has no shame?  I've seen plenty of sites who flout and flaunt their pictures of Booth Babes, especially at gamer and geek conventions....go figure.  Or maybe they're just flouting our babes for their girl-at-the-booth-next-door look.  Sorry you guys have such high standards, but we are just average bikers and would be psyched if the homeliest, cross-eyed babe in our collection came out and rode with us - in a sweater.  After all, not every biker chick can look like Ms. Vanlandingham.

Here's an interesting twist on the contest idea, although in pure geek style, it plays more on poking fun at the fellow 40-year-old virgin than it does the hot babe in bed next to him.  MTBReview almost came close with its 2003 Quick Poll.  Too bad there were only seven to choose from...and one of those sounds like a guy team.  Well, all mountain bikers must be alike, since we at GC also had a small percentage of men and mannequins in our contest.  Or maybe we just have a muddy (read: dirty) sense of humor.  Either way, our very own editor, G-man, scored just behind the mannequin but still in the top 40% when the votes were tallied and the babes crowned.  Way to go, G - you're one hot bitch!!

OK, enough talk....on to the Booth Babes....

Booth Babes Last Chance

The clock is a-tickin', so If you haven't voted for your favorite Booth Babe do it soon.  Polling will be open for one more day and officially end at COB tomorrow.  It's a close race between the leaders and any last minute votes may be enough to push your loveliest pick into the top spot.  Read on for the current results....

Booth Babes Unclipped - Holly

OK, here it is....the first Unclipped Booth Babe, Holly.  This is your chance to get to know a little about some of the girls aside from their pictures.  As if they weren't already hot enough, getting to know these girls a bit more personally will surely tip the scales and bring out the true votes.  And now, without further verbosity, I give you, Holly.....

Talk about cool, Holly couldn't wait to spread out on the table for some fun shots.  By far one of the most creative and exciting shoots of the day.  She also makes super cool jewlery!!  Check it out at www.laughingmango.com. Order soon so it can be shipped in time for xmas...or Valentine's Day. Then go vote for her.   

Booth Babe 2005

After months of hoarding these pictures for our personal viewing pleasure, we have finally decided to release them to the world.  We will not be responsible for any damages whatsoever (real or imagined) resulting from your viewing of or fantasizing about the Interbike Booth Babes.

Late but still lovely.

When I first agreed to this assignment, I had no idea that it would literally consume all of my time at Interbike.  Time I could have spent checking out bikes and products; Time I could have spent scavenging for the next tapped keg or Angela Sucich and her tequila party; Time I could have been chasing the turtle.

If you weren't approached by the Go Clipless Interbike Booth Babe Patrol (IBBP), there's always next year.  Be on the lookout for Go Clipless in '06.

To kick off a long weekend with the in-laws, we present you with an alternative....VOTE!!

View the full booth babe photo shoot.

Specialized in 2006 - As One

While at Interbike, I spent some time talking to Chris Matthews of Specialized's Global Marketing division. This is one innovative company! Chris told me about Specialized's new carbon fiber frame building technology/technique called Az1 and described the design behind the new line of cycling specific eyewear. We also learned first hand about the benefits of Specialized's Body Geometry design for cycling shoes at the Outdoor Demo. (More about the eyewear and shoes in subsequent posts).

The S-Works division at Specialized is "where goals like lighter and faster are pursued without regard to effort, expense, or tradition." While you may see the S-Works name on frames or components across various product lines, it is only reserved for the most innovative of products in that particular line. This cross-functional R&D team has been hard at work doing amazing things with carbon fiber across both it's 2006 road and mountain bike lines.

Surly Conundrum

With so much attention being afforded to the Surly Pugsley at Interbike, many may have overlooked their other new frame for '06; the Surly Conundrum. This unicycle is built to use the same Large Marge rims as the Pugsley and is compatible with both 24 and 26 inch tires. The Conundrum will be available in late winter or early spring of 2006.

Adidas Redemption

Well, it looks like Adidas will have it's chance on the trail after all.  My first stop at the Interbike Expo was the Adidas-Mavic booth to slip on a pair of their newest XC Race mountain shoes.  The very first shipment of these shoes just arrived to the warehouse last week, so I was totally juiced to be one of the first consumers to wrap my Adidas-loving feet inside these pedi-shells.

Oakley for your lifestyle

Lots of cool bags on display at Interbike.

Oakley is no longer just a sunglass maker. One look around their massive booth showed a range of products from luggage, to sandals, and jackets. Here's a look at their new collection of "lifestyle" bags. At first it looked like most of the features were simply for show, however, upon further examination it became clear that many of them were useful. For example, on one bag there is a small hard case compartment to house an iPod or cell phone and keep it protected. Another bag had specially made straps to carry a skateboard.

Nothing specifically made for cyclists, but if you are active in a range of sports or need a nice bag for commuting on your bike you should check these out.

Sweetskinz

Check out these tires from Sweetskinz. They call them "retroflective." These things look really cool, but the tire treads are rather simplistic. New tread designs are coming soon, however. Match these up with some Dirty Dog rotors and you've got yourself one kickin' ride!