The Eurobike Awards are part of the annual Eurobike show, one of the most important trade events in the cycling industry calendar. This year, BikeRadar's senior technical editor, Warren Rossiter, who has more than 25 years of experience as a bike tester, was invited to be part of the independent judging panel, travelling to Frankfurt a month ahead of the show to lend his expertise. Here Warren shares the story behind the awards, the differing viewpoints of the judges, and his 10 top product picks from nearly 300 entrants. The show itself has been taking place this week and we've had a team on the ground bringing you the latest tech stories – head to our Eurobike hub for more.
I’m in the vast event space of the Atelier Lihotzky in Frankfurt, Germany, surrounded by more than 270 examples of the latest bikes, kit and components, and in the midst of a heated debate about, of all things, a new inner tube valve standard. Welcome to the wonderful world of Eurobike judging.
Eurobike is the world’s biggest bike show: it’s where the international bicycle-manufacturing community descends on Germany annually to show off their latest and greatest wares. I am here ahead of the show, however, to look through, ride, fidget with, inspect and evaluate the entries to decide the prestigious winners of the coveted Eurobike Awards.
The German design council assembled a team of judges and I was honoured to be included among the eight-strong panel, which included Olympic mountain bike champion Sabine Spitz, who is now a coach and TV commentator, along with leading engineers, designers and retailers.
We have three days to scrutinise 270 items in nine categories: Bikes, Accessories, Clothing, Components, Digital Solutions, Electric Bikes, LEVs (light electric vehicles up to 45kph), Micro Electric Vehicles, and Mobility Solutions and Infrastructure.
With 90 items to get through per day, from the smallest widget (a multi-valve-fitting keyring) through to an electric cargo bike with 2,200 litres and more than 250kg of capacity, it’s a big undertaking.
My area of expertise, as BikeRadar's Senior Technical Editor specialising in road and gravel, is undoubtedly sport-focused bikes and components, along with ebikes, so, as part of the judging process, I particularly enjoy riding bikes around the huge indoor space, taking apart the latest groupsets, trying out as-yet unreleased components, electronics, systems and more.
The intention isn't to fully 'test' each product, like I would in a review, but to get an understanding of how it works and the innovation behind it.
The many award categories quickly remind me how broad the cycling sector has become and being part of the judging panel gives me a great insight into the industry as a whole and where trends are heading.
It’s electrifying!
Take ebikes, for instance.
They’re going from strength to strength and that’s creating interest from giants in other industries, which should help drive the technology onwards at pace. Porsche, for example, is stepping up its involvement in cycling after acquiring lightweight ebike motor-system makers Fazua.
Then there’s ZF, the automotive bearing and gearbox manufacturer that’s entering into ebike motors and gearboxes for bikes; and DJI, the tech titan that led the way in drone technology, coming into cycling with a new motor. The future looks bright for the humble but fast-evolving bicycle.
There are also plenty of innovative start-ups ranging from the clever: a cooling bar tape for hot-weather rides, to the radical: a crankset with a silicone-sprung internal system that provides a boost to get you over the dead spot in a pedal revolution.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are also right up there, too: PIKAPAK 2.0 is strapping that converts into a parcel-carrying backpack, which for anyone who’s had to pick up an Amazon package on a bike, will appreciate.
A decade ago, the bike award contenders would have all been based around high-end road race and mountain bikes. Today’s line-up is dominated by bikes as transport, be it town bikes, ebikes for commuters or compact and not-so-compact cargo bikes to shop and ship kids around on.
There are, of course, still a few very desirable sport-orientated bikes from the likes of Orbea, Storck, Centurion, Baldiso and Trigon. And even a high-performance eMTB from Waldbike called the Quercus Musco Ltd Edition which has apparently been completely designed by AI.
Forward thinking
What really becomes apparent with the line-up of entrants and the outlook of my fellow judges is the disparity between cycling cultures in our respective countries. We may all be united in cycling, but mainland Europe is simply more accepting of the bicycle as a traffic solution; a green alternative to motor vehicles backed-up by a safety-orientated infrastructure and a more unified transport system.
A great example is the UK’s biggest bicycle producer, Brompton, teaming up with the German train group Deutsche Bahn on a subscription service. For €41 a month you get a Brompton bike and the relevant pass to take it on both buses and trains throughout Germany – a huge saving on ticket pricing and a great incentive to get people out of their cars and onto public transport and bikes. It’s up for an award in the diverse Mobility and Infrastructure category.
Then there’s the secure app-based bicycle community garaging for those who don’t have space to store their bikes in apartment blocks. These eco-stations are made from sustainable materials (including solar energy sources) and contain individual mini-storage spaces for personal bikes. It’s already in use in Düsseldorf and soon to be rolled out across more European cities.
Frankfurt, where the awards are taking place, is another example of this progressive thinking. It’s a large city and Germany’s finance capital, yet it has an enviable network of segregated cycling lanes and waymarked bike routes to help you navigate it by pedal power. It certainly doesn’t feel like the bicycle is invading the car’s space, but more like an equal partnership for road space.
The judges’ cultural differences, and our varying viewpoints and experiences as riders and industry professionals, mean there's plenty of heated debate when it comes to the handing out of awards.
I’m championing innovative products such as SRAM’s latest Red AXS groupset, Continental’s new Aero race tyre, Garmin’s impressive new Edge 1050 bike computer, and Skarper’s groundbreaking motor system, which e-powers any standard bike in minutes and reverses it back to a standard bike in the same amount of time.
Not everyone shares my views, though, and discussions soon become a series of well-mannered debates, championing our favourites and trying to push that enthusiasm onto fellow learned friends.
After much deliberation, we eventually return our verdict for the winners of the 2024 Eurobike Awards, which are live now on Eurobike’s website. However, here are ten of my personal favourites from the entrants...
Warren's top picks from the 2024 Eurobike Awards
Here are Warren’s favourite products from the Eurobike 2024 award contenders
World Bicycle Relief Buffalo Bike Utility S2
The life-changing Buffalo bike is simple and tough. This latest version brings a radical two-speed system with twin chains and robust parts built to last for years in the field.
TRP Vistar groupset
TRP is the latest brand to offer a viable alternative to Shimano or SRAM in the drivetrain market. Rather than just another great-value group, the Vistar is designed to work with the innovative, wireless two-speed Classified rear hub. This means wireless shifting and a 2x gear ratio without having to use a front derailleur. Head to our news story to find out more.
SRAM Red AXS
Yes, another groupset, but the new SRAM Red AXS provides all of the performance I’ll ever need from a road groupset bundled in with the very best connectivity and data collection. It showcases every advantage electronic groupsets can bring alongside performance and ergonomics that are second to none.
Skarper's click on–click off ebike system
This is a truly groundbreaking innovation. By using a patented disc-brake rotor with an in-built gear-drive, Skarper's system converts a regular bike into an ebike in minutes without any change to the frame or wheels, and without compromising the bike’s performance. Tool-free fitting and reversibility in seconds make it a retrofit alternative to expensive ebikes or existing converter kits.
Schwalbe Clik Valve
The Schwalbe Clik Valve is a new standard for tyre valves, with an incredibly simple connection that clicks solidly into place. Based on what I've seen so far, it’s superior to both Presta and Schrader valves and deserves to do well. It’s a huge challenge to replace any existing standard, but if anything deserves to, it’s this. We've covered the Clik Valve in more detail from the show.
Garmin Edge 1050
With an incredible hi-res touchscreen, vastly increased battery life and a new operating system, the new Garmin Edge 1050 should set the standard for the best bike computers.
Lazer Verdi Kineticore
With multiple materials, glues and other components, helmets can’t be recycled so, once they’ve reached the end of their lifespan, they’re usually destined for landfill. This urban helmet from Lazer has a minimum of 70% of its weight made from recycled materials, including discarded CDs (remember them?).
The EcoLoc design also means the helmet can be completely disassembled and separated into its parts, to then be recycled. It’s an admirable design that all helmets should follow.
Son 29s
The problem with most dynamo hubs is that they’re big, bulky and don’t exactly look ‘cool’. The new Son 29s is changing all this with its slim build and high-power output. It’s a dynamo hub that wouldn’t look out of place on a gravel super bike or slick road-going tourer / commuter.
Hezu Helo ONE
These are super-lightweight, 3D-printed fully custom shoes with a radical upper and second-skin sock, along with an innovative take on a Boa-style dial with magnetic catches. Plus, at €300 for custom shoes, they’re not as expensive as I’d have imagined them to be.
Orbea Diem 10
A stylish and slick ebike with a genuinely innovative frame design and integrated lights for 360-degree visibility, boosting safety and making this a commuter bike that I’d love to get to work on.
