News, events and musings

We are currently busy building our 2013 prototype bikes to be launched at Euro Bike in August this year. Our bike designer Stevo and I are pretty excited to test our new machines.

Our 2013 models include:

• Revival 11. This will be Reynolds 853 T200 Frame but will feature the first derailleur in our range with the Campagnolo 22 Speed Athena groupset. Perfect for touring!
• Brand new T400 cyclocross frame. Perfect for commuting and cyclocross. There will be two launch bikes featuring the new frame designed by Stevo: a 8 Speed Shimano Alfine geared Casablanca and an 11 Speed Afline geared Monaco
• We are also developing a prototype belt driven T400 with Shimano Alfine Di2 which we we reveal at Eurobike
• Stevo and I are working on a brand new T500 29er - more to follow

We will be posting updates both here on our blog and on our Facebook and Twitter.

In 2010 the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale - the world governing body for sports cycling) allowed disc brakes to be used on competition cyclo-cross bikes. Since then there has been much speculation on whether the suits at UCI would change the rules for road cycling.

I am a big fan of disc brakes. I was a mad keen (and dangerous) mountain biker in the 90s and getting my first bike with disc brakes was a life changing moment (ok so maybe it wasn’t that big a deal but it was memorable). The stopping power is so much better compared to calipers. The issues that have prevented the UCI allowing discs for the road included problems that were faced by the MTB industry – such as when the braking force was twisting hub axles out of it's frame or fork (more details here on road.cc). But there is no reason road bikes can't adopt the quick release thru-axle seen on modern day MTBs to counter this.

Whilst not all bikes will adopt discs in the future if UCI pass the ruling to allow them in competition all the top end performance bikes certainly will. Here at Cooper Bikes we have already been in development of one Urban commuter bike that has disc brakes. Our challenge is too keep the simplicity and beautiful look to our bikes when adding disc brakes – which is certainly a challenge. Look out for some sneak spy shots of the T400 commuter bike soon. Below is a picture of Colnago C59 Disc recently launched.