Opus Bike 2017 preview and more
Highlights from the Montreal-based bike company as well as brands such as Giro and Blackburn
Canadian Cycling Magazine July 28, 2016
That's not a big water bottle on the Opus Case+. It's the power unit for the Pendix ebike drive system. It's zippy and quiet.
The German-engineered Pendix system is direct drive and mounted on the non-drive side of the bike. It doesn't have a head unit. You choose your setting and power on or off with the dial at the top of the power unit.
The Opus WKND is actually good for day-to-day commuting. Like the Connect, it runs on the Shimano Steps system.
The Steps battery on the Opus WKND is mounted on the down tube.
The Opus WKND rolls on WKND-branded Alex ATD550 wheels.
While the Opus Connect looks laid back with its step-through frame, rear rack and woodie station wagon styling, it can really move. The Shimano Steps mid-drive motor and battery provide the power.
The Shimano Steps battery is often mounted on the down tube. In the case of the Opus Connect, product manager Dave Clifford opted to put the battery on the back rack. The placement on the non-drive side of the bike actually balances out the whole machine nicely.
A Shimano Acera nine-speed drivetrain gets the Opus Connect moving.
The Shimano Steps head unit can display speed, battery life and even the distance you can travel based on the various battery settings. You can navigate the unit via the buttons by the left lever mount.
The 2017 Opus Vivace 1.
Opus Vivace 1 top tube.
The angles in the fork also appear at the top/head/down tube area, which provide a consistent look. The Opus Vivace comes with 25c tires and has clearance for tires as wide as 30c.
Shimano RS-805 flat-mount calipers bring the Opus Vivace 1 to a stop.
The Opus Vivace 1 runs Shimano's Ultegra groupset.
The head tube takes a 1 1/2" to 1 1/8" tapered steering tube.
The seatstays extend downward from a yoke at the seat/top tube junction on the Opus Vivace 1.
There's no lever for loosening the thru axle on the Opus Vivace 1. If you have to manage a flat, you'll need that 6-mm Allan key in the multi-tool you ride with.
The fork on the Vivace has a replaceable thru-axle nut. Should anything happen to the threads in the nut, you can simply remove it and put in a new one.
The removable thru-axle nut at the rear dropout of the Opus Vivace 1.
Opus redesigned the Allegro for 2016. For 2017, the Allegro 1 gets a few updates, especially the 12-mm thru axles.
The Opus Allegro 1 uses the Zoom Flanders Ergo bars and has clearance for 28c tires.
The Opus Allegro 1 has a Shimano Ultegra groupset. The cassette is 11-28 tooth, while the chainrings are 50/34-tooth.
For 2017, the Opus Allegro 1 sports a 12-mm thru axle. On smaller frames both rotors are 140-mm in diameter. The larger ones run 160-mm rotors front and back.
The Opus Allegro 3 W (the "W" is for "women"), like many of the Allegro frames has eyelets to mount fenders. Cable-actuated TRP flat-mount calipers slow the rotors.
The fork on Opus Vivaces and Allegros other Opus disc-break bikes has an integrated crown race. It eases stresses on the fork and steering tube and makes it stronger.
Yes, the Blackburn Chamber high-volume floor pump will get your mountain bike tires inflated. But it will do that humble task in style. You want to put a wicked handlebar on this pump, no problem. The "stem" lets you do so easily. And what's that? A bottle opener! Perfect.
The Giro Aerohead Ultimate MIPS is the company's new time trial helmet. The checked pattern is not just for looks, but helps to move air smoothly across the top of the helmet. Like the Giro's Air Attack, the Aerohead's visor locks into place via magnets.
A triangle of fabric closes things up at the back of the Giro Aerohead Ultimate MIPS helmet.
On Wednesday, Canadian Cycling Magazine got a preview of the 2017 bikes by Opus. The company has updated its top-end racer, the Vivace, and is introducing a new line of ebikes. Also, OGC (Outdoor Gear Canada) presented new stuff from the brands it represents, including Giro and Blackburn. We were especially taken by the pump with a bottle opener.