Posted: December 4, 2004

Cycling: Kestrel Bicycles Featured At SEMA Automotive Show

LAS VEGAS, NV, USA, November 5, 2004 – Kestrel Bicycles USA announces that its carbon fiber road racing bicycles were featured on a Ford Escape concept vehicle at the recent SEMA automotive aftermarket trade show. The vehicle was on display in Ford Motor Company’s expansive booth, along with such models as the Ford GT, Shelby Cobra concept and several customized versions of its new 2005 Mustang.

The concept vehicle, entitled “Tour de Force: a Cycling Escape”, was created for Ford by Octane Inc, of Tempe, Arizona. Built around a road bike racing and training “road trip” theme, the package featured four race-ready Kestrel Talon SL road bikes mounted on a prototype custom roof rack, also by made by Octane. The bicycle frames and forks were custom painted by Kestrel to match the custom paint and graphics of the Escape vehicle, and featured the new Ultegra 10-speed component groups from Shimano as well as ultra-light Ksyrium SL race wheels by Mavic. Complete bike weight for this Talon SL model is under 16 pounds, according to Kestrel’s Product and Marketing Director, Preston Sandusky.

A peek inside the cargo area of the Escape revealed Octane’s custom internal rack and cycling gear box, additional interior/exterior accessory lighting, large-screen DVD and, of course, a killer sound system. A hand-made carbon fiber front grille was supplied by Kestrel, with the carbon theme extended into the interior upholstery by Octane’s designers.

Ty Woodhall, Octane’s Creative Director, notes that Ford has a particular interest in reaching the cycling community and specifically selected Kestrel to provide the bicycles for their pilot program. “Kestrel makes the most advanced carbon fiber bicycles in the world, so there was no question as to which company we wanted to work with. The entire color and graphics scheme of the vehicle was based on the aesthetics of the Kestrel framesets, Shimano components and Mavic wheels”, Woodhall said. The result was an integrated package that “goes beyond anything previously seen in either industry” according to Kevin Kenney, Kestrel’s President, who is also a long-time automotive enthusiast and SEMA attendee. “We couldn’t be happier with the results and look forward to working more with Ty and his group at Octane on future automotive projects”, Kenney added.

The SEMA – or Specialty Equipment Market Association - show is the largest automotive aftermarket show in the world, taking over the entire Las Vegas Convention Center every year. The show attracts over 200,000 attendees in its four day run. With its debut at SEMA, the “Cycling Escape” vehicle begins an 18-month tour of North America’s premier automotive and cycling shows and events.

Images from the Ford booth at SEMA and additional information on the Cycling Escape may be found at Octane’s project-specific website: http://64.23.97.107/gallery.php?ud=1103-1.

As well as in show coverage on Motor Trend Magazine’s site: http://www.motortrend.com.

ABOUT KESTREL BICYCLES
Sandpoint Design Inc., dba Kestrel Bicycles, is a leading manufacturer of high performance carbon-fiber composite bicycle frames, forks and components for road, off-road, and multisport use since 1987. The company's products are marketed under the Kestrel® brand name domestically and internationally. Kestrel is a pioneer in the production of composite bicycle frames and forks and is responsible for many of the industry's technical innovations including the first all-carbon fiber frame, the first all carbon mountain bike, the first all carbon triathlon bike, the first modern full-suspension mountain bike design, the first use of aerodynamic tube sections in a production bicycle, and the first carbon fiber road fork. Kestrel's corporate offices are located at: 5300 Soquel Avenue, Suite 101, Santa Cruz, CA, 95062. More information is available on-line at http://www.kestrel-usa.com/ or by e-mail to info@kestrel-usa.com.