Interbike's a funny old place. Despite all being in one huge hall, it's got distinct districts. And just like big cities, while the corporate gloss occupies the very centre there's all sorts of interesting stuff going on in the periphery.
Delta7
This wacky-looking device is Delta7's Arantix MTB frame. Rather than conventional carbon fibre tube or monococque construction, it uses "IsoTruss" tubes - open carbon fibre lattices - bonded to carbon fibre lugs.
The interlocking strands are said to give better strength and stiffness for the same amount of material, while also being more resistant to crash damage - it behaves like a thicker-walled tube and it can cope with losing a few "links". For those of us who live in mankier climates, the frame comes with a set of super-thin Lizard Skins covers to stop the tubes filling up with mud.
Frame weight of the Arantix is a claimed 1.2kg (2.7lb) - there are lighter frames available, but Delta7 says that this one is designed to be ridden hard and to last, rather than raced and retired. There's no rider weight limit. Making them is frighteningly labour-intensive, though, and the price tag is pretty scary too - $7,000.
Jones
Jeff Jones has been building unique custom titanium frames and forks from his workshop deep in the Oregon forests for some time now. But with ever-increasing demand, he couldn't keep up with his order book. Now, Jones bikes are being built by Merlin (which knows a thing or two about titanium), meaning a considerably shorter wait and a more accessible price. They're still in the exotica league, though - this 3D spaceframe/fork package will set you back $5,500. We've never ridden one in anger, but those who have absolutely love them.
There's also a diamond-frame version for those who want to either save a little money or have something (slightly) more conventional-looking. All Jones bikes are 29ers - not having to allow for a suspension fork means that Jones has a lot more flexibility to design geometry that works.
This experimental bike is a new twist on the 29/26 idea - it's got a regular 29in wheel at the back and a 26in up front shod with a 4in Surly Endomorph tyre, the outside diameter of which is around about 29in anyway. The idea is extra cush without a suspension fork or too much extra weight.
Quamen
Quamen is a BMX company, but it was showing off this none-more-CNCed downwhill bike too.
There's hardly an inch of this frame that hasn't been machined to within a thousandth of an inch of its life.
And there's a pair of custom bashguards to finish it off.
Tubes, gussets - nothing is left unmilled.
Calfee Design
You can always rely on Craig Calfee to come up with something a bit different for the shows. A couple of years ago it was bamboo, but since Calfee is now producing bamboo frames that's just not eyecatching enough. This, then, is the carbon fibre Spiderweb bike.
Carbon strands run every which-way on the frame (although there are full-length ones joining all the key points together).
Ruegamer
No, this isn't a mountain bike, but Brent Ruegamer's full-custom carbon creations are far too bonkers to hide. This is his Blackbird track weapon. He also has a 600g (!) road frame...
Lahr
This is Derek Lahr's personal project - a carbon fibre freeride frame containing his very own design of continuously-variable transmission.
It looks a bit like one of those "free energy" machines from the outside...
Lahr's efforts were rewarded by Interbike's Best In Show for Innovation trophy. And lots of industry figures had been to Lahr's stand aiming to do deals - the CVT in particular was attracting a lot of interest.
...while inside there's a computer-designed 3D contoured drum, some rollers on cams, some planetary gears and, for all we know, elven woodland folk. We watched it going round and shifting for several minutes and still have almost no idea how it works.
