Condor's prototype carbon fibre MTB

The Cycle Show (ExCel, London, 6-8 October 2006) seems to attract more new stuff every year - it's rather well-timed for that, being just after the run of big trade shows at which the bike industry shows its 2007 wares to, um, itself. There's always a few things that hardly anyone at all has seen in real life before, though, and here's a prime example.

London's Condor Cycles has been going for 59 years and working with carbon fibre for the last five. It's best known as a road brand, but it'll be showing off this prototype carbon MTB frame at the show.

It's made of hand-laid high-modulus carbon fibre, with additional Kevlar strips on the surface at areas of potential wear. For show purposes, the frame's been kitted out with a selection of high-end kit - Reba World Cup fork, SRAM X.0 transmission, Avid Juicy Carbon brakes, Cane Creek wheels, Easton carbon bars and seatpost and so on. You're looking at about £3,600 for a complete bike like this, but remember that that's a custom-sized carbon frame with spangly everything on it. Condor's MTB range starts at a rather more accessible £899.99, with road bikes starting at £699.99.

The carbon Condor is certainly worth a look, and Condor is heavily involved in other areas of the show too. It's running a Condor Clothing Retail Zone, which means that visitors to the show will be able to buy clothing and accessories for the first time. The Retail Zone will feature brands including Campagnolo, Crumpler, Endura, Gore and Specialized.

While we're on about Cycle, there's a few other attractions to mention. There'll be a new purpose-built outdoor MTB test track (including, it says here, "North Shore structures") with bikes and kit from Club Roost, Cotic, Cube, DMR, Felt, Fuji, Hope, Iron Horse, Kona, Marin, Muddy Fox, Norco, Pashley, Pinnacle, Rock Shox, Rocky Mountain, Schwinn, Scott, Specialized, USE, Whyte and Yeti. Service support will be on hand from SRAM and Muc-Off.

Other attractions include the Cycling.tv studio, featuring daily interviews with various cycling personalities; the Tacx racing challenge, with virtual Tour de France stages; the free Tri UK duathlon; a commuter test track; the onZa international trials competition; fashion shows and over 120 brands exhibiting.

Sounds good to us - tickets are £12 on the door, £10 in advance and kids get in for a single pound. Visit www.cycleshow.co.uk or call 0870 126 1786.