CABDA Midwest 2023: A Sight to See!

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by Paul DaiZovi
Lake Forest (IL) Police Department

The 2023 Midwest CABDA show in Schaumburg, Illinois, was a sight to see! It was loaded with hundreds of vendors and attendees, all wanting to share their knowledge on everything bike, nutrition, equipment, and safety-related. Where do I even begin?! As I took an initial lap around the expo hall, I was surrounded by people bustling around, talking, selling, and sharing information. I decided to just dive in!

I spoke with representatives of multiple bicycle vendors, including Seven Peaks, Yamaha, Jamis, DOST, Haro, GoCycle, Bianchi, Dynalion, BikeList, KTM, TREK, and many more.

Everyone I spoke to in the bike manufacturing world wanted to sell me their e-Bike. As a sergeant for Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) Mobile Field Force’s Bike Response Team, I see a bike as being highly mobile, transportable, defensive, and shield-like. Even as a former collegiate offensive lineman, I cannot imagine lifting an e-Bike as a defensive and shield-like tool. Since the weight averages 40-50 lbs (18-22 kg), I have to bow out of the e-Bike world for work applications.

However, many vendors are making some great e-Bikes. I was pleased to hear from Nate Espinosa of Yamaha that they have been there since day one, having made the first-ever electricity powered bicycle, way back in 1989. Their 30+ years of experience can be seen in the Yamaha CrossCore RC.

Here a few highlights of my visits with the bicycle manufacturers and suppliers. This is only a fraction of the companies present, but as far as bicycle manufacturers, these are the ones that intrigued me the most.

Seven Peaks: I met with Vincent, who shared their philosophy of forging personal connections with their clients when building bikes and personalizing their line for whatever purpose when creating custom bikes. Their goal is a true customer satisfaction experience when working with our mounted friends from the True North. Vincent advised all of their bikes are produced in Montreal and shipped locally. They also offer a wide array of winter sports gear, including downhill and cross-country skis and snowboards.

Jamis: Tom shared the history of Jamis and their reputation for building strong frames, designing good bikes, and offering great deals. Founded in 1937, Jamis is the oldest bicycle company in the United States under original family ownership.

DOST: Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, Sam explained how they’re focusing on long-range bikes for everyday life, commuting, fun, and ease. By no means is the bike light (65-75 lbs/29-34 kg), but it certainly is a competitor for your personal life. The bike is said to have a range of 120 miles (193 km) and can be configured as Class 1, 2, or 3.

Haro: Not just another mainstream bike, Haro was built amongst the BMX culture and is prepared to be ridden hard and get back to work. Rickey sold me on the budget-friendly hardtail MTB with competitive pricing and packed features. Clamp or disc brakes, find what fits you with a wide array of sizes to outfit your agency. Haro offers a model built for public safety use (https://harobikes.com/collections/police).

GoCycle: One of the premier travel e-Bikes in the industry, Eric peddled (pun intended) a narrative of “go anywhere without limitations”. Talk about a bike I can pick up and go with! I certainly felt comfortable on this travel bike, even with its foldable frame.

Bianchi: A longtime name in cycling, performance, and tradition (since 1885!), Bianchi is for those seeking a great-performing ride for personal use. Look to Bianchi for a high-performance road, gravel, mountain, or urban bike. Bianchi bikes are instantly recognizable by their distinctive green-blue color, known as Celeste (sky). For an interesting history of the color, visit https://www.bianchi.com/celeste/.

Dynalion: An affordable leisure and travel e-Bike, Dynalion is equipped with fat tires to get you anywhere you may need to go! It features a very nice large trunk for transporting, accessorizing, and fitting your ride to your needs.

Of course, CABDA is about more than the bicycles. There were plenty of accessories, helmets, carriers, and other bike-related merchandise on display. Of all these, I would like to share a few with you.

Kuat: Tom presented the Piston Pro X bike rack so well that I will inevitably go out and get one for myself. It is a bit pricey; however, the features, design, and engineering all show why its priced at over $1,000. With easy wheel locks, taillights, and foldability, you have to get your hands on it to really understand. You’re going to want this rack.

LEATT: I spent far too much time looking for good police wearable gear. Evan with LEATT showed me some of their AirFlex Pro knee/shin pads, elbow pads, and chest pads, all of which would have a great application for riot/protest situations. AirFlex Pro technology is soft and pliable, yet hard when struck with something or if the wearer hits the ground. LEATT also makes a beautiful full-face helmet with a removable chin guard. The helmet offers total cranial protection with a removable chin guard to make it practical for multiple applications.

This is just a sample of some of the amazing gear I was able to get my hands on and only a portion of the countless people with whom I spoke. I found real potential in a only a percentage of items; those are which I chose to share with you. Please do your own research as what works for me may not be the best for you. Visit https://cabdashow.com/midwest-exhibitors for a list of all exhibitors.

Paul is a NIPAS Mobile Field Force Bike Response Team Sergeant, FTO, Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, and patrol officer. He responded to more than 87 BRT call-outs through the summer of 2020. He has experienced numerous bicycle protest/riot deployments and is also an avid cyclist at home and on patrol. He can be reached at DaizoviP @ cityoflakeforest.com.

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