Lust, according to dictionary definition, is an emotion or feeling of intense desire that comes from deep inside the body. Lust can take many forms. Lust for knowledge. Lust for power. Lust for riches. Lust for sex. And, of course, lust for bikes… beautiful, shiny, fast, sleek bikes.

During our recent three-day stint in the City of Sin (appropriately) we encountered a heaping helping of lust worthy bikes. Super light carbon fiber climbers. Wind cheating aero assault weapons. Beautiful disc-equipped works of custom painted art. Electronic shifting all-day gravel grinding adventure companions. You name it.

If we could have brought them all home for long term testing, we surely would have. But baggage fees being what they are, for now we'll have to settle for extolling the virtues of a few of our favorites. Here then are six lust-worthy bikes spotted in the halls of the annual Interbike trade show. Read up, then dream on.



Guru Photon HL

Canada's Guru has long had a rep for building top-end custom steel, titanium and carbon fiber road steeds. Now it's thrust itself into the super light frame game with the Photon HL (aka hyper light). Using what it calls quantum carbon concept, Guru is offering a claimed weight sub-670 gram frame (size 54cm) that's the lightest the company has ever built.

In addition to the revamped carbon lay-up process, the bike uses a special proprietary sub-5 gram clear coat paint. Other frame features include a ride stiffening PressFit 30 bottom bracket, shock absorbing 27.2mm seatpost, full carbon dropouts, and stealth internal cable routing that's mechanical and electronic compatible. Rider weight limit is a reasonable 200 pounds.

Not surprisingly, all that weight savings doesn't come cheap. The Guru Photon HL is available only in custom geometry, with a frameset running $8,500 and a top-end Shimano Dura Ace Di2 builds going for $15,500. Nobody said lust was cheap. More info at www.GuruCycles.com





Moots Vamoots DR (Disc Road)

By now you've surely heard that disc-equipped road bikes are the next big thing in cycling. Or at least that is what the industry is telling us. We're not yet convinced they make sense for all riders in all applications. But if you're the type who doesn't let "Pavement Ends" signs slow you down (or turn you around) the new Moots Vamoots DR is worth a long look.

We're admittedly friends with the Moots crew, and know for a fact that they love getting out on the dirt roads that abound around their Steamboat Springs, Colorado, headquarters. Translation: They know what a road bike needs in order to excel in "variable" conditions.

Hallmark of this new titanium rig is a seamless high-grade Ti tubeset with oversized and size-specific tubing that equates to buttery smooth ride quality. Oversized, elongated chainstays and hooded dropouts increase torsional strength, improve handling, and enhance lateral rigidity. A 27.2mm seatpost provides subtle road vibration dampening, and with clearance for tires up to 28mm, handling is improved and rolling resistance reduced. The new bike comes in eight stock sizes and will be available starting in November, with frame and fork running $3,600. You can also do full custom geometry, which of course, is what we're lusting for. More info at Moots.com



Jamis Xenith SL

Even a successful bike line needs an occasional refresh. That's why the gang from Jamis orchestrated a ground-up revamp of its popular Xenith line, which now includes five men's builds, plus three for women. Our lust is directed at the top of the heap: the new Xenith SL, a lightweight, race ready rig that is already bike of choice for the Jamis-Hagens Berman pro team.

Highlights of this new dream machine include integrated aero-friendly front and rear brake placement , asymmetrical chainstays for better power transfer, internal cable routing that's works with mechanical of electronic shifting systems, and a BB386 EVO shell bottom bracket that allows for increased diameter of both the seat and down tubes at the BB, which nets a claimed 30-percent increase in stiffness.

The spec isn't bad either: Dura Ace 9000 11-speed, Shimano's carbon fiber C35 tubular wheels, and an array of top-shelf composite components from Ritchey. Dare we say that in this day and age the $10,000 price tag is actually a bargain compared to the other super bikes on the market. More info at www.JamisBikes.com





Neil Pryde Zephyr

Just like in real life, sometimes a sexy outfit is all it takes to inspire lust. The new Neil Pryde Zephyr does just that thanks to a paint job we simply can't take our eyes off. It's retro without being old, subtle without being boring.

But the Zephyr is more than just a pretty face. Geared toward the competitive gran fondo crowd, this new frame utilizes a taller head tube, shorter top tube, longer wheel base, and slacker head tube angle to create a frame that's fit friendly for riders who cant contort their body into praying mantas posture for hours on end.

It's also a relative bargain compared to some of our other muses. Frameset only is $2200, or you can get a full Ultegra 6800 build for $3200. Who says cheap dates aren't fun. More info at www.NeilPrydeBikes.com



Cannondale Synapse Hi-MOD Disc

Okay, as you've guessed by now, we like (even lust) the idea of riding road bikes off road. It opens up new worlds, leads us away from traffic, and generally ups the adventure ante. Criterium racers, we are not.

So in April, when Cannondale launched its new rough-road-ready Synapse Hi-MOD line with its micro-suspension and spindly 25.4mm seatpost, we were intrigued. Subtle flex without efficiency sacrifice. Could it be? Then we got to ride one this summer in Utah. It was impressive to say the least. The bike struck an even balance between race-worthy efficiency and all-day ride comfort. You need not rattle your kidneys to be fast on a bike, or sacrifice all modicum of speed to be comfortable.

But "like" didn't become full-on lust until we spotted the new Hi-MOD Disc at the Eurobike trade show in Germany (Cannondale skipped Vegas). The retro (but not old) paint scheme is a head turner. The easy-to-install and adjust brake mounting adapter is innovative. The full internal cable and hydraulic line routing (which works with either Quick Connect or regular hydraulic line fittings) is time saving. Fork dropouts that are angled forward to better counter braking load is creative. And the fact that Cannondale devised an entirely new asymmetric carbon lay-up to deal with the forces accompanied by disc braking without degrading ride feel or adding significant weight is progressive.

Add in ENVE carbon clincher wheels and a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 drivetrain, and lust we do. More info at www.Cannondale.com



Easton Dream Bikes

So how do you feed all this lust? You can either peel open the wallet and pick yourself up one of the five bikes mentioned above. Or you can spend just $5 and enter Easton's Dream Bike Charity Raffle. Then cross your fingers and say a prayer to the cycling gods. If you happen to win, you'll walk away with one of five handmade, lust-worthy bikes, and know that the proceeds from your raffle ticket went to a good cause (the bike builder's pick the charity).

All the prize bikes (Rock Lobster (pictured), Caletti, Black Cat, Calfee, and Hunter) are built in Santa Cruz, California, just a few miles from Easton HQ in Scotts Valley. Each frame is a different material: carbon fiber, alloy, steel, scandium and titanium. And of course each bike has top shelf spec that includes Shimano Dura Ace, Easton EC90 cockpit, and a pair of just released EC90 Aero 55 wheels. The first drawing is on October 1. Just maybe, you'll lust no more. To learn more and enter, head to the Easton Facebook page.