bikefix Exclusive Review: SKS Rennkompressor 75th Anniversary floor pump

I like to try different floor pumps. I think it all started when I bought an anniversary edition floor pump from Topeak that weighed about 40 pounds because it was made from solid brass attached to a cast-iron base, with an oil-filled pressure gauge. Though I still have that pump, I don’t use it often- it’s a showpiece now because Topeak told me they have almost no parts for these anymore and I'd hate to have it die. After the Topeak kicked things off, I started buying floor-pumps like candy.

I heard about the SKS brand from reading the British mountain bike magazines where they seemed to gush over them- proclaiming them to be some of the best-made pumps available, made in truly bombproof Teutonic fashion (SKS is a German company of course). The US bike parts distributor BTI started carrying them about a year ago and when the 75th Anniversary edition of their Rennkompressor pump was available, of course I couldn’t resist.

When the Rennkompressor showed up, it wasn’t as impressive as my old Topeak [which looks like something found in the submerged wreck of a spanish galleon], but it was obviously well made. The SKS too has a cast-iron base, but uses a steel barrel. It has a wonderfully simple brass nozzle that works only on Presta valve stems (note: It should be available soon with a nozzle that works with different types of tube stems). The pressure gauge is accurate but, unfortunately, is only measured in bar! Damn those Germans for not adopting PSI. It seems that someone realized that the US was getting these pumps and so slapped a table on the side of the barrel that converts the bar to psi. This might have worked well enough, but the sticker is black writing over a dark green paint and is hard to read without picking the pump up and getting a closer look. I think measuring in bar is dumb anyways because it is such a coarse unit of measure (mountain bike tires only need about 3 bar). SKS obviously understands this though because the pressure gauge is spread out and divided by enough marks that it can be read to 1/10 bar (about 1.4psi). In the end, it has the same amount of graduation that our gauges do and is (therefore) almost as useful (but bar still suck).

I have yet to have a problem with this pump and it has become my main pump for use at home. It fills tires quickly and feels solid doing it. The main tube can get hot if you pump a few tires up in a row but most pumps are in a similar situation. The Rennkompressor is a 40 year old basic design that has been refined and updated, but its roots are obvious and it therefore isn’t as flashy looking as a lot of newer pumps. If flash is your thing though, SKS makes a more modern looking line (which I will also eventually try). The handle is supposed to be wrapped in leather, and maybe it is, but it looks suspiciously like a synthetic or even rubber. It has two metal foot-pegs that fold up when not in use and a hose clip to keep things tidy too.

This is a great pump. Not that exciting looking though. I can’t find any warranty info online but I’ll bet it’s a lifetime one since that is what most of the competition has. Small parts are available too, if you do have a problem with the pump. My only annoyance with the Rennkompressor is the bar measurement gauge. Your local shop can order this pump for somewhere between $90 and $100.

charlie

http://www.sks-germany.com/

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bikefix Initial Review: Lazer Genesis RD helmet

While a product generally has to stand out in some way in order to catch my eye, what I value more than anything else, when riding, is the ride. Products that draw attention to themselves mid-ride almost always do so for negative reasons. Brakes squeal, clothing is too itchy, too hot or too cold, glasses slide, and tires slip. The best gear draws attention only in its absence of foibles and annoyances. The very same products that had to jump out at me in the store or trade show or in print should fade immediately into the background when on the bike.

While Belgian company Lazer's has been building helmets since 1919, the brand has yet to gain much of a foothold in the United States. With more and more bike shops looking to set themselves apart with interesting, high-quality product, however, uber-distributor QBP is making a push to raise awareness of the brand. If what we've seen at Interbike and in person are any indication, they have the product to match their ambitions. After retiring my latest helmet due to bizarre fit issues and persistent mid-ride headaches, I contacted Lazer's brand liaison Chris, who sent out their workhorse Genesis for us to test.

What sets Laser's helmets apart from others on the market is the company's Rollsys retention system. Rather than a band running below the occipital protuberance (bump), Lazer have created a head-holding basket that is tied, using thin stainless cables, to a band that runs about 3/4 of the way around the rider's head (similar to the one used by Uvex in their helmets). The basket is split to accommodate long hair as well as to clear the weird tendon that connects the back of the skull to the shoulder area. Adjustment of the basket and circumferential band is made via a single roller on the top of the helmet, which takes in and lets out stainless cable. It's complicated to describe and was probably more so to execute- but very easy to use. The hardest part to remember is that the action of the roller seems backwards for us right-handers- a minor issue that's easily overcome.

The rest of the helmet would seem very standard if not for the way it sits on the head. The Genesis has to be the lowest-profile helmet I've ever worn. While it meets all government-required safety standards, Lazer have managed to work in a good number of vents and channels without maintaining a minimum shell thickness, reducing the mushroom-head look that most helmets bring. Weight- and cost-wise, the Genesis is competitive for what I would consider a high-end helmet: 280g and $150-180 depending on options (5g heavier than Giro's $225 Ionos).

The Genesis comes in only two sizes: XXS-M and L-XL. I was initially put off by this fact, feeling that high-end helmets should fit well and that three sizes were needed to do so (Lazer's $220, 220g Helium does add a third, intermediate size). Of course, being a someone with a medium-sized (57cm) head, I was a bit disappointed that the company didn't seem to make a helmet for me. Given my head size, Lazer sent out a L-XL helmet. When it arrived, it felt a bit big (not surprising, given that I was at the bottom of its size range). As a nice bonus, the Genesis comes not only with a soft helmet bag but also with both thick and thin pad sets. Being at the low end of the size range, I swapped out the thin pads for thick and was quite comfortable. With that done, the retention system and straps easily adjusted to make it fit well, with minimal movement, on or off road.

On the bike, the Genesis all but disappeared from my conciousness. Like the Uvex Supersonic, with which it shares a wide brow pad, bottom 1-2in of the helmet felt a bit warmer than I felt it should- but Lazer have used better pad materials than Uvex (one of my recommendations when I reviewed the Supersonic) and that helps. Above that level, the large amount of air flow is noticeable: well above average at low speeds (~10mph) and competitive with or slightly better than the competition at road speeds (up around 20mph). The Genesis' ventilation is great on the road bike and even better off road (temperatures here have been hitting the mid-90s lately, so I'm appreciating it more and more). The large brow pad has the capacity to absorb a good deal of moisture and seems to evaporate it reasonably quickly too- only on the hottest and most humid days has sweat leaked from the pad and dripped on to the inside of my glasses.

I liked the Geneis so much that I decided to ask my local shop to order up a medium Genesis to see how it fit. I also ordered up a matching white visor to see how that fit. When they came in, the difference was clear, and my already high opinion of the Genesis was bumped up a few notches. The XXS-M helmet (which I bought) fit my near-hairless head better than the large and felt even more secure. I don't need to wind the Rollsys as tightly as I do with the larger shell, which meant that the Geneis was even less noticeable while riding. With no movement whatsoever, even while mountain biking, I all but forgot the Genesis while riding. I was initially concerned about the Rollsys loosening over the course of the ride, but that hasn't been the case at all.

My quibbles are few. A road helmet by design (Lazer have a mountain-specific helmet, the Nemesis, coming soon), dirt-oriented riders might be able use a bit more protection than the Genesis offers in the rear. Also, while the visor (included in MTN Edition Genesis helmets or available separately for ~$15) integrates nicely from most angles, it's sort of weird looking and angular from others. While well-placed, it's also non-adjustable. At $150 or $180, I would have liked to see three sizes available, but seeing as the Genesis fit me pretty well in two different sizes, I don't think that it's essential. It seems as though Lazer might be able to improve ventilation along the bottom of the helmet, but above that point, the Genesis is easily among the best I've tried.

Given my initial experience, I think that the Genesis is one heck of a helmet. The fit (in my correct size) is as near to perfect as I've found. The retention system is low-profile and unobtrusive. It even allowed me to continue wearing a pair of glasses that I'd written off as painful- it turns out that their discomfort was coming from the helmet I was wearing them with. On long rides, I'm getting fewer headaches than I was with my previous helmet. It looks good, is available in a wide range of attractive colors and the price is not unreasonable for it's quality and weight. For anyone who spends a good deal of time on the bike, the Genesis would certainly be worth looking into. Most any shop in the US should be able to get them (and probably should- they might be surprised). It feels like I've found my new helmet. I'll keep riding the Genesis and report back in a few months.

marc

www.lazer.be

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Giro Remedy gloves

Over the past couple of years, helmet company Giro have broadened their range to include cycling accessories other than helmets. Following their new-for-2008 glasses comes a line of cycling gloves. Giro have a number of different models to choose from but the one that caught my eye this spring was the Remedy. I like a light full-fingered glove and I like a bit of armor too, and the Remedy seems to be a nice compromise between the two. Most gloves are either too XC oriented with little-to-no armor, or are clustered with hard armor plates and are therefore less comfortable and less ventilated for long, hot rides. I have generally tackled this problem by carrying a boat-load of gloves in my bag, and selecting the most appropriate pair at the last minute, based on the type of trail I’m riding and weather I expect. This method works pretty well but it does require the rider to buy a large amount of gloves [and carry a big smelly bag of gloves around -marc]. For all my searching, the perfect Trail glove has proved elusive. It needs to be light and ventilated, but durable, and needs to have a respectable amount of armor to protect my hands from trees, brush, and occasional boulders. The Giro Remedy comes close to this ideal.

One look at the glove and you can see that real thought went into the design. Giro have used softer rubber armor plates to enhance comfort (over hard plates- at the expense of some protection) and the armor is clustered on the outside of the hand, where it is most needed, only creeping inward to help protect the two biggest knuckles. The armor is also perforated with holes to help the glove breathe. Giro says that the armor plates are "Sonic Welded" onto the glove, and while I’m not that versed in apparel terminology, I think it means that they are ultrasonically fused (melted) on to the fabric. Another cool feature is the use of the D30 material in the outside of the palm (right where you land on your hand when you fall). D30 is one of those space-age technological wonder materials that is trickling down into mountain biking. With my limited knowledge, I can’t adequately explain its properties, but the short of it is that: it‘s a material which is soft and flexible in its normal state, but hardens and stiffens under impact. It has been used to good effect in motorcycle gear. I don’t know how much the D30 will help protect your hand from breaking if you fall, but it should help protect it from sharp rocks a bit, helping prevent a puncture wound. The palm is a three panel design with vent holes in the middle. Giro uses Pittards leather which is a high-quality and durable material.

The upper has a nice combination of breathable fabrics and elastic for comfort and fit. Another nice touch is that the leather from the palm wraps around to the top of the finger on the index and ring fingers of the glove. It doesn’t have the typical terry-cloth wipe on the upper thumb, but has what Giro calls a “highly absorbent microfiber wiping surface” which seems to work almost as well. The stitching and quality seem to be very high on this glove and I hope it lasts a long time. I bought the white model (which still has a fair amount of black on it) and have been using it on some pretty hot rides. Despite the venting and breathable fabrics, I don’t think it is going to be quite cool enough for mid-summer afternoon rides here in the desert. The two other colors, Black and Olive, are darker so will be even hotter.

I love the fit of this glove. The true let-down here is that I have medium-to-large size hands and am fitting perfectly in Giro's XL size glove. The company only makes a S, M, L, and XL in this glove- this is a HUGE mistake by Giro- they need at least one larger size, if not two. I don’t know what they were thinking but most everybody I ride with (and know) has larger hands than me. If Giro reads this I hope that they fix the sizing issue for next year- the Remedy is close to the ideal trail glove, but will only fit a small proportion of the people who ride. If you can fit into one of their sizes they run about $42.00.

Note: My Remedy's were from Giro's first glove production run. The odd sizing may have been solved by now.

charlie

www.giro.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Bontrager XDX TLR 2.1 tires

We do a lot of tire and wheel reviews at bikefix and we do it for good reason: they are some of the easiest and most important changes one can make to their bike to get it to perform better. Tires, being much cheaper than wheels, are a good component to start with. If you are always slipping and hunting for traction, a burlier tire with bigger knobs might be worth a try. If you have plenty of traction where you live, perhaps you should try a lighter more efficient design. The Bontrager XDX fits into the second category.

I bought the XDX for a light bike where efficiency and rolling weight were concerns on since I use this bike to chase some local “fast-folks.” Traction is always important to me too though, and I couldn’t have a tire that completely skated all over the place. I hadn’t tried any Bontrager tires before, and this tread design looked like it would be fairly fast but also able to grip when expected too. They are a tubeless-ready (TLR) design, which means that Bontrager take a normal tire casing and put the special bead that tubeless standards require on it. This saves weight over UST by eliminating tubeless tires' layer of impermeable rubber on the inside. Companies assume (correctly) that some sort of sealant will be used regardless, making the sealing rubber redundant. I tend to like UST standard tires better for their stiffer, sturdier casings (see my previous tire reviews), but it seems manufacturers are getting a bit better at making tubeless-ready tires that don’t burp air. The XDX seems to be one of the well-made tubeless ready tires. I've never burped this tire in several months of riding and it has held up surprisingly well. It is not a burly or tough trail tire though, so please keep that in mind. I have taken it on some tougher trails and it has performed (and survived) admirably, but I’m not sure it would hold up to repeated trail rides in rough, rocky terrain. I knew going in that this was an XC tire though, and in that regard I have to give it very high marks. There were times that I wanted more traction but they weren’t as often as I thought they would be, given the intended purpose of these tires. That is quite a complement given what I expect out of light-weight (640 grams) XC tires.

The XDX has tight square-ish knobs that run in an evenly spaced pattern around the tire. There are no fancy gimmicks and they ride in a very predictable manner. There are a few different versions and sizes of this tire available, so hopefully one can accommodate whatever your needs might be. The 2.1 size has a folding bead, 120 tpi thread count, and is the only version to use Bontrager’s “AR casing” sidewall protection. It is also available in a 1.9 and a 2.4. The XDX seemed to wear fairly well around here (New Mexico, USA) and should last even longer in parts of the country that are less rocky.

I tend to err towards tougher tires with more traction but, I have to say that this is a great XC tire and is an excellent choice if weight and efficiency are important to you. $50 from your local Trek dealer or www.bontrager.com.

charlie

www.bontrager.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Zefal Air Control CO2 inflator

One of the most respected and often ignored engineering is captured by the mnemonic device KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. During the development process, there are usually engineering, design and marketing pressures that cause designs to drift from this principle- often with little real benefit to the user. Its exciting for me, then, to find a product that adheres to the KISS principle, doing everything it needs to and nothing it doesn't.

Because packing and unpacking packs and saddle bags is a great way to ensure that you won't have everything you need in an emergency, I try to keep a saddle bag on each of my road bikes and each a small and large backpack packed with a handful of essential tools, tubes, and emergency inflation. Because I tend to grab my single speed when I only have a short amount of time to squeeze a ride into, I thought that I'd be fine without a pack and should assemble a saddle bag for that bike too. I had Allen keys, tire irons and tubes but for the first time in a long time needed to buy a CO2 inflator. Looking at what was available in local shops, I quickly became frustrated. There were quite a few overly-complex inflators whose only real function is to get air from a CO2 cartridge to a valve. That's it. Still, there were neon enclosures, springs, chucks and triggers- and not a simple device to be found. Amazingly able to recall that my 15 year old inflators were from French inflationists Zefal, I took my search to the Interweb.

The simplest inflator that I could find for sale was this little jobbie. Also made by Zefal, it consists of a pair of aluminum tubes that thread together with a sharp tube for puncturing the CO2 on one end, a needle valve in the center and Presta and Schraeder threads at the other end. That's it. Threading the adapter on to the CO2 punctures the cartridge (this should be done last), turning the ends toward one another reduces the flow of CO2 and threading it on to the valve stem gives the CO2 someplace useful to go (probably the first step).

Now, I'm not a big fan of the regular use of CO2 cartridges to fix flats. Given the price per inflation, the fact that they can't be used to top off tires and fact that they create waste (granted, the cartridges are generally recyclable), they're had to defend for day-to-day use. That said, while racing, being attacked by horse flies, bonking or crouched beside a busy road at dusk, they can be a godsend. They are also useful when a mini pump fails or a UST tire plain won't seat. For these reasons, it makes sense to carry a cartridge or two along with a small pump on most rides.

Threaded on to a spare tube (its not a great idea to thread it- even partially- on to the CO2 cartridge), the Air Control takes up almost no space at all and will keep the end of a Presta valve stem from puncturing the tube. The instructions claim that one can inflate multiple tires by closing off the needle valve, but as both the needle and seat are aluminum, I can't see a partial cartridge lasting long, making this feature good for double-flats and that's about it. Besides, I find that a 16g CO2 cartridge is about right to fully inflate a road tire or seat & inflate a tubeless mountain tire. These are available in bulk for about $1 apiece online or $2-3 apiece if bought individually. The aluminum construction gets cold when used, but as most people ride with gloves its not a big deal- let it do its thing and warm up a bit while reinstalling the wheel on the bike, then remove the empty cartridge and inflator. They'll be a bit chilly in a jersey pocket but warm pretty quickly.

$10-15 (plus cartridges) seems like a lot to pay for a couple of little pieces of aluminum. Then again, I couldn't make one myself for less. The company also makes the Air Adaptor (which turns out to be the model I've been carrying for 15 years), which forgoes the needle valve and comes in for a few bucks less. Zefal's Air Control and Air Adaptor keep it simple. Each have all I need in an inflator and little (or nothing, in the case of the Air Adaptor) more- for that they get a bikefix Pick.

marc

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Shimano Deore XT (M770) crankset

While flash, sexy parts may be exciting and attract envious glances at the trailhead, there is a lot to be said for the unglamorous workhorses that just plain work well. Ride after ride, these parts perform their intended function with minimal complaint. Not necessarily inexpensive, their long and uncomplicated years of service can make them a bargain in the long run. Much of Shimano's Deore XT group fits this description to a T. While the flagship XTR group gets all of the attention, and other companies' offerings have more carbon fiber cachet, in my experience, nothing seems to work better while requiring less attention than the original mountain bike group.

While there are quite a few who complain about the large bearings' unloaded seal drag and yet another bottom bracket standard, its hard to argue with Shimano's Hollowtech II system. By moving the bearings outboard of the bottom bracket, the company made room for massive spindles supported on oversized bearings, spaced as widely apart as possible. The system is stiff, light, and durable. Coming the from short-lived bearings that were a characteristic of the ISIS standard and broken spindles that marked the square taper standard before that, Hollowtech II was a great use of divergent thinking to address common problems. Sure, bottom bracket shells had to be better prepared than in the past, some of the early bearing seals were pretty awful and the Q-factor (lateral distance between pedals) grew a bit- but given the alternatives, the choice was clear.

The M770 crankset is Shimano's second generation Hollowtech II XT crankset. This particular crankset has been on my all-day XC bike for the past two years with virtually no complaints. The bottom bracket still spins smoothly, the chainrings hold torque and shift well. When I installed the M770s, I had a look at my old (previous generation XT) crankset's big ring and thought that I'd try to wring another season out of the old one before installing the 'ring that was provided. Two years on, the now five year old Shimano XT big ring is still going strong. Sure, its missing a few teeth, ground down and broken off by rocks and logs, but its still straight and works just fine and has earned its keep. Some day, when things go horribly wrong, there's a new XT ring on the wall in the garage, waiting and ready to go.

Buying an XTR equipped bike about a year ago, I pilfered most of the parts for my favorite bike before selling it on (it rode terribly). For a time, I was seduced by the sexy gunmetal XTR crankset and ran it on my main ride. While those with perfectly dialed front shifting (there has to be someone out there), there might be improved shifting. I, for one, couldn't feel a difference, and the 70g weight savings was outweighed by a resale value high enough to fund a new brakeset and the need for XTR-specific tools. The fancy cranks went and the XTs stayed.

Priced similarly to aftermarket options from Race Face and TruVativ, Shimano's Deore XT crankset isn't as rare or sexy but a prize nonetheless. The company's SLX crankset is also attracting a lot of attention down the bike shop, and saves $75 in exchange for an extra 45g, a bit less spent on the rings and a stouter bottom bracket axle. Given my XT set's flawless performance, I can't see much point in recommending trying anything but. Not cheap, but undoubtedly the safest crankset bet for one can make for $315.

marc

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bikefix Rant: Dumbing Down Our Trails

A couple of weeks ago, Charlie and I were out on one of our newer local trails. Built by mountain bikers rather than hikers or equestrians, it's a great little guy- grippy and twisty with a number of well-spaced and challenging steps, logs, switchbacks and rocks. When on this trail, I rarely ride everything, but know where I need to improve and usually have a go at all of the obstacles. Now this new trail is far from the stunt-filled type popularized on Vancouver's North Shore, it's more akin to classic New England singletrack: fun and challenging with a handful of puzzles to keep people trying.

For this reason I was surprised when we came around a corner to find that an 8in high tree that had been lying across the trail had been moved. Sure it was on a slight incline, but it was easily rideable in both directions and I hardly thought twice about it. Clearly, the builders (who had invested a good deal of their own time in building a trail for everyone to enjoy) had considered it an integral part of the experience- otherwise they'd have removed it themselves. Presumably, someone had come along, had difficulty with the obstacle, and taken its removal upon themselves.

This is the sort of thing that I've been noticing more and more in our area. Sometimes its subtle- raking trails clear of rocks in preparation for a race; sometimes less so- the construction of a shonky stone ramp making what had been a challenge against which riders could gauge their skills into a beginner level doodle. Of course I understand that land managers have to strike a balance between providing challenge for users and reducing unnecessary potential for harm. I also understand that if a trail is too hard, beginner and intermediate riders will lose heart and stop trying. That said, it is important for riders of all abilities to be challenged. In our risk-averse society, it's often forgotten that without challenge, there's little opportunity for growth. The sport is mountain biking, after all- the technical challenge is part of the experience. For a predictable, non-technical experience, our city is blessed with a wealth of paved bike paths and beginner-level dirt paths.

What could the root of this sort of behavior be? While I'm taken aback by the kind of audacity that would lead a rider to tailor an existing trail to their particular skill level, that could be a part of it. It's also possible that these riders could have bruised a knee or twisted an ankle in failing to clean a section and be hoping to spare fellow riders the same pain and indignity. Could it be that they feel that every trail needs to be 100% rideable, every time it's ridden? Could that rider's choice of inappropriately treadless tires (saving 200g per wheel!) be clouding their judgment of what is rideable and what is not? Without meeting these folks, it's hard to know for certain. What I do know is that they need to stop dumbing down our trails.

One of my favorite local rides is, in a word, brutal. After an hour or two and thousands of feet of sustained climbing, one comes to the area's most technically challenging trails. Tree Spring sits at about 10,000 feet and has a good deal of exposed rock. While I consider myself to be a reasonably skilled rider, I never expect to completely clean Tree Spring. In fact, I don't believe that I ever have. That's part of its beauty. On a good day, I'll try everything and do reasonably well. On an average day? I walk several short sections. That's OK. It's the trying, failing, learning and succeeding that will make me a stronger, better rider. All of this is all part of the mountain biking experience.

On a recent ride, I was having a particularly good day: nearly to the top of Tree Spring with only one section walked. It was a beautifully overcast and breezy day, perfect for the kind of effort Tree Spring requires. Coming up on what I knew to be the last difficult bit (and anticipating a good final effort), I found that someone had spent a good deal of time (though possibly not skill) building a stone ramp up the 10in high step. To put it simply, I felt as though I'd been robbed. I had 90 minutes and a good deal of energy invested to get to this point, to the final challenge, only to be denied the opportunity to either succeed or fail.

I climbed the noisily loose ramp and up the trail to my usual snack spot. Despite having already been rear-ended in my car that day and had its shift knob pop off while shifting from first to second gear, the denial of this challenge was by far the day's low point. Rather than making me angry, I was saddened by the diminishment of a great piece of trail. This step is far from the most difficult part of a hard trail- it's not like adding this ramp magically made cleaning Tree Spring a likelihood. It did, however, dramatically affect my ride that day.

What riders need to remember is that different people enjoy different aspects of mountain biking. There are many of us who measure ourselves against a known set of trails. We know how we've progressed (or regressed) by our weekly ride on local trails like Tree Spring or our annual trip to Moab or Whistler. Without technical and physical challenges, trails can become too easy and lose interest over time. Without challenges, we don't have the opportunity for self-improvement or to learn from other riders. Without challenges, we might as well bolt on a pair of aero bars, don coordinating team outfits and hang up our knobbies. Sure, there are trail features that you and I will never ride well (if at all). Be aware, though, that there is a rider out there who comes to these challenges month after month and year after year and one day will. Diminishing these existing challenges not only unfairly deprives that rider, but prevents us from ever becoming that rider.

marc

Epilogue: I returned to Tree Spring this weekend to find that the ramp had been removed. While I hadn't ridden everything up to that point, I had a go at that last step and was able to feel the satisfaction of a challenge met. That was the high point of my day.

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Magura Menja 130 suspension fork

Regular bikefix readers will know that I'm pretty picky about suspension. Being a lightweight but aggressive rider, it feels like most companies' front and rear suspension just isn't built for me. At lower pressures, many forks and shocks' stiction is exposed, making them feel harsher to me than most riders. Lowering pressures further can sometime get a fork moving over small bumps- but at the expense of the rest of its travel. Over the past 10 years, many manufacturers' goal has been to produce as "linear" feeling a fork as possible. Coming from low-volume air and short-travel elsastomer sprung forks, this was a revelation to many riders. However, as every category of bike sees increased travel, this "linear" feel quickly becomes "dive-y" and bikes blow through their travel far too readily. The solution, for many, is to find a happy medium: passable (though not good) small bump performance with enough pressure to prevent hard bottoming under most circumstances. As riders become more suspension-literate and their expectations are raised, however, this just isn't cutting it.

At Interbike last year, I visited every suspension fork maker I could find looking for a holy grail of sorts: A reasonably-priced 5in travel XC fork that works equally well on small and large bumps, was reasonably priced and came in under 4lb. The standard against which this fork would be judged? RockShox's excellent Revelation. As I mentioned in my Initial Review, the Germans are making some really well thought-out gear at the moment. The bikefix Crew are big fans of pretty much everything we've tried from Syntace, and VauDe, Deuter and Ergon are making some fantastic bags for both commuters and mountain bikers. While I hadn't really looked closely at Magura's line in the past (put off by having worked on some of their disc brakes around the turn of the century), I came away very impressed with the company's $470 Menja 130. After thinking on it a bit, I ordered one to see what it was like.

Built in Germany, the Menja line consists of 80, 100 and 130mm fixed-travel forks. When handling a Menja, one can't help but notice how well everything seems to have been built. The disc tabs and dropouts have stainless steel inserts to prevent scarring and corrosion. The lockout is aluminum and actuates smoothly and precisely and the air cap and rebound adjuster are nicely machined and laser etched as well. The Menja plain oozes quality. In the pursuit of stiffness, the lowers use the company's proprietary Dual Arch Design, which looks a bit funny but seems to work very well. In fact, while my light weight keeps me from being the best judge of a fork's stiffness, some of the bigger riders I know call Magura's the Menja and Wotan the stiffest non-thru axle forks they've felt. At 3.75lb, the Menja is reasonably light for its intended use, especially when its price is considered.

Positioned above only the unfortunately-named Odur, the Menja is Magura's simplest air fork. No platform damping. No travel adjust. As I've noted in the past, I'm a big fan of active forks. While platform damping in general is improving, at the front of the bike it still gives up too much in the way of small-bump compliance and adds complexity and cost to a fork. As someone who is accustomed to backing most forks' rebound damping full off (and occasionally wanting for less), the Menja's extremely light compression and rebound damping was a pleasant surprise. The light damping allows the fork to follow the ground very well- I even had to increase the rebound damping a bit to keep it from pogoing. In an effort to keep stiction to a minimum, Magura have allowed the Menja's lower leg seals to breathe somewhat. While not noisy like some forks I've ridden, this means that there can be a fair bit of scary-looking oil on the stantions. Though the company warned me to expect this, it was a little bit worrying at first. In effect, what is happening is that some of the lubricating oil (the damper is well sealed and tucked away inside of the upper leg) is allowed to work its way past the wipers, taking contaminates with it. When I pulled the Menja apart a while back, it was clean inside- so the system seems to be working well. What this does mean is that the Menja might want a bit more lubrication than other forks on the market (though most every fork will appreciate an annual tear-down) and it can be a bit messy if not wiped off from time to time.

In my initial review, I noted that I felt that the Menja's sweet spot (for my weight) was at a very low 52psi. The result was a fork that is probably the smoothest I've felt on small bumps but an overly linear feel: the fork's large air chamber just didn't allow such low pressures to ramp up enough to prevent bottoming. My hopes of the seals breaking in (to allow be to run higher pressures without small-bump harshness) never came about, so I talked to Justin at Magura about possible fixes. As I suspected, his suggestion was to add a bit of oil to the air chamber (where there usually is none). My inability to correctly read a beaker led to several tries (adding too much oil will decrease the fork's travel but not its length) and I settled on about 5cc of 5wt oil (Magura recommended a max of 2.5cc). This had the effect of decreasing the air chamber's volume and (given the same starting pressure) increasing the air pressure at the end of the fork's stroke. While this sort of thing shouldn't be necessary for heavier riders, for me it made the Menja a much more predictable fork on the trail (nobody like to hit a mid-sized bump only to find their bars 4in lower than they should be).

After about 9 months, I'm still impressed with the Menja. While $470 isn't cheap, it has to be the best-built fork I've seen for less than twice that- and its actually built in Germany. For lighter riders, I still think that forks with adjustable negative springs will provide better performance at both ends of their travel (at the cost of increased complexity and price). Heavier riders (starting at, say, 170lb), on the other hand, should be thrilled with the Menja's stiffness and coil spring-like feel. For riders who like the feel of Fox's Vanilla but who'd like lighter weight, more adjustability and (probably) increased stiffness, I can't think of a better option.

marc

www.magura.com

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bikefix Initial Review: Smartwool Ramateur jersey

I have been waiting for this jersey to show up at the distributor QBP for months. It first showed up as an item on their website back around December and was finally available in April. I like thin, smooth, Merino wool clothes and have started wearing them for much of the season- both on and off the bike. For those of you unfamiliar with Smartwool it is an apparel company that makes clothes, primarily shirts and socks, out of Merino wool. I’m not going to go into a long diatribe about the benefits and drawbacks of fine Merino wool over synthetics, but suffice it to say that for 2/3rds of the year, wool seems to be a good choice, with our intense Southwest summer heat being the only time I find it lacking.

The Ramateur is only 75% Merino though and has 25% polyester mixed into it’s weave for durability and a lighter weight. I don’t actually know, but I’ll bet it helps the shirt wick moisture a bit better than plain wool too. It’s a handsome Jersey and looks almost like a cross between sportswear and nice country club clothes. If you stop for lunch at a restaurant during your ride, you will look much better than your fellow riders. The Ramateur comes in three earthy colors: Wasabi (green), Mulberry (brick red) or Graphite (pictured), seems well made but not over-built, and as a nice touch uses a soft piece of leather as its tag for comfort.

I am 5’10” and 193 lbs. and I find the XL size to be perfect. You can see in the photo how it fits me. I guess that means that they run small because XL’s from most companies are just a tad big, but I didn’t get a chance to try on Smartwool's large. The Ramateur has one medium sized pocket down on the back side of the right hip for an MP3 type device (or whatever). The pocket has a cloth attached to a cord which is either to wipe your sunglasses and MP3, or to wrap your MP3 in to keep it from getting sweaty. I don’t actually know because the literature calls it a security pocket with a sunglass wipe, but the little tag on the zipper shows the MP3 icon and the pocket has a hole for headphones so I guess it’s for whatever you want it to be.

So far, I like the Ramateur and as I said before- I’m going to wear it a lot (just probably not in the dead of summer). The MSRP is $90 and most bike stores should be able to one because they are available through the distributor QBP, with who almost every bike store in the US has an account.

charlie

www.smartwool.com

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bikefix Initial Review: Canari Evolution shorts

When your least favorite cycling shorts become your favorite, its usually because the old standbys have been worn out from use. Well before the outer fabric frays, fades and sags, I find that shorts' pads, like running shoes' soles, lose their ability to do their job effectively. This spring, I came to the realization that most of my favorite shorts were 3 and 4 years old- and slowly working their way to the bottom of the shorts drawer. With warm weather and big rides just around the corner, it was time to do some short shopping.

Lately, The Dans have been excited about picking up Canari's domestically-produced line of cycling clothing. Between their enthusiasm and my experience with a very nicely made Canari long-sleeved jersey, my interest was piqued. Part of the Dans' initial order was the company's range-topping Evolution short. A cool looking (save the logos- more on that later) 8-panel short, the Evolution features the company's perforated "King" chamois. The construction looked very good and, at $99, the price even better. I grabbed a medium pair and resolved to get riding.

I've commented in the past that many high-end shorts seem oriented more toward the racer than the epic rider. Their dense, thin, conformal pads stay put and don't get in the way during hard efforts but aren't necessarily designed for long days training or on the back side of beyond. As if in response to my complaints, Canari's elaborately terraced 5-layer King pad is thicker than most and contains a number of perforations claimed not only to provide ventilation but also to act as little bum suction cups (I'm not clear how they can do both). I'll second the hang tag's description of the microfiber top layer as delicately soft, and the deep channel down the pad's center promises to ward off the dreaded sleepy peepee.

The Evolutions have got one of the more unique fits that I've experienced lately. There are a lot of things that I like about the fit of the Evolutions as well as a few I'd change. As someone who habitually rolls the waistband of my shorts down, the way that the low-slung waistband sits below my belly is really nice- especially when in the drops for long periods of time. That said, they seem a bit too low at the rear, or at least not tight enough to feel secure. I'm not sure how shorts can feel a bit tight at the front but somewhat loose at the back- but the Evolutions do. The legs provide a good level of compressive support for the lowest 4-6in, but on my legs they are noticeably less snug higher up the leg (I never thought I'd be asking for more bum support, but...). This looseness could also account for the insecurity I feel at the back of the waistband. All of that said, while they feel odd compared to my other shorts, they aren't particularly annoying after 15 minutes in or so the saddle. Talking to Erik from Canari, it turns out that the roomy trunk was the result of moving a seam that was irritating more voluptuous riders. With a 30in waist, I'm at the small end of the usual 30-32in medium size range, so those with larger waists or a bit more booty may not have the same problem. Still, if you're on the small end of your size range, you might want to go down one.

The leg grippers are substantial, built of a soft, thick woven elastic material. This is a bit surprising given Castelli and Descente's move toward more minimal grippers. They're not hot, but I do notice them there at the beginning of rides and see some wrinkling of the lighter fabric just above them as things shift (grippers up, shorts down) around during the ride. I know that pro-style logos are in, that looks are subjective, and red is the de facto color for every company's range toppers, but I'm plain over it and the Canari logos are just too much. White or (better still) the contrast stitching's grey would have been fine, as would smaller text. There is no color but red that these shorts will look good with. Of course, wear them with a red jersey and you'll look like you're trying too hard. A lose-lose proposition. I was concerned about the logos when considering the Evolutions but realized that a few minutes with a black Sharpie would take care of things. Mine are now sorted, but Canari are down one pair of shorts' worth of advertising.

What about that fancy King chamois? Its added bulk is noticeable but far from distracting. The danger with that much padding is that it will migrate (as with gel pads) from where you want it (under the sit bones) to where you don't (interfering with essential man bits). So far, on 3-4 hour rides its been very nice, especially for long mountain rides. On road, the Evolutions play better with certain saddles than others, (especially those with a cutout) but for longer rides I already reach for them just as often as shorts costing twice as much.

So far, it seems like Canari are only a few tweaks away from making my ideal big day short- regardless of price. If they could bring the rear and upper thighs in a bit (to be fair, I haven't tried their size small) and tone down the logos, I'd have virtually nothing to complain about. Taking into account the US manufacture and very reasonable price, the Evolutions are pretty darn amazing now. I'll be riding these loads this summer and be back with a final review in a few months...

marc

www.canari.com

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bikefix Review Update: Selle Italia Yutaak saddle

On a recent three day trip to Moab, my Yutaak saddle got quite a workout- and it broke. I actually didn’t notice at first, and it wasn’t until I had to lift my bike up that I realized the nose of the saddle had cracked all the way through. Believe it or not, but I haven’t replaced the seat yet. Because the break is forward of the rail attachment point, I can still ride it without too much trouble- the saddle is still solidly attached to the bike. I guess that the Yutaak is not really made for “extreme uphill”- or at least not with someone of my size crushing the nose. It’s too bad because it was wearing well and seemed to be a great all-mountain type seat. All Selle Italia need to do is beef up the nose with more plastic or metal. For those of you who are looking for a downhill saddle or are considerably lighter than my 185lb, the Yutaak may still be a good choice. Big boys may want to look at some other options.

charlie

www.selleitalia.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Bontrager inForm RL saddle

I'm not sure why, but I didn't really expect to like the inForm RL. Sure, I was a big fan of Keith Bontrager's saddles before his company was swallowed up by the behemoth known as Trek (or the Ford of the bicycle industry)- but that was a long time ago. My inForm came on a bike that I picked up last year. Its one of the new generation of sized saddles, and as such available in three widths (mine is the intermediate 146). Maybe I was just expecting something similar to Specialized's Alias (the last sized saddle I tried), but I figured that I'd give it a go, changing it out for a favorite before too long. Fast forward several months and a few thousand miles and it hasn't left my bike.

Though one wouldn't necessarily know by looking at it, the saddle in my past that the inForm RL most resembles is Fi'zi:k's Aliante. The while the rear of the saddle is slightly convex (or saddle-shaped), the inForm is flatter than many saddles, both across its breadth and along its length. The rails are hollow stainless steel (here painted white), the weight a very reasonable 220g (claimed) and the price a not-as-reasonable-but-still-manageable $100. Bontrager claim "intelligent graphics placement," and while I think that bumpy seams & graphics should be kept from high-friction areas by default, they often aren't, so it bears mentioning. The company also claim "zone density" padding, which varies the density of the saddle's padding to match the particular zone's function (firmer under the sit bones, less so under the happy parts).

The inForm RL seems made for race shorts. For some reason, it works wonderfully with high end shorts with thinner padding, such as the Castelli Free shorts I reviewed last fall. The fact that the inForm RL works so well with minimally padded shorts and less well with bulkier chamois' suggests to me that they've really nailed the shape of the saddle and densities of padding. The large platform at the rear, which would possibly get in the way on the dirt, provides plenty of space to move around and find a comfortable position during long road rides. The synthetic leather cover is slipperier than some I've used but is holding up very well and its lack of grip has never been an issue. All-over perforation (as in the center section) might help- but would probably compromise long-term durability.

The price of high-end saddles has gotten out of control recently. Paying well over $100 for a part that offers very little weight savings with little guarantee of comfort is quite a gamble. The inForm RL's weight is on the low end for saddles that I find comfortable and its price seems fair given the competition. Bontrager's Unconditional Comfort Guarantee (on saddles purchased aftermarket) makes the inForm RL a pretty safe bet. For road riders looking for a comfortable, flat-ish saddle along the lines of the Arione (but more comfortable, in my opinion), the inForm RL is worth seeking out (try your local Trek or Gary Fisher dealer).

marc

www.bontrager.com

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