Nice Day for a Ride...

OK, so it was 35 degrees out with winds easily gusting over 40mph. But at least we got out. I forget about Red Mesa. About 35 miles Northwest of Albuquerque, across the highway from the more scenic White Mesa, Red Mesa is a little-used motorcycle trials area that is as close to Moab's Sovereign Trail as we get around here. Plenty of slickrock with lots of ledgy, steppy technical bits. The driving:riding ratio isn't great, but when the higher trails are snowed in and the backyard trails have been done to death, it's a welcome change.

So bundle up, ring up your buddies and get out there and start the new year off right...

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Geax Saguaro 29x2.2 tire

Tires, as the primary [ideally only] contact point between the rider and the trail have the ability to change the ride of a mountain bike like little else. On road bikes, things aren't nearly as dramatic, but given mountain bikes' wide range of terrain, riding styles and the nearly infinite number of possible knob, rubber and casing configurations, there are loads of options. Of course where you ride, and how, will largely determine which tires work for you and which don't.

Here in the (largely) dry high desert of New Mexico, our local trails are largely loose-over-hard, with a healthy helping of sand. When it rains, traction largely tends to improve. With gravel and sand coating our hard packed trails, it's not so much if a tire will break loose in cornering, but when. Tires that don't break loose readily are good. Tires that break loose predictably and consistently are great. After cutting a fast and light Specialized Fast Trak, I took a racer's suggestion and picked up a Geax Saguaro. Costing only $37 for the 640g folding bead 29x2.20, it was an easy sell. Heck, it's even become one of a 29er-specific website's Top 10 Favorite 29er Products of 2007.

My first experience with the Saguaro was on a practice lap of Tucson's 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo course. Mounted on my (admittedly narrow) rim, the 2.2 width seemed a bit optimistic- it seems more like a generous 2.0, and nowhere as large as some of the fatter 29er tires that have become available over the past year. On the front wheel (paired with a WTB ExiWolf), the Saguaro was clearly fast but suffered excessive understeer, plowing towards the outside of corners- making things interesting and the bike a bit difficult to control. Knowing that the ExiWolf worked well as a front tire, I headed back to camp and swapped things around: much better. It turns out that a tire that causes understeer on the front of the bike can be great for creating oversteer on the rear.

And that's where it's stayed. Nearly 11 months later, the Saguaro is still on my single speed. Plenty of forward traction, even for a single speed, and very predictable handling. While it breaks loose earlier than some tires, it's far more predictable than other 29er tires I've used, such as the Maxxis Ignitor, Schwalbe Little Albert or Hutchinson Python. It's as fast or nearly as fast as the Fast Trak and Python while being sturdier than the first and much more communicative than the second. As an added bonus, this 11 month old tire, with hundreds of (maybe even a thousand) miles on it looks almost new. That's right- no wear to speak of. We've used tires that look worse after two or three rides. No cuts, either, despite our sharp rocks and my sometimes awful line choices. Unfortunately, it's currently Geax's only 29er tire, so anyone looking for a bit more grip or cushion will have to look elsewhere. Shame, too, as the Arrojo looks promising.

geax.com

marc

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Hope Headset

There is something almost fetishistic about folks' headset obsession. While it's hard to find a bad threadless headset over about $30, people routinely drop $100 or more on some anodized piece of sexiness. King headsets, with their simple beauty, reputation for durability and 10-year warranty routinely fetch over $70 used on eBay. So popular are King as the premium headset of choice, if I were a component manufacture and the topic of a high-end headset came up, I would suggest not bothering with that market and trying to compete. Still, companies do. Crank Brothers have an ingenious new headset on the horizon, and American Classic, Cane Creek (owner of the Aheadset patent) and others all produce high-end headsets.

While they build quite nice (and reasonably-priced) hubs and cool lights, Hope are best known in the US for their nicely machined and reliable disc brakes. They own their own production facilities and make everything in Yorkshire, in the North of England. As an Anglophile who can't just buy what everyone else already has, the company's new threadless headset caught my eye a year or so back and I picked one up when building an On-One Inbred 29er. The Headset weighs in at a competitive 105g, is machined from 2014 aluminum, and runs about $125, which is competitive with King's No Threadset. Thanks to Brits' obsessive, um, obsession with sealing,
it features sealed stainless steel cartridge bearings as well as several o-rings. It also includes Hope's own Head Doctor removable Head Doctor, which takes the place of the usual star washer inside the steerer tube.

Clearly well-made, the Hope has pressed into three head tubes and onto three or four fork crowns with reassuring resistance and stayed where put. Because the bikes on which it's been mounted have all had star nuts installed already, I haven't had a chance to use the Head Doctor, but the included top cap and aluminum bolt work fine with those too and no doubt save some weight. Thanks to the o-rings, the headset can feel a bit drag-y, even after a year of use, but not so much that it's noticeable when riding. The trade off, I presume, is resistance to the elements. After a year on a single speed mountain bike, our Cayne Uno commuter, and now a full-on road bike, the Hope Headset feels as good as it did new, and maybe a bit better. Not as drag-free as a good old-fashioned cup & cone headset, but not far off a King and it hasn't required any adjustment or service at all, which is what most people want. The 'Gunsmoke' gray anodization has held up well and shows no sign of changing color (unlike my 2 y/o black King, which is starting to look a bit brown), though the laser etched logos tend to hold on to greasy fingerprints (see pics). Sorry, but there's not much else to say- aside from being pretty, it's gone all-but unnoticed. All-in-all, a well-made headset that is worth a look, especially if you live or ride in wet weather. Available to bike shops from QBP...

hopetech.com

marc

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Magura go back to the future

BIKE magazine are reporting on Magura's new 'bellows-type' air shock, which relies on air (not oil) for damping as well as the spring. This idea is not new- it's used on a number of cars but is most commonly seen in those rubber pillow-looking things in the suspension of 18-wheelers. The concept has been in hibernation, though, since Crosstrac's Sonoma disappeared sometime in the mid-1990s.

The Sonoma used a Pierelli air bladder unit in combination with it's own fork for a surprisingly modern-looking 4in (front & rear) travel bike. Pretty cool, eh? Judging by the lack of photos of the original shock, it may not have been all that. I don't believe that the onZa H.O. forged titanium cranks (also pictured) ever saw production, though. Production for the Magura version isn't expected until mid-summer.

bikemag.com
bikemagic.com
retrobike.co.uk
firstflightbikes.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Vaude Alpin Air 25+5 pack

Most mountain bikers who ride for over an hour or two use a hydration system. Like many people, I started with a Camelback because there weren’t many choices at the time and it worked just fine. These days we have many more choices, and after trying quite a few, I have settled on the Vaude Alpin Air 25+5.

As my rides got longer and longer and I carried more and more equipment (I am a bit of a boy scout) – I can always use more room. I used a Deuter pack for awhile and it was also great but didn’t have enough separate organizing pockets- is essential for a gear guy. The Vaude picks up where the Deuter stopped short. The Alpin Air has many different size pockets and the main chamber can be increased a lot by unzipping a divider between it and the next biggest chamber. The Vaude has a large 1274 cu. inches of space but doesn’t feel big on your back.

One of the truly standout features is its suspension system which elevates the pack off the riders back so they don’t sweat to death in the summer. It works and works well. I live in New Mexico and consistently ride in temperatures in the 90’s and 100’s and it is soooo nice to not have a huge wet spot on my back (the Deuter uses a similar system and convinced me that I would never use anything else).

Another special feature of the pack is it’s adjustability for people of different torso lengths. Most hydration packs have the shoulders sewn on to the top of the pack. This is fine if it fits, but if it doesn’t you’re out of luck, or you have to move the load up or down on your back to make it more comfortable. The Vaude solves this by attaching the shoulder straps to an adjustable “carrier” that can slide up and down the inside of the pack. This allows the user to get a custom fit while keeping the load exactly where on his back he prefers it to be.

I have used the Alpin Air for over a year now and it is very durable and resistant to damage. It is made from 210D Diamond Ripstop fabric (whatever that means) and though the material is tough, it also seems thin- so it might rip with a big enough impact. So far, it has defeated my normal use-related attempts to rip or puncture it it.

The one thing that we Americans aren’t used to, and might find annoying, is that the pack doesn’t come with a water reservoir of its own- you have to buy one separately. This is typical of packs from European companies which believe some folks may not want a reservoir so why should they pay for it. Also, as many people have preferences about which reservoir [or bite valve] they like to use and this allows them mix and match. This is more of an annoyance than anything else, because the Vaude is very well priced for its size and capabilities at $80.00.

I would recommend the Vaude Alpin Air 25+5 to anyone who rides long distance. I will be using it for a long time, or at least until Vaude makes a new model.

www.vaude.de

charlie

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bikefix Exclusive Review: USE Sumo Carbon seatpost

Folks who've spent any time around a machine shop may have noticed that the collets holding drill bits or end mills to the mills and lathes are simple tapered shafts, without keyways or splines. They sit in mating tapers and require very little axial insertion or removal force- the friction around the surface transmits quite a bit of torque. The Morse Taper, invented by the inventor of the twist drill, is a very simple and very effective mechanism.

The folks at USE have been on a quest of late, it seems, to remove seatposts' fastening hardware from the forces that a saddle clamp sees. Why? We've all been on rides in which someone comes down hard on the saddle and it's hardware simply explodes. Some bigger riders we know even carry spare saddle hardware for just this reason. The Alien saddle head was their first in this direction. With it's two (and later one) very tiny M2 bolts holding everything together, it scared the bejesus out of a lot of folks, despite being plenty strong and very light.

Because of my Maverick Durance's laid-back seat tube (not to be confused with seat angle- it's offset from the BB), and a chronically creaky Thomson post, I began to look for an infinitely adjustable, lightweight and strong post. (The Maverick requires the Thomson to be at the very edge of it's adjustment range, and certain saddles would be pointed slightly upward, in a numbing sort of way.) Again, Charlie came to the rescue with the USE Sumo. The lightweight (40g less than a Thomson Elite) Sumo uses two tapered caps that have grooves for the saddle rails and mate to the post head and a pair of clamps that tie the whole thing together (image, right, from Singletrackworld).

At the time of ordering, I was told by the local shop that Ibex Sports (the US distributor) couldn't get the 30.9 diameter I needed in aluminum, so carbon it is. It's a deceptively simple post. While the large diameter probably counters some of carbon fiber's damping effect, it sure looks sexy and is around 50g lighter than the Al version. The tapers bear the brunt of forces from the saddle and after a second tightening, it hasn't moved or made a peep in eight months' riding. The bolt proved to be about 3mm too long, so a few minutes with a Dremel cutoff wheel and de-burrer fixed that, and my thighs are much happier. If your saddle isn't pushed back on the rails (see image, right), this probably won't be an issue, though. Not cheap at $150 (approximately), but the aluminum version should run less. A small price to pay, though, to keep my todger happy. Altogether, a very clever and well-executed clamp that offers good reliability and excellent adjustability.

use1.com
ibexsports.com

marc

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Rotor Stem, headless bolts

Poking around Rotor's website yesterday, I noticed their S1 stem. There's more going on there than just some nice machining, it turns out. The fasteners at the steerer clamp and face plate use dual-threaded fasteners engage each of the mating pieces, drawing them together (think turnbuckle). This apparently (and logically) reduces the compressive forces caused by a bolt head to only the thread (loads of surface area compared to a bolt head) and creates an almost tension-only clamp and light stem (99g in 90mm x 31.8mm). Cool, eh? Somebody's thinking over there.

That said, we're not sure what they're thinking with their upcoming seatpost. The rotation borrows heavily from USE's Sumo design, but the rail clamping bolts obscure the adjustment. There's a cross section to the right as well. It looks like, in order to adjust your saddle angle (the dual-threaded fastener is down hole seen in the left side of the image, right), you'd need to remove the clamping bolts (the red ones). C'mon! move them off-axis (preferably forward), where forces are lower for the vast majority of riding and adjustments will be easier. On second thought, If they're not using the center taper to adjust angle, then there's not much interesting going on there other than an excuse to use their patented fastener, and they could probably take things a bit further. Just our two cents...

rotorcrankusa.com
rotorbike.com
arueda.com

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Rotor Elliptical Rings for Fixies...

While it's been a while since we rode a Rotor crankset, remember that, while odd, they certainly felt fast. Rotor has since come out with non-round chainrings for standard cranksets, which provide many of the same benefits without the weight, complexity, or (some of) the cost. Now, Rotor are announcing that they've massaged the design to work on a fixed-gear track bike- without a tensioner. If you believe the testimonials (and many do), they provide more leverage at certain points in a rider's pedaling stroke, making better use of our legs. Different than Biopace, you naysayers, but I don't have the time to describe why (essentially, it's the opposite effect- see Rotor's website). Now, if they can get them to work on a track bike, then they can get them to work on a single speed mountain bike- we'll take a 110x36 please...

cyclingnews.com
rotorcranksusa.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Castelli Teseo windbreaker

The more I ride in traffic, the more I pay attention to visibility. Sounds pretty basic, but it really snuck up on me. When I noticed myself wearing my 14 year-old black Pearl Izumi Zephyrr windbreaker to work on cool fall mornings (and home on colder days), I decided to return it to it's home in the bottom of my mountain bike pack and look for something more appropriate. When did cycling windbreakers get so expensive? Sure it's been 14 years or so, but still... Between inflation, the weak dollar, and improved fabrics, though, $40 can easily become $70. Oh well, still cheaper than golf or motorcycles...

So: something light, breathable and visible. Almost everyone makes a windbreaker. I ruled out flouro greens and yellows because I actually wanted to wear it, which left white, preferably with a fair bit of reflectivity built in. I looked at a number from Descente, Pearl Izumi and others, but kept coming back to the Castelli Teseo. Part of it was the name, but the fact that it was $10 less than the comparable white Pearl Izumi Optik and fit suitably slim and long sealed the deal.

I could tell that it was light in the store. On the road, though, it was even more impressive. The fact that two or three can fit in a standard jersey pocket means that there is not excuse not to have it along. Reflective 'accents' cover the shoulder and sleeve seams and are very visible from a standard road tuck, even with a pack on. Light rain beads up on the surface, and it seems to breathe reasonably well while keeping wind out. Combined with a long-sleeved base layer, it handles the wind-resistant part of keeping warm down to about 45 degrees. The large fits my 6' tall (but slim) frame and orangutan arms well. The only disappointment is the collar, which could accommodate a powerlifter's neck. This keeps it from feeling properly buttoned-up, and is the biggest disappointment. If it didn't funnel cold air past my adam's apple down my chest, it would be perfect, and just that little bit warmer.

At dawn and twilight, the white fabric almost glows- it's pretty impressive. The translucency gives it a bit of a 'pro' look, allowing your favorite jersey to show through, almost like a watermark. I did feel a bit invisible during a freak snow squall, but how often does that happen? All in all, a nicely made (in South Korea, not Italy), highly visible take-along jacket. If only the collar was a bit smaller...

castelli-us.com

marc

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These lights look impressive...

How pimp are these? Ay-Up are an Australian company building very small, very impressive LED lights that are also surprisingly insexpensive. Their 'Regular' kit comes with two sets of lights (4 beams total) in your choice of beams and housing color (presumably to set them apart from one another), two three-hour batteries and one six-hour batteries, and all the fixin's. This for $380- only $80 more than most single LED headlights and less than all but the least expensive HIDs. Reviews have largely been positive, though some compromises (ie: switches) have been made in the name of simplicity.

Local ultra-distance guy McTurge has a set, and has been very positive about them. We're planning on riding Wednesday night, so we'll be able to compare them to our L&M HID/Halogen setup. Certainly worth a look- it's starting to look like bicycle lighting is evolving very quickly.

ayup.com

mcturge.blogspot.com
Lactic Acid Threshold

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Light & Motion: Popping up all over

We've been using Light & Motion's fantastic HID and halogen headlights for almost four years now (look for a review soon). It seems like, after a quiet couple of years, they're all over the media. The tiny, long-lasting new Stella LED headlamp has been getting rave reviews (see links below), and we'd love to get our hands on a set for upcoming 24-hour races and winter night rides. 300-500g (depending on battery chemistry), with a 5 hour run time (on high), they may be a bit underpowered as a standalone light, but as a helmet light, they should be all but unnoticeable. The batteries are also interchangeable with other L&M models- a huge bonus to those already invested in the company.

Secondly, Light and Motion were the first business in California's Monterey County to be awarded a Green Business award, which is given to businesses which voluntarily incorporate pollution prevention practices, implement waste reduction programs, install water conservation and alternative energy solutions in their operations. Whole Foods and Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary have since followed suit. They have also won their third consecutive WRAP award from the Waste Reduction Award Program for utilizing buy back programs for aluminum, recycling paper, plastics and glass, as well as purchasing green conscious office supplies and offering incentives to employees to use alternate forms of transportation. Going forward, we expect this sort of thing to be more and more common, with green business becoming an integral part of good business and another reason to pick one product over another.

bikemag.com

bikeradar.com
bicycleretailer.com
Monterey Green Business Program

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$20k Uber-bike announced

Beru F1 Systems, a German motorsport company that seems to specialize in data acquisition components, has announced its intention to build its very own superbike, the Factor 001 as early as next year. Our favorite bit is the Beru-branded (and UCI illegal) disc brakes, which go with the proprietary dual crown fork , (tiny) headset, cranks, saddles and so on. Their goal is to create "ultimate training tool combining innovative design and advanced electronics to record and analyse biometric data." It'd be cool to see one of these on the road, but for the time being, it could be hard to justify something that can't be raced in UCI-sanctioned events.

bikebiz.com
press release/pictures

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bikefix Exclusive Review: SKS Race Blade fenders

Mmm... Fenders. Sexy, eh? Not really, but sometimes they're a necessary evil. Last winter, unprecedented snow meant that training for February's 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo had to take place on the road. Of course that snow was melting all over said road, which was wet. Not a big deal if it's just a little bit, but two or three hours' worth of spray in the face gets old. Not to mention the squidge of a sodden chamois providing chilly mid-ride enemas. The less said about that the better.

Now, the nicer your bike is, the less likely it is to have rack and/or mudguard mounts. Also, unless it's a dedicated errand/commuting bike, you probably don't want to clutter it's beautiful lines with permanent mudguards. Still, it can get wet out there. What SKS have done is come up with an easy to attach/detach set of fenders that mount to the fork and seatstays of most road bikes ('cross bikes' stays are too far apart) and provide quite a bit traditional-style (not diving-board type) tire coverage. The wire stays are pretty sturdy and attach to the polycarbonate fender with movable mounts (screws are provided to fix them in place, but I haven't gotten around to it yet).

They work. Despite a tire-hugging (23c max, though I tend to run 25s) profile, they're stable enough that I never experienced any rub. The rubber straps (with holes every 3/4in or so) attach and detach in (literally) seconds, and zip ties can be used. I wish that I'd had the foresight to apply frame protecting stickers where they sit, though, as they have begun to scuff the paint. Beyond that? Not much to say. Simple, functional, light (250g) and somewhat expensive at $60 (we've spotted them for a bit less, though). They even come in a sturdy snap-close polyurethane bag to store them in.

sks-germany.de

marc

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Rudy Project Rydon sunglasses

Why wear glasses riding? They're generally somewhat fragile, can look pretty awful, and (traditionally) outrageously expensive. Well, primarily, most of us only have one set of eyes, and until they figure out how to grow new ones in a test tube, we should probably look after them.

Like all decent eyewear, Rudy Project's Rydons are a shatterproof and impact resistant material (in this case a polycarbonate) that blocks ultraviolet light. UV light is nasty stuff, really. Thanks to our dimishing ozone layer, there's more and more of it around, and it's been shown to cause (among other things) cataracts and macular degeneration. Part of what sets inexpensive sunglasses apart from better models is the amount of the UV spectrum. Rudy's are UV400 rated, which means that they block ultraviolet light up to 400nm wavelength (UV runs from 50-380nm, visible light from 381-770nm). This is pretty important to those of us who spend a great deal of time outside, particularly at higher altitudes.

So what sets these glasses apart? The Rydons have been around for ages and continue to sell well. This is due largely to their well thought-out design and versatility. The lenses are interchangeable (and a wide variety available), which is par for the course. The half-frame works well on or off road, allowing unrestricted peripheral and rearward vision from an aero tuck. What are really cool, though, are the metal arms and nosepiece holders. While many glasses have gone to plastic in these areas, Rudy have stuck with proprietary alloy that allows the wearer to tweak the arms and nosepiece to fit their melon. I found that a slight inward bend on the arms (around the head) worked well to keep the glasses in place, and was able to spread the nosepiece to accommodate my wide-ish nose bridge. They also seem more forgiving than some plastics, and have held up very well over the past three years. They're also hand-built in Italy, by actual Italians, which is nice.

From my experience, Rudy's optics are on par with Oakley's and a step above Smith or Spy. I won't spend too much time on the specific lenses (there are far too many) beyond this:

• Racing Red: I really like this as an all-around lens. The red color provides some increased contrast over grey lenses. They're dark enough for summers in the desert, but don't leave the rider blind under shade. 28% light transmission. Charlie thinks these are a bit dark for the woods, though.
  
• Orange: With 70% light transmission, far too bright for New Mexico. Live in Scotland? These are your lenses.
• Clear Laser Deg: These are a great commuting lens. 40% transmission at the top to 90% (virtually clear) at the bottom. Enough to keep some morning or afternoon sun at bay, but clear enough to use at night (with lights).
• ImpactX Photocromatic Red: These look like Racing Red, but never seemed to get below 40% transmission or so- just not dark enough for summer use. They also seemed a bit slow to react. They also seemed to work best when exposed to direct light (not shaded by a helmet or visor), which was almost never. They also wouldn't darken in the car, thanks to it's UV blocking windshield and/or the lack of direct light.

What also sets Rudy apart are their lens replacement program: if you scratch or crack your lenses, just send them in with a check for $20- they'll turn around a replacement set in a week or two. Mine took a few years to actually scratch, but once they did, the replacement program cost was far less than new lenses would have run.

Downsides? $160 or so (depending on lens) is a lot to spend if you're prone to losing things., but it seems like the more something costs, the better it's looked after. Unlike Smith, Rudy Project only come with one set of lenses- additional lenses are additional money. At least the quality is better, and you won't end up with one or two lenses that you'll never need. I've also lost the nose piece before, which is no fun. Happily, though, they're easily and inexpensively available from Rudy's US distributor. Finally, they look stupid out of context. Unless you're riding, XC skiing or running, you may want to wear something else. Prescription inserts are also available for those who need them, allowing you to use multiple lenses, or Rudy's newer RX-Direct lenses, which replace the interchangeable lenses [according to Craig at Rudy Project, they're turning these around in 10 days and they now account for 95% or prescription sales].

rudy project

marc

Update, 12/17/07: Craig from Rudy Project

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Adidas ClimaWarm MTB Shoe Cover

Damn! It's gotten cold these last few days. Personally, it's hard to get on the bike if it's under 40 degrees. Something that makes it easier, though, is decent winter gear. If your winters are long or days short, bundling up is a fact of life. After freakish varicose veins resulted in a vein stripping procedure, I found that my toes (particularly in the operated-on left leg) would get cold awfully early. This meant that winter night rides and early morning commutes became uncomfortable very quickly. A pair of neoprene shoe covers made a huge difference- keeping wind out and heat in. Unfortunately, the soles were also neoprene and got torn up after just a few hike-a-bikes, letting the toe portion flip up and cold wind in.

So, when replacing the original pair, I paid a lot of attention to the bottoms of the shoes. Adidas (part of the same company that owns Mavic, who designs their cycling line) hasn't made a huge splash in the cycling world, but the few items that I have used have been very well thought out. Case in point: the company's ClimaWarm MTB Shoe covers.

A mountain bike specific bootie (a less sturdy road version is available), the ClimaWarms very stiff reinforced soles made out of a coarse Cordura-like material that is showing very little sign of wear after about 1/2 winter's use. As long as you remove any toe studs from your riding shoes, they look set to last quite a while, which is fantastic. The uppers are a neoprene material printed with Adidas' trademark three stripes which look like they could be reflective but don't seem to be (a missed opportunity, in my opinion- if you're going to have them, might's well make them useful). The logos are a bit garish, but we'll live. At the rear is a 1/2in wide hook & loop closure in sort of an inverted 'L' configuration- a long strip up the back of the ankle with a tab working it's way around the outside of the leg. The Velcro is backed with very reflective material, which ruined about half of our photos. I was initially worried about the Velcro's ability to keep everything in place (coming from a zipper), but it hasn't been a problem at all in use. It may actually be more robust, as it forces you to pull the covers around the shoe rather than relying on a zipper that is strongest when already closed.


Complaints? None, really. Not inexpensive at $50, but they seem to be quality. Less material would make them easier to stuff in a pack mid-ride, but it would no doubt compromise durability and/or warmth. The size medium here (the 'L' you see in the photos stands for Left) fit my size 44 Shimano mountain bike shoes snugly- 46 or bigger may want to go for the large. The branding may not be to every one's liking (I, for one, could do without it), but seeing as that's the worst I can say, that's pretty darn good.

adidas.com

marc

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The coolest accessory *ever*!

We came across this in the issue of ID Magazine that landed at bikefix HQ yesterday. Any guesses?

Flipping through their new & notable section, I spotted a pretty hammered looking Bianchi Pista (page 42). It was looking hammered thanks to some very convincing rust/bare metal decals, available in sheets of 14 from Dominic Wilson for about GBP3.99 (about 8 bucks). Every little bit helps...

dominicwilcox.com

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Square Taper: Bringin' it Back

Reader Matt will be thrilled! Velonews have posted images of PMP's new crank/BB system, which combine an external-bearing bottom bracket with spindle that expands into the crank arm thanks to a tapered bolt. The CNC'd cranks look a bit like oversized Middleburns, but can an oversized steel taper compete weight-wise with the 1in tube that has become a de facto standard? Bonus points for thinking outside the box, though.

velonews.com

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Flexible Flyer reviewed: Fisher's HiFi Pro Carbon

Last year, Gary Fisher began advertising a carbon fiber 120mm travel (F&R) , claiming an improbable 23.3lb bike weight. Starting with a 4 3/4lb frame and shock and piling on high-end SRAM, Avid and house brand Bontrager parts, they've apparently hit that mark.

But at what cost? Well, $6500, for starters. For that kind of money, one could build up any number of boutique frames with a fair bit more cachet (and soul?). An XT and Easton equipped Ibis Mojo runs $4500 and a nicely put together Maverick (or Ellsworth or Intense) $5500, and for comparison. But the real cost is likely rigidity. Bikeradar don't say just how heavy their testers are, but they do make some alarming observations: "Even under normal trail conditions, it'll wander and twang noticeably through turns or shift gears unexpectedly... We managed a first-ever 'three gears in one go' ghost shift when sprinting out of one corner and cross-threaded it so badly across an inline log pile that it effectively did the splits and fired us clean into the brambles."

Nonetheless, "everyone was keen to point out the bike's unbelievable lightness and climbing prowess, plus an easy agility that made the least technical riders feel sorted on tight singletrack" and the bike earns four stars out of five. Wow.

bikeradar.com
fisherbikes.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: 2008 Shimano XT RF+ Shifters

For 2008 (which came in mid-2007, apparently), Shimano have introduced a thoroughly warmed-over 25th anniversary XT group of mountain bike parts. While the group takes some cues from last year's revamped XTR group, it also has a number of innovations of it own. We picked up most of the 08 XT kit as part of an Ibis Mojo build kit and have been running it since August.

Since their introduction, oh 15 years ago, Shimano's RapidFire Plus (RF+) shifters have had their fans and their detractors. The early integration of brake levers and shifters not only helped to kill off much of the small aftermarket parts industry, but the resulting backlash also gave GripShift (now SRAM) an opportunity that, by rights, no maker of fluorescent plastic triathlon shifters should have had. Now they're a huge presence in the market, having swallowed up RockShox, Truvativ, Avid and Zipp. Ultimately, though, the competition has pushed Shimano's product development forward, and some SRAM cues have shown up in Shimano parts.

Like SRAM's trigger shifters, Shimano's latest generation of RF+ shifters use a thumb paddle (to pull cable into the shifter) and an index finger trigger to release cable. Also like SRAM's shifters, Shimano's (and these XT's) triggers work in both directions. This feature, introduced in last year's version, is for us the single biggest reason to consider the XTs. Options are a good thing. Depending on the situation, we use both our thumb and index fingers for shifts. This versatility, combined with the levers' near-ideal placement encourage frequent shifts which translate to more speed and less fatigue. Adding to the shifters' versatility, the gear indicator is removable (with a nice little cover included for when it has been) and a dual position mounting clamp. Essentially, Shimano have done as much as can be expected to help the shifter work with your setup- we'd be surprised if anyone couldn't find a comfy position.

We used these shifters with an 06 XTR low-normal (or Rapid Rise) rear derailleur and both 08 XT (on the Ibis) and Shimano flat bar triple (on the Maverick Durance) front derailleur. Before people start groaning about Shimano's low-normal system: once you've rewired your brain, it provides for very smooth shifts, increased drivetrain life, and the ability to pre-shift to an easier gear. Say you're dropping into a drainage or arroyo. Pull the trigger a couple of times and as soon as you start pedaling again, you'll be in that gear. No more forcing the chain up the cassette in panic situations, and Shimano reckon less stress on your drivetrain. Not for everyone, but Marc has even changed his road bike over to a short cage XTR and greatly prefers it.

In use, there have been no real complaints. Compared to the XTR shifters we've used, the bushings used in the XTs seem to bind a little bit if you hit the thumb lever funny, but that's a rare occurrence. We like that the gear display is far enough off the bar to clear a bell and that the either side is easily removable to accommodate a remote lockout, for example. The at $150, the XTs are $100 cheaper than the XTRs and about the same weight. As an added bonus, they come with the gear display not offered at the XTR level but with probably only 80% of XTR's durability. LX have most of XT's quality and a (just) slightly less precision feel at just over half the price. These shifters may not set the world alight, but as we've (largely) come to expect from Shimano, they are a very high quality, well thought-out part for a very reasonable price.

shimano.com

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Descente Optima Short

Everyone's ass is different. Don't know if you've been paying attention, but I assure you that's the case. Even if your best riding buddy has the exact same build, does the same kind of riding, and possesses the same amount of masochism as you do, chances are as good as not that you'll hate his saddle and he yours. With that said, let's talk about some shorts. As you may know, we really like Descente's D-Vente baselayers (I have and enjoy wearing both the short and long sleeve versions). With that in mind, after inexplicably losing a pair of my favorite Campag shorts, I decided to give Descente's Optima $150 short a try.

I was attracted in the shop by the nice construction, high-compression outer panels, and moderately dense stretch 'Strata' chamois. They're made in Canada, which helps to justify some of the cost. I was curious, too, about those flashy silver gripper-less leg bands. They claimed to be more comfortable, but felt sort of odd at first- like something was missing. The more I looked, the better they looked, though, and Stevie gave me a deal as he hadn't sold many yet. The thighs of the smalls were far too tight, so I went with my usual mediums.

A couple of years ago, a DuPont (makers of Lycra) sponsored a study that showed that high-compression fabrics can help to support leg muscles, improve blood flow, and reduce fatigue. By up to 30%, apparently. In any case, the outer thigh panels of the Optima short feature an oddly-textured high-compression Eschler fabric toward that end. When wearing these shorts on my (admittedly average-sized thighs), the snugness is initially noticeable, but if quickly forgotten on the bike. Unfortunately, what isn't forgotten are the loose fit around the waist and unusually stiff pad.

Never before have I worn medium-sized shorts that were so loose around the waist. Admittedly, with a 30in waistband, I'm at the small end of what could be considered medium, but it's never been an issue with other brands, even with Pearl Izumi's big-ish cut. Of course, there's also no drawstring around the waist either, so I was stuck, rolling the waistband but still feeling it move around quite a bit.

The pad, also, was annoying in its own way. While the multi-density and multi-thickness pad seemed quite nice on the hanger, once worn, it was very noticeable. Noticeable like a cardboard duckbill protruding from and drawing attention to each of two rather private areas. Even under jeans, popping into the store for a pre-ride coffee, the pad could be seen, not conforming to the body as it should be. Of course, a tighter fit through the waist and buttocks might have held it closer to the body, but this wasn't to be. Of course bike shorts feel and look odd off the bike, but on the bike, the stiff pad acted like a shelf for my unmentionables, allowing them to roll around like a bottle on the deck of a sailboat. With all the standing and sitting that mountain biking and fixed gear riding entail, that made me a bit nervous, though nothing but my bum was sat on. While I hoped that it would break in and begin to conform, after a few months' regular rides, it just hasn't.

Honestly, for the price, I'd have hoped for details like these to have been sorted out before production. The pad is comfortable enough for 3-4 hour rides, but the fit issues are hard to overlook. If you're an unusually paunchy rider (with average thighs) who has trouble finding shorts that fit around your belly, they may work out well. Otherwise, I'd have to recommend you steer clear. There are just too many other good shorts out there, especially over $100.

descenteboulder.com

marc

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bikefix Exclusive Review: Salsa Pro Moto Carbon Riser handlebar

For something that, on the surface, is a very simple product (a tube), there are surprising variety of handlebars on the market. Variations in material, rise, backsweep and upsweep, durability and stiffness mean that there are plenty of choices, some of which will be better than others.

Part of the attraction of carbon fiber as a bicycle and bicycle component material is its ability do damp high-frequency vibration. What does that mean, exactly? Well, depending on how it's used, carbon fiber has the ability to reduce the transmission of (damp) some of the road and trail buzz that aluminum transmits so well. Not convinced? Ride a carbon bar (or fork or seatpost) for a few months. Then put your old aluminum part(s) back on. Things are getting numb a bit quickly, aren't they? Thought so. Of course, carbon fiber parts tend to fail rather catastrophically and dramatically. They're also not very tolerant of ham-fisted mechanics or deep scratches. Less so than lightweight aluminum? We've broken more aluminum handlebars and seatposts than carbon, bit that could just be the industry (or ourselves) maturing.

So, carbon can be a good thing. How about riser bars then? While in theory, it doesn't matter how the grips are connected to the bike, a bit of a rise gives the bar a bit of an opportunity to flex. Compared to most flat bars (Niner, Titec FlatTracker, and Salsa flat bars excepted), risers tend to have a bit more backsweep, or bend. Essentially, your grips aren't parallel to the stem clamp- that would be awful (who owned a USE straight bar back in the day?). Some bars (Jones' and On-One's Mary bars) take this to an extreme- 40 degrees or more of backsweep, which a lot of folks find quite comfortable. Risers tend to have about 5 degrees of backsweep and 2-5 degrees upward sweep. Widths in excess of two feet (610mm) give a bit of leverage and open up the chest for easy breathing.

Which brings us to Salsa's Pro Moto Carbon Riser bars. While we're usually leery of house-brand handlebars, especially house-brand carbon, Salsa's bars are "co-engineered" by Alpha Q, who have a long history in high-end carbon fiber bike parts. This is reassuring. We've heard comments that Easton's 31.8 diameter (oversized) bars aren't as comfortable as their standard sized bars, despite similar (if not identical) geometry. We think that this could be the result of the inherently-stiffer interface between the bar and stem an material at the first bend. While the oversize standard is welcome (thanks to its greater strength and lower required clamping force), it can take away some of the comfort that folks love carbon fiber for (though none of the bling). Salsa have made a deliberate effort to return some of the spring to oversized bars. The transition bit, between the bends, isn't round as one might expect- its ovalized pretty dramatically, imparting a fair amount of flex. Actually a lot. Even the smallest rider can make this bar flex visibly if they set their mind to it. Most bigger riders find it sort of scary. Us? We like it.

Combined with a comfortable 10 degree backsweep and 6 degree up sweep, this flexible flier makes for one of the most comfortable bars we've ridden lately. We soon forgot about the flexiness, and the sweep seemed to take care of some nagging knuckle aches. When night rides rolled around, we also appreciated the wide center section- perfect for mounting lights and having them point forward. If your computer has been awkwardly mounted to a riser bend in the past, it should sit nicely here. It's about 160g light and 680mm wide, which is a lot of bar. We've got several months on ours with no problems to report- no creaking or cracking at all, and the finish seems harder than some others we've used.

Bigger riders who are hard on parts might want to steer clear, but for average weight XC riders would do well to look into the Pro Moto. 29er riders will like the 11 degree Pro Moto Carbon Flat Bar (standard clamp size) or even the aluminum version (which is also available with a 17 degree bend). The bar we rode runs ~$125, which is comparable to the competition...

salsacycles.com

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Campy get tougher

While their history and high-dollar lustworthiness are hard to deny, Campagnolo's shifting isn't for everyone. While Shimano are well on their way to creating an invisible transition between gears, Campag's shifting has been described as similar to both a race car and a tractor. Somewhat rough, a bit clunky, but solid and impossible to ignore. Of course, as their drivetrains have evolved, Campag's shifting has gotten smoother and, apparently, alienated some pros. The solution, of course, is a stiffer, more solid pro-level shifter. For 2008, according to bikeradar, Campagnolo will be providing it's sponsored riders with stiffer-sprung Ergopower levers (with red lettering) to allow for stiffer, more positive shifts. Despite VeloNews' comment to the contrary, we couldn't imagine consumer version (or, even better, retrofit kit) not following...

bikeradar.com
velonews.com

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