Specialized sent us their top of the line S-Works mountain bike shoes in May, and I’ve been riding them through every imaginable type of trail condition since: rain, mud, dust, dirt, skunk spray, cold and heat…you name it, they’ve probably seen it over the last six months.  And, other than cosmetics, they’re still performing as good as new…perhaps better.

While this is a review of the 2009 Specialized S-Works MTB shoe, there are a lot of similarities between the 2009 and the forthcoming 2010 model, so if you’re considering either, here’s what’s the same: Micromatrix upper, breathable/padded tongue, BOA Powerzone lacing system w/ Velcro toe-box adjustment, Body Geometry insole and 2-bolt cleat pattern.  They both use Specialized’s FACT carbon on the soles, but the 2010 model gets Specialized’s new torsion-box outsole design with replaceable treads. It also drops (a claimed) 30g and costs $50 more.  The mesh vent panels are relocated, but cover approximately the same amount of surface area.

Since your local Specialized dealer is likely to still have the ’09s in stock, and they’re still available on Specialized’s website (plus, the ’10s aren’t available yet), I’ll tell you why they rock after the break…

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At 5:51pm on Saturday, 55-year-old David Vincent Sherman of Summerfield was struck and killed while riding his bicycle on North Church Street, near the intersection of NC-150.

Officers say the vehicle, a silver Dodge Durango SUV, fled the scene but has heavy damage to the front, hood and windshield.

Anyone who has any information should contact the North Carolina Highway Patrol, and if you know anyone at a body shop or repair center, please alert them to look for any such vehicle requesting repair estimates or requiring service.  The investigation is ongoing, and Highway Patrol are looking for the suspect.

The 2010 Sea Otter Classic opens for registration on Monday, November 2nd.

Early birds can save $10 off their event registration using promo code SOC20YEAR01 when you sign up.  Here’s the link, set your calendar reminder now, this promo code is only good through November 30, 2009.

The event runs April 15-18, 2010 in Monterey, CA.  If you’re interested in what it takes to put on an event that draws more than 50,000 people for a weekend and covers virtually every cycling discipline there is, including a new-for-2010 Gran Fondo ride, read our interview with Sea Otter founder Frank Yohanan here.

Timbuk2 put together these solar-charged portable LED light messenger bags for the attendee schwag at the PopTech conference.  OK, Interbike, you asked for ideas for this year’s show…here you go: 2010 idea right here!

The bags were designed in conjunction with the Portable Light Project and called the FLAP (Flexible Light and Power).  They use a flexible solar array on the top and front flap of the bag to charge an internal battery.  The battery can then power a built-in LED flashlight or charge small portable electronics via a USB socket.

Even better, the lining and solar flap/light/USB section can be removed to be used without the bag.  The reflective interior lining can be set up to reflect the LED’s light, creating a makeshift lantern (pic after the break).  In the bigger picture, the bag is a design study to create local manufacturing and sourcing opportunities throughout Africa and other developing countries, leading to renewable, sustainable business opportunities that provide a genuine benefit (like, you know, portable light).

Hit ‘more’ for other photos, video and links…

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Eat this:

“Bontrager 24/12 pasta” by www.sussex-mtb.com.

You can check out his blog here.

To see more Pics Of The Day, click here.

If you’d like to submit a picture for our Pic Of The Day, click here.

The 2010 Giro d’Italia route and stage maps were announced on Saturday, and Russian Denis Menchov will have his work cut out for him defending the Pink Jersey!  Twenty one stages, four time trials, three starts from Amsterdam, two rest days and lots of big mountains.

The 93rd riding of the Giro will cover 3,416.5km over 23 days from May 8 through May 30, starting in Amsterdam (Netherlands) and ending in Verona as it winds its way around the coast of Italy.  For the first time in 21 years, the Giro will not run through Milan after race organizers had to neutralize last year’s stage there due to heavy traffic and trams parked along the course, angering both racers and the officials (Milan should be back on the schedule for 2011, though).

The 2010 Giro will cover six mountain stages, start and end with individual time trials and have a team and individual time trial thrown in during the race for a total of four TT stages. Stage 8 sees the first big mountains, with a summit finish, followed by six stages of mountains and hills before Stage 15 puts riders over 218km of climbs before a 10.1km climb up 1,200m to the summit of Zoncolan for the stage finish.

Stage 16 is the one to watch…following a rest day, it’s a sadistic uphill time trial (King of the Mountain, anyone?) with maximum grades of 24% that climbs 1,086m (3,563 ft) in just 12.85km (8mi).  Oh, and the last bit is on gravel roads…and the first time they tried this (2006), snow on the mountain top prevented them from using the last leg of that stage. Good times; look for that stage to separate the men from the boys.

On the final day of team racing, the peloton will face a brutal Stage 20 over four huge peaks before a summit finish on the Paso del Tonale, making the 2010 Giro more like its classic forebears with tough mountain stages through the Dolomites and Alps.  The last day’s ITT, if it’s not clear after all the climbing, could span the range from a ceremonial time trial to an every-millisecond-counts sprint to the finish!

Hit ‘more’ for:

• Stage maps
• Elevation profiles
• Full stage list
• Links

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This summer, Bike Denver and Bicycle Colorado teamed up with the Colorado Driver’s License Administration to update bicycle information in the 2009 Driver’s Handbook. It’s exciting to see a government organization working with advocacy groups to offer up-to-date and clear information on how to share the road! Click here to read the article on Bike Denver’s website with links to the updated information.

Bicycle art from all over the world will be on display and for sale at the 2009 Bike Art Spectacular, a fundraising event for Kimberlee’s Bikes for Kids. The event will take place on Saturday, November 7th from 6-9 pm at San Diego’s Quilt Art Vision Gallery.

Jennifer Garant, a well-known artist from Palm Desert, Calif., says: “I received an email from Dan of KBK asking if I could donate a painting for their art auction. As I started to read about Kimbelee’s life and loves it touched me very much only to go into full tears hearing about her passing in March 2008 from brain cancer. Every child that KBK touches with its bike give-away program provides these children hope in sometimes bleak situations. I do not think that there is anything more important than to give the gift of joy and hope. I love the saying: ‘No one ever dies as long as there is someone to remember them’. For me the question was not can I donate art but how could I not donate.”

The Bike Art Spectacular will feature bicycle-themed art from Israel, England, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. The art will be displayed and sold at the reception on November 7th. In addition, the reception will include a silent auction, door prizes, drinks and appetizers. Remaining art not sold at the reception will be featured in a special eBay auction from November 9-16.

The donated art will feature original paintings, limited-edition prints, hand-embellished giclees, sculptures, photographs, recycled art, T-shirts, jewelry and cards which carry retail values from $5 to over $5,000.

“We’re gearing up for a fantastic event, says Dan Gindling, President of Kimberlee’s Bikes for Kids. “The artists have responded with lots of great bicycle art. It’s going to be a really fun evening.”

For more information about the 2009 Bike Art Spectacular including the online Art Catalog go to www.kimsbikes.org.

Click on the image to enlarge for a better view of the artwork.

PRESS RELEASE: The BMC Racing team has selected Easton as its exclusive wheel supplier for the 2010 racing season, citing Easton’s durability, dependability and lightweight performance. BMC’s team will pedal more than half a million miles in 2010, and the squad is excited by Easton’s arsenal of wheel choices.

”A technical partnership with Easton starting in 2010 is an ideal opportunity to build on our established relationship with Easton for bars, stems and cockpits,” says the team’s General Manager Gavin Chilcott. “In addition to having confidence in Easton products, we are excited to align with a company that has a strong inclination toward technological development and optimization. Achieving our sports objectives is integrally linked to both reliability and performance of the wheels.”

“BMC Racing is the fastest-growing and most progressive professional team in the world, and we believe Easton wheels will help bring them even greater success,” says Chuck Platt, Senior Sports Marketing Manager. “We’re excited to get our wheels under the riders and begin gathering feedback, which will benefit everyone from top pros to weekend racers who choose Easton.”

To help the team and it’s classics specialists Hincapie, Burghardt, Kroon and Ballan perform on the cobbles and variable conditions in the 2010 classics, Easton will provide the EC90 SLX, a light (1175-gram) and stiff tubular wheel with an ultra-dependable Easton carbon rim. For rolling and hilly races like Milan San Remo and The Amstel Gold Race, BMC riders will likely chose the 1,232-gram EC90SL carbon tubulars or the 1,335-gram EC90 Aero Carbon tubulars.

“Cycling to church” by GeorgieR. He writes: “This is one of the gates of All Saints, Wick,Littlehampton, Sussex. Ironically they’re the gates to the car park.” You should check out George’s photos. He has a knack for finding the funny – in his pictures and commentary – of the ordinary.

To see more Pics Of The Day, click here.

If you’d like to submit a picture for our Pic Of The Day, click here.

INTERBIKE 2009 – Santa Cruz’s outdoor demo booth was a busy, busy place.  We lucked out being able to get two Tallboys out at the same time, so we’re able to give you two riders’ reviews on riding their new full carbon, full suspension 29er.

We covered the release of the 29er in a prior post with technical info, so this post focuses on lots of good close up photos and details and our impression of the Tallboy’s ride.  We’ll hit the photos first…there are some pretty nifty frame features on the Tallboy, and the bike is light.  The bikes all seemed to be built up differently, but neither of the bikes we rode and weighed were heavy, especially for a dual-boinger 29er.

Weights, pics and reviews after the break…

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INTERBIKE 2009 – Salsa Cycles responded to the economy by altering the spec levels on several of their bikes in order to drop the prices.  The Fargo, above, had full Shimano XT last year, but for 2010 has been scaled back to a mix of SLX and Deore, dropping the price $450 ($1,399 from $1,850).

Similarly, the Casseroll Double went from 105 to Tiagra, dropping from $1,799 to $1,200 and the Big Mama 29er swapped full XT with a Fox fork to SRAM X-9 and a Rockshox Reba, going from $3,600 to $2,700.  Their El Kaboing was changed up to equal effect, too.

On the component side, Salsa had several new stems and handlebars, including a sweet outward angled road bar called the Woodchipper (shown on the Fargo, above, and after the break).  Hit more to see the goods…

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