This new dry bag from Topeak is specifically designed to work with iphones. It is comprised of shock protective molded foam and it uses dry bag technology to keep your phone from getting destroyed on wet rides. The TPU touch window allows a clear view of the phone’s screen and access to its functions. There are two options for mounting the iphone Dry Bag to your bike: the QuickClick™ system or an optional stem cap mount. Either way you mount it, the phone will be easily accessible, whether it’s on your bar, stem, or top tube. The QuickClick™ also enables removal of the dry bag when it’s not in use. This item can be used for other, similarly sized devices like the ipod Touch and some GPS units.
Photos of the iphone Dry Bag mounted and specs after the break… (more…)
Photo submitted by Craig H., “Riding single-track covered in leaves is like deep powder skiing in that all rocks, logs & stumps are buried. Yet never before have I had a trail just disappear. Southern Traverse, Deerfield, VA 11-12-10.”
To see more Pics of the Day, click here, and to submit your own photo to be shown to the world, go here.
Everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon, and this bandwagon is rolling over obstacles and absorbing bumps in a heretofore unprecedented manner. That’s because it is a fully-suspended, 29″ wheel-havin’ bandwagon. KHS is getting in on the action with its entry, The Prescott. The basics: The Prescott is a 29er with 80mm of front wheel travel and 3.5″ rear wheel travel. The rear travel is provided by a tried and true 4-bar Horst link. This bike leap frogs over KHS’ previous 29″ offering, the Flagstaff, to become the top-end 29″ full suspension bike in the line with its $3699.99 price tag.
You picking up on a naming theme here? ‘Cause I am. Naming bikes after Arizona towns provides a deep and interesting pool to draw from.
We might see bikes from KHS in the future with bad-ass names like the “Bone Yard” or “Two Guns.” It is less likely that we will see the “Goobertown” or the “Nothing.”
posted by Tyler (Editor) - December 27, 2010 - 12pm EST
Craft’s PXC Thermal Top isn’t a cycling-specific piece, they categorize it under running and mention skiiing among its uses, but for cool weather cycling, it’s quickly become one of my favorites.
The inside is brushed for softness, including the collar and it works great on sunny days in the 50º’s with just a short sleeve base layer underneath. Above 60º and it’s great on its own. Jump past the break for more specs and features…
Last week, we got a surprise package contaning the 29er version, which were immediately thrown on the scale and photo’d. Quick background: Easton’s all-mountain/trail Haven line consists of handlebars (carbon and alloy), stems, seatpost and wheels. The wheels are available in alloy rimmed and carbon rimmed versions, and by available, we mean they’re working on the carbon rimmed versions and we’ve had our request in for a set to review since they were announced. Anywhoo…
The Haven wheelsets come standard with QR front and rear axle configurations with parts to swap the front to 15mm thru-axle. There is a 20mm front hub option listed on their website, but you’ll need to order that wheelset specifically. Likewise for the rear, there’s a 12×135/142 option that can be ordered separately, and those options are offered on all Haven wheel models/sizes.
Jump past the break for weights, photos and more details…
These videos from Campbell Coaching seem particularly timely, especially for those of us on the east coast of the U.S., where we’re getting absolutely hammered with snow. In these weather conditions, the knee jerk reaction is to put away the bike and bust out the skis, or even worse: the trainer, but with a little motivation and some cold weather gear, you can get out there and ride. Bob Campbell can provide that motivation and tell you what kind of gear you need to do it.
In the above video Bob talks about the clothing and gear required for winter riding. In the video after the break he talks about winter-riding skills and runs us through a bike-safety-check. The bike safety check is useful in any weather, adverse conditions just drive the point home. You never really want to be “that dude,” the guy who holds up a group ride with annoying mechanicals that could have been avoided. And you definitely don’t want to be that dude when it’s freezing out. Unless you’ve brought a really big flask.
“Do not creep over the back of the bike, you won’t get away with it in these conditions.”
The tips on bike handling in the snow aren’t just useful for winter riding either, these skills also apply to sand, mud, gravel, or anything loose — like marbles or ball pits. Finding traction in the snow is incredibly hard, but if you can dial in the body English required to get a bike moving and keep it moving, while upright, in the snow, it will benefit you year round.
You might not be able to get away with as much in the way of bad technique in the snow, but the punishment for failure is way less harsh than it is in other, warmer, conditions. Crashing in the snow is awesome and virtually painless, as we shall see after the break…
Tired of watching in abject horror as your coffee travel mug ejects from your standard water bottle cage, dashes to the street, and gets smashed into a oblivion under the wheels of a passing car? Well Topeak just might have the answer to your travel mug ejection whoas! (As In “Whoa! Dude, my travel mug just got totally owned by that minivan.”) It’s the Modula Java Adjustable Coffee Mug Cage.
The Modula Java Cage is the perfect solution for carrying coffee or other hot beverages while commuting by bicycle. Constructed of engineering grade plastic, the Modula Java Cage frame is fully adjustable to accommodate varying sizes of travel mugs including popular 12 and 16 oz. Starbucks® type travel mugs. For extra security, the Modula Java Cage features an adjustable rubber strap to prevent spilling and to keep mug from bouncing out while traveling on rough roads. For the dedicated bicycle commuter, the only thing better than the ride itself is enjoying a hot beverage along the way and arriving with it intact!
More photos of the Modula Java in ACTION, and specs, yes, adjustable coffee mug cage specs, after the break… (more…)
DMR riders Olly Wilkins and Sam Reynolds are coerced into donning Santa hats and beards by management. They proceed to shred a dirt track with style while looking really, really goofy.
posted by ZachOverholt - December 24, 2010 - 1pm EST
By this point, most of you are familiar with Shimano’s Dura Ace level Di2 electronic shifting system. For any of you that aren’t, the Di2 system (Digital Integrated Intelligence) incorporates push button electronic shifting, that, along with a small battery to be mounted to the downtube, etc, is capable of producing a shifting system without the traditional shift cable. More than just push button controls, the Di2 system constantly self adjusts to ensure perfect operation, regardless of chainline, time of shift, etc.
All of this is great, but with the $4,680 price tag for the group, it left many questioning whether it was worth it. However, a few different sources are now reporting confirmation of an Ultegra level Di2 system that will be released in 2012.
