Check out all of our Project 24.2 posts here!

If anyone had told me a couple of months ago that our Project 24.2 bike was going to come in lighter than my 29er single speed, without any scary light parts, I wouldn’t have believed it.  But it has.

How does 22.8lb sound for a full suspension bike sound?  With pedals, 4 scoops of Stan’s sealant, a chainstay protector, and a bottle cage?  Do-able, right?  What if it was a 19in frame, had trail wheels, and 120mm travel at each end?  Not too shabby- and it’s not even done yet.  Hit the jump for the details

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See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!

Update 12/24/11:  As a gift to our commenters, we’ve added on-head photos.  Click through to see the V2s change Marc from goofy cyclist to near-supermodel.

In my Project 24.2 kickoff post a couple of weeks back, I said that if Smith’s second generation Pivlock V2s were even a little bit better than the super-light, super-comfortable Pivlock V90s, then they’d be my new favorites.  When the first shipment landed at Smith HQ last week, they turned a set right around for us to use training for and during February’s 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo.  After 6 hours’ riding (with hundreds more to come) there’s a lot here to like.  Hit the jump for the scoop…

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See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!
Every year, I tell myself that I’ll write down my favorite clothing combinations for different temperature ranges and conditions (road, dirt, light, and dark)- and every year I fail.  This means that November and December can be uncomfortably cold or hot at times- but that I spend a lot of time thinking about my cool-weather wardrobe.

Provided by Pearl iZumi as part of our Project 24.2 series of reviews, the P.R.O. Softshell 180 jacket is a close-cut jacket that marries wind- and water-resistant P.R.O. Softshell fabric in wind-facing areas with large Direct Vent underarm and back panels for breathablity.  Given Pearl’s “perfect for drier riding conditions” claim and our recent spell of near-arctic weather, the P.R.O. Softshell has been getting quite a few on- and off-road workouts lately.  Go below the fold to find out how it’s doing so far…

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See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!
With New Mexico suddenly plunged into bitter cold, 88mph winds, and snow, it’s time to think about 24 hour racing!  That’s right, Epic Rides’ 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo is only 10 weeks away and if we don’t start thinking about training, it’s going to be a very long day in the saddle.  As with last year’s Project 24 series of reviews, we’ve assembled everything we’ll need to ensure that any shortcomings on the race course… will be the riders’ fault.

Team Evil Gazebo has reunited- and this time we’ve got something worth defending.  Racing ace and Bikerumor contributor Alex will be carrying much of my dead weight while I try to make it to the transition tent on time.  Over the next three months or so, we’ll be keeping you current with regular updates on how the training is going and with our reviews of the bikes, gear, food, and accessories we’re using.  Hit the jump to find out what we’ll be racing!

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In what’s become the year of the lightweight trail wheelset, one option has become very easy to recommend.  With its reasonable weight, proven freehub, standard spokes, and 28mm wide (25mm inside) rims, and competitive price, American Classic’s All Mountain 26 Tubeless (an All Mountain 29 Tubeless wheelset is also available) wheelset ticks all of the right boxes.  With several months under them, American Classic’s trail wheels have done virtually nothing to draw attention to themselves- a Very Good Thing.  Hit the jump for specs, pics, and the recommendation you can already see coming…

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See all of our Project 24 posts and reviews here!

Nobody likes the dreaded sleepy pee-pee.  Sure, it’s a nice sensation to stand and feel a warm rush of blood to one’s partner in crime after a long seated climb- but really it’s best if one’s happy parts aren’t allowed to drift off to never-never land.  With that in mind, fi’zi:k have recently introduced Versus (or “VS”) versions of a number of their well-regarded saddles- and offered to send a couple out to complete our Project 24 race bike.

With countless miles spent on the moderately padded Aliante Gamma- my favorite trail saddle- I was excited to try the plumbing-sparing version.  Hit the jump to find out if the groovy Fi’zi:k was able to fight off the knights of Nod.

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Check out all of our Project 24 posts here!

Frickin’ headset standards.  With so many head tube interface options and tapered steerer tubes joining 1 1/8 and 1.5in options- and these are just the mainstream choices- figuring out what headset will act as an interface between your frame and fork can be massive headache.  With a tapered Zero Stack head tube and both tapered- and straight-steerer forks on tap, we called on the headset experts at Cane Creek to help us navigate their wide selection- and to help our Project 24 bike around the corners.

In order to make things easier for both shops and consumers, Cane Creek recently launched their headsetfitfinder.com headset selection website and is shipping most of their headsets in halves.  This approach easily accommodates mixed-standard frames and allows for easy upgrades (when transitioning from a straight to tapered head tube, for example).  In the case of our Project 24 bike, this meant a 1/18 Zero Stack top assembly and both 1.5 Zero Stack and 1.5 Zero Stack Conversion bottom assemblies from the company’s new Forty-Series.

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Find all of our Project 24 reviews here!

Why on earth would Crank Brothers decide to make a grip alongside their other components?  After all, there are already hundreds of grips on the market, and most long-time riders have found something that works well for them.  Because they’re pretty awesome grips, that’s why.

Until now, I had never found a clamp-on grip that I liked.  Because I prefer a slimmer grip and the clamp-ons that I’d tried in the past gave up too much comfort in the name of security, I was actually dreading long days training and 24-hour racing on the Cobalts.  Hit ‘more‘ to find out how the Cobalts earned a special place in my heart hand…

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Magura sent out images and info on their new MT8 carbon fiber-bodied hydraulic disc brakes before Sea Otter, so we used the show to get some closeup pics, weights and details…all of which is after the break.

Tucked back in the service area of their booth, though, was an all-new 150mm Thor suspension fork. And inside that were some all-new internals that’ll make their way across Magura’s forks for 2012.

The new Thor 150 has fixed travel and a new 15mm thru axle option, which will also be available on the Thor 140 and Marathon 120. Their old Flight Control remote travel adjust system is now called Lift Select, and will only come on the new 150 as an option. Lift Select is a simpler activation that lets you flick a switch and compress the fork without having to hold and release the lever while pushing down like on the old system. The fork works like normal when compressed, just with less travel. Drops down to 110mm and is really meant as a climbing aid only and not for regular use in the lower position. Available either as a remote or crown mounted system, not retrofittable.

Jump past the break for more pics and info on both the fork and brakes…

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Check out all of our Project 24 reviews here!

What good are lightweight brakes if they compromise stopping ability?  As any downhiller will attest, you can only go as fast as you can stop- a fact that applies to the XC course as much as the DH.  With their range-topping R1 brakes, Formula set out to prove that light weight, power, and modulation aren’t mutually exclusive.

A long time Formula Oro and RX user, Formula were at the top of my list for our Project 24 build.  Why?  My experience with the Oros and RXs has been excellent.  I like when I can forget about a component because it just works.  For years.  The company’s brakes provide a good deal of power, which is made usable by excellent modulation.  Not that the RXs are heavy, but the at an honest-to-goodness 275g for the front brake with 160mm rotor and hardware, the R1s are indeed light, shaving 75g per wheel.  Coming from Avid Elixir CRs?  You’ll save 1/2lb.  Yes, that’s half a pound saved over a perfectly respectable OEM brake.  So they’re light.  And, if you’ve looked at the images, pretty.  Hit more to find out how they work.

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