Catch up on all of our Project 1.2 posts here!

Stems aren’t the most glamorous of components.  For the most part, they all work- and those that don’t don’t tend to survive on the market long.  While the Reasonably Priced in our Reasonably Priced Carbon Project 1.2 singlespeed build theme ruled out every full-carbon stem on the market, FSA’s SL-K stem does have a carbon fiber face plate and happens to match not only our build’s white fork but also its unidirectional carbon SL-K seatpost and Gravity Light handlebar.  Is its dash of carbon just for show, or is it a key piece of the puzzle?  Hit the jump to find out…

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Entering the bike industry to make millions would probably be… misguided.  But starting or joining a bike or gear company because you’ve got some cool ideas and want to have a bit of fun bringing them to life?  That’s a bit more like it.

Building saddles since the early-90s, Speed Defies Gravity–now SDG Components–has built a solid following for their comfortable saddles, innovative I-Beam mounting system, and sense of fun.  From the legendary Bel Air to bombproof Kevlar-covered saddles to today’s surprisingly broad range, SDG are all about the bicycle contact points.  Now owned by a former intern (kids, take note!), SDG have just sent out a number of products that don’t just seem well thought out- they make us smile too.  Party after the jump!

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When Specialized set us up with a pair of their then-new S-Works Evo shoes last fall, I was excited by the idea- but worried about being let down. After all, everyone seems to be seeking the holy grail of a race-weight and race-stiff shoe that has enough tread forefoot flex for off-the-bike sections and the durability do it all, day in and day out. That is the idea behind the Evo version of the big S’ range-topping shoe: after a year, have they delivered?

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Catch up on all of our Project 1.2 posts here!

While it’s been in the works for some time (and we leaked early photos on our Facebook page), our Project 1.2 single speed is now complete.  Hardly a plastic wallflower, the Lurcher has been getting lots of dirty time.  But before diving into the reviews, an introduction.

When the opportunity to pick up one of On-One’s Lurcher 29er frames presented itself, we jumped.  Earlier On-One Inbred and Scandal frames handled brilliantly- and the Lurcher looked set to bring the brand’s high performance, high value ethos to life in carbon fiber.  In fact, it’s the democratization of the magic plastic that’s become the theme of this year’s build. Bike shop and online brands are bringing carbon fiber to ever-lower price points as production capacity has grown and the ins and outs of working with the material are sussed.  Light weight, stiffness and vibration damping for all?  Or at some point does it just become carbon fiber for carbon fiber’s sake?

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If y’aint walkin, y’aint ridin’

Mountain biking inevitably involves at least some walking.  Be it a quick dab, walking an uncomfortably technical stretch, or scrambling up an impossibly steep climb to reach the singletrack above, many of the best trail rides include at least a bit of hiking.  With that in mind, Pearl Izumi asked themselves if it would be possible to create a race-weight, trail-ready riding shoe that was stable and comfortable off the bike while maintaining race shoe stiffness in the pedals.

Two years later and after drawing on experts from three continents, they feel that the answer is “yes.”  And they invited a number of journalists to Laguna, California for some riding and pushing to prove it.  Hit the jump to find out more.

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September 24 update:  Transition time and AFC details added below.

Given the success of their Pivlock V2 and V2 Max models (reviewed here), Smith have gone with a number of tweaks and new colors for 2013.  The biggest and most exciting are the photochromic clear-gray and Ignitor (red) lenses shown here.  Seeing as few people actually swap lenses mid-ride, the variable transmission lenses should make the Pivlocks that much nicer for late afternoon/early evening rides and commutes that start or finish in the dark. The $80 lenses include Smith’s AFC anti-fog coating on the inside and are available separately or bundled with frames.  Transition times run ~20 seconds from clearest to darkest, ~60 seconds in the other direction.

More color options and some prescription inserts after the break…

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Pearl Izumi‘s been a sending us some sweet gear for a while, like the Pro Leader Kit and Softshell 180 jacket. So, it was a pleasant surprise when we found out they were set to unveil the X Project 1.0 shoe at Interbike.  It’s a high end XC mountain/ ‘cross shoe with a translucent green sole. With this design, they were shooting for a lightweight shoe comfy both on and off the bike. To accomplish this, significant flex was added throughout while keeping it as stiff as possible at the pedal. For off-the-bike appeal, there’s rubber bonded to the sole for grip, a feature that makes this shoe grippy and viable for travel in many terrains. During my time testing, I walked, biked, and sprinted around in the outskirts of Vegas, on a surface made up of dirt, dust, and a hefty portion of jagged rocks, both small and large and had to walk more often than I’d like.

As for weights, a size 44 weight is claimed just short of 300g per shoe. They sized me in a 46, which hit the scales at about 320g. That makes the X Project 1.0 even lighter than my LG Carbon Pro Team road shoes. Pretty impressive for a mountain shoe.

Click ‘more’ for the review, and some other translucent-soled shoes from Pearl Izumi…

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It’s no secret that great parts are hard to review- and Shimano’s XTs have long been among the best day in, day out cranks on the market.  For the past several generations, the arms, rings, and bearings at the center of Shimano’s do-it-all group have drawn on the company’s greatest strengths- while the latest generation’s 10 speed compatibility and double- or triple-ring options bring them bang up to date.  The crank arms are hollow forged from aluminum: a stiff, light (just under 860g including BSA BB), and durable construction method.  The 24-32-42 chainrings are built of steel, aluminum, and composite in order to balance weight with durability.  Finally, Shimano’s tortured-looking chainring teeth, ramps, and pins are designed to provide shifting performance that approaches XTR- for a fraction of the cost.  That’s the sales floor pitch: how have the latest XTs performed on the trail and race course?  Hit the jump to find out!

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Billed as the perfect brake for XC or all mountain/enduro use, Formula’s RX has long been a solid aftermarket choice and great OEM score.  For 2012, the Italian-made brake gets a new flip-flop master cylinder and the core brake comes in at 242g (plus ~100g for a rotor)- not at all bad for $185.  Formula’s a la carte pricing makes pad contact adjustability, tool-free lever position, and all-steel or dual-material rotors optional, allowing riders to buy as much–or as little–fiddleability as they would like.  After a couple of months on my go-to trail bike and an Alpine rental, how have Formula’s value brakes fared?  Hit the jump to find out!

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Doh!  We’ve heard from Germany that we got the light transmission wrong: it’s even wider than we thought  Updated below…

Even though the brand’s name originally from their eyewear’s ultraviolet protection (UltraViolet EXclusion), Uvex’s sunglasses really haven’t made much of a mark lately.  For us, that changed dramatically when we came across the company’s flagship SGL-202 Vario model at Interbike last fall.  Barely disturbing the scale at 23g (20% lighter than Smith’s already light Pivlock V2), the SGL-202s feature a visible light sensitive (rather than UV sensitive) lens alongside several other novel features.  Now that we have our hands on a set, you can click though for more details and our first impressions…

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