Catch up on all of our Project 1.2 posts here! With out Project 1.2 singlespeed, we set out…
The only way to make aerodynamics not matter is to stop moving. That line basically sums up Specialized’s…
When Mavic rolled out the CXR80 last year, they introduced an entirely new take on aerodynamic wheels with…
Mavic’s Annecy, France, HQ houses clothing & footwear design and wheels prototyping and testing. It also holds their…
With the introduction of Bontrager’s new All Weather (AW) line of tires, even they admit that previously…
Sea Otter is full of mini product launches within its Laguna Seca confines, but it is also host…
Bottle cages have a pretty simple remit: to hold waterbottles. Sure, it’s nice if they’re good looking, high tech, or reasonably priced- but all of this is forgotten the moment a bottle goes missing. Lezyne know this and have built what may be the most tenacious bottle cage I’ve come across. Is it the cage for you? Hit the jump to find out!
After being caught out too many times in surprise thunderstorms or without enough food, I’ve learned to carry a fair amount of gear when headed into the woods. Not a ton- just enough to be comfortable if the weather turns (or I take a wrong turn). When shopping for a new pack, I tend to look for a gear liter capacity in the low-mid teens, good organization, and some sort of breathable back panel. With all that and more, Deuter’s Compact EXP 12 caught my eye earlier this spring. After numerous 2-6 hour rides in everything from pouring rain to 100-degree heat, is it a keeper? Click more to find out!
Big Swiss bike, big Swiss mountains
June 20 update: See more on-trail photos here…
This week, Bikerumor was fortunate to be among the cycling press invited by BMC to the unveiling of their new flagship cross-country bike: the striking FourStroke 01 29. Not only would we be among the first to see the 4in travel carbon fiber 29er, but as the launch was held in beautiful Lenzerheide Switzerland, we were also able to spend some quality time with the big-wheeled Swiss wunderbike. Hit the jump for more photos, details, and (most importantly) riding impressions…
See all of our Project 24.2 reviews here!
First introduced just about a year ago, Shimano’s XTR Shadow Plus rear derailleur represents one of the first major advances in rear derailleurs that the mountain bike market has embraced in a very long time. Starting with their low-profile XTR rear mech, Shimano have added (Plus!) a one-way friction clutch to the cage pivot. By making the derailleur much more willing to take up chain slack than give it, the chain slap is reduced. Less chain slap means less noise, less frame damage, and (most importantly) reduces the likelihood of the chain being dropped. After extensive XC and trail use and on the eve of the release of SLX and XT versions, has the added complexity and 30g been worth carrying? Hit the jump to find out!
See all of our Project 24.2 reviews here!
Just right. It’s always subjective assessment, but finding a hydration pack that’s just right for racing has been hard for me. Sure, most racers wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a pack on race day, but when facing 24 hours’ worth of riding, being able to fix mechanicals, carry a light battery, or grab an emergency snack makes the fashion faux pas worth my while.
Hydrapak’s 4L (plus a 2L bladder) Selva aims to be just right for quick rides and longer races. Is this the little bag that could? Or did it leave me wanting for a bit more (or less)? Pass the break to find out!
See all of our Project 24.2 reviews here!
If you could only have one wheelset, what would it look like? Every rider is different, but for me, it would sport sturdy rims wide enough to handle true 2.3in tires, have a proven freehub, be compatible with several hub standards, freakishly light, and not too expensive. Something that would be up to day-to-day aggressive trail use, big weekends with the boys in Sedona or Moab, and maybe light enough for the odd 24-hour race. It would be tubeless and require as little maintenance as possible. That’s a lot to ask of a wheelset- but when it arrived last September, Roval’s Control Trail SL wheelset looked last fall to be every one of those things. Eight months later, has it lived up to its early promise? Hit the jump to find out…
See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!
While it has worked so far, I decided to go in a different direction when it came time to update the contact information on my Road ID Wrist ID Elite. As temperatures have gone from wintery to downright hot, the wide silicone band has been on the warm side. More importantly, I’ve been spending more time on our mountains’ rough and rocky trails and the weight added by the Elite’s stainless deployment clasp has caused the ID to rattle around more than I’d like. When I saw that a new Wrist ID Slim would cost $1 less than a replacement ID Tag for the Wrist ID Elite, the decision to give the smallest Road ID a try was easy. Cross the line for my thoughts…
Between the ever-larger frame tubes (on road and off) and the proliferation of dropper posts (for the latter), it sometimes seems as though the humble 27.2mm seatpost is headed for extinction. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing- larger diameter tubes are less likely to bend and require less clamping force to stay put. They’re also… stiffer. And, for lighter riders or those looking for a bit of comfort in their rides, this can be a shame. My recent replacement of a scandium-framed single speed (with nearly a foot of 27.2 carbon swaying in the breeze) with an aluminum frame and 30.9 seatpost had my pampered backside and spine wondering what they’d done to deserve the sudden abuse.
Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to give Syntace’s new P6 Carbon HiFlex seatpost a try. Taking the company’s proven P6 head and adding a shaft with twice the shock absorption of its predecessor, the P6 Carbon HiFlex boastings “improved oscillation dampening and directional stability even when drifting around corners or when hitting harsh ruts.” Indeed, a flexy post sounded like just the solution. Hit the jump for more details, more photos, and a couple of initial impressions…
See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!
Every cyclist has spent a good day in the saddle feeling happy and loving life- only to sit down at work the next day realizing that more than a unpleasant amount rubbing and chapping has occurred. Sometimes, it doesn’t even take until the next day. Shaving, years of saddle time and proper fitting shorts can all help to eliminate inner thigh rubbing induced redness (ITRR), but not in all cases. In the hopes of easing the pain of training for and racing in this spring’s 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, Enduro Stuff sent out their Okole (“butt” in Hawaiian) Stuff chamois ointment for Alex and I to try. Did the thick allantoin, tea tree oil, and aloe enriched Stuff make believers of our Okoles? Go below the belt to find out…
