See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!

Though the brand doesn’t seem to get the respect that its high-end products deserve, I’ve long been a fan of Louis Garneau’s shorts. Always well made and in my opinion quite comfortable, Garneau’s shorts show excellent attention to detail. A 12 panel short (also available in a bib short verison) that makes use of the company’s antibacterial “most comfortable,” “all day on the saddle” Airgel Chamois, the Carbon Lazer seemed like it would be a great choice for 24 hour training and racing.

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Looking for some gloves that I could leave in my mountain pack (and to save my white Castelli Chiro WS gloves from the indignities of off-road use), this winter I set out to find a new pair of cold weather mountain bike gloves. At my local REI, I stumbled on a pair of Giro’s Ambient 2s- and the fit was enough to convince me to give them a go. Consisting of a water- and wind-resistant softshell back, strategically padded synthetic Clarino palm, and funk-fighting X-Static fleece lining, the Ambient 2s seemed like a good choice for mountain biking in 30-45 degree weather. Were they? Hit the jump to find out.

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taking training more seriously

Given our intention to take our 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo training and racing a bit more seriously this year, it was only appropriate that Alex and I come up with a team kit.  Balancing the ability to stand out on the race course with the desire need to look good, can be hard- and we racked our brains for the perfect jerseys.  Eventually, a bell went off:  what about DannyShane?  Manufacturers of one of my favorite jerseys ever, DannyShane is a Texas-based company that makes high-end, environmentally-aware cycling gear.  With a pair of the company’s Tartan Race jerseys- in Tinsley green and Bellam blue- Alex and I would stand out on the race course, be identifiable as a team.  And stay sexy.  What about performance, you ask?  Take the trip past the break to find out!

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When Rocky Mountain offered to send an Element 70 MSL frame over the border for our Project 24.2 24 hour race frame, I was excited.  Who wouldn’t be excited by the opportunity to spend several months on a full carbon 120mm XC frame designed and tuned with input from Geoff Kabush and Andreas Hestler?  Then it landed.  The frame’s details really have to be seen to be appreciated, from the sculpted carbon swing link to the custom pewter anodized hardware and chain catcher.  “Sub-5lb” usually means that a frame is a hair (maybe even a shade) under 5lb.  On the scale, the Element 70 MSL came in at 4.75lb.  Now I was really excited: this was going to be fun.

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A well-considered cut makes Mavic’s Club glove a good winter mountain biking choice.

Mavic’s Club winter glove is built using multi-layer ski glove-type construction, with a Cold Ride windproof back, Clarino synthetic suede palm, and fleecy insulating interior. The cuff-to-fingertip reflective print manages to balance good visibility with (to my eyes) good looks. There’s even a bit of absorbent material on the thumb to catch the drips.  Hot stuff?  Read on to find out…

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With wheel technology marching steadily on (and prices marching steadily up), it’s nice to look a step or two down the range to find a darn impressive  sexy wheel.  When Easton’s EA70 XCT 26in wheels arrived (a 29er version is also available), I was taken aback by how cool they looked.  Given the number of positive comments our similarly stealth Project 24.2 Rocky Mountain Element MSL has attracted, I have the feeling that others will agree.  Of course, there’s more to the EA70 XCTs than good looks: click through for more photos, specs, and pricing…

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With my half of 24 hours worth of racing- to say nothing of hundreds of hours of training- on the table, I was excited when Ergon’s Jeff Kerkove suggested that we give the company’s technically-oriented GA1 Leichtbau ergonomic grips and matching HA2 gloves a try.  With Jeff himself no stranger to long rides and given the grips’ popularity among New Mexico’s endurance racing set, I though that Ergon might be on to something.  Weird or wonderful?  Pass the break and start another lap to find out!

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See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!

Along with the Elite wrist band reviewed last month, the good people at Road ID sent out their new Supernova safety light to help us safely through a winter of training for 24-hour racing.  Claimed to be “the brightest, lightest, most durable security light in its class,” the Supernova is powered by two CR2032 batteries (the same sized used by many bike computers).  At 20g, Road ID’s little light comes in four lens colors (white, red, blue, and green) and is waterproof to three hundred feet.  Fortunately, all of its use so far has been above the surface.  Click more to find out where the Supernova is hot- and where it’s not so hot.

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See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!

In order to meet the seatpost ideal of solidity, adjustability, and light weight, Ritchey have rethought their long-standing 1- and 2-bolt clamp designs. As others have learned (often the hard way), highly leveraged brittle hardened steel or titanium bolts are not always up to handling the forces generated by big riders and (especially on mountain bikes) hard landings. Ritchey’s new 1-Bolt seatpost design, seen here in its WCS Carbon version, presents a new take -the SideBinder- on saddle clamping. After several months on my single speed and our Project 24.2 race bike, it holds a lot of promise, with only a few minor considerations. Click through for more…

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See all of our Project 24.2 posts here!
By the time that this post goes live, we’ll be well on our way to Tucson to compete in the Kona 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo.  Under the guidance of Tom Jones from JBV Coaching, our training has gone well- the intensity-focused workouts had me feeling a bit ragged, but the way in which we completed a 93mi training ride put my mind to rest: if we can keep eating, this 24-hour duo thing will be do-able.

Hit the jump for more pictures and equipment updates…

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