Wednesday 31 December 2014
Park Tool Dial Adjust review
This Park Tool model is one of the big daddies of the portable pump world. It’s a hefty 48cm long and weighs 261g – but that extra size does bring with it some advantages, notably a 21cm stroke that will help get your pressure up in less time than most smaller pumps take.
The Dial Adjust’s ergonomics are pretty good, too, the handle opening out into a T-shape that enables you to get a very good grip. Unlike some frame-fitting pumps, this is a one-size-fits-all affair, a series of nine notches in the handle enabling the spring at the other end to keep it in place.
We got to a healthy 70psi after 200 strokes, and because of its size this has lots more to give. The long shaft is only 8mm in diameter, so given the length of the stroke you do need to pump carefully so as not to put too much pressure on it, but overall the plastic and metal construction feels pretty tough.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/mini-pump/product/review-park-tool-dial-adjust-15-49128/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Giro Jacket shoes review
One school of thought on flat pedal shoes, as followed by Five Ten, is that you should be firmly stuck to your pedal, the other acknowledges that many riders like to shift foot position while riding. Giro's Jacket falls in the latter camp, with a Vibram outer sole that offers good grip. We didn’t have issues with feet coming off on rougher sections, but they required more repositioning than sticky rivals.
The slim fitting and supportive upper is a pleasure to wear. The padding’s spot on and the tongue uses broad, elasticated webbing to keep it in place, making fitting and removal faff free, and eliminating hot spots from the laces.
The shoe is pretty stiff, which makes pedalling a pleasure, though our slim-footed tester would’ve preferred a wider toe box for maximum traction on the latest generation of wide flat pedals, though the mid-tread pattern hooks up well with pins. Off the bike, the relatively low profile and densely packed tread suffers in mud and while not lethal on wet rock, they can’t manage the 'walking up walls' feel of the Five Ten Impact VXi. These shoes do however drain water much more quickly, and the laces are higher quality too.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/clothing/shoes/product/review-giro-jacket-shoes-15-49115/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Moda Vivo review
The first thing we did after unboxing the Vivo was to hang it off some scales. In a world where a stock race bike can be under six kilos, seven and a half might not seem that impressive, but for an alloy-framed machine with a mid-level groupset, it's none too shabby.
- Highs: Light wheels; good performance; attractive, well made and impressively light frameset
- Lows: 10, rather than 11-speed 105 groupset; some road buzz; price
- Buy if: You want a bike with a classy alloy frame that won't need a wheel upgrade anytime soon
The Vivo is Moda's replacement for the carbon-framed Prima, and it makes no apologies for the return to metal. It's an attractive chassis, with neatly welded triple butted tubing and a satiny finish in 'flame, smoke and chalk' which, translated from bullshit to English, is red, black and white. A slim bladed, tapered full carbon fork keeps things current up front whilst at the rear, the seatstays flatten delicately between the brake bridge and the dropouts, presumably in aid of compliance.
There's a certain grace to the bulging chainstays too, further demonstration of what's possible with modern metal manipulation techniques. They end at a BB86 bottom bracket shell, a natural match for the Shimano groupset. Moda has chosen to route the rear brake outer through the top tube, keeping the gear cables external. It's a good trade-off between looks and ease of servicing, although the cable stop plate bolted to the down tube is a tad agricultural.
Make no mistake, the Vivo's an attractively finished ride
Before we talk about the spec, it's worth noting that Moda will supply more or less any build you want, including electronic groupsets, which the frame will accept without complaint. Our tester is the so-called 'factory build', which entails a Shimano 105 10-speed groupset (complete but for the brakes, which are Barelli-branded), American Classic Victory 30 wheels, and Barelli finishing kit. Barelli, incidentally, is Moda's house brand, and while it's no-frills stuff, it's well enough made; the leather-effect bar tape is a particular highlight.
Alloy bikes suffer from an abiding stereotype – harshness on the road. We're pleased to say this isn't an accusation we'd level at the Vivo. Despite the metal seatpost and skinny 23mm rubber, it struck us, if anything, as being remarkably comfortable. Where it does lose out slightly is in vibration damping – there's certainly more of it than most carbon frames in its class suffer, and that can be wearing on longer rides.
Ours has 105, but Moda will supply any build you want
The Moda's geometry is standard race bike fare, with a shortish wheelbase, just under 97cm on our 52cm tester, and a head tube length that will give most riders room for adjustment. The bike responds well to power input without excessive frame flex, the American Classic wheels supplying plenty of zip thanks to their low weight. Their rim section is a pretty standard 30mm V that doesn't particularly like crosswinds, but most riders won't be troubled unduly.
We're slightly torn over the Vivo. On the one hand it's an attractive, impressively light bike that comes with quality wheels and is fun to ride; on the other, it's a little too expensive for what it is. If it were specced with the latest 11-speed 105, or cost a little less, it would be a stronger contender. But at this price point there's some fierce competition – and we'd be sorely tempted to look elsewhere.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-moda-vivo-15-49105/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Tuesday 30 December 2014
Velo Magazine’s 2014 Covers
Before we run into 2015, let’s take a look back at the 2014 covers of Velo Magazine.
Which one is your favorite? Click on your favorite cover and press the submit button below to vote!
The post Velo Magazine’s 2014 Covers appeared first on VeloNews.com.
via VeloNews.com http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/gallery/velo-magazines-2014-covers_356981
Cycling's cheerleader for change
Shorter Grand Tours and proper contests between top riders - the owner of cycling's 'superteam' outlines his remedy for renewal.
via BBC Sport - Cycling http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/30632423
Moon X-Power 780 light – in brief review
Riders who hate the sudden flashing strobe light setting built into some lights will love this Moon – its four power levels have no flash options unless you deliberately set them up to do so.
Beam output is powerful too, with a broad fuzzy 'smile' and separate mid fill strip that stretches a decent length down the road for confident speed even on unknown roads. There's absolutely no mid distance peripheral though, so we occasionally got spooked by roadside animals or side turns appearing at the last second.
A helmet mount is included if that really bothers you, and the big overkill thumbscrew mount is secure on your bars as long as they’re round. Plentiful power means battery life is short for weight at full beam, but it’s communicated clearly by the main button and a warning light that comes on very early. The battery is also replaceable so you can buy a spare to extend run times if you want.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/review-moon--x-power-780-15-48966/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
GT Helion Comp review
It’s tempting for a manufacturer to drop the entry point on a range as low as possible. Has GT cut too many corners to cut the price of its Helion Comp or has budget suspension performance got a new benchmark?
Frame and equipment: impressive, bar a few teething troubles
GT launched its Independent Drivetrain suspension design nearly 20 years ago and it’s sticking to its guns with the latest evolution of the system. The downside on a discount bike is that it’s arguably the most complex suspension structure in widespread production.
The shock drives through the base of the seat tube so there’s no getting round a multi-part selection of curved hydroformed tube sections as well as intricate forgings for the seat tube straddle section, a big horseshoe section to mount the main pivot and the large two piece clamshell welded together to form the dangling bottom bracket section. Even the front derailleur is bolted onto a separate arm that’s in turn bolted to the underside of the seatstay bridge and has to be fed through a curved cable tube of the type you used to see on V brakes.
A neat gauge helps simplify suspension sag setup
As impressive as it is to see how it all dovetails together, this type of assembly is expensive to produce. This leaves less money for the rest of the bike, and the lower that price point the closer you get to compromising performance.
Initial impressions are good. The 740mm bars are wide for a 110mm travel bike and hint at more control and chaos taming potential than you’d expect in this category. An 80mm stem keeps it easy to hold online on climbs or under power. It syncs well with the 69.5-degree head angle, not too fussy when you’re just cruising, but well weighted on turn-in if you need to whip it round something tight.
Despite the cross-country intentions, the cockpit setup is modern
But where a lot of cheaper full sussers suffer is the quality of the damper and fork, and at first we thought that GT had fallen into the trap. The X-Fusion rear shock was stubborn to move and if it did it then cannoned back to a savage metal on metal top out.
Hoping it was an irregular issue with our shock rather than a cost-cutting compromise too far we contacted X-Fusion in the US who came back with a simple ‘try this’ fix. Just unscrewing the air sleeve then popping it back on recharged the negative spring chamber that helps get the shock movement started and prevents it bouncing all the way back to the stops. With that back to correct pressure and an extra bit of Slick Honey grease around the seal head we were back in supple, consistently controlled business.
Ride and handling: stiff, smooth and grounded
Despite the complex looking suspension architecture and QR skewers rather than thru-axles, this is an impressively stiff frame in terms of twist and lateral flex. The relatively short 110mm travel enables GT to sit the Helion low to the ground, and together with the well-balanced suspension weight it’s a naturally grounded feeling bike.
The lack of thru-axle doesn't stop the Raidon fork working well
This secure feeling is enhanced by its unique suspension action. The key feature in terms of suspension reaction is that the joint between the front and rear frame halves is higher than a normal suspension setup. It can swing backwards and upwards away from a frontal impact (boulder/step/root) much more easily than a low pivot.
Normally this increased backward and upward swing would cause massive pedal pull back, directly opposing suspension function and power transmission and causing pedal bob or choke problems. However, the cranks are mounted on a separate section, sitting between the central mainframe pivot and the junction with the rear frame at the bottom. The shock is squeezed between the top of this independent section and the mainframe. Because the crank moves backwards roughly half the distance of the axle as the shock compresses the effect on pedalling and suspension is also roughly halved.
The Independent suspension reaction amplifies smoothness over small bumps and rough patches, creating a remarkably floated ride for a bike at this price. Wallop something big flat out and the back end copes much better than you’d expect for a 110mm bike. With the transmission only semi connected from the whole shock absorbing process you can keep cranking to top the speed up without getting a beating through your feet or interrupting impact composure.
The X-Fusion rear shock is supple and controlled
The Raidon fork coped well with a range of rubble and trouble too, which is a good job as the rear suspension tends to keep the whole bike glued down rather than waving its front wheel in the air. Add the sorted handling and rear end stiffness and the GT swerves and flows through everything from rolling singletrack to techy trails with enthusiasm and more control than you’d get from a hardtail or most suspension bikes at this price.
The constant midsection movement does create a slight ‘rubber chain’ softness underfoot when you really put the power down but the consistent trail connection gives the Helion outstanding traction. This gives it fine technical climbing ability on challenging sections and bagged it significant summits during testing despite its speed rather than grip focused WTB rubber. On smoother trails or fire roads you can engage the remote control fork and shock mounted rear lockout for a solid pedalling platform.
Climbing ability is impressive, both on smoother trails and technical ascents
Considering the frame complexity and low cost it’s not as heavy as you’d expect. Though it’s not exactly light either, those fast rolling WTBs stoke its speed and your ego nicely so you’re not longing for a hardtail as soon as the trail heads upwards.
There are detail issues, such as Alivio shifters restricting it to a nine-speed block despite SLX derailleurs, and stuck on rather than lock-on grips (as in the online specs). But given the ride we’d be happy to overlook easily upgraded details if it was our wallet we were opening.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-gt-helion-comp-15-49121/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Monday 29 December 2014
Cycling's cheerleader for change
Shorter Grand Tours and proper contests between top riders - Oleg Tinkov, cycling's 'superteam' owner, outlines his remedy for renewal.
via BBC Sport - Cycling http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/30624986
John Stenner and Joshua Kuck Memorial Scholarship winners announced
via USA Cycling News Headlines http://www.usacycling.org/john-stenner-and-joshua-kuck-memorial-scholarship-winners-announced.htm
Pre-season testing and bike-fitting - Avanti Racing Team
With the race season set to kick off in just a matter of weeks, cycling teams around the world are attending individual training camps to get acquainted with new equipment, do health checks and meet the new signings.
The Avanti Racing Team, a previously Australia- and now New Zealand-based Continental team, gave BikeRadar an inside look on one of its recent training meetups.
Avanti, known for much of its history as Praties after its Tasmanian restaurant chain sponsor, is regarded as having been Australia's best Continental team (it moved to its New Zealand base for 2015) and as one of the best development teams in the world.
Its list of graduates includes WorldTour riders Richie Porte (Sky), Nathan Haas (Garmin-Cervelo), Nathan Earle (Sky), Jack Haig (Orica-GreenEdge) and Campbell Flakemore (BMC).
Getting together in small coastal town of Nowra, New South Wales, Australia, members of the recently expanded team were meeting their official coaching partner FTP Training, at their coaches' local business – The Watts Factory – to be fitted with new bikes, to establish baseline fitness and to get to know each other. This was particularly important given the large number of fresh New Zealand signings, including U23 New Zealand national TT champion Fraser Gough, 2014 Tour of Tasmania winner Patrick Bevin and U19 Madison World Champions Luke Mudgway and Regan Gough.
The Watts Factory is a training and bike fitting facility that's run by coach Mark Fenner and associate coach Damian Mason. With full bike fitting and power-testing facilities in the same building, BikeRadar found a crowded house there – especially with the likes of Earle and Garmin-Cervelo's Steele Von Hoff also dropping by for some testing, adjustments and training rides.
Riders relax with head coach Mark Fenner between testing
At one end of the building, Fenner was busy doing group power output tests with three riders at a time on Wahoo Kickr trainers run through PerfPRO Studio software. Despite the high summer heat, the riders were being put through the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Step Test. This has riders start at 100W output and progressively increase output by 50W every five minutes until failure. The test finishes at 500W, with every minute that follows ramping up a further 10W – so for example, two minutes past the 500W zone will be 520W.
Patrick Bevin, seconds after achieving 520W in the Step Test.
The guys at The Watts Factory don’t use the step test to establish training baselines. Instead, the test is done to monitor year-on-year progress and form of riders, along with giving them indications of how they compare to those riding WorldTour (and what WorldTour is seeking). According to Mason, 450 is a rough minimum the AIS seeks for athletes; however, power to weight plays a larger role. A true standout from the test on the day was Patrick ‘Paddy’ Belvin, reaching a mindblowing 520W, made all the more impressive by the fact he was on antibiotics for a nasty saddle sore.
Former triathlete Tom Davison getting fitted to his new ride using Retül Motion Capture
On the other end of the building, Mason was running through initial bike-fits using a Retül Motion Capture fitting system. Riders' initial setup is recorded before changes are made; most riders receive only minor tweaks, but some need substantial changes, including frame sizes.
Amazingly, many of these well-established riders hadn’t received bike fits previously, or at least not in detail. One of those details is the loaded fit that Mason is able to perform with the Motion Capture system. “Most fits are traditionally static without stress on the body," Mason explained. "This technology allows us to see how the fit works for the rider under stress – it’s not a replica of race conditions, but it’s a good indication.”
U19 Track Madison World Champion Luke Mudgway and Damian Mason discuss differences of track and road fit
According to Mason, the trickiest fits came from the new New Zealand track recruits. “Young Luke [Mudgway] was one challenge, as he’d never been fitted to a road bike before and he’s so accustomed to an ultra-aggressive track position – but it just doesn’t work out on the road when climbing is involved. I’ve set these guys up and given them an exact measurement range they can play within; we’ll be keeping in touch with these guys over the coming weeks to see how the new positions are working for them.”
Mason said that while fitting track riders onto road bikes is challenging, fitting well-established pros like Nathan Earle and Pat Shaw comes fairly easy. “These guys are so experienced they can tell you what’s wrong with their position [and are] just not sure how many millimetres it may be out”.
While benchmark testing and fitting was done over the two-day meetup, the Avanti riders establish training baselines for power and heart rate in their own time with personal coaches. Instead, the team used the rest of their time together to get through some specific training in the local hills.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/racing/article/pre-season-testing-and-bike-fitting-avanti-racing-team-43279/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Bryton Cardio 60R GPS watch review
If you’re not a fan of strapping a GPS unit to your bar, then this GPS watch from Bryton is worth a look. It’s extremely intuitive to use, with menus that are clear and easy to navigate, and it doesn’t take long to customise the screen so you get the ride data you’re after, including speed, distance, time and heart rate, among others.
The big OK/Lap button is easy to find when riding, taking a lot of faff out of proceedings when you want to start or stop things. There’s also a useful vibrate mode that means you don’t need to constantly check your wrist to find out what’s going on. For those serious about training, the heart rate monitor provides useful on-the-go readouts so you can keep tabs on what your ticker is up to too.
Uploading your ride to the Bryton Bridge 2 website is relatively straighforward and it’s easy to analyse everything from your route map to the number of calories you’ve burned, while uploading to Strava just takes the click of a button. To top things off, our test sample has shrugged off a couple of crashes and taken some proper soakings without issue too. You do need to be patient when locating a satellite signal though.
In the UK, the full package costs £260, including the heart rate monitor and bar mount, or you can buy a pared down version for £40 less.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/accessories/gadgets/gps-devices/product/review-bryton-cardio-60r-gps-watch-15-49101/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
BMC TeamMachine SLR03 105 review
BMC uses the TeamMachine moniker for its top of the range SLR01 pro machine, a bike we awarded a full five stars when we tested it some months ago. The SLR03 sits two rungs lower down and gets heftier carbon construction, but has identical geometry to its costlier brethren.
- Highs: Wonderful ride quality and looks; excellent shifting from 11-speed 105 components
- Lows: Basic wheels, overall weight
- Buy if: You want pro-level ride quality at an entry-level price
Our initial impressions weren't enormously encouraging when we realised that the SLR03 weighs over eight and half kilos – a fair lump for a race machine, especially one with a full carbon frame and fork. We're not ones to prejudge though, so we decided to give the BMC the benefit of the doubt.
Part of that substantial bulk comes from the frame itself, which weighs a claimed 1230g, none too light by today's standards. It's a thing of beauty however, with some of the characteristic design flourishes that distinguish BMC from the run-of-the-mill. These include the distinctive strut between the near-horizontal top tube and the seat tube, and the radically dropped seatstays.
There's a butch industrial splendour to the whole bike; the down tube is immense, as is the lower portion of the seat tube, which broadens to match the substantial BB86 bottom bracket shell. The top tube to head tube junction is similarly uncompromising, while rear end stiffness comes courtesy of sculpted, asymmetrical chainstays. The only outwardly obvious difference between this and the SLR01 is that the cable routing is all external, something mechanics will appreciate.
The finishing kit is all BMC's own branded stuff, and it's pretty low-key, although as unrepentant perverts we appreciated the glossy faux leather bar tape, which is both grippy and, uh, stain-resistant. The only letdown was the BMC alloy seatpost – its bolt-and-knob adjustment method proved cumbersome, although it does the job without complaint once set up.
The SLR03 comes specced with Shimano's superlative 11-speed 105 shifting components, with brakes and a chainset chosen from less sexy, but perfectly adequate, non-series kit. In a similar vein, the wheels are decidedly unpretentious – and really rather heavy – Shimano RS010s.
Despite all of that, the BMC's ride quality is utterly involving. The frame imparts phenomenal stiffness, never failing to reward the effort you put into attacking an incline or sprinting hell-for-leather. It's also entirely devoid of harshness, managing to combine an exceptionally direct road feel – think sports car rather than family saloon – with a smoothness that belies its price point, evidence that the trickledown from the pros' version is more than just marketing. It's all down to the construction too – there's nothing magic about the geometry, which is entirely ordinary for a bike in this class.
Yes, the stock wheels are ordinary at best, and ours weren't even all that true after the first ride, but they couldn't conceal the underlying character of the SLR03, which is that of a thoroughbred racing machine. The lack of grip on greasy lanes from the basic Continental Ultra Sport treads didn't put us off either, although we'd change them for something fatter in any case – we reckon there's clearance for anything up to 28mm.
There's plenty of scope for saving weight on the SLR03, but if riding it has taught us anything, it's a lesson in the pitfalls of reducing a bike to a series of numbers on a page. With a middling spec and a chunky chassis, we anticipated sluggish performance. We couldn't have been more wrong.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-bmc-team-machine-slr03-105-15-49107/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Sunday 28 December 2014
Best of Home Wrench 2014
Australian editor Dave Rome is a fully-paid up member of the cycling junkie community – but when not on the bike, it’s in his workshop-based Home Wrench columns that he displays his utter geekiness for bike maintenance.
Home Wrench isn't a how-to series, but delves into the world of bike maintenance – detailing the tools, tricks and idiosyncrasies of mechanics to keep you in the know. Dave doesn't just chat about his love of bikes, but the items that help to keep them purring.
This year, he’s covered common items that should be in every home wrench's workshop and the tools every mountain biker should own, and has waxed lyrical about the humble hex key.
One bit of home-toolery that's been particularly popular this year has been Dave's Home Wrench about tools and tricks that help bring peace to rubbing or squealing disc brakes.
Read the full Home Wrench: Disc brake tools and tricks
Related: Home Wrench: general store items
Related: Home Wrench: Mountain biker must haves
Related: Home Wrench: put a hex in your hand
BikeRadar is driven by our combined passion for bike gear across both mountain and road – and sometimes, we can’t fight the compulsion to dig deeper into the bikes, tech, trends and tools that surround our fair two-wheeled sports.
Check out our other columns - AngryAsian , Trail Tech, Horse for the Course and Bend in the Road.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/best-of-home-wrench-2014-43258/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Niterider Lumina 750 light – in brief review
Niterider's Lumina 750 delivers a very impressive rounded beam with lot of light around lower edge to spot road debris and potholes, then a long reaching centre strip for confident high speed riding. Equally impressive stability is provided by the chunky overkill round bar clamp with large thumbwheel and a helmet mount is included too.
Mount and power mean it’s one of the few lights at this price you could use for less technical off road riding too. A peak over the lens stops upwards glare, and while battery life is short there are three power options and a battery indicator built into the switch. The thermal trigger that protects the internals from getting fried if the light gets too hot can drop power pretty quick on warm nights, despite deep curved cooling fins built into the casing. It's fine on colder or faster rides making it a punchy winter training/commuting light for the money.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/review-niterider-lumina-750-15-48965/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Orange Segment RS review
There are few constants in mountain biking, but you’d be forgiven for thinking that the profile of an Orange bike is one. Yet while the West Yorkshire frame builder has settled on a monocoque down tube and deep section, single-pivot swingarm as its go-to design, when it comes to geometry and travel it’s never been afraid to try new things – and its bikes have been kept honest by constant evolution.
It’s in this spirit that the punningly titled Segment, named both for the portion of citrus fruit and the ride tracking app, has been created, using a head angle that’s relatively slack for a 120mm-forked 29er paired to a simply delivered 110mm of rear wheel bounce. Less travel means a perkier, direct ride feel, but traction is maximised by the big wheels. That’s all good in theory, but how does it work in practice?
Frame and equipment: top up the spec and get ready to descend
We’ve been testing the top level RS model, which starts at £3900. Orange offers a degree of customisation over its spec and our bike came hopped up with a pretty custom cyan paintjob, and an upgraded wheel and tyre package.
A SRAM 1x11 drivetrain is paired to a lightweight chain device
It’s well worth plumping the extra cash for the Maxxis tyre and Stan’s rim upgrade as the stock Continental Trail King rubber and low end, heavy Mavic XM 319 rims are best left in the parts bin. Given the choice we’d have gone for the wider Flow rather than the fitted Arch models. The Hope hubs are a welcome fixture however, as is the SRAM X1 11-speed drivetrain, internally routed Reverb dropper post and top level RockShox Pike RCT3 fork.
The cockpit is also a revelation, not that the fitted Kore kit is lightweight or fancy – it isn’t – but because the short 50mm stem is paired to 800mm-wide flat bars that keep front end height as low as possible. That extra leverage matters when it comes to wrangling big wheels through twisty trails and a lower front end makes the bike more eager to switch directions.
Stumpy stem and flat wide bars aid the handling
It’s worth mentioning, with ascents in mind, that this is a fairly bulky machine – our large framed bike tipped the scales at 13.95kg. Then again, to think of this as a cross-country ride and judging it by those standards would be missing the point badly. With a long-ish top tube (620mm for the large) and a slack (for a 29er) head angle, this Segment is unashamedly about letting rip once the trail turns downwards.
Ride and handling: great fun on the right terrain, but has its quirks
Nonetheless, even with just 110mm of travel, the Segment pedals well with minimal bob. Keep the rear wheel weighted and it stiffens up slightly in larger rear sprockets, biting down for traction and providing a firm platform, even for pedal mashers. Pedal kickback is present in higher gears though.
On super-high speed, flowing trails, the Segment is a taut pleasure, carving out smooth and precise arcs across terrain. The big wheels and minimal travel are just enough to mute chatter so that even on rocky and rooty sections the sensation is more like skiing than riding a bike.
Point it down and it’ll make light work of most trails
The head angle is pretty much spot on as a compromise between stability and fast reactions with the big wheels, while there’s plenty of room in the front triangle to be able to shift weight about. It’s a hoot to ride on this sort of stuff, with the traction from the excellent Maxxis rubber encouraging ever-higher corner speed and a very predictable and balanced breakaway. If it doesn’t make you smile, you should check your pulse.
The Pike fork is also right on the money, with little discernible flex from the long legs and plenty of support from the Charger damper. Okay, if you charge into something really rough with all guns blazing you’ll be reminded fairly quickly that, while the feedback through the bars may make you think you’ve an extra inch or two of travel, you definitely don’t.
When things get really twisty, the added front end height over a 140mm 650b bike also means you’ll have to make more effort to lean the bike over to get it to turn in quickly. On rapid fire left-right jinks through trees, you can end up with the sensation of being wrapped up in your own elbows.
The chainstays are long at 450mm, which means there’s a good amount of bike behind you and it’s not too eager to pop up the front and manual through rollers or off drops. You’ll need to be awake to avoid tree stumps or similar low flying obstacles as the confidence inspiring low bottom bracket is matched to a set of 175mm arm length cranks, meaning we had a few issues with pedal strike. A set of 170mm items would neatly sidestep this without affecting the sweet handling.
The sitting pedalling position is decent, though the slack actual seat angle means the effective top tube grows a fair amount as you go higher, adding to an already rearward biased feel. That’s fine, but on steep climbs you’ll need to get over the front to prevent it getting vague as weight transfers away from it.
RockShox' Pike fork has long but beefy legs, so twist up front isn’t an issue
While we’re grumbling, the rear end is noticeably less compliant than the front, with more of an inclination to slap off the top of bumps. Some of that’s down to the single-pivot design and relatively short 38mm stroke shock but it’s certainly not helped by the fact the RockShox Monarch is the basic RL, which does without the Rapid Recovery damping of the RT3. You can upgrade to a Kashima-coated Fox Float CTD unit for £220, but ideally, we’d like to see something like the Cane Creek DBInline offered. This would offer a greater degree of damping control and progression.
We struggled to tune the shock to work well at either extreme; if set up for a more playful, springy feel to the start of the stroke, rebound over bigger hits bucked us forwards, if the rebound was increased to tame this, the bike started to feel dead. We ended up running the rebound almost entirely closed, which suggests the base tune is off.
A bit more mid-stroke progression in the spring would also help balance the tendency the bike has to ramp up quickly right at the end of the travel, but playing with volume spacers helps with that. You can also feel a bit of twist from that long rear swingarm, but if anything that just makes the bike a bit more forgiving.
Ultimately the Segment is a bit of an oddity. Get it on the right terrain and we’ve no doubt it would match and possibly exceed the pace of Orange’s 150mm travel, 650b-wheeled Five, even if the sub-par Monarch shock does reduce the full potential.
The bulk and limited travel tend to work against it at extremes of both climbing and descending. It’s a double-edged sword; lighter rubber would make it easier to haul up climbs but reduce the fun feel when heading back down. With the Segment it’s fitting to use a Strava analogy – it’s unlikely to be the King of the Mountain even within Orange’s bike range, but if you like short travel bikes that aren’t just about uphill speed, the Segment might well be a new Personal Best.
Note: This is an upgraded version, the standard version is £3900 / AUD$6299
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-orange-segment-rs-15-49120/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Saturday 27 December 2014
In the News: Mountain biker sues race organizer after fallen tree causes crash
The Oregonian reports that a Portland woman, who was riding her mountain bike on a Hood River, Oregon race course when she struck a fallen tree and broke her spine in four places, filed a $273,000 lawsuit against the race organizers this week.
Lisa Belair had signed up for the Dog River Super D mountain bike race on May 3 in Hood River, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
The race was organized by Fat Tire Farm in Northwest Portland and Hurricane Racing in Government Camp, according to the suit.
Trail crews had failed to remove one tree because it was too large — and they instead covered it partially with dirt, according to the suit. That created a large jump that wasn’t readily identifiable as Belair rode down the hill and onto it, said her Bend attorney, Tim Williams.
The post In the News: Mountain biker sues race organizer after fallen tree causes crash appeared first on VeloNews.com.
via VeloNews.com http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/news/news-mountain-biker-sues-race-organizer-fallen-tree-causes-crash_356840
BikeRay Ray-Fi front light review
This monster from BikeRay resets the big power/small cost benchmark for lights all over again. At 628g, the big three-LED headlamp and hard plastic cuboid battery aren’t aimed at minimalist 24-hour racers.
With a theoretical 3,000-lumen output throwing a ton of well-spread light down the trail and wrapping round to the peripheral, it’s great for bombing down descents though.
There are four output levels to extend run times, but you’ll get nearly two hours before the warning light comes on even at full power. You even get a wireless control switch for toggling modes.
The O-ring mount means a wrap of tape is needed on shinier bars to stop the big head unit slipping and even then it can waggle on steppy/rocky descents, creating a slight shimmer effect, but it’s not a deal breaker. A helmet mount is supplied too.
Twin straps secure the bulky battery well, as long as you’ve got a vaguely flat surface for it somewhere on your frame and the waterproof connectors get a threaded collar to lock them together.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
BikeRay does not provide US or Australian recommended retail prices, but does ship overseas. See its website for details.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/review-bikeray-ray-fi-front-light-15-49093/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Biggest road cycling gear stories 2014
It’s just days until we roll into 2015, so today we’re looking back at some of the most significant, gorgeous, weird and interesting cycling gear stories of 2014.
Garmin Edge 1000
The Edge 1000 was well received here at BikeRadar
The Edge 1000 might be more evolution than revolution, but with this addition to its head unit lineup, Garmin has continued to hone in on bike data and navigation perfection. The unit was launched at Sea Otter in April and it was quickly on US editor Ben Delaney’s bars. In our review, we said it has superb navigation with detailed mapping, plus a deep feature menu and modern connectivity. The only downsides are size and battery life. It’s certainly one of the most important new pieces of bike gear we’ve seen this year.
Check out our Garmin Edge 1000 review as well as the other units in the current range – the Edge 810 and Edge 510.
Specialized McLaren S-Works Tarmac
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Video: Specialized McLaren S-Works Tarmac
The new £16,000 / US$20,000 Specialized McLaren S-Works Tarmac saw cycling and motoring behemoths join forces for a stunning, cutting-edge bike. Production of this bike was limited to just 250.
Using software McLaren developed for its F1, supercar and hypercar designs, the company re-engineered the Tarmac to use 300 per cent more high-modulus carbon. The Roval wheels have had a similar weight-saving treatment and the whole bike is finished in gorgeous black and orange.
Read the full McLaren S-Works Tarmac story, check out our video above and have a look at our 2015 Specialized mega gallery!
Pinarello cracks down on 'Chinarello'
Pinarello closed 16,000 auctions for counterfeit bikes in just three months in 2014
One story that captured readers’ imaginations this year was the proliferation and subsequent crack down of fake Pinarello bikes that have been bought in from the Far East. Often made with extraordinarily shoddy quality control, they’ve been known to be lined with newspaper and crack with little provocation.
Pinarello had managed to close 16,000 auctions for counterfeit bikes in just three months, but it’s not just this brand that's affected - there are thousands of dodgy copies out there, it’s just 'Channondale' doesn’t really have the same ring to it.
Read our Pinarello cracks down on 'Chinarello' story.
Lance Armstrong movie bikes
Can you tell the difference between the replicas and the originals?
Speaking of bikes with dubious heritage, a massive selection of bikes used in the upcoming Lance Armstrong biopic (based on the damning book Seven Deadly Sins by David Walsh) went on sale, leaving us all to play a game of ‘guess the brand’ between the Condor-made replicas and the decal-stripped originals.
View the full gallery in our Lance Armstrong movie bikes story.
Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5
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Video: Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5
No gear round-up would be complete without mentioning Cycling Plus magazine’s Bike of the Year and the honour of that title went to the Cannondale Synapse Carbon 5 in 2014. We’re sometimes criticised for giving Cannondale bikes good reviews (check our mountain bike reviews and you’ll see it’s not brand bias) but when a bike is as genuinely great as this we want to shout about it.
If you want speed and comfort, it’s hard to beat. It’s not just the Synapse 5 that’s worthy of praise though – the whole range is fantastic.
Read the Cannondale Synapse 5 review and don’t forget to check out our extra special immersive feature on the bike’s design.
Tour de France gallery: weird and wonderful
The Tour de France always offers us a sneaky look at gear that might soon find its way to the consumer market and 2014’s edition of le grande boucle was no exception.
Perhaps most interesting of all though was all the weird and wonderful tech being used at the race, making this all-encompassing, manic event seem even more eccentric.
See our full Tour de France weird and wonderful gallery as well as our time trial tech galleries.
Caterham Duo Cali
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Video: Caterham Duo Cali first-ride impressions
It’s not just Specialized and McLaren who were blurring the cycling and motoring lines in 2014. Working with renowned German fabricator AX Lightness, Caterham produced the achingly beautiful Duo Cali – a snip at €15,000!
A complex five-piece mould is needed to create such incredible lines, while adding in Campagnolo EPS keeps the exotica going in the spec. The more you look at it, the prettier it gets.
Check out our Caterham Duo Cali preview.
Power meters
With more brands joining the power party, single-sided units giving a leg up and falling prices across the board, the power meter market has grown significantly in 2014.
We gave several units the head-to-head treatment in our best power meters review to head to let you know where you should spend your cash, but there’s an incoming crop of power meters that could be winners.
Read out best power meters review as well as our Infocrank preview and watch our video below of five of the top power meters on show at Eurobike earlier this year.
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Video: Top five power meters
Our picks
This is the gear that the BikeRadar writers loved this year
This year our writers ‘got all subjective’ about the gear they adore and the reasons for their infatuations. From bikes to pedals, USB dongles and bibs, there’s a bit of everything from our team around the globe.
Check out all our editors’ picks.
2015 gear
One of the big thrills for all bike nerds in any given year is finding out what gear goodies are in store for the following season – and that means it’s showtime! Around August, virtually the world’s entire bicycling press converges on Friedrichshafen, Germany and Las Vegas, USA for Eurobike and Interbike, the planet’s biggest trade exhibitions.
Each year we round up the most eye-catching bikes and gear in our galleries. Check out our Eurobike galleries and Interbike galleries as well as our pick of some of 2015’s most exciting road bikes below.
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Video: top five most exciting road bikes
So, there are some of our gear highlights for 2014. It's been a good year to be a roadie – roll on 2015!
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/biggest-road-cycling-gear-stories-2014-43232/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Raleigh Militis Comp review
We've reviewed the Militis Comp before, and the new year's bike is £150 cheaper, and sports an extra cog out back. Something got to give, right? Well, the frame is unchanged apart from a stunning dark blue paint job that combines a velvet texture with a hint of metallic sparkle.
What is new is the fork, which has been downgraded from full carbon to one with an alloy steerer; and the finishing kit, which is entirely Raleigh's own brand stuff to keep costs reasonable – not that there's anything wrong with it.
- Highs: Stiff, light chassis climbs well and looks great; decent wheels
- Lows: Firm ride quality with lots of road chatter; anodising wears off rims in wet
- Buy if: You want an affordable racer that looks the business
Back to that frame, Raleigh claims it weighs just 1.2kg, respectably light for alloy. Given the bike's reasonable total, that's believable. There's nothing too radical about its construction: the front triangle is made up of tubes that are all but perfectly straight, the seatstays have just a hint of flattening to them, and the chainstays are hardly large by today's standards either.
The rear brake cable is routed neatly through the top tube, while the gear cables follow the traditional mechanic-friendly path along the bottom of the down tube. The lack of ostentatious design gimmickry is actually rather refreshing, lending the bike an appealing air of no-nonsense functionality.
New for 2015 is the SRAM Rival 22 groupset which, as the names implies, gives you 11 cogs at the back and in this case, a semi-compact 52/36 double up front. If you're familiar with SRAM's shifting arrangements then nothing about the new Rival will come as a great surprise, but there are some key differences from previous iterations, most notable of which is the Yaw front mech, inherited from the company's costlier groupsets.
Rather than requiring the rider to use trim as they move across the cassette, the front derailleur actually rotates about a vertical axis, avoiding any chain rub. It's a proven system, although at the extremes of cross chaining more drivetrain noise is an inevitability, simply because of the angle of engagement between the chain and the cogs/rings. On the road Rival 22 works well and shifts with a little less effort than its 10-speed predecessor, but it is less refined feeling than its principal competitor at this price point, 11-speed Shimano 105, especially when it comes to front shifting.
Regardless of its equipment, the Militis is a racy machine, with a 73 degree head angle on our 53cm tester, and a moderately aggressive 135mm head tube. We wouldn't have minded some more reach than the 100mm stem provided, but that's a personal preference.
The frame supplies enough stiffness to make climbing rewarding, but the downside is that it also makes for quite a firm ride. We're not sure if the downgraded fork is a factor, but road chatter on rough surfaces is noticeable, and it interferes with the bike's ability to hold a line on quick descents. The unyielding 31.6mm aluminium post doesn't do the bike's comfort levels any favours either, although we were pleased that the nominally 23mm Schwalbe Durano S tyres actually measured over 25mm across on the 22.5mm wide Cole Rollen Elite rims.
The wheels look the business when they're box-fresh incidentally (and aren't too heavy either), but like most anodised rims they start to lose their coating at the first hint of moisture, so don't expect them to retain their stealthy looks.
The Militis Comp would make a fine criterium racer, and heavier riders will appreciate its stout personality, but a few more concessions to comfort would be welcome.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
via BikeRadar.com http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-raleigh-militis-comp-15-49103/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME
Friday 26 December 2014
Van der Haar unstoppable in Heusden-Zolder ‘cross World Cup
Lars van der Haar (Giant-Shimano) won the fifth round of the UCI cyclocross World Cup in Heusden-Zolder on Thursday. He did it alone, despite a furious chase from World Cup leader Kevin Pauwels (Telenet-Fidea) and a late-race mechanical.
After making an early solo move on the course’s paved stretch, van der Haar rode a blistering pace to extend his lead on the track’s wide-open power sections.
“I thought. ‘Let’s just ride; let’s just go and make a real attack,’” van der Haar said.
The World Cup leader was the only one who could keep van der Haar in striking distance. He got within 12 seconds of the Dutchman, but could not seal the deal.
With three laps to go, van der Haar’s advantage was 25 seconds over Pauwels.
Behind, Philippe Walsleben (BKCP-PowerPlus), Corné van Kessel (Telenet-Fidea), and Julien Taramarcaz (BMC) chased, fighting for third.
Then, Van der Haar had a scare on a bumpy descent. His chain fell off, and the 23-year-old tried desperately to pedal it back on, but to no avail. He was forced to come to a complete stop and put the chain back on. He fixed the problem swiftly, and kept his lead.
With two to go, van der Haar’s lead was still 21 seconds, despite the mechanical.
Though Pauwels rode a strong race, he could not bring back van der Haar on the final two laps. “I’ve been in good shape again and just needed that little bit of luck to finish it off,” said van der Haar.
“Today I thought it might happen again with my chain, but it didn’t,” he continued, referring to bad luck that has at times scuttled his races.
Van Kessel won the sprint for third, after patiently sitting in before making his jump right before the line.
American Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) finished 18th.
Pauwels kept his World Cup lead, 80 points ahead of van der Haar, who won the series last year. Barring disaster in the final race, the Belgian should hold onto the white leaders jersey.
The post Van der Haar unstoppable in Heusden-Zolder ‘cross World Cup appeared first on VeloNews.com.
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Marianne Vos wins Heusden-Zolder cyclocross World Cup
Marianne Vos (Rabo-Liv) won the penultimate round of the cyclocross World Cupin Heusden-Zolder, Belgium on the day after Christmas.
Katerina Nash (Luna), who won the fourth round of the World Cup the weekend before in Namur, continued her string of strong results, finishing second behind the reigning world cyclocross champion. Another world champ, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Rabo-Liv), who currently holds the crown in the road race discipline, was third.
Despite a flat tire during the race, Vos was able to make her move in the finale and win by four seconds. Nash out-sprinted Ferrand-Prévot by a narrow margin.
American Katie Compton (Trek) withdrew from the race due to problems with her asthma. This aided Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) in keeping her World Cup series lead, despite a major mechanical. The Belgian champion finished seventh.
The post Marianne Vos wins Heusden-Zolder cyclocross World Cup appeared first on VeloNews.com.
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Gore Oxygen Windstopper jersey and Oxygen Windstopper Softshell+ bib tights review
Both the Gore Oxygen Windstopper jersey and the Oxygen Windstopper Softshell+ bib tights are great keep wind chill at bay, but this is also a comfortable and functional set of winter clothing.
Oxygen Windstopper jersey
£139.99 / €159.95 / US$169.99
The Oxygen Windstopper is a new jersey in Gore’s winter lineup, and the brand wants it to be your go-to jersey for winter riding. We can see why – it’s got a winstopper membrane covering all the crucial areas at the front, which protect kidneys, upper abdomen, chest, and shoulders from the wind.
We wore this on its own for cold night-time commutes home and found we were totally protected from windchill. It is insulated enough for us to work up a sweat, but thanks to the Oxygen’s breathability, much of this moisture found its way out.
The close fit is unrestrictuve and comfortable with cuffs that will easily fit under a set of gloves. The high collar does its bit to keep drafts out, without becoming an irritation on your neck.
There are four rear pockets – three open and one with a zip closure. With white spikes rising up from either side of the waist, which resemble bib straps, this is not the most stylish-looking winter jersey, but it’s definitely one of the most functional.
Oxygen Windstopper Softshell+ bib tights
£159.99 / €189.95 / US$199.99
Like the Oxygen jersey, these tights use a functional blend of materials to keep you protected from the elements, and their forte is also fending off windchill.
Thanks to a thin fleece lining round the legs, the tights are comfy and warm, and do a great job of keeping you insulated. The piece de resistance is the inclusion of a Windstopper membrane.
Both the jersey and the bib tights are adept at protecting you from windchill
The elasticated ankles stay in place well and flatlocked seams are used to prevent rubbing where the panels meet. There’s a zip at the front which means the front of the bibs comes higher up the abdomen area than many tights we’ve worn, effectively adding an extra layer to work with a baselayer, jersey and jacket on a really cold day.
The rear of the bibs covers the central back area, and is made of mesh to help moisture transfer. The bib straps are simply wide and flat, and we found them to be really comfortable. We thought the pad was comfortable and positioned in the just the right place.
Like the jersey, these tights aren’t lookers, but anyone would benefit from having a pair to hand.
- Jersey score: 4 stars
- Bibs score: 4 stars
- Overall score: 4 stars
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Saracen Mantra review
Saracen’s reputation for designing and building affordable, trail-ready bikes – rather than cut-price wannabes – rests on the Mantra. For riders on a limited budget there’s nowhere else to go in the Saracen range, because this is as cheap as a Saracen gets. But that’s good news, because it hints at an uncompromising approach to quality and trailworthiness. Can 2015’s Mantra still cut it?
Frame and equipment: keeping things simple, with some thoughtful touches
Though it won’t win any prizes for innovation or groundbreaking design, the Mantra’s frame has some neat touches that betray its from-the-ground-up Britishness. For starters, there’s a pair of bosses under the thin walled, square bottomed down tube for attaching a Crud Catcher – for our money, still the neatest and best fit-and-forget front mudguard out there. Mud clearance out back is decent thanks to some nifty stay chicanery. And there’s a set of bosses on the seatstays for a rear luggage rack too, in case you need your bike to double up as a weekday commuter.
Top tube mounted cables keep all the control spaghetti in one place and run without slotted stops, the better to keep mud, grit and water away from the gear cable innards. It’s odd, then, that Saracen has chosen to interrupt the rear gear cable’s run down the driveside seatstay and expose the inner cable just where it’s most vulnerable to water ingress. If your Mantra’s gears start misbehaving after a few wet rides, it’ll be that last loop of cable housing that’s the culprit.
There's a good component blend for the price, including a full Shimano Altus groupset
Plugged into the any-fork-will-fit X44 head tube is a 120mm (4.7in) travel, coil sprung Suntour XCM. That much travel coupled with a stubby stem, relaxed head angle and chunky 2.25in wide treads hints at hard riding aspirations, but it’s tough for a budget bump muncher to live up to the image. Though the XCM isn’t a disaster by any means, the extra travel pushes this basic fork design to its absolute limits.
It can be tempting for manufacturers to chop and change components to hit a price point. But to its credit, Saracen has stuck with Shimano’s basic-but-functional Altus components throughout (for more, check our recent buyer's guide to the MTB groupset hierarchy). That means a full complement of Big S equipment, from crankset to hubs. It’s reliable kit that’ll stand up to some reasonably enthusiastic riding, though it’s a shame Saracen couldn’t find room in the budget for a bigger 180mm front rotor to match the longer fork’s supposed potential for greater speed on rough trails. We also found that the combination of short chainstays and pronounced tyre side knobs led to an irritating – and hard to adjust out – buzz of tyre on front derailleur during granny ring climbs.
Ride and handling: tried and trusty – apart from the fork
The Mantra has been propping up the bottom of Saracen's range for a while, and it’s fair to say that it's got the layout pretty thoroughly sussed by now. The short chainstays tuck the rear wheel in under the rider for point-and-squirt immediacy, while the relaxed head angle and long fork contribute to a rangy wheelbase and laidback, intuitive steering.
Throw in a lanky top tube and a wide handlebar with a pronounced lack of backsweep – which forces the rider’s elbows out and weight forwards for a powerful riding position – and you’ve got all the ingredients of a refined, fun and surprisingly capable trail basher.
Saracen’s designers have got the Mantra’s geometry absolutely nailed – this is one tidy-handling bike
What’s impressive about the Mantra is that Saracen has successfully walked the tightrope between cross-country mile muncher and woodsy play bike and built a machine that’s equally happy in both roles. There’s enough space to get stretched out over the bike for long climbs and getting the power down, but the wide bar and plantable front end make cut-and-paste line choices on fast singletrack more fun than you’d expect at this price too.
The Mantra’s Achilles heel is the fork, which can’t quite live up to the promise of the frame and other components. At normal speeds it’s fine, but at the kind of headbanging pace that the Saracen feels like it wants to achieve it’s quickly outfaced. A noodly steering feel and occasional harsh bottom-outs on high-speed square-edged trail obstacles simply show that the Suntour XCM can’t cope with 120mm of travel. This shouldn’t condemn the Mantra, because it could be a superb hard-riding trail machine. But that potential will only be realised with a fork upgrade – and that takes a little of the shine off this Saracen’s performance.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
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Thursday 25 December 2014
Olympic cyclists announce engagement
Laura Trott announces her engagement to fellow British Olympic cycling star Jason Kenny on Twitter.
via BBC Sport - Cycling http://ift.tt/1t1Ht2u
Keela Stashaway Pro waterproof jacket review
The Keela Stashaway Pro is designed for multi-activity use, not cycling specifically, and that has pros and cons.
It’s about as good looking as a packable jacket gets, with twin slanted front pockets that help it avoid the ‘rambler’ look, a casual but not too baggy cut and a subtly dropped tail that covers your back on the bike without standing out in the pub.
It’s properly rainproof too, with taped seams and waterproof zips. Keela’s Rainlife 2000 fabric can’t compete with Gore-Tex when it comes to breathability, but that’s unsurprising on a budget jacket and it avoids the ‘boil in the bag’ feel.
It’d be good to see a few vents, or at least a flap at the back to let hot air out. The roomy pockets are useful off the bike – though a bit high to warm your hands in – but in the saddle, the contents hang down and bang around.
Sizing is odd too, with our ‘small’ jacket coming up more like a medium. It’s good for the money though.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
There are no US or Australia recommended retail prices, but Keela does ship overseas. See its website for details.
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Cannondale Supersix Evo 105 5 review
This entry-level SuperSix Evo promises penthouse performance for a bargain basement price, and opens up Cannondale’s premium road bike range to an even greater number of riders. There have obviously been economies to condense a Tour de France triple green jersey-winning superbike in to a more realistic budget, and they begin with the frameset.
- Highs: It feels, rides and handles like a SuperSix should
- Lows: Weighty wheels and ordinary kit mask the frame’s potential
- Buy if: You want to go Evo and are willing to upgrade
Leaving aside the lofty Evo Nano, the heart of the SuperSix range uses high modulus carbon, for ultimate strength and light weight, but the Evo 5 sheds price with its BallisTec carbon construction, which uses standard high strength carbon with limited high modulus material in key areas to increase stiffness. Manufacturing costs have also been cut by swapping the internal rear brake cable guides for an external route beneath the top tube, and shifting the head tube gear cable stops to the down tube. It’s mostly an aesthetic change, and does at least ease servicing.
The BallisTec construction puts hi-mod carbon in key places
The net result is a frame that Cannondale still claims weighs under 950g, and that certainly bears its family DNA. A micro-suspension effect is provided by the Speed Save rear triangle and fork, which permit tiny amounts of flex, enabling the wheels to follow the road’s contours more accurately, and greatly enhancing comfort. The SuperSix has always had incredibly composed and agile handling, and the Evo 5 doesn’t let the side down, with great stability on the most broken roads.
Cannondale’s trick has always been in matching such a supple ride with incredible lateral stiffness, helping the SuperSix to accelerate with the best. In this spec, that ability is a little masked by the efficient, but average Shimano RS11 wheelset and 25mm Schwalbe Luganos. The latter's larger volume and file tread improve comfort and wet weather grip especially, but also rotational weight, which is the enemy of acceleration. It's tough rolling stock, and reasonably rapid, but they do blunt the bike’s climbing potential.
This bargain Evo still handles descents with supreme composure
This is a shame, because the Evo loves to soar, and even though its quality fights to propel you skywards, there’s a sense of energy loss between drivetrain and road. Shimano’s 105 is as slick as ever, and the addition of an FSA Gossamer chainset makes the most of the BB30 bottom bracket, with 52/36 rings for a perfect gearing range. Descending is a calm and confident experience, the bike cornering with cheetah-like composure, our only issue being a lack of brake bite. Bedding in may improve things, but on dry and wet rides, stopping was unimpressive.
Prologo’s Scratch Pro saddle proved a fine perch, well-shaped and supportive, and Cannondale’s C3 alloy finishing kit was well finished, with a great ergo bar, but did transmit more road vibration than we’d like. The race-derived position won’t suit every rider, as the head tube is relatively short, but it’s not so extreme as to polarise the Evo 5, which is as capable of mixing it up in the races as being an everyday or endurance ride – and one that’s well worth upgrading.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
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Wednesday 24 December 2014
Specialized Defroster Trail winter shoes review
You'd rightfully expect a pair of dedicated winter cycling shoes to keep your feet both warm and dry.
A high-quality fit and a reasonably trim profile are typically much tougher to come by but Specialized manages to tick all of those boxes with the cozy Defroster Trail shoes.
- Highs: Great fit, very warm, impressively low profile
- Lows: Slippery outsole, so-so breathability
- Buy if: You want warm feet and won't be doing much walking
Snug up the handy single-reel Boa cable closure system on the Defroster Trail and you'd be hard pressed to discern the feel of these winter shoes from a pair of good summer-weight kicks if you weren't looking down.
Aside from the moderately increased volume – just barely enough for heavier winter socks – the fit is everything you look for in any good cycling shoe with an evenly snug hold around the middle and back of your foot, a reasonably roomy toe box, and a surprisingly good heel hold, which is often elusive in this category. The fibre-reinforced nylon sole is rigid enough for general purpose trail riding too.
The Boa cable and reel system is easy to use and provides a pleasantly even fit across the top of the foot
The supplemental neoprene ankle cuff and main cover are also very flexible and hardly noticeable when pedalling. Specialized wisely leaves the Boa dial exposed for easy on-the-fly adjustments – even while you're wearing heavy winter gloves.
And speaking of winter, the Defroster Trails have proven to be plenty warm. One test session in particular brought these up to a trail network just off of Colorado's Peak to Peak highway for a group fat bike ride… when it was just -5°C (23°F) outside… with fresh, powdery snow. Oh, and did we mention it was at night?
Thinsulate insulation, a waterproof liner, and a tight-fitting neoprene ankle cuff work together to keep your feet warm and dry
The Defroster Trail's built-in Thinsulate insulation and waterproof liner kept our feet unquestionably toasty and dry over nearly three hours of riding interspersed with a few short breaks to regroup. Despite plenty of cold and powdery high-altitude snow flying off of the front tyre – not to mention a fair bit of postholing and a couple of chilly stream crossings – the neoprene cuffs also maintained a tight and comfortable seal.
Breathability is a definitely concern, however, and for that reason we wouldn't recommend riding in the Defroster Trail at temperatures much above 4°C (40°F). And while the fairly minimal tread blocks do a great job of shedding snow and ice, they unfortunately don't do a great job of providing traction on those surfaces when you're on foot.
The outsole sheds snow and ice well but is notably lacking in grip when you're on foot
Finally, the Defroster Trails are quite heavy – our pair of size 43 shoes weighs 1,060g. In fairness, that's actually lighter than many other true winter cycling shoes and a more than reasonable sacrifice for this kind of protection. Bring it on, winter – we're ready for you!
For more information, visit www.specialized.com .
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See.Sense 2.0 front and rear light review
Rather than offer a handful of preset modes, See.Sense's clever front and rear LED lights automatically adjust their brightness and flashing pattern based on the surrounding conditions. We found that drivers gave us a wider berth with these fitted, which bodes well for safety, but the hardware design could definitely use some refinement to make them easier to operate.
- Highs: Brilliant auto-adjusting light technology
- Lows: Occasionally frustrating gesture-based controls, awkward front light case shape, expensive
- Buy if: Safety is your top priority and you're not afraid to spend a little extra
We noticed drivers giving us noticeably more room than usual when we had these fitted
See.Sense's impressive claimed outputs – up to 250 lumens out front and 155 for the rear, depending on the exact model – and extra-wide 180°+ viewing angle are believable enough given their incredible brightness, but it's how that output is metered that has us so impressed. Armed with onboard motion and ambient light sensors, both the front and rear lights flash brighter and faster when needed, such as when it detects approaching vehicles, when you've entered a dark tunnel, or when you're slowing or turning.
In essence, it's the visual equivalent of 'yelling' at approaching drivers at critical times to make sure they know you're there and, based on our test sessions, it's effective. During testing, it certainly at least seemed like overtaking traffic was giving us more room than usual, which is arguably the highest praise you can heap on a safety light.
The lights are easily recharged via the built-in mini-USB plug
"We surveyed many of our early adopters and their comments match your experience – cars do seem to give more room when passing," See.Sense co-founder Irene McAleese told BikeRadar . "We think that in addition to the brightness and wide viewing angle, the abrupt changes in flashing rate create an element of curiosity in the following driver. This helps put the cyclist on his mental map, helping secure a safe overtake."
Such selective 'yelling' – not to mention the convenient automatic on/off function – also has the side benefit of preserving battery life. See.Sense claims up to 12 hours of run time depending on the circumstances. That figure is hard to confirm exactly but we did regularly get about a week of use before the onboard LED fuel gauge gave us a polite nudge that it was time to recharge the built-in Li-ion battery.
See.Sense has also put some good thought into the physical design of the lights. As the company is based in Belfast in Northern Ireland, it's no surprise that the unit is well sealed against rain and road spray. Helping that goal along is the fact that there are no physical buttons or switches whatsoever that could potentially act as entry points for moisture. Instead, See.Sense relies on a novel gesture-based architecture to not only turn the thing on and off but also to customize the various settings. Turning the unit on or off, for example, is done by rotating the light left and right three times.
Clever design and effective lighting notwithstanding, there's still plenty of room for improvement.
For one, the onboard sensor can detect approaching cars but, as it's based on the intensity of their headlights, it doesn't work nearly as well during daylight hours – and these days, an increasing number of riders are using flashers for safety even when it isn't dark.
In addition, the gesture-based operation is neat and all but there's still a place for physical buttons. In particular, standby mode does work as intended but reacts to the slightest movement (like if the bike is bumped while in the garage), and you have no choice but to completely remove the light to turn it on or off. You also had better make sure to have the manual handy when toggling through the various programming functions as there's simply no way otherwise to decipher the various blinks.
As the front light uses the same case as the rear, the mounting adaptations required are a bit awkward, plus there's no shroud to protect the rider's eyes
We have some complaints with the physical design, too. The rear rubber mounting strap setup is indeed easy to use and accommodating of a relatively wide range of seatpost diameters – as long as they're round. Aero posts with more pointed trailing edges are definitely trickier, and the angle of the light can't be adjusted regardless.
The front unit is a little more problematic. As it clearly uses the same case as the rear light (but with a white LED, of course), there's a big rubber block required to turn the already somewhat bulky unit sideways. Unfortunately, there's no lens hood to shield your eyes from the blinding output, either, which negatively affects your night vision.
In fairness, See.Sense acknowledged our issues and said the company was already working on improvements.
"We agree with your criticisms," McAleese said. "The front was created economically using the rear template. As a startup, the tooling was expensive. It works well if mounted on the head tube and we found some that were returned for the 2.0 upgrade with electrical tape used as a shroud. Buttons, since they are mechanical, tend to be a weak point, hence we left them out. It wasn't identified as a need by our development group, but following wider feedback is on our roadmap for future products."
Granted, McAleese didn't provide a timeline for those changes but in fairness, none of them would affect the lights' most critical performance criterion: visibility. In that sense, these are hands down some of the best safety flashers we've encountered – as they'd better be, given the cost.
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For manufacturer information, visit www.seesense.co.
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