Grams Light Bikes - Mountain Bike and Gear Reviews, and News: September 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011

Interbike 2011 - Pastajet's Walkabout

kuat
The bike rack company kuat, had a couple of new items in their booth. They have a downscale version of their fancy NV rack, and the new NV CORE, forgoes the NV's integrated cable locks and bike stand Trail Doc attachment, and come in a flat black color scheme. They added two roof baskets, the Vagabond and Vagabond-X, the former has a built in skewer, and the latter is deeper and has fancier colors and graphics. The most interesting item was their new Bottle Lock, which is a water bottle that has an integrated 5 foot long x 8mm cable that locks back onto itself. The bottom of the Bottle Lock has a compartment for the keys or other paraphernalia (college memories), and it comes in white, black and pink. The cable wraps around the inside circumference of the bottle in a sort of helix pattern, and it was easy to snake in and out. This would be a great item for commuting, going to the grocery store, etc., albeit not in a high-crime area.

Giro had a couple new items for 2012, the most interesting was the All Mountain Feature helmets and the Privateer shoe. The Feature is meant for All Mountain and Trail usage, and is a cross between a skate board design and a more traditional cross country. It has excellent coverage, drooping deeply towards the neck, and up and over the ears, and has a full-face helmet type visor which to rotate 15 degrees. In keeping with a more cross country feel, it has 12 ventilation holes with internal channeling for cooling, and uses their In-Form fit system, and has internal fore-and-aft tilt adjustment. It uses the industry-standard In-Mold polycarbonate shell with EPS foam liner, weighs in at 305 grams and costs only $75.

Although not specifically related to biking, I thought their newly revised All Clear UV Purifier is pretty darn trick, and it would be a great unit for back country travelers, long bike rides, bike backpacking and endurance racing. The All Clear UV Purifier uses ultraviolet light to kill off and eliminate bacteria, viruses and protozoa that cause water-borne illness, that might exist in alpine lakes, tap water and streams. The unit is comprised of a 24-ounce bottle, a battery-powered cap that contains the UV light, a power switch and an LCD screen. You can get an optional pre-filter if needed for sediments and debris.

Slipnot Bike Chains - Interbike 2011

Hidden around the periphery and back bowels of Interbike you always find some small companies that have interesting, innovative, thought-provoking and sometimes just plain weird products. I stumbled upon Slipnot (not the band), which makes a bicycle chain product, or in their terminology 'bicycle traction system' for riding in inclement weather. Bad weather and hazardous conditions mean you are dealing with slippery environments, such as ice, snow and mud.There have been some other products in the same vein as the Slipnot, but their system is carefully thought out, is easy to use, has minor clearance issues, and should provide good durability, and hopefully some amazing traction?

G-Form and Dainese Armor - Interbike 2011

The company makes protection gear for consumer electronics and extreme athletic endeavors. The basis of the product is their RPT, which is Reactive Protection Technology, and is a combination of the PORON XRD material and their proprietary G-Form technology. What the product does is stiffens instantly on an impact, and it absorbs over 90% of the energy, providing excellent protection in a lightweight and flexible format. They had a small demonstration in which they dropped a bowling ball on some M&M's that were in cased inside the product, and they survived with very little damage, showing how much energy was dissipated, and protection was provided.

Formula has been busy pumping out new products like crazy, and they added two new brakes, the R1 Racing and RO, upgraded the R1, and are finally getting the Volo wheels and Thirty Three suspension fork released.

I had seen a prototype of Formula's new downhill RO brake at Sea Otter 2010, and the very trick brakes have come a long way since then. The uber powerful RO brakes, utilizes an ovalized piston (25.4mm x 24mm), which allowed them to create a piston with a larger surface area, for maximum pad contact and pressure, without having to resort to a four-pot design. The oval design increases power by 18 percent over 'The One' model, and the performance upgrade might allow you run one size smaller rotor in some circumstances. In addition, they bumped up the reservoir capacity by 33% over 'The One', and gave it an improved diaphragm, which all combine for some impressive power generation.

Urge Helmets - Interbike 2011

The French helmet manufacturer Urge had a new and very interesting helmet on display at their booth, the all M, which is meant for aggressive All Mountain riding. The all M is pretty cool looking, if you don't mind the Urge family look, and the design is both innovative and functional. For Urge, it has a sort of traditional venting system, with eight vents, including some rather prodigious front ones, that have some internal channeling to help pull the air through the helmet, keeping things cooler and more comfortable. Encased within the EPS foam is a tubular alloy frame for strength reinforcement, acting just like a roll cage. Like their Endur-O-Matic, it has the low slung rear, that droops down towards the neck and over the ears, offering excellent rear and side coverage, and additional safety characteristics.

Schwalbe - Interbike 2011

Schwalbe released the Hans Dampf at Sea Otter this year, and it used their Triple Star Compound series with the sticky TrailStar variant, which has an easy rolling base, grippy center and extra grippy shoulders. At Interbike, they rolled out two new versions of the Hans Dampf. One has the faster cross country oriented PaceStar Compound (harder variant of the Triple Star Compound series), and the other is part of their single compound Performance series, which has a reasonable price point of $50. I have been thrashing my set of Hans Dampf's since Sea Otter, and they're a good all around tire with excellent durability. One of the great aspects of this tire is there do it all character, and the outer knobs don't need to be rolled over quite as far to hook up while cornering and steering. The 2.35-inch tires come in both a 26 and 29er versions.

SRAM and RockShox - Interbike 2011

SRAM had a bunch of changes to their line up, including new gearing, an addition to their 2x10 group, a 10 speed Gripshift and a sweet color option for X.0. The Silver coloration on the X.0 (shown above), is actually a metal filament, and I think it looks really trick, and the new color scheme comes on the groups shifters, rear derailer and cranks.

SRAM - New Gearing
The most interesting addition to me, was the new lower gearing for their 2x10 series. The current 2x chainrings of 42x28 and 39x26, is being joined by 38x24 and the micro granny 36x22. Although it was predominately designed for a 29er, which require a lower gearing for the big wheels, it appealed to me on my 26er, because a enjoy having an uber granny gear for long grinds up steep and unrelenting hills in Colorado. Their current lowest ratio of which uses a 26 front and 36 rear, was .72, and it was still not as low as the older 2x9 or 3x9, which had a 22x34 setup with a ratio of .65. By switching to 22x36 or 24x36, you get .61 and .67 ratio's respectively. I ride lots of terrain that has decent traction, and long grunt climbs, and the lowest granny gear possible will facilitate less energy output, and maximize enjoyment! I recall riding many moons ago with a 20x32 setup, back when everything was 7 or 8 speeds. The new gearing will be available on everything but the XX group, so X.0, X.9, X.7 and X.5 will have the new gearing options.

MRP and White Brothers - Interbike 2011

The long-awaited MRP 2x chain guide for 2x10 drivetrain system is now available, so no more dropped chains, nor chain, chainstay and bottom bracket damage. The 2x has been in development for almost two years at MRP, and they used their chain guide expertise to create the new beast, which uses their removable skid and new dual pulley tensioning system. The integrated skid shields the chainrings from damage that occur on impacts with any sort of objects, whether its logs, rocks, or body parts! The very trick dual pulley ensures correct chain tension and proper positioning, and the chain switches pulleys depending on its chainring position. The guides upper fin keeps the chain from flopping down towards the bottom bracket shell, to help alleviate any damage.

Royal Racing had some pretty cool new stuff on display, and they have upgraded a few old standbys and added a slew of trick pieces of apparel. The All Mountain series got some input from the infamous Mark Weir, and they have the new MW365 Bamboo Jersey and MW365 Shorts (shown above), which are feature laden and should be comfortable for normal forays out for a bike ride or sitting down for a post-ride dinner. The MW365 Bamboo Jersey uses a bamboo and polyester fabric mix, has three back pockets, a zippered stash pocket, and comes in three colors and six sizes. The MW365 Shorts use a four-way stretch Bioflex lightweight material, and internal waist adjustment system, zippered stash pocket, a snap and hook front closure, come in black and six sizes. I am really looking forward to trying this set of gear out, since it looks very comfortable, stretchy, durable, with a long cut, and have a simple and classic styling.

The new ContourROAM is an interesting beast, and takes some of the great design benefits of their upper range video cameras, such as the ContourGPS and Contour+, and removes their complexities and some of their features, to get a basic camera, that is simple and easy to use. Call it dumbing down, just idiot proofing or Video Cameras for Idiots 101, but it has its merits. You just slide the record switch forward and the camera turns on and begins recording. Slide the switch backwards, and the recording stops and the camera turns off. Simple is as simple does.

Fox DOSS Adjustable Seatpost - Interbike 2011

The much-anticipated Fox adjustable seatpost was on display, and the new D.O.S.S or Drop Off Steep Stuff (ok, the last word used to more naughty) is pretty darn trick. The DOSS comes in either a 4 or 5-inch model, and has three positions, fully up, a 40mm midpoint drop, and completely down. The mechanically actuated system uses an adjustable air spring for the return, and collets for its three locking locations, and has a traditional two bolt saddle clamp, and an innovative and unique remote lever.

One of my favorite tires of all time is the Continental Trail King, which is known as the Rubber Queen in the rest of the world. It has the uber sticky Black Chili compound, has superb traction and braking capabilities, and tough Apex sidewalls. Unfortunately, it had only been available in a 26-inch tire size (2.2" and 2.4" widths), but I spied a 29-inch beast up on their display wall. After I stopped drooling, I asked Brett their rep when the highly coveted item will be available. He said their release date is still unknown, so they are vaporware or more accurately tireware. Ugh! The 29er Trail King should be available in 2.2" and 2.4" sizes, and I can't wait to try a pair out on my 29er. Uber traction to the max!

The Swedish Protection Company had a few new additions to their already prodigious line of products, which include helmets, eye wear, armor and apparel.

The Trabec Race Mips adds the Mips technology to their Trabec Race cross country helmet, which is accomplished by adding a thin elastomer dampened inner structure (yellow in the photo). The helmet extends down the back of the neck, and it uses Aramid combined with EPS foam for protection. The outer polycarbonate shell has optimized sections that don’t have seams in the most vulnerable areas, and its bonded to the reinforced core, for strength and lightweight. The Mips system itself, allows the helmet to rotate a small amount on an impact, to take away some of the rotational damage that occurs with the head impacts the ground, especially at higher speeds, helping to alleviate that cork screwing effect to the head, neck and body.

KS LEV Adjustable Seatpost - Interbike 2011

Kind Shock had their new KS LEV remote cable actuated adjustable seatpost on display at Interbike. The very trick LEV, has the cable directly attached to the main body or outer tube of the post, instead of the atypical position on top of the telescoping head. The attachment at the post collar, means the cable connection remains stationary relative to the saddle's movement, removing issues with excess cable, such as interference with legs, tires, frames, etc. The new design will give a cleaner and more direct routing line to the seatpost, and will allow greater flexibility with different bicycle geometries and manufacturers, and hence, better cable management.

Cane Creek had their new 2012 Double Barrel Air rear shock on display at the outdoor demo. The DB Air includes their twin-tube technology, with its four-way independent adjustability, which gives it adjustability for low speed and high speed compression and rebound, although the valving was heavily altered due to the air designs particularities. The air damped shock carries over much of their technical knowledge base from its coil brethren, and uses an auto charging negative air spring.

Yeti SB-66 and SB-95 Ride Impressions - Interbike 2011

Several months ago Yeti introduced the SB-66 bike, which uses their new Switch Technology dual-link suspension design. The trick system uses an eccentric lower pivot, that reverses its direction mid-stroke, to control the chainstay length, and offers a solid platform, good anti-squat capabilities, for optimal and efficient pedaling, with suspension independence throughout its travel. On the heels, or more properly the wheel of the SB-66 is the spanking-new SB-95. The numbering system of the SB series (SuperBike) corresponds to the wheel size and rear travel, so the SB-66 has 26-inch wheels and 6 inches of travel, while the SB-95 has 29 inch wheels and 5 inches of travel.

Ashima Matrix and Spider Rider Rotors - Interbike 2011

Matrix Rotor
The technical virtuoso at Ashima, Wayne Moore, had a couple of interesting rotors on display in his booth at Interbike. He has been making small incremental changes to the long waited Matrix rotor, adding some crimping to hold the steel braking surface and aluminum carrier together. The Matrix performs the same sort of trickery as the Shimano ICE system, combining steel and aluminum together, using each of their unique properties to make a well performing rotor.

SM3 Saddles
Ergon had their new SM3 saddle line on display, and this innovative and feature laden product suite, felt and looked as though it will be comfortable and ergonomic. As we all know, we spend a good deal of time with our tush on a saddle, and a great deal of pressure gets applied to a rather sensitive area, and it must offer comfort and performance, and interact with varying body geometries. Ergon spent a considerable time and effort in many cross sports engineering disciplines, to come up with a highly ergonomic saddle, to maximize benefits and fitting.

ContourROAM: The World's Easiest Hands-Free Video Camera

Ready, Set Record with ContourROAM: The World's Easiest Hands-Free Video Camera

Contour’s Latest Camera Features a Waterproof, Versatile Design at an Affordable Price – Available Today to Record All Life’s Action

SEATTLE, Wash. – September 8, 2011 – Contour, Inc. (http://www.contour.com), a market leader in hands-free video cameras and social video tools, today announced ContourROAM, (http://contour.com/products/contour-roam) the easiest, most versatile video camera on the market. The company’s first waterproof camera also features a super wide-angle 170-degree rotating lens to let explorers record their adventures effortlessly. The new design includes an Instant On-Record Switch enabling users to instantly record so there’s no question whether the camera is on/recording or not. ContourROAM is now available at Contour.com and retail partners for $199.

These fine two products from the Minneapolis based Rain Shield's O2 rain gear line are for the "hard-core" cyclist, and they offer excellent breathability and waterproofness, and have plenty of features that are functional, and very bike specific, and the material and build quality are outstanding. They are lightweight and highly packable, and they keep you dry and warm, even in torrential downpours, while retaining superb breathability characteristics for a set of rain gear. They both have great attributes, and the jacket's highlight is its ability to convert to a vest, making it extremely useful as a windbreaker.

CDI Preset Torque Limiting T-Handle Tool

NEW PRESET TORQUE LIMITING T-HANDLE FROM CDI PREVENTS OVER TORQUING OF BICYCLE FASTENERS

New tool for the cycling industry, the CDI Preset Torque Limiting T-Handle is a convenient, economical and accurate tool for low-torque applications

Kenosha, Wis., September 7, 2011 – Tightening fasteners on lightweight carbon fiber and titanium-framed bicycles and bicycle components correctly can be difficult for any cyclist. Applying too much or too little torque can damage a component, a bicycle frame, and pose a risk to the rider.

That’s why the new CDI Preset Torque Limiting T-Handle from Snap-on Industrial Brands takes the guesswork out of making adjustments by applying just the right amount of torque to bicycle fasteners. What truly distinguishes the CDI Preset Torque Limiting T-Handle from other competing products is that it comes with a built in cam-over torque limiting clutch, which prevents the user from over-torquing fasteners.

The Cane Creek AngleSet is an interesting, innovative and strange beast, as it's a threadless headset that gives you the ability to change the effective head angle of the frame, allowing one to slacken or steepen the geometry as desired, with up to six different offset angles. In a nutshell, the system uses upper and lower bearings that are housed in gimbals, which then self-adjust themselves within the headset cups (sort of like a ball joint), one of which has an offset for the actual angle setting.

Pearl Izumi X-Alp Elite

The shoes are a pretty sweet, and are comfortable, excellent for the hike-a-bike forays, and are bombproof, durable, and they really protect the feet. They have a lot of features that have been incorporated into them for incredible on and off the bike performance, and there is a reason Brian Lopes was dominating at Crankworx in them.

The Swedish protection company POC, just released the POC Bike Excursion video with Danny MacAskill, Martin Söderström and Daniel Dhers. They are all showing off their incredible bike's skills, in some exotic and interesting locations around Stockholm. They are all obviously sponsored by Red Bull and POC! Can these guys not buy some pants that fit, I guess I am too old for drooping look? The slow-mode shots, which make for some intriguing and inspiring viewpoints, are a few of my favorite pieces. "It's been a dream project since a couple of years, bringing our dear friends Daniel, Danny and Martin together here to explore and ride the surroundings of POC HQ. POC HQ is based right in between the exotic Archipelago and Stockholm city, the capital of Sweden and offers some unique spots. So, we were really excited when we finally could bring them together and start filming." Behind the scene photos: http://www.pocsports.com/poc-bike-excusion