Let's Ride! MTB Magazine Issue 3/2015

WINTER JACKETS

NORDKETTE DH TRACK

TRAILTROPHY KRONPLATZ

WHEELSETS | CHAIN GUIDES | STEMS & HANDLEBARS | CRANKSET |

LIGHTS IN TEST

ANTIDOTE CARBONJACK |

PROPAIN TWOFACE SPLIT S1 TERRAIN

04. GALLERY 14. SHORT REVIEWS 20. TOBIAS WOGGON IN INTERVIEW 32. HANDLEBARS & STEMS 44. TRAILTROPHY KRONPLATZ 54. WHEELSETS 64. PROPAIN TWOFACE 82. INNSBRUCK & NORDKETTE DOWNHILL 98. LIGHTS IN TEST 112. ANTIDOTE CARBONJACK 144. 77DESIGNZ CHAIN GUIDES 152. WINTER JACKETS 160. E*THIRTEEN CRANKSET & CHAIN GUIDE 166. SPLIT S1 TERRAIN FOLDING BIKE 184. GOPRO HERO4 SILVER EDITION 188. LIFESTYLE COVER RIDER: HANNES KLAUSNER PHOTOGRAPHER: DANIEL GEIGER

PHOTO: Denis Vdovin

PHOTOGRAPHER: Denis Vdovin LOCATION: Lago-Naki, Russia

PHOTOGRAPHER: HOSHI YOSHIDA RIDER: FRANK SCHNEIDER LOCATION: M端hlhausen, GERMANY

PHOTOGRAPHER: Zamaliev Denis RIDER: Evgeny Statsenko LOCATION: VAL DI SOLE

PHOTOGRAPHER: HOSHI YOSHIDA RIDER: DAVID GRAF LOCATION: MADEIRA

1 1. ION K-LITE KNEEPADS 2. MUC-OFF HYDRO DYNAMIC CHAIN LUBE 3. ROECKL MOLVENO GLOVES 4. YUNIPER PULLEY

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1. ION K-LITE KNEEPADS SAS-Tec inserts, antibacterial material called Sanitized®, non-slip silicone straps, clear design and low weight - all of this are characteristics of the ION K-Lite kneepads. They feel comfortable with the non-slip straps, even on very hairy legs. On the other side, it’s a downside of these kneepads, because you have to find the exact sizing, as you don’t have any Velcro straps for adjustment. The built quality is good, the look is quite simple with a decent and timeless grey colour.

The backside is lined with fine mesh and a cutout to increase the comfort and help ventilation. Sanitized® material quite well prevents the pads from smelling, but of course occasional washing is always recommended. The K-Lite offer good impact protection. This is achieved by combining a hidden hardshell and a Sas-Tec protective cap, which is removable for maintanance. After one month of testing we didn’t find a lot to complain. The only issue was the slight slipping of the pads, but in our opinion this comes down to finding the right size, rather than the kneepads design.

The ION K-Lite are available in 4 sizes.

PRICE: 79,90 € WEIGHT: 350 GRAM (L) www.ion-products.com

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2. MUC-OFF HYDRO DYNAMIC CHAIN LUBE Team Sky Hydrodynamic chain lube is the ultimate in bicycle chain lubricant technology. If you are looking for the most efficient chain lubricant formula for long distances and/or the harshest of weather conditions, look no further. It is ideal for road cycling and cyclocross. It provides the ultimate performance in both wet & damp or dry & dusty conditions. It has petroleum free formula for eco protection and synthetic polymers for long distance performance. It has incredible durability.

PRICE: 16,00 â‚Ź CAPACITY: 50 ML www.muc-off.com

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4. YUNIPER PULLEY Smooth and precise shifting is very important, especially while racing. Quite often small things are the key to make the difference. The aluminum pulleys from Yuniper are such thing. These small but important parts are not only great looking. They are more precise, lighter and more durable than the original, plastic ones which come as a standard on most derailleurs. They are CNC machined out of 7075 aluminium and weigh just 10 grams per piece. Their bearings are sealed and a little bit oversized comparing to original ones, what improves their longevity. The pulleys are available for 10 and 11 speed derailleurs from Shimano and Sram.

The 8 different colours give you also the oppurtunity to finetune your bike’s aesthetics.

PRICE: 14,95 € (SHIMANO), 17,95 € (SRAM) WEIGHT: 10 GRAM (SHIMANO), 12 GRAM (SRAM) www.leichtkraft-cycles.com

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3. ROECKL MOLVENO GLOVES The company Roeckl is known for their remarkable gloves not only within the bike, but also skiing or horseriding community. In their more than 175 years of existance, they have made themselves a strong name among the glove manufactures. Their long finger model Molveno from the first slip in felt right at home, with a tight but comfortable feel to it. The upper side of the gloves consists of multiple materials that promise to keep your hands warm on colder autumn days. The ventilation is not groundbraking, but still acceptable. Neopren paddings on the side and the top gives a little bit of extra protection. There is also some padding between the pointing finger and the thumb which prevents friction. The quality is generally good, but unfurtunately not without weaknesses. After good 3 months of testing we found loose threads on the right Vecro strap and on the left thumb. In addition we found the Velcro straps to be a little bit to thick and stiff. The printing of the silicone segments could be improved as well, as it was peeling off. All in all Molveno are solid gloves with superb fitting that makes you forget their weaknesses.

PRICE: 39,95 â‚Ź WEIGHT: 67 GRAM (PAIR SIZE 8) TOUCHSCREEN USABILITY: NO www.roeckl.de

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RIDING BIKE FOR A LIVING TOBIAS WOGGON IN INTERVIEW

Hello Tobias! Tell us a little bit about yourself, who you are and what you do?

Hi, my name is Tobias Woggon. 27 years of age, grown up in the Bergische Land near Cologne, Germany and I make a living of mountainbiking for 7 years now.

What are you working on right now?

My work is quite versatile, but of course most of the time it consists of biking and traveling. I also test new products from my sponsors, counsel companies and regions like Lenzerheide and try my best to pass my knowledge of bike tourism and product development.

You are known for your travel reports rather than race victories. How often do you race? Do you do it „just for fun“ or do you give it all to get a spot on the podium?

My mood is in a constant change. I raced the first 2 seasons of the Enduro World Series and had a lot of fun training and competing with others.

Unfortunately i’m not a focussed racer and forgot about my technic half way down, wobbling down the rest of the trail. Basically i’m always happy to be on my bike travelling and i don’t mind if it’s for racing or writing travel reports.

Any race you definitely want to partake?

I would like to race long distance enduro like the Trans Provance or BC Bikerace.

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How did you come into riding bikes?

Hmmmmm, good question. Actually I have always been riding bikes. As a little kid, I was bending the supporting wheels of my bike, because I was riding turning so hard with them.

Did you have idols? Who? I don’t really have idols, because everyone cares for their goals, but there have been some riders that have been inspirational for me.

Who was the best guy to ride with?

Definitely Jörg Heydt! A friend from Dortmund and co-owner of Last Bikes, I have been riding a lot of cool trails with him.

Who would you definetely want to Bike with?

Hard to say, because I was riding with a lot of guys I wanted to ride with. But as I’m thinking to myself, I would like to ride with Darren Berrecloth. I’m certain that there is one or the other adventures to find with him.

Since when did you think about sponsors? Did you find them yourself?

I had my first sponsor back in school.

I met the former marketing man from Magura on a local Event and chattet with him. One year later, I had my first sponsoring deal.

You have been riding for BMC for a long time and changed this year to Ibis. Was there a particular reason?

I was 9 years at BMC and have seen literally the whole developement of the company. When I started, there have been 28 People working for the

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company. When I parted with them last winter this number increased to more than 100. I’m more a fan of a small company, where you know everyone and bring your ideas in. Ibis is a small bunch of bike enthusiasts, which you can have a lot of fun with while on and off the bike. I prefer that over a big company.

What is different about your Ibis? Did you install some special components?

The big change between my old Bike and the Ibis HD3 is the wheels size.

I was riding 29“ the last couple of years and now I ride 27,5“. They both have their advantages, but right now I prefer the more downhill specific smaller wheels.

How many Ibis bikes do you have?

I have a HD3 with 160 mm of travel and a Hakkalügi Cross Bike. In the past i had one bike for each specific terrain, but now I like to have less bikes.

I love riding bikes, but I don’t really like maintaining them, that’s why I like having just one MTB. How is your bike setup?

I prefer a fast and hard set up, that gives me a lot of feedback from the terrain.

A lot of times, I jump right over rocks and roots and try to ride as smooth as possible.

What’s youre weight and height?

I’m 176 cm tall and weigh 73 kg.

How wide is your handlebar and how long is your stem?

I have a 740 mm handlebar and a 50 mm stem.

How would you describe your riding style?

I would describe my riding style as active and playful. But that collides quite often with the fast riding style.

Do you take care of your outfit, or do you think that’s unnecessary?

Of course, I always take care that everything fits on the bike and match my clothing to try not to look like a fashion victim.

How did you come to do bike trips?

I visited La Palma on my first journey about 10 years ago. Back then the Island wasn’t as popular as it is now for biking. Back then we saw only one mountainbiker, by coincidence. I was so impressed of the island and the people, that I started visiting other countries.

Are there a lot of things going wrong on your trips?

Almost everytime something goes wrong, but that’s what makes it interesting. I had plenty of funny situations, where I didn’t know how to get out. But you think ahead of things like that when you are traveling far from home.

How do you plan your journeys? Do you get in touch with locals? Do you use maps or GPS devices?

In fact, I’m not a fan of GPS. Somehow I don’t really get connected with the technic. I love digging through maps in a book store for hours to find my next destination. Of course the internet is a great help as well. I usually try to get in touch with locals, because these

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people know all the good trails and it’s cool to get to know the people behind these trails.

What journey was the most exciting?

The most exciting one was Vietnam, where so many things went wrong that we ended in an adventure with spiders, snakes and grilled dog.

What are the most interesting destinations for you?

Asia is quite fascinating, because I’m interested in the Far East culture.

Besides there is a lot of potential for good trails with so many great people.

Did ever something bad happened on one of your journeys?

The worst until today was a food poisoning in Turkey, that took almost the whole team out. I felt really bad and I just wanted to be at home immediately.

What did you learn from all your journeys?

I learned that home is the best place on Earth. I love traveling the world, trying something new to eat, riding through a jungle or sail with a ship to an abandoned Island. However, you learn to appreciate home the more you are travelling. Travelling is great, but I’m always happy to come home.

Approximately 20 hours after I want to leave for the next journey :-) Do you think biking is a better way to experience the world and maybe even connecting people?

Bike is a good tool to get in touch with people, because almost no one in the backcountry of Vietnam can

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imagine doing things like we do with a bike. I have the impression, that you more likely get a different and hearty welcome while travelling with a bike. Until now, there wasn’t a trip where I haven’t been invited to parties or dinner. I don’t know if that would be the case if I was hiking or riding a motorbike.

Do you often take risks while riding?

Sure, as soon as you go out in foreign terrain, there will always be some kind of risk. It’s important not to take too much risk, especially in countries where rescue might be a problem.

Have you ever had times when you were really scared?

There have been moments where I haven’t felt safe anymore. I’m really scared of snakes and there have been times in North America when you don’t know what’s hiding behind the the next bush.

Can you imagine doing something else? What would it be?

I’m qualified in landscaping and I still think it’s very interesting and would probably do it again. Creating landscapes and gardens is a really fulfilling work at the end of the day.

As a kid, did you have a dream what you will become?

Everyone always wanted to become a firefighter or a policeman. I always wanted to become a gardener. I never thought about getting paid for riding bikes.

What do you do in your sparetime?

Biking :-) Seriously. I love biking and spend every spare time doing it. Apart from that I like fishing and motocross.

Unfurtunately I spend too less time doing it.

Do you have a girlfriend? Is she riding to?

I’m in a long relationship with a girl and we share the passion for riding bikes. I’m lucky that I found someone with whom I can have fun on the bike.

What kind of music do you like?

What’s running in my playlist. I’m not a big fan of hip-hop and rap, otherwise i’m open for everthing.

What is your favourite meal and drink?

I really like anything from barbecue. It doesn’t matter if it’s meat, vegetables or even pizza. As long as it’s homemade and with passion.

Your advice for beginners?

Forget about beeing sponsored and just get out on your bike and have fun.

A lot of times it feels like people care more about beeing sponsored, rather than having fun on their bikes.

Thanks a lot Tobias and all the best in 2016!

Follow Tobias at: www.tobiaswoggon.de

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POINT STEER TURN RIDE ON

HANDLEBARS & STEMS We reviewed 4 sets of handlebars with matching stems - the most important components to keep the bike on the right line. Choosing a perfect handlebar is a very personal thing, therefore we will just focus on the characteristics of each product and where it’s applicable we will present our subjective opinion.

Let’s go!

Text and photos: Alexej Fedorov

SIXPACK-RACING

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MiLLeniuM CARBOn BAR With 845mm it is the widest handlebar in our review.

Made of carbon fiber it should be robust enough for all gravity applications. It features 31,8mm clamp and 18mm rise. With 7° backsweep and 5° upsweep it feels very neutral and comfortable.

It can be shortened down to 805mm. There are three colour schemes to choose from. 289g of this carbon bar cost 169,50€.

skYWALkeR sTeM To match the Millenium bar we picked 50mm CNC-machined Skywalker stem in black. There are however also other length and color options available. At 127g it is the second lighets stem in our review. What we really like about it is that it has Torx type bolts. We also like that it is fairly low what has positive effect on steering. Price: 89,95€

www.sixpack-shop.com

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GAMUT

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CiLLOs TR BAR

CiLLOs sTeM

Cillos TR is a name of the handlebar from the american producer Gamut, which sadly isn’t that popular on our local german market. The Cillos TR bar is made of alu and with the width of 760mm and weight of 279g it is the second lightest bar in our review. Modest decals make it optically very appealing. It feels high quality and trustworthy. It features 20mm rise, 5° upsweep and 7° backsweep which are quite neutral values. If needed, it can be cut down to 695mm.

Price: decent 79,99$

Very stylish matte anodized finish and big cut-outs make the Cillos stem look quite unique. With the weight of 153g at 50mm length it is also the heaviest stem in our review. With a flat 0° angle, 31,8 clamp as well as 3 lengths and colors to choose from it will surely suit many bikes. Price: 109,99$

www.gamutusa.com

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ENVE

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RiseR BAR

MOunTAin sTeM To match the Riser bar we couldn’t pick anything else than the unique, rounded and matte black Mountain stem. What makes it so uniqe is the fact that except for the front plate it is fully made of carbon fiber. At 40mm length it weighs only 85g!

It features 31,8mm clamp and 6° rise and costs 299€. That’s a lot but if you are building some extreme dream bike there aren’t many other components which can highlight the “wow” effect as good as such parts from Enve Composites.

The first time we took the Enve Riser bar in our hands we couldn’t believe how light it was - only 194g! This is by far the lightest handlebar we ever had. At first we proceeded with caution and a bit of suspicion, even though we knew that Enve is famous for unparalled quality and reliability. After few harsh enduro races we got convinced that such light carbon bar can actually withstand way more than we can throw at it. The rise of 23mm is a bit high and therefore probably not for everyone. 9° backsweep and 5° are “traditional values” which feel just correct on the trail. It comes at 760mm but can easily be shortened down to 680mm.

Comparing to other reviewed handlebars, its price of 199€ is quite high, but justified considering the ultra light weight.

www.enve.com

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REVERSE

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BLACkLine BAR The 760mm wide handlebar made by the company from Black Forest in Germany. This bar’s name isn’t a coincidence either, as it is completely black, including the slightly shiny logo. This combination looks very stylish and high quality.

At 18mm rise it is fairly flat. With 9° backsweep and 4° upsweep it feels comfortable in hands.

We measured 305g what is still alright especially considering the competitive price of 79,90€.

s-TRAiL sTeM For the Blackline bar we picked 60mm S-Trail stem in black. It has 40mm of stack and 8° rise. There are also other color and length options available.

It weighs 133g at 60mm. We were in the past many times convinced about the very good price-quality ratio offered by Reverse products. And we still are in case of S-Trail stem. At 65,90€ it is a fair deal.

www.reverse-components.com

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TRAILTROPHY #4 OUR FAVORITE ENDURO RACE SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN KRONPLATZ, SOUTH TIROL

Text and photos: Alexej Fedorov

THE HYPE OF ENDURO RACING FORMAT DOESN’T SEEM TO WANE. THE EWS ENDURO WORLD SERIES HAS WELL ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A TOP RACING LEAGUE FOR ALL THE PROS. HOWEVER, AMATEUR EVENTS ARE ALSO POPPING UP NEARLY EVERY YEAR, GIVING THE HOBBY RACERS AND WEEKEND WARRIORS A CHANCE TO TEST THEIR BIKE HANDLING SKILLS AND STAMINA. TRAILTROPHY OUR FAVORITE AMATEUR SERIES HAS EXPANDED THIS YEAR AS WELL AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WELCOMED RIDERS AT KRONPLATZ MOUNTAIN IN THE PICTORESQUE ITALIAN SOUTH TIROL REGION.

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Here in South Tyrol, in the homely City of Bruneck lies a paradise, and not only for mountainbikers. If you’re looking around you can find a lot of enjoyment by visiting the Reinhold Messner Museum, have a sightseeing tour and visit one of the many castles around the town of Bruneck, or you can simply enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the Kronplatz mountain. If your only desire is to have fun on two wheels, you can do so by taking a lap at one of the four tracks at the nearby bikepark. It’s certainly not by accident, that Kronplatz has been chosen to be one of the stops of the TrailTrophy race series.

We arrived on thursday evening and got a hearty welcome at the Tannenhof Hotel near the Kronplatz gondola, where we got to our surprise a really satisfiying and deliciuos 4-course dinner. What a great start of our three days full of racing!

Fresh and well fed we started the next morning by heading to the race office near the Kronplatz gondola, where we also found a small exhibition area. The tents of Alutech, EVOC, Bike-Components, Trailsucht and E-Thirteen stood already in place. We fetched our race numbers and transponders, and spent some time enjoying the beautiful scenery before we started around 14:00 the actual competition. The weather was great and we headed off towards the town of Bruneck for the first stage.

After some short ascents we reached the start line. The stage was quite pedally, cross country-style on relatively flat and soft ground through the woods. It took us around 2,5 to 3 minutes to complete it. The transfer to the second stage lead us through Bruneck and the next two villages. The second stage reminded us to focus on our skills, concentration and line choice as we rode through rocky and root-covered corners with narrow off-camber sections where it was easy to come off the ideal line. This stage was fun, but it showed us some weaknesses in our riding that we should revisit once back home. After Stage 2 we had a short ascent to Bruneck through a really nice city park. It was a welcoming place where we just wanted to stop and have a break for some time. But we had to carry on to the flowy and technically easy Stage 3.

This stage was a lot of fun with good speed and nice turns.

Unfortunately it was over in just one and a half minute. But now it was time to relax and have dinner, which included tasty Italian Pasta and other treats.

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At 21:00 it was time for the Nightride Session. Beforehand we had to check our lights to make sure there will be no surprises on the pitch black stages. I installed the Lupine Piko 4 on my helmet and the Lezyne Mega Drive on the handlebar. Jakub chose the Hope R4 LED and Sigma Powerled EVO. That was enough light for the both us to attack an unknown trail in the dark at a race speed. The night stage was again quite flowy with a few exhausting ascents and some sudden corners - that was a hell of a ride! Afterwards we finally had time to relax and prepare for the next day. At the end of the first day of racing, Jakub finished in 16th place and I was 45th.

The next morning we got up early an started at 10:00 to cover the 8km distance to Montal wgere the 5th Stage was located. That was the most beautiful transfer of all time. It was a ride through elegant villages, near castle in San Martino and impressive scenery with landscapes and mountains. The stage was partially freshly shaped and had everything you would expect, as there were rocks, roots and ascents in the mix. Due to some mistakes I finished in 3:51, but Jakub had a better run with a 3:32. Nevertheless it was a lot of fun. This stage had everything you could expect from an enduro race.

The next three stages took us to the Bikepark located on the slopes of Kronplatz mountain. Stage 6 consisted of well built track with high berms and table jumps at the top and some more technical stuff in the bottom part. A good stage to forget about your brakes.

I have never been this fast on a bike and I finished in 3:45, just 5 seconds behind Jakub! We ended up on the other side of the mountain, so we had to take another gondola back to the top for the next 2 Stages. Right on the start of Stage 7 I lost my line as I tried to avoid a loose stone. I got off-track and lost valuable seconds. At the end of the day I lost 9 places compared to the previous day, what left me in 54th position in the overall ranking.

Annoying, but still... that’s racing!

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After the race we headed over to the Bike-Components tent for a barbecue with lots of meal choices, even for vegetarians. In the evening we fell exhausetd into our beds hoping to recover for the next morning full of action. It was raining all night long, so the organizer decided to change the schedule a bit. They took a long ascent out and gave us one more ride with the gondola after the first stage of the day to the pleasure of everyone. At the top I was a little bit angry that I forgot my camera, as the rain cleared the air and left beautiful colours in the sky and mountains.

Stage 9 was a wide open track with insane scenery. Unfortunately it’s a race and you can’t stop to take some pictures on the way down. But even if I had the time, it would be too dangerous to ride with a camera in the backpack. Shortly into the trail I felt that my body wasn´t working as intended. The two days of racing left me a bit exhausted. I felt really slow on this stage and the fact that more unexperienced friend of mine overtook me proved me right. Nevertheless, I had to overcome all difficulties and get to the gondola and head up to the last stages. At the top of the mountain my blood pressure increased, I felt dizzy and I had to lie down for 10-15 minutes. As soon as I felt ok, I just wanted to finish the last two stages. I found myself again in the Bikepark with the usual fast-paced berms that generated a lot of G-forces.

Even though the stages have been quite flowy I came down the hill really drained of energy. I realised that I don’t have that much bikepark experience, so I simply don’t know how to efficiently ride these berms with the right speed. What a pity!

Regardless of all mistakes and frustration it was a good race that showed us again that you have to cope with everything as an enduro racer. In the end, Jakub came in at 28th place and I was 58th out of 139 competitors. The Worldcup Downhill Racer Jasper Jauch riding for Liteville took the win with an incredible lead of 1 minute!

We still had a long ride home, but we knew that we have to come back to Bruneck, not only for biking!

For more infos check: www.trailtrophy.eu www.kronplatz.com www.hotel-tannenhof.it

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THE WHEEL HAS COME FULL CIRCLE Without wheel there would be no bicycles. Simple as that.

It is admittedly the most crucial component the whole concept is based on. The principle behind bicycle wheel construction haven’t change much since it was invented.

Modern wheels, especially on mountainbikes, have to be light to accelerate fast and at the same time durable to survive everything what the bumpy trails throws at them.

We tested 27,5” wheelsets from Veltec, DT Swiss and Reverse Components with intended use for AM/Enduro.

We have set them up with tubeless tires; WTB Vigilante 2,4” up front and WTB Trailboss 2,25” in the back, and went off to test them on our local trails. Read on to find out how they performed!

Text and photos: Alexej Fedorov

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DT SWISS E1700 SPLINE TWO The guys from DT Swiss know their stuff. They definitely have the best looking wheelset in our test. Black anodized rims, silver polished hubs and neat straightpull spoke system. With an outer width of 30 mm and internal width of 25 mm they have the widest rims in our test which can hold tires up to 3”. Unfortunately I didn’t have such tire for testing, but it could be also worth a try with a 27,5+ rubber. The rims are sleeved and quite rigid thanks to the 21mm height, what is again the highest of all the wheels we tested. They use CenterLock design for the brake rotor mount, but the adapaters for traditional 6 bolt mount are also included (they weigh about 25g each). The hubs are identical to the 350 model and come only in the straightpull version. Such design helps to achieve light and extra strong spoke. Nevertheless, this could also be a problem if a spoke snaps, as the straightpull spokes are somewhat exoctic and not every bikeshop have them available of the shelf. The wheels are built with the Pro LockNipples. This patented DT Swiss technology use an injected liquid which makes the connection between nipple thread and the spoke extremely durable. In the rear hub works the proven Ratchet System with 18T. The freewheel is interchangeable, so if needed you can upgrade to a 36T ratchet for quicker engagement. Nonetheless the 18T ratchet is working flawlessly and should be sufficient for most riders. DT Swiss E1700 Spline Two comes with a 5mm adapter for front hub, quick Realease, 2 valves, a manual and a tubeless rim tape.

WEIGHT: F 847g, R 999g (1846 with rim tape) 7g valve, 25g adapter RIM WIDTH: 30mm RIM HEIGHT: 21mm HUBS: DT Swiss 350 SPOKES: 28x DT Competition StraightPull NIPPELS: alu with Pro Lock System MAX. RIDER WEIGHT: 130kg PRICE: RRP 599€ (actual retail price 499 €) www.dtswiss.com

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VELTEC ETR-RACE LTD The ETR-Race is by far the lightest wheelset in our review, but also the most expensive. It comes with Veltec’s own Ultra Light Edition One hubs. Rear hub has extremely loud ratchet system, what might not be welcomed by everyone. The good thing about it is that that you won’t need a bell to grab hikers attention on the trail. The rims have an internal width of 23 mm, external width of 29mm and a height of 19mm. The ETR-RACE LTD wheels felt really strong and did not bend or flex even when we smashed hard through corners. We really like the color scheme on them, blue anodized rims with black hubs looked great on raw alu frame. They are also available with green and black rims. The wheels come with valves, a transparent tubeless rim tape with 20 mm width and a “standard rim tape. At 699€ they aren’t cheap, but you get a 1600g race-ready wheelset which looks and performs very well.

WEIGHT: F 741g, R 862g (1603g with rim tape), 5g valve RIM WIDTH: 29mm RIM HEIGHT: 19mm HUBS: Veltec Edition One SPOKES: 32 x Sapim Sprint 2.0/1.7/2.0 NIPPELS: alu MAX. RIDER WEIGHT: 110kg PRICE: 699€ www.veltec.de

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REVERSE COMPONENTS 27,5“ EN SET The wheelset from Reverse Components is handmade in their headquarter in Freudenstadt, Black Forest. There is a possibility to choose different color options. We chose a classic black wheelset with gray decals and red markings. The rims have a rather narrow 23mm internal width, 28,5mm external width and 18,5 mm height.

They are sleeved, rather than welded, as this method shall save some weight. They can accommodate tires up to 2,5”. Reverse don’t include rim tapes and valves, so we took them from WTB. The spokes are supplied by Sapim, a manufacturer Reverse was working with for quite some time. Since used spokes are a standard type, getting a replacement will not ba problem. The freewheel is interchangable and a little bit louder than the DT Swiss one, but more quiet than Veltec. It has however only 4 engagement pawls.

The front hub runs on 2 and the rear on 4 sealed bearings.

WEIGHT: F 839g, R 941g (1780g with WTB rim tape), 5g WTB valve RIM WIDTH: 28.5mm RIM HEIGHT: 18.5mm HUBS: Reverse EVO Pro SPOKES: 32x Sapim D-light NIPPLES: alu MAX. RIDER WEIGHT: 120 Kg PRICE: 599€ www.reverse-components.com

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CONCLUSION All the wheelsets worked flawlessly and it was a pleasure to ride them. They survived everything we have thrown at them, rocks, roots, drops, you name it. We didn’t discover any dents, cracks, broken or loose spokes. Mounting the tires wasn’t a problem either on any of the rims. So far the test goes all wheels stayed true, but the devil is always in the details and only a long-term test could show how really durable they are.

The DT Swiss wheelset feels very solid and ready for hard, versatile everyday riding. It is the heaviest set but also the cheapest and with the most accessories. A fair bargain. The only annoying thing was the slighty rocking front hub, but as we figured out, that’s due to the design and not a manufacturing problem. It isn’t noticable while riding so we quickly forgot about that issue.

With weight around 1600g Veltec is ideal as “out of the box” raceready wheelset. The weight difference comparing to other two sets is noticible on the trail, but it comes with a higher price. The only problem we encountered was the freewheel engagement which slipped few tims when we stepped hard on the pedals.

The Reverse wheelset felt indestructible. We hit some sharp rocks right up to the rim multiple times and they shown no sign of any dents. The spokes are still tight and the wheels are true, almost as new. The only downside was a loosening rear axle at the beginning, but this can easily be readjusted.

All presented wheels are worth considering, as they all are capable to survive anything that modern Enduro rider can throw at them.

It’s up to your preference and small details which wheelset to choose. For racing and normal riding we would go for Veltec. For riders who like to ride hard and occasionally hit a bikepark we would recommend Reverse or DT Swiss. They are both versatile, durable and a little cheaper than Veltec.

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Text: Thorsten Illhardt | Photos: Thorsten Illhardt & Alexej Fedorov

THE COMPANY Propain Bicycles is a rider owned company located near the Lake Constance in Germany. David Assfalg and Robert Krauss founded Propain in 2011 and were successful with the downhill bike RAGE at the beginning. Now they grew up from a pretty small manufacturer to a competitive company and provide a respectable portfolio of different bike models for the gravity and enduro sector. The value-for-money ratio of Propain bikes is excellent thanks to the direct marketing strategy. The company found a perfect solution for potential buyers to test the bike - the Propain-Friends network. More than 200 registered Propain riders provide their bike for test rides - from customer to customer. Just write an email to friends@propain-bikes.com.

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THE BIKE For Season 2016 Propain Bicycles has treated their TwoFace model a complete makeover. They claim their 145mm travel bike is a perfect blend of two bike genres, a skillful trailbike with proper uphill performance and an enduro with downhill prowess. Made for all-mountain riding as well as enduro racing. Read on to find out if the new TwoFace can keep its promise!

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SIZE: MEDIUM COLOR: RACING RED

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PROPAIN TWOFACE

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FIRST LOOK For season 2016 the TwoFace made from Aluminium got a rework and some major and minor improvements. It now contains a hydroformed seat tube and a new swingarm which increases space for the rear suspension, located in central position between two links. The new version is 150g lighter to the previous one.

Propain uses a RockShox Monarch damper, driven from both sides in between two links. Thus allows a perfect calculation of a virtual pivot point for anti squat kinematic on the one, and downhill skills on the other side. The system is named Pro10 and is basis for all Propain frames.

The TwoFace comes in different colors. While our test bike is powdered „racing red“, it is also available in „dark grey metallic“, „purple blue“ and „raw“. Raw means, it is really raw as it comes from machining, no coating or finish is applied. So for petty weight savers the last 80 to 120 grams can be saved. We love the racing red, even more when the autumn sun brings the bike almost to shine.

The cable for the front derailleur is now routed internally for a cleaner look. Another advantage is that, when the TwoFace is equipped with 1 x 11 gears, no unsightly screws for cable handling will spoil the optic. The cables for rear derailleur, brake and seatpost are located underneath the lower tube. On this unobtrusive position they will catch a lot of dirt. While in former seasons the customer could choose different exchangeable dropouts for different axis standards, from now on the bike is designed fix for X12 mount. This save weight, improves stiffness and makes the look even cleaner.

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The Propain TwoFace is equipped with many parts from Sram, so we found a complete SRAM 2x11 drivetrain with 24/36 in the front and a 10/42 cassette in the rear. While for most riders the bandwidth of 1 x 11 is enough, this choice of double ring on the front guarantees the ability to conquer the steepest climbs.

In combination with the RockShox Revelation RCT3 SoloAir this bike is more prepared for all-mountain riding, rather than enduro racing.

Also the brakes are selected from the portfolio of SRAM. Propain mounted Guide RS brakes. We will see if they got rid of diseases with loosing pressure point through air bubbles in the system, as it oftem happened on the previous Avid Elixir models. As usual on enduro and trailbikes, the RockShox Reverb Stealth seatpost with 125mm travel is mounted. When ordering the bike, the rider can choose the length which fits him best.

The TwoFace is spinning on OEM wheels with NoTubes Rapid 25 rims and own Propain hubs containing Enduro bearings, which is a good indicator of a carefree durability. The wheels are tubeless ready and weight only 1680g. Propain chose Onza Canis 27,5 x 2,25 FRC 120 TPI tires which promise low rolling resistance and weight. We are curious if they will also deliver enough grip, also in wet conditions, and if they are prone to get punctured.

Sixpack Racing components were used for building the cockpit.

The super light S.A.M 65mm stem and Leader 750 mm riser bar are installed. In our opinion, they fit very well to the all-mountain nature of this bike.

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ON THE TRAIL Before I started my first ride I adjusted the sag to 25% on front and rear suspension, a standard value for all-mountain riding.

The tire had a pressure of 2.0 bar. From the beginning I felt comfortable on the bike, the reach of 431mm and 585mm stack on size medium suits very well to my body size of 1,77m. I never felt to stretched or upset. On my first ride I had to climb up on trails and fire roads to reach the trailhead. While climbing I didn’t use the platform of the Monarch RT DebonAir and to my surprise I did’t notice any excessive suspension influence on pedaling. Also when riding out of the saddle the movement was minimal, but the suspension stayed sensitive to each smallest bump. While cycling uphill I asked myself when to use the smallest gear. While the smallest ratio of 30/42 on my private bike suits for every ridable uphill trail, here I felt like pedalling without moving on the 22 teeth chainring. I think this ratio is more suited for riding long and steep uphills in the big mountains, rather than enduro.

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On the trail I was once again happy about the Reverb seatpost. I lowered the saddle and started riding my hometrail downhill trail.

On this point the rear suspension displays its real advantage.

It was firm enough not to waste too much of its travel on the small bumps, but stuck to the trail and soaked bigger bumps as as good as typical enduro bikes. The faster I rode, the better the suspension worked. I didn’t experience any bottoming out either. However, I never had the feeling of having too little travel.

Impressive, the Pro10 suspension really keeps its promise!

First doubts about the rather long 443,5 mm chainstays were causeless. The bike feels very playful and can be pulled on the back wheel easily. It is a pleasure to smash through about every root and bump. Instead slowing down, the TwoFace is going faster and faster while giving good feedback without becoming nervous or unstable. Through the 65 mm all mountain stem, cornering on the Propain might need slightly more hand. If the bike was equipped with 50 mm stem, it would more likely improve cornering, especially on tight switchbacks. This I think, is solely an issue of personal preferences and not a negative thing by any means. On the other hand, the longer stem forces the rider to take more “race position” over the bar, what improves weight distribution and therefore also control over the bike.

The RockShox Revelation bares its character on the trail as well.

I am surprised, it works way better than the previous models.

It felt very sensitive and did´t waste the travel on steep sections.

I did not expect it to perform that good out of the box. The riding comfort and compliance to small bumps were absolutely sufficient. Even though, the Revelation is clearely different than the Pike! On highspeed sections it offers too little reserve for fast following impacts and forced me calm down and not to overcook.

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As well as on the uphill, I did not use the complete bandwidth of the drivetrain while descending. The combination of 44/10 teeth gear might be ratjer something for riders who are into downhill on straight fire roads. I got validated myself, that for me personally 1 x 11 setup is absolutely enough, but this is a very sentimental decision. The new Sram GX Drivetrain worked sufficiently without any faults. Shifting worked way more firm than that on the comparable Shimano drivertrain, and it always gave a good feedback. I never had to deal with ghost shifting or skipping chain. At least one thing of the drivetrain really annoyed me: The chain flipped all the way down on every descend. Propain offers different chainguide solutions ex stock, so I would definitely recommend spending extra money on a proper working guide.

The wheels are built around Propain OEM hubs and are very lightweight but also sufficiently stiff. Complete set weights only 1,680g. The Onza Canis tires are a good choice for trail riding in all conditions. Only if rough and fast enduro trails are ridden, the tires will come to their limit of grip and durability. I had several snake bites in situations I did not expect. At the and I had to increase the pressure to 2.3 bar in front and rear tire, which was not very comfortable but solved the problems of punctures.

I think a good solution would be riding them tubeless, which is done easily as the rims are tubeless ready. No dents or other defects occured on the ZTR rims.

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CONCLUSION The Propain TwoFace is a proper trailbike without any limitation.

The climbing performance in combination with its downhill skills assured that Propain made - once again - a great job. The Pro10 suspension is working really well in each situation and gives plenty security on the trail. I never felt so confident from the very beginning as I felt on the TwoFace. I found only one thing on the bike which could be better - the weight - which with that setup reaches a bit over 13.7kg. In my opinion, a trail bike should weight around 1kg less.

While our test bike was clearly equipped for all-mountain riding, it can also be ordered in different configurations from cheap beginner model to the high-tech top version. The frame is always the same, but different setup will lower the weight through lighter components. If a preset configuration does not fit to the customer needs, a „Free“ model is also available. It can be configured completely to comply with customer’s personal preferences. On request also any RAL color can be used to paint the frame.

At the end, the TwoFace enthused me so much, that I decided to order this bike as „Free“ version with 150mm Pike and Sram GX1 x11 drivetrain for a longterm test in 2016. This setup should prefectly fulfill my preference for fast enduro bike with less travel.

Stay tuned for more! www.propain-bikes.com

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INNSBRUCK

THE ALPINE CAPITOL OF OUTDOOR SPORTS & HOME OF THE NORDKETTE DH TRACK Text and photos: Alexej Fedorov

The lively city of Innsbruck, located in the west of Austria is surrounded by beautiful scenery with high mountain peaks. It is a perfect spot for snowboarding, biking or just sightseeing. Due to the large number of students, this almost 800 years old city has relatively fresh, young and sporty feel. And I’m not surprised at all. You have everything you need as an active person and mountain lover. A lot of lifts for skiers and snowboarders in the winter and plenty of trails for bikers in the summer. Even bike pros like Thomas Öhler and Harald Philipp chose Innsbruck as their home.

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It’s a place where you also find one of the steepest and hardest downhill lines in northern Europe - the famous Nordkette trail. With a length of 4.2 utterly technical kilometres, more than 1000m drop and up to 36° slope, calling this this track diffcult and is a a gentle understatement. It is actually harder than that! We spent 2 days on it and tried to put our skills to the test. Although we are not downhillers, we are accustomed to steep and rocky trails, but what we found here turned out to be a completely different story. It´s all manageable to ride, but only if you´re a very good, technical rider or... plain fearless one.

The first time we reached the peak at 1900m with the “Nordkettenbahn”, we got to enjoy the beautiful view of Innsbruck in the valley below. The weather was perfect and pumped by excitement mixed with fear we headed to the trailhead.

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We had a strange feeling because we knew how steep this track is, but it was still hard to imagine how it will feel like to ride it. Right after the start we came into tight turns with loose stones and ledges, which you should probably check out before you ride down them. The first 2 - 3 sections felt quite good, thanks to some flowy parts and berms with great sight lines. We couldn´t imagine what came next - very steep, rocky and sometimes dangerous sections with super tight switchbacks. It was a real challange, especially when you ride it on sight, alone and with no experience in such terrain. I have to admit, we didn´t ride all of it, but we did not want to take unnecessary risks before our race which was due the following week.

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The following sections were like a classic downhill track - steep and with a lot of roots. It looked like a Worldcup Track, as you know it from videos. We wished we could see some really good rider going down this track, to show us how it should be ridden with flow and speed. We however, felt in this gnarly terrain like it’s our first day on a mountain bike. The good thing about it was that we could clearly see what shortages our skills have. The very bottom wasn´t as steep anymore and we started to gain some flow and speed. It was really exhausting, but so much fun. Once we reached the bottom gondola station we decided to go up again for a second run.

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The second run was a lot smoother and easier. As an advanced rider it´s possible to ride this track with an enduro bike and a halfshell helmet, although we highly recommend a downhill or freeride bike, decent fullface helmet and a back protector. But don´t be too intimidated. If you ask yourself the question: “Is it worth a visit?” we would definitely say yes! It´s however aimed towards advanced riders and thus an such rider surely will have plenty fun on that track.

Less experienced mountainbikers have a chance here to learn their limits and if they manage to get down, it will leave them with a real feeling of accomplishment and plenty experiance to talk about later on. I don´t recommend this track for beginners, as it´s too steep and technical to stay safe andhave fun as a novice.

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If you have your family in tow, head over to the Alps Zoo which is a great place for the kids. We also recommend the restaurant “Seegrube” located at the top gondola station of the Nordketten Bahn.

Don’t forget to try delicious Strudel in downtown! If you need something for your bike or if you want to rent one, I recommend to head over to the bike store called “Die Börse”. You´ll find there everything you need for your bike and on top of it, you´ll get a 5% discount voucher for the Nordketten liftpass.

If you are mountain lover who also enjoy lively cities, then Innsbruck is a perfect place for you. With its wide offer of sport activities, gastronomical highlights and Tirolan flair it is definitely worth a visit.

More info can be found at: www.innsbruck.info www.nordkette.com www.nordkette-singletrail.at

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Photo: Martin Bissig

www.dtswiss.com

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SPLINE® TWO – trail born

THIS IS A PERFECT PLACE FOR YOUR AD.

CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS marketing@letsridemag.com

BIKE LIGHTS

Text: Thorsten Illhardt | Photos:

Thorsten Illhardt & Alexej Fedorov

NIGHTRIDE, NOT A NIGHTMARE! At this time of the year quick after-work spins in the setting sun are no longer possible. The only option for the working class among us bikers is to grab a decent light and go for a night ride. Also during the weekend longer trips may require some source of light as the twilight and darkness may quickly and unnoticably fall, especially when you’re totally lost in the enjoyment.

The producers of bike equipment nearly every year bring out new products on the market. There are hundreds of options, from a simple lamps for the safe trip home in the evening traffic, to extremely powerful headlamps which can almost turn night into day. Few years ago the choice was not that impressive, but with growing popularity of night riding, we are spoiled with options for the coming 2015/2016 winter. We have tested lamps from Lupine, Hope, Juvelo, Supernova and Natural Shine.

All models were tested with respect to the installation, usability, and of course the light intensity under comparable conditions. Our nocturnal photos were taken with f/9 aperture and an exposure time of 3.2 sec. The ISO was set to 100. The camera was mounted at a height of about 1.2m, the lamps at approximately 1.5m. The reflectors used for guidance were set at a intervals of 10m. Taken beam shots present each lamp’s performance in its brightest mode.

1

LUPINE PIKO TL MAX

2

HOPE R2i

3

JUVELO SAPHIR ONE

4

SUPERNOVA AIRSTREAM 2

5

NATURAL SHINE PICO

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1

2

3

4

5

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1

LUPINE PIKO TL MAX

OUTPUT: LIGHT MODES: RUNTIME: WEIGHT: BATTERY CAPACITY: CHARGING TIME: PRICE:

up to 13W / 1200 Lumen programmable, up to 5 modes 2h at 13W 180g 3.3 Ah 4.30h for 3.3Ah battery 340 EUR

The company Lupine develops and manufactures all products in Germany, which makes them a premium and high-quality, though not quite cheap supplier of bike lights. The company from Neumarkt, near Nuremberg has become very popular on the bike scene with their successful models like Neo, Piko, Wilma and Betty. Their products are sophisticated and packed with meaningful innovation.

Recently on our blog we presented the new Lupine Piko R4, which (un)fortunately falls out of this review due to its tremendous light output, which, at least on paper, leaves all other tested here lights well behind. You can find its review here.

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IN PRACTICE

CONCLUSION

Here we tested another model from Lupine - the Piko TL Max with an integrated 3.3Ah battery. Having the light head and the power source closed in one unit makes it very usable. However, the luminous flux is not quite as strong as in the Piko R. The output reaches 1200 lumens through 5 dimming modes. Switching the light on and off, as well as choosing the mode is done via single button on the lamp body. It can also activate smart features like switching on/off by double, instead of a single-click, which prevents accidental activation for example when carrying the lamp in a backpack.

A “programming guide” is laser-etched on the body and it is self-explanatory. Low battery level is signalized by changing color of the illuminated power button, what gives you a chance to dim the light to a weaker mode and therefore save some energy.

On our pitch black test trail the Lupine Piko TL Max turned out to be only marginally weaker then its big brother, the Piko R. The luminous flux of 1200 lumens nearly turns night into day by creating very homogenous illumination, both right in front of the rider and further ahead, on the trail.

Operating is very intuitive, and even the programming can easily be done while out on the trail. Since it’s not equipped with a helmet mount, it can be mounted on the handlebars via simple quick-release rubber strap. It is designed rather as a flashlight and for the same price Lupine offers their Piko headlamps with external battery and helmet mount, but even though, we don’t see it as a disadvantage. The Piko is for us - though not quite cheap - a supplement to a helmet lamp, perfect for situations when significantly more light is desired (for example on night race stages).

www.lupine.de

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2

HOPE R2i

OUTPUT: LIGHT MODES: RUNTIME: WEIGHT: BATTERY CAPACITY: CHARGING TIME: PRICE:

1300 (1000 measured) Lumen 6 modes 1h at 1000 Lumen, 30h at 40 Lumen 252g 3.2 Ah 3:30h 255 EUR

Probably everyone who ride mountain bike recognize the brand Hope from Barnoldswick in UK. Superb quality, decent prices and a unique appearance make their products successful since 1989.

While Hope R4 LED (2000 Lumen) and R8 LED (3000 Lumen) set the bar pretty high in the field of headlamps, the smaller R2 model with external battery seems to be just right with its “modest” 1200 Lumen.

We tested a variation of it named R2i which, just like the Lupine Piko TL2, incorporates the head and a battery in one compact unit, without any losses in the available light flux.

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IN PRACTICE

CONCLUSION

The lamp body has two buttons and a small LED array. The front button is clearly marked as a power switch. Once it’s shortly pressed, the R2i starts in the strongest “Race Sequence”. When it’s on, short tapping will switch to modes with 1000, 700 and 400 lumen. If the power button is pressed and held, the “Trail Sequence” turns on. In this mode the lighting levels with 200 and 40 lumens and a flashing mode are at rider’s disposal. All levels are indicated by a colored backlight of the main switch. When the power button illuminates with red, it tells that the battery is nearly empty. But before that happens, the level of charge can be checked and shown on the LED array by pressing the “Test” button. After switching on, we are delighted with incredibly homogeneous light beam. The brightest point is located in the middle and it gradiates gently towards the edges and then into the darkness, giving really wide and smooth illumination.

The Hope R2i convince with its wide beam and strong, uniform illumination. The built quality is also top notch.

Unfortunately, the battery died just after one hour in the strongest mode, whereas the Lupine Piko TL as a direct competitor can hold twice as long. The mounting is perfectly solved, although due to a higher weight we advise to install it on the handlebars. For those who prefer a helmet mount we recommend mentioned R2 twin model, which has separate 4-cell battery connected via cable with extremely compact headlamp. The output and functionality are the same.

www.hopetech.com

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3

JUVELO SAPHIR ONE

OUTPUT: LIGHT MODES: RUNTIME: WEIGHT: BATTERY CAPACITY: CHARGING TIME: PRICE:

up to 7W / 1000 Lumen 5 basic modes + multiple programmable not sufficiently specified 250g (whole set) 4.8 Ah up to 6h 299 EUR

Just like Lupine also Juvelo has its headquarters in Germany. They have recently introduced their first bike lamp, which is, as they claim, the jewel among helmet lamps. At first glance it is apparent that the Saphir One has a very high quality. In the manual booklet we can learn that Juvelo puts a lot of emphasis on quality components and materials.

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IN PRACTICE The Saphir One comes with a clever “one-click” mount and is available in eight different colors. The lamp features a 32bit micro-controller and gives access to its multiple modes via two buttons located on back of the lamp head. In addition to a standard program with 5 predefined settings, the Saphir One can also be operated in an enhanced mode, in which the rider can infinitely determine its luminosity. Also a flashing mode is available for emergency situations in which you may need to send SOS signal. The lamp is equipped with a light sensor, which automatically reduces the brightness when another source of bright light approaches the rider. The two buttons can be programmed as a taillight, also here many choices are available.

Mounting on the helmet is exemplary. First you need to fasten an adapter plate with Velcro strips, on which the lamp body together with the battery is clipped in. Super simple, safe and rigid solution! After the Saphir was mounted on the helmet, it quickly became apparent that the weight of the lamp together with the battery is very centrally located on the helmet.

Although we very closely aligned the unit, the center of gravity high above the rider’s head was distinctly noticeable.

In case of lamps with separated batteries this issue is much less conspicuous. Luckily the the Saphir One comes with an extension cable, so the remedial action can be done and the battery can be tucked away in the backpack.

How to operate the Saphir One? A short press of the right button switches it on. Short clicks on the left button (via which the lamp can also be turned off with a long keypress) activates different dimming levels. That’s still easy. However, pressing the left button can also switch the lamp on, but it will then behave quite differently. If you want to use the optional,

user-specific programs for infinite power adjustment, the great versatility of the settings quickly becomes a trap.

The operating instructions must be read carefully and kept on board in case you get lost again, what is more likely to happen. Activation or deactivation of the tail-light function work in a similar manner. Dependent on whether the main light is on, the rear light is switched on with the same key combination, but turned off with a different one. We believe this can be solved in more clever and transparent way.

How to switch the SOS mode on is still not clear to us, even after reading the manual.

On the night trail it turned out that the Saphir One offers rather spot illumination. The output of 1000 lumens proved to be sufficient, but the strongly focused beam has discouraged us.

CONCLUSION The Saphir One is the only lamp, which we had to take on a trail together with the owner’s manual. We were not able to figure out how it works without reading it. As for usability, we believe that the diversity of Juvelo’s settings is too much for a normal application and an average user. The two buttons are illuminated differently depending on the dimming level or setting, what should make the navigation easier, but once it’s mounted on the helmet you can’t see them, so it’s difficult to figure what you’ve just set, especially without the manual on hand. With a wider beam, more user friendly and intuitive operability, this lamp would be a very good product.

It is a decent, high quality lamp but in our opinion it has clear potential for improvement.

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4

SUPERNOVA AIRSTREAM 2

OUTPUT: LIGHT MODES: RUNTIME: WEIGHT: BATTERY CAPACITY: CHARGING TIME: PRICE:

205 Lumen 3 modes from 2:30 up to 7h 165g 2.5 Ah n/a 199 EUR

The third lamp in our test is the Supernova Airstream 2. It is another product from Germany, specifically from Freiburg in Black Forest, a town where incredible number of mountain bikers and cyclists live.

With that in mind, it is no surprise to us,t that the Airstream is certified for use on the public roads.

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IN PRACTICE

CONCLUSION

The lamp body is very compact and has visible ribs for better heat management. This is necessary because modern LED lights tend to get very warm what also has impact on their performance. The manufacturer indicates that already a minimal air flow is sufficient to maintain optimal cooling.

To improve the efficiency of the lamp and to increase the life of the electronics, the Airstream has an additional sophisticated system, which gradually reduces brightness in case of overheating danger. Once cooled down to a safe level, the previously set dimming strength is automatically restored.

The Supernova comes as a standard with a handlebar mount. Version we tested had also additional helmet mount. The lamp is very easily installed. Switching on and off is done by a small button on the top of the unit. It allows also to intuitively choose between three available dimming modes. Once turned on it becomes immediately clear, that the level of illumination offered by Airstream 2 is notably different from other lamps in our test. Its light beam pattern is typical for lamps with road approval and is optimized to avoid blinding other road users.

Quality appearance, ease of use and a good fluorescent image make the Supernova Airstream 2 the perfect companion for the road and unlit cycle paths outside the city. However, for a proper off-road night riding its luminous flux of very modest 205 lumens is too little. But let’s not forget that this is not the target use of this lamp. We see it as a suitable lamp for bikers who often finish their winter rides in the falling dusk and need just simple light to find the way home.

www.supernova-lights.com

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5

NATURAL SHINE PIKO

OUTPUT: LIGHT MODES: RUNTIME: WEIGHT: BATTERY CAPACITY: CHARGING TIME: PRICE:

2000 Lumen programmable, 6 modes 2h at 2000 Lumen, 15h at 200 Lumen 235g 7.0 Ah 3-5h 135 EUR

The Natural Shine Pico is by far the cheapest lamp in our test. The manufacturer from Barcelona has many different lamps for different applications in the program. We tested a model called Pico, which is designed for touring, road bikers and MTB. The Pico comes in a beautiful Suitcase with extensive equipment such as helmet and head mounts, an extension cord, various fastening straps and USB charging cable.

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OUR IMPRESSIONS

CONCLUSION

Right at first glance it is notable, that the Spanish producer have thought about users’ needs. The connection cable between the lamp head and battery is secured by a screw.

This prevents an unwanted power interruption which may occur when the connection comes loose. Apart from that nice feature, the build quality and materials are not as noble as in case of the other lamps we tested, but let’s not forget that the Natural Shine Pico is significantly cheaper and retails for only 135,00 EUR. On the trail, we noted that its luminosity - 2000 lumens according to the manufacturer - refers to a very small field. The beam is extremely narrow and doesn’t throw enough light in the peripheral areas.

This sort of performance we only experienced with very cheap lamps created by unknown producers located in the Far East. When you turn on the Pico, the rubber cover on the main switch tends to slip back and forth by few millimeters, which is not a big issue per se, but is one of few sign of rather low craftsmanship.

The Natural Shine Pico with its nominal luminous flux of 2000 lumens is greatly focused on a point, also the workmanship doesn’t impress as much as it does on the other tested lamps. Considering attractive price all mentioned faults can be justified. The lamp works on the trail without failures or defects. For a reasonable price you get with the Natural Shine Pico a well-equipped package, but you must be prepared for limited illumination.

www.naturalshine.eu

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BIKE INDUSTRY SHARE MANY SIMILARITIES WITH THE CAR OR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES - IT IS RULED BY FEW BIG PLAYERS, WHO ARE LEADING THE INNOVATION, SET THE TRENDS, AND THANKS TO THE SCALE EFFECT AND OVERSEAS PRODUCTION OFTEN OFFER UNBEATABLE VALUE FOR MONEY. THERE IS HOWEVER IN ALL THOSE INDUSTRIES A NICHE OF MANUFACTURERS WHO CATER TO CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN MORE EXCLUSIVE, SOPHISTICATED AND LESS MAINSTREAM PRODUCTS. ANTIDOTE BIKES, BASED IN CRACOW, POLAND, IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING BIKE COMPANIES IN THIS SMALL HIGH-END MARKET. THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF FRAME DESIGN AND CREATE TRUE STATE OF ART CARBON BEAUTIES. AFTER A DOWNHILL ORIENTATED AND WELL ACCLAIMED LIFELINE FRAME, AS WELL AS FOUR-CROSS PACEMAKER, THEY INTRODUCED EARLY THIS YEAR THEIR FIRST ENDURO SPECIFIC WEAPON - THE CARBONJACK. TEXT: Jakub Reichhart PHOTOS: Alexej Fedorov & Jakub Reichhart

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F I R ST L O O K Carbonjack, like all Antidote frames is hand-made in Poland with the highest attention to detail, which strikes already at the first glimpse. Front triangle, as well as swingarm are made of carbonfiber and Vectran composites which are molded with impressive precision. It would be a shame to hide it under a thick layer of paint, so the Carbonjack comes with highly polished clear coat, which reveals running carbon weave and shows the level of craftsmanship. Deep black color and angular shapes of front triangle with matching swingarm, may suggest that the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth fighter jet could have been designer’s inspiration. Taste is a very personal thing, but one have to admit that this frame looks really unique, setting new trends rather then following the existing ones. It is a true, exotic eye-catcher.

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F R A M E & S US PENS IO N The chassis is made of carbonfibre monocoque front triangle and matching fully carbon swingarm. Standard fibers have been combined with hi-tech material called Vectran, which is for example known to be used in production of spacesuits. It improves rigidity and gives a better protection against spot impacts. The whole frame is covered in scratch-resistant, highly polished clear coat. On the top-right side of the down tube there is a slot for internal routing of the ”stealth” type dropper seatpost cable. For those who decide to use seatpost with external routing, there are fixed eyelets which will nicely guide the cable along the right side of the toptube.

The BB92 pressfit bottom bracket shell features ISCG05 tabs. The frame is designed for 1x drivetrains so you won’t find an attachement to run front derailleur. Frame without the shock weighs 2.5kg.

Carbonjack is build around Antidote’s own FDS suspension, what stands for Floating Damping System. This is a variation of virtual pivot suspension design, in which the shock is compressed by upper and lower link simultaneously.

In case of Antidote, the bottom link also rotates concentrically around the bottom bracket shell, what gives the whole system extra stiffness and allows for shorter chainstays. This complex setup is not only neatly executed, but also offers very solid characteristics. As guys from Antidote claim - the bike stays high in its travel, it has superb small bump sensitivity, remains active under braking, and what is even more important for “modern endurist” - it has a very good pedaling efficiency with a minimal “pedal bob”. In order to make the most of this system, Antidote offers Carbonjack with a CaneCreek DB AIR CS shock, which is known for superb tuneability. Worth noting is the unique way of mounting the shock. It is turned 90 degrees and despite being bulky and having a reservoir, that way it fits perfectly in frame and gives easy access to all the adjustments. With 160mm of travel and 650B wheelset Carbonjack is promising to be a perfect base for great looking and well performing machine, which is ready to tackle anything from long alpine singletracks to demanding enduro races.

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size M

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C O M PO NENT S C HO IC E & B U I L DING PRO C ES S I consider myself to be a very conservative consumer, I consciously try not to follow any trends and I always think twice before I buy anything. This is probably why I’ve ridden the same bike for the last five years, claiming that it’s all about the rider and not the bike. But seeing rapid development in bike design I started to feel the crawling need for an upgrade. When I got a chance to get one of the very first Carbonjack frames, my hands got sweaty from excitement. I was always admiring exotic “dream bikes” but never thought I will ever build and ride one myself. With that in mind, I knew that commiting to this project would mean no compromises when it comes to components. I picked the very best parts I could afford, from brands I always liked and trusted. For brakes, crankset, hubs, headset and bottombracket bearing I’ve chosen Hope Technology. Apart from their unique style and proven reliability I much appreciate the fact that all their stuff is proudly made in England. Keep it local people! For rims, tires, saddle and grips I picked WTB, and for the drivetrain I stayed faithful to Shimano. To make it even more exclusive and continue the “carbon theme” I broke the bank and chose Enve Riser handlebar together with their unique carbonfiber Mountain stem. When it comes to suspension, mentioned CaneCreek DB Air CS shock is accompanied by proven RockShox Pike fork. For on-the-fly transformation into downhill mode, I picked a KS Lev Integral dropper post. To ensure that the building process will go smoothly and with the highest professionalism, which Carbonjack frame deserve, I turned to Alex from the Only Highend Bike Store in Karlsruhe, who has impressive skills and knowledge about bikes of all kind. After long late night hours and unspecified amount of beer and crisps the Carbonjack was born.

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C O MPO NENT S L IS T FRAME: ANTIDOTE CARBONJACK, SIZE M, 160MM, 650B FORK: ROCKSHOX PIKE RCT3 2015 DUALPOSITION AIR DAMPER: CANECREEK DOUBLEBARREL CS HEADSET: HOPE TAPERED BRAKES: HOPE TECH3 V4, 203 & 185MM FLOATING ROTORS STEM: ENVEE MOUNTAIN STEM 55MM 31.8MM HANDLEBAR: ENVEE RISER BAR 760MM GRIPS: WTB MOTO-X CLAMP-ON RIMS: WTB KOM 25MM 27.5” HUBS: HOPE PRO II 110 MM X 15 MM & HOPE PRO II 142 X12 TIRES: WTB VIGILANTE TCS TOUGH HIGH GRIP 2.3 & WTB BREAKOUT TCS LIGHT FAST ROLLING 2.3 CRANK: HOPE CRANKSET 175 MM BOTTOM BRACKET: HOPE BB92 PRESSFIT CHAINRING: HOPE SPIDERLESS RETAINER RING 34T CHAIN GUIDE: HOPE SLICK GUIDE SHIFTER: SHIMANO XTR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO XT PEDALS: HT COMPONENTS X1 CHAIN: SHIMANO XT CASSETTE: SHIMANO XT 11-36 + HOPE T-REX 40T RITZEL SADDLE: WTB VOLT TEAM TITANIUM SEATPOST: KS LEV INTEGRA 150MM SEATCLAMP: HOPE WEIGHT: 13.9KG

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O N THE TR A IL

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C L I M B ING & S PRINT ING A 65.5 degree head angle combined with 73 degree seat angle make Carbonjack well balanced and ready to comfortably tackle pretty much any climb. Even if you’re a “mountaing goat” type like me, who just for the fun of it like to conquer some ridiculously steep and technical walls, you will find the Carbonjack to be a playful companion. Finding a comfortable position which gives a good weight distribution and traction wasn’t a struggle with a seat tube angle of 73 degrees. I rarely experienced rear wheel spin or front wheel bouncing of the ground. To further improve the comfort on longer and steep climbs, which are inevitable on many enduro races, I opted for the Double Position Rockshox Pike fork, which has a lockout option and allows to drop the travel down to 120mm. This combined with the CaneCreek DoubleBarrel Climb Switch turned on, gives a suprisingly rigid pedalling platform. I must say it was one of the first things that amazed me the most during my early rides on Carbonjack. Even with the Climb Switch switched off, the suspension feels very well balanced and rigid, making the bike very responsive during acceleration. This is what one of the things, which I really enjoyed and appreciated, especially while racing this season.

There are however few drawbacks as well. Frame design allows only one specific mounting position of the shock in which the Climb Switch is then located at the bottom, making it inaccessible for “on the fly” adjustment.

As we learned at this year’s Eurobike, CaneCreek is not planning to offer remote control for their shocks anytime soon. Another thing worth noting, is that in order to achieve the maximum performance of the FDS suspension you have to, of course correctly set up your shock, what in case of CaneCreek DoubleBarrel is a task which requires a fair bit of knowledge and experience, or patience for the “trial and error” approach. Well, maybe it isn’t a drawback per se, but if you are a rider without much engineering or physics knowledge, be prepared to broaden your horizons and invest some time in it. It is always good to learn, it is well worth it! Luckily CaneCreek provides lots of useful info and instructions which help to understand how the shock works and how to set it up. Nevertheless, it took me nearly a month of fiddling with the adjustments on every ride, before I found my “sweet spot” setting.

Last thing worth noting is the subjectively low bottom bracket, which again isn’t a bad thing per se (it gives lower center of mass what improves stability and cornering), but with 175mm long crank arms it also result in reduced pedalling clearance. I clipped the ground dozen of times and lost nearly all pedal pins before I learned the safe clearance height. This issue is of course much more prominent when the fork’s travel is lowered, so extra caution is required while pedalling over uneven ground.

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D E SC E NDING Having previously ridden a 26” wheeled bike which technologically was good 6 years behind current bikes, the sensation given by Carbonjack on our first rides felt really intense to say the least. Suddenly I felt like I was somehow riding slower on my well known local descents and the reasons for that were not that obvious at first. As I figured out with time, the speeds which used to be on the edge of my comfort zone and my old bike’s limits, became to be far from the limits of Carbonjack, leaving to me plenty room for improvement in terms of confidence and speed. It was my confidence, or rather deficiency of it, what held me back from getting anywhere close to this bike’s limits and unleashing its full potential. Sensing its big capabilities became frightning and very exciting at the same time, and it was a clear sign of a new, interesting chapter in my develeopment as a rider.

It is my first bike with 27.5” wheels and switching to it in the middle of the season after long years on 26” wheeled bikes, I can say only one thing size actually does matter. In fact those 1.5” make a whole lot of a difference.

It was especially noticable when riding down a rough and less flowy terrain, where it’s really difficult to keep the momentum. Big wheels ability to easily roll over obstacles combined with plushness of the suspension made me soon hit rough trails with much more speed and confidence than ever before. RockShox Pike fork doesn’t need much introduction, it has set a benchmark of performance and still rule the market of single crown enduro forks. Here it also turned out to be a perfect match for the superb CaneCreek DoubleBarrel CS shock. This combo make Carbonjack feel like it has more travel than it really has. It soaks up obstacles with ease but also gives the rider enough feedback on the terrain. Despite being plush and very sensible to small bumps it remains very composed and responsive.

With correctly adjusted shock it quickly recovers from harsh compressions and as advertised, tends to stay high in its travel. After only few weeks of riding I felt much more confident hitting bigger jumps with flat landings and some occasional sketchy drops. It gives you the impression, that the faster you ride, the more stable, planted and predictable it becomes. But it were the enduro races where I profited from it the most. Racing “on sight” in an unknown terrain often result in some less than optimal line choices which could have had bad consequences if the Carbonjack was not as stable and forgiving as it proved to be.

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C O R NERING Despite having slightly longer chainstays and wheelbase than most of the competition in its class, 438 and 1182mm respectively, the Carbonjack offers decent cornering ability. Low bottom bracket and therefore low center of gravity make the bike feel very stable and secure while turning. However, in tight switchbacks it had some difficulties. The longer wheelbase and reach visibly reduced maneuverability. In such situations alternative techniques like tifting an throwing the back wheel came in handy and allowed to more efficently overcome tight hairpins. On the positive note, what is very noticeable, especially in sharp and rough turns, is the incredible stiffness of Carbonjack’s chassis. It literally feels like cornering on rails. Rapid changes of direction and weight shifts make the bike instantly react and pricesely follow the given direction.

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C O NC LUS IO N Antidote Carbonjack proves that it has way more to offer than just an exotic look that turn heads. Modern and well balanced geometry, very clever, progressive and effective suspension system, based on arguably world best shock, are making this frame a perfect base for a truly “confidence inspiring” bike, which will help you to push the boundaries of your comfort zone in a controlled but still fun manner. Doesn’t matter if you are a trail rider or a hobby racer like me, you can be sure that Carbonjack has plenty of potential and offers wide margin for rider’s errors. After 6 months of regular abuse including 4 demanding enduro races, the Carbonjack, apart from some minor inevitable scratches, showed no signs of excessive wear or major faults.

It is however not free from small shortcomings. The rear shock placement makes it exposed to the dust coming from the back wheel. According to Antidote the solution for it is on the way, but for the time being you have to be creative and find alternative to protect the shock (my secret tip: RRP Neoguard). Another thing which I as racer would happily welcome is a bottle cage mount. There is plenty of room for it, so hopefully future frames will have it as a standard. Rear wheel is held in place by Antidote’s own rear axle with 6mm Hex bolts, which is a safe solution for sure, but a quickrelease axle would be great and could help save those precious seconds while repairing those annoying ‘on stage’ punctures.

Antidote Carbonjack isn’t a bike for everyone and it’s not aspiring to be one either. It is a brave, well thought out and beautifully executed creation of a small company driven by big dreams and ideas. Boys at Antidote are pushing the envelope of bike design and engineering, consequently making their own path instead of following the others. Their unique products similarly to exclusive boutique brands from the world of fashion, motoring or luxury accessories, serve a small clientele which is willing to pay high price for the highest quality, best materials and top craftsmanship. This can nowadays be achieved only by in-house producers, what has its cost. Carbonjack frame without the shock retails for 2999€. There is an option to choose green, black or white decals. You can also get CaneCreek DBCS Air shock for extra 400€. Next year also build kits at very attractive prices will be available.

All frames are made to order and the boys at Antidote are open for further customization upon request. They are also working on new exciting downhill frame, which is due to arrive early next year, so stay tuned! www.antidotebikes.com

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LESS IS MORE Why to use a chainguide when narrow/wide chainrings combined with clutch derailleurs are promised to be the ultimate solution for modern drivetrains? Theoretically the chain should not drop off the chainring. However, as the practice proves, on the trail and especially in tough conditions or when the drivetrain is worn out, this promise often can´t be kept. How to solve that issue without adding excessive weight and ruining the sleek look of your drivetrain? German company 77designz says they have a perfect solution - the simple Freesolo guide.

Text & Photos: Thorsten Illhardt

77DESIGNZ IS A MANUFACTURER OF MTB PARTS LOCATED IN MÜNSTER, GERMANY, FOUNDED IN 2007. THE CEO GIACOMO GROSSEHAGENBROCK HAS GAINED A LOT OF ATTENTION AS HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMANON DOWNHILL FRAME IN THE PAST. HE IS A FAST DH RACER AND MECHANICAL DESIGNER, HE ALSO EARNED A DEGREE IN PRECISION MECHANICS, WHICH IS AN INDICATION THAT HIS INVENTIONS WOULD NOT ONLY BE WELL DESIGNED, BUT WOULD ALSO WORK PROPERLY. WE HAVE PUT HIS MINIMALISTIC FREESOLO CHAIN GUIDE INTO THE TEST TO PROVE ONCE AND FOR ALL IF LESS CAN REALLY BE MORE IN CASE OF CHAIN GUIDES.

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While most of chainguides use lots of aluminum, plastics or carbon, the Freesolo chainguide from 77designz comes in super light and minimalistic shape. Its weight starts at only 17 gram including titan mounting hardware.

As Giacomo claims, it is the lightest chainguide on the market. In combination with super light crashplate, the scale shows only 43 gram for a raceproof chain guide! Truly astonishing result and a proof of creative madness of 77designz!

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MOUNTING

ADJUSTMENT

The 77designz Freesolo chainguide is available for several mounting standards, such as E-Type, HDM, ISCG 03 and the ISCG 05 which we tested under real conditions. Its main backplate is fixed by only one M6x10 bolt to the upper thread of the ISCG 05 mount. The backplate has a slotted hole, which allows adjusting in radial direction.

For axial adjustment, a 0.5 and 1.0 mm washers are included. When the backplate is mounted, it is secured against rotation by two small aluminum arms, which hold onto the bottom bracket housing. Very simple!Â

The upper nylon slider has to be adapted for use with 1x10 or 1x11 system. Therefore small gear spacers are included, as well as spacers to adapt to 49.0, 49.5 and 50.0 mm chainline.

The mounting and adjustment is as easy as pie and done in no time.

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ON THE TRAIL Many chainguides do a good job at keeping the chain in place, but the vast majority of them also make noises due to sliding or wobbly chain, not to mention their often totally excessive weight.

The Freesolo however, once correctly set, makes no noise at all. More importantly, it hasn’t drop the chain even once during our test, no matter what the conditions were encountered.

We tested it on wet, muddy trails, as well as on long and rocky alpine descents and we never had trouble nor issues with its performance.

It is difficult to find words for a chainguide which is doing its job perfectly and whereof you don´t take any notice.

CONCLUSION Our conclusion can only be as simple as this chainguide. We are simply astonished by this small component and think it is worth every penny. Thinking about new chainguide?

Get 77designz Freesolo and forget about noisy drivetrain and danger of losing your chain!

For more info and prices go to:

www.77designz.com

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. r e t s a F . e y l d i t R n e d fi n o C e Rid

www.trailmech.com

LAYER UP WITHOUT BULKING UP Each autumn brings the same question: what shall I wear during the cold and wet off-season? Will a soft shell be enough or should I take more protection against the the nasty and quickly changing weather?

We tested three premium jackets which have potential to be the right answer!

Text: Thorsten Illhardt & Alexej Fedorov | Photos: Thorsten Illhardt

VAUDE MINAKI

Vaude answer for the winter riding is the Minaki PrimaLoft jacket. While normal soft-shell clothing chills out very fast if you take a break or stop moving, PrimaLoft insulation promise to keep the warmth inside. The material is super light and can be packed very tight. The front and shoulders consist of 80% windproof outer material, which should also offer decent breathability. This ensures the rider will not freeze on long downhills, but also not sweat too much on the uphill. Tight cuffs keep the wind out and on the back and underneath the sleeves you will find insets made of stretchable material. Outer material is water repellent, which is necessary for cold and wet riding days typical for the off season, but it won’t withstand a proper, heavy rain. In such case a specific rain jacket would have to be worn on top. The Minaki has a non-stop front zipper and two large front pockets, which can also be used as vents to improve the breathability. Two zipped side pockets can easily store your gloves, smartphone or 154 | Let’s Ride! MTB Magazine | Issue 3 / 2015

cleaning cloth for your glasses. A well thought-out feature is the silicon rubber coating on the lower hem. This helps to stop the jacket from moving upwards, which can be very annoying. Unlike other jackets, the cut of the Minaki is not as tight. Our first riding experience with this jacket was at the Reschenpass in Italy, in the end of September. The conditions were dry but very windy and rather cold with temperatures around 6°C. The jacket was worn as a second and last shell above a functional base layer. On the trail it offered excellent riding comfort. The material kept its promise and efficiently pushed the cold wind away. I never had to deal with excessive sweating on the uphill. Through the large zipper and the ventilating pockets on the front, a consistent temperature could easily be maintained.

With increasing temperatures in the afternoon, the Minaki jacked found a place in an EVOC Daypack without taking too much space.

CONCLUSION We are absolutely satisfied by the Minaki jacket.

It fits well, is not too tight nor too loose, and it keeps the rider warm and has lots of wearing comfort. Even though the long-term durability cannot be confirmed during the period of our testing, we expect it to have high longevity the Vaude products are known for. The price of circa 160,00 EUR is a fair deal for an item as good as the Minaki Jacket.

PRICE: 160 € SIZE: S - XXXL COLORS: BLUE, YELLOW, BLACK www.vaude.de

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GONSO BOUNDARY V2

The bright red Thermo-Active-Jacket Boundary V2 from Gonso has an extended back and comes in a “racecut”.

Size medium fits quite tight, but without restricting rider’s movement. There is a silicone strip around the waist which prevent the jacket from moving upwards. On the wrist there is an inner sleeve which keeps rain and wind away. The front and back is stuffed with highly insulating PrimaLoft material. The outer shell is also water repellent.

In order to increase the comfort and help maintain the heat, the shoulders and some parts of the sleeves are made of stretchy fleece material that’s also windproof and water repellent. The 100 gram padding should guarantee to keep you warm during autumn and winter rides.

A small pocket in the chest area can be used for storing mobile phone, money or keys. On the lower back is a larger pocket which can take some food, gloves or goggles.

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stripes and logos. Unfortunately the proper winter haven’t started yet in our area, so to test it we had to take it for a night ride when temperatures dropped to 0°C. While out in the wilderness, the Boundary was very comfortable and worked well keeping me worm during short breaks.

On longer downhill sections it was breaking the wind efficiently and not letting the body to cool down too much.

On the uphills however, despite having just a baselayer underneath, I was sweating more than expected.

Mentioned fleece sections on the shoulders and sleeves were not able to sufficiently regulate the temperature. A proper vents would be here very desirable. The packing size is a bit bigger than a normal rain-jacket, so keep that in mind when loading your backpack. What I disliked is the hidden zipper on the lower back. It is quite hard to use and the material above it was often trapped in the zipper itself. The band collar kept the neck warm, but it also used to interfere with and catch the helmet’s strap.

CONCLUSION The Gonso Boundary is a solid jacket with a comfy cut and a very well working insulation. Apart from the issue with ventilation, it has only few minor faults. For a fair price you get a good protection which can be worn in a wide variety of off-season activites, without beeing recognized as a bike jacket, which is a plus in our opinion.

PRICE: 159,95 â‚Ź SIZE: S - XXXL COLORS: RED, GREEN, BLUE, BLACK www.gonso.de

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X-BIONIC WINTER SPHEREWIND LIGHT

Swiss brands are known and respected for their remarkable quality and advanced technologies. X-Bionic with their wide portfolio of high-tech apparel for outdoor, motorsport and even military is no different. Their award-winning materials and designs are a promise of the highest performance. The Winter Spherewind Light jacket features clever 3D-BionicSphere system which located on the back and guarantees optimal temperature regulation. It quickly and effectively wicks and transports the moisture away from the jacket’s interior. The front and sleeves are made of windproof and water repellent Symbionic membrane, which also helps to balance the heat regulation. All used materials are very stretchy and lightweight, what significantly improves the comfort. The collar and cuffs feature so called Diffuser; a material with specially designed ribs that create space between body and the jacket, which then allows the air and moisture to escape. On the back there are three large, open pockets 158 | Let’s Ride! MTB Magazine | Issue 3 / 2015

and one small with a zipper. The Spherewind has also cleverly placed reflectors. Due to the small packing size it’s ideal not only for winter, but also for early spring or late autumn months, when you’re very likely to experience 4 seasons in one day. What strikes at first sight is the superb craftsmanship and top quality of used materials. However, we found the sizing quite odd, as M felt a bit more like S. Once in action, despite the sizing issue, it proved to be highly comfortable and really breathable. On the climbs where I normally heavily sweat I felt surprisingly fresh, like I have just warmed up. On the downhills it offered sufficient protection against the wind. Despite water repelling outer shell, we recommend to wear on top a proper rain jacket in case of heavy rainfall. We found the zipper on the back a bit too tight and its pocket somewhat hard to access.

Also the stitches on the elbow area felt a bit thick and stiff, what is probably due to the fact, that the jacket is sewn together from many panels.

CONCLUSION The Winter Spherewind Light is very well designed and executed jacket, which use clever high-tech materials that actually work exactly as advertised. Unlike previously presented jackets, it has no insulation, but we are convinced that it would still keep us warm even in very low temperatures - at least as long as we keep on moving. Its small drawbacks are not noticeable while riding, but the objectively high price might not be for everyone, regardless of the “Made in Italy” badge.

PRICE: 289 € SIZE: S - XXXL COLORS: BLACK, BLACK/ORANGE, BLACK/WHITE www.x-bionic.com

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E*THIRTTEN TRS+ CRANKSET & LG1 CHAIN GUIDE Text and photos: Alexej Fedorov

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TRS+ CRANKSET Finally a new crank! I was very happy to get the E13 TRS+ right before the start of the TrailTrophy enduro race in Breitenbrunn.

Thanks to provided tools and manual the last minute installation was pretty quick and straightforward, and I could be in time on the start line. Off we go!

The TRS+ is made for 1x and 2x drivetrais. The 1x setup is done with a direct mount E13 single chainring, which works with cassettes ranging from 8 to 11 sprockets. I‘m running a 1x10 setup with a 32T chainring in front and a 11-36 cassette, what is gives a good ratio for less hilly terrain like the Breitenbrunn trail center or my hometrails. On the alpine trails around Innsbruck I was forced to use a 40T cassette expander from E13 to be able to conquer longer and steeper climbs.

INTENDED USE: ENDURO/AM

INCLUDED: COVER, TOOLS, STICKERS

LENGTH: 170 MM, 175 MM (TESTED)

CRANKSET PRICE: 249 €

WEIGHT: 558GR, MIT 32T 634GR

BOTTOM BRACKET: 64,95 €

BB: 68/73MM BSA, PF30, BB30, BB92

CHAINRING: 60,90 €

CHAINRING: 28 – 38T

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LG1 CHAIN GUIDE The LG1+ chainguide proved to be a perfect companion for the TRS+ crank. Due to my old XTR rear derraileur without the Shadow Plus technology I was more than happy to have the LG1+ stopping my chain from falling off. The chainguide is easy to install and adjust. The top guide of LG1+ is quite easy to open what allows to easily slide in the chain and set the correct height. The capacity is for chainrings ranging from 28 to 38T. All adapters, as well as a bashguard are included.

MOUNT: ISCG 05 OR 03 CAPACITY: 28 - 38 T GEWICHT: 136G (30T), 159G (34T), 167G (38T) PRICE: 159â‚Ź

CONCLUSION The E13 TRS+ Crank and LG1+ chainguide never let me down in my 3 months of testing. The shifting felt flawless, the chain was running smooth, silent and more importantly I never dropped it, even in the hardest terrain. The products from E13 convince with their quality worksmanship. But that comes at a price, which is rather high. That is probably the only downside of their products. www.bythehive.com/e-thirteen

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SPLIT S1 TER

RRAIN

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SPLIT BIKES Eurobike 2015. On one of the booths we met two friendly guys who were standing in front of quite intriguing looking bikes. On the first sight they looked like regular hardtails with some cool components like Rohloff hub and carbon drive belt, but when we had a closer look we spotted two quick-release handles, on the top and down tube. We got it! These are folding bikes!

Text and photos: Alexej Fedorov

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FRAME We loved that concept and were eager to try it. Soon we received the S1 Terrain model, which as promised by the producers, is able to perform well in variety of envrionments, from city streets to proper offroad trails. The frame is handmade from 6061 aluminium. LOCTube Technology is called the system which holds the frame together. Once folded it is visible how robust is this system made. The connecting ends are made of one thick aluminim tube, which looks like it can withstand enourmous forces and prevent the frame from snapping or folding by itself.

We must admit, it really looks trustworthy. There are also few beautifully crafted accents like the embeded logo on the head tube, which shows high attention to detail and regard for aesthetics.

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COMPONENTS On the front the Magura TS8 fork with 120mm travel is taking care of suspension duties. This much travel should definitely be enough for most trail conditions. Magura also delivered the brakes - MT8 model with carbon lever. The 27,5” wheels, except for Rohloff Speedhub 500 with 14 gears, are Split’s own production. Schwalbe Rapid Bob tires are taking care of the grip. Cockpit is made of 70mm Easton Haven stem and 760mm wide Haven Carbon handlebar. Both are with 35mm diameter.

Seatpost also comes from Easton - the EC90 model with 31.9mm diameter. The saddle is quite exotic - Morgaw Trian.

High quality RaceFace SIXC crankset keeps the bike going.

The total weigh reaches nearly 13.5kg - not very light for a hardtail. But let’s find out how it rides!

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OUR IMPRESSIONS I will break the rule and start my review by describing the things I did not like. The saddle is a very personal thing, but the Morgaw Trian was for me too narrow and not flat enough. Rohloff hub is a great invention and works really well, but strangely I often had a feeling of being in a wrong gear. It was hard to distinguish if it was due to the transmission ratio or the available gears.

I also found it hard to get used to the lack of tension offered by the traditional chain drivetrain. This sensation however, would probably be gone after some time. Schwalbe Rapid Bob tires are good for the city or gravel roads, but for a proper trail they were too light and prone to punctures, what happened to us more than once, in the back wheel, in the middle of the forest. If you forget to take your 15mm spanner you are literally screwed with the Rohloff hub. Removing back wheel is also not as straightforward as in case of traditional hub.

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Now let’s find out what I liked about the Split S1 Terrain.

All carbon parts used on this bike high-quality and good looking. The combination of long 70mm stem and wide handlebar surprised me positively. Despite steep 71 degrees head tube angle, the bike is not nervous and can be controlled very precisely. The 429mm long chainstays allow to nicely go around the bends or pull a wheelie. Thanks to relatively long toptube the rider’s weight distribution is well balanced.

The geometry makes it really fun to ride, but the 73 degrees seat tube angle could be steeper in my opinion. We’ve thrown the S1 off small jumps up to 1m height without any problems.

The only thing you have to get used to is the noticeably heavy Rohloff hub and therefore the whole rear end. All components worked well throughout our test, the bike felt comfortable and fun to ride, both in the city and on the trail.

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Now let’s fold the S1 together! Finally this is a folding bike! To do that you just have to loosen the two quick-release handles on the top and down tube and pull the frame halves apart.

Easy! Similar with the pedals. They use clever plug-in system which makes removing them a piece of cake. If you like, you can skip that system and normally install your own pedals. The only tool needed for folding the bike is a Hex key for the stem and handlebar. The bike comes with a useful transport bag, which in our opinion needs a few small improvements. For example the handles are placed too high and are a bit too long.

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CONCLUSION For whom is this bike? Well, firstly for people with higher budget, as the price of 4.795$ isn’t low for a bike that’s still just a hardtail. There is however a singlespeed option that costs significantly less - 3,595$. The Split S1 Terrain is quite specific and exotic with some really high-end components which promise to keep it going without any hassle. It has a wide range of applications and thanks to the clever folding system it is be a perfect companion for a frequent traveller who accept no compromises and needs a capable bike for city as well as trail riding.

PRICE: 4,795$ (with Rohloff Speedhub), 3,595$ (singlespeed) www.splitbikes.com

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reverse Pedal

Black one Pedal size 100*100mm, Pedal height 14,5 mm Pin height 4mm above platform, Alloy body with 20 alloy pins Optional available all colored pins (US Size) Weight: pair 309g (with 40 alloy pins) Price: 119,90 €

GERM AN

QUALITY PAssIon engIneerIng

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GOPRO HERO4 SILVER EDITION GoPro is since years the unquestionable king of the action camera market, but are they able to keep the pace and stay ahead of the growing competition?

Text & Photos: Alexej Fedorov

We’ve been using GoPro cameras since the Hero1 model and were always pretty satisfied with them at the time when they were on the top of their game. The development of electronics of all kind doesn’t seem to slow down, what gives us, customers a chance for a major upgrade roughly every one or two years.

Once the Hero3+ came out we were very impressed by the immense improvements over the previous Hero2 model. The last addition to the GoPro family is the Hero4 (Silver Edition in case of this test) which came out in late 2014. It is not that far ahead of the Hero3+ in terms of video quality, but it has few other features which impressed us a lot. The new camera is yet again smaller, lighter and much easier to operate thanks to a new integrated touch display.

The menu and procedures didn’t change much, so without reading the manual we mounted the camera straight on the chest mount harness and went for a ride. We won’t go too much into the details and list all the possible video and photo settings (there 186 | Let’s Ride! MTB Magazine | Issue 3 / 2015

are lots of combinations available), so for more info visit the GoPro website.

We have set our camera to 1080p/60fps, what in our opinion is the best choice for filming action sports with intention to publish the results online.

For more professional results there are also super hi-res modes to choose from: 2.7K with 30fps or 4K with 15FPS, as well as Protune function, which gives in post-production control over white balance, ISO, shutter etc. Previously mentioned touchscreen not only helps to easily navigate through the camera menu, but also allows to watch and trim freshly filmed action. There are 4 buttons on the camera that are always in reach: touchscreen ON/OFF, power/mode, control key and menu.

The Hero4 showed us what an action camera should be like. The video quality is really impressive for such a small unit. It handles rapidly changing light conditions very well, however when it gets notably darker, the results may become visibly noisy, but

still way better than the previous models. There is no “Amazing Shot” button on it, so in order to get spectacular results you will have to get some practice and unleash your creativity . The ultra wide lense angle helps to catch truly unique perspectives.

There are also features like the night timelapse both for photo and video, or a photo burst mode with up to 30 frames per second. Another feature which we love since its introduction in Hero3 is the built in Wi-Fi which allows to operate camera via remote control or a smartphone app.

In comparison with the Hero3+ there is no huge difference in terms of video quality and functionality, however, what gives the Hero4 a clear advantage is the brilliant touchscreen which makes it so much easier to operate. Nevertheless, if you own a Hero3+ model we would recommend to hold on with an upgrade and wait for the Hero5 which is expected to arrive sometime in 2016. If you are the owner of older models like Hero1 (pictured here alongside Hero4)

or Hero2, then the decision whether to upgrade or not is very straightforward - go and get yourself one of the latest GoPro’s because their video quality and functionality are miles ahead of the old models, what can in itself be a motivating factor to get out there and get creative.

IN THE BOX: standard housing (40m), skeleton & touch backdoors, curved and flat adhesive mounts, quick release buckles, 3way pivot mounting arm, USB cable WE ALSO USED: Chesty (chest harness, 43€), The Tool (thumb screw wrench + bottle opener, 5€) OUTPUT: HDMI, USB STORAGE: microSD BATTERY: 1160mAh WEIGHT: 82g (camera + battery) PRICE: 429,99 € www.gopro.com letsridemag.com | 187

Style 01. DJINNS 02. DOUCHEBAG 03. KERBGOLZ 04. KNOG 05. ICHOC

Text and photos: Phil Sauder

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01. DJINNS Djinn’s is one of the leading brands in headgear-business.

But they do even more than headgear. Established in 2001, the German-based brand designs caps and hats, backpacks and shoes. We got the chance to wear shoes and caps and we can say that the quality seems to be very good – and even more importantly, the clothing looks very good and feels very comfortable while wearing.

The various colaborations with artists like Olson&Hekmati and others has made Djinns’s popular all over Europe, and Japan; a country with people focussed on fashion. With an eye on details and solid, good quality, DJINN‘S has a wide and unique range of sneakers, caps and bags, and follows the idea of having individual but also matching items in various colours and fabrics as one of its signature features. We love their style direction. For a very good price you get great shoes and headwear that will certainly help you stand out from the crowd.

Wearing the sneakers now for a couple of weeks we can say that they did not lose comfort. They seem to be very robust and are still looking good.

PRICE: Sneakers starting at 69,99€ (Easy Run Rubber Aztec Cognac), 6 Panel Snapbacks starting at 24,99€. www.djinns-shop.eu

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02. DOUCHEBAG BASE 15L BACKPACK The side opening allows for easy access. The Douchebag Base 15l is shaped very cleverly so you can pack in a lot of stuff, even though it is just a 15L backpack! The manufacturer delivers the backpack with a laptop pocket utilising a magnetic closure. In our opinion there is an issue with this notebook pocket: the pocket seems to be very small for 13“ or bigger notebooks.

That said, slim 11“ netbooks are no roblem and it is perfect for even the biggest tablets. Laptop concerns aside, this backpack alows you to carry a lot of stuff in a very comfy way. Next stop: rib cage. We say it is a very good idea. Here you can see that the guys from Db Equipment collaborated with pro basejumper Jokke Sommer. The rib cage keeps your stuff safe and sound. Thanks to the rib cage the cargo is safe even if you might fall on your back or drop it somewhere. With its stylish metal clips making it look even more like a basejumping rig, the Base 15L backpack can be hooked-up easily to other Db bags – very cool idea! The Base 15L feels very light (real empty weight is 1,1kg) and feels comfortable wearing with the measurements of 28,5cm (width) x 10,5cm (height) x 48cm (length). Regrettably, there is no chest or hip strap that supports the regular non-ventilated straps. We would love to see that. And we found something else that is somewhat unique: there is a pocket inside that opens downward.

Now while basejumping, the items in this upside-down pocket might stay inside but when you are carrying the backpack as a non-basejumper there might be some chaos inside the backpack.

Or maybe we got something wrong... A nice feature is also the small pocket on top of the backpack which can be opened and accessed very easily, and provides a whole lot of space for small issues like keys, smarthone, sunglases, wallet, etc.

Color Steel Gray PRICE: 99€ www.douchebags.com

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03. KERBHOLZ Founded in 2011/2012, the guys at Kerbholznow deliver a really cool and unique range of products: wooden sunglasses and wooden watches. The brand is all about handmade products manufactured with some of the most precious woods in the world. We got the Alfons Zebrano shades. They have a unisex frame that is very light. The wooden frame is certainly very stylish and feels comfortable, too. This sunglasses are made of zebrano wood (biolog.: Microberlinia) hence the name. Every item has its own characteristics. As you can see the Alfons Zebrano is not a completely new design, but it is a timeless piece of artwork.

What we like: Order the sunglasses and take them to your local optometrist to get the necessary lenses you require for your vision.

PRICE: 129,00â‚Ź www.aufdemkerbholz.de

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04. KNOG The Australien based company KNOG knows how to surprise us time and time again with their new products and crazy ideas. The Booth at the Eurobike looked like the Laboratorium of the Crazy Professor, the Employees wore Lab Coats and the Catalog looks like it´s straight out of the X-Files. We chose two lights for testing, the Blinder Road 400 headlight and R70 rear light, as well as the Straight Jacket Fatty bike lock.

The Twin Set never let us down while testing. There is however one issue we have to point out - the Blinder headlight has is hard to operate when wearing gloves. Although the lights have been designed for smooth city cycling, they are quite good as a additional light for Mountainbiker.

Minimalistic and stylish design makes every Bike an eyecatcher. Both lights are availabe in 4 colours: Black, Pewter, Ruby, Silver.

THE BLINDER ROAD 400

Blender Road 400 - PRICE: 94,90 € Blender Road R70 - PRICE: 59,90 €

It weighs out of the box 105 grams, which is not light but a good weight to power ratio considerd you get 2 High-intensity LED´s tucked away in a robust and 100% Waterproof Aluminum casing. While on full Power mode with 400 Lumen you have up to 1,5 hours before you have to recharge the Blinder Road 400. With lower light modes you get up to 9 hours out of it and Flashing up to 11 hours. A Battery Indicator tells you when to recharge, which takes about 5 hours. In the box are 2 silicone straps to mount the light on 22 - 28 mm and 29 - 35 mm Handlebars, a Helmet mount, a USB Cable and of course the instruction.

BLINDER R70 It shares some features with the Road 400 like the 100% Waterproof casing and a Battery Indicator.

You have the option of 5 modes in the R70 with varying run times which are 3.5 hours in Steady mode, 4 hours in Fast, 5 hours in Chaser, 13 hours in Peloton Mode and 20 hours in Eco-Flash. You get again 3 silicone straps to mount the R70 on any Seatport including aero Posts, a USB Cable and the Instruction.

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STRAIGHT JACKET FATTY BIKE LOCK Another important product from KNOG is the Straight Jacket Fatty Bicycle Lock. We have been happy not to check the reliabilty for real, as none of our Bikes have been stolen. It´s always good to have a lock in your Backpack and feel safe while your Bike is waiting for you. Especially with a lock that has a security Level of 7/10. The Straight Jacket comes in a length of 80 cm which is more than enough to lock your frame away. The lock is made of a chain with a thin fabric cover and a rubberized lock to prevent scratches. Your Bikes safety comes with a price of 1,25 kg, certainly no lightweight, but we found it to be just okayish.

PRICE: 28,90 € www.knog.com.au

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05. ICHOC Interesting thing for all the vegans out there: it is possible to have the great taste of chocolate and happily eat vegan all at once.

Rejoice! Trust the Germans to figure it out. iChoc offers four flavours: Almond Orange, Choco Cookie, White Nougat Crisp, and White Vanilla. As we mentioned above, all the flavours provided by iChoc are made within a vegan manufacturing process. It means it is 100% organic, with no emulsifiers and – of course – no animal products. Besides being vegan, iChoc is also made with fair conditions which means that they work without child labour, pay fair wages and pack their bars in an environmentally-friendly way. Every bar has 80g of chocolate and a satisfyingly full taste.

The bars are made of sugar, cocoa, rice milk, and – depending on the flavour – different other ingredients. We like the idea behind iChoc and the smooth taste of the dark flavours, along with the sweetness of the white ones. If you eat this chocolate you won’t think of eating any other vegan sweets.

PRICE: 1,99€ per bar www.ichoc.de

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EDITORS Alexej Fedorov Thorsten Illhardt Phil Sauder Alex Burchell LAYOUT Jakub Reichhart PHOTOGRAPHY Alexej Fedorov Thorsten Illhardt Phil Sauder ADVERTISING Phil Sauder marketing@letsridemag.com

SPECIAL THANKS Alex Burchell Thomas Kappel

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