BACKSTA
PASS!
www.mbaction.com NOVEMBER 2009
SNEAK PEEK!
ALL-NEW HOT GEAR: SEE IT BEFORE THE BIKE SHOPS DO $4.99 Att’n Retailer: Please display until November 5
BMC TRAILFOX
GE
FELT VIRTUE
MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
CC C0 298 3
INTERBIKE SHOW PREVIEW INTERBIKE
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BATTLE PROVEN.
The HollowGram SI Crankset. The lightest, stiffest crankset on the planet. Standard on the Cannondale Factory Racing Team Scalpel.
The good fight. cannondale.com
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THIS MONTH Don’t wait for the Interbike Show to open its doors. We bring you the showstoppers early. Page 52.
46
BIKE TESTS
FEATURES
38 BMC TrailFox 01
42 Trek Unveils Its 2010 Lineup
Switzerland’s long-travel trailbike interpretation.
70 The Ellsworth Truth
The truth and nothing but the truth.
90 The Specialized Enduro SL Pro Carbon Own the entire mountain.
Faster, lighter and color-coordinated.
46 Ten Long-Travel Trailbike Tips
A hardtail with history.
South Mountain Bike Patrol, stewards of the preserve.
TECHNICAL
74 As Seen On ET
Three components from our Ellsworth Truth.
84 Inside The Pros’ Bikes
Max Plaxton shows off his Specialized cross-country racer.
106 The Downhill Workhorse Riding the 2010 RockShox Boxxer Team fork.
Make your bike do the work.
108 Damage Control
DESTINATIONS
96 Sedona’s Warm Welcome
Where to go when the snow falls.
Stop right there: The stoppers that we compare all other brakes to. They are from Germany. Page 74.
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78 Giant Rolls Out The 2010’s
104 Riders Who Inspire
TRAINING & FITNESS
112 Gary Fisher’s Hoo-Koo-E-Koo
4
Bet Lance wants to ride one of these.
Photo by John Ker
Photo by John Ker
70
Tips for surviving a crash.
MBA 2009 INTERBIKE PREVIEW
52 Backstage Pass To Mountain Biking’s Annual Trade Show
Over 70 products that you’ll see before the bike shops.
PEOPLE
88 Young Rippers
Introducing Cierra Smith.
COMPETITION
116 Crowning America’s 2009 Champions
America’s best battle at SolVista, Colorado.
DEPARTMENTS
12 Happy Trails
Damon, Rebeca and Priority Cycles.
16 Mac Attack
The application store.
20 Hard Tales
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Specialized shows off the rest of its 2010’s.
24 Trailgrams
126 Quick Releases
26 Trail Mix
130 Down The Trail
A new team, a new hope and more 29er intrigue. All you need is love and a camera. A warm vest, cool helmet and fast inflator.
35 Inside Line
More on mystery drag and getting tubed.
82 How To Subscribe To MBA.
Twelve issues for only $14.99 (lowest price of the year).
Bead it up: This handy gadget takes the work out of mountain biking’s most thankless job. Page 32.
108
Gear bags for hauling your stuff. Old tips that still ring true.
32 Thrash Tests
Photo by John Ker
Photo by John Ker
contents
VOLUME 24, NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER 2009
ON THE COVER (Clockwise from top left) New components pour out of our pre-Interbike special section. Aaron Gwin flies to a national championship. Photo by John “Are those thunderheads?” Ker. The 2010 Felt Virtue 2 gets a face lift and looks years younger. The BMC TrailFox is from a Swiss visionary who believes the only way to succeed is to make every design an over-the-top effort. Photo by John “The hills are alive” Ker.
MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION Magazine (ISSN 0895-8467 Canada GST 12500#9266RT: CPC INT’L. PUB MAIL 40024492) NOVEMBER 2009, Volume 24, Issue 11, is published monthly by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc., with editorial offices at 25233 Anza Dr., Valencia, CA 91355. Subscriptions $19.98 for 12 issues (one year). Canada add $12 additional postage for one year, $24 for two years. Foreign add $15 additional postage for one year, $30 for two years. Foreign subscriptions are shipped by surface mail and may take up to 15 weeks to receive. Copyright ©2009 by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted in whole or in part, by any means, without the express permission of the publisher. Contributors: Photographs should be submitted in digital form on CD or DVD. Images should be 4 megapixels or higher. High-quality, low-compression JPEG images are preferred. Please limit submissions to no more than 20 photos at one time. Transparencies and prints will no longer be accepted for consideration; such images should be scanned and submitted as high-resolution digital files. Captions should accompany all submissions. Make sure the photographer’s name, address, phone number and e-mail address are clearly labeled on each CD or DVD. Submissions will not be returned. Written articles should be submitted on CD (unless other arrangements have been made with the editors), saved as “text” files, and accompanied by a printed version. Written submissions, both on paper and CD, will not be returned. The publisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicited material. PERIODICALS: Postage paid at Santa Clarita, CA 91383, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mountain Bike Action Magazine, P.O. Box 958, Valencia, CA 91380-9058. Printed in U.S.A. For Canadian returns mail to: Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2.
WARNING: Much of the action depicted in this magazine is potentially dangerous. Virtually all of the riders seen in our photos are experienced experts or professionals. Do not attempt to duplicate any stunts that are beyond your own capabilities. Always use discretion and wear the appropriate safety gear.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
5
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Š2009 FOX Factory Inc. All rights reserved.
DHXrc4
rc2
40
MTB FR/DH
In a perfect world.
In a perfect world, you’d ride what the World Champ rides. At FOX we race what we sell. The 40® RC2 with FOX’s World Championship proven and proprietary FIT ™ technology produces incredibly consistent, fade-free damping, and FOX’s legendary chassis stiffness provides unrivaled steering confidence so you can push your limits. FOX Racing Shox. Purpose built. Race proven. We’re never done.
rC2
The DHX® RC4 is a new from-the-ground-up, purpose-built downhill shock with a World Championship on its resume in its rookie year. Externally adjustable high and low speed velocity sensitive damping and a completely redesigned Boost Valve® for position sensitive ending stroke control, act independently so you can dial in the perfect balance of traction, small bump compliance and big-hit absorption. Embrace your inner World Champion.
Visit our all-new website: foxracingshox.com
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MBA STAFF www.mbaction.com EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT JIM McILVAIN • EDITOR RICHARD CUNNINGHAM • EDITOR-AT-LARGE JODY WEISEL • FEATURE EDITORS ZAPATA ESPINOZA SEAN McCOY • MANAGING EDITOR JOHN KER • ASSISTANT EDITORS RYAN CLEEK KATHARINE McCOY JEFF SPENCER • TRAINING CONSULTANT JOHN TOMAC • CONSULTANTS MIKE BELL JOHN PERRY BRAD ROE • ONLINE EDITORS BradR@hi-torque.com TOM HINZ TomH@hi-torque.com
ART DEPARTMENT EDUARDO GUTIE´RREZ T • DESIGNER ALMA MARTíNEZ de DICSö • ASSISTANT DESIGNERS JACKIE CLEVELAND CASSANDRA MITTELBERG • COPY EDITOR LINDSAY WORDEN PAT CARRIGAN • PHOTO ARTIST WILLIAM C. HAWLEY IV • PRELIM COORDINATOR
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CARBON FIBER REPLICA HELMET
HILL SKULLS BLACK
SIMPLY THE BEST PROTECTION AVAILABLE FOR ACTION SPORTS
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DRED TREAD
C2C
EXCAVATOR Photo Credit: Chris Wood
HAPPY MEDIUM
BLUE GROOVE Photo Credit: Dean Howard
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john TOMAC signature series
KING TRACTI
OF ON
Photo Credit: Tom Lopes
TELONIX
HďšşFACTOR
EL MOCO
Photo Credit: craigglaspellphoto
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BBG
HAPPY TRAILS
By Richard J. Cunningham
F
rom Twin Falls, Idaho, to Mountain Bike Action’s offices in Southern California is a long stretch of driving for a one-day visit, but Damon Madsen and his wife, Rebeca, made the trip for the opportunity to show me his “Portafortuna” five-inch-travel, dual-suspension design. We had never met face to face, and I was unfamiliar with Priority Cycles (Damon is the lead designer, fabricator, welder and founder), so I had no preconceptions about the bike’s design or its intended purpose. All I knew was that the plan was to shake hands, go over the bike, take some technical photographs and then head out for an afternoon test ride. Damon and Rebeca drove straight through (check out Highway 93 on Google Earth, then tell me that was fun). They showed up early, got the 25-cent Hi-Torque tour and were ready to rock.
Damon’s candid, quiet demeanor did not mask his enthusiasm for building bicycles. He rolled the Portafortuna up and admitted that he used many of Brent Foes’ suspension concepts in the design. The 7007-alloy aluminum frame was beautifully painted with a creamy white sparkle finish, but its construction was a bit rough and angular—far removed from the curvy carbon and manipulated aluminum tubes that grace the latest big-brand bikes. That said, the Priority Cycles design sported a number of unusual features that begged for explanation. Any skepticism that I harbored about the utilitarian machine before me faded as Damon glided around his creation, describing the purpose of each detail. The triangulated swingarm was long and Foes-esque, with a scissor link above to control lateral flex and a single pivot located well ahead of the bottom bracket center. Machined arches and dogleg fittings reinforced the lengthy chainstays and directed the swingarm beneath the front derailleur and bottom bracket. He explained that, as complicated as it seemed, the forward pivot was the simplest way to achieve good pedaling without adversely affecting the suspension. Like Foes, Damon settled upon a low-leverage 2:1 12 www.mbaction.com
Damon Madsen
suspension rate, which drove a Fox DHX Air shock (“Its wide range of damping and rate adjustments made it the only choice”). By the time Damon finished his dog and pony show, I was really curious to ride the Portafortuna. During the pre-ride fiddling, our conversation traversed Damon’s budding career as a frame builder. He and his brother were inspired to build their first custom dual-suspension bike in high school after reading a line in MBA that mentioned that the easiest way to experiment with new designs was to grab a hacksaw and modify an existing bike. “It was a Schwinn Crossroads 700C bike,” Damon laughed. “We made a crude shock on an old lathe and grafted a swingarm onto the frame. The rear wheel was like, five inches off center, and it had something like a 76-degree head angle. We quickly learned a lot about bikes.” Damon’s interest lies in dual-suspension trailbikes, but he has built a number of designs, including hardtail 29ers and even a few road bikes. He freely admits that his Priority Cycles enterprise has not grown large enough to support him—yet—so Damon day-jobs as a machinist. Miracles happen; it wasn’t so long ago that I, too, was burning up welding rod well past midnight, hoping to break into the mountain bike biz. The three of us set off on a local loop that I often use for bike testing.
Damon rode my Santa Cruz Blur LTCarbon, Rebeca had a prototype Portafortuna much like the one I was riding—and I was surprised (to put it mildly) that Damon’s latest design was a sweet performer. Without touching a platform lever, the 29-pound trailbike breezed up the route’s steep singletracks and carved the twisting descents with a nimble and balanced feel. It boggles the mind that such accolades could be bestowed upon an industrial-looking machine, but the reality was that every attribute that Damon had previously ascribed to the bike was brought to life as I made my way around the test loop. Before I rode Damon’s Portafortuna, I would have scoffed at the suggestion that at such a late point in the mountain bike’s development cycle, an aspiring garage builder could produce a single-pivot suspension trailbike that could go wheel to wheel with the likes of Specialized and Trek in both the handling and pedaling departments—but I would have been wrong. Damon has to smooth out the cosmetics before his Portafortuna will be ready for prime time, but the engineering and performance are spot-on. I hope we hear more good things from Priority Cycles, and I guess I should thank Damon and Rebeca for driving such a great distance to remind me to dig a little deeper when I search for innovation—where the new sprouts live. ❑
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GAME. — NED OVEREND, STRETCHING HIS LEGS IN OAKLAND, CA
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GAME CHANGER.
“WHEN SPECIALIZED SHOWED ME THEIR CONCEPT FOR BRAIN TECHNOLOGY, I THOUGHT ‘THIS IS A GAME CHANGER’. I’M PROUD THAT FOX RACING SHOX HAS BEEN ABLE TO PARTNER WITH SPECIALIZED ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF THE NEW BRAIN REAR SHOCKS.” — BOB FOX, FOUNDER FOX RACING SHOX. TEST RIDE THE NEW STUMPJUMPER FSR AT YOUR SPECIALIZED DEALER AND SEE HOW BRAIN, FSR, AND TOTAL SUSPENSION INTEGRATION MAKE IT THE FASTEST CLIMBING, BEST HANDLING, AND MOST CAPABLE XC TRAIL BIKE OUT THERE.
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THE MAC ATTACK
By Jim McIlvain
Visiting The Application Store A s a rider who just a few years ago fell on the leave-it-behind side of the cell phone debate, it is hard to believe that today I feel naked if I leave for a ride without my trusty Apple iPhone stuffed in a hydration pack pocket. The little device has become as essential as the helmet on my head and the cushy chamois under my other end. The reason for jumping ships started out with safety concerns. Knock on wood, but after 20-some odd years of mountain biking, I’ve never found myself lost or seriously injured while on a ride. A good sense of direction and never giving in to peer pressure (“Come on Jimmy, you can jump down that.”) has worked pretty well for me. Still, the phone gets stuffed between the spare tube, patch kit, tire pump and Clif Bars, so I might save the day for some other trail user. But my iPhone has turned out to be so much more than a 911 terminal.
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Software from Apple’s application store turns the iPhone (or iPod Touch) into a supercomputer that would make Dick Tracy jealous. The application store has hundreds of applications that were written just for mountain bikers. Strolling the virtual aisles of the mountain bikers’ applications section, I couldn’t believe the apps being offered. SpinCycle: Place the iPhone in your baggy short pocket (or tuck it in the leg of your Lycra short) and this application monitors your spin. It instructs you to shift up or down based on your cadence, the incline of the trail and your exact location on the mountain (based on input from the built-in GPS sensor). You can choose between race, training or cruising modes, and you’ve got 32 voices to choose from for receiving instructions (mine is set on Sgt. Hartman, the gunnery sergeant from the movie Full Metal Jacket). Cheater Line: Using data acquired from GPS, enhanced satellite imaging and the U.S. Department of Interior maps, Cheater Line charts a crosscountry, Super D or 24-hour course and suggests where an unscrupulous rider can cut the course with the least likely chance of being detected. While the company protects the identity of the riders who have already purchased the program, they claim, “A number of top professionals, including two former national champions, are currently using the program.” Lift Line Time: Tired of waiting in the lift line at your favorite bike park? Lift Line Time monitors the length of the lift line and the number of riders coming down the mountain, beeping you when you will experience the shortest lift line wait. In The Bag: Ever drive to a trailhead only to find you forgot to pack your shoes, or gloves or helmet? Enable In The Bag, place your iPhone inside your gear bag and lift it up. The phone’s built-in accelerometer senses the bag’s weight and will alert you of what it thinks you are missing. “You forgot a shoe,” is broadcast in the voice of Jill Taylor (the “Home Improvement” mom). I don’t know how it does it, but this app even alerted me to a missing Halo headband.
Perfect Shift: Use the iPhone’s built-in camera to shoot a photo down the chainline (including the derailleur pulleys and cage) and this simple program instructs you which way and how much to turn the barrel adjusters on your shifters for perfect drivetrain shifting performance. It can identify Shimano or SRAM components (including the Truvativ HammerSchmidt crankset), and a SRAM XX group update is promised. An added feature alerts you to a bent derailleur hanger. Disaster Avoidance: Using all the tricks the iPhone offers (accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor and memory), Disaster Avoidance learns how fast you ride in different situations and calculates your riding ability. If it senses that you are riding over your head, it broadcasts “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!” in the voice of the “Lost In Space” robot. It’s already saved my skin on a number of occasions. Virtual Joe: Say you come to a tricky switchback and would like some coaching on how to clean the section. Take a photo of the section and let Virtual Joe do the rest. In a few moments, Virtual Joe delivers an animated video of Bikeskill’s Joe Lawwill riding the troubling section while giving tips for proper positioning and use of the bike’s controls. Skunk Dunk: Alerts the rider when an article of riding gear is omitting an offensive odor. We’ve heard this is one of the best-selling applications used as a gift. Bet you know somebody to give Skunk Dunk to. Stuff Yo Face: This app calculates how many calories you’ve burned on a ride and then suggests the appropriate amount of food to consume after the ride. It can be programmed for bakery, burger, pizza or Mexican food and, using the GPS feature, will actually order you the meal from a local restaurant so it is ready when you arrive. Ride It Off: The same as Stuff Yo Face except it tells you how long you have to ride to burn off the pizza, burrito and donuts you ate yesterday. Leave Me Alone: My favorite. It disables all the other programs and lets you enjoy your ride. ❑
ber his iPhone He cannot remem to reach have number, so you’ll ailing him at e-m by ac M y m Jim .com. ue rq -to hi @ Jamesmac
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FASTER,
NO
MATTER
THE
TERRAIN.
Designed for riders who appreciate the superior performance and quality of a lightweight, hand-built wheelset, Bontrager XXX, RXL, and Rhythm Pro wheels help you climb with less effort, accelerate out of switchbacks more quickly, and descend with greater confidence and control. Whether you’re looking for the lightest option for your 29er or an incredibly strong cross country wheelset for your trail bike, Bontrager has the perfect wheelset for the way you ride. Upgrade your ride to the legendary performance of Bontrager wheels. BONTRAGER.COM © 2009 TREK BICYCLE CORPORATION
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The Power of 4 The four most innovative brands in cycling have come together behind one singular goal: to craft the most advanced 2x10 cross country group ever: XX™ A complete group that weighs in at less than 2300 grams. The fastest, cleanest shifting in mountain biking. More options and adjustability than ever before. New patented technologies. Praised by the best riders in the world. Faster. Lighter. The game has changed.
Š 2009 SRAM, LLC
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Julien Absalon, Team Orbea and XX Test Rider
sram.com/xx
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HARD TALES
Going Big With Specialized
Specialized introduces their long-travel line in Whistler
I
n our October issue we brought you a first look at Specialized’s refined and redesigned cross-country and trailbike lines from Snowbird, Utah. For their gravity bikes, Specialized hosted media from around the world at Whistler Mountain, the world’s premiere gravity park. Whistler was the ideal spot for throwing a leg over the fifth generation of the Enduro all-mountain trailbike, and the Big
Hit and Demo downhill bikes. Along with ripping through Whistler on Specialized’s latest downhill creations, we had the opportunity to ride with Specialized team riders Sam Hill, Brendan Fairclough, Matt Hunter and Darren Berrecloth. We’ve included highlights of Specialized’s 2010 long-travel bikes in this month’s “Hard Tales.” SPECIALIZED SX TRAIL One of the most versatile and popular long-travel bikes, the SX Trail sees some major revisions for the 2010 model year. Most noticeably is the straightened-up top tube. The frame has trimmed down by a quarter of a pound thanks to new tubing and shock mount configuration. The bike park oriented SX Trail now has a 29.5-inch-wide handlebar, Specialized’s Clutch tires with the SX casing, FSA Gravity cranks and a Gamut shiftable chainguide. A favorite of Specialized team riders Darren Berrecloth and Matt Hunter, The SX Trail has dialed geometry for throwing big tricks or charging technical downhill terrain.
Race-specific: The 2010 Specialized Demo 8 features race-oriented fixed geometry, such as the 64-degree head angle and a 13.5-inch bottom bracket.
SPECIALIZED DEMO 8 II At first glance, the 2010 Demo 8 II downhill race bike may not appear to have undergone any changes other than new Team graphics. Not true! Specialized altered the D8’s geometry to meet the demands of their World Cup downhillers Sam Hill and Brendan Fairclough. The new Demo 8 has a 1.5-inch head tube and features the refined “Team” geometry with a lower bottom bracket, slacker seat tube angle and integrated bearing head tube for a lower handlebar height. In order to achieve the geometry tweaks, Specialized had to basically redesign the entire Demo 8 frame. The Demo 8 is built up with a Fox Shox DHX RC4 coil shock, a 29-inch-wide handlebar, the air-sprung RockShox Boxxer World Cup, and custom Avid Code brakes. You’ve heard us sing the praises for Specialized’s downhill tires, but we’re not the only ones who know their capabilities. Sam Hill and Brendan Fairclough are free to run any tires they choose, and they prefer to run Specialized’s downhill rubber. The 2010 Specialized Demo 8 is equipped with a Specialized Clutch front tire and a Specialized Chunder rear tire. We’ve ridden nearly every generation of the Demo 8 line, and we can say without a doubt the revised 2010 has the most active rear suspension to date, which means you’ll have more control on high-speed rugged terrain. Specialized says the complete Demo 8 II package weighs in at 38.5 pounds. Performance tune: The Demo 8’s FSR suspension separates suspension actuation from the wheel path. How progressive the suspension feels is governed by the subseat stay driving the shock.
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Built to go big: With relaxed geometry and short chainstays, the SX Trail is an agile long-travel machine built to shred bike parks. The 2010 SX Trail is claimed to weigh about 36.5 pounds.
Badge of honor: Specialized cold forges frame junctions that connect the bike, such as the head tube, to maximize frame strength.
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Trail tuned: The SX Trail is equipped with the new Fox Shox RC4 shock featuring a custom yoke that goes around the seat tube.
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HARD TALES
Specialized S-WORKS ENDURO The fifth generation of the Specialized Enduro gets a completely redesigned six-inch-travel “X-Wing” carbon fiber frame and custom-tuned Fox RP23BV shock with Fox’s Boost Valve technology. Specialized says the size medium S-Works Enduro weighs 26.8 pounds without pedals. The new frame aligns the shock and the seat stay for increased rear-end rigidity, and the drivetrain features a custom Shimano double ring 22/36 cranks and a Gamut shiftable chainguide. Specialized ditched their dual-crown fork found on the highend Enduros over the last few years, opting for the airsprung, single-crown Specialized E160 Future Shock fork. It has adjustable travel from 5.3 and 6.3 inches and a 20-millimeter Maxle thru-axle, and a claimed weight of just 3.9 pounds. Claimed to come in at under 27 pounds, the SWorks Enduro is an extremely capable bike, as it can crest the toughest climbs and roar through technical descents.
Cool cap: No part of the 2010 S-Works Enduro was left unrevised, including this ultra-lightweight top cap.
Do-it-all: The 6.3-inch-travel Enduro is built to conquer whatever the mountain throws your way, including technical climbs and challenging downhills. The Specialized Eskar tires and adjustable Command Post seatpost speak to the Enduro’s versatility.
SPECIALIZED BIG HIT If you’re looking for a capable downhill or park bike but are on a limited budget, the seven-inch-travel Big Hit was made for you. The Big Hit uses technology that has trickled down from the Demo line of bikes to create an affordable downhill machine. The Big Hit III features Specialized’s FSR suspension and has geometry dialed in for aggressive riding and agile handling. The Big Hit III features a Fox DHX 4.0 shock and a RockShox Domain fork with a 20-millimeter Maxle thru-axle. The Big Hit is equipped with a 29.5-inchwide handlebar and Specialized’s Clutch downhill tires.
22
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TRAILGRAMS
GOING BIGGER I was reading Richard Cunningham’s August “Happy Trails” and thinking about his obvious addiction to 29ers. I could not help thinking that he is already a generation behind. Everyone knows the real future is in 32ers. The 32er size will easily carry you over any obstacle, including curbs, stumps and Smart cars. The contact patch delivers insane grip, even with lightly knobbed tires, allowing smooth rolling and high traction. Sure, it will take frame designers and component manufacturers a little to optimize everything, but at this size, 1.5 inches of travel will feel like five inches on a less wheeled bike. The 32er will also allow for radical simplification of the drivetrain. There will be a need for only a 1x9 drivetrain with a granny out front. This will primarily be used for climbing, as the momentum from the 32er will carry the rider over any flat and downhill section once up to speed. Yes, change is always difficult, but once riders get a hold of the 32er, nothing else will do. Okay, I think 27.5-inch wheels are a better answer, but could not resist. Jeff Bradley Denver, Colorado 96er BACKWARDS I don’t care for 29ers, but I see them as acceptable from a scientific standpoint. A bigger wheel will increase pedaling efficiency and have a better contact patch, etc. The flipside is you have extra weight, decreased agility and slightly slower responses on the front end. My random thought is this. Run a 29er frame with a 29-inch rear wheel to take advantage of the bigger contact patch. Then run a fork with 1.5 inches more travel than intended for the bike’s frame and run a 26-inch wheel up front! This would maintain the intended geometry of the frame while 24
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keeping agile handling, plus you get more fork travel. It would look funny, but 29ers look funny anyway, so, no harm, no foul. Jonathan Dodds Kansas City, Missouri YEAR OF 29 I just read Richard Cunningham’s August “Happy Trails” about this being the year of the 29er. I agree with all of the 29er advantages, but disagree that the 26-inch-wheeled hardtail will be “left without a chair.” Having lived in the West and now the Midwest, I have learned that the location and local terrain should decide what type of mountain bike best suits a rider’s needs. If I were still living in Idaho, the bike I’d plan to buy would be a long-travel 26er or short-travel 29er, because the terrain is rough and technical. Here in Iowa, our trails are hardpack with short hills and tight switches. There are a few small drops and logs to ride over, but nothing big. Riding these trails with suspension or big wheels makes it too easy and takes away the challenge and the reason I love mountain biking. Riding anything other than a 26er hardtail on my trails would be just like riding on the road. It is for this reason my new mountain bike in 2010 will be a Specialized Stumpjumper Comp HT with 26-inch wheels. Jonathan Olson Cedar Rapids, Iowa LOCKED UP I was very surprised to read in the August “Inside Line” that riding with a Fox fork locked out causes premature wear and is not recommended. I have been riding my Titus Racer X with the Fox 32 F-Series RLC fork locked and the blow-off threshold set low for about six months (ever since another MBA article recommended this very setup.) MBA editors said that this setup is considered to be the best all-around aggres-
sive trail-riding tune and found on numerous pros’ bikes. Moreover, Fox’s owner’s manual recommends that riders leave their fork in the locked-out position. So what gives? David Yarden Newbury Park, California Lockout is no longer an on/off switch on most new suspension components (although it can be adjusted to feel that way). The damage outlined in Fox’s answer (bushing wear, performance deterioration and oil breakdown) is caused by extensive lockout use when the lockout force adjustment is set near or at its maximum resistance. Fox does not recommend this setting for extended use (and neither do we). Reducing the lockout force and riding with the lockout lever engaged is a recommendation that Fox and MBA have suggested for riders who want a firm riding fork. Never engaging the lockout and instead adjusting the low-speed compression is another way to arrive at close to the same ride characteristic.
BEND IN THE ROAD Our friend Jim (the guy on the right) is getting ready to return from a seven-year stint in Germany. After reading your article about Bend, Oregon, (MBA, May 2009), Jim added Bend to his short list of places to settle. He flew back on a scouting mission and asked my husband, myself and our mutual friend, Gordon, from Phoenix, Arizona, to join him. We started near Mt. Bachelor and rode the Whoops Trail to this convergence of trails marked with a red Phoenix (the locals say it’s a magical place). After riding the sweet, twisting singletrack through the pine forests, we have to agree. Jim bought a house in Bend before the bike trip was over. Linda Straub Boise Idaho
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DANGER ABOVE John Neiley (August “Trail Mix”) probably had Steve’s Loop to himself, because off in the distance it looks like there was a storm a brewing. Being out there in an electrical storm is not where I’d want to be. The lightning is one thing, but it is the risk of flash floods that would worry me. The Steve’s Loop and Mary’s Loop trail system winds its way in and around canyons and washes where flash flooding is prevalent. Just a little safety tip for those unfamiliar with the risks of riding in the backcountry. Andrew Jarolimek McKinleyville, California
MB,A2,009
August
STAY AFTER SCHOOL I can tell from the August “Mac Attack” that you get it. It’s true that thunder in the distance is getting louder! You can’t go to a race (NorCal or SoCal) and not be swept up. It’s interesting to see where SoCal started at this year and where NorCal is now. It was also eye opening for the SoCal kids who went to the first state championship as they saw the “promised land” of large fields and deep, highlevel racing. They saw what SoCal will become. But the fantastic thing about the state championship is that, even though the level of sophistication was higher in NorCal, the spirit was the same. Everyone was helpful, welcoming and hugely passionate. In my mind, the high school movement is the future of the sport. And 25 years from now, when these kids have kids, it will be even more magnified! Matt Gunnell Executive Director SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League
TAKING SHOTS Great write up on the Tomac Snyper (MBA, August 2009). Our entire fleet of Tomac Bikes is on its second full season of racing without a single frame failure. Some of these bikes are even from 2004 when they were retired from racers like Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Dave Wiens. These bikes are still raced almost every weekend. Charles Libolt (Pro DH), Austin and Cody Benge (U-23), and Jim Roff (Cat 1) regularly race downhill and slalom/4-Cross on their Snypers if the course dictates a faster, shorter-travel bike. Vanessa Humic (Cat 1) has landed podium spots in downhill, cross-country and Super D, all on her two-year-old carbon Tomac
Carbide. Thanks to Joel Smith and everyone affiliated with Tomac Bikes for looking after people who love to ride and race, whether they are beginners or pros. Chris Sharp Team Director Backbone Adventure Cycling NEW TEAM A company who wanted to form a mountain bike team approached me. I remembered reading the story about starting a team (MBA, July 2009) and grabbed the issue. It’s been a great help with getting ideas and knowing what to do. We now have a bike company backing us and a shop offering deals on parts and service. We are a small squad of four riders from a Cat 3 Clydesdale to a first-year Cat 1 rider. Thanks for a great article and supporting grassroots mountain biking. Kerry Waldman Rodder Racing ❏
Write us at mbaction@hi-torque.com or hard copy us at MBA Trailgrams, 25233 Anza Drive, Valencia, CA 91355. Trailgrams tip of the month: The amount of pressure you apply to your brake levers depends on the surface you are riding. The worst braking technique is locking either wheel. Keeping the wheels rolling is the key to control. A locked-up wheel cannot be steered.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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TRAIL MIX
After having crawled through the concrete jungles of Tokyo Metropolis for one sultry day, my bike, Marin, eventually found what was all around that could help make it get going on...love. Chaturong Yongsiri Tokyo, Japan
Our bikes during the bumpy trek down to Gooseberry Mesa near Hurricane, Utah. Shalyn and Jason Gates Temecula, California
a made with a camera. I went out for This is the coolest mistake I’ve ever on the r time the set I rait. port selfa ted night ride in the fresh snow and wan like it t-mode. After the red light flashed camera and set the camera to nigh ter shut The n’t. was it but e, don was usually does, I thought the camera picture cam, and I thought I had a useless sound went off as I picked up the of my palm. Not true at all. Eric Whiteside East of Osan AB, South Korea 26 www.mbaction.com
While mountain biking the New Hartford Town Park Trail system in New York, I came across a field of trilliums in bloom. I leaned my bike against a tree so that I could take the picture with my cell phone. Peter Inserra Oriskany, New York
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Used to be, you had to choose. Balanced, confidence-inspiring trail bike or quick and agile race whip. Now you can have both in one race-ready package. The all-new 22.5-pound Felt Nine Team, with a superior Ultra High Modulus (UHM) carbon fiber frame that’s custom designed to make the most of its 29-inch wheels. The Nine Team is one of five new bikes in Felt’s 2010 Nine series. http://www.feltbicycles.com
Go big. Go fast. Go Felt.
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TRAIL MIX
A photo taken after a long day riding the Palo Duro Canyon located in the Texas Panhandle. A great place to ride and camp. Rick Kieffer Austin, Texas
Are there any bad trails in Tahoe? Riding through Big Meadow. Brian Bartholomew Santa Clara, California
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My ’05 Norco Six in its element, Alpine Country, Pemberton, B.C., Canada. All mountain...all of it. Cookie Blosee Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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TRAIL MIX
Nothing compares to Moab, Utah, for the trails, views and people. I recently completed six days of riding that words can’t describe and pictures that don’t do it justice. Kell Heikoop and Daryl Goodfellow Burlington Ontario, Canada
This is the view enjoyed by my Specialized and me from the top of Santiago Peak, at 5700 feet, the highest peak of the Saddleback Mountain range in Orange County, California. Clouds were around 4000 feet, so it felt like being in an airplane looking down at the clouds. It took over four hours to get here, and it was worth all the effort. Jeff Eales Mission Viejo, California BECOME ALMOST FAMOUS We want to make you a star. Here’s how: 1) Image file size needs to be 600 KB or larger. 2) Tell us what is going on in your photo (include names). 3) Include your name and the city and state where you live. 4) E-mail it to Trail Mix (mbaction@hi-torque.com). Trail Mix rider of the month: Matt Fritzinger ❑ 30
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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THRASH TESTS
Thrash test rating: ★★★★★ Perfection ★★★★✩ Delivers above average value and performance ★★★✩✩ Recommended for intended application ★★✩✩✩ Shows potential but has drawbacks ★✩✩✩✩ Save your hard-earned bucks
PRESTAFLATOR
★★★✩✩
Never have to pump again
Wish the air compressor in your garage had a presta valve adaptor so you didn’t have to hand pump every presta-valved tube and tubeless tire? PrestaFlator gives you that adaptor— and a lot more. Tech features: The PrestaFlator connects to your air compressor with a replaceable I/M compressor quickrelease attachment. It has a cast aluminum pistol grip handle with beadblasted finish. A two-finger, variablerate trigger valve controls airflow. An air gauge (up to 174psi) is protected in a rubber housing. The brass presta chuck is rebuildable. The tool will work on presta and Schrader valves. The PrestaFlator sells for $39.95, and the company offers an array of accessory attachments and rebuild kits. You can reach PrestaFlator at (518) 577-2150.
After the thrashing: The first time we used the PrestaFlator, we blew a loose-fitting Kenda Nevegal tire right off the rim. After the ringing in our ears had subsided and we had collected the shards of rubber from the ripped tube, we took PrestaFlator’s instructions more seriously. It says right there in the manual to take it easy with a light trigger squeeze when adding air. From that point on, we filled tires and tubes
without incident (or breaking a sweat). The PrestaFlator really comes in handy for tires that just don’t want to seat properly. The PrestaFlator made short work of those jobs. We found the tool’s gauge to be accurate, and the big printing makes it easy to read. The PrestaFlator feels like a tool that will last for years. Get one and you will have the most popular garage on the block.
LAZER GENESIS RD 1 RACE
★★★✩✩
For the hard-to-fit head Lazer Helmets knows that no two heads are the same, and instead of designing a helmet with a liner that might favor one type of head over another, they came up with an idea to fit everybody. Tech features: The $175 Genesis RD Race helmet has an internal fitting harness that Lazer calls the Rollsys. Plop the helmet on and turn a dial (popping up from the shell near the rear of the helmet) to adjust the harness to the size and shape of your noggin. The helmet’s liner and shell are in-molded (they start production as two pieces and come out as one). The helmet has 19 vents. Pads are removable for easy cleaning. The helmet weighed ten ounces. You can reach Lazer at (952) 236-4440. 32 www.mbaction.com
After the thrashing: The Rollsys fitting system is not a cute gimmick. The Rollsys dial reels in or takes out a tiny monofilament line that runs through the helmet’s fit pads. We didn’t have trouble fitting any of the wrecking crew with a single helmet. Lazer was also nice enough to use different colors for the retention straps so it is easier to know which strap to pull on when adjusting. The helmet feels light and offers adequate coverage for cross-country racing or trail riding. Some riders will experience slight changes in their head size during rides due to temperatures (of the environment and their bodies). These riders will love the Rollsys, because they can adjust the fit on the fly. The Genesis RD 1 Race is highly recommended for riders who have had fit issues with conventional helmets.
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WOOLRICH WEATHERCHASER VEST
★★★✩✩
It does more than keep you warm
CONTINENTAL KAISER TIRE
A must-have accessory in your clothing arsenal is a highquality riding vest. A vest will help you survive a cold ride in comfort and may get you out of a bad situation. Woolrich offers the $70 Weatherchaser Vest that is ready to do both. Tech features: The Weatherchaser Vest has a 100percent Polyester Microfiber shell and 90/10 polyester/cotton liner. It is available in Cinder, Burnt Orange or Tidal colors in sizes medium through XX-large. The vest has a full-length zipper, three zippered pockets and a 2.5inch-tall collar. The vest (size large) will increase your hydration pack load by 11 ounces. You can reach Woolrich at (800) 995-1299. After the thrashing: This is not a cycling-specific vest, so why did we like it so much? It’s warm. The shell does a great job of blocking the wind, and the thin liner holds body warmth in. We were caught by a surprise cold snap while on an overnighter, and the Weatherchaser was the warmest item we had next to leg and arm warmers. We are happy to report that it kept us toasty in mid-30-degree temps. The construction is impeccable. It’s hard to believe that we are headed into fall, but that’s why we opted for the Burnt Orange color. That color helps eliminate you as a target during hunting season. One tip is to buy one size smaller than usual if you are looking for a snug cycling fit.
★★★★✩
Tires handmade in Germany Continental brand tires are good enough for the first family in downhill racing—the Athertons. The new Kaiser tires have a downhill-specific tread pattern and sell for $75 each. Tech features: The Kaiser features a double-walled, three-ply casing, and is constructed with Conti’s special soft and tacky Black Chili compound. The Kaiser is sold in only a 2.5-inch width and for 26-inch wheels. The ramped center knobs are designed for minimal rolling resistance, while broad shoulder knobs provide cornering bite. The Continental Kaiser tires weigh two pounds, three ounces each. (877) 395-8088. After the thrashing: From a distance, the Kaiser tire looks better suited for a monster truck than a mountain bike, so the first thing we did was weigh the tire side-by-side with proven downhill treads—the Maxxis 2.5-inch 3C High Roller and Specialized’s 2.5-inch S-Works Chunder. Despite its appearance, the Continental Kaiser was six ounces lighter than the Maxxis High Roller and ten ounces lighter than the Specialized Chunder. The Kaiser does not roll as fast as other downhill tires on hardpacked terrain, but in loose, rocky and damp conditions, it blew us away. This is a tire built for the dynamic terrain of the World Cup circuit, and it showed its capabilities on the steepest and rockiest trails. The tacky Black Chili compound maintains excellent traction through slick rock gardens and high-speed off-camber corners. Despite the Kaiser being significantly lighter than other top downhill tires, we had only one pinch-flat puncture during testing. The Kaiser’s superb performance on steep, technical terrain and its relatively light weight make it the ultimate sleeper in downhill race rubber.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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THRASH TESTS OAKLEY RETRO GRIP FLEECE HOODY
★★★✩✩
Stylish performance outerwear
The Oakley Retro Grip hoody is designed for riding in breezy weather, but is stylish enough to be worn off the bike as well. The Retro Grip hoody sells for $85. Tech features: Made from 100-percent polyester, the Retro Grip has a special pocket for your media player and a port for your earphone cables. It has a fixed hood, thumbhole cuffs, and the Retro Grip gets its name from the graphic on the chest. If you look closely, you’ll see it’s a closeup shot of Oakley’s first product, a grip for a motocross bike. Oakley, (800) 431-1439. After the thrashing: To be honest, this is one product we didn’t want to completely “thrash,” because it’s a stylish and versatile product that we hope to wear for months to come. The Retro Grip hoody is perfect for cool weather rides and commutes, as polyester doesn’t absorb sweat, and the thumbholes will keep the sleeves in place when you’re pinning down the trail. We regularly found ourselves reaching for the Retro Grip hoody and stashing it into our hydration pack before rides instead of our old standby jacket. The best aspect of the Retro Grip hoody is that it can function as a brisk-weather riding jacket and fit the bill for casual wear.
SPECIALIZED PHENOM SL SADDLE
★★★★✩
Road-race style turned dirty Specialized took the high-performance qualities of their elite road racing Toupé saddle and adapted them to cross-country riding and racing. The Phenom SL sells for $150. Tech features: The Phenom saddle features Specialized’s Body Geometry design to assure blood flow to a man’s sensitive areas. The carbon-reinforced shell is tuned for sitbone flex and is more rigid than the Toupé road saddle. The Phenom has a snag-free recessed cuff, and the down-turned perch is designed for seated climbing. The hollow titanium rails support the ultra-light, dual-density foam padding, and the cover has a water-resistant Micromatrix cover. The Phenom SL is available in
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two widths, 130- and 143-millimeters, and weighs 6.7 ounces (130-millimeter version). Specialized, (877) 808-8154. After the thrashing: The saddle is often an overlooked component of the mountain bike, which is unfortunate, because besides being a contact point between you and your bike, it greatly influences your position on the bike and can reduce the aches and pains associated with long rides. All of the features Specialized set out to address with the race-oriented Phenom are evident when on the bike. You may not necessarily notice the increased blood flow, but relieving pressure on certain nerves reduces numbness. The sloping nose of the saddle is important, because it doesn’t interfere with the male anatomy and
allows your hips and lower back to curve in a natural manner. The rounded corners and top cover on the Phenom mean you won’t snag your shorts on the edges of the saddle when moving front to back and side to side. Often we reached for the Specialized Phenom SL after riding a test bike with a saddle that caused lower back pain or excessive numbness, and it remedied the problem. If you’re unfamiliar with Specialized’s Body Geometry products, we recommend visiting a dealer to see if the gear can improve the quality of your ride. ❑
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INSIDE LINE
GETTING TUBED Does it matter what tubes I use in my tires? Danny Macrone Redmond, Oregon Short and sweet. That is how we like “Inside Line” questions. Your to-the-point question is something very few riders pay much attention to. That’s why we contacted a guy who devotes most of his attention to the subject. Jim Wannamaker, Kenda’s North American Bicycle Division marketing director, explains the importance of picking and using the right tube. Does it matter what tubes you use in your tires? Absolutely. To begin with, you need the appropriate tube size for your tire. Check the sidewall of the tire for this information. If the tire is marked 26x2.35, then use a corresponding size, such as a 26x2~2.4 tube. This will fit best. A tube is a bag that holds air and will fit the cavity it is placed in. So a 2.3~2.4 tube will fit the 2.35 tire pretty easily and not give you grief. If you take that same tire marked 2.35 and insert a tube that is marked 26x1.75~1.95, the tube will fit, but it will be undersized. Once the undersized tube is inflated inside the tire, it will stretch and thin out its wall thickness. This is when you are more likely to have a blowout or become more susceptible to a puncture, as the tube is very thin. If you use a larger tube, say 2.5~2.7, in this same 2.35 tire, the first problem is mounting it and getting it to fit inside the channel of the rim and the tire. You will have trouble getting the tire on the rim with this oversize tube. And once on and inflated, it will be heavy and may not roll as true as a tire with the correct size tube in it. The next thing to take into consideration is the type of riding you are doing. Tire and tube manufacturers make tubes in different wall thicknesses for different purposes. Tube wall thickness can range from a very thin 0.45-millimeters to a thick 2.25-millimeters (these are Kenda sizes). Obviously, the thicker the wall, the harder it is to puncture the tube, but also the heavier the tube becomes. And tubes can come with a sealant inside them to seal punctures. What tube to use? A downhill or gravity rider with a bighit bike most likely will have 26x2.5 or larger tires on his bike. The ideal tube for this tire is one that has a thicker wall of rubber, and this would be a 1.2- or 2.25-millimeter thick-
ness (these are Kenda thicknesses. Other makers may have different thicknesses). A fast cross-country racer may want to shave weight, so he could opt for a thinner wall tube (0.73-millimeters) compared to a standard wall thickness. The typical weekend warrior will do best with a normal wall (0.95-millimeters) thickness tube. Keep in mind your weight, riding type, bike type, where you ride and the air pressure you run. Each one of these has an impact on what tire/tube combination is right for you. A 220-pound rider has different needs from a 150-pound rider. Someone who is really hard on the bike needs to consider the forces applied to the tire/tube. The fork and shock of a dual-suspension bike will absorb more of the bumps and keep the wheels on the ground better than a hardtail bike. Hence the tire may wear faster. Riding where there are lots of sticks and sharp-edged rocks is different from riding on hardpack or soft dirt trails. Nothing affects the ride more than air pressure. Tubes with no air mean you are not going anywhere. Tubes with 40 psi (pounds per square inch) mean you can pedal, but you may bounce too much. Start high and lower the air pressure by increments of 2 psi until you feel a better ride. Finally, try to use tire and tube products from the same manufacturer. Why? Many manufacturers have different ways of calculating size, and if you have a tire marked 26x2.10 from one company and a tube from another marked “Fits 26x1.75~2.35,” you may run into difficulties. It is like shirts and shoes. Companies have different measuring methods. One company’s large is another company’s medium. One company’s size 10 is another company’s size 11. So you have to check them out as to what is a good fit. ❑
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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INSIDE LINE Got a question about mountain biking? Send it to “Inside Line” and let some of the most knowledgeable folks who ride answer it for you. E-mail your question to Inside@hi-torque.com, and we’ll get it answered.
WHAT A DRAG, PART II I ride a five-inch-travel, 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper equipped with a Fox fork that adjusts from 5.5 inches down to 3.1 inches of travel. When I’m climbing and drop the fork to its lowest travel setting, I immediately feel drag in the drivetrain. Pop it back to full travel and the drag is gone. What is going on? Is there a way to prevent this feeling? Dan Newman Sacramento, California We ran this question in our May 2009 issue, and many riders wrote to say they felt the same sensation as Dan. David Roman of Thousand Oaks, California, who is a schoolteacher by trade, put some thought into the phenomenon and came up with this explanation. I have an explanation for the sensation of drag when lowering a fork for climbing. The reason is actually fairly simple. The force that propels the bike forward is transferred forward from the center of the rear wheel in a straight line from the rear axle to the front axle (i.e., parallel to the ground, whether on an incline or level ground). This “straight-forward” force pushes the front wheel forward at the axle. Because the front end (fork/head tube) is at an angle to that forward force, the force acting on the front end is split into vertical and horizontal vectors (shown below). The slacker the head angle, the more force going toward the vertical vector, which is why slack/long-travel bikes tend to wheelie (succumb to the vertical force) or at least get squirrelly on steep climbs.
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Conversely, the steeper head angle when the fork is lowered means more of the force is transferred into the horizontal vector. The reason for the drag is that the horizontal vector is pointing into the incline (i.e., there’s more force trying to drive the bike into the mountain, instead of moving you up it.) Add in the fact that the rider usually shifts his weight forward while climbing, thus compressing the fork and steepening the head tube, and the effect is even more pronounced. The benefit of lowering the fork is that it puts the rider in a better position for effective and powerful pedaling, but the trade-off is that it also increases the horizontal vector of the force pushing forward on the front wheel. As a quick experiment to demonstrate the effect, place a book on an incline (simulating the incline of the mountain). Place a pencil (eraser side down) on the book and hold the pencil toward the top. The pencil represents the front end (head tube/fork) of the bike. With a finger on your other hand, apply horizontal force (not parallel to the book’s incline, but perfectly horizontal) near the bottom of the pencil. Try it with the pencil at different angles. The steeper the angle, the more the pencil pushes into the book and, thus, the more force required to move the pencil up the incline. The slacker the angle, the more easily the pencil moves up the incline, until the angle becomes too slack and it just rotates upwards (like a slack bike doing a wheelie on a climb). Hopefully, the image and the experiment will demonstrate the simplicity of the concept.
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www.formula-brake.com
351g
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A well-rounded brake at a competitive price. At 351g (160mm rotor, front, post mount), the RX is a lightweight brake with the power to handle all of your XC, Trail, All-Mountain, and Enduro needs. Featuring a 1-piece caliper, the RX delivers impressive modulation and power. Experience the value of Formula’s RX on your next ride.
MBA
est
Switzerland’s Long-Travel Trailbike Interpretation BMC TrailFox 01
B
MC hails from Switzerland and is a name that American riders will be hearing more of. Its president, Andy Rihs, is a Swiss visionary who believes that the only way to succeed is to make every design an over-the-top effort. The BMC TrailFox 01 is a stunning expression of this belief. WHO IS IT MADE FOR? Trail riders seeking a longer-travel machine will find the BMC a near-perfect blend of aggressive and efficient qualities. WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? The TrailFox 01 is an aluminum-framed work of art, crafted with triple-butted tubes that are so wildly profiled
and manipulated that it rivals the curvy lines of cutting-edge, carbon fiber designs. BMC gave the TrailFox 01 5.5 inches of suspension travel on both ends with their own rendition of the ever-popular dual-link rear suspension. The beautiful BMC’s design features are beyond skin deep, as evidenced by its upper rocker link and bottom bracket assembly, which are created by welding mated aluminum forgings together. This construction method results in lightweight, yet rigid, structures. The TF01’s dropouts are similarly constructed, with the rear brake caliper cleanly integrated into the left-side forging (BMC calls this “Natural Born Post Mount”). Other BMC treats can be found at the head tube, where the headset bearings are integrated into the frame, and at the seat tube/seat stay junction, where BMC works some metal magic to split the top tube into a tubular Y-shape to reinforce the area. BMC’s wrap-around, quick-release seat tube clamp is quite impressive. The frame and shock can be had for $2249. 38
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WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? With its over-the-top design and engineering, you’d expect that the TrailFox 01 would be outfitted with a flashier-thannecessary component group. Not the case. BMC splurges where performance must never be compromised (Fox Racing Shox suspension, DT Swiss X 1800 wheels and Schwalbe tires). BMC then opted for Shimano’s workhorse XT group for the TF01’s drivetrain and brakes. For the cockpit, BMC specs its home-designed Scor Race saddle, seatpost, stem and bar. HOW DOES IT PERFORM? BMC’s TrailFox 01 takes a mile or so to make friends with. At first, the chassis feels tall and its geometry too cross-country to be taken seriously by those with a ride-aggressively-or-go-home attitude. However, the first-time TrailFox rider quickly discovers that BMC knows a lot about trail riding. Pedaling: The TrailFox’s rear suspension dips slightly with every pedal stroke, but its effect on performance is negligible, so we were not tempted to flip the shock’s ProPedal lever on except during long climbs or endless fire road sessions. Use the Fox fork’s TALAS travel adjustment to further brighten the TrailFox’s climbing performance. The BMC’s steering responds more quickly with the fork travel shortened, and the slightly steeper effective seat angle leaves your legs feeling fresher on steep climbs. On the trail: Steering feels quicker than we have come to expect from a 68-degree head angle, probably due to the TrailFox’s short, 90-millimeter stem and mid-width handlebar. Drop the air pressure in the jumbo-sized Schwalbe tires to 28 psi front and 30 rear, and they roll faster than many 2.0-inch cross-country tires, but with gobs of traction in reserve for steep climbs and fast corners. The bike’s ride-everything-from-the-middle handling makes any type of ride a delight, because the rider is always in the sweet spot for climbing traction, balanced cornering or hard braking. The front end can feel light up steep grades, but this is due more to the abundance of grip afforded by the 2.4-inch tires than a flaw in the bike’s geometry. Descending: Open up the TrailFox 01’s suspension and let it rip. The BMC rolls smoothly over some gnarly bumps, and it keeps the tires on the ground around fast corners. The feel of the BMC is trustworthy, but if you push it deep into the realm of a black-diamond bike, bouncing through boulder fields and sticking bad landings from sizable jumps,
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Switch hitter: The BMC will climb smoothly without switching on the Fox RP2 shock’s ProPedal feature, but the addition of the pedal platform gives the TrailFox 01 an energetic feel under power.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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Trailbike Interpretation an aggressive rider will notice flex in its rear suspension. Speed control is not an issue aboard the TrailFox, because the seven-inch rotors and fat rubber make for impressive braking. Shimano gets high marks for its no-rub XT disc brakes. XTR and XT stoppers usually develop a rub at least once during a day’s ride, but not this time. They were responsive and powerful without being grabby. TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? We hit upon one troublesome detail that was probably an assembly mistake at the factory. The left-side retaining screws backed out of the suspension’s lower pivot linkage, twice. A call to BMC North America netted new screws and helped us find the root of the problem. It seems that the aluminum screws should have been secured with a thread-locking fluid. Our TrailFox pivot bolts were assembled with grease. A thorough cleaning of the pivot assembly and the application of some thread locker was an easy fix. Most accomplished bike handlers will toss the TrailFox’s narrow 25-inch handlebar and opt for a wider one. Finally, riders who are more gravity oriented will accuse BMC designers of making the chassis too lightweight for no-compromise descending. BUYING ADVICE Riding the BMC TrailFox 01 was an unexpected pleasure. Its performance is well-suited for all-day rides over technical terrain, and its easy-going manners and smooth-riding suspension make the hours pass by in a most enjoyable fashion. BMC’s long-travel trailbike joins MBA favorites like the Giant Trance for do-it-all, cross-country performance. ❑
BMC’ing: (Clockwise from top) BMC uses a dual-link suspension configured much like Giant’s Maestro system. Paired halves, which are then welded together, form a lightweight and rigid rocker link. The same construction technique is used for the bottom bracket shell. Shimano XT disc brakes delivered nodrag and right-now stopping performance.
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Quick, like a fox: Brisk steering and a light feel at the pedals make the BMC TrailFox 01 a great choice for racer types who are making the transition to a dedicated trailbike.
BMC TRAILFOX 01 Price Country of origin Weight Hotline Frame tested Bottom bracket height Chainstay length Top tube length Head tube angle Seat tube angle Standover height Wheelbase Suspension travel (front) Suspension travel (rear) Frame material Fork Shock Rims Tires Hub Brakes Brake levers Crankset Handlebar Shifters Front derailleur Rear derailleur Chainrings Cassette Pedals
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$4499 Taiwan 29 pounds (952) 941-9391 18.5" (medium) 13" 17.125" 23" 68° 73° 30" 44.25" 5.5" 5.5" Aluminum Fox 32 TALAS 140 Fox Float RP2 DT Swiss X1800 Schwalbe Nobby Nic (2.4") DT Swiss X1800 Shimano XT Shimano XT Shimano XT Scor Race (25") Shimano XT Shimano XT Shimano XT (Shadow) Shimano XT (44/32/22) Shimano XT (11-34) None (weighed with Shimano XT)
Passion Driven.
photo: Matteo Cappe - www.mc-photographer.com
rider: Nick Pescetto
Our brand was bred from the very roots of mountain biking, NOT borrowed from the automotive or any other industry. We are unique and exclusive, designing and manufacturing tires specifically for your sport, your lifestyle, your passion.
www.geax.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
MBA TECH
I
n 2007, Trek Bikes underwent a significant change in their mountain bike culture, and in the company itself. The decision was made to invest in the terrain around the company by building over ten miles of trails and hiring a full-time trail builder. Around this same time, Trek began development on what has become their bread and butter ABP (Active Braking Pivot) and Full-Floater suspension, found on their high-end cross-country bike the Top Fuel, the Fuel EX trailbike and the versatile Remedy all-mountain platform. We’ve been impressed with each of the above-mentioned bikes and were eager to find out how Trek would be able to improve on these platforms for 2010. We had the opportunity to get a first glimpse at Trek’s Top Fuel, Fuel EX and carbon fiber Remedy in the Salzkammergut area of Altaussee, Austria.
2010 BIKE UPDATES Although Trek’s entire line of mountain bikes receives revisions and upgrades, we’re going to focus on the updates to their flagship and upper-end models. You will find many of the technologies applied to these bikes will trickle down to more budget-friendly versions. Top Fuel ($2599-$6499): Trek claims their carbon fiber Top Fuel 9.9 is their fastest race bike ever, that’s also versatile enough for trail riding. The eye-catching carbon fiber frame retains the no-cut seat mast, BB90 Net Molded bottom bracket with drop-in bearings, ABP Race System and magnesium Evo Link. New for the 3.9-inch-travel Top Fuel is the custom Race Cam shock that takes a Fox RP23 shock and makes it equal parts race, and equal parts trail. The ProPedal positions 1 and 2 maintain that same plush trailbike feel, while position 3 gives the highest degree of lockout ever offered by Fox, ideal for out-of-the-saddle sprints and extended climbing. The premium 21.2-pound Top Fuel 9.9 features the SRAM XX group, Bontrager XXX Lite wheels and has a price tag of $6499. Fuel EX ($1399-$6499): We fell in love with the 2009 4.7-inch-travel Fuel EX 9.9 (tested in our August 2009 issue), but had a short wish list of modi42
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2010 Trek
Mountain Bikes Trek debuts new suspension bikes in Austria
fications we’d like to see on the bike, such as utilizing one of the new thruaxle trailbike forks. The 2010 Fuel EX 9.9 now is equipped with an air-sprung Fox Shox 32 F-Series Fit RLC fork with a tapered alloy steerer tube and 15QR thru-axle. However, the biggest news comes in the area of the Fuel EX 9.9’s new shock and rear triangle. The EX 9.9 receives Fox’s DRCV (Dual Rate Control Valve) RP23 shock technology that Trek describes as having two shocks in one. The goal of the DRCV is to provide efficient pedaling while being able to transition into soaking up big hits without any compromise in suspension performance. The Fox DRCV shock is designed to seamlessly transition between the first and second chambers providing the lin-
ear shock feel of a coil spring. The Fuel EX will carry the DRCV shocks down the line to the aluminum EX 8 model. The carbon fiber-framed Fuel EX 9.9 and the 9.8 receive Trek’s OCLV carbon seat stay. The carbon stay uses Trek’s Net Molded precision-fit bearings and all-carbon disc brake tabs. Taking a page from the Top Fuel, the Fuel EX line will utilize the lighter, onepiece ABP Race rear axle down to their aluminum EX 7 model. Remedy Carbon ($2600-$6499): Trek takes their OCLV carbon frames to the all-mountain category as their sixinch-travel Remedy gets a carbon makeover. Designed specifically for the carbon Remedy, Trek deploys their Carbon Armor to protect against rocks
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The hills are alive: Trek’s 2010 crosscountry and trailbike launch took place on the breathtaking terrain of Altaussee, Austria. Trek’s Travis Brown puts down the power aboard the new Fuel EX.
kicking up into the downtube. The fourlayer Carbon Armor adds embedded stiffeners to the main frame and tops it off with a replaceable polymer shield. Like the Fuel EX, the Remedy gets the Fox DRCV RP23 shock (all four models down to the Remedy 7). The Remedy line keeps the triple chainring crankset, acquires the ABP Race suspension, a Fox Shox 15QR fork, and is now available in a new 18.5-inch size. The carbon Remedy 9.9 and 9.8 models share the BB95 press-in bottom bracket.
Top-notch: Trek says their 21.2-pound Top Fuel 9.9 is their fastest mountain bike ever. The premium Top Fuel gets SRAM’s XX group, a custom Fox Shox RP23 Race Cam shock, and Bontrager XXX Lite wheels. It could be yours for $6499.
Shock therapy: The new Race Cam RP23 shock from Fox is specific to Trek’s Top Fuel cross-country racer. The ProPedal positions 1 and 2 maintain that same plush trailbike feel, while position 3 gives the highest degree of lockout ever offered by Fox.
Fueling the fire: The Top Fuel 9.8 is equipped with cross-country’s hardest working component group, Shimano XT, and shares the same frame and Fox Shox RP23 Race Cam shock as the premium 9.9 version.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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MBA TECH
Trek
Great got greater: One of MBA’s favorite bikes of 2009, the 4.7-inchtravel Trek Fuel EX 9.9, now features a Fox Shox 32 F-Series Fit RLC fork with a 15QR thru-axle, the Fox DRCV (Dual Rate Control Valve) shock and a carbon fiber Truvativ Noir crankset.
2 for 1: The Fox Shox DRCV RP23 shock serves as two shocks in one, as it offers superb pedaling performance and seamlessly opens up the top air chamber to soak up harsh impacts.
Born in the USA: Trek’s American-made, OCLV, carbon fiber Fuel EX frames feature the tapered E2 head tube. The E2 puts more frame material in an area that takes the brunt of high-speed hits along the trail.
All-mountain beauty: It was only a matter of time before Trek unveiled their carbon fiber, six-inch-travel Remedy all-mountain trailbike. Trek will offer two carbon and two aluminum-framed Remedies, each of which will utilize a Fox Shox fork with a 15QR thru-axle, and the Fox DRCV RP23 shock.
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Midas touch: The gold-trimmed Remedy 9.9 features a Crankbrothers Joplin remote-controlled adjustable seatpost, massive head tube junction and SRAM X.0 shifters and rear derailleur. ❑
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visit us at SUNLINERACING.COM or call 661 257 2756
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O 40mm rail cradle to help prevent bent seat rails. Zero offset clamp. Tilt adjustment independent of fore and aft adjustments. 2-Bolt clamp for secure hold. Can accommodate many different seat tube angles. 350mm length. Anodized 竍地ish with lazer etched graphics.
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Micro Adjust Head
V-
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
10 Long-Travel Trailbike Tips Make your bike do the work R.Cunningham
L The new face of cross-country: Pedal-friendly suspension and platform damping have made longtravel trailbikes practical for riding all day or all out.
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ong-travel trailbikes—dual-suspension designs with five or six inches of wheel travel and cross-country-suitable geometry—are the most popular bike choice for today’s experienced riders. Those who make the transition from a hardtail or short-travel cross-country dual-suspension bike to a long-travel trailbike usually waste at least six weeks choosing lines and applying power in much the same way they did on their old mounts. All new or improved technology comes with a revised operating handbook, and longtravel trailbikes are no exception. Bike setup, line choices, braking technique, pedaling style and position over the bike are different for long-legged designs, so to get the most performance from your Giant Trance, Pivot Mach 5, or Specialized Stumpjumper, study the following tips.
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FIVE LONG-TRAVEL SETUPS TIPS
BEFORE YOU HIT THE TRAIL
1
SUSPENSION SETUP—SOFT
Set the suspension softer than you may believe is best. The first big error newbies make is pumping up the air spring of the shock and fork to achieve a similar feel to a three-inch cross-country racer. Big mistake. You will never use the full travel of either end of the bike, and worse, you will effectively raise the bike’s ride height (and thus the center of gravity), causing the bike to bounce and chatter over the bumps more than your old short-stroke crosscountry machine ever did. Set the suspension sag at 25 percent and lower the ride-height of the bike. Pedaling will not be less firm, because the suspension (and any built-in anti-bob attribute) is designed to work in this range. The overall ride of the bike, climbing and descending, will be miraculously improved.
2
GADGETS—USE THEM
Hey, the inertia valves on the Specialized Stumpjumper’s Brain fork and shock are not ornaments. Turn them up and the bike will pedal marvelously well while you—the ex-hardtail monkey—flail away at the pedals as if the crankset were your arch enemy. If your bike is sold with a Fox RP23 shock and a Fox fork with the TALAS feature, its designer is telling you that switching to a firmer pedal platform in the rear and lowering the front end will enhance your climbing—and maybe boost the performance elsewhere on the trail. Same goes for handlebar-remote lockouts and in-flight-adjustable seatposts. Once suspension travel exceeds five inches, the interplay between the fork and shock action can alter the bike’s effective frame geometry by up to two degrees in extreme situations. Experiment. Use your on-the-fly tuning options to speed up or slow down the steering as needed, to lower your center of gravity, or to maximize your pedaling efficiency.
3
Resist the temptation: Trek’s suspensionsag gauge graphically reveals how much negative travel a trailbike needs to operate correctly. Don’t over-pressurize your air springs to hedge against pedal bob.
TIRES—GO BIG
The 2.35-inch Kenda Nevegal is the long-travel-trailbike national anthem, and for good reason—it sticks on any soil, climbs like a goat and rolls with reasonable efficiency. Schwalbe’s Nobby Nic and Rocket Ron 2.4-inch tires are also big-volume/fast-rolling tires. Why big rubber? For starters, you’ll be carrying more speed, braking with more force and attacking technical sections that previously you may have walked or soft-pedaled. Big tires protect lightweight wheels, and wide, soft, aggressive tread will find adequate climbing and braking traction, regardless of where the rider’s weight is balanced over the bike. Go big, and if you want to save weight, then convert to tubeless (we highly recommend this). Get some leverage: Big, grippy tires can transmit a lot of force through the steering. Wider handlebars help tame the handling of a modern trailbike when the terrain gets wild.
Be a knob twister: Remote seatpost-height and fork-travel adjustments help extend the versatility of trailbikes, especially when wheel travel edges towards the six-inch mark.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
10 Tips 4
STEMS AND BARS—GO LONG
Forty-five-millimeter stems are fine for level jump parks and steep descents, but the slacker head angles (68 to 69 degrees) of the modern trailbike put the rider’s weight too far aft of the front wheel for climbing. Ninety- to 100-millimeter stems weight the front tire for better cornering and climbing, and slightly wider handlebars (26 to 27 inches) will boost technical control while descending without adversely affecting climbing.
5
TIRE PRESSURE—TEN PSI LOWER
Large-volume tires require less air pressure to support the same weight when compared to skinny 2.1 or 1.9 racing rubber. If a 2.1 tire feels rock hard at 50 psi, a 2.35 tire will feel the same at 40 psi. Cross-country pressure for a 170-pound rider with 2.35-inch tires will average 28 in the front and 30 in the rear—depending upon riding style. Excessive tire pressure in large-volume tires will make for a harsh, bouncy ride and mess with the bike’s low-speed suspension performance.
FIVE LONG-TRAVEL RIDING TIPS
Sit down and pedal: Smooth and steady pedaling is possible aboard a long-stroke trailbike, so use this to your advantage and conserve energy on long, arduous climbs. Sit down and spin.
GETTING ALL YOU PAID FOR
1
ROCK GARDENS—GEAR UP
Poking through the rocks in low gear may have been an effective strategy for your nearly rigid bike, but you’ll need some speed to bust through the rocks with a longtravel machine. Below a certain speed, five- or six-inchstroke forks can soak up enough energy to stop a rider dead in his tracks. Big-travel bikes can surf over heftysized rocks and logs, but you’ll need to be bold and run
through the boulders in the middle chainring. Practice on a short section of way-larger-than-you-would-normallyride-over rocks and hit them with your weight back slightly and your arms braced so the forks take the full impact instead of your body. Try different speeds until you find a gear that uses the full travel of your bike’s suspension and rolls over the rocks with conviction. Don’t focus on the largest obstacle in your path. Instead, look across the rock garden, or ten feet ahead of the bike, and keep pedaling.
Don’t sweat the rocks: Use your suspension and higher-volume tires to your advantage by straight-lining rough and rocky sections that the skinny-tire bikes must weave through.
2
LINE CHOICE—STRAIGHT TO THE APEX
Forget about all that wiggling and wavering and pretend that the well-worn line on the trail doesn’t exist. Rigid bikes force cross-country riders to sweat every bump or soft spot on the trail. Carry some speed and let your suspension and momentum work for you. Take the straightest path between corners, even if this means pounding over a few rocks or soft spots. When you approach corners, ignore the wide, sweeping path that timid cross-country riders use and arc from the outside line to the inside apex. You’ll cross over some rough ground near the apex, but your turns will be faster and you’ll exit with more speed and control. Take the straight line down technical descents for the same reasons. Should you make a mistake, your bike will stay on line. 48
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Over three years in development, the Carbide SL is the ultimate in lightweight, stiffness and pedaling efficiency. At a scant 4.4 pound frame weight with a DT Swiss carbon shock, it's one of the lightest XC full suspension bikes on the market, and certainly the stiffest. The Carbide SL can be hammered through anything a cross country rider can throw at it. Tomac Bikes | 2932 South 26th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68502 | 402 261 3988 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
10 Tips 3
CLIMBING—GEAR DOWN
You don’t have to climb every hill in the granny gear, but your longtravel suspension and oversized tires will work to your advantage if you stay seated and pedal smoothly in a lower gear. Your climbing efficiency comes from the fact that your bike can maintain traction and soak up the bumps on the trail ahead while you remain in an optimal cycling position—in the saddle and over the cranks. Skinny-tired hardtail boys must shift their weight constantly to maintain traction and to attack steps and roots successfully. Let your bike find its way up the climb. Keep your heart rate in the zone and take the straightest path, knowing that your tires will find grip in soft soil and allow you to cross ruts that may stymie lesser men on inferior machines. This is your long-travel strength—use it wisely.
No need to skid: Aggressive tires and more capable handling boosts braking power and control, so lay off the binders until you actually need to slow down and brake late in short, powerful intervals.
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4
BRAKING—LATER AND HARDER
Armed with six inches of wheel travel and 2.35-inch tires, you should rarely have an occasion to lock up a tire. Use more front brake than would be practical with a cross-country racing bike and brake later and harder—on the last straight section of trail before the corners. Gain your time on the straighter sections of the descent and brake late to enter the corners at a safer, more controlled speed and you will make fewer mistakes. Ease off the brakes as you lean the bike into the turn so you are coasting at the apex. Control your speed on steep or long descents by braking harder where the trail is smooth and your tires can find maximum traction. Ease up where traction is sketchy or the grade is chopped up so the wheels can roll through. You can’t steer a bike with a locked wheel—period. A bike that rolls is under control.
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Stay centered: Keep your suspension balanced by riding from the middle of the chassis. Crouch down to lower the bike’s center of gravity for steep descents or hard braking instead of sliding to the extreme rear of the saddle.
5
STAY CENTERED— EXCEPT IN ONE SITUATION
The more wheel travel your dualsuspension chassis has, the easier it is to upset the front/rear balance by exaggerating your body position fore or aft. Stay centered. Confine your fore/aft weight shifts to the length of the saddle and you will never be caught out of position for a surprise climb or drop. Excessive weight shifts unload one side of the suspension and over-compress the other—which can make a great bike feel like a monster. Stay centered and you force the suspension to act against your mass—which is balanced between the wheels—so the bike will also remain in balance. There is one exception to the stay-centered rule: When you need to sprint or power out of the saddle, lean over the front of the bike and preload the fork with your weight. This will compress the fork about halfway through its stroke and boost the spring and damping rates so it will bob less under a 100-percent effort. ❑
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL
Crashing Mountain Biking’s Annual Trade Show See the new stuff before the doors open
C
ar nuts have the Detroit Auto show. Gamers have the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Surfer dudes get the Orlando Surf Expo. Snowboarders attend the Snowsports Industries America Trade Show. But none of these shows are as exciting to us as Interbike. Interbike corrals bike shop employees in a Las Vegas convention center where they get to see the latest offerings from folks who make bikes, components and apparel for mountain bikers. We asked these companies if we could give riders who depend on Mountain Bike Action a sneak peek at what they are taking to Interbike. The response was overwhelming (we couldn’t fit everything in), because you are important to these people.
Stop the bleeding: Adventure Medical Kits’ QuikClot Sport is a sponge made of porous fabric that contains tiny beads of the mineral Zeolite. When placed onto a wound, the QuikClot sponge conforms to the shape of the injury and is claimed to stop even venous and arterial bleeding in less than three minutes. How? QuikClot claims to act as a molecular sieve, sifting molecules by size. When QuikClot comes into contact with blood, it rapidly absorbs smaller water molecules from the blood, effectively sucking out all of the liquid. Only the larger platelet and clotting factor molecules remain in the wound in a highly concentrated form. This process promotes extremely rapid natural clotting and prevents severe blood loss. QuikClot Sport has a suggested retail of $9.99. You’ll find it at bike shops and sporting goods stores.
Take a shot: The $139 EVS Sports BJ33 Ballistic Jersey is an all-in-one protector that incorporates upper-body protective gear in one piece of equipment. It offers a full torso, newly designed elbow protection and is machine washable. Available in black or gray in both youth ($79) and adult sizes up to XXXXL. (888) 873-8423.
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Right price: The $150 Xpedo Twins XMF6AT pedals reportedly weigh 10.5 ounces and use a titanium axle and aluminum body with a three-cartridge bearing system that Xpedo claims increases strength enough to extend the pedals’ life span by 20 percent. The front and rear claws have adjustments for either toe-in or step-in entry and work with Shimano cleats.
Downhiller’s necklace: The Leatt-Brace GPX Sport is an injection-molded, glass-reinforced, nylon/carbon fiber neck brace system designed by medical professionals to help prevent extreme forward, rearward and sideways head movements. It should also reduce spinal column compression, hyperflexion and hyperextension. The $595 GPX Sport is available in two sizes, small for four- to 16-year-olds who have a thin build, or medium for riders older than 16 years old. Leatt-Brace also makes neck braces for adults. Call them at (800) 691-3314.
Slippery stuff: The $9.99 Muc-Off Wet Lube is a naturally derived, biodegradable lube formulated for long-distance lubrication and protection. It can be used in wet or muddy conditions where it will repel water and inhibit rust and corrosion. (562) 945-9944. Three ones: The $129.95 Cygolite Milion 200 LED Li-Ion light has one light, one battery and it comes in one piece. This rechargeable headlight system integrates a high-brightness LED light with a three-hour Li-Ion battery. It weighs a claimed 4.6 ounces and offers USB charging, three lighting modes, charging and low-battery indicators, plus helmet and handlebar mounts. (714) 437-7752.
Fast wheels: Fulcrum is rolling out (pun intended) the Red Metal 1 XL wheel, which takes weight off their previous offering with the use of 24 aluminum spokes (both front and rear). The spoke lacing is claimed to improve wheel performance during braking and torquing in the big ring. The hub’s bearings are doubled sealed and can be run with a traditional nine-millimeter axle or 15-millimeter thru-axle.
Pump it up: Genuine Innovations gets you back riding fast after a flat tire with their new $39.99 Mountain Pipe. It is the best of both worlds, with a combo CO2 inflator and hand pump. The Mountain Pipe has a magnetic lock that keeps the barrel locked and closed. The slip-on valve fits presta valves, and a Schrader valve adaptor is included.
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL
Trade Show Light feet: The new $230 Xpedo M-Force XMF08TT pedals are claimed to tip the scales at 7.4 ounces. They hit that weight with the use of a titanium body and axle. The axle still floats on three cartridge bearings. The pedals are Shimano cleat compatible. (310) 993-5949.
Bling-a-licious: The guys at Crankskins.com continue to come up with ideas to add bling to your bike and protect it at the same time. They offer chainstay guards, crankarm guards and, new for 2010, Rimskins, which will sell for between $15 and $20. Crankskins offers custom graphics in small quantities to make your club or team look pro.
Save your marriage: The $29.99 Save-A-Seat may just save your marriage. Instead of plastering the family car seat with everything you just finished riding through, pull the Save-ASeat over the car seat (like a window shade) and protect it from your muddy backside. You can reach Save-A-Seat at (724) 962-2072.
Added protection: Element Case offers the $149 Alloy Base case for select iPhone and iPod Touch models. The flip-lid is translucent acrylic with laser-engraved graphics. You choose your color and graphic for a custom look. The molded polycarbonate bezel keeps the phone secure in the base. The Alloy Base is CNC-machined from aluminum, anodized, and laser-engraved with custom graphics. Nickel-plated fasteners resist corrosion. You can get more info at (650) 226-3680.
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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
Comfort in a jar: Okole Stuff was developed by six-time National Endurance Champion Monique “Pua” Sawicki. “No chamois ointment stayed the distance, so I created Okole Stuff using lanolin, allantoin, tea tree oil, aloe, love and secret ingredients. It provides comfort and healing for rides around the block all the way to the 24-Hour Solo World Championships.” The $25 Okole Stuff (six ounces) can be purchased at KHS dealers or at teammata.com.
Home mechanic: Need to remove your Shimano Hollowtech bottom bracket? You need special tools, and Icetoolz gives you everything you need in this $12 kit. (888) 804-1095.
Strong and pretty: The Cane Creek Premium 110 One.Point.Five headset is available in black, silver, blue, red, purple or turquoise. The $175 Premium Headset is claimed to weigh 5.5 ounces, with a splitlip, black oxide upper bearing and a 1.5inch lower angular contact bearing. It is made in the U.S. and comes with Cane Creek’s 110-year warranty. More info at (800) 234-2725.
Be visible: The $15 Frog Strobe light is five LEDs rolled into one. It utilizes patented strobe technology and is five times brighter than the original Frog. It has four modes: normal flash, normal constant, strobe flash and strobe constant, with a claimed 180 hours of flash time. Featuring 12 colors, the new Frog Strobe has an integrated clip and comes in lowimpact, recyclable packaging.
Fly to the finish: The $4295 Fly Team 29er titanium is made from a 3/2.5 butted titanium tubeset with Motobecane’s Vari-butting. They offer the bike in four sizes (15, 17, 19 or 21 inch) with FSA Afterburner cranks, Shimano XTR components and a 3.9-inch travel RockShox Reba 29 fork. Claimed weight is 23.5 pounds.
Toolbox in a bag: The $119 Icetoolz Tool Wrap includes popular tools (including an Allen wrench set that is hard to see in the photo) in a handy and durable nylon wrap. We keep our Wrap under the car’s front seat so we are never at a loss when it comes time to make those last-minute trailhead adjustments.
Feeling thirsty?: The Elite Jossa Water Bottles’ special spout guarantees consistent, abundant flow when the middle of the bottle is squeezed. The Jossa is compatible with most standard bottle cages. Available in two sizes and four colors (blue, clear, red or smoke). The Elite Jossa Water Bottle is $18.99, and the Elite Super Jossa Water Bottle is $21.99. Contact them at (800) 279-3793.
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
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Trade Show
Serious training: The Elite RealPower CT Internet Trainer features an electronic resistance unit that replicates slopes up to 20 percent. Ride conditions are simulated according to gradients, speeds and rider/bicycle weights. Train according to fixed power, heart rate, speed and distance. The Ritmo dancing mechanism follows the movements of your body as you train. The $2300 trainer includes 15 video races, a heartrate belt, standard feet and automatic software updates. (800) 283-2453.
Stylish trio: The $270 Remedy CF is Giro’s ultimate full-face helmet. It is engineered to meet CPSC and ASTM downhill standards and features a full-carbon shell with removable interior pads. The all-new $50 Station MTB goggle is the perfect complement to the Remedy, thanks to a Super Fit Engineered frame that matches up flawlessly and offers a comfortable, wide-open field of view. And the all-new $34 DJ glove, designed with input from riders like Greg Watts and Paul Basagoitia, is durable enough for digging and riding, with extra style points, too.
Have it your way: Two new lights from NiteRider Technical Lighting Systems come with D.I.Y. software (do it yourself) that allows you to customize the light to your specific needs. You can program the number of light outputs, how bright they will blast, and you can even customize your own flash rate. The $500 Pro 600 LED (single beam) offers an eight-step fuel gauge, quick-release battery system, a low battery warning and it is all compatible with the NiteRider Explorer headband. The $650 Pro 1200 LED (dual beam) has all of the features of the Pro 600.
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Get a grip: Fizik’s new XC Grips provide mountain bikers with an opportunity to use the handlebar tape used by roadies. Incorporating their mictrotex bar wrap into an interchangeable mountain bike grip, the new XC Grips employ a dual cover of matte and suede microtex, encasing a shock-absorbing but lean blue, foam padding. The Grips are capped with brushed aluminum lock-on clamps, secured with stainless steel M3 screws. The clamps are easily removable, the core collapses, and your XC Grip cover can be changed in a flash. The XC Grips will come with two covers: black/black suede or white/gray suede, and will retail for $47.99. Additional grip covers will be sold separately for $13.99.
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Saddle holder: Fizik’s new $125 Cyrano 3D forged 7075 aluminum seatpost has mast walls that are thicker in the front and back for strength and thinner on the sides for weight savings. Radiused clamp edges prevent damage to rails. The tilt mechanism is a two-bolt system (with thumb wheel for front adjustment) with infinite angle adjustment to accommodate a variety of seat tube angles. The Cyrano includes a silicone ring useful for marking your post height. The Cyrano comes in four diameters (27.2-, 30.9-, 31.6- and 34.9-millimeters) and three lengths (270-, 350-, and 400-millimeters).
No Fox tail: Fox took the V3 motocross helmet and re-engineered it for bike-specific use by trimming some weight (down to a claimed 2.6 pounds) with the use of carbon fiber in the shell lay up. The $379.95 V3R has rear venting, a multi-channel internal EPS liner for airflow and a fully removable and washable Coolmax liner and cheek pads.
Padded cell: The Fox Titan Sport Jacket is a new upper body suit for the gravity set that won’t break the bank at $139.95. It offers hard shell plastic protection on the back, shoulders, chest and arms, with a mesh chassis for maximum comfort when railing the berms.
Important info: The $9.95 SafeTband is a little pouch that attaches to your hydration pack or goggle strap and contains emergency medical information for first responders. A neat little product that could save your life. Get one at www.safetband.com.
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Trade Show Feel a draft?: The $119.95 Fox Ventilator Short is new for 2010 and features a lightweight shell with a shorter outseam, specifically designed for hot weather rides when the humidity is high. Ventilation ports and a detachable inner mesh short optimize the airflow, and a new Evo chamois adds comfort.
Knee-high protection: The $59.95 Fox Launch Pro Knee Pad is a new, soft-shell kneepad with a hard plastic knee insert. The insert is an ergonomic shape for comfort and stability. The perforated neoprene helps prevent sweaty-knee syndrome.
Casual cool: The Fox 2010 Dirt Shirt Collection uses a unique bamboo fabric that is both wicking and anti-microbial. Fox then adds graphics that seem to appeal to everyone from trials riders to downhillers. The shirts sell for $39.95 each.
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German protection: The $110 Uvex Supersonic GT helmet offers the IAS 3D adjustment system (adjustable in height and width), 23 ventilation openings, on-the-fly chin strap adjustment, and forward vents screened to keep bees out. Uvex helmets are now available in America through Magura USA, (800) 448-3876.
Budget rubber: The CST Camber tire comes in 26x2.1 or a fatter 26x2.25 size that mimics the low profile of expensive cross-country race tires. It doesn’t mimic their price, though. All tires will be available in wire or folding bead. The Camber prices start at $17.
Sun power: The $179 Vaude Solar Charger is a pack accessory that mounts solar panels that charge your batteries with sun power. It fits all Vaude packs and only adds 12 ounces to your pack. Available from Magura USA at (800) 448-3876.
Light brake: Lighten up your ride with some $99.95 Carver titanium disc rotors. Claimed to weigh less than two ounces, the titanium disc brake rotors are currently available in a six-inch diameter with a six-bolt pattern and should be compatible with all popular cross-country race bike brake calipers. Carver Bikes, (207) 442-7840.
Up front: Magura’s $899 Thor fork has adjustable travel from 5.5 inches to 3.9 inches with remote control rebound, compression and lockout adjustment. You get a Maxle 360 thru-axle and a disc brake postmount for seveninch rotors. Add improved wiper seals and an optional conical steerer and you are ready to rage.
Add some cushion: Smooth out the bumps with a Carver Ti Seatpost. It has a two-bolt micro adjust with Carver’s unique setback design. The titanium post is available in 27.2 x 350 millimeters, and they will make custom sizes. The matte finish is $169.95 and the brushed finish goes for $199.95.
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
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MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL
Trade Show
Real steel: It is not new for 2010, but you can’t sue us because we think the chromoly Brodie Heritage Series is simply elegant. Brodie says, “Chromoly is in our blood, and with a little something for almost everyone, we just couldn’t leave it off the menu any longer. Whether riding down a trail, along a long and winding road or across town, we have you covered with the classic feel of steel.”
Inflated action: New for 2010, the $30.99 Axiom Enforce Air Pro hand pump has a dual-density handle, aluminum barrel and 160 psi maximum pressure. With an anodized body and nickel-plated accents, it looks as good as it works. Like all Axiom pumps, it is completely serviceable with available replacement parts and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Available from Norco at (800) 663-8916.
Sturdy shorts: The Mace $100 NOS Equipe Short is a loose-fitting short for epic rides. Made with woven stretch fabric and 30-percent lighter than Mace’s regular NOS shorts, the NOS Equipe won’t restrict mobility. Anti-UV and DWR (Durable Water Repellency) are combined with anti-abrasion coatings. Available in men’s and women’s styles, the NOS Equipe shorts are for anyone who wants a comfortable over-short for longer rides in warm weather or just cruising around in the summer heat. Available from Norco at (800) 663-8916.
Hats off to THE: The 2010 carbon Tiki helmet goes for $299 and comes with two visors and an allnew cool dry, washable padset. It comes in sizes from X-small to X-large. THE at (562) 407-2184.
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Ear warmer: Get ready for the fall and winter riding season with the $16.95 Halo Anti-Freeze pullover headband. It features a wider profile and ear protection to block the wind and cold weather. The one-size-fits-all design includes the patented Sweat Block Technology that prevents sweat from getting in your eyes. Halo, (800) 508-4256. “Please Mace me, man.”: The $80 Mace NOS helmet has a lightweight micro-shell with plenty of vents for those epic rides. Available in three custom colors, the helmet comes with a removable visor and rear fin that allow you to customize the look of your helmet. The NOS is for crosscountry and trail riders looking for a solid, lightweight helmet. (800) 663-8916.
Not a passing Faze: The 2010 Norco Faze SE has 4.7 inches of travel with a frame made from butted tubing and a new, one-piece carbon link arm. The Faze SE is lighter and stiffer than the 2009 model.
Bottle holder with style: The Aspire Velotech $39.50 Pro Carbon Water Bottle Cage is claimed to weigh less than an ounce and is constructed with hand-laid unidirectional carbon fiber. It has a clear gloss and accepts standard-diameter, short or tall bottles. All Pro Carbon Components come with a limited lifetime warranty. (425) 823-2453.
Check out these colors: THE doesn’t call this $200 downhill helmet the Throwback because of its technology. It’s because of the colors! You get two visors and an all-new cool dry, washable padset. Comes in sizes from X-small to X-large.
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Trade Show Coming soon: We got our hands on a 2010 Turner Flux and will have a test in our December issue. Until then, drool over this four-inch-travel trailbike that thinks it is a cross-country racer. Now with the dw-link, the frame-only price is $2395 from Turner at (951) 677-1711.
The WeirWolf lives: The redesigned $60 WTB WeirWolf gets an extra row of transitional tread between the crown and side knobs. This slight alteration is claimed to give the tire positive feel and consistent traction at any lean angle, from moderate to extreme. It will be available in UST and TCS. TCS stands for Tubeless Compatible System and couples WTB’s Race casing with a UST bead.
The In-Crowd: Chris King’s InSet headset has user-serviceable stainless steel bearings and aluminum cups, bearing cap and stem cap. It’s a member of the NoThreadSet family with the same ten-year warranty. InSet is a low-stack threadless headset designed for use with contemporary frames featuring what would traditionally be called oversized head tubes. InSet is available in 1-1/8-inch upper and lower cups ($129) and a tapered 1-1/8-inch upper cup with 1.5-inch lower cup ($149).
Stay in place: The $27.50 Pro Carbon Computer Mount from Aspire Velotech is a solution for securely mounting your computer and accessories on either carbon or aluminum handlebars. It features a 7075 T6 aluminum mount arm for strength and a true carbon tube that’s sized to fit any computer and power meter. It fits standard and oversize handlebars, and also fits both standard and oversize computer mounts for complete versatility. The shims and all the hardware you need are included. (425) 823-2453.
Fight mold: The $29.99 ZeroGoo Hydration Reservoir Dryer stuffs in the filler hole of your CamelBak and a fan forces air in, drying the reservoir and making it as fresh as the day you bought it. ZeroGoo, (402) 202-3505.
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Haro Porter: Eric Porter, Haro’s go-to guy for going big, offers a signature model for 2010 called, surprise, The Porter. He gives you a custom Fox 36 Float RC2 fork (set to 3.9 inches of travel and at a height just right for the frame), a FSA Gravity Gap Mega EXO crankset and bottom bracket, FSA Gravity Chain Guide, Pivit Featherlite CNC pedals and Hayes Stroker Ryde brakes with six-inch rotors. If you think $3350 sounds pricey, try building this bike with the same components. It is a steal!
Big axle compatible: The $44.95 Sequel 15mm from Hurricane Components adapts most suspension forks using 15-millimeter axles to existing bike rack. Call them at (951) 280-6036.
XX marks the Zaskar: With a 2008 World Championship under its belt in the Under-23 category, the Zaskar Team XX looks like the fastest rig on the planet. The all-new SRAM XX 2x10-speed group is the choice of world champions as well, and that, combined with the all-new SID XX fork, makes the Team a very exclusive race rig.
Racers ready: The WTB $50 Vulpine SL 1.9 Race tire is claimed to weigh 14 ounces and features DNA Rubber Compound, minimal center tread, mid-sized transition knobs and raised outside knobs with added corner shelf tread. Designed with feedback from Team Sho-Air’s Max Plaxton.
Red, white and true blue: The new American Classic MTB 26 Disc Tubeless and MTB 29 Disc Tubeless wheelsets use 14/15 gauge stainless steel spokes, fully sealed cartridge bearings and titanium quickreleases. Each wheel has 32 spokes that are laced in a threecross pattern. The new Tubeless 26 MTB Black Crest color goes for $779.95 and the Alphatype White is $819.95. American Classic, (800) 813-5545.
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Trade Show
Super T: The $3400 Mongoose Teocali Super gets a 5.7-inch-travel RockShox Revelation Race fork, a RockShox Monarch 4.2 air shock with Floodgate adjust and a SRAM X.O rear derailleur paired with Shimano SLX Shadow front derailleur. This is a trailbike too pretty to be so tough.
Take a stab at it: The $5999 Kona Stab Supreme has a sloping top tube, a compact rear triangle, a tapered head tube, a 7005 aluminum frame and Kona’s take on a four-bar rear suspension for what appears to be around eight inches of rear wheel travel.
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Foxy fork: The new $740 Fox F Series are the lightest forks that Fox has ever made. The 3.9-inch travel 32 F100 FIT RLC is claimed to weigh 3.14 pounds with Fox’s integrated FIT damper technology. The Fox Isolation Technology (FIT) damper uses a unique bladder design, which provides the lowest possible friction for a sealed damper, reduces fluid aeration for enhanced suspension consistency, and reduces unsprung weight for faster wheel response and increased steering precision.
Race day ride: The $2499 Kona Hei Hei 100 uses hydroformed aluminum frame tubing, a sloping top tube, and scandium, asymmetrical chainstays. The four-bar rear suspension uses magnesium rockers for 3.9 inches of travel.
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Speed thrills: The Niner Air 9 Carbon can be run as a single-speed or geared and the bottom bracket will work with several bottom bracket systems including the new BB-30 standard that singlespeed riders crave. We can’t wait to get our hands on one of these. Highspeed singletrack fun!
Color your ride: The $20 KMC Patriot Series and Bravo Series chains allow you to mix and match your color choices for the ultimate custom look. These colorful offerings are for your cruiser. KMC offers the $75 X9SL chain for the dirt.
Get a Glimpse: The $1895 Glimpse (frame and shock) is Ellsworth’s most affordable, high-performance, InstantCenter-Tracking suspension trailbike. It is made with a U.S.certified drawn seamless aluminum, swaged, shaped and tapered tube set and rockers machined by Ellsworth.
K H Yes: Always one of our favorite bikes for getting the most bang for your buck, the 2010 aluminum-framed KHS XCT555 is coming with five inches of rear wheel travel, a Marzocchi 44 TST2 with 15-millimeter axle, Truvativ Firex 3.1 GigaPipe cranks and Hayes Stroker Trail hydraulic disc brakes. The suggested retail is $2199.
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Trade Show
Color guard: The $2499 Felt Virtue Two is a 5.1-inch travel trailbike that has an aluminum main frame and carbon fiber rear triangle. Think of this as a cross-country/trailbike, because even with its long travel, it thinks it is a race bike. Become an outlaw: The $330 Azonic Outlaw Welded Wheel Sets Come in 135- or 150-millimeter rear hub spacing, anodized black, red, gold, cyan or green. The rims (also available separately) are a 7075 aluminum double-wall design with eyelets and a wide profile for extra strength and rigidity. The front wheel is compatible with a nine-millimeter quick-release axle and 15- or 20millimeter thru-axle conversions.
Carbon coverage: The $299 O’Neal Skad Joker Carbon Helmet has removable and washable cheek pads, height-adjustable visor and a double-D closure. Available in sizes X-small to X-large with a claimed weight of 2.1 pounds. O’Neal at (800) 326-6325. Large hoops: The $4999 Felt Nine Team takes a carbon fiber frame and enforces it with their replaceable “Dingle Guard” (a replaceable Kevlar downtube protector) and bolt-on Kevlar chain watcher. You get Mavic Crossmax 29-inch wheels with WTB Vulpine tires.
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Winning wheels: The $950 2010 ZTR Podium MMX cross-country-racing wheelset has seen the top podium spot at the Olympics, World Cups and national championships. Claimed to weigh just 2.6 pounds, the little company from Upstate New York is the David against a bunch of Goliaths. NoTubes, (607) 562-2877.
Crank up the volume: The $250 Azonic Raptor Crank Set comes in 170- or 175-millimeter lengths with your choice of black or double-anodized black/red. The cranks are compatible with all four-bolt 104-millimeter chainrings and chain guides. It has an outboard sealedbearing bottom bracket and includes a bashguard.
Value racer: The $2600 Sette Vexx DH bike features a 6061 aluminum, eightinch-travel frame with a monocoque top tube. The Vexx has CNC-machined struts and linkage with oversized ten-millimeter pivot bearings. Components include a RockShox Boxxer Race fork and Vivid 4.1 shock, SRAM X7/X9 drivetrain and FSA Gravity MegaExo DH cranks. Only available from Price Point at (800) 774-2376.
Go custom: Squadra makes custom clothing for professional (and professional-looking) teams or clubs. They offer jerseys, shorts, jackets, vests and more. Want to take it to the next level? Call them at (760) 431-0870.
Feeling compulsive?: The $4299 Felt Compulsion uses Felt’s Equilink rear suspension to squeeze 5.9 inches of travel out of the double-butted aluminum frame and rear triangle. Comes with a RockShox Monarch 4.2 shock. â??
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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Fast to the top: The active rear suspension lends a hand when climbing rough terrain. The Truth pedals as well as the best stable-platform trailbikes.
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MBA
est
The Truth & Nothing But The Truth The Ellsworth Truth
T
he American-made Ellsworth Truth has been around for 16 years, but it has never sat still. Those years have seen plenty of changes, including additional travel, new materials (including a titanium version) and refinements to the frame’s geometry. WHO IS IT MADE FOR? The Truth is a versatile platform to base your dream bike on. Using expensive carbon fiber, titanium and magnesium components, it can serve as a competitive (and lightweight) cross-country racer. Build it with more durable components and the four-inch travel frame will serve as your high-performance trailbike. Build it somewhere between the two and this bike will do both. Our Truth was built as a trailbike, and that’s how we evaluated it. WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? The Truth uses an aluminum, diamond-style frame with a
large walking-beam link at the seat stay junction. The rear triangle is also aluminum, and all the pivots rotate on large, sealed ball bearings. A massive gusset is employed in front of the seat tube/top tube junction, allowing for a sloping top tube and a great standover height. The small print on the top tube is patent language for the Ellsworth Instant Center suspension. The term “Instant Center” explains an imaginary point in space that one side of a four-bar linkage rotates around. To find it, draw an imaginary line through the middle of the two upper pivots and another line through the center of the lower pivot points. The Instant Center is where the two lines intersect. The pivot’s actual location often changes as the rear suspension cycles through its travel, so the “Instant” part of the term refers to where the lines intersect at any given moment in time.
The Instant Centers of most four-bar mountain bike suspensions intersect in the area near the crankset and behind the front wheel. Ellsworth’s Instant Centers range from three feet to a number of yards in front of the bike. WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? Three components steal the show: The Magura Marta SL Magnesium brakes, the Magura Durin Marathon fork and the Ellsworth XC Wheelset. We look at each of these components separately immediately following the test. The Syntace P6 carbon seatpost, Syntace F119 stem and Vector handlebar combo with Syntace lockable grips are also noteworthy. HOW DOES IT PERFORM? Ergonomics: The last few Truths to roll through the test fleet were built for cross-country racing. This is a trail-friendly Truth with a longer-travel fork (4.7 inches of travel instead of 3.9), nice wide bars, the super-comfortable WTB Pure V saddle and a Syntace carbon fiber seatpost. The rider is still not as upright as on a long-travel trailbike. Think of it as a sporty trail riding position. Moving out: No ProPedal lever? No problem. In or out of the saddle, the Truth, with its customtuned shock, just motors away with a firm rear suspension, remaining responsive to the trail surface and immune to your pedal mashing. Even efforts out of the saddle don’t create squish in the rear suspension. Cornering: The Truth shines while negotiating tight, technical singletrack. Switchbacks require nothing more than a flick of the handlebar to full-lock. The rider feels perfectly centered, and there is no need for exaggerated body English to get the Truth to do what you want. Stay over the middle of the bike and the Truth holds its line and will carve around corners without pushing the front tire. Climbing: The active rear suspension definitely lends a hand when climbing rough terrain. It softens the worst bumps, but it doesn’t feel all that supple. If your litmus test for a great-performing cross-country bike is a firmpedaling platform, then the upside of the Ellsworth’s rough ride is that it pedals as well as the best stable-platform trailbikes. In the rough: The Truth’s suspension feels firm, but the sensation does not adversely affect the handling. There always seems to be enough suspension travel in reserve to ride aggressively, but you must be mindful of its steep steering geometry when you drop down something steep, especially if you build your Truth with the recommended 3.9-inch travel fork.
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The Truth TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? We do not recommend equipping the Truth with anything other than the Ellsworth-valved shock. The Truth’s rear suspension is firm enough without help from a stable-platform shock. Ellsworth requires a 3.9-inch travel fork for the Truth. If you are going to use the bike more for trail riding than racing, you may want to go for a slightly longer-travel fork. It makes descents more manageable and slows down the crosscountry-race geometry. This trick will void the frame’s warranty, so make the upgrade at your own risk. BUYING ADVICE One of the most common mistakes riders make is buying too much bike. If your trails require a long-travel suspension bike because of the severity of the terrain, Ellsworth has plenty of models to choose from. However, if your trails throw challenging obstacles at you with plenty of climbing and descending, a Truth built just like this one would serve you for years. ❑
Call up the reserves: There always seems to be enough suspension travel in reserve to ride aggressively. Still, this is made to be a cross-country racer, and it comes with the geometry to match.
ELLSWORTH TRUTH Price Country of origin Weight Hotline Size tested Bottom bracket height Chainstay length Top tube length Head tube angle Seat tube angle Standover height Wheelbase Suspension travel (front) Suspension travel (rear) Frame material Fork Shock Rims Tires
Truth serum: (Clockwise from top) A large walking-beam link at the seat stay junction is part of the Ellsworth Instant Center suspension. The seat tube is enforced by a massive gusset. The Fox shock is tuned just for this application.
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Hub Brakes Brake levers Crankset Shifters Handlebar Front derailleur Rear derailleur Chainrings Cassette Pedals
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$2195 (frame and shock) USA 26.6 pounds (760) 788-7500 20" (large) 13.9" 16.5" 24.5" 70.2° 72.7° 29.5" 44" 4.7" 4" Aluminum Magura Durin Marathon Fox Float R Ellsworth XC Kenda Nevegal 2.35, Kenda Small Bock Eight (r) Ellsworth XC Magura Marta SL Magnesium Magura Marta SL Magnesium Shimano XT Shimano XT Rapidfire Syntace Vector (27") Shimano XT Shimano XT Shimano (44/32/22) Shimano XTR (11-34) None (weighed w/Shimano XTR)
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As Seen On ET MBA TECH
The Ellsworth Truth, that is
ur Ellsworth Truth was equipped with three components that deserve to be more than a footnote in the test. The Magura Durin Marathon fork, Magura Marta SL Magnesium brakes and Ellsworth’s just-released XC wheelset.
O
Rating: ★★★★★ Perfection ★★★★✩ Delivers above average value and performance ★★★✩✩ Recommended for intended application ★★✩✩✩ Shows potential but has drawbacks ★✩✩✩✩ Save your hard-earned bucks
ELLSWORTH XC WHEELSET
★★✩✩✩
Tech features: The $799 XC wheelset features 24 spokes with a two-cross lacing pattern and Ellsworth-patented Quad Butted Spokes. The 29-millimeter-wide rims have tapered walls. The hubs are compatible with a standard quick-release or a 15-millimeter thru-axle. The wheelset comes with extra spokes, nipples and the spacers you need for your axle preference. These wheels are also available in 29inch diameters. The rear wheel with rim strip weighs one pound, 13.4 ounces, while the front is one pound, 9.5 ounces. Ellsworth skewers are 2.1 ounces (rear) and 1.9 ounces. After the thrashing: These wheels are beautiful, with striking attention to detail from the polished hubs to the red Ellsworth rim strip. Mounting tires on the wider-than-usual-23-millimeter rims was no hassle, and the tires beaded to the rim easily. The wider rims gives any tire the feel of being slightly larger because it increases the contact patch. We found the wheels to lack the necessary rigidity for big-gear-mashing, cross-country racing and any type of trail riding. We were able to make tire contact with the fork slider and seat stays under hard efforts or G-out bumps. The wheels were taken to an Ellsworth dealer, who determined the spoke tension was correct. A lightweight racer (say, under 150 pounds) looking for the weight advantage these wheels bring might find them acceptable. It is our opinion that larger riders will not find them rigid enough.
MAGURA MARTA SL MAGNESIUM BRAKES
★★★★★
★★✩✩✩
Tech features: The flagship of the Marta brake line, the $389 Marta SL Magnesium is an open, hydraulic, disc brake system that uses forged-magnesium, fixed, dualpiston calipers and integrated reservoirs. Carbon fiber levers and titanium hardware are two more tricks that let Magura hit the ridiculously light weight of 11 ounces. Each brake comes with a five-year leakproof warranty and will work with six-, seven- or eight-inch Magura SL rotors. The brake pads do not need to be removed to check wear. After the thrashing: The adjustable levers feel like they were individually shaped for your fingers. The brake-fluid reservoir is ample in size, yet never gets in the way during get-offs or snags on brush. A rider can apply the ideal stopping power, depending on the incline and trail surface, by modulating the squeeze on the brake levers. Even the MBA wrecking crew— who intentionally dragged the brakes—couldn’t get them to overheat, fade or become grabby. The brakes don’t squeak or squeal even after water crossings. Pad replacement is ultra-easy. The company also backs the product with exceptional technical field support. This is the brake that the MBA wrecking crew compares all other brakes to. 74
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MAGURA DURIN MARATHON FORK
Tech features: The $799 Durin Marathon fork has a cold-forged, aluminum fork crown with integrated cable stops for an optional remote lockout control. The stanchion tubes are 32-millimeters in diameter, and the one-piece fork slider design includes Magura’s Double Arch Design (DAD). The fork is available with an adjustable travel option called Flight Control Remote (FCR) that offers from 3.1 to 4.7 inches of travel (it goes for $899). The model we tested was fixed at 4.7 inches. External adjustments allow the rider to turn on a lockout feature, adjust the small-bump compliance (a pedaling platform) and dial-in rebound. After the thrashing: The fork is easy to dial in because the external adjustments actually make changes a rider can feel. The rigidity of the fork is above average, especially under hard braking. Magura’s DAD really works. These forks have the feel of a fork with larger diameter stanchions (but without the weight penalty). The only area where the Durin Marathon falls short is in its damping characteristics, which do not deliver the smooth feel of many of today’s popular forks. You can dial in small-bump compliance, but you give up some big-hit performance. Get the big-hit coverage you are looking for, and you lose a little small-bump compliance. ❑
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
IRC Mythos XC II Racing Tire
msrp $50
$1498
Avid Single Digit 7 Brake
msrp $40
Panaracer Fire XC Pro Tire
$2198
msrp $40
$2198
msrp $105
$8498
SRAM
Alligator Wavy Rotor
X.9 9-Spd Trigger Shifters ‘08
Kenda Nevegal Lite-DTC Tire
msrp $53
msrp $45
$998
$3698
msrp $750
$599
98
Mavic M i
msrp $67
Crossmax ST Disc Wheelset ‘09
$4998
SRAM
X.7 9-Spd Trigger Shifters ‘08
Giro Athlon Helmet
msrp $130
$9998
msrp $60
$2998
San Marco
Ponza Saddle
msrp $85
$5998
Selle Italia Shiver Gel Flow Saddle
msrp $50
$3498
WTB
msrp $40
Speed V Pro Gel Saddle
Fox msrp $70 Ranger 98 Short $44
$2698
Planet Bike Super⇑ash
WTB
Speed V Comp Saddle
Fox msrp $60 Baseline 98 Short $39
msrp $30
$1798
Fox msrp $40 Baseline 98 Jersey $24
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
Hayes Disc Brake HFX 9 XC
msrp $150
$5998
Crank Brothers Egg Beater C Pedal
msrp $80
$5498
Fox msrp $55 Live Wire 98 Jersey $39
Easton EC70 Carbon Seatpost
msrp $120
$7998
Rockshox Dart 2 ‘08
msrp $119
$7998 WTB DX28 w/Shimano M510 Wheelset
msrp $130
msrp $250
$8998
Sram PC971 Chain ‘08
$8998
msrp $32
msrp $500
Sette
Reken Hardtail Frame
$1998 msrp $40 Fox Incline Glove
msrp $70
msrp $22
Sette
$2498 Amp Saddle
$1498
Sette Camelbak HAWG ‘08
msrp $100
Neo Alloy Water Bottle Cage msrp $7
Titec El Norte Gold Stem
msrp $50
$5998
$14
Easton EA70 Monkeybar ‘08
Hoss Ponderosa Short msrp $50
$4498
$298
98
msrp $100
$4998
Sette Torx
Sette Element MTB Shoe
msrp $150
$8998
Sette Epic MTB Shoe
$5498
A Adidas TTrail CP S Storm JJacket
Dakine Limelight Zip Hoody
$5498
$3498
Dakine Mask T-Shirt
Adidas A Bike B JJacket
$3998
$1298
$2998
msrp $25
msrp $80
m msrp $130
Fox Women’s Sierra Short msrp $65
Sette
$4998
msrp $140
msrp $55
Razzo 29er Frame
Low ¾ Riser $1998 XLR Handlebar
msrp $60
Oakley Descent Short
$19998 Sette
Price Point Team Sock
msrp $8
$398
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
ST-21 Tool Kit msrp $100
$4698
Sette
Quantum-X CycloComputer Ver. 2.0
Sette Type-S S Lock-On Grips msrp $30
$998 msrp $35
$998
Giant Lightens Up MBA TECH
A first look at Giant’s 2010 Maestro suspension bikes
Total package: Giant revamped their all-mountain Reign X from the ground up. The new frame utilizes their OverDrive tapered head tube and has a 67-degree head angle ideal for aggressive trail riding.
efore 2005, Giant employed a variety of full-suspension platforms in their mountain bike line. When they unveiled their Maestro suspension that same year everything changed, as many of their bikes have become some of the sport’s most highly regarded performance machines. The evolution of Giant’s dual-link Maestro has resulted in their lightest and most capable mountain bikes yet. What is Maestro suspension? In short, it’s a design with four pivot points that allow two rocker arms to articulate in a manner that creates a single floating pivot point. We had the opportunity to get a first look at their flagship full-suspension Maestro models on the challenging terrain of the Keystone, Colorado, resort. The technical Keystone downhill courses and epic cross-country trails played a perfect host to Giant’s all-new, six-inch-travel, all-mountain Reign X; the World Cup-tested Glory downhill bike; reborn seven-inch-travel Faith park bike; the all-new Anthem X Advanced SL; and the highly anticipated carbon fiber version of the bike that won MBA’s $2500 trailbike shootout—the five-inch-travel Giant Trance. Entering the 2010 model year, Giant knew they were sitting on a remarkable-performing suspension platform, so their goal was to refine those designs and shed some weight. We’ll touch on some highlights and refinements of the Reign X, Faith, Glory, Anthem X SL and Trance X Advanced SL.
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LONG-TRAVEL MAESTRO For Giant, the beauty of their Maestro suspension was they could now use the same suspension platform for both shortand long-travel bikes. 78
www.mbaction.com
Reign X: Giant’s 6.7-inch-travel, all-mountain Reign X sees a massive weight reduction for 2010. Compared to the 2009 version, Giant says the all-new aluminum Reign X frame drops 1.5 pounds alone, and a production bike out of the box without pedals weighs 30.2 pounds. Giant was able to shed some weight in the frame by going to a co-pivot design and not piercing the downtube. The new Reign has Giant’s OverDrive head tube and tapered steerer tube to stiffen up the frame, and a 12x135 Maxle Lite rear thru-axle. Faith: Back from the dead is Giant’s Faith black-diamond bike. Like the Reign, the Faith sees a massive drop in the frame
Hard goods: The 6.7-inch-travel Reign X features all-new suspension hardware and forged upper rockers.
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Keeping the faith: The Faith returns to Giant’s gravity lineup and is built to handle huge drops and stunts. How tough is the new Faith? Giant rider Kurt Sorge rode his to a podium finish in the Red Bull Rampage. The Faith comes stock with two sets of replaceable dropouts. The different dropouts change the head angle by half of a degree and either drops or raises the bottom bracket.
Weighting game: Giant’s 2010 Faith drops an incredible 2.5 pounds from the frame alone, and Giant says the complete bike weighs 36.8 pounds out of the box. Suspension duties are handled by RockShox’s Vivid 5.1 shock and air-sprung Totem fork.
Race ready: Giant’s Glory downhill bike has been one of the best deals in the expensive sport of downhill racing; however, it was a beast at over 45 pounds. Giant says their completely redesigned 2010 Glory weighs an impressive 37.9 pounds out of the box and is World Cup ready.
weight. We were told the all-new Faith’s frame is 2.5 pounds lighter than the last generation of the Faith, and the complete seven-inch-travel bike out of the box weighs 36.8 pounds. Glory 0: You may have spotted Giant World Cup racer Jared Rando’s 2010 Giant Glory downhill bike in our September 2009 issue “Inside The Pros’ Bikes.” For the past couple of years, Giant’s Glory downhill bike was an excellent performing machine; however, it couldn’t be denied it was a beast, weighing upwards of 46 pounds. Completely redesigned from the ground up, the new eight-inch-travel Glory is claimed to weigh just 37.9 pounds out of the box. New features to the Glory include the OverDrive head tube to increase frame stiffness, and despite being incredibly lighter than last year’s Glory, Giant says the new design is actually stiffer. Giant was able to drop the pounds from the Glory by pushing the limits of hydroforming the aluminum tubing, and going away from the pierced downtube shock cradle design. SHORT-TRAVEL MAESTRO Keeping with the theme of the long-travel machines, Giant’s proven cross-country racing and trailbike designs also lighten up significantly for the 2010 model year. Giant utilizes their Advanced Composite Technology to achieve the maximum
Glorious descender: Tested on the World Cup circuit, the eightinch-travel Glory downhill bike utilizes Fox Shox suspension, Shimano Saint components and a 65.5-degree head angle.
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
79
MBA TECH
Giant
Ultimate versatility: Giant set out to make their impressive fiveinch-travel Trance trailbike even better. The Trance X Advanced SL has a carbon fiber frame, which shaves 14 ounces from the bike’s total weight, dropping it down to a remarkable 24.5 pounds, 15-percent lighter than the 2009 aluminum version.
Tuned in: The Trance’s Maestro suspension operates with a Fox Float RP23 shock and carbon fiber upper rocker links. The five inches of Maestro suspension is designed to be fully active under braking and power for all conditions.
strength to weight ratio of their carbon fiber frames, and that is exhibited in their Anthem X cross-country racer and the ultra-capable Trance trailbike. Anthem X Advanced SL: Giant says their flagship fourinch-travel Anthem is their lightest, fastest and stiffest full-suspension bike they’ve ever made. Out of the box, a size medium carbon Anthem X is claimed to weigh 21.8 pounds, and the frame alone is almost a half-pound lighter than the 2009 carbon version. The Anthem X SL utilizes Giant’s OverDrive tapered head tube, and taking from their road bike technology, Giant utilizes their massive MegaDrive downtube for increased front-end stiffness. Trance: The 2009 Giant Trance was one of MBA’s top choices of the year. How would Giant improve on an already impressive five-inch-travel platform? By utilizing their carbon fiber manufacturing resources. The new carbon fiber Trance X SL sheds nearly an entire pound off the trailbike frame alone, while also improving overall stiffness. Giant could’ve taken even more weight out of the Trance by spec’ing ultra-light cross-country racing components, but the goal was to create the lightest bike possible with “real world” parts that will meet their performance standards. The Trance X Advanced SL has a claimed weight of 24.5 pounds. ❑ 80
www.mbaction.com
Race tested: Giant’s four-inch-travel carbon fiber Anthem X Advanced SL cross-country race bike was put through the paces by the highly skilled World Cup racer Adam Craig. The collaboration of engineering and rider input resulted in Giant’s lightest, fastest and stiffest full-suspension bike.
Riding tubes: To maximize the strength to weight ratio on the Anthem X Advanced SL, Giant employed their OverDrive head tube and MegaDrive downtube. The flagship carbon Anthem is equipped with SRAM’s XX group, and is said to weigh just 21.8 pounds.
Inside job: Along with the 2010 bikes, Giant introduced their own house brand of components, like this sleek carbon fiber stem found on the Anthem X SL.
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E B I R C S B SU ! E V A &S
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Inside The Pros’ Bikes
20
Max Plaxton’s Specialized Epic
anada’s Max Plaxton has been climbing his way to the top of the cross-country ranks in North America. Max, now 24, started mountain biking at 14, when his family was living in Spain. When the family moved back to British Columbia in 2002, Max won Canada’s Junior Cross-Country National Championship. Moving forward, Max took the Pan American Espoir (Under-23) cross-country title in 2006 and 2007, and a bronze medal in the U23 class at the World Championships in 2006. Max also won gold medals in the Team Relay races at two World Championships. Max’s first big national win in the U.S. came in the short-track event at the Santa Barbara, California, National in 2007. This summer, Max took his first pro cross-country win at the Colorado Springs Pro XCT National, beating Canadian rival Geoff Kabush and American champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski. Max rides this Specialized Epic for Team Sho-Air.
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1. Specialized Carbon Epic SWorks frame, size large. “The frame is 100-percent stock. The Epic frame, fork and shock are developed together, resulting in one fast crosscountry bike. I am truly blown away by how fast it is, and I really think I have an advantage over my competitors.” 2. Specialized Future Shock e100 fork, 3.9 inches of travel, carbon 11/8-inch to 1.5-inch steer tube. “This fork knows the difference between rider-induced force and terraininduced force. Basically, you never have to worry about locking or unlocking the fork, which adds up to save me valuable seconds.” 3. WTB Vulpine 2.1 tires, Kevlar bead. “This is a super-fast tire and great for dry, hardpacked trails. It’s very light, too.” 4. Stan’s NoTubes Tire Sealant. 5. Specialized Roval Controle SL rims, disc, 24mm. “Very light rims. They form a solid bead with the tire, allowing me to run low pressure without burping any air.” 84
www.mbaction.com
19
16
15
6. DT Swiss Aerolite 2.0/1.6 spokes with black alloy nipples. “They’re super-stiff and light spokes.”
11. ESI Silicon Racers Edge grips. “Amazing feel to the hands and superb control.”
7. Specialized Roval Controle SL XC Carbon front hub and Roval SL discstyle rear hub. “They’re very light and fitted with the Enduro ceramic bearings—a super-fast combo.”
12. Specialized S-Works MTB crankset, 175-millimeters. “The S-Works cranks use a BB30 bottom bracket. This means the bearings are fitted inside the frame, resulting in superior stiffness. The carbon crankarms shave serious weight.”
8. Hayes Stroker Gram brakes, titanium hardware. “Light, powerful and adjustable to suit my braking style.” 9. Race Face, Carbon Next, Low Rise SL handlebar, 26-inches width. “Perfect width and low-rise—one of the best-looking handlebars out there for sure.” 10. Race Face Carbon Next SL seatpost. “Very light and stiff; this seatpost has amazing adjustability.”
13. Specialized S-Works chainrings, 7075 T6, 42/26. “A real cool feature about the S-Works cranks and chainrings is the possibility of running different size chainrings, depending on the race course. They’re very smooth shifting as well.” 14. Crankbrothers Eggbeater 4 Ti pedals. “They’re very light, with really easy access in all conditions—a must-have pedal.”
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Weight: 20.5 pounds Estimated worth: $9000
11 9
21 10
23
1
18 3
24
4
22
8
17
26
7
12 13
5
2
25
14
6
15. Shimano Dura-Ace chain. “I always prefer to run this chain. I have never had a broken chain in a race or training and hope to keep that streak going.”
21. Race Face Deus XC stem, 110-millimeters, at minus-6 degrees. “Very stiff and lightweight.”
16. Shimano XTR Shadow rear derailleur. “Combined with the XTR trigger shifters, there is no better combination for flawless shifting.”
22. Jagwire Ripcord cable housing. “Simply flawless shifting without having to change the housing all the time.”
17. Shimano XTR front derailleur.
23. Threadless headset, Campy-style 1-1/8-inch upper and 1.5-inch lower cartridge bearing. “I am blown away by how stiff the head tube area is. Accelerating out of the saddle is when I notice it the most.”
18. Shimano XTR Rapidfire Plus shifters. “Super-solid shifting and very precise.” 19. Shimano XTR 11-34 cassette. “Perfect gear ratio for a fast-pedaling downhill or a steep uphill.” 20. WTB Silverado SLT seat. “The Silverado is the perfect choice for me. At 6.5 ounces, it is light but also very comfy.”
24. Chris King titanium waterbottle cage. “It’s my all-time favorite cage. I think most people would agree.”
25. Specialized AFR remote mini shock with Brain inertia valve with Brain Fade, reboundadjustment and 3.9 inches of travel. “Just like the Brain Fork, this shock does it all for you. It remains firm on smooth terrain and goes fully active in rough terrain without having to touch anything. I am super lucky to be riding on the most advanced suspension technology out there.” 26. Enduro ceramic bearings are fitted in the bottom bracket and hubs. “This is one of the best upgrades anyone can do to their race bike. It simply makes the bike faster.” ❑
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
85
We Offer a 30-Day Price Protection Policy, Plus NOHASSLE RETURNS with NO Restocking FEES!
1.909.947.2100 local or international or toll free 1.888.880.3403 or www.JensonUSA.com
%0# 2#12 *6 1 *# #4#0
Nema Grasp Glove ‘09 Red, S-XXL GL281A00
MSRP $35
1 4# -$$ +10.
Ro kGardn Warbird Roc Ro W rbird Wa RockGardn Helmet S-XXL HE283G03
MSRP $79.99
1 1 4# -$$ +10.
Black, 31.8mm, 700 mm length. HB290A01
1 4# -$$ +10.
RaceFace Atlas AM Riser Bar ‘09 MSRP $64
1 4# -$$ +10.
Shimano LX M581 Rear Derailleur
Shimano LX FC-M582 Crankset
traditionaallly-sprung y p g (i.e. ( not Thiss is a traditionally-sprung p Rise) rear derailleur pid railleur designed to Rapid m mplement g shifters. complement Trigger D3 309A01 RD309A01 MSRP $80
Amazing upgrade for just about any bike! 170 or 175mm, 44-32-22 CR303A00
1 4# -$$ +10.
MSRP $189.99
Shimano LX M580 9SP Trigger Shifters These LX RapidFire levers are ideal for almost every rider. SL302A00
MSRP $79.99
1 4# -$$ +10.
RockShox Reba Team ‘09 Fork
EASTON Monkey Lite XC Riser Bar 08 The legendary Monkeylite featuring CNT (carbon nano tube) technology, making this bar light and strong. Easton is the leader in carbon ďŹ ber technology. 25.4 or 31.8, Low or High-Rise. HB402A00
MSRP $120
1 4# -$$ +10.
1 4# -$$
MSRP $724
Titus RX-1 2008 Frame Surf Blue S, M, L, XL FR285B01
-$$ +10.
1 4# -$$ +10.
MSRP $1599
White 100mm, Disc Only, 26�, w/Pushloc FK293A07
Serfas SI-4 Wireless Cyclocomputer 13 Functions CP281A00
MSRP $44.99
Easton EC70 Carbon Seatpost ‘08
Hutchinson Toro Tire OE Black, 26x2.15, Kevlar Folding TI284A00
MSRP $54.99
1 4# -$$ +10.
A proven design, year after year. Space age carbon ďŹ ber construction! SE402A01
MSRP $130
Blackburn Trakstand Ultra Trainer Ultra smooth. Ultra quiet. Ultra-realistic resistance. TR501A00
MSRP $299.99
1 4# -$$ +10.
Sun Drift Thru Axle DH/FR Wheelset Get ready to rock the trail with these fast, strong and reliable wheels. Featuring a 20mm thru front axle, 12x135 thru rear axle, SS spokes, brass nipples and stout EQ31 rims. WH282I01
1 4# -$$ +10.
MSRP $499.99
1 4# -$$
Lake MX 190 ‘09 Shoe You call it. Men, Lady or Wide SE402A01
MSRP $159.99
Minewt.X2
# 150 lumen’s of light output # 3:30-7:00 hours of run time # 3 light settings: High, Low, Flash LS306A04
MSRP $209.99
1 4# -$$
1 4# -$$
Minewt Mini USB Plus Light System # Superlight thanks to Li-Ion battery technology # 110+ lumen output # 3:00 runtime LS294A01
MSRP $129.99
1 4# -$$
Trinewt Wireless # 500 lumen’s of light output # 3:30-7:00 hours of run time # 3 light settings: High, Low, Flash LS306A08
MSRP $549
1 4# -$$
Disclaimer* Quantities on some items may be limited - shop early for best selection. Pricing may vary between our magazine ads, catalogs, showroom, retail stores, and website. Currency ⇑uctuations, manufacturer price increases, model year changes, and other factors may cause our costs to change. JensonUSA reserves the right to modify our prices at any time without notice. Prices listed do not include shipping. Errors in product descriptions, weights, prices, or photography are unintentional and subject to correction. Customer bears the cost of return shipping for exchanges/returns unless Jenson USA has made a shipping error. Please call for a return authorization number. Jenson USA strives to offer the best prices on every item we sell. We will price match any nationally advertised price - just give us the details at the time of your order. The identical item (size, color, model year) must be in stock at the time your order is placed. This does not include items which are on sale/clearance/blowout. Price match may not be combined with any other offers. * All Shimano logos and brands are the exclusive property of Shimano American Corporation.
Vredestein Black Panther Folding Tire 26x2.0, Folding TI283A09 MSRP $55.95
Eastern Nighttrain Bike ‘09
1 4# -$$
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Black or Purple BI284R00
MSRP $1599.99
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H HUGE PRICE DROP! Easton Havoc AM Wheelset â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 The ďŹ rst wheelset truly designed from the ground-up for all-mountain riders. WH501A02
Titus Motolite Frame â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09
Adjustable to 100mm or 127mm of travel. XS, S, M, L FR289B12
msrp $799.99
MKN> ;:K =>LB@G
msrp $1699.99
1 4#
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Easton Havoc DH Wheelset â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 WH402A09 msrp $799
1 4#
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Azonic Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal Fury Full Face â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 Helmet
Designed to inspire the most demanding XC rider, the XC One is up to 10% lighter than competing wheels â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AND as much as 36% stiffer. WH402A09
MSRP $999
msrp $799.99
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1 4# -$$ +10. Be Sweep â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 Helmet Bell (S, M, L) HE290A02
Intense Spider XVP Frame Swinger 3 Way VPP â&#x20AC;&#x153;Virtual Pivot Pointâ&#x20AC;? technology allow a bob-free ride, but still offers the plush feel youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d want for an all-day ride. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constructed of Easton aluminum tubes with CNC linkages and sealed bearing pivots and offers 4â&#x20AC;? of rear wheel travel. FR503A00
msrp $2140
Giro Remedy â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 Helmet
Marzocchi 55 ATA Fork â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09
Yeti ASR Alloy Frame
Black, 120-160mm, ATA FK291A09
One of the best â&#x20AC;&#x153;bang for the buckâ&#x20AC;? cross-country race frames you can buy. 3.89â&#x20AC;? of rear wheel travel using the Fox RP23 shock. Ano Black, Pink, Turqoise, White/Raw or Black/Turquoise FR289B00
MSRP $599
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1 4#
Ontario, California Will-Call Window
msrp $369
IRC Mythos Tire Wire Front or Rear 26â&#x20AC;? TI283A08
MSRP $24
1 4# -$$ +10.
For Fastest Pickup, Order Online or By Phone First!
Serfas SI3-B Wireless Cyclocomputer 9 Functions CP283A00
MSRP $60
Nema Revolver Jersey
This is a strong and stiff fork that is great in the dirt or in the concrete jungle. The Dirt Jumper 2 features a 20mm thru axle. 100mm Travel. FK291A12
MSRP $64.99
msrp $429
1 4#
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Nema Revolver Short Carbon/ Red S-XXL SP281B00
MSRP $104.99
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1441 S. Carlos Ave Ontario, California 91751 909.947.2100 Open Mon-Sat
Wardlow Rd
Lincoln
The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 44 TST2 gives you 120mm of travel on one of the lightest long travel XC forks. FK291A04
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Marzocchi 44 TST2 Fork â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09
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Auto Center Dr
MSRP $130
Vineyard
(S, M, L) HE290G12
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Easton XC One Disc Wheelset â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08
Metalic Grey, 180mm, RC3 FK291A16
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91 2410 Wardlow Rd Suite 109 Corona, California 92880 951.736.0700 NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!
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(S, M, L) HE302G04
15
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MBA YOUNG RIPPER
Introducing Cierra Smith Photos by Wil Smith
ost 14-year-old girls spend their summer vacation daydreaming about entering high school in the fall, what experiences their freshman year will bring, or, well, whatever it is teenage girls daydream about. Cierra Smith prefers to spend hers training for downhill racing. Her work has paid off, as she was recently crowned the Junior Division National Champion at the U.S. National Championships at the SolVista Mountain Bike Park in Granby, Colorado. Cierra’s riding skills not only caught our attention, but that of the Santa Cruz AllRide Academy, a junior development mountain bike racing team headed by Santa Cruz Syndicate’s AllRide Tour leader and champion gravity racer Kirt Voreis and his, wife Lindsey. “My family has been involved in cycling for a long time,” explains Cierra. “My grandpa used to race road bikes, and then he and my dad got into mountain biking. My dad then began riding downhill and started to bring me to the mountain.” Northern California has incredible mountain biking terrain, and Cierra appreciates the world class trails in her backyard. “My home mountain is definitely Northstar at Lake Tahoe,” she says. “I’m so lucky to live about 20 minutes away from there, and I spend practically every weekend riding or racing downhill there. Northstar is so great for train-
M
ing. You can do whatever you want there because it has such an awesome variety of trails. If you can ride the trails there, you can ride anywhere.” Although still very young for a mountain bike racer, Cierra’s been a part of the Santa Cruz crew for a handful of years. “There used to be a junior Santa Cruz Syndicate division, and I was with them the past couple of years,” explains Cierra. “When it became the AllRide Academy, I was picked from the original team to stay on board.” “Cierra rocks!” says all-around elite rider Kirt Voreis. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to help youngsters like Cierra have opportunities in this sport. Seeing the passion she has for riding, it inspires me everyday to keep riding hard and helping out wherever I can. The girl is super tough and has an allor-nothing attitude. She’s totally humble with a laid-back demeanor.” The World Cup circuit is still a few years down the road, but Cierra’s already proven to be the best on the biggest stage she’s been on so far. “The U.S. National Championship
event was crazy!” says Cierra. “I was so happy to win that race, because I finally had some competition. Before, I was so young I hardly had any other girls to race against, because not that many of them were doing it.” “She took a bad fall in practice and she got pinned head-first at the bottom of a nasty rock section,” says Kirt Voreis. “As soon as the course workers removed the bike from atop her pretzeled body, she jumped up chuckling saying, ‘Dude, that was crazy! I definitely think I need to take a break.’ She dusted herself off, jumped onto her bike and ripped down the course. Cierra has what it takes to be the best.” “My goal is to be a world champion,” Cierra says confidently. “I want to race all of the UCI World Cup stuff and go as far as I can with racing. I want to try to be the best in the world. I can’t really picture myself doing anything other than being a pro mountain biker. “Racing takes a lot of time and dedication. I’m really thankful for, and lucky to have, all of the people helping me out racing, especially my dad.” ❑
Home turf: Junior national downhill champion Cierra Smith races at the Northstar Mountain Bike Park, just outside of her home in Reno, Nevada.
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Supreme descender: With a 67degree head angle, thru-axle fork and an eight-inch front brake rotor, the Enduro SL Pro Carbon can charge high-speed terrain.
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MBA
est
Own The Entire Mountain The Specialized Enduro SL Pro Carbon
L
ong-travel trailbikes combine relatively lightweight suspension technology with a smattering of durable trailbike or high-end cross-country components. Specialized’s offering in this category is their six-inch-travel Enduro. Four models carry the Enduro title, including two with carbon fiber frames and two made from aluminum. The Enduros range in price from $7700 to $3300. WHO IS IT MADE FOR? With six inches of front and rear travel, the Enduro is ideal for a trail rider who doesn’t shy away from technical descents and has the fitness to haul wider tires, plush suspension and more overall weight uphill. These chassis are dialed so riders can muscle their way to the top of technical climbs and let it fly on challenging downhills. WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? Our 2009 Enduro SL Pro Carbon is the least expensive of the two carbon fiberframed Enduros. The carbon frame uses a rocker-link-actuated, four-bar suspension featuring Specialized’s FSR design and operates on cartridge bearings. The Enduro’s adjustable geometry allows for situation-specific tuning. The two bottom shock mount positions offer either a 67degree head angle and a 14-inch bottom bracket height or a 68degree head angle and a 14.5-inch bottom bracket height. WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? Each of the four Enduro models feature Specialized’s AFR air-sprung shock. The damping curve is specifically tuned to optimize the FSR suspension design, and toggling the blue lever activates the four-position pedaling platform. The Specialized Command Post adjustable seatpost is a nice touch, and one of three seat height positions can be chosen by pressing a handlebar-mounted lever. Those of you familiar with the high-end Specialized Enduros of the past few years will notice this model is spec’ed with a Fox 32 TALAS fork instead of the Specialized Future Shock E150 fork found on the 2009 S-Works version. After we experienced inconsistent performance with the E150 fork on the 2008 Enduro, we welcomed the Fox slider on this test bike. The Fox 32F TALAS RL fork offers premium performance and has adjustable travel with 4.3-, 5.1-, and 5.9-inch travel settings. HOW DOES IT PERFORM? In the saddle: For a six-inch-travel bike, the Enduro has a low, 29.5-inch standover height, which makes riders comfortable when riding aggressively. The 67-degree head angle, 74-degree seat tube angle, and 75-millimeter Specialized
stem make for a comfortable cockpit and speak to the bike’s descending competence. To achieve optimum suspension performance, you’ll need to set the correct amount of sag. Specialized includes a little sag meter that you can use to determine when you’ve achieved 25-percent sag in the shock. With the Fox fork, you’ll want to run 20-percent sag with the fork in the fulltravel setting. Climbing: For a bike with six inches of travel, the Enduro is a snappy accelerator. We were impressed with how well it scrambled uphill on loose terrain. The Enduro is capable of cresting any climb you have the lungs and legs to hammer up and over. The AFR shock has a four-position pedaling platform, with the first setting being the most plush and the fourth the most firm. The first and third settings were the easiest to find while wearing gloves, but it’s easy to unintentionally press the lever past the fourth position. On technical climbs, our best results were with the shock in the third setting. It offered a consistent pedaling platform with enough bump absorption to handle terrain features. The Fox 32F TALAS fork’s ability to lower the front end is perfect for keeping the front end from wandering when spinning in the saddle. Although three positions are available on this fork, we were more comfortable during long climbs with the travel set in the middle (5.1-inch) position. Lowering the fork to this setting allowed us to maintain a centered and aggressive riding position on the bike. Only on extended fire road climbs did we reach for the lockout feature (in the softest blow-off setting), as spinning in the saddle on singletrack trails caused slight unwanted fork movement. The key to cresting the steepest of climbs is to keep your weight forward and spin a low gear. The 34-tooth Shimano XT cassette helped keep the wheels rolling and our legs churning. Descending: As you approach downhills, open up the fork and shock, and if you’ve set the suspension sag correctly, you’ll be stoked by how well the front and rear of the Enduro work in synchronization to gobble up rocks, roots and trail chatter at speed. The 15QR thru-axle on the Fox fork drastically improves the front-end rigidity when riding technical trails. What does a stiffer front end mean to the rider? When you’re able to hold your intended line without the front end deflecting or twisting, not only do you conserve energy because you’re not fighting the bike, but you can focus farther down the trail and choose your lines earlier. This ultimately adds speed and efficiency to your ride.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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The Entire Mountain Another key to the Enduro’s descending merit is the Specialized Command Post adjustable seatpost. With a flick of the lever you can drop the seat to make drops, jumps and ultra-steep chutes less daunting. If you’ve spent much time aboard a seatpost like this, you’re likely already a believer. Cornering: The Enduro’s supple suspension keeps the tires hooked up on chattery, off-camber corners. The stiffness of the front end lets you really lean on the front wheel to confidently hold a line in a corner, and the 2.3-inch Specialized Eskar tires are easily some of the best all-mountain/trailbike tires out there for moderately loose trails. They have an aggressive center tread and hard-biting side knobs. TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? You may have seen the 2010 Specialized Enduro S-Works on the cover of our October issue. Although the 2010 Enduro shares the same name, it is very different from the 2009 tested here. The 2010 model receives an all-new frame, a two-chainring crankset, plus a different fork and shock. It takes the bike closer to the gravity-oriented, black-diamond or stunt category. BUYING ADVICE This is a terrific time of year to buy a new bike, because shops are offering deals on existing models to make room for the new ones. We touched on the changes made to the 2010 Enduro, but if you’re in the market for a long-travel, pedalit-six-hours trailbike, holding off for the 2010 Enduro doesn’t make sense.
Tried and true: The Shimano XT crankset, plus Specialized Eskar 2.3-inch tires and Command Post adjustable seatpost, speak to the all-mountain capabilities of the 2009 Enduro SL Pro Carbon.
The Enduro SL Pro Carbon surpassed our expectations in nearly all areas of testing, and with features like the ultra-reliable Fox Shox 32F TALAS fork, Specialized Command Post and Avid Elixir brakes, finding a smoking closeout sale on this Enduro would be the Holy Grail for any bargain-hunting trail rider. Heck, even paying full boat would be a deal. ❑
SPECIALIZED ENDURO SL PRO CARBON
New slider: The 2009 Enduro SL Pro Carbon ditches the dualcrown Specialized fork found on the more expensive Enduro and uses the reliable Fox Shox 32F TALAS RL fork equipped with the 15QR thru-axle.
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Price Country of origin Weight Hotline Frame tested Bottom bracket height Chainstay length Top tube length Head tube angle Seat tube angle Standover height Wheelbase Suspension travel (front) Suspension travel (rear) Frame material Fork Shock Rims Tires Hub (f) Brakes Crankset Shifters Handlebar Front derailleur Rear derailleur Chainrings Cassette Pedals
$5500 Taiwan 30 pounds (877) 808-8154 Medium) 14" 16.6" 22.6" 67° 74° 29.5" 45" 5.9" 6" Carbon Fox 32F TALAS RL Specialized AFR Custom DT Swiss E440S S-Works Eskar (2.3") Specialized Hi-Lo, DT Swiss 370 Avid Elixir R Carbon SL Shimano XT Custom SRAM X.9 Specialized Enduro mid-rise (26" wide) Shimano XT SRAM X.9 Shimano XT (44/32/22) Shimano XT (11-34) None (weighed w/Shimano XT)
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Mini 9 Multi Tool ToPeak
WOODLAND HILLS
MBA DESTINATIONS
Sedona’s
Warm Welcome Where to go when the snow falls
G
ray, sunless skies, dropping temperatures and falling snow doesn’t mean it is time to put the mountain bike away and pray for spring to arrive early. There are places that don’t come into their riding primetime until other locations are covered in snow, ice and slush. Sedona, Arizona, is a mountain biker’s winter getaway that has a lot more to offer than warm temperatures.
Accessibility: Road trips originating from anywhere but California don’t make a lot of sense. Ride areas to the north or east of Sedona could be under snow from November to March, so your riding opportunities are limited to your final destination. Your best bet is to jet it to Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix is a major flight hub, and that means pretty good deals on airfare. Remember to use your free bike voucher if you are an IMBA member. Rent a car, head north on Highway 179 and exit at Sedona. If you have time, take an extra day to visit South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix before you head to Sedona. 28 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona 113 miles from Phoenix, Arizona 278 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada 341 miles from Durango, Colorado 482 miles from Los Angeles, California 792 miles from San Francisco, California 1384 miles from Seattle, Washington 2580 miles from Boston, Massachusetts 96
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Cooling off: Sedona trail riding is made more tolerable in the hot weather due to the number of rivers and streams that are encountered. How do you find them? Look for the green below the red rocks.
The people you meet: We spied former World CrossCountry Champion Ruthie Mathis (right), a native of Durango, Colorado, sampling the Sedona sunshine with a friend. Sedona is an option for getting away from a long winter.
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ARIZONA GRAND CANYON 108 mi.
FLAGSTAFF 28 mi.
SEDONA
PHOENIX 119 mi.
TUCSON 230 mi.
Maps: Buy Fat Tire Tales And
Trails as soon as you arrive in Arizona. The book is sold in most bike shops, and it is the consummate Arizona mountain bike trail guide. It has 13 unique rides listed for Sedona alone. You can also get a free copy of the Experience Sedona Guide by calling (800) 288-7336 or visiting visitsedona.com.
Trails: Sedona is called the Red Rock Country, and you’ll figure out why before you’ve left the trailhead. The hills and cliffs that surround you offer views that are totally unique to the area. This wild terrain also offers everything from beginner trails to white-knuckle, cliff-side riding insanity. You’ll want to launch your Sedona riding adventure at the Bell Rock Pathway off highway 179 in the Village of Oak Creek (Sedona’s southern neighbor). Local riders affectionately refer to the place as “The Boat Ramp,” because it is the jumping off place for so many of the area’s rides. Bell Rock Pathway offers good trails for beginners and opens up to more technical and advanced riding. The town of Sedona itself is surrounded by trails. It is hard to ride half a mile on any street without seeing a trailhead. The trails east of town are not recommended for beginners. These trails feature a lot of rocks, drops, steep climbs, switchbacks and loose rocks. These can be frustrating rides, because one moment you are rolling along fun, flowy singletrack and the next second you are trying to clear six two-foot-
tall rock steps. Talk about a flow kill! It is the type of terrain that you’ll struggle to clean and then feel exaltation when you do. The trail surface is everything from hardpack to sand with lots of flatedged slate thrown in for added traction. We are talking desert riding with all the prickly vegetation that you’d expect.
Equipment: Sedona is not a place for lightweight hardtails or even short-travel, cross-country bikes. While a four- or five-inch-travel trailbike works great, if you are going to tackle the technical trails, bikes like the Pivot Firebird, Specialized Enduro, Giant Reign, Fisher Roscoe or Trek Remedy are the ticket. Many local riders use flat pedals rather than clipless pedals. Fat tires with sealant are highly recommended. Poachers: We have been riding Sedona for years, and our most recent trip revealed an alarming number of illegal trails. It makes no sense, because there are so many great existing trails. It is hard to believe that a hiker or biker would feel compelled to bushwhack. Off-trail riding, hiking or climbing in this fragile desert environment creates lasting damage. We don’t have to ask you to stay on desig-
Pay attention: The scenery begs to be taken in, but don’t be sightseeing while riding. The loose surface, severe drop-offs and menacing foliage will all attack if you are not paying attention.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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MBA DESTINATIONS
Sedona
nated trails, because we know you will. We will ask you to take a moment during your ride to block the entrance of an illegal trail with fallen timber or rocks.
Shops: Sedona Bike & Bean, (928) 284-0210, (bike-bean.com) offers more than maps, bike rentals and repairs. The closest shop to the Bell Rock Pathway partners with a local resort to offer accommodations tailored for mountain bikers. The resort has a number of large cabins (to fit your crew) that include kitchens, a pool, washer and dryer, gas grills and hot tubs. The place is within riding distance of the Bell Rock Pathway. This is a great base camp for your Sedona adventure. Absolute Bikes, (928) 284-1242, is another bike shop close to the trails that offers bike rentals, repairs and spare parts.
Change it up: The trails in Sedona can be sweet, flowy, big-ring fun one mile while the next is two-foot stair steps comprised of loose shale. This is not the place for lightweight components.
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Eats: Sedona offers tons of restaurants on the two extremes. There seem to be either expensive, hoity-toity, napkin-in-your-lap restaurants or fast food places and greasy spoons. If you don’t have the budget to blow on grub, we’d suggest booking a cabin with the Bike & Bean and doing the grocery shopping and cooking yourself. Weather: Sedona is a September-through-May riding destination. When summer hits, so does the heat. Triple-digit temperatures are not uncommon in the summer months. The place has been know to get dusted with snow in the winter, but it won’t stick around long. Be sure to pack some warm riding clothing during the winter months, as the mornings can be cold. Advisory: Put a comb in your hydration pack. If you do pick up a cactus bulb, the only way to get it off is to flick it with a comb.
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November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
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MBA DESTINATIONS
Sedona
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Red and it rocks: Sedona is known as Red Rock Country for obvious reasons. The trails snake through canyons and make any rider feel like he or she has been transported back in time. This is what the Wild West used to look like.
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Before the ride: The Sedona Bike & Bean offers rental bikes (nice ones), spare parts, professional service, maps and most important, a great cup of Joe to get you off on your rides. Photos by Jan Sullivan/Retro Art By Jan
Mountain bike resort: The Bike & Bean runs a resort that is tailored to the needs of visiting mountain bikers. The cabins are your home away from home, while the pool and barbecue area is great for after-ride tale telling. Photos by Jan Sullivan/Retro Art By Jan
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MBA RIDERS WHO
Inspire
Stewards Of The Preserve Arizona riders who care for all trail users Photos by John Romero t over 16,000 acres, the South Mountain Preserve in Phoenix, Arizona, has 51 miles of primary trails for horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking. That’s a lot of territory to care for, and with budget cutbacks, it seems like an impossible task. This is why the South Mountain Bike Patrol (SoMo BP) was formed and why it is so important. “We want to keep things natural and don’t want to see the park spoiled,” explains SoMo BP member Tom Cavaretta. “We want our kids to enjoy the preserve as much as we do.” The SoMo BP is the eyes and ears of the park’s rangers. Members complete a park stewardship program that includes CPR and first aid training, a background check and fingerprinting. Certified members are expected to donate 60 hours a year to the patrol. “I am going to be riding the park anyway, so it never feels like I’m working,” explains Tom. “I always carry a first aid kit, tools and some spares, even when I’m not in uniform.” The SoMo BP has many duties, the most important being communication. “We have hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers sharing the trails, and it is key for trail users to understand proper trail etiquette and to communicate with each other,” explains Gabe Lucero, who is part of the North Mountain Bike Patrol, formed after the success of the SoMo BP.
A
Fun work: Members of the South Mountain Bike Patrol claim they would be riding anyway, so their duties never feel like work. They are being modest. Training and volunteering hours is work.
The SoMo BP has already saved lives. Giving water to unprepared trail users on a plus-100-degree day saves lives. Blocking bootleg trails so hikers and riders don’t get lost saves lives. Repairing trail damage saves lives. “We may stack some rocks to make a drop safer for beginners, but our goal is to keep the park’s trails as natural as possible,” explains Tom. “The trails hold up very well until the monsoon season hits. That’s when we put in a lot of water bars.” What’s the biggest problem the SoMo BP has encountered? Dogs off leash. “I love dogs and want to keep them safe,” says Tom. “A situation can get out of hand quickly if a few dogs show up at the same place. I’ve had to use my bike to keep dogs apart. The preserve is home to predators like coyotes and rattlesnakes. A hiker lost her dog to a snake bite last year.” The SoMo BP and NoMo BP show all trail users that mountain bikers care. Funding cutbacks have hurt every park system in America, so there is a good chance that the park where you ride could use your help. Tom and Gabe suggest visiting the IMBA website (imba.com) and checking out their bike patrol resources page. Like Tom says, “You are going to be out there anyway. Why not pitch in to preserve the places we love to ride?” ❑
The few, the proud, the dirty: The South Mountain Bike Patrol, from left, are Tom Cavaretta, Scott MacFarlane, Mike Lust, Kurt Krause, Bryan Fox, Chris Gardner, Micky Santa Maria, Brian Higgins, Dan Ryan, Gabe Lucero and Chris Capages.
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MBA TECH
The Downhill Workhorse T
he RockShox Boxxer is the most decorated fork in downhill racing history, and for the first time since the original prototypes debuted in 1996, it has been redesigned from the ground up. We first brought you images and riding impressions of the three, eight-inchtravel 2010 Boxxer models— the World Cup ($1700), Team ($1160) and Race ($775)—in our February 2009 issue.
Break it in: The Boxxer Team’s tight bushings take a few days of riding to break in. Once the fork’s been given the business on some tough terrain, it has a plush coil feel that can absorb repetitive monster hits.
BOXXER RECAP RockShox set out to accomplish three goals with their new downhill fork: to be lighter, stiffer and achieve increased control. The new Boxxer jumped from the 32-millimeter stanchions found on most cross-country forks to a thinner-wall, 35-millimeter tubing. This change improved stiffness and reduced weight. The Boxxer’s new forged crowns use less material than previous versions, and the new Maxle Lite DH also shaves a couple ounces. The World Cup and Team forks get the new Mission Control DH damping system with Dual Flow adjust compression and rebound damping. This damping system was developed to optimize front wheel traction. We put the mid-priced version of the new Boxxer, the Team, to the test on our Santa Cruz V10. BOXXER TEAM SPECIFICS The 6.57-pound 2010 Team fork is 5.3 ounces lighter than the previous year’s version of the Team and is about a half-pound heavier than the pricier air-sprung World Cup model. The difference between these top-end downhill forks isn’t merely the weight or the $540 price difference; it also has to do with a rider’s preference for the feel of air-sprung or coil-sprung suspension. The coil-sprung Boxxer Team has all of the tuning features of the World Cup but uses different methods to achieve them. The Dual Flow compression adjustment interface is atop the right fork leg. The blue knob tunes high106 www.mbaction.com
speed (fast shaft speeds) hits, and the smaller silver dial on top of the highspeed knob tunes low-speed (slow shaft speeds) travel. The Dual Flow Rebound adjustment sits on the bottom of the right fork leg. The larger red dial controls the ending
stroke rebound for when the fork is farther into the travel, while the gray knob controls beginning stroke rebound when the fork is in the initial part of the travel. A new feature of the 2010 Boxxer Team is the DropStop bottom-out
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Workhorse: The coil-sprung RockShox Boxxer Team features tunable beginning and ending stroke rebound, high- andlow-speed compression, and utilizes the new Maxle Lite 20-millimeter thru-axle.
adjustment atop the left fork leg. Inside the center of the coil spring is the MCU (an elastomer) that smoothes the transition between the spring rate and the bottom-out pad. Turning the DropStop dial changes how soon it kicks in. When purchased aftermarket, the Boxxer Team includes two alternative tuning springs and both upper crown sizes. SETTING UP THE BOXXER Along with the additional springs, RockShox includes their handy Trailside Tuning Guide with the Boxxer forks (also available as PDFs on their website). The tuning guide and springs are included so you can tune your fork to your particular weight, riding style, and terrain. The stock red spring is said to be for riders between 160 and 180 pounds, and one lighter and one heavier spring are included. The tuning guide offers nine different terrain or downhill course scenarios as starting points for your fork tuning. RIDING THE BOXXER TEAM On paper, the stock red spring was supposed to be perfect for 170-pound riders in full gear. The fork sag looked good according to the gradient on the stanchion. However, after numerous days of riding the Team, we were able
to achieve full travel on certain impacts, but were not using any of the compression tuning features or the DropStop bottom-out adjustment. Originally, we thought this was because of the very stiff bushings, but after the fork was sufficiently broken in, it had supple small-bump absorption, yet was still too firm for riders between 160 and 180 pounds to utilize the tuning features. Thankfully, the lighter yellow spring was already in the box. Instructions for swapping the fork spring were easily downloaded online, and what a difference the change made. The sag on the stock spring read 25 percent, but was too firm when on the bike. The sag reading on the softer yellow spring read between 25 and 30 percent, and gave us the opportunity to use the Tuning Guide and the compression and bottom-out features. With the softer yellow spring, our default settings became four clicks of the blue high-speed compression knob, three turns of the low-speed knob, and one turn of the bottom-out adjuster. The increased rigidity of the new Boxxer eliminated all twisting sensations felt in the previous versions. Whether riding low-speed steep terrain or bombing run after run at Northstar Mountain Bike park, we chose rugged lines with confidence. Although out of the box the Team felt slightly sluggish, once broken in it had superb smallbump performance. The tunability of the high- and lowspeed rebound is most noticeable on fast, rocky terrain with repeated big hits, drops and holes. The ability to keep the fork stuck to the ground with a slower rebound setting improves traction and speeds up the rebound so the fork can return to full travel on harsh hits. It works very well for maintaining control on trails that put every part of the bike to the test. Through corners, whether berms or rutted off-cambers, the Boxxer’s rigidity helped us keep our intended line and took the brunt of the harshest impacts at speed. On more than one occasion there was a wince after an impact from a gnarly line choice aboard the Boxxer Team, but the 2010 stayed true, and this Boxxer showed much less deflection than previous versions. Although it took some tinkering and head scratching for us to bring the most out of the new Boxxer Team, it’s fair to say that RockShox seriously improved upon an already excellent and race-proven design. For on-board video of testing the Boxxer Team, visit mbaction.com. ❑
Spring time: The stock spring is said to be ideal for riders between 160 and 180 pounds. We found riders around 170 pounds were able to achieve more supple and active suspension by swapping the stock spring to the lighter yellow spring (included) and turning the blue high-speed compression dial up a few clicks.
Tuning in: Tuning the beginning and ending stroke rebound allows you to tune your ride to the terrain. The red dial controls the fork’s rebound when deeper in the stroke, and the gray knob controls the beginning stroke rebound.
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MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
How to crash and walk away
very rider crashes. Smack downs are not reserved as payback for wide-eyed wild men who take insane risks and ride above their natural ability. Soil samples happen to skilled riders who happen to roll into the wrong place at the wrong time. Singletrack tilling can begin with a mechanical failure as innocent as a blown tire or as evil as a pedal cleat that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t release. Yard sales are held after the earth gives way unexpectedly, a low-hanging branch rips you from the saddle, or a deeper-than-anticipated water crossing swallows you. There will come a time when you will find yourself eye-to-eye with a rabbit or lizard, no matter how careful a rider you may be. There are ways to limit the pain and suffering inflicted by these unexpected mining expeditions. Using our tips for crashing gracefully may result in brushing the dirt off your jersey rather than heading to the ER to find out how good your health insurance coverage really is.
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STAY WITH THE BIKE If your bike is on the ground when you lose control, ride it out to the very end. Your bike can absorb more of the crash than you can. Everything on the bike sucks energy out of the crash. Your bike’s suspension is designed to absorb impact, but the rest of the bike will do it, too. If your bike lands hard off a jump or drop-off and the rims, spokes, fork, handlebars, cranks and seatpost bend, the energy absorbed in that bending reduces the shock to your feet, ankles, hands, wrists, arms and shoulders. It’s similar to the way a stack of cardboard boxes can collapse and absorb the impact of a stunt man falling off a roof in a movie. This is a good thing. It’s usually less expensive (and less painful) to let the bike, rather than your body, absorb the energy of a crash.
RELAX Tensing your muscles before a collision will transfer more impact force to your vital organs. Intoxicated people involved in a car crash have disproportionately higher survival rates than the rest of us. Why this occurs is not proven, but one theory is that people who are drunk may be more relaxed before and upon impact. Now, we are not suggesting that you down a stiff one before your next ride. Practice your tuck and roll techniques, and if the time comes when you are forced to use them, go with the flow. Use the confidence built from your practice to remain calm. Much, much easier said than done.
TUCK AND ROLL PICK YOUR IMPACT If you are separated from your bike, don’t land with your arms straight out and your palms facing down. If you do, you’re likely to break your collarbone. Instead, try to roll when you hit the ground, keeping your hands in fists and your arms tucked into your body. Unlike learning a new riding skill, we would never suggest practicing this crash technique from the bike. You are asking for injury if you do. Instead, practice on a trampoline, while jumping into a pool or falling on a bed or tumbling mat.
Relaxing doesn’t mean giving up. Think fast, keep your eyes open and do your best to minimize the severity of your impact by picking where you are going to land. Remember, the bike is your greatest asset for absorbing the impact’s energy. Also, long tumbles are better than stopping abruptly (like hitting a tree). Do your best to aim for a soft landing spot.
Tuck and roll: This rider does a great job of tucking and rolling after what appears to be losing the front wheel to a slippery root. Bonus tip: Never jump back up to your feet. Wait until you are sure that the bike is not about to bean you and that you are not injured.
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THE AFTERMATH If you crash hard, don’t stand up right away. Riders often have so much adrenaline released during a crash that they stand up right away and then collapse. Many spinal injuries are the result of the rider standing up right away. There’s a reason emergency medical technicians immobilize an accident victims’ heads when they think the spine may be injured. Vertebrae can fracture on a hard impact, and yet there may not be any injury to the spinal cord until they stand up. Stay down and assess the damage.
Live to tell: There is nothing wrong with getting off the bike and walking down a section of sketchy trail. In many instances, it is faster than riding the section (even if you don’t crash).
PRECAUTIONS This is probably a good time to remind you that when you ride, ride with a buddy, or at least tell someone where you are going. Make sure your helmet retention system is properly adjusted. Always wear glasses (day or night, bright or overcast) and gloves. Have a first aid kit in your hydration pack. Don’t ride a bike that is not mechanically sound. Finally, know your limits and don’t take wild chances. ❑
Slide into home: Gravity racers get tons more experience crashing than their trailriding compadres. One thing they’ve learned from experience, and the hardest technique to teach, is to remain relaxed and go with the flow.
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Niner W.F.O. 9 >> The most capable 29er ever. Get the details: www.thebigrevolution.com
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Drifter: The supple action of the RockShox Recon fork keeps the front wheel hooked up to the ground, and allows the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo pilot to relax and look down the trail.
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MBA
est
A Hardtail With History Return to roots with Fisher’s Hoo-Koo-E-Koo he Gary Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo hardtail trailbike’s name may not exactly roll off of the tongue, but with a little backstory it’s a fitting title. Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is a historic reference to a tribe that once lived on Mount Tamalpais, the mountain made famous by Gary Fisher and his pals racing down fireroads on their modified beach cruiser “Klunkers.” Fisher offers ten hardtail trailbikes ranging in price from $439 to our $1429 Hoo-Koo-E-Koo test bike.
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WHO IS IT MADE FOR? The Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is aimed at the hardcore enthusiast looking to push the limits of his riding with a 3.9inch travel fork and hydraulic disc brakes. WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? The aluminum-framed Hoo-Koo-E-Koo features Fisher’s
G2 geometry, which offers the amount of fork offset needed to improve slow-speed handling. This reduces the amount of trail to make the bike steer quicker without changing the rest of its handling characteristics. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is built with a 68-degree head angle and 12.25-inch bottom bracket. WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s 28-millimeter-wide Bontrager Duster wheels are tubeless ready and are mounted up with 2.2-inch Bontrager Jones XR tires. The cockpit features a 24.5-inch-wide Bontrager Race Big Sweep handlebar, Race Lite grips and Bontrager Race saddle. HOW DOES IT PERFORM? Ergonomics: The 23.5-inch top tube comfortably positions the rider in the saddle, not overextended or too relaxed. The Bontrager Race Big Sweep handlebar takes
some getting used to and is on the narrow side by today’s standards. Pedaling: With a hardtail, you’re practically guaranteed snappy acceleration. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s rigid bottom bracket area provides a stable platform for hammering on the trail. Popping through the gears when on the gas was made easy by the SRAM X.9 and X.7 components, and spinning in the saddle is made easier with the help of Shimano’s Octalink cranks and M505 clipless pedals. Depending on the terrain, we ran between 28 and 32 psi in the Bontrager tires for ideal traction and fast rolling. Climbing: Lean forward, choose the perfect gear and spin away. The rear Bontrager Jones XR tire is mounted backwards, which elicits more scoop from the tread pattern. The direction of this rear tire has a large impact on the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s climbing performance. You’ll find yourself wishing for a 34-tooth cassette instead of the 32-tooth version the bike comes with. Those couple of extra teeth could be the difference between grinding up a climb in the middle ring and having to drop down to the granny gear. When the time came to choose between chainrings, big-ring shifting was made easy by the precise action of the SRAM X.7 front derailleur. During extended seat time, we appreciated the cush of the comfortable Bontrager Race saddle. To aid out-of-the saddle efforts, you can easily lock out the RockShox fork by flipping the blue compression knob atop the right fork leg. Cornering: The Bontrager Jones XR tires are a good fit for hardpacked or slightly loose trails. Despite the tires being on the narrow side of 2.2 inches, they have good side knob bite for off-camber turns. The best way to attack uphill switchbacks is to stay in the saddle and spin the cranks. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s G2 geometry and tight cockpit take the edge off of maneuvering tricky uphill corners. Descending: Don’t think that because it’s a hardtail the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo can’t rip descents. The coil-sprung RockShox Recon fork takes the brunt of harsh hits on the downhills. The stock spring feels spot-on for a 165-pound rider and smoothed relentless trail chatter and braking bumps. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s descending is hindered by the 24.5-inch handlebar. Going up to a 26- or 27-inch bar would take some twitchiness out of the bike’s handling. A big reason for the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s stability on the descents (despite the handlebar) is the Bontrager Duster wheelset. The Duster shares the same 28-millimeter-wide rims as the popular Rhythm wheels, but it uses less expensive spokes and hubs to get the job done.
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Fisher Braking: The Avid Juicy 3 brakes have an adjustable lever reach and operate on six-inch rotors. The popular Juicy brakes with organic pads have a comfortable feel at the lever and sufficient stopping power on mellow, meandering trails. When flying down high-speed descents, we found ourselves over-riding the power of the Juicy 3s and had to watch how much we let it hang out on the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo. TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? After riding the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo, a few suggestions come to mind to help its overall handling and performance. A 34tooth cassette would make tough uphills more manageable, the aforementioned wider bar would aid in both ascending and descending, and you’ll want to look into a metallic brake pad or two for the front brake. This will give the Juicy 3 brakes more bite and you more control of the bike. The Duster wheelset is tubeless ready, and we highly recommend taking advantage of that feature. BUYING ADVICE The hardtail is as integral to mountain biking as the HooKoo-E-Koo riding area was to the first mountain bikers on Northern California’s Mount Tamalpais. The Hoo-Koo-EKoo may fall near the “recreational” price point category, but don’t be fooled; it’s a cool and extremely capable hardtail mountain bike. For $1429, you get a great-looking, root-beercolored aluminum frame; dependable RockShox and Shimano components; a high-performance trailbike wheelset and a little piece of history. ❑
Climbing high: When attacking long climbs, the backwardsfacing Bontrager Jones XR tire provides plenty of scoop to grab traction on loose terrain.
FISHER HOO-KOO-E-KOO
Narrow-minded: Despite the narrow 24.5-inch handlebar, the Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is a more than capable descender. You can thank the trail-riding-oriented 69-degree head angle for its descending abilities.
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Price Country of origin Weight Hotline Frame tested Bottom bracket height Chainstay length Top tube length Head tube angle Seat tube angle Standover height Wheelbase Suspension travel (front) Suspension travel (rear) Frame material Fork Shock Rims Tires Hubs Brakes Crankset Shifters Handlebar Front derailleur Rear derailleur Chainrings Cassette Pedals
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$1429 Taiwan 27 pounds (800) 585-8735 Medium 12.25" 16.25" 23.5" 69° 72° 29.5" 42.7" 3.9" None Aluminum RockShox Recon 335 None Bontrager Duster Bontrager Jones XR Shimano M525 disc Avid Juicy 3 Shimano Octalink SRAM X.7 Bontrager Race Big Sweep SRAM X.7 SRAM X.9 Shimano (44/32/22) SRAM PG950 (11-32) Shimano M505
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MBA Competition
America’s best battle at SolVista, Colorado
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acing mountain bikes on American soil, the birthplace of the sport, attracts riders from all over the world. Our national series have traditionally pulled riders from Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and north of the border in Canada (Canadians have become a greedy bunch when it comes to carting home American medals). The international flavor of our national events is a testament to the attraction of American culture, great racecourses, deep pockets of sponsors and Denny’s (hey, they have nothing like it in Krasnoyarsk). American race promoters like the melting pot approach because it attracts more interest from spectators and pushes the level of competition. But once a year we bar all them foreigners and throw a party called the USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Championships. This event, open only to American citizens with big legs, larger lungs and cat-like reflexes, determines America’s top mountain bikers in a variety of cross-country and gravity disciplines. This year, the National Mountain Bike Championships were held in Granby, Colorado, at the SolVista ski resort, about an hour and a half west of Denver, high in the Rocky Mountains. These are the highlights, along with the names and ranks of America’s 78 fastest men and women.
New champion: Mitch Ropelato was recently featured in MBA’s “Young Rippers” as a hot up-and-comer. Well, young Mitch has now officially arrived. The teenage pro battled the darkness to become America’s new 4-Cross National champion. Mitch Ropelato also won the Junior Expert Downhill Championship.
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Into the night: The decision to delay the 4-Cross Pro finals until nightfall did not sit well with many spectators, who packed up and went home. Those who left missed a memorable show under the lights.
4-CROSS RESULTS PRO MEN’S 4-CROSS 1. Mitch Ropelato, Cafe Rio 2. Rich Houseman, Intense/Team Houseman 3. Brian Buell, Team Geronimo 4. John Swanguen, Intense/Troy Lee/ODI/Fox Shox PRO WOMEN’S 4-CROSS 1. Jill Kintner, GT 2. Melissa Buhl, KHS 3. Kathy Pruitt, Jamis 4. Darian Harvey, Cannondale
Back to work: Jill Kintner returned to our National Championships this year to win the 4-Cross title. She missed last year’s biggest mountain bike races to concentrate on the Olympics, where she picked up a bronze medal in BMX.
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MBA Competition Pitched battle: America’s top crosscountry riders came out in force for the 2009 national title race. Adam Craig (269), Todd Wells (270), and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (23) led the field up the steep climb that began each of the five long laps.
Target practice: Women downhill racers need to pin a bull’s-eye on Melissa Buhl’s back if they ever have dreams of a stars and stripes jersey in their collection. Melissa has a closet full of them.
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Changing it up: Adam Craig can be counted on to earn at least one championship every year. He didn’t disappoint. He dominated the short track event with the powerful rider’s trademark mix of determination and enthusiasm.
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Big-wheel history: Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski cemented himself in the history books by becoming the first pro man to win the cross-country national championship on 29-inch wheels. JHK is hooked on the big hoops for his Fisher hardtail and dual-suspension race rigs.
CROSS-COUNTRY RESULTS PRO MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY 1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 2:02:10 2. Adam Craig, Giant Bicycles, 2:08:57 3. Sam Schultz, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 2:09:34 4. Jeremiah Bishop, Monavie/Cannondale, 2:09:55 5. Jay Henry, Tokyo Joes, 2:10:19 6. Andy Schultz, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes, 2:10:23 7. Sam Jurekovic, Sho-Air-Specialized, 2:11:54 8. Ryan Trebon, Kona, 2:12:57 9. Michael Broderick, Kenda/Seven, 2:14:14 10. Barry Wicks, Kona, 2:16:33 PRO WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY 1. Heather Irmiger, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 1:55:40 2. Willow Koerber, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 1:57:58 3. Katie Compton, Katie Compton, 2:00:09 4. Georgia Gould, Luna Pro Team, 2:00:35
5. Mary McConneloug, Kenda/Seven, 2:01:39 6. Pua Sawicki, Ellsworth, 2:03:42 7. Judy Freeman, Tough Girl/Scott, 2:05:01 8. Lea Davison, Maxxis/Rocky Mountain, 2:06:19 9. Kelli Emmett, Giant Bicycles, 2:07:35 10. Krista Park, Incycle/Magur, 2:08:22 PRO MEN’S SHORT TRACK CROSS-COUNTRY 1. Adam Craig, Giant Bicycles 2. Todd Wells, Specialized 3. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru/Gary Fisher 4. Ryan Trebon, Kona 5. Sam Schultz, Subaru/Gary Fisher 6. Carl Decker, Giant Bicycles 7. Jeremiah Bishop, Monavie/Cannondale 8. Andy Schultz, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes 9. Bryan Alders, Monavie/Cannondale 10. Colin Cares, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes
PRO WOMEN’S SHORT TRACK CROSS-COUNTRY 1. Georgia Gould, Luna Pro Team 2. Heather Irmiger, Subaru/Gary Fisher 3. Lea Davison, Maxxis/Rocky Mountain 4. Willow Koerber, Subaru/Gary Fisher 5. Mary McConneloug, Kenda/Seven/NoTubes 6. Kelli Emmett, Giant Bicycles 7. Judy Freeman, Tough Girl/Scott 8. Chloe Forsman, Luna Pro Team 9. Pua Sawicki, Ellsworth 10. Zephanie Blasi, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes
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MBA Competition
Return of “the Palm”: A silver medalist in Men’s Downhill at the 1996 World Championships, Shaun Palmer, 40, is back racing downhill and finished 12th. Judging from how he cleared the 55-foot doubles, the famed snowboarder still has his bike skills, too.
Seeing red: Georgia Gould used the Nats to debut Luna’s new line of women’s sports apparel. Maybe they should call it “sports performance apparel,” because Georgia’s competition saw red as she rode away in the short track.
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Family affair: Heather Irmiger laid claim to her first cross-country national title, and she did it on a Fisher 29er Superfly. Her husband’s win gave Fisher a 29er sweep of the cross-country titles. Yes, the HorganKobelski/Irmiger household has a lot of stars and stripes jerseys.
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MBA Competition America’s best: Aaron Gwin dominated the Pro Men’s Downhill event to score his first National Pro Downhill title. Considering that he made two World Cup podiums in the next two weeks, Aaron is America’s most promising downhill competitor in ten years.
GRAVITY
RESULTS
PRO MEN’S DOWNHILL 1. Aaron Gwin, Yeti/Fox Factory, 2:11.72 2. Duncan Riffle, DDR/Giantnerd, 2:13.87 3. J.D. Swanguen, Intense/Troy Lee/ODI, 2:15.69 4. Cody Warren, Specialized, 2:16.92 5. (tie) Gerrit Behtagh, Morewood Bikes, 2:16.94 5. (tie) Joey Schusler, Yeti, 2:16.94 7. Luke Strobel, Maxxis/Rocky Mountain, 2:17.64 8. Kyle Strait, Specialized, 2:18.02 9. Michael Sylvestri, Santa Cruz/Allride, 2:18.03 10. Curtis Keene, Specialized/SRAM, 2:18.51 PRO WOMEN’S DOWNHILL 1. Melissa Buhl, KHS Bicycles, 2:41.13 2. Kathy Pruitt, Jamis, 2:41.20 3. Lisa Myklak, Fox Racing Shox, 2:47.83 4. Jaqueline Harmony, Vixen Racing, 2:52.59 5. Katie Holden, Specialized, 2:55.31 6. Darian Harvey, Cannondale, 2:59.91 7. Rachel Bauer, Banshee, 3:01.14 8. Jennifer Wolf, Vixen Racing, 3:19.00 9. Jennifer Whalen, Jenxracer.com, 3:19.35 10. Stephanie Leonard, Crested Butte Mountain, 3:21.71
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MBA Competition
Rookie champion: Only 30 pros, including Adam Craig, Ross Schnell, Carl Decker and Eric Carter, entered the Men’s Super D. “It was hectic,” said winner Aaron Bradford (shown) of the uphill Le Mans start followed by a six-minute singletrack descent to his first national title.
Elke’s return: None of the out-of-retirement stars did as well as Elke Brutsaert. She retired from pro downhill in 2001, but came back and won the Pro Women’s Super D title, less than a month before her 40th birthday.
Never too old: Ned Overend’s racing license says 54 years old, but he put the hurt to lot of young guns. “I was hovering around tenth when I blew on the fourth lap,” laughs Ned about his early race enthusiasm. The 1990 UCI World champion and six-time National champ finished 21st out of 69 pros.
She’s back: Colorado’s Alison Dunlap (345), the 2001 World Champion and former national champion, came out of retirement to compete in the pro short track. She led Kelli Emmett (267) and Mary McConneloug (1), but faded to 11th by the finish. ❏
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SUPER D RESULTS PRO MEN’S SUPER D 1. Aaron Bradford, Onsite Ultrasound 2. Mike West, Maverick 3. Ross Schnell, Trek/Oakley 4. Jon Wilson, Northstar/Giant 5. Eric Carter, GT Bicycles PRO WOMEN’S SUPER D 1. Elke Brutsaert, Durango Devo 2. Jacqueline Harmony, Vixen Racing/Loeka 3. Kelli Emmett, Giant Bicycles 4. Krista Park, INcycle/Magura 5. Kyia Anderson, Hidden Bay Sports
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SHOWCASE
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1 ith the explosion of successful regional race series across the country and the ever-growing bike park scene at ski resorts, people are traveling with their bikes and gear more than ever before. We’ve rounded up some worthy gear bags to help make those travel adventures go a little more smoothly.
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to last: The O’Neal MX4 gear 1 bagBuilt is made from 600 Denier nylon and has four fixed handles and one that telescopes. The MX4 uses wheels for easy maneuvering, has a padded shoulder strap, an I.D. holder, separate boot compartment, four internal and two external pockets, and heavy-duty zippers. The MX4 measures 35x28x25 inches in size. $139, (800) 326-6325
3 2
transit: Fox’s Transport gear bag is 2 theInnewest and largest cargo carrier in their line of luggage. With room for all your big stuff and intelligent pockets and dividers for the little essentials, the Transport super-sizes your race case. Now, you have no excuse for forgetting something! The Transit features vented pockets and urethane wheels. $189, (888) 772-2242 Tanked: Oakley’s 16 Gallon Tank 3 Luggage is built to travel with you, combining big volume with low profile. A telescoping handle and built-in wheels make it roll with ease. Special zippers are engineered to fit your lock, and with all the pockets and storage features. The 16 Gallon Tank measures 22x14x9 inches in size, and has a 50/50 design that opens in the middle like a suitcase for convenient access. $135, (800) 431-1439 path: The Flight Bag from Troy 4 LeeFlight Designs has a 15-inch retractable handle, expanded pockets with a zippered closure and a wide base for rolling stability. The Flight Bag measures 22x14x10 inches. $125, (951) 371-5219
5
4
Catch the Shuttle: Built to fit in air5 plane overhead compartments, the SixSixOne Shuttle gear bag has a telescoping handle, urethane wheels for smooth rolling, and an expandable compartment that nearly doubles the storage size. $129, (888) 520-4888
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See ‘em on our site!
dels Over & sale mo FF! 30 Newp to $1700 O u online Mtn. Bikes Too!
Famous Brand 4-5” adjustable travel frame with Fox RP23
$1400 SALE $ 949
XT Apex bike ! $1599
Diego. 366 South Tustin, Orange CA 92866. Mapquest us!
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info Call for
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Bag it: The all-new Rider’s Duffle bag 6 from Dakine has 3100 cubic-inches of
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space and weighs 1.4 pounds. Made from polyester and twill, the Rider’s Duffle features a U-shaped opening, tarp-lined side pockets, a shoulder strap and internal mesh organizers. $60, (541) 386-3166
Team issue: Made from durable nylon fabrics, the Team Pro Bag from Specialized can hold all of your gear and more. The stiff bottom has sliding rails, and the inline skate-type wheels are smooth and durable. The telescoping handle retracts easily for storage, and a separate compartment houses dirty clothes and gear. $145, (877) 8088154
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Supersized: The Ogio 9800 is made to move with its oversized, off-road wheels and a retractable handle, but its protected compartments appeal to anyone who travels hard and heavy. The redesigned 9800 features the new SLED (Structural Load Equalizing Deck) system, along with a front accessory pocket, goggle pocket, large main area, a fold-out changing mat for muddy conditions and compression straps. $179, (800) 9221944 Kick it: Designed to organize and protect all of your gear, the Kicker bag from Thor has over five cubic feet of space, oversized zippers and a PVC base. The Kicker has three compartments that can be combined to form one large main compartment. $109, (619) 448-8467 ❑
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www.mbaction.com
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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
DOWN THE TRAIL
Illustrations by Dwight Wanhala
t was ten years ago in our November 1999 issue that we were warning riders about training traps. We still see riders falling into the same traps today. Okay, sometimes we are looking in the mirror when we see these riders; so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a quick refresher course.
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Not drinking enough.
Only riding hard.
Only eating when hungry. Skipping the group rides.
Not getting enough rest. 130
Only concentrating on what you are good at.
www.mbaction.com
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Performance, function, and style have never been more abundant than in the brand new, high performance Fenix helmet. - Kevlar, Carbon fiber and fiberglass composite tri-weave shell. - Bagmold technology ensures a consistent resin thickness over the entire helmet. - Exceeds Snell M2005, US DOT, AU, and CE standards. - Innovative wide goggle port for better goggle-to-face seating and greater peripheral vision. - Three external plastic intake vents combined with internal EPS air channels allow maximum airflow. - Stylish, large mouth vent allows for better air intake and increased ventilation. - Wider, longer chin bar for increased roost protection, safety, and comfort. - Removable, washable Savior comfort liner, cheek pads, and strap liners for maximum moisture absorption and comfort.
Aaron Gwin US National Champ
CITYFLAGE - Molded rubber eye port channels air to the forehead. - Unique, soft molded rubber roost guard provides protection and style. - Aluminum visor bolts with stylized plastic washers. - New EPS foam liner for greater protetion, increased airflow, and reduced weight. - One-Piece molded rubber bottom edge beading.
Photo by: ©MichaelDarter.com visit us at SIXSIXONE.COM or call 661 257 2756
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