Mountain Bike Action - January 2006

Transcription

RED HOT VEGAS BIKE SHOW:
BIKES, PARTS, GIZMOS
ALL IN THIS ISSUE!
MOUNTAIN
BIKE
ACTION
WPS
37199
www.mbaction.com
JANUARY 2006
INNOVATIVE, CLEVER
ACCESSORIES COMING TO
A BIKE SHOP NEAR YOU
STOP GUESSING:
DISC BRAKE SHOOTOUT
$3.99 CANADA $4.99
ISSN 0895-8467
0 1>
0
70989 37199
6
Attn. retailer: Please
display until Jan. 5
LAND ACCESS—WINNING THE BATTLE
THIS MONTH
12
Photo by John Ker
Photo by John Ker
Travel to a faraway place to
uncover yet-to-be released bikes
and goodies for mountain biking.
If you can’t find it here, you probably don’t need it. Page 30.
46
SHOOTOUT
BIKE TESTS
96 The Big Four Disc Brake
Shootout
26 Titus Moto-Lite
Avid, Hayes, Magura and
Shimano squeeze off in a battle
that had to be stopped.
FEATURE
46 It’s About Access
Mountain bikers play, while trails
are taken away.
64 One Mammoth Day
Mountain biking’s 2005 National
Champions.
75 Quality, Not Quantity
Chromag: more human bikes and
components.
86 Take A Ride With Iron
Horse’s Brain Trust
A conversation with Dave
Weagle.
TRAINING & FITNESS
90 Winterize Your Bike,
Body And Brain
Arizona’s vision of the “one
bike” that will do it all.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it
snow.
56 Specialized S-Works
Epic Disc
100 Should You Be Training?
Carbon comes to the Epic.
Tips that are not just for racers.
78 Specialized Demo 8
Race-ready ripper tested at the
Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
INTERBIKE SHOW
SPECIAL REPORT
30 The Bike World Reveals
Its Hand In Las Vegas
We check out the winners and
the losers.
41 Downhill Madness
Sir Isaac Newton would be
proud.
42 Show Weirdness
TECHNICAL
104 2006 SRAM Downhill
Components
Another contender for king of
the hill.
108 Inside The Pros’ Bikes
Cody Warren’s downhill title
machine.
4
www.mbaction.com
The strange and unusual.
44 Faces In The Crowd
This was the place to be seen.
Scalp protection: A new entry into
the bicycle helmet game launches
with a strong first move. Page 22.
DEPARTMENTS
8 Happy Trails
Racing and the modern age.
10 Mac Attack
Questions unanswered.
64
Photo by John Ker
Photo by John Ker
contents
90
Brake it off: The four biggest
names in disc brakes get compared on our test fleet. Page 96.
112 Quick Releases
VOLUME 21, NUMBER 1
JANUARY 2006
Brand-new stuff, real riders.
114 Down The Trail
Dual-slalom nirvana.
ON THE COVER
12 Hardtales
A Kamikaze attack on Mammoth.
18 Trailgrams
Name that trail.
20 Ask R.C.
Finding a mountain bike gem in
the garage.
22 Thumbnail Thrash Tests
Stuff for your head, feet and
stomach.
106 How To Subscribe
Easy, schmeazy.
111 Travel Directory
Mountain bike travel companies.
A selection of new bikes and products from
the Interbike show vie for your attention;
Eric Carter flies to another title (photo by
Ryan “the auteur” Cleek); and the wrecking
crew crowds together for a disc-brake
shootout (photos by John “dust storm” Ker).
Down from the mountain:
There is a new player in the downhill component game. Page 104.
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.
MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION Magazine (ISSN 0895-8467 Canada GST 12500#9266RT: CPC INT’L. PUB MAIL 40024492)
January, 2006 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 ©2005 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: Photographic submissions must be 5x7 or 8x10 glossy black and white, or 35mm
and larger color slides. Please mark each photo with owner’s name and address. Manuscripts should be typewritten.
Unsolicited contributions, manuscripts, photographs and illustrations must be accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. Unless special arrangements are made in advance, all published material becomes the sole property of Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc. The publisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicited material.
Periodicals postage paid at Santa Clarita, CA 91355, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Mountain Bike Action Magazine, P.O. 958, Valencia, CA 91380-9058. Printed in U.S.A. For Canadian returns
mail to: Hi-Torque Publications, 4960 -2 Walker Rd., Windsor ON N9A 6J3.
January 2006 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
5
Happy Trails
“T
he racing scene is only a
fraction of what it used to
be. What do you think
happened?”
The question came from a former bike
maker who had surfed the wave when all
eyes were focused upon the NORBA
National and the World Cup series. He
had just returned from the U.S. National
Championships at Mammoth Mountain,
California—an event that was once so
large that mountain bikers filled the city
to capacity. In its heyday, the fields were
so deep that there were four full days of
competition—cross-country at dawn and
dual-slalom after dark. Long after the
medals were awarded, bicycle box vans,
race-team semis and passenger vehicles
with bikes loaded on car-top racks would
be strung out on the highways for hundreds of miles to all four points of the
compass.
“Yeah, I remember the good old
days,” I said, “when racing was mountain biking. Now, after a somewhat
ugly adjustment period, I think that
racing has taken its rightful place as
just one aspect of the sport.”
“That’s a black vision,” replied the
man in the golf-logo shirt. “Time will
prove you wrong on this one. The
whole industry took a beating in the
’90s, not just racing. Attendance was
small potatoes at Mammoth, but the
vibe was strong. I think that racing is
making a comeback.”
“What that really means is that you
are planning a comeback,” I laughed. “Is
it a cross-country or a downhill bike?”
“I can’t show it to you yet,” his voice
lowered, “but I can tell you that it has lots
of CNC-machined magnesium, over eight
inches of travel and that some big-name
pros are pretty impressed with its performance. Right now, we’re searching for
some talent to head up our race team.”
“Now, there’s a marketing plan,” I
chided. “Choose the smaller of the two
most atrophied mountain bike markets
and then jump in with both feet. After
you’ve given away half of your fleet to
the pros, who are you going to sell the
rest of your production to?”
“Not so fast, Mister Black.” (I sensed
that I was in for a lecture.) “When
BMX spiraled in, GT bought up as
much business as they could. When
BMX came back—boom! GT was sitting pretty and making bucks. The way
I see it is that downhill is the only
thing we’ve got going that has a visual
presence, and this country’s all about
the visual. All we need is a more exciting format, some TV coverage and
bingo, gravity racing will be back on
8
By Richard J. Cunningham
www.mbaction.com
top. If I water the flower now, I’ll be
sitting pretty when it blooms.”
“Where have I heard that before?”
(Now it was my turn to take the pulpit.) “Remember when cross-country
racing became an Olympic Sport? The
huge influx of new mountain bikers
that everyone predicted never materialized. World Cup racing at its peak, with
spectators lining the course and helicopter cams following the riders down
the mountain, wasn’t visual enough.
Made-for-television formats like ‘King
of the Mountain’ weren’t visual
enough. You’d think that downhillers
throwing themselves off cliffs at the
‘Red Bull Rampage’ would have easily
earned a spot between ‘Disparaging
Housefraus’ and the ‘Worst Wing,’ but
that never materialized either. Exactly
what kind of visual presence did you
have in mind? Dressing up downhillers
like WWF wrestlers and sending fourperson teams down the course to duke
it out for the win?”
“Ha, ha, ha. Now there’s a visual,”
snorted Mister Buff-Colored Dockers.
“As much as I’d love to watch that on the
tube, I had something quite different in
mind. The whole NORBA National
Series needs to be overhauled. It has no
continuity. Each event needs to build
tension towards the end of the season.”
“Okay,” I sat down on the tailgate of
Golf Man’s F350 Ford pickup, “Let’s pretend that NORBA was capable of thinking outside of its box and that you have
already convinced some affluent promoters to adopt a new format. I’m all ears.”
“First of all, I’d get rid of the one-day
National Championships.” Mister
Snow-White Tennis Shoes was finally
making some sense. “All that it really
amounts to is a ‘last-chance consolation
race’ for unfortunate racers who didn’t
do well in the NORBA national series
or a guest appearance for pros who
were too busy (or lazy) in Europe to
race for the home crowd.”
“So far, so good,” I smiled.
“Then, I’d combine the mountaincross
and downhill disciplines into one national series,” he continued. “This would
bring the National circuit closer to major
population centers, because mountaincross events can be staged on smaller
mountains, or hillsides in urban parks.
I’d give out colored arm bands and number plates to the leaders in each discipline, but the points in each event would
accumulate towards one national championship. A title has to mean something
to everyone. The man or woman who
earns the number one plate will be the
best downhill racer in the U.S.A.—end
of story.
“Then, I’d make mountaincross
courses more technical, with at least
one fast, flat corner, and I’d throw in
some rocky or sandy sections and highspeed whoops made from logs or telephone poles. I don’t ever want to see
Brian Lopes win a gravity race on a stupid hardtail again.”
“What about big-format races?” I
asked. “In this great vision, how would
you improve downhill?”
“Open up the courses.” Docker Dan
traced an imaginary downhill, his hand
emulating a rider in action. “Enough of
this puttering down the mountain at 20
miles an hour. We need some flat-out
speed sections with sliding corners, dropaways and risers that leave the racers
dangling above the ground for 50 yards
at a time. Watch a downhill ski race and
you don’t have to be a skier to appreciate
what’s going on. Mountain bikers know
how hard it is to bounce and weave
down an ultra-technical course, but it’s
stiff and boring for outsiders to watch
that kind of stuff. We need speed. Fortyyear-old John Tomac beat all comers on
the Mammoth Kamikaze two years running. That tells me that today’s pros have
never been over 50 miles an hour on a
bicycle. Skiers hit 70 on a practice run—
without suspension or brakes. We should
be able to get close to that without too
much trouble.”
“Well, you’ve got me interested in
racing again,” I admitted. “But I still
think you are wasting your time making bicycles again.”
“How’s that?” Mister Power-Stroke
Pickup looked puzzled.
“Another nine-inch-travel gravity bike
isn’t going to change the world,” I said.
“But there is a desperate need for a new
national downhill racing organization.” ❏
ou would think that after twenty some odd years
of mountain biking, I’d have all the answers. Not
true. There are plenty of troubling questions I’ve
not been able to answer. Like...
★★★★
Why do they call it the “professional” class when it
doesn’t pay any purse?
★★★★
Why do fork companies measure travel in millimeters,
yet frame makers measure rear-wheel travel in inches?
★★★★
How come a rider will spend hundreds of dollars to
shave a few ounces off a bike and then eat an entire
pizza while watching TV?
★★★★
Why are they called clipless pedals when you have to
clip in to use them?
★★★★
Ladders and bridges were first incorporated into
mountain biking so riders could traverse muddy sections of terrain. So how come you see them constructed in parking lots now?
★★★★
How did skater helmets ever become the first choice of
so many mountaincrossers who need more protection
than any other discipline of mountain biking?
★★★★
How come 198 grams sounds lighter than seven
ounces, but 453.59 grams sounds heavier than one
pound?
★★★★
How come all cross-country bikes don’t use wide bars
like the ones single-speed riders use?
★★★★
How come you hear riders at the back of the pack in
a cross-country race say, “I’m only riding this race for
training.”
★★★★
Why are there more climbs than downhills on every
ride?
★★★★
Why do energy bars have to taste like that?
★★★★
How come component makers publish weights in
grams and bike makers list their weights in pounds?
★★★★
Why are the hours of Barney Baxter’s Bicycle Barn
only convenient for unemployed people?
★★★★
How come it takes forever to get into riding shape, yet
only a week to lose everything you gained?
★★★★
Why are there production mountain bikes that sell
for $7000!?
★★★★
Why is it understood that an eight o’clock ride starts
at 8:30?
★★★★
Why is it called a waterbottle cage when one end is
always open?
Y
10
By Jim McIlvain
★★★★
How come a 20-mile “easy ride” always ends up being
16 miles of hammering?
★★★★
Why do so many mountain bikes gain one or two
pounds on the trip from where they are made to where
they are sold?
★★★★
How come you get so grumpy when you fall, but
laugh uncontrollably when a riding partner gets
pitched?
★★★★
Why hasn’t Ned Overend slowed down?
★★★★
How can bike builders annually discover frame
tubes that are lighter and stronger than the ones they
used last year? Wouldn’t that make bicycle frames
weightless by now?
★★★★
How come we call it a pedaling platform now, when
we used to call it suspension with bad stiction?
★★★★
How come they don’t make a great-grandma gear for
really steep hills?
★★★★
Why do “businessmen” take over mountain bike companies and put them out of business?
★★★★
If you consumed ten supplements that claim to deliver
a ten percent boost in performance, would you be 100
percent faster than you are now?
★★★★
Why do we complain about paying $3 a gallon for
gasoline, but gulp down $29-a-gallon Red Bull?
★★★★
Why do so many TV, camera, computer and
car companies use mountain
bikes in their advertising, but so few
of them sponsor
mountain bike
events?
★★★★
Why isn’t there
a mountain biking resort (with
lifts) that is
open all year
long because
its mountain
isn’t covered
in snow six
months of the
year?
★★★★
Why doesn’t
everyone
mountain
bike?
You can contact Jimmy Mac directly at [email protected]
www.mbaction.com
Photo by Jeff Johansen
The Mac Attack
Hardtales
Surviving A
Kamikaze Attack
Not all the secrets
have been revealed
The 2004 return of the most legendary mountain bike event in the history of our sport, the Mammoth
Mountain Kamikaze Downhill, was
such a hit that the race was held again
in conjunction with (but not as part of)
the 2005 NORBA National
Championships.
The event attracted 110 starters (a
fraction of the 1200 riders who raced
the event at its peak), from seasoned
professionals like last-year’s winner,
John “Johnny T” Tomac; Chris
Kovarik; Sam Hill; and Phil Tintsman,
to riders like Lanie Aldridge, who won
the Junior Women 18-and-under with
an impressive time of six minutes, 45.5
seconds.
When the dust had settled, Johnny T
had scorched the course in just under
five minutes, three seconds—a time
good enough to again win the event and
prove that last year’s win was no fluke.
Lunar landing: Part-time wrecking
crewer Mo Hutchison tries to find traction on the lunar surface that makes up
the top section of the Kamikaze
course. To imagine that riders used to
race this without suspension sends
shivers up the spine.
12
www.mbaction.com
Longest trip: Dan Takuma made the trip
from his native Japan to make the top
ten in the Pro/Semipro class. Day-glo
colors were all the rage when the first
Kamikaze was run in the 1980’s.
What’s your excuse?: Bobby McMullen
(530) is legally blind, but he wasn’t going
to use that as an excuse for missing the
2005 Kamikaze. Riding behind his friend,
Andy Friesen, Bobby reached his goal of
a top-ten finish. He took eighth place in
the Beginner Men’s class, beating three
riders in the process.
Wind tunnel: Visors were removed from
helmets to reduce wind resistance, and
keeping elbows close to the body is a
necessity when your speed is way above
30 miles per hour. Doug Frei demonstrates.
Da winner: “There are a lot of tricks to this course,” explained Johnny T (above and
right) to a photographer he had almost run over while using a creative line. “The
trick to winning the Kamikaze is in your tuck and use of the brakes.” We figure “use
of brakes” means not touching them.
13
Hardtales
Seen in the pits: Mike David of Troy Lee Designs was spotted in the pits at the Mammoth Nationals wearing this prototype,
open-face D2 helmet. The idea is to meet the needs of Super-D racers who want more protection than a cross-country lid and
not as much claustrophobia as a downhill helmet. Mike wore the helmet in the Super D. Will we see a production version? “If
enough riders want them, we’ll make them,” said Troy Lee.
14 www.mbaction.com
Hardtales
REALLY FAT TIRES
NEVER GET STUCK
AGAIN
Giving new meaning to fat-tired bicycles, Surly offers the Pugsley. The
Pugsley frame and fork will accept 4inch tires on 26-inch rims. The floatation and traction gained by using largevolume, low-pressure tires can get you
over and through otherwise unrideable
terrain, including ice, snow, sand, mud,
wet rocks and roots. In many conditions, bigger is better. Surly also offers
Endomorph 3.7 tires with a 3.7-inch
width and modest paddle-like tread pattern to allow the tire to float, rather
than dig. You can get more information
by calling Surly at (877) 743-3191.
What are teammates for?: Eventual 2005 National Mountaincross Champion (and
reigning 4-Cross World Champion) Jill Kintner had a rough morning of practice
before her event. A teammate accidentally took her out in practice. It’s amazing,
isn’t it? World Champions even crash gracefully.
Broken down and disgusted: Using carbon bars? Keep an eye on any clamping
area. If a clamp has a rough edge, it can
score the bar when tightened. That creates a stress riser where the bar will
eventually fail.
16
www.mbaction.com
Best dressed: Becky Brain shows
high-fashion form on her way down
Mammoth Mountain’s amateur downhill
course. MBA riddle: Becky came in last
in her class and still won. How? Answer:
She was the only racer in the class.
Soil sample of the month: Winner Keith Kanawyer of Santa Clara, California, takes a
digger with style and class. ❏
Trailgrams
HE’LL TAKE AN ISSUE
I can’t believe the amount of negativism Jimmy Mac got towards MBA
when he was trying to give copies away
(Mac Attack, October 2005). What
planet are these people living on?
While I enjoy occasionally picking up a
copy of another bike mag to flip
through, I truly feel that MBA is the
only one that reads like it was actually
written by writers and edited by editors.
MBA was the first mag that really
grabbed me when I was a mountain
bike newbie (even if you did trash my
Mongoose MGX). See, I grew up with
another Hi-Torque publication: Dirt
Bike. It was the first motorcycle mag to
really test bikes and have the courage to
be honest in their evaluations. It made
a lot of companies mad in its early
days, and more than one rider predicted its demise; but it’s funny, all the
“mainstream” cycle mags started following their lead and getting a little
tougher in their tests. It’s also interesting how quickly dirt bikes started
evolving in quality once there was
some critical reporting going on. It’s
like dirt bikers were finally given a
voice to expect more out of the makers
than they were being given at the time.
So, when I started getting into mountain bikes and saw this Hi-Torque pub
called Mountain Bike Action, I expected
no less from it…and it hasn’t disappointed me. As far as I’m concerned,
you guys are the gold standard that all
the other mags are judged by. Sure,
you’re not going to make all of us
happy all the time, but I think you
come the closest to covering the full
spectrum of our sport and doing it in a
well-written yet easy-reading way.
Doug Minor
Nine Mile Falls, Washington
Doug may be slightly biased because he
is an honorary wrecking crewer. He
penned an excellent story on obtaining
sponsorships in our November 2005 issue.
[email protected]
READER PHOTO OF THE MONTH
JESME IN FLIGHT
I took this photo at the 2005 Crankworx. It is a series of three shots, and
my mate compiled them together to create this sweet sequence. This is John
Jesme laying down a superman during
the Jump Jam session. I have just started to mountain bike in the last two
years. Your magazine has been the single best source for learning about tech-
niques, bike components, and bikes
that is available.
Rael Lange
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Got a killa’ shot? Wanna become
famous? Burn your photo to a CD and
mail it to MBA Trailgrams, 25233
Anza Drive, Valencia, CA 91355. It
may appear right here.
NAME THAT TRAIL
MYSTERY SPOT
KEEP IT REAL
18 www.mbaction.com
Can you name the trail in the photo of my Specialized Epic out on an epic ride?
Roy White
Bend, Oregon
The Flume Trail, Lake Tahoe, California.
In your August issue, the average price
for the bikes tested is $3749.50, and
there’s a frame for $2486 (you didn’t
give the “as tested” price for the Foes). In
the case of the Specialized S-Works
Enduro, a $5700 playbike, you stated,
“you get what you pay for” while giving
it a rave review. I wonder if, in addition
to that company’s three full page ads, the
bike test isn’t another three page ad. Oh,
and for $600 less, one can buy a topshelf 125cc motocross racer. Still say you
get what you pay for with the S-works?
Please keep it real.
Lou Mahar
Bedford, Massachusetts
Trailgrams
FOLDING FORKS
TRAIL DECORATION
HANGMAN’S TREE
Me and two of my friends are dirt
jumpers. In the past nine months we
have broken seven forks. Two just today!
We’ve demolished one Marzocchi XTR,
four Marzocchi Z1 freerides, one
RockShox Pike Race, and one RockShox
Pike SL. Can any fork stand up to a dirt
jumper’s punishment? Our forks were
mostly broken during spins. The Pikes
were broken learning 360s, which were
landed successfully by the end of the day.
If any company thinks their fork is
strong enough, send it to us. We still
need to practice the 360’s.
Collin Morrison
Bethesda, Maryland
Marzocchi’s ’06 Dirt Jumper forks with
32-millimeter alloy stanchions are about
as tough as dirt jump forks get. If that
doesn’t work, you’ll either need to increase
your health insurance, or buy a motocross
bike and increase your health insurance.
BETTER NUTRITION
You made a couple of terrible misjudgments about Crested Butte (MBA,
October 2005). I’m a diehard Crested
Butte fan and resident and was psyched
to see you highlight the amazing riding
and beautiful scenery of our town.
Unfortunately for you, someone steered
you in the wrong direction on your
visit. First of all, the food in Crested
Butte is quite amazing for a small town.
You just happened to hit the absolute
worst restaurant and most overpriced
restaurant in town. Second of all, most
locals do not ride hardtails. Sure, we
have lots of buff singletrack, but we
also have lots of rugged downhills and
technical trails. With the exception of
the people on rental bikes, and the
occasional hardtail purists with back
problems, you’ll see way more 4-5-inch
trailbikes than anything else. I welcome
you back to Crested Butte, and I’ll take
you out for some delicious food and
sweet riding. Just let me know when!
Oh, and your magazine rocks.
Janae Pritchett
Crested Butte, Colorado
A COOLER ARIZONA
In response to Abe Gold’s letter from
your October 2005 Issue, I think the
one who has it all wrong is Abe. I am
proud to see that he is knowledgeable
of weather conditions here in the Valley
of the Sun, and while it is true that we
still retain triple digits through most
parts of the day, McDowell Mountain
Regional Park is located outside the
city, which helps lower the temperature
considerably. I have participated in the
park’s night ride, and it’s a great experience due to the huge participation and
I was out riding in Park City, Utah,
on the Mid Mountain Trail and ran
across this bike hanging in the tree.
About a mile down the trail, I met the
guy who was riding the bike. He broke
his collar bone, and his face was all
banged up. If not for a helmet, he
would probably not be here today.
Gordon Brown
Salt Lake City, Utah
the fact that everybody out there is
enjoying the nice temperatures. Instead
of complaining and trying to see if you
can prove MBA wrong, why don’t you
put on your night gear and head out to
McDowell Mountain Regional Park so
you can see a different weather outside
this concrete jungle. I’ll see you there.
I’ll be the one enjoying the weather.
Carlos Samano
Phoenix, Arizona
barks. So does 9 speed for mountain
bikes. Remember the show “Eight is
Enough”? Well, it is. We don’t need
such minute ratio options for mountain
biking at the expense of operational latitude when confronted with mud and
dirt.
I’m no luddite. I drool for carbon
fiber, X-type bottom brackets, SPV valving and all other truly worthwhile
advances. Think of how light and efficient an eight-speed Grip Shift drivetrain could be made if it was focused
on. Maybe it could be marketed as a
“Race 8” option? I’ll take one, please.
The future is sometimes in the past.
Scott MacDonnell
Auckland, New Zealand ❏
GET A GRIP
I find it frustrating that Grip Shift is
not spec’ed on almost any new highend bike because it “would not sell
well” according to product managers.
Grip Shift is simple, light and compact.
Nothing dumps or grabs a bunch of
gears as well as Grip Shift, and it has
stood the test of time.
Dual Control, conversely, is a crock. It
is clumsy, heavy and ugly. It’s vague
under pressure, terrible to change up
with an unnatural back-of-the hand
movement, and slow to move large gear
numbers quickly. Plus, it is reliant totally on spring pressure, which can be
tricky mid race, or epic, if the cables
start getting a fraction sticky. Did I mention the limitation of brake choices?
Wake up, people. Dual Control
Send e-mails to [email protected] and if our spam filter kicks
it back, send a letter to MBA
Trailgrams, 25233 Anza Drive,
Valencia, Ca. 91355. Please include
the town and state where you live.
Trailgrams tip of the month: Duct
tape is now available in small, flat
packaging (as opposed to on a big
roll). Stick some in your hydration
pack. The tough stuff works for many
on-the-trail repairs.
19
Ask R.C.
By R. Cunningham
Post no drills: Manitou forks (like this Nixon Elite) use a pair of cast posts to
mount the brake caliper. Would steel thread inserts improve their strength?
PUT AWAY THAT DRILL!
Q: I was wondering if it is a good idea to Helicoil the
brake bracket holes on a Manitou Minute fork.
R.C.: Steel thread inserts like the Helicoil require you to drill
an oversized hole and then thread it to an even larger diameter.
Inflicting such an operation on the minimal-sized post-mount
caliper bosses of your Manitou fork could do more harm than
good. Leave well enough alone.
VINTAGE GEM FOUND IN
GARAGE
Q: A coworker is selling a steel
Bontrager frame of unknown vintage. I haven’t found any information on this bad boy. It has a wishbone seatstay and a nifty, bolt-on,
anti-chain-suck device integrated
into the chainstay. I’m stumped as
to the model and year. A frame
sticker reads, “Hand built in the
USA with True Temper OX 2 Main
Tubes and Stays.” Can you help?
R.C.: Your Bontrager is probably an
early to mid ’90s vintage Race or Race
Lite made in Santa Cruz. Keith
Bontrager says that the Race frames
have 7/8-inch chainstays and heavier
.9-.6-.9-millimeter butted tubes. The
“Lite” frames have 3/4-inch chainstays
and lighter .7-.5-.7 butted main tubes.
Its head tube is offset machined with
thicker bands in the forward area of the
head tube. If it’s in good shape, buy it.
Few hardtails have that magic
Bontrager feel. By the way, Keith has
been tearing up the 24-hour circuit lately and raced the Trans Rockies this
year—Animal!
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NOT HYPNOTIZED BY
HIS TRANCE
Q: I have played with the suspension settings of my Giant Trance 1
all summer, and I still find it to be
the worst bike I have ever ridden!
It climbs pretty well, but on
descents it has a rough, chattery
ride that really beats me up. I feel
like I get no small-hit compliance,
and the bike has a “cheap” feel.
Should I sell it?
R.C.: I also noticed that the Trance
can feel rough in the rear while
descending—especially when I am dragging the rear brake. That said, I am a
fan of Giant’s Maestro chassis, so,
before you sell it for scrap, try two
important setup changes:
First, add some low-speed compression damping up front. This will make
the fork ride higher in its travel, and it
will force the shock to work harder on
the descents.
Second, set the shock to its correct sag
(25 percent of its stroke) so that the rear
suspension rides farther into its travel. I
have noticed that the Giant’s dual-link
rear suspension will not function
Big-guy bike: Cannondale’s Prophet is
well suited for man-sized bodies and
aggressive East-Coast trail riding—but
the new Rush (says R.C.) may be even
better.
smoothly under braking unless it is operating in a neutral zone somewhere near
the first third of its travel. Use the
ProPedal function to tune your pedaling
platform, and keep the shock-spring pressure as low as possible without causing
the suspension to bottom out excessively.
WISE PROPHET
Q: I’m trying to pick a new fullsuspension bike. I like to ride technical trails here in Maryland, but I
also have to ride pavement, so I
can’t deal with suspension bob. I
am 51, weigh 215 pounds, stand
five-feet, ten inches and have a 32inch inseam (I have a long torso). I
like the Trek Fuel 8 EX and the
Cannondale Prophet 1000. Any
advice?
R.C.: Cannondale’s Prophet is the
better choice. Cannondale’s top tubes
run long, and the Prophet 1000 has
Manitou’s SPV air-adjustable pedaling
platform in its Lefty “fork” and
Swinger 3-way shock. For your information, the new Cannondale Rush is
lighter and more cross-country worthy
than the Prophet and shares similar
geometry. Both handle rocky East
Coast singletrack very well. ❏
Thumbnail 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
HUTCHINSON REP ’AIR TUBELESS PATCH KIT
The company most responsible for the tubeless movement offers
a repair kit with special glue that mends most punctures without
removing the tire. It’s available for $10.
Features: Rep’air uses a special glue that requires no surface
degreasing or sanding for the patch to stick to the inner casing.
Even better, the glue will seal thorn punctures without tire
removal. The kit includes a tube of glue and four patches.
Hutchinson can be reached at (888) 664-8824.
MBA Rating: ★★★★★ We tested for a thorn repair by drilling a 1/32-inch hole in a Hutchinson Scorpion. After deflating
the tire, we squeezed some glue into the hole, let it dry for three minutes, inflated the tire and hit the trail. We tested for larger punctures and rips by drilling a 5/32-inch hole. Again, we followed Hutchinson’s instructions, this time gluing a patch to
the inside of the tire casing, installed the tire and inflated. Both of our repairs have stayed permanently sealed after 15 plus
hours of riding. Rep’air works both on UST and converted tires. It can also be used to repair a small rip in the sidewall area
that is too flexible for Stan’s to seal. This product will save you from throwing away an expensive (yet damaged) tire.
LAS SQUALO HELMET
A cross-country helmet from an uncommon company with an unusual name
(LAS) promises to make you a standout. Just ask Gary Fisher, who will ride in
nothing else. The LAS Squalo sells for $144.
Features: The 29 vents are configured to create a center ridge of shark fins and
a tailfin (Squalo is Italian for shark). LAS also offers the Squalo in solid blue, gray
and white, as well as mixed versions of the colors. Custom team finishes are available on request. The Squalo weighs 11.2 ounces. It sells for $154 with a visor. You
can reach LAS at (888) 867-4334.
MBA Rating: ★★★✩✩ The Squalo just screams Ferrari styling and finish.
Durability and protection are promoted by extending the hard shell down and
around the bottom of the sides and rear quarter of the helmet. Another innovative feature is the one-piece, padded lining. It’s the first lining we’ve seen that
can be removed and thrown in the wash. Once clean, it takes just a second to
put back in. Included in the front sphere of the liner is an anti-insect net that
keeps ugly bugs from finding habitat in your hair. The shell is available in two
sizes and includes a very well-thought-out and functional retention system.
LAS’ strap design is easy to adjust and features tidy, continuous loop strap
ends. On the trail, the Squalo is comfortable and stays in position. We experienced some interference between eyeglass ear stems and the skull lock. (A common problem with retention devices.)
NIKE MTB 101 SHOE
The Nike MTB 101 is a high-performance mountain bike shoe named after the
singletrack trail that Lance Armstrong built on his ranch in Texas. The $249 shoe
is sold only at Trek Bicycle shops, and one dollar from every purchase goes to the
Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Features: The MTB 101 has Nike’s X-change lug system, so you can replace
and customize (with two different durometers) the rubber grips on the shoe’s sole.
The sole has a carbon fiber plate with toespring for maximum stiffness and power
transfer. Retention is handled by two Velcro straps and a large adjustable polycarbonate nylon ratchet buckle. A Pebax nylon cage integrates the heel cup, strap and
buckle. The shoe’s upper and straps use KNG100 synthetic leather. The shoe is
SPD compatible and comes in 18 sizes. Each shoe weighs 15 ounces. The 10/2
symbol on the left shoe represents the day that Lance was diagnosed with cancer.
You can check them out at any Trek dealership.
MBA Rating: ★★★✩✩ The attention to detail is top notch. There is not a drop of
excess bonding material, any loose threads or even a misaligned seam. Fit is dialed in
for fat-footed Americans. You won’t pinch your toes in these shoes. The sole is racetuned, meaning it is stiff for transferring power to the pedals but not so great for hikea-biking. Cosmetically, we’d like to see a molded protector added to the front of the
shoe. We tore the surface of the synthetic leather in the toe area after a few rides. ❏
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MBA BIKE TEST
Arizona’s Version Of The “One Bike”
The Titus Moto-Lite
By R. Cunningham
itus may have discovered the perfect blend of a quick-accelerating
climber and an ultra-capable,
dual-suspension chassis. Titus founder
Chris Cocalis previously designed two
dual-sport contenders: the big-dropcapable Super-Moto, and the lighterweight, cross-country-oriented Switchblade. Both earned a place on MBA’s
short list of ultimate trailbikes. Chris,
however, is one of those insatiable,
detail-oriented guys who can’t leave well
enough alone—even if well enough is
“great.”
T
MEET THE MOTO-LITE
The five-inch-travel Moto-Lite represents the culmination of everything that
Chris learned from developing the
Super-Moto and Switchblade, with a
couple of tricks thrown in that reduce
the overall weight to a figure that rivals
many production cross-country racing
sleds. Our medium-sized test bike
weighs 26.4 pounds, with a parts pick
that won’t shy away from a high-speed
downhill run at the summertime ski
resort of your choice.
Specially designed, flared and butted
main frame tubes give the Moto-Lite’s
frame great strength without the bulk
and patchwork gussets that “adorn”
most long-stroke trailbikes. Titus
employs the fully active four-bar rear
suspension that Chris has been honing
to perfection since he hooked up with
AMP Research back in the early ’90s.
Depending upon your courage, you can
order your Moto-Lite with a range of airsprung shocks, or choose a more gravity
oriented, coil-over damper.
The beautifully crafted rear end pivots on ball bearings and uses rectangular
tubes to boost its stiffness, without
cramping the space necessary to clear
tires, chains and sprockets. Our test
bike’s medium chassis weighs only 5.9
pounds.
Want a lighter frame? Moto-Lites are
produced in aluminum for most of us,
but aficionados can have one custom
made in titanium or with “Exogrid” top
tube and downtube. Exogrid is a Titus
term for a honeycombed titanium tube
that has an internal layer of carbon fiber
pressure-molded inside of it. The tricklooking composite pipes replace the
taper-butted main tubes of the custom
Ti chassis.
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MOTO-LITE BY THE NUMBERS
A sturdy, lightweight chassis is only a
starting point for a top-performing trailbike. A half-degree here or a quarter of
an inch there can mean the difference
between a lethargic and a lithe-feeling
chassis. The Moto-Lite’s geometry shifts
between sizes to insure that riders of differing physiques can experience the
same quality of handling and performance. All told, the Moto-Lite’s geometry leans strongly towards the crosscountry racer side of the box, which left
us wondering if there was any SuperMoto influence in the Moto-Lite.
A Moto-Lite frame starts at $1395 for
the aluminum version. You’ll shell out a
lot more ($2820) for titanium, and the
Exogrid model costs a staggering $3850.
Sizes come in extra-small (reportedly
the Moto-Lite is the most compact longtravel chassis you can buy), small, medium and large. Titus offers five build
options that range from the “Base Kit”
($2294), to the “Ultimate Race Kit,” like
our test bike, that runs $4775. Femalespecific frames are available, too.
LET’S GO RIDE
Step over the Moto-Lite’s top tube and
you’ll readily appreciate that Titus has
radically sloped it to add some extra
standover clearance. The seat tube is
reinforced by a formed sheet metal strut,
so you won’t be flexing the frame when
your seat is at full cross-country extension. Roll out and the Moto-Lite feels
nimble and ready to move forward with
a slight push on the pedals. We intentionally set the Fox RP3 shock and F100
RLT fork to give a plush ride (25-percent
sag) to benchmark the pedaling performance of its active rear suspension
before we fussed with pedaling platforms and fork lockouts. In all but the
most aggressive pedaling situations, the
Titus accelerates without sapping leg
power with wallowing suspension.
Switch the RP3 shock to the middle or
maximum platform positions and you
can hammer at will.
Pedaling performance: No surprise
here. Titus cross-country bikes have
consistently rated at or near the top of
MBA’s all-time best climbers, and the
Moto-Lite pedals as if it were a Racer-X.
Its TALAS (travel-adjustable, linear air
spring) fork can be reduced from five to
four inches of travel to assist climbing,
What’s in back counts: Titus has
honed its four-bar active rear suspension to near perfection. Clamp its
Magura Marta SL disc brakes and you
can still reap the smooth ride of its
Fox RP3 damper.
but we never touched the dial. The
longer-stroke fork rolls over rock steps
and keeps the bike moving over rough
trail surfaces. The same can be said of its
rear suspension. The net effect of the
Moto-Lite’s longer legs is a greater level
of pedaling efficiency in real-life trail
riding situations.
Singletrack handling: The MotoLite’s steering geometry is slightly
relaxed, but steeper than the 69-degree
trailbikes we have been testing lately, so
it felt cross-country quick at first. At singletrack speeds, however, the Titus
became an integral part of its rider.
Nimble and light, and with wide, sticky
Kenda knobby tires, the Moto-Lite could
claw its way up or swoosh down almost
anything that nature and forest trail
builders could throw in front of it. Flick
the handlebar and master tight switchback corners with ease. The Moto-Lite’s
smooth-riding suspension and intuitive
steering move you through the forest
silently and with uncanny swiftness.
Technical skills: Experienced riders
will find little fault with the Moto’s ability to land moderately scary drops and
jumps. Its front end tracks well when it
is pointed towards the center of the
earth, and its eight-inch front brake
rotor and Magura Marta brakes are
More than cross-country: If you didn’t
know that there was five inches of suspension travel below you, you’d believe that
the trail had recently been smoothed out.
Titus’ Moto-Lite handles like a racing
chassis that can do no wrong.
27
Long legs: The Moto-Lite makes up
time over rough, rocky terrain. It makes
stair steps and any drop within the
height of its front wheel an easy roll.
impressive stoppers. Less experienced
technical riders (the ones who release
the brakes and hope for the best) will
miss the stability that a slacker head
angle would give the Titus. But what the
Titus gives up in the drop-in department, it makes up for everywhere else.
The chassis balances close to the center
of the bike, which makes it easy to flick
the wheels up, over and around boul-
ders, stumps and other nasty sections
that would reduce most bikes to being
pushed.
Speed work: Neutral cornering
makes it possible to change lines while
the Titus is drifting and shifting. This is
a real confidence builder, because both
wheels tend to follow each other regardless of the soil and roughness of the trail.
You can push the Moto-Lite harder
around any corner without sacrificing
control. Too much speed? Simply lean it
over and burn it off with a little drift.
Too little and you can accelerate early
without pushing the front tire.
In the air: The Titus stays where it’s
put, and if you do miss a takeoff, the Fox
fork and shock will catch you and guide
you back on line in almost every case.
The Moto-Lite leaves the earth smoothly and lands like a big cat.
Suspension notes: The Moto-Lite
can be ordered with burlier suspension
than the lightweight RP3 air shock and
F100 fork of our test bike. That said, our
Moto-Lite put in a surprisingly stellar
performance down our flat-out ridge
run. Finesse riders can really squeeze
some speed from the Lite’s five inches of
cushion over rocky and rutted descents.
Heavy-handed types who are used to
working the bumps on dedicated downhill rigs, however, will need a more capable fork and shock to descend with the
same intensity.
Technical report: SRAM’s X.O trigger shifters and rear derailleur, paired
with Shimano XTR drivetrain components, delivered nearly flawless perfor-
Five or four inches?: Two shock
mount options on the Moto-Lite’s
swing link are perfect for the rider
who may race an occasional
Marathon or 24-hour event.
mance. Add feather-light Magura Marta
disc brakes and DT Swiss wheels and
you get a very, very fast trailbike. For its
intended purpose as a high-performance
long-travel trailbike, we wouldn’t
change a single component.
FINAL WORDS
The Moto-Lite is the perfect “One
Bike”—Titus style. This is an ultracapable, cross-country trailbike that can
do just about anything in the hands of a
good rider. The Moto-Lite is about maximizing the technical skills of an accomplished cross-country trail rider or
boosting the range and climbing abilities
of an experienced technical specialist.
Either way you look at it, Titus has produced a winner. ❏
TITUS MOTO-LITE
Price...$1395 (frame), $4775 (as tested)
Country of origin...USA
Weight...26.8 pounds
Frame size....................................Medium (19")
Bottom bracket height ............................ 13.5"
Chainstay length...................................... 16.85"
Top tube length ...................................... 23.25"
Head angle ..................................................70.5°
Seat tube angle ..............................................73°
Standover height ......................................28.75"
Wheelbase ................................................42.75"
Suspension travel (front) ........5" (adjustable)
Suspension travel (rear)............................5.25"
Frame material ....................................................................Aluminum
Fork ..........................................Fox Racing Shox F100 TALAS RLT
Shock ......................................................Fox Racing Shox Float RP3
Rims ......................................................................DT/Swiss XR 1540
Tires .... (F) Kenda Kinetics (2.35"), (R) Kenda Kharisma (2.1")
Hubs................................................................................DT Swiss 540
Brakes ......................................................................Magura Marta SL
Brake levers ..............................................Magura Marta SL carbon
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Crankset ...................................................................... Shimano XTR
Bottom bracket .......................................................... Shimano XTR
Shifters................................................................ SRAM X.O triggers
Rear derailleur ................................................................ SRAM X.O
Chainrings ..........................................................Shimano (44/32/22)
Cassette ....................................................Shimano 9-speed (12-34)
Pedals ............................................................................................None
Hotline ........................................................................(480) 894-8452
MBA 2006 SHOW COVERAGE
Welcome To The Big Show
Las Vegas hosts Interbike
colossal show held once a year, Interbike is where bicycle shop owners and
their staff gather to peruse the latest offerings from individuals and companies
who make products for mountain bikers. Of course, the MBA wrecking crew
was in the house, running up and down the aisles like kids in a candy store. Come along
and enjoy the sweetest treats we could find.
A
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BEST IN SHOW
Ibis is back! The Ibis
Mojo Carbon gets 5.5
inches of rear wheel
travel utilizing a DWLink suspension. All
links are forged and
nickel plated with easyto-service pivots and
bearings. Ibis claims the
frame is 5.8 pounds and
will sell for $1899 with an
RP3 Shock. This may be
the most sought-after bike
of 2006. The Ibis booth
was jammed during the
entire show. Call them at
(866) 424-7635, and put
your name on the list!
Show grid: This expansive view reveals less than five percent of the exhibit’s floor. Over 1000 vendors vie for the attention
of bicycle shop buyers. This show is a make-it-or-break-it proposition for new companies.
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SMALL TOUCHES AWARD
Fox leads the charge in the attentionto-detail department. Every 2006 Fox
jersey has a “no smear” sunglass wipe
cloth sewn inside the jersey. After
sweating it up the climb, you’ll be able
to see the descent.
OUTFOXING AWARD
Fox’s Launch knee/shin pad ($69.95)
utilizes their patented X-up strapping
system. The retention strap locks in
both sides of the knee cup, making for
a super-snug, slip-resistant fit. It also
eliminates Velcro rash! A killer idea.
TOUGH GUY AWARD
Primal Wear had a unique take on
arm warmers. They’re perfect for tough
guys who are afraid of needles. Primal
Wear can be reached at (303) 745-8442.
LOADING ZONE AWARD
The first two days of Interbike take place at Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada, where buyers can test-ride bikes.
Tony Ellsworth (of Ellsworth Bicycles) couldn’t keep up with the requests for rides on his all-new Rogue. This bike got in
more laps than the winner of a 24-hour race.
33
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AWARD
Rocky Mountain turned 25, and in celebration they rolled out a brand-new,
hand-made-in-Canada Slayer. The Slayer gets LC2R (Low Center Counter
Rotating)—the suspension design causes the top link and Thrustlink to counter
rotate when activated. Rocky Mountain claims this lowers weight, eliminates
reliance on the shock for optimized rising rate, and increases lateral stiffness. The
any-trail, one-bike Slayer will be available in four models from $2199 to $4499.
Find a Rocky Mountain shop near you by calling (604) 527-9906.
LOCALS
ONLY AWARD
One of the original
Vancouver North
Shore bike shops, Cove
now offers a line of ten
bikes that were conceived between gondola rides at Whistler.
The Peeler offers 8.5
inches of rear wheel
travel out of a rear suspension that operates
on a massive four-bearing single pivot. They
sell it with a Fox DHX
5.0 shock. You won’t
find these bikes in
many U.S. bike
shops, so call
them directly
at (877)
929-2683.
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GOT-YOU-COVERED AWARD
The Pressure Suit (top) from
SixSixOne offers an open weave stretch
fabric, injection-molded plastic shoulder
cups, large cutout areas under the
shoulder for increased mobility and a
removable plastic chest plate. It sells for
$190. The SP2 (bottom) is a more compact version of the Pressure Suit, with
EVA foam in the chest. It will go for
$170. You can get more info by calling
(888) 520-4888.
GRAND THEFT AUTO AWARD
The bikes that Haro displayed were all
stolen the last day of the show. If somebody offers you a smokin’ deal on a 2006
Haro Sonix, beware. We rode Haro’s new
Sonix prototype (MBA October 2005)
and came away impressed, but we definitely didn’t steal it.
SO LONG NRS AWARD
Giant has extended their Maestro
suspension to their cross-country race
line with the intro of the Anthem. The
Anthem replaces the Giant NRS with
3.5 inches of rear wheel travel controlled by a Manitou S-Type shock with
SPV. There will be three models—all
aluminum frames targeted towards
cross-country racers.
THE WE’LL PAY AWARD
Scott unleashed their Ransom all-mountain bike that uses Scott’s carbon frame
(made with their CR1 carbon welding process), an interchangeable dropout system and on-the-fly travel control options. The heart of the Ransom is the
Equalizer TC rear shock. This large-volume shock bathes its seals and bushings in
an oil bath that Scott feels makes it easier to tune and more reliable. The
Intelligent Rebound Valve (IRV) is a speed-sensitive rebound adjustment, and a
Power Stabilizer knob allows dialing in the shock’s pedaling platform. You can get
more info at (800) 292-5874.
THE PROTO AWARD
Mountain Cycle shocked the show by unveiling a number of non-production
prototype bikes. It was a risky move that seems to have paid off. This proto is
made for the stunt rider who likes to go fast, too. Specs were not published, but
one rider summed it up by saying, “The faster you push it, the better it gets.” Will
they make it? Mountain Cycle’s American manufacturing gives them a great
opportunity to take a good idea and run with it. Expect to see this in production
before 2007. Mountain Cycle’s phone number is (503) 294-4340.
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YARD SALE AWARD
What looks like a train wreck is actually Nokon’s display for their cable and
housing system. A single system for both
brakes and index shifting, Nokon cables
and housing remain supple when braking, yet laterally stiff to ensure crisp shifting. Available in the original polished aluminum finish or in black. You can get
more information at (310) 316-9831.
THE SEVENTIES SHOW AWARD
Azonic’s display featured a fried-out combi, psychedelic graphics, three cute go-go
girls and tons of new products. Trying to choose one product to highlight was impossible, because Azonic offers everything from frames to gloves! Best idea is to call them
at (800) 326-6325 and get a catalog.
IF-THE-SHOE-FITS AWARD
Sidi’s Daniele Signori and Eleonora Canal were showing off their most popular
mountain bike shoe, always the MBA wrecking crew’s favorite-fitting shoe, with a
new twist. Riders with wider feet now have a size just for them. These wider shoes
bring the legendary Sidi fit to all of us who spent our childhoods in flip-flops. Get all
the size breakdowns from Sidi at (831) 394-7114.
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COOL SHOE AWARD
The Oakley Slant shoe has a sole that
is tuned for pedaling, yet with enough
style to wear as your off-the-bike
footwear. The soles offer great scuff protection from heel to toe, and the shoes
are available for $90 at any bike shop
that sells Oakley products.
ADDED POWER AWARD
Jamie Ramsden is the mountain bike
point man for Goodridge, who introduced steel-braided brake hoses last year.
We’ve had great results upgrading to
expansion-resistant lines, and the news
has traveled fast. Goodridge offers more
color choices for 2006, and a line of
brake pads. If you are looking for more
braking power, call (310) 533-1924.
THE JELLO AWARD
Clif Bar saved a lot of show walkers who were down on energy. The samples of
their new Clif Shot Bloks were a major hit. The little squares have the consistency of
Jello and the punch of Clif Shot.
GREAT LITTLE IDEA AWARD
Shimano shortened the lever reach on the shift triggers used for the Hone and
Saint groups. The shorter levers allow the shifters to be run inside of the brake perch
clamp. This allows downhillers to adjust their brakes so the levers meet their fingers
in a perfect position—a simple and effective idea.
THE HAPPY DUDE AWARD
Why is this man smiling? Chris Cocalis, the man behind Titus Bicycles, had a great
show. His 2006 models are the result of careful evolution and insightful modifications. While no one bike stood out (okay, the 19-pound Racer-X had our collective
jaws dropping), they all appear to be flawless. Titus bikes are for the rider who wants
the best. You can reach them at (800) 858-4887.
THE BLING AWARD
Dirty Dog offered seven different
laser-cut disc rotors. These rotors are not
cut to reduce heat, increase stopping
power or prolong brake pad life. They are
made to impress. Got a bike that looks a
little plain? Dirty Dog rotors bolt on for a
totally fresh look. You can reach them at
(408) 892-6468.
WEIGHT SAVINGS AWARD
Fox has removed material from their suspension to save weight. Kidding! The cutaway suspension views (a costly and timely
process) were so dealers could see the
internal workings. Expect the cutaways to
show up at select events and races.
37
THE COMING ALONG AWARD
Hayes showed a rough prototype of their internal transmission at last year’s show.
The project has progressed to working mules from Ellsworth (above) and Hayes
(right). The design is the one most likely to succeed, because it doesn’t stray far from
the time-proven derailleur. In the simplest of terms, the Hayes tranny is a derailleur
in a box. Stay tuned for updates and, hopefully, a ride impression.
THE 29-INCH AWARD
Look closely at this Lenz long-travel trailbike. You are gazing at a 29-inch-wheeled,
dual-suspension, low-top-tube trailbike. Lenz brings the 29-inch experience to riders
who want a long-travel trailbike and are not over six feet tall. One of their tricks to
fitting the long-travel fork is the specially made front hub (left). The hub you’re looking at took about a week to fabricate. You can get more information by calling Lenz at
(303) 857-9151.
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THE METALLURGY AWARD
Moots showed the Zirkel, a three-inch-travel trailbike named
after the highest peak in the vicinity of Moots. The Zirkel uses
an aluminum swingarm for rigidity and a titanium front triangle to dial in the Moots ride. The Zirkel will set you back a cool
$2750 for the frame and shock, or $3100 for a frame with your
custom dimensions. Call Moots at (970) 879-1676.
THE MOTO AWARD
Jim Felt was a motocross mechanic for Johnny “O Show”
O’Mara back in the eighties, and he has parlayed his mechanical
knowledge into Felt Bicycles. Known for their strength in
triathlon competition, Felt is making a bigger push into mountain biking. Starting with high-end, hardtail race bikes (an area
Jim understands), expect an expanded line for mountain bikers.
You can reach Felt Bicycles at (949) 452-9050.
THE 2:1 RATIO
AWARD
Brent Foes
unleashed a new rear
suspension that uses a
2:1 ratio, meaning for
every inch the shock
shaft travels, the rear
wheel moves twice as
much. “You cannot
believe how much easier it is for a racer to
dial in the exact ride he
wants,” explains Brent.
“Developing the
Curnutt Shock and the
2:1 rear suspension at
the same time allowed
me to do things you
just won’t believe.”
Brent’s booth was full
of more spies than the
United Nations. You
can reach Foes at (626)
683-8368.
THE FLOYD FACTOR AWARD
BMC is best known in America as the road race bike of mountain-biker-turned-roadie Floyd Landis. Maybe Floyd had some
influence on BMC’s decision to bring their mountain bikes to the
states. The Superstroke 01 has 5.9 inches of travel and a burly,
replaceable dropout. The aluminum-framed bikes should hit our
shores this spring. You can reach BMC at (952) 656-3100.
SHOCK-IN-A-POCKET AWARD
Unknown to most of us in America, Focus Bicycles are a major
player in Europe. Their line of marathon bikes has the shock
tucked into a pierced top tube, giving the bikes the cleanest profile of any dual-suspension bike out there. They don’t have a contact in America yet, so if you’ve got to have one, e-mail them at
[email protected].
NORTHERN INVASION AWARD
It seems like bike builders are popping out of Canada faster than riders bombing down
the A-line trail at Whistler. One that stands out is Knolly, with their V-tach, Delirium
and FreeRadical frames intended for resort riding and extreme stunt riding. The purpose-built line appears to be indestructible. You can reach them at (604) 523-6635.
CHAIN MANAGEMENT AWARD
Race Face showed this brand-new
$159 chainguide system that may finally
bring compatibility and ease-of-installation up to snuff. It offers 50 degrees of
articulation, so it fits a wide range of
frame/suspension designs. The
boomerang is made from aluminum, and
upper and lower blocks from a highimpact secret material (said to withstand
abuse without breaking a sweat). You can
get more information at (604) 527-9996.
MAKING-AN-APPEARANCE
AWARD
Specialized intro’d the 2006 line to their
dealers at a big bash in Santa Cruz,
California, months ago. Their presence at
Interbike was subdued; they showed only
select models and accessories. And speaking of accessories, their helmet line is
impressive.
CLOSET
ORGANIZER
AWARD
What do you do
with all the space
in a Cannondale
Lefty’s steerer
tube? You design a
mini tool that
folds into a bulletshaped container,
and then you slide
it into the steerer
tube. Very clean.
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THE PROTO AWARD
Honorable mention goes to RockShox. RockShox showed a number of
design concepts to judge dealer interest. Pad printing, cable routing management and tube size were just a few
of the ideas being tested out here.
Putting the fork under glass increased
the “unobtainable” mystique.
THE GRAPHICS AWARD
Cannondale’s new platform pedal
is called the Grind. The pedal’s name
reads forwards and backwards. Go
ahead and try it out. Turn your magazine around.
Downhill
Madness
Sir Isaac Newton
would be proud
hile still one of the
smallest segments
of mountain biking, there was no lack of innovation in the ranks of downhill race bikes. Here are just a
few that jumped out at us.
W
THE GARBANZO AWARD
The Marin Quake AL7 was a show
stopper. The 6.9-inch-travel bike’s rear
suspension is designed by Formula One
suspension guru Jon Whyte. Jon based it
off his QUAD suspension system that
works on a four-pivot, floating swingarm
platform with the path of the rear axle
tuned to cancel out pedaling forces yet
conform to the terrain. The top-of-theheap Quake AL7 will go for $4250. Get
more info at (415) 382-6000.
NOT-NEW-BUT-WHO-CARES? AWARD
Santa Cruz doesn’t play the new-model-year game. When they come up with an
improvement, it is made right then and there. So even though the V-10 is not a new
downhill bike, it packed the gravity junkies into the Santa Cruz booth.
BEST UPGRADE
AWARD
Many riders
were worried that
GT might replace
their perennial
favorite, the GT
DHi, with the
internal-transmissioned iT1. Why
worry? The 2006
GT DHi was the
slickest downhill
bike at the show.
You get a beautiful
carbon fiber seat
mast and GT’s
proven i-Drive
underneath. This is
the every-man
downhill race bike.
BEST SIGNATURE BIKE
The Mongoose EC-D (the EC stands
for Eric Carter) gets the Mongoose
Freedrive floating bottom bracket, an aluminum frame, a RockShox Boxxer Team
fork with Motion Control Damping, and
a Fox DHX-5.0 shock. Components by
Avid, Truvativ, Kenda and Sun make the
EC-D ready to race. And that’s just what
E.C. plans to do with it.
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ShowWeirdness
The strange and unusual
THE WEIRD SCIENCE AWARD
Mondo Design showed this continuously variable
transmission (CVT) for cycling. It operates on mechanical principles. There are no electronics or batteries
required. The rider just pedals, and the CVT does the
rest. There is never a need to shift, because the gear
ratios are achieved by the relative movement of the satellite gears in two AutoG’X discs. The inventors explained
that when the satellite gears in the first disc are fully
expanded and the satellite gears of the second disk are
fully contracted, you get the largest gear ratio. When the
first disc is fully contracted and the satellite gears of the
second disc are fully expanded, you get the smallest gear
ratio. You pedal, and the transmission reacts to your pedaling force and the terrain.
Don’t expect to see this licensed by your favorite
mountain bike company any time soon. Its application
would be better aimed towards riders who frequent railsto-trails routes. You can e-mail Mondo at [email protected].
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THE CONTRAPTION AWARD
No explanation necessary.
HELPING HAND AWARD
This would either be the best-feeling saddle
you’ve ever ridden, or the creepiest thing you’ve
ever sat on. The Hands-On saddle is available
from A&M at (970) 215-8734. Believe it or not, a
titanium-rail version is in the works!
FUTURE CHAMP AWARD
The Electra Rockabilly Boogie (reviewed in August 2005) became
such a hit for the company that they are offering a kid-sized version for
2006. It is still a little big for some riders, but they can dream.
POP-A-WHEELIE AWARD
LOOK-BUT-DON’T-TOUCH AWARD
SRAM, RockShox, Truvativ and Avid commissioned an artist to construct these
Alien-like creatures out of their components. The results
were stunning.
43
Faces
In The
Crowd
Cannondale’s
Doug Dalton
The place
to be seen
Michael Broderick and Mary McConneloug
Nelson “Cheetah” Vails
Stan “NoTubes” Koziatek
Kyle Strait, Tara Llanes and Thomas Frischknecht
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Tinker Juarez
and mom Rose
Melissa Buhl
Marla Streb
Fabien Barel
Shonny Vanlandingham
John Tomac
Alison Dunlap
Kathy Pruitt
Brian Lopes
Steve Peat, Troy Lee and Mike Redding
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MBA FEATURE
It’s All About Access
Mountain bikers play, while our trails are stolen away
R. Cunningham
resently, 23 states have proposed wilderness legislation in their books. This amounts to hundreds of miles of trails that will potentially be
lost to mountain bikers—and that is singletrack. Add in dirt
roads and it could easily add up to thousands of miles.”
“P
The words were those of Mark Eller, Communications
Specialist for the International Mountain Biking Association
(IMBA). Arguably, IMBA has been the mountain biker’s
guardian angel any time the issue of trail access, or the lack
thereof, comes into question—at the local and national level.
Need a trail? IMBA can provide the how-to information,
planning resources, government contacts, and even send a
trail crew to oversee the project. More recently, IMBA has
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established a legal fund and a presence in Washington D.C.
in order to fend off anti-mountain-bike attacks in the hallways and meeting rooms, long before the resulting decisions affect your local trails and riding areas. IMBA’s
efforts have resulted in a long string of successes in every
land-access arena except for one: the issue of designated
wilderness. For the most part, mountain bikers have simply
been ignored, while “Jolly Green Giants” like the Sierra
Club march new wilderness bills through Congress faster
than a hungry child goes through a bag of M&Ms.
“Wilderness has such a positive value judgment
attached to it, so it’s hard to fight.”
—Mark Eller, IMBA
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Eller has a point. In its highest interpretation, the
Wilderness Act is the best thing that has happened to this
country’s outdoors since Theodore Roosevelt.
The Wilderness Act was written into law in 1964 to protect
the most pristine and untouched areas from any form of development and restrict human recreation to the most primitive
means, banning any form of mechanical transportation. The
law carefully specified the minimum size and set strict standards for the quality and primitive nature of an area that could
qualify for wilderness designation. Bicycles are specifically
mentioned as mechanical devices, so we were locked out
almost from day one.
What this means is that any land that is designated as
wilderness is legally off limits to mountain bikes—forever.
WILDERNESS: FROM SPECIAL TO SPECIOUS
Despite some inequities, as written, the Wilderness
Act was a necessary and timely piece of congressional
legislation. Since then, however, the scope of the
Wilderness Act has been broadened by a dozen acts of
Congress to include virtually any open space of any size.
At one time, the existence of man-made features like dirt
roads, abandoned railways, mining complexes, ranches
and electrical facilities excluded areas from being designated as wilderness. The size and man-made features
47
Access
Soon to be wilderness: A breathtaking view of Mount
Hood—and if you have the lungs and the leg power, you
can explore most everything you can see. Unfortunately,
environmental lobbyists in Washington, DC, are working
hard to evict mountain bikers from the back country and
corral us onto resorts and “special use areas.”
Photo by Gordon Van Zandt
issues were erased in 1975 by the Eastern Wilderness Act, which was enacted
because there were few, if any, wild places East of the Mississippi River that were
devoid of man’s handiwork or large enough to qualify for wilderness designation.
This little modification means that lawmakers from any state, who hang out in
Washington D.C., can close any patch of land to mountain bike use on the advice of
a lobbyist who may never have visited the place. Such is the present trend, and it
leads to the question: If everything now qualifies as “wilderness,” has it lost its
meaning?
We all want the same thing: Being bathed
in the natural elements is the core mountain bike experience. Bicycles are classified
as a means of mechanical conveyance in
the language of the Wilderness Act and
thus banned from designated wilderness
lands. Oddly, with all of their high tech
gewgaws, whitewater kayaks are not.
Clearly, science, not emotional judgments,
should determine who and what should be
allowed into protected areas.
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WE CAN’T RIDE BECAUSE NOTHING IS THERE—YET
The Endangered Species Act now protects “critical habitat,” which is any land,
private or public, that could possibly become important to a threatened species at a
future date. At present, a ruling is being considered that will set aside five percent
of the state of California (5.4 million acres) as protected habitat for the red legged
frog—regardless of whether any frogs live there or not.
It can be argued that any wild place is critical habitat and an irreplaceable
resource that should be protected for future generations. Just as it can be argued
that any recreational use of such habitat could be construed as a threat to its well
being. The word “argued” is important. During the course of enacting the three
phases of the Endangered Species Act (1973, 1978, 1982), Congress voted in strict
guidelines for public land managers that outlined how and when plants and animals would be placed on the list. To add teeth to the law, it placed strict timelines
on each process—then went one step further and voted, for the first time in history, to allow private citizens to sue and collect fees from agencies that didn’t comply.
This opened the door for private law firms to force land managers to close areas
and put species into the endangered or threatened category simply because the
study ran over its deadline. Targeting slow-moving and understaffed land managers
like the BLM, Forest Service and Fish and Game is like shooting fish in a barrel, and
it costs taxpayers millions each year. The law spawned an environmental legal
industry. The Sierra Club’s Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund and the Center for
Biological Diversity head the list.
Civil suits are easier to win because the plaintiff only has to prove “just
cause” and not “beyond a reasonable a doubt” as in criminal cases. In the case
of “critical habitat” suits, all that the plaintiff has to prove is that there is evidence that if a threatened species happened to find its way to an area, it could
thrive. Because civil lawsuits are easier to win, timelier, and less expensive
than lobbying for votes in D.C., habitat and endangered species suits have
become the weapon of choice for environmental organizations wanting to
Photo by Gordon Van Zandt
Access
CAN MOUNTAIN BIKERS WIN THE WILDERNESS GAME?
“You guys are going to have to fish or cut bait on this issue. You are wasting your time hoping that mountain bikes will be included into the
Wilderness Act. That’s just not going to happen.”
—Don Amador, BlueRibbon Coalition
Back in 1984, Clark Collins, the head of an Idaho off-road vehicle club, was testifying at a hearing about a proposed wilderness area in the Caribou National Forest
that encompassed a sizeable portion of trails that OHV riders had traditionally used
in the Mink Creek area. Collins hooked up with a Sierra Club representative at the
hearing and brought other motorized groups in to work out a way to preserve the
OHV trails there.
As Clark puts it, “I got local snowmobile and 4x4 enthusiasts involved in our little ‘working group,’ and it seemed to be working fine.”
The OHV guys were working hard to put together a compromise, thinking that
the Sierra Club was negotiating in good faith. When local politicians and the
Governor switched allegiance and backed the existing wilderness plan, Clark
smelled a rat.
“I asked the Sierra Club guy what was up?” writes Collins. “And he said: ‘We have
political support for wilderness designation for this area, so we’re going for it.’”
Collins realized that he was a fish swimming with sharks, and that recreationalists had better get politically involved or they would be “overrun by the wilderness
juggernaut.” He helped organize other recreational groups and eventually won the
battle. Shortly after that, he co-founded the BlueRibbon Coalition in 1987 to head
off trail closures in the future. Today, the BRC has 11,000 members and 1200 business and organization members. The first line of its mission statement reads:
“Secure, protect and expand shared outdoor recreation access and use.” The first
line of its vision statement reads: “Provides leadership in responsible use.”
Wilderness-wise, the BlueRibbon Coalition suffers losses similar to those familiar
to the mountain bike community. Perhaps greater, because most of the places we
ride are already closed to motorized vehicles, and OHV areas are a prime target for
anti-recreation forces. The BRC learned quickly, however, that the most successful
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Mechanical, but human powered: Riding
deep in the forest near Mount Hood.
Unlike hikers and pack animals, mountain
bikers cannot stray too far from a prepared trail. Our impact on habitat is substantially less than any other user group.
Both IMBA and the BRC are hoping for a
new, less-restrictive wilderness law that
will open public lands for appropriate
forms of recreation.
Photo courtesy of BRC
block development, close trails and expel recreationists from public lands.
What this means to mountain bikers is that we can be evicted from our trails by
a law firm in San Francisco, in the name of a plant or animal that doesn’t exist
where we ride and may never live there. No local input and no prior warning necessary—“Sorry,” say the park rangers. “We settled out of court, and mountain bikers have to leave.”
It could have been different: When environmental extremists moved to restrict
access to a huge block of the
Headwaters Forest in Eureka, California,
which logging interests gave up, the
BlueRibbon Coalition asked mountain
bike and equestrian groups to join in the
planning process. Despite the fact that
OHV use was never planned for the area,
the BRC was willing to go to bat so other
groups could use the primitive logging
roads and trails there. Without support,
the BRC abandoned the fight.
Another important aspect of the proposed bill is an emphasis on local management. The present trend of environmental
law is to remove control from state and
local land managers and impose the
authority of Washington-based legislators
who have little or no connection with the
specific region, its resources or its recreational user groups.
Amador isn’t blind to the impacts of our
sport and the land access problems cropping up within the mountain bike community that OHV riders share—especially
now that heavier, long-travel bikes are
becoming popular.
“The popularity of both sports has been
causing management issues. A lot more
people are using trails, yet the budget to
sustain these trails is going down. We are
going to have to find new sources of funding to sustain these activities.”
When asked what mountain bikers can
do to stem the tide of land and trail closures, Amador gets right to the point: “Join
and pay! The legal issues cost a lot of
money. Become part of an organization
that will do something to help you.”
Access
IMBA BUILDS BRIDGES
“IMBA has still never directly
opposed a wilderness area. We recognize that there are places where bicycles are not an appropriate use, but we
want land managers to have greater
discretion as to what types of recreation should be allowed in a wilderness area.”
—Mark Eller, IMBA
IMBA was also stung by the Sierra
Club’s bait-and-switch negotiating tactic.
IMBA worked closely with Senator
Barbara Boxer’s staff when she was spearheading the California Wild Heritage
Act—a behemoth wilderness bill that, if
passed, would have doubled the amount of
designated
wilderness
throughout
California. IMBA was hopeful that Boxer’s
staff would work with the Sierra Club and
other backers of the bill to adjust the
boundaries of the proposed areas to preserve trail riding opportunities wherever
their use was compatible. IMBA even went
so far as to work within the bike industry
to quell resistance to the bill’s passage. As
the bill gathered support, however, IMBA’s
input was systematically ignored and the
bill went forward without modification.
Not extreme: The lion’s share of mountain bikers dream about exploring beautiful
places on moderate trails, as far from the hustle of civilization as possible. IMBA has
worked every angle to convey this fact to Federal land managers.
PROTECTION WITHOUT
EXCLUSION
The BRC has been pushing for a new
second-tier level of congressional protec52
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tion called “Backcountry Designation”
to provide a method to permanently protect areas that may or may not qualify
for wilderness designation, and provide
for a broader range of recreational use.
The legislation seems like it has broad
support and a guarded chance of moving
through Congress. At present, it is with
Senator Richard Pombo, Chair of the
House Committee on Resources.
“The new classification will require
land managers to maintain the primitive, rugged nature of our back country areas and emphasize forest health
and fire management.”
Don Amador, BlueRibbon Coalition
The other kind of threatened:
The Red Bud trail, a popular
mountain bike route, will be
closed forever if a Northern
California Wilderness bill,
number HR233, is passed.
Photo courtesy of BRC
approach to fighting anti-recreation
environmental groups was to go after
the same lawmakers as aggressively as
the Jolly Green Giants, with a well-funded legal staff and a broadly based membership that included the OHV industry’s support. This year, the BRC specifically included mountain bikes in its
mission, primarily because we are all
lumped together as mechanical devices
in the eyes of our opposition and in the
letter of the wilderness laws.
When asked about the BRC’s position
on wilderness, Western Regional
Representative Don Amador explains:
“The BRC supports designating it if the
land truly meets the 1964 description. We
strongly object to designating land that is
presently used by our constituents.”
Access
IMBA wasn’t the only agency that Boxer’s bill snubbed. It was
timed to override three years of public and interagency hearings that
the National Forest Service had conducted to comply with its mandatory ten-year revised management for California. One of the five
plans offered up for comment included the vast expanse of new
wilderness that was encompassed in Boxer’s bill. Throughout the
hearings, however, private citizens and recreational users of all types
voted against wholesale wilderness designation and opted for a more
moderate plan that the agency eventually adopted. Boxer went ahead
with the bill as if the NFS management plan didn’t exist, and the
Sierra Club allegedly sued to force the NFS to adopt the more wilderness-oriented version of their plan. Does that sound familiar?
IMBA TRIES AGAIN
Building strong relationships with local land managers and various
trail users has been the strength of IMBA. Combined with the addition of legal assistance and a full-time presence in Washington DC,
IMBA’s bridge building helped to turn the tide in a landmark Virginia
Wilderness bill.
“We were lucky in Virginia, because we had good contacts
with mountain bike organizations there. We were able to work
with hunting and hiking groups, and there were many new legislators in place.”
—Mark Eller, IMBA
IMBA learned early on about the proposed wilderness in the
Jefferson National Forest and got busy with local mountain bike
groups to map out the trails that we stood to lose in the original documents. Eventually, the team was able to convince the legislators to
re-designate some of the proposed wilderness into “National Scenic
Areas.” The new designation permanently protected the lands in
So far, so good: The Subaru Trail Care program has been a
powerful tool for opening doors and creating bridges
between mountain bikers and land managers. Environmental
law firms, however, are using the courts to drive wedges
between pro active user groups and local land managers.
question in pristine condition, while allowing mountain bike
use and other forms of nondestructive recreation. It was a
decisive victory, simply because it proved that compromise
was possible when dealing with pro-wilderness groups. The
fact that we retained a beautiful trail network was a bonus.
IMBA REMAINS HOPEFUL
Armed with the success in Virginia, IMBA has focused its
attention on Oregon’s proposed Lewis and Clark/Mount
Hood Wilderness, where they hope to strike a similar compromise. The trail riding opportunities there are well worth
saving, but the West Coast Wilderness advocates are known
for their “my way or the highway” approach to negotiation.
The pendulum, however, may be swinging in IMBA’s direction, as there is a growing resistance among citizens and lawmakers alike to massive Wilderness legislation that lumps
multiple regions into one bill. The Oregon bill may be the last
of its kind. Boxer and the Sierra Club, fearing a defeat, disassembled the California Wild Heritage Act into a number of
smaller wilderness bills.
“We are building a legal defense fund and we have
lobbyists in Washington. We want to be prepared to
fight this battle when the time comes.”
—Mark Eller, IMBA
The amount of money that it takes to launch and sustain
legal action is staggering. The fact that legal opponents to
mountain biking, like the Center for Biological Diversity and
Earthjustice, can afford to launch multiple lawsuits should
raise the red flag for all mountain bikers. In terms of miles of
trails gained versus the amount of time and money that is
spent, however, IMBA points out that negotiation has proven
to be the more effective tool.
BRC photo
“Our whole strategy at IMBA is about building
alliances and working as a group.”
—Mark Eller, IMBA
Tolerance works both ways: Few mountain bikers know that motorcyclists put up the routes in Moab, Utah. Elsewhere, hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles of trails and primitive roads were made and
are maintained by OHV users—over half of which are now banned
for motorized vehicles. We should treat responsible OHV riders with
the same tolerance and respect that we wish to receive from hikers
and, in a perfect world, from environmental extremists.
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WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?
There is a land access battle brewing on the horizon, we
can be sure of that. How quickly mountain bikers respond to
the call will ultimately be measured in miles of trail. The bottom line is that if we want to continue riding our bikes in the
mountains, we are going to have to elbow our way in
between the Green Giants to get there. We want to preserve
the landscape as much as anyone else—perhaps more,
because we are out there living in it. Both IMBA and the BRC
are making headway, but we are outmanned and outgunned
on all flanks. The next logical step is, as Don Amador so
aptly put it, “Join and pay.” Contact: www.imba.com (IMBA)
or www.sharetrails.org (BlueRibbon Coalition). ❏
MBA BIKE TEST
FACT Is The Final Act
2006 Specialized S-Works Epic Disc
ince its introduction in 2003, this is the
cross-country race bike that all others have
had to compete with. It never mattered that
the Epic was too heavy or too quick handling; its
ability to sprint like a hardtail and absorb bumps
with full suspension was simply overwhelming.
Specialized set the precedent for stable-platform
performance. Nothing else compared.
S
CARBON TO THE RESCUE
The bane of the Epic’s design is the size and
necessary rear axle location of the Brain’s terrainsensing inertia valve damper. At 14.7 ounces, the
12-inch-long shock with 4.5-inch Brain reservoir
instantly puts the Epic at a weight disadvantage.
It’s an extra half pound that Specialized has to
erase elsewhere on the frame. They couldn’t do it
on the premier model, and the frame weighed a
hefty six pounds, six ounces.
Specialized’s
Functional
Advanced
Composites Technology (FACT) was first applied
to the Epic in the form of a rear suspension link.
That, along with two year’s worth of pruning
weight off the aluminum frame, cut almost a full
pound. It was enough to build a 23-pound steed
that became the first suspension bike to win a
World Championship.
ALMOST AS ONE
For 2006, the S-Works Epic receives the same
FACT Az-1 pseudo-monocoque treatment as the
Specialized Tarmac that Levi Leipheimer took to
sixth place in last year’s Tour de France. Premolded carbon tubes and fittings are first glued
together. To give the job the look and behavior of
monocoque construction, the S men then wrap
and mold the tube junctions with strips of carbon.
Az-1 takes all the advantages of a monocoque
chassis and elevates them to the next level. It
allows full control of the shape, thickness, tapering and weave of each tube, specific to each frame
size. It gives all of the tuned stiffness and compliance of a full monocoque, but with more control
over bottom bracket stiffness, frame twisting, and
best of all, frame weight.
More weight was saved through a tube-conserving, asymmetrical swingarm with an ouncecrunching butting profile. A medium 2006 SWorks Epic frame (with Brain shock) weighs a
more effective five pounds, three ounces.
TWO FLAVORS OF CARBON
The bike you buy will feature disc-specific seat
stays that weren’t done in time to make it onto
our test unit. Specialized also offers a rim brake
version of the S-Works Epic. The big weight savings on that build are the wheels and tires. The SWorks Epic frame goes for $3800.
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Race what we sell: The
carbon Epic was finished in
time to make the final 2005
World Cup in Scotland. Olympic
bronze medal holder Sabine Spitz
rode it to 2nd. The increased travel lets
it absolutely fly over braking bumps.
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A GOOD LAPSE OF CONCENTRATION
Superseding the IQ Brain shock is what Specialized calls
Brain Fade. The IQ was an adjustable inertia valve blow-off.
Any time you increased sensitivity, you decreased the platform on last year’s shock. Brain Fade gives back the optimally set platform of the original, with an adjustable bypass
bleed port. The latter is the Fade part, which lets the rider
tune how forgiving the ride is when pedaling over chatter
while the Brain is engaged. Fade lets the suspension erase the
ripples while the rider hammers away on a solid platform.
GEOMETRY CHANGES
Specialized increased the travel by stroking the rear wheel
further into the frame. By doing this they have retained the
half-degree-slacker head angle given by the longer 3.9-inchtravel fork. The longer-travel fork is a hot upgrade for any of
the earlier-model Epics (with their 3.1-inch-travel fork and
too-steep, 71.5-degree head angle).
Another important geometry change is a one-degreesteeper seat angle. For no particularly good reason,
Specialized sees a need to spec the Epic with a 0.8-inch setback post. On the old Epic, the rider sat too far back and
fought to get on top of the chassis. The steeper seat tube
pushes the front center out and lengthens the wheelbase
(a little over half an inch). A shorter stem brings the bar
back to status quo. It’s a zero-rise stem to accommodate the
slightly taller head tube wth the new-for-2006 integrated
headset. Another big upgrade this year is a higher bottom
bracket for improved pedal clearance.
SLINGSHOTTING SINGLETRACK
The fit: Tightening the rider compartment with the steeper seat angle is one of the best changes for 2006. The rider is
more centered, more upright, more comfortable, and more in
command of power delivery and steering. The Specialized
Ti-rail Body Geometry Rival saddle; FACT oversized carbon
five-degree flat bar, and dual-compound Specialized grips
complement what is finally a more agreeable chassis layout.
Pedal to the carbon: The tighter pilot’s compartment
alone pays big dividends in the power department. Pedal
force is much improved with the rider comfortably on top of
the crank. The generous top tube keeps the front wheel in
better contact with the ground when on the gas.
Specialized’s claim of the new Epic being 20 percent stiffer is
not hyperbole; you can feel it at the crank. Aboard the 2006,
you’re in a much better power position and feel greater inspiration to give it your all.
Up the climbs: The Epic is no longer the wandering,
over-correcting climber of the past. It still has the quicksteering, narrow, flat bar, but now it’s connected to a wheel
that stays more in control up steep pitches. Even with the
Brain Fade bleed closed off—what Fox labels as locked out
on the adjuster—the Epic soaks up holes and ruts when
clambering up technical climbs.
Flying back down: Zero-point-four inches doesn’t sound
like that big of an increase in rear travel, but it’s nine percent
more forgiveness that the old Epic was sorely lacking. The
Brain Fade adjuster is very effective. It delivers a new level of
small-bump compliance for the Brain shock. This new feel
also aids the rider while launching jumps and skipping
whoops, because the chassis reacts more intuitively. The
adjustable Brain Fade bleed lets the wheel absorb hits even
while the inertia valve is filtering out the violent pedaling
motion that would normally cause a bike to bob.
Some may feel slighted by the Fox F100 RLT fork replacing last year’s Fox F100X Terralogic inertia valve fork. They
shouldn’t. The RLT can be tuned to work close to last year’s
Terralogic. Set the threshold adjuster at the bottom of the
right leg to full firm. Then use the adjustable lockout to custom tune your anti-bob platform.
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S-Works
Integrity: The bottom bracket is
generously wrapped in carbon
and molded into its final box-like
appearance. On busy singletrack
the FACT Az-1 frame keeps the
steering precise and the bike
pedaling with a snappier
response.
Material matrix: Specialized
spared no cost when it came
to saving weight. All linkage
hardware is 7075 aluminum.
Sealed roller bearing pivots
are used throughout the
true-to-life, fully active Horst
Link suspension.
More for less: FACT Az-1 gives Specialized more freedom to
custom tune frame tubes and fittings. The net result is a frame
that weighs 1 pound less, yet has more torsional rigidity for better handling and explosive response.
EPIC WEAK SPOTS
The S-Works Epic Disc is an amazing racer, but it is not perfect. The
S-Works rider will contend with a few idiosyncrasies. It took channel
locks to get the Brain Fade adjuster knob to move the first time. The
knob likes to stick when set to the locked-out position.
The Epic’s bottom-run cables (for the derailleurs) are a maintenance
nightmare. Shifting problems occur if you (or your shop) run the cable
housings (and cables) too short. The Epic needs a good sized loop of
housing below the bottom bracket so the cables don’t bind (or produce
ghost shifting) when the suspension is bottomed. The bottom-run cables
also require more attention after riding in extreme conditions.
And while this is not a shootout, there is a bike that beats the S-Works
Epic in a head-to-head race. The bike? The Specialized S-Works Epic
with rim brakes! You save $600, get lighter brakes, wheels that can be
converted to tubeless (more weight savings) and a SRAM drivetrain
that should prove less finicky for Specialized’s bottom-run cable routing.
Finally, are you sitting down? The price tag on the S-Works Epic is a
mind-numbing and wallet-draining $7100. For that much dinero, we’d
like to see the S-Works offered as a custom-build with every rider given
the option of choosing brakes (Magura Marta calipers would be sweet),
drivetrains, forks and wheels.
THE EPIC RIDE
Specialized has spent four years making the Brain shock more forgiving while competitors have been dialing in their rear suspension to work
with platform shocks like the Fox RP3 or Manitou Swinger. The performance gap between the original Specialized/Fox Brain shock and
platform shocks (applied to well-designed suspension) has narrowed
dramatically during this development period. Today’s dual-suspension,
cross-country playing field is more level than in 2003.
The 2006 Epic is a more congruous, all-together package with handling far superior to last year’s model. It responds to the demands of the
most talented pro-level cross-country racer, but it does all this at a price.
Specialized’s decision to use the Brain Fade shock has forced them to use
exotic materials in other areas to get the bike’s weight in line with the
competition, and this puts a premium on the bike.
Can the S-Works Epic Disc still win? Absolutely. Are you willing to
pay the entry fee? Only you can answer that. ❏
Brain power: Brain Fade custom tunes a smoother
transition between the inertia valve’s locked-out and
full-open positions. More than ever, the Epic floats over
bumps while still giving a solid response to pedal input.
Modular: Look carefully and you can see the fine line
where the carbon wrap is added to strengthen the
joints between each frame member. The piece-bypiece monocoque construction allows for greater
control of stiffness and weight.
SPECIALIZED
S-WORKS EPIC DISC
Price...$7100
Country of origin...Taiwan/China
Weight...25.1 pounds
Size tested ......................................................19"
Bottom bracket height ................................13"
Chainstay length ........................................16.8"
Top tube length ..........................................24.2"
Head angle ..................................................70.5°
Seat tube angle ..............................................74°
Standover height............................................31"
Wheelbase ..................................................44.1"
Suspension travel (front) ............................3.9"
Suspension travel (rear)..............................3.9"
Frame material ....................................................Carbon/Aluminum
Fork ................................................................................Fox F100 RLT
Shock............................................................................Fox Brain Fade
Rims ....................................................................Mavic CrossMax SL
Tires ................................Specialized S-Works FasTrak UST (2.0)
Hub ......................................................................Mavic CrossMax SL
Brakes....................................................................Shimano XTR disc
Brake levers ..................................................................Shimano XTR
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Crankset........................................................................Shimano XTR
Shifters ................................................Shimano XTR Dual Control
Front derailleur............................................................Shimano XTR
Rear derailleur ............................................................Shimano XTR
Chainrings ................................................Shimano XTR (44/32/22)
Cassette..........................................................Shimano XTR (11-34)
Pedals ............................................................................................None
Hotline ........................................................................(877) 808-8154
MBA FEATURE
ONE MAMMOTH DAY
Mountain biking’s 2005 National Champions
merica’s 2005 National Mountain Bike Champions were decided in a one-day battle at
Mammoth Mountain’s Canyon Lodge in
Mammoth Lakes, California. It was the
second year that NORBA (the National
Off-Road Bicycling Association) crowned
its champions using the American-citizen-only, winner-take-all format instead
of presenting each championship to the
top American points earner in the
NORBA National Series.
A
THE GOOD
How is the new one-day system working? Well, and not so well. The good part
is that our borders are protected and foreigners are kept out. And before you start
shouting racism, understand that all the
countries who compete in the NORBA
National Series, World Cup Series and
the World Championships go home to
race their respective national championships (and Americans are not invited).
The decision to stage an American-only,
one-day championship puts us on par
with other countries. The absence of foreign riders changes racing tactics, giving
the National Championship its own
unique feel. Another benefit of the notemporary-visas format is the chance for
our top racers to, in theory, plan their
training to peak for the event, which is
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very important to their sponsors. A
National Championship win sells more
bikes, tires and helmets in America than
a fifth place finish at a World Cup run on
a grassy field in Europe.
THE BAD
The downside of the 2005 National
Championship this year was its timing.
The 2005 event fell too late in the racing season. The World Cup Series,
NORBA National Series and World
Championships had already been put to
bed by the time racers trudged to
Mammoth. Racers didn’t peak for
Mammoth; they simply tried to survive
for it. NORBA has tentatively scheduled the 2006 National Championships
two months earlier, in July. That should
reduce the burnout rate.
Choosing Mammoth as the race’s
venue is not necessarily a downside, but
it does give a marked advantage to racers who live at altitude. Six of the top
ten men in the cross-country event call
Colorado home. If you are serious about
winning at Mammoth, you need to live
at altitude or sleep in a hypoxic tent.
Finally, spectators stayed away from
the Mammoth event by the thousands.
Take the Canadians out of the crosscountry races and the rest of the world
out of the gravity races and you end up
Quality, not quantity: The small fields
may have been part of the reason for the
light spectator turnout. It was a shame,
because the racing was some of the
tightest and most exciting of the year.
with an event that spectators feel is a
participant-only spectacle. That attitude
is unfortunate, because even with the
thinned-out fields, there were close,
exciting, dramatic and decisive battles
taking place in many categories. The
fans who didn’t show missed the show.
THE FAST
Thousands of riders, from seasoned pros
to first-year beginners, who had qualified
for the Nationals through local events, battled for 158 National Championship jerseys over four days of racing. There were
more stars and stripes at Mammoth than at
a Fourth of July parade.
Once the dust had settled (and
Mammoth has no lack of the stuff), racers loaded battered bodies and bikes into
their team vehicles and headed down the
big mountain in a long caravan. Each
competitor was leaving Mammoth with
the promise to return next July to defend
a title or avenge a loss.
Blow-by-blow race reports of the professional events at Mammoth are posted on
our website at www.mbaction.com.
Mountaincross: “The year was really rough—this is a
good piece of redemption,” said Eric Carter (1), referring
to his many injuries and then capping the year with his
big win. “It feels good to get one for the guys and show
that Mongoose is on the map as far as high-end goes.”
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MAMMOTH
Short track and Super D:
Adam Craig came
through the Super D
course so fast that spectators grabbed their kids
and jumped back. The
man was flying. He won
his second National
Championship jersey by
using perfect tactics
against GT’s Todd Wells
in the short track event
(and getting a gift in the
form of Jeremy HorganKobelski’s flat tire).
Mountaincross: The
newly crowned 2005
World 4-Cross
Champion didn’t have
a cake walk to her
national championship.
Jill Kintner was taken
out during practice by
her own teammate!
She brushed herself off
and then brushed off
her competition. This
young racer could very
well dominate mountaincross for the rest of
this decade.
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Short track: Shonny
Vanlandingham was walking
away with the cross-country
race until she punctured her
front tire near the end of the last
lap. A lesser rider would have
cracked. Shonny was disappointed, but she didn’t let it show.
She came back the next day to
bury her competition and dominate the short track.
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MAMMOTH
Super D: Kelli
Emmett chose
to use her
cross-country
race bike on
the long
Mammoth
Super D
course. It was
a wise decision. She left
her competition in the
Mammoth
dust.
Inspiration:
Ned Overend
finished on the
cross-country
podium in
celebration of
recently turning 50! By the
way, Ned was
racing the pro
class, not the
50+ class. Jay
Henry, who
finished just
behind Ned,
said, “I was
getting tired of
people yelling,
‘Don’t let that
old man beat
you.’”
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Downhill: Melissa Buhl is one of
those riders who thrive under
pressure. With Kathy Pruitt and
April Lawyer breathing down her
neck, Melissa unleashed her
limited-edition KHS downhill bike
to set the winning time.
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MAMMOTH
Cross country: Mary
McConneloug was in the
right place at the right
time to take advantage of
Shonny Vanlandingham’s
misfortune (a flat front
tire). Mary pounced in the
final meters of the race
to take the championship, proving that a rider
from sea level could win
at Mammoth.
Cross country: Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski’s blistering pace wore down early challenges from
Adam Craig and a newly un-retired Walker
Ferguson until JHK had built up a comfortable
lead. Only GT’s Todd Wells had a shot at the
championship after that, but JHK would have
had to have cracked. He didn’t.
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MAMMOTH
Pro Men Cross Country
Rider, age, state, time
1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski*, 27, CO, 1:50:39.87
2. Todd Wells, 30, CO, 1:54:32.45
3. Adam Craig, 24, OR, 1:55:38.80
4. Walker Ferguson, 23, CO, 1:56:08.80
5. Ned Overend, 50, CO, 1:56:24.58
6. Jay Henry, 30, CO, 1:57:09.10
7. Michael Broderick, 32, MA, 2:00:04.88
8. Carl Decker, 30, OR, 2:00:26.66
9. Cody Peterson, 26, CO, 2:01:38.90
10. Erik Tonkin, 31, OR, 2:02:19.89
Pro Women Cross Country
1. Mary McConneloug*, 34, MA, 1:40:54.04
2. Alison Dunlap, 36, CO, 1:41:03.46
3. Willow Koerber, 28, NC, 1:41:03.87
4. Shonny Vanlandingham, 36, TX, 1:41:39.85
5. Susan Haywood, 34, WVA, 1:41:53.54
6. Heather Irmiger, 26, CO, 1:41:56.36
7. Dara Marks-Marino, 30, AZ, 1:43:25.91
8. Georgia Gould, 25, ID, 1:45:16.77
9. Kathy Sherwin, 32, UT, 1:45:33.63
10. Kelli Emmett, 28, CO, 1:48:27.12
Pro Men Short Track
Rider, age, state
1. Adam Craig*, 24, OR
2. Todd Wells, 30, CO
3. Carl Decker, 30, OR
4. Cody Peterson, 26, CO
5. Alan Obye, 23, CO
6. Brian Laiho, 28, CO
7. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, 27, CO
8. Ross Schnell, 23, CO
9. Chris Eatough, 31, MD
10. Michael Broderick, 32, MA
Downhill: Cody Warren
crashed his brains out
in the mountaincross,
tweaking his ankle so
badly that it was doubtful he would race the
downhill event. Cody
sucked it up, ignored
the pain, squeezed his
swollen foot into a shoe
and smoked everyone.
This young rider has
many championships
ahead of him, but he’ll
always remember
Mammoth 2005. ❏
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FAST PRO FINISHERS
2005 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Pro Women Short Track
Rider, age, state
1. Shonny Vanlandingham*, 36, TX
2. Dara Marks-Marino, 30, AZ
3. Susan Haywood, 34, WVA
4. Mary McConneloug, 34, MA
5. Heather Irmiger, 26, CO
6. Georgia Gould, 25, ID
7. Kerry Barnholt, 33, CO
8. Alison Dunlap, 36, CO
9. Kathy Sherwin, 32, UT
10. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi, 30, MA
Pro Men Downhill
1. Cody Warren*, 20, CA, 4:05.88
2. Chris Van Dine, 25, PA, 4:14.28
3. Justin Havukainen, 21, CA, 4:14.29
4. Duncan Riffle, 19, CA, 4:14.37
5. Evan Turpen, 20, CA, 4:15.95
6. David KlaassenVanOorschot, 22, CA, 4:16.43
7. Rich Houseman, 27, CA, 4:18.49
8. Colin Bailey, 26, CA, 4:19.67
9. Aaron Peters, 26, CA, 4:20.08
10. Luke Strobel, 19, WA, 4:20.28
Pro Men Super D
1. Adam Craig*, 24, OR, 20:11.45
2. Mike West, 31, CO, 20:44.29
3. Bryson Perry, 26, UT, 21:12.85
4. Chris Eatough, 31, MD, 21:29.90
5. Sam Schultz, 20, CO, 21:35.53
6. Ross Schnell, 23, CO, 21:36.24
7. Amon Pease, 28, CA, 21:41.64
8. Brian Laiho, 28, CO, 21:47.26
9. Jason Moeschler, 26, CA, 21:51.86
10. Michael Broderick, 32, MA, 22:27.03
Pro Women Downhill
1. Melissa Buhl*, 23, AZ, 4:46.39
2. Kathy Pruitt, 23, CA, 4:52.66
3. April Lawyer, 30, OR, 4:53.17
4. Amelia Colasurdo, 28, WA, 5:13.15
5. Wendy Reynolds, 24, UT, 5:15.22
6. Kote Driscoll, 26, CA, 5:16.97
7. Jackie Harmony, 27, AZ, 5:20.24
8. Tenille Smith, 23, CA, 5:23.19
9. Danni Connolly, 23, CA, 5:23.23
10. Jennifer Jones, 27, WA, 5:54.34
Pro Women Super D
1. Kelli Emmett*, 28, CO, 25:02.05
2. Jamie Whitmore, 29, CA, 25:34.92
3. Dara Marks-Marino, 30, AZ, 25:36.42
4. Susan Haywood, 34, WVA, 25:36.50
5. Lorien Lightfield, 35, ID, 26:08.13
6. Elke Brutsaert, 37, CO, 26:39.55
7. Tonya Laffey, 32, Colorado, 26:48.44
8. Heather Svahn, 31, CA, 26:50.93
9. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi, 30, MA, 26:56.68
10. Mary McConneloug, 34, MA, 27:01.17
Pro Men Marathon
1. Travis Brown*, 36, CO, 4:18:11.61
2. Jay Henry, 30, CO, 4:21:45.33
3. Chris Eatough, 31, MD, 4:27:52.43
4. Michael McCalla, 28, UT, 4:31:18.59
5. Nat Ross, 34, CO, 4:31:47.03
6. David Yakaitis, 32, CA, 4:33:34.11
7. Michael Lee, 39, CA, 4:39:48.08
8. Arlo Buijten, 35, CA, 4:46:20.13
9. Manuel Prado, 24, CA, 5:23:10.59
10. James Williams, 25, CA, 5:23:10.69
Pro Women Marathon
1. Gretchen Reeves*, 34, CO, 4:56:06.84
2. Monique Sawicki, 25, CA, 5:09:02.15
3. Mandy Eakins, 35, CA, 5:47:02.77
4. Shari Hausbeck, 34, CO, 5:59:19.62
5. Hillary Harrison, 31, WA, 6:12:35.34
Pro Men Mountaincross
Rider, age, state
1. Eric Carter*, 35, CA
2. Brian Schmith, 32, CA
3. Rich Houseman, 27, CO
4. Chris Powell, 23, CA
Pro Women Mountaincross
Rider, age, state
1. Jill Kintner*, 24, CA
2. Melissa Buhl, 23, AZ
3. Kathy Pruitt, 23, CA
4. Tara Llanes, 29, CA
(*2005 NORBA National Champion)
MBA FEATURE
Chromag: More human bikes & components
don’t have formal training in engineering or
design, but when I want to make something better, I believe I can do it,” says Ian Fritz, Chromag
founder. A Whistler resident since 1989, Fritz owned the
Evolution bike shop in the Whistler village during the
transformation of the Whistler ski hill into the Whistler
mountain bike hill.
“The shop was a major influence in my decision to
make bikes and components,” says Fritz. “I learned a lot
about which products worked, the ones that didn’t, and
most importantly, what people were looking for in a
mountain bike.”
“I
ABOUT CHROMAG
After leaving the retail world, Ian set out to create a family
of products that he wanted to use, resolving flaws he found in
current designs. According to Fritz, Chromag’s success is the
result of living in such a mountain bike oriented community.
“I created some designs, met a good welder, and learned
about what it took to make the process a reality.”
Chromag was born in 2000 when the first frame, the TRL,
was made. Fritz was intent on building quality frames and
components, uniquely targeted towards the demanding and
diverse trails of Whistler. Although a small operation (just a
few people make Chromag happen), it offers three steel hardtail frames (with a six-inch-travel suspension frame in the
works), stems, and handlebars.
“My frames combine the simplicity of classic steel hardtails
with modern features and angles catering to today’s riders
and terrain,” explains Fritz. Although the current frames are
hardtails, there’s more than meets the eye. “We use a lot of
CNC-machined dropouts and yokes. The CNC capabilities are
amazing these days, but it’s not common to steel. It’s particularly difficult and hard to tool,” says Fritz.
Made in Canada: Ian Ritz wrenches on one of his Chromag
bikes. There are currently three hardtails available, and a suspension frame in the works.
THE FRAMES
TRL: The original Chromag design, the TRL is a hardtail
made from 4130 chromoly. This is no cross-country hardtail.
It is a frame made to withstand the abuse of Whistler, day
after day,
The TRL has vertical dropouts and disc brake mounts
designed to eliminate brake flex and frame fatigue. Reinforced
head and seat tubes optimize overall strength. The TRL will
feature the RockShox Maxle quick-release-style rear throughaxle for increased rigidity.
Samurai: Named after the famous cult bike race “Samurai
of Singletrack,” it’s a trimmed down version of the TRL,
tougher than most steel hardtails, but light enough for an
occasional cross-country race.
Gypsy: Built from 4130-chromoly tubing, the Gypsy is an
all-purpose trailbike with an emphasis on jumping and mountaincross. It features the same construction as the TRL, but
offers more standover height and quicker handling geometry.
All models sell for around $915.
Good start: The TRL frame design is the steel hardtail that
got the Chromag ball rolling. It’s evolved into a proven allmountain design and incorporates new technology like
RockShox Maxle rear through-axle.
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OUT AND ABOUT
If the brand Chromag rings a bell, it’s possible you spotted
their stems on Iron Horse/Mad Catz rider Sam Hill’s Inside
the Pros’ Bikes feature (MBA, June, 2005), or on Canadian
National Downhill Champion Tyler Morland’s race bike.
Chromag has been working to develop components like
direct-mount stems for the Marzocchi 888 and RockShox
Boxxer forks, and already incorporates new technologies like
the Maxle from RockShox.
“I’d like to develop more components to go on bikes,” says
Fritz. “I’ve got plans for some new products. I can’t be too
specific yet, but I’m going to expand the product line and be
innovative whenever I can.”
For more information on Chromag, call (604) 938-3869.
Torture tested: The TRL is the original Chromag frame design.
Here Ritz takes off for the over-17-minute Red Bull Psychosis
downhill race in Golden, B.C., Canada. Ian took third and fellow Chromag rider Kevin Phelps won the hardtail division.
A FEW GOOD MEN
THE CHROMAG CREW
Chromag stems: The Chromag stems are beautifully CNC
machined, and available in two versions, the Softblock and
Cutblock. Both stems have rounded edges to be more bodyfriendly, and prices range from $50-85.
Ian Ritz–Founder/Creator
● Ian
has been involved in mountain biking for over 14 years
as a rider, competitor, mechanic, designer, and bike store
owner. In 1994 he founded Evolution Bike Shop, which
quickly became the locals’ favorite and played a major role in
developing the freeride scene in Whistler. Ian is responsible
for the design process and the creation of Chromag products.
Mike Truelove–Master frame builder
Mike has been welding steel bikes for over twenty years,
and his level of perfection shows in the meticulous detail
of each frame. He is a longtime rider and a force to be reckoned with at the local races.
Pete Hammonds–Machinist
Pete has been a machinist for over fifteen years and has
developed bike products for many well-known brands.
Tyler Morland–Team manager, head mechanic
An accomplished racer and mechanic, Tyler is a valuable player in the Chromag family. Tyler is known for his
extensive knowledge of suspension tuning and is relied
upon by many local competitors and riders. Tyler has
proven himself a formidable competitor in the downhill
race scene with a history of top finishes, including first
place at Mount 7 in Golden, first place at the B.C.
Nationals, and first place in the Air DH in Whistler.
FUBARS: The Chromag handlebars are available in 6061 and
7075 aluminum. Both types feature a 1.5-inch rise and are 28
inches wide. Handlebars cost between $55 and $65.
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Kevin Phelps–Team rider, product tester
“The Caged Animal,” Kevin is strong. He once tore a
handlebar in half right off either side of the stem, then he
rode home on 20 kilometers of singletrack holding on to
the stem with one hand and the dangling brake levers with
the other. ●
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MBA BIKE TEST
Race-Ready Ripper
Riding The 2006 Specialized Demo 8 II
e tested the versatile Specialized Demo 9 (MBA, August 2004) and
raved about its plush travel and big-hit capabilities, but there were
weaknesses. In trying to keep both downhill racers and black-diamondtrail resort riders happy with one bike, Specialized had to make some compromises. The bike needed geometry tweaks and component changes to make it nimble enough to rank it among the upper-echelon downhill rigs.
Specialized cured this dilemma by offering their Demo in two distinct flavors,
the 8 and the 9. The Demo 8 is a trimmed-down version of the 9, with eight inches of travel instead of nine. The 8 has a slightly lower bottom-bracket, and a lighter
frame was achieved by using a longer downtube and less forging around the bottom bracket. The Demo 8 has 135-millimeter rear wheel spacing to fit standard
dropout wheelsets and hubs. This is a bike built for downhill racing.
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DEMO RIDE
We scored a new Demo 8 during the Crankworx festival in Whistler, B.C.,
Canada, and ripped it through the world-class terrain. Here’s how it performed.
Pedaling: The Demo 8 uses Specialized’s patented FSR suspension, with a
sub-seatpost-actuated shock. For a bike with eight inches of front and rear travel,
the Demo 8 pedals exceptionally well, with a very efficient transfer of power from
the crank arms to the rear wheel.
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Demo 8
Top shelf: The Fox 40 RC2 fork has
vaulted to the top of the list of high-end
downhill forks. It’s got eight inches of
travel and weighs less than seven
pounds.
The Fox DHX 5.0 shock has an
adjustable pedaling platform to minimize pedal bob and help fine-tune rider
positioning in the cockpit. Riders preferring platform pedals can’t go wrong with
Specialized’s Lo-Pro Magnesium pedals
with removable pins and oversize
Chromolly axles. They are awesome.
The swap from a Shimano XT rear
derailleur to the SRAM X.0 means crisp
shifting, and the stiffer spring eliminates
the annoying chainstay slap of Shimano
designs.
Jumping: Although the Demo 8
frame has a tangled and complicated
appearance, with tubing seemingly flowing in all directions, it delivers refined
finesse in the air. After all, this is the
bike that Kyle Strait used to win the last
Red Bull Rampage. The surprisingly
nimble Demo 8 weighs 42 pounds.
That’s almost three pounds lighter than
similar high-profile bikes like the Santa
Cruz V10 and Intense M3.
The Fox suspension is very rider
friendly, and practically tuneable without any tools. The Fox 40 RC2 fork
comes stock with titanium springs and
has externally adjustable high- and lowspeed compression—perfect for tuning
for optimum performance on the faces
of jumps and landings.
Cornering: Blasting berms and railing corners is made simple with the
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Fly high: The 42-pound Demo 8 is unexpectedly light, and can be flicked around
with ease. This is a racebike with serious podium potential.
Demo 8’s low center of gravity and standover height. The Demo 8 corners with a
sensation of driving through turns with the cranks and bottom bracket. The
Chunder tires are meaty, but have a smooth-rolling ramped tread, and the side knobs
offer sufficient bite through off-camber terrain.
Technical: Whether taking flight or rumbling through rocks and roots, the Foxequipped Demo 8 exceeded all expectations. The Fox RC2 fork, with 40-millimeter
stanchions, weighs less than seven pounds, features externally adjustable rebound,
compression and preload, and smoothes even the surliest terrain. When in doubt on
steep technical trails, lean back and ride the 40 to safety. The 36-hole Mavic EX721
rims seem bombproof, taking the brunt of drops and rock hits.
Braking: The versatile Avid Juicy Seven brakes have been at the top of our premium brake list for a while now. The Speed Dial adjustment controls the pad contact point with the rotor without compromising power. Whether set up on a fourinch-travel trailbike or an eight-inch beast like the Demo 8, the Juicy Sevens have
superb stopping power.
WHAT COULD BE BETTER?
Accessing the shock tuning knobs is tricky, as
the shock sits in a cradle of the 8’s frame. That
issue isn’t uncommon with downhill bikes. The
Oury grips aren’t our favorite, and we would
prefer some of the locking variety (like the Lizard
Skins Moab) on a bike with the capabilities of the
Demo 8.
During our testing period in Whistler, we heard
rumblings from local riders of 2005 8s breaking
around the shock cradle. This could be caused by
the weight savings achieved in that area compared
to the Demo 9. Specialized claims to have
addressed that issue for the 2006 Demo 8 frames.
We never experienced any frame problems, but we
used the Demo 8 for its intended purpose—downhill racing. Use your head when choosing between
the Demo 8 and 9. If you’re a racer looking for oncourse performance, go for the 8. If your idea of
riding is launching Empire State Building-size
drops, the Demo 9 is the better choice.
Big surprise: The Demo 8’s low center of gravity and sticky rubber
compound tires make it corner like a champ.
ONE OF A KIND
No downhill race bike the MBA wrecking crew
has ridden feels like the Demo 8. It successfully
combines characteristics of two custom downhill
designs into one all-inclusive package. The Demo 8
plows through gnarly terrain with the ease of a
Foes Mono DH, yet is as nimble as the maneuverable Turner DHR.
The Demo 8 has a topnotch component spec and
excellent geometry for downhill racing. If you’re a
dedicated downhiller looking for a high-end rig,
you could pursue a high-zoot custom frame maker
and tackle the headache of building it up from
scratch. Or simply contact your local Specialized
dealer, grab a Demo 8 and hit the course this weekend. ❏
SPECIALIZED DEMO 8 II
Price...$4,900
Country of origin…Taiwan
Weight...42 pounds
Frame size ..............................................Medium
Bottom bracket height .......................... 14.25"
Chainstay length........................................ 16.7"
Top tube length ........................................ 21.5"
Head angle ......................................................66°
Seat tube angle ..............................................65°
Standover height............................................31"
Wheelbase .................................................... 47"
Suspension travel (front)................................8"
Suspension travel (rear)..............................8.1"
Frame material ..................................................................Aluminum
Fork ..................................................................................Fox 40 RC2
Shock..............................................................................Fox DHX 5.0
Rims ................................................................................Mavic EX721
Tires ......................................................Specialized Chunder (2.3")
Hub (front) ........................Specialized disc through-axle (front),
disc bolt on axle (rear)
Brakes........................................................................Avid Juicy Seven
Brake levers ............................................................Avid Juicy Seven
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Crankset ..............................................................Truvativ Holzfeller
Shifters ................................................................................SRAM X.9
Front derailleur........................Blackspire DS-1 lexan chainguide
Rear derailleur ..........................................SRAM X.0 carbon cage
Chainrings ......................................................................Truvativ (36)
Cassette ......................................................SRAM 9-speed (11-34)
Pedals ............................Specialized Lo-Pro Magnesium platform
Hotline ......................................................................(877) 808-8154
MBA FEATURE
Larger than life: Dave
Weagle, at 30 years
old, is enjoying a
heaping spoonful of
the good life. His DWLink suspension
design is winning
World Cups and is in
demand among top
bike makers. Dave
stands beside the Iron
Horse Sunday—the
downhiller that Sam
Hill campaigned on
last season.
ron Horse designer Dave Weagle is
responsible for the soon-to-bepatented DW-Link rear suspension
system. To put the design (and Dave) to
the test, we joined him for a day of riding
aboard his latest lightweight racing sled,
I
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Take A Ride
With Iron
Horse’s
Brain Trust
A conversation
with Dave Weagle
R. Cunningham
the 2006 Iron Horse Azure Team. In this
way, intellectual readers and those of us
who get more from a hands-on approach
to learning can both enjoy this interesting and informative conversation.
Dave Weagle was a ten-year-old radio-
control off-road car addict when he
came across a magazine interview featuring his hero, Gil Losi. Losi, who dominated RC competition at that time and
went on to found the model manufacturing company by the same name,
raved about his new dual-suspension
mountain bike throughout the interview. An inspired Weagle pored over
every book and periodical on the subject, vowing that he would buy one
when the funds were available. Ten
years later, Dave graduated with a
mechanical engineering degree from
Wentworth College and popped for a
Santa Cruz Superlight.
“I was always interested in suspension,” says Dave. “It was by far the
coolest aspect of RC cars, but it was the
Superlight that started me on a quest to
discover everything I could find on the
subject.”
Weagle’s big break came when he landed a job at Selectrix, an electric automobile maker. During his brief stay there,
Dave worked on the composite-body
“Sunrise” vehicle that still holds the
record for driving over 370 miles on a single charge. The suspension engineers
there introduced him to kinetic engineering as it relates to linkages, shock rates
and roll-centers.
“I used my computer to map out all
the popular mountain bike suspensions,” says Weagle. “And when I compared the information that I learned
with the claims that the bike companies
made about their suspension performance… well, I realized that most of
their claims couldn’t be true. I took my
data back to my professors at
Wentworth just to insure that
I wasn’t crazy, and they
agreed. From that
point, I was on a
quest.”
FROM CARS
TO
MOUNTAIN
BIKES
Dave’s first
foray into bike
building was a
series of hardtails. Once he
figured
out
what it took to
get the proper
strength and handling, he loaded all
of his knowledge into
his trusty computer and
set out to make his first
dual-suspension
chassis—a
dual-link system adapted to an offthe-shelf aluminum front triangle.
“I borrowed 30 grand and started
making prototypes,” Weagle laughs.
“And if Iron Horse had not stepped in
and asked me to work with them, I
would have been manufacturing ‘Evil
Bikes’ right now. Iron Horse offered me
a licensing deal and offered to fund any
patents that I applied for.”
ANTI-SQUAT
EXPLAINED
Dave’s dictionary: According to Weagle, the rider’s center of gravity is just in
front of his navel (1). When the bicycle accelerates forward (2), the rider rocks
backward, compressing the shock. The suspension’s linkage arms create an
imaginary line of force that neutralizes this “squat.” Pedal feedback (3) is minimal because the chainstay length does not change appreciably.
Another take on “instant center”: The DW Link causes the swingarm to rotate
about a point just behind the front wheel. This allows the suspension to operate
to some degree under braking. The instant center constantly changes because it
is formed by the intersection of two lines that pass through the center of the
upper and lower links.
87
MEET THE
IRON HORSE AZURE
PRO-LEVEL
CROSS-COUNTRY
CONTENDER
Desert rose: MBA
test rode the Iron
Horse Azure—a
3.5-inch travel
pro-level cross
country racer—at
Bootleg Canyon,
Nevada. Dave
Weagle found a
perfect balance
between ultra-firm
pedaling and supple suspension
performance. The
Azure was our test
bed for the DWLink technology.
The Azure, Iron Horse’s premier crosscountry platform, is completely new for
2006, with flared and taper-butted main
tubes, a redesigned front section, and a
lighter, more-refined rear suspension. The
’06 model represents the East-Coast bike
maker’s first shot at a true cross-country
racing bike, and at 26 pounds, it’s almost
there. Iron Horse had one prepared
with Shimano XTR everything—even
wheels—for MBA to test ride at Bootleg
Canyon in conjunction with the Las Vegas
Interbike show’s Dirt Demo.
Those who have witnessed Bootleg’s
network of cross-country and downhill
trails know that good suspension and
keeping air in your tires is key to surviving
the steep volcanic ridges and irregular lava
foothills just north of Boulder City,
Nevada. It is a perfect proving ground for
a featherweight racing chassis that was
designed to handle the rigors of the Pro
racing circuit.
“Set the shock and fork so they have 25percent sag,” advised Dave Weagle. “The
linkage will take care of the pedaling, so
you won’t need to use much platform in
the shock. You want the suspension to be
transparent when you are riding.”
He was right. When we hit the trail, the
Azure would remain firm under power—
very firm, while the shock was cycling
smoothly. With too much air in the shock,
the rear end felt excessively harsh. Up
front, Iron Horse chose a Fox inertia-valve
Float 100-X fork that complemented the
Azure’s 3.5-inch-travel anti-squat suspension by keeping the bike riding level and
feeling balanced in just about any situation.
The medium-frame Azure we rode had
a 22.5-inch top tube—perfect for riders
around five feet, seven inches. There is
one size smaller and two larger, so everyone should be able to choose the perfect
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size bike. The radically sloping top tube
has twin struts that reinforce the seat tube
junction. This gives the Azure a good deal
of stand-over height and eliminates last
year’s bent top tube. Dave chose conventional racing geometry (71-degree head
angle, 73-degree seat angle, 12.5-inch bottom bracket, and 16.875-inch chainstays),
which feels just right for this minimally
suspended machine.
Out-of-the-saddle sprints feel explosive.
There is no better fork than the Fox 100X for racers who want road-bike acceleration on the dirt. Combine this with a rear
suspension that never wallows, even
under the hardest effort, and you get the
ability to remain in the middle chainring
on climbs where most are relegated to the
granny. It’s really that good.
Previous Iron Horse cross-country
machines always felt heavier and less precise in the steering department when we
pushed them hard on dicey singletrack.
This was not the case with the Azure. It
got around the corners and followed our
instructions with that Rolex Watch feel
that we rarely attribute to any cross-country racing bike, and only once in a blue
moon to a brand that, until lately, was
known more for value pricing than Prolevel performance. We had to remind ourselves that we were on an Iron Horse.
“Pedal backwards,” said Dave, who was
already doing so. “Watch the shock move.
Then pedal forward and see what happens.”
True to his word, the shock would bob
in response to our weight when we spun
the cranks in reverse, but it stayed calm in
the normal pedaling mode. The shuttle to
the top of the downhill course was a 45minute wait, so I talked Dave, who lives in
perfectly flat Martha’s Vineyard, into
climbing to the summit—a 2100-foot
ascent. On the way up, we discussed setup
and frame geometry. Dave believes that
too much platform ruins the way that a
dual-suspension bike feels. His DW-Link’s
anti-squat action only occurs in the first
third of the suspension travel, and then
tapers to nothing as the suspension further compresses.
“By that time, the shock spring is so
tightly compressed,” says Dave, “that pedaling forces or mass-transfer aren’t going
to affect the suspension anyway.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the
Azure’s dual-link rear suspension
remained very functional while we were
climbing, and this held true when we were
soft pedaling while seated, or trying to
break a chain, powering up a steep rock
face. The Azure was capable of picking its
way up some impossibly steep and rocky
singletracks. Weagle explained that the
suspension stays active because his suspension counters your body’s mass-transfer and doesn’t use chain tension to effectively stiffen the shock.
The moment of truth came when we
decided to descend on Bootleg Canyon’s
downhill course. Less than four inches of
suspension and 1.9 inch tires were cause
for a few religious experiences on the trip
down, but all in all, the Iron Horse did a
superior job of it. If we hadn’t run out of
time, we would have given the downhill
course a go one or three times more.
SO, WHAT DID WE THINK?
Well, if this is the Iron Horse that you
can buy at your local dealer, we can honestly give the Azure the MBA stamp of
approval as a competitive cross-country
racer. Add this day’s positive results to
Sam Hill’s performance in the World Cup
Downhill, and Iron Horse gets the gold
medal for the turnaround of the century.
There is no doubt that much of the credit
goes to a 30-year-old East-Coast designer. ●
Iron Horse’s
Brain Trust
IRON HORSE AND THE DW-LINK
Dave turned 30 this year and can
proudly state that the entire Iron Horse
dual-suspension lineup uses a form of
his DW-Link dual-suspension design.
The crown jewel of his design work is
the fact that Sam Hill, the only downhiller to soundly beat Greg Minnaar and
Team Honda on last year’s World Cup
Circuit, did so aboard a production DWLink Iron Horse “Sunday.”
DW-Link refers to a pair of levers, one
above and one positioned below a triangulated swingarm, which articulate
along a very specific arc. Weagle’s linkage geometry is configured to prevent
pedaling-related suspension bob. He
calls this action “anti-squat,” and it is
the pivotal function of all of his designs.
Dave explains that the weight of the
rider affects the suspension far more
than any mechanical function of the
bicycle itself. The mass of your unbalanced body moving in rhythm and your
legs swinging up and down activate the
shock to some degree. According to
Dave, however, the major source of suspension bob in the rear is caused when
the rear suspension squats as the sheer
weight of the rider, perched high above
the bicycle, rocks backward as each
stroke of the pedals accelerates the bicycle forward.
ANTI-SQUAT
“Once I discovered that the rider’s
mass transfer was the main cause of suspension bobbing,” explains Weagle, “I
knew that I could use a linkage to create
an opposing acceleration that was directed at the rider’s center of mass. That’s
what creates the anti-squat function. I
wrote a computer program that could literally generate thousands of linkage
configurations. Then I had to search for
one that would work through the range
of movement that was typical for a bicycle suspension.”
What that means is that when we are
riding a bicycle, our body’s center of mass
is roughly at our navel. So our body will
rock back and forth above the bike like a
pendulum each time we push on the pedals—unless something counteracts it.
Weagle’s linkage geometry creates just
enough of an opposing force to prevent
suspension squat, but not so much that it
overwhelms its ability to absorb the
bumps. There is such a fine line between
a perfect anti-squat and poor suspension
performance that Weagle uses different
linkage configurations for downhill,
cross-country racing and trail bikes.
“I had been working on the anti-squat
problem for a year,” says Dave. “Then, I
was just lying in bed one night and the
whole thing just came to me at once.”
Of course, nothing really comes that
easily. Weagle’s discovery that masstransfer was the main cause of suspension bobbing, and his subsequent discovery of the DW-Linkage, had a glaring
loophole: braking forces acted in the
reverse direction. It took a lot of computer time and a lot of testing before
Weagle figured out how to cause his
linkages to work their magic in both
directions. The key was to align the
upper and lower links so that an imaginary line along each link intersected
well ahead of and slightly above the bottom bracket. This frees up the rear suspension to some degree to operate
under braking. Braking forces also act
on the links to pull the rear suspension
down slightly, which prevents the fork
from diving through its travel.
In addition to his consulting job with
Iron Horse, Dave also runs “E
Thirteen,” a component company that
makes a variety of roller guides and
downhill accessories. We asked Dave if
he felt lucky to be a cutting-edge mountain bike designer at such a youthful age.
His answer was typically Dave Weagle:
“My life’s been a long string of
lucky.” ❏
EXPERIENCE
EXCELLENCE
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Official sponsor of:
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ADVANTAGE
B E N E F I T S
CYCLING TEAM
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
Winter
Transitions
Tips to winterize
your bike and body
alvin Brownlee from Bikes On
Howard says it best. “Most
people from California can’t
even imagine what it’s like. From
November through March we get a lot
of snow here in North Central
Minnesota. It can get down to 40
degrees below. It’s hard to ride in the
deep snow, but as soon as it packs, the
riding is real good. Yes, it’s pretty
harsh at ten below. Yet, we still have
people who go out all the time. Winter
riding becomes a lot more tolerable
when it warms to ten degrees.”
C
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
MBA knows all about riding in the
cold and wet. But there’s a big difference
between living in the snow for a week
and freezing your Lycra off for half a
year. To serve up the hottest range of
winter riding tips and setups, we enlisted the aid of the experts:
Calvin Brownlee of Bikes On Howard
in Hibbing, Minnesota.
John Bielik of Benidorm Bikes in
Canton, Connecticut.
Todd Phelps of Black River Adventures
Shop in Watertown, New York.
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Paul Belknap of Bay City Cycle in
Ashland, Wisconsin.
Dan Remsen of Kulshan Cycles in
Bellingham, Washington.
All ride and all live where it’s cold
and wet for half the year. We brought
them together to form MBA’s Winter
Riding Dream Team. After a few too
many lattes, a round-robin tech session,
and in between some serious snowball
slinging, we jotted down every tip we
heard.
Pre-Winter Prep: Our dream team
unanimously recommended that you
bring your bike in for a complete overhaul heading into the winter season.
“When the hubs are freshly packed,
the bearings will be able to withstand
the elements without immediately
destroying things. At the same time,
make upgrades to the cables and
hydraulic lines as needed, as well as
suspension adjustments. As soon as it
starts to warm up again, we tell customers to bring the bike in for a complete post-season overhaul to get all
the contaminants out.”
New experience: Following the advice
of our winter experts will keep your
wheels rolling all year long. Don’t let
the snowboarders have all the fun.
Winter Service Regimen: Todd
Phelps says, “It’s actually more about
consistently caring for the bike throughout the wet riding season—especially
around here in Watertown. There’s a lot
of salt and chemicals on the road to keep
the ice melted. One cold season can rust
and corrode a frame badly. Add additional grease in the seat tube. Drill a
3/16-inch hole in the shell bellow the BB
if there isn’t one there already. Take the
water bottle cages off and grease the
bolts. We’re having great luck with Phil
Wood grease.”
Keep It Clean: “Wash the bike
thoroughly after a day on treated
snow,” says Calvin Brownlee. “You
need to get the salt and grit off. Wash
the grime out of the discs to minimize
the higher rate of pad wear. Riding in
a snowstorm is like riding in a downpour, and it requires extra preventative measures.”
Snowy Trails: John Bielik says, “If there is more than six
inches of fresh snowfall on the trail, everything gets gummed
up. Snow builds and packs up between the frame and fork.
We’ll be riding the roads instead. As soon as the trails freeze
up, though, it can be really fast riding. With studded tires,
frozen trails can be an absolute blast.”
Riding Mostly In The Wet: Dan Remsen, who rides
where it seldom snows but rains, rains, rains, discourages his
customers from hosing off their bikes. “Why enter more
water into the wear and tear on the bike—the mud is on the
outside and that is fine. There will be less water on the inside
of the bike if you don’t add to it with a hose. I usually go the
entire winter without hosing off the bike. Instead, use a brush
and rag dipped into a pail of water.”
Ride at night: John Bielik says, “If the sun comes out during the day, the warmth will turn the snow on the trail into
mush. Don’t ride when it’s like that, because it destroys the
trails. But if you wait until night, the trails freeze up and the
riding is screaming fast. Run a higher air pressure—no more
than 45psi—and just flow. If the trails are usable during the
day, you will want to run a lower tire pressure.”
Acclimate: “If you take some time off and then suddenly
decide to go on a long winter hammer session, it’s going to be
tough on the respiratory system,” advises Paul Belknap. “Give
your body time to transition into the cold and dry air. Ride
more frequently for shorter durations until your body is fully
acclimated. Always stay well hydrated.”
Salts and Chemicals: Paul Belknap explains, “If you only
ride on trails, you won’t have to worry about the salted streets
ruining the bike. If you have to ride on the roads, it’s best to
use a single speed with as much composite or aluminum as
possible. The salt on the roads is really rough on the bike.
Expect to fully clean and service the bike thoroughly after
each and every ride.”
Layering: Todd Phelps says, “It’s best to use a layering system starting with a standard jersey and a padded short under
everything else. Then a thin layer of fleece on top of the jersey with a wind breaker vest over that. Add a pair of tights
over the shorts and go. If it’s ten degrees or below, use Pearl
Izumi AmFIB tights over the cycling shorts. They have front
wind protection and some fleece in them. Pearl Izumi produces a full line of AmFIB bib tights, regular tights, shoe covers, toe covers and gloves. Another good name for winter riding gear is Louis Garneau.”
Gloves: “Cross-country ski wax and accessory maker Toko
makes the best five finger winter gloves I’ve ever used,” says
Paul Belknap. “My favorites are the Thermo Plus and Classic.
When it gets really cold, lobster mitts are the only way to go,
like the AmFIB from Pearl Izumi. Other highly recommended
hand protection includes three-finger Lake gloves and the
five-finger models from Pearl Izumi AmFIB, Specialized Sub
Zero and Gore-Tex.
Wick It Good: Paul Belknap adds, “Use a sleeveless wicking undershirt from Nike or Craft. Then depending on conditions, maybe wear a breathable long sleeve polypropylene top
over that with a long-sleeve jersey over it. That’s good for
down to 40 degrees. If it’s colder, add a wind blocking fleece
jersey, a vest or even a jacket. When you layer, it’s easy to
unzip a jersey if it gets warm. Layering and air circulation are
the keys to staying warm. Once you get into the ride, it will be
necessary to strip layers off. If sweat doesn’t wick away from
the body, you’ll soon be in trouble.
Bikes On Howard: “We have so much snow in Minnesota that
it’s often too deep to ride in.” Instead of driving to a snowboard slope, they’ll just ride from the shop on plowed streets
to where the packed trails are.
Baggies: “Use Canari fleece winter riding pants over Lycra
shorts,” says Paul Belknap. “The baggie pants are warmer
than tights. When it’s below 20, you have the room to layer
under them by adding knee or even leg warmers.”
Go Undercover: Paul Belknap explains that, “What’s so
helpful about balaclavas is that they keep the air warm around
your face, which helps warm the incoming air. In extreme
wind and cold, a rain cover over the helmet will give some
extra protection.” Adds John Bielik, “Pearl Izumi makes a
great Microsensor face mask.”
Make the Helmet Fit: Todd Phelps says, “For winter, I
use a helmet with the fit padding removed. It gives extra room
to comfortably wear a balaclava or a skull cap underneath.”
Then Calvin Brownlee chimed in that he’s found “Trek helmets use a strapping system that easily adjusts to accommodate the extra layer of skull protection.”
Glasses: John laments, “When everything is damp on you,
it’s almost impossible to keep cycling glasses clean. I’ve found
that all the cycling glasses fog up.” But Paul Belknap from
Wisconsin says that he’s had “great luck with Smith Sliders;
my glasses have always stayed pretty clear.” Dan from
Bellingham, Washington—where it doesn’t get quite as cold—
says, “Smith has an anti-fog cloth that’s easy to use and works
real well.”
91
Winter
Plan For Warmth: Says Calvin Brownlee, “It’s when you
stop that you get in trouble. Plan the ride so you don’t stop.
Also, keep shedding and donning layers as needed. You might
overheat and shed clothing when climbing a hill. But as soon
as you reach the top, put it back to keep warm on the fast
descent.”
In the Wet: Dan Remsen explains, “We mostly get rain,
and it only snows a few times a year here in Bellingham.
There’s a lot of water covering the roots and rocks, and you
don’t always know what you’re hitting. Because of that, we
like big tires with spaced knobs and sticky compounds. That’s
perfect for us, because almost everyone around here is riding
the big bikes that fit ’em. Kenda’s 2.5 Nevegals are really popular winter tires, as well as the 2.5 Bontrager Big Earls with
the Stability Control Casing option. Some folks are even riding 2.7 Big Earls.”
Go Rigid: Todd Phelps adds that, “Suspension isn’t going
to do much good during the winter. If it’s below zero, the only
types that work are the ones with just a spring and no
hydraulics. For serious ice riding, we use rigid bikes with disc
brakes.”
Popular Wisconsin Snow Setup: “With four feet of snow
in the woods, you can’t ride unless it has already been packed
down by people or snowmobiles,” explains Paul Belknap.
“That’s why Surly Pugsleys are so popular around here. The
frame is built to fit four-inch tires mounted on Surly’s extrawide Large Marge rims. For good clearance, only use threeinch downhill tires with 12 psi of pressure. The big tire will
keep you on top of softer snow.”
Studded Tires: “We stud our own tires here in the shop,”
says Todd Phelps. “It costs a fair amount of money to do, and
it’s not a good idea to ride them on the pavement because
they’ll just dull out. If your ice riding includes any pavement,
buy studded tires from Nokian, IRC, Kenda, Innova, Nashbar,
Schwalbe or Velotique. The production studded tires aren’t as
sharp, and you can ride them on the road without ruining
them.
“You can stud almost anything. It’s best to use a tread with
knobs that aren’t overly tall, but big enough in diameter to
support the stud. Try to select a knob pattern that complements the stud pattern you’re planning on. My back
Continental Explorer Pro has 150 studs, and the front
Specialized Adrenalin has 300.”
How To Stud: “Use number-eight pan-head Phillips
sheet-metal screws,” continues Todd Phelps. “The trick is
to first position and drill a 1/16-inch inch hole from the
outside of the knob in. Then reverse the tire and put the
screw in from the inside out. With a pre-hole, the pointed
end of the screw will end up exactly where you wanted it
to be in the knob. Generally, you’ll be using 1/4-inch or
3/16-inch long screws, depending on the knob height and
how much exposed stud you want. For hardpack snow, a
longer screw will work. If it’s glare ice, like a lot of the riding we do around here in Watertown, shorter studs work
better because they don’t roll over on you. To protect the
tube from the screw heads, we gut a standard tube and
wrap it over another one. Don’t run more than 50 psi, or
you can pop a tube on the screw heads.” Black River
Adventures Shop charges $150 to custom screw a tire with
300 to 400 studs.
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Kulshan Cycles: “Head into winter with a well serviced bike.
That way the second you hit the elements the moisture damage will be minimized. Routinely service freehub bodies and
gear cables throughout the winter season.”
Tire Chains: “We’re really big on tire chains here at Bay
City Cycle,” says Paul Belknap. “They’re easy to put on and
they work. To outfit a bike with Pitbull Tire chains runs
around $50.” Tire chains are also available from Kool-Stop
and WTB.
Quicker Action: “I do a lot of night riding during the winter,” says John Bielik. “In subfreezing temps the fork works
better with a lighter oil. The Marzocchi Z1 Freeride comes
stock with 7.5w. I run 10-15w in the summer and 7.5w or
even 5w in the winter.
“Guys who are out riding long-travel bikes in below 15
degree temperatures are cracking the plastic hydraulic disc
brake lines where they flex between the main frame and the
swingarm. Upgrade to Goodridge lines; they won’t crack.”
“If for any reason you do go out riding a bike with rim
brakes, keep in mind that as soon as snow packs on the rim,
you will lose stopping power.
“Order an extra set of brake pads so you will always have a
replacement on hand. Keep an eye on pad wear, especially in
the back. Going for an all-day epic with lots of descending in
gritty dirt and snow will quickly waste pads.”
Chain Care: “Use SRAM or Wipperman chains with a
quick link,” advises John Bielik. “I remove the chain after
every ride and clean it in the parts washer. Wipe it down with
a rag and blow it off with an air hose. I myself like to use wet
lube from Finishline. However, some of my customers really
swear by White Lightning Epic.” There was some dissension
amongst our dream team when it came to chain lube—half
chose White Lightning and the other half a wet lube like
ProGold ProLink.
Winter
Keep it clicking: “Freehub bodies
are one of the more ignored maintenance
areas. Cables, too. Replace gear housing
and cable at the start of the wet season,
and keep them well lubed throughout.
Routinely pull the housings out of the
guides, move around and wipe the cable
beneath. I like to lube the cables with
Judy Butter because it stays on the cable
where it belongs when you put everything back together,” says Dan Remsen.
Use Those Gears: “When riding in
freezing conditions, keep shifting to
minimize the chance of having the
derailleurs freeze over,” says Todd
Phelps. “Most of the time, the cause will
be a frozen gear cable. Grease the gear
cables often.”
Flat Pedals: “Most people use a flat
pedal with a toe strap or a studded platform pedal,” says Todd Phelps. “The
beauty of a flat pedal is that it allows
you to wear almost anything to protect
the feet. Size a lightweight hiking boot
to fit a Gore-Tex bootie over a wool
sock. Seal Skinz makes a nice waterproof and windproof sock.”
Lighting: Says Dan Remsen, “We get
a lot of drizzle and fog in Washington.
When using a helmet light, you will find
that the light bounces right back in your
eyes. Bar-mounted systems are much
better in these conditions.
“A lighting system’s battery will burn
for much longer if you can keep the battery warm. Keep the battery in a jersey
pocket so it stays warmer.”
Hydration: John Bielik on drinking
in the cold! “Get one of those neoprene
hose insulators from Dakine or
CamelBak. It helps keep the water
inside the drink hose from freezing in
anything above ten degrees. CamelBak
even makes a Zoid series of winter
CamelBaks with an insulated reservoir,
hose and bite valve. But if it’s below
zero, the water in the drink hose is
going to freeze anyway. When it’s that
cold, you’re better off with a water bottle in a jersey pocket so your body heat
will keep it from freezing.”
“If using a CamelBak system, blow all
the liquid back into the reservoir after
taking a drink. This will keep the hose
from freezing solid.”
When stuck with a waterbottle
cage: “Insert the bottle into the cage
upside-down. With the cap at the bottom, the sloshing water will keep the
Benidorm Bikes: “We have the best
results with the studded Nokian Extreme
294. It’s available in both 2.1 and 1.9
inches. Check tire clearance on the bike
before picking the size. We even stay
with a 2.1 inch size on the big bikes.”
nozzle from freezing shut, “ says John
Bielik.
“The best way to keep liquid warm is
to use a Nalgene flask and to stick it in
a pocket underneath the outside jersey.”
Chewable: “I’m really big on Clif
energy bars,” says Calvin Brownlee.
“Even when frozen, they are more
palatable than a frozen, taffy-like
PowerBar.”
Outer Extremities: Paul Belknap
says, “When riding during the winter,
the most important thing is to keep your
feet and hands warm. As soon as these
outer extremities freeze, the ride is over.”
ICE PANEL
WARM PEOPLE
Bay City Cycle, Ashland,
Wisconsin; (715) 682-2091.
Benidorm Bikes, Canton,
Connecticut; (860) 693-8891.
Bikes On Howard, Hibbing,
Minnesota; (218) 262 0899.
Black River Adventures Shop,
Watertown, New York;
(315) 786-8800.
Kulshan Cycles, Bellingham,
Washington; (360) 733-6440.
Cycling-Specific Boots: Brands that
rated high with our Winter Riding
Dream Team include cycling boots from
Lake, Sidi and Answer. John Bielik adds
that “The Answer Kashmir cycling boot
is highly recommended by every single
person we sell them to. Size them to fit
thicker wool socks. Cover them with
winter booties if it’s below zero.”
Supermarket: “One cheap trick is to
put plastic grocery bags over your
socks,” says Paul Belknap. “Or, if you
want to protect the shoe, put the bag
over the shoe and duct tape the top. It’s
a better idea to just use a dedicated winter shoe so you won’t have to worry
about them getting thrashed.”
ULTIMATE REFERRAL
WINTER’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK
Answer
Bontrager
CamelBak
Canari
Clif
Continental
Craft
Crank Brothers
Dakine
Finish Line
Goodridge
Gore Bike Wear
Innova
IRC
Kenda
Kool-Stop
Lake
Louis Garneau
Marzocchi
Nalgene
Nashbar
(661) 294-4109
(800) 879 8735
(800) 767-8725
(800) 929-2925
(510) 558-7855
(800) 223-3207
(781) 631-9544
(949) 464-9916
(541) 386-3166
(631) 666-7300
(310) 533-1924
(800) 455-4184
(877) 328-8868
(866) 878-8473
(866) 536-3287
(714) 738-4971
(847) 491-9205
(802) 334-5885
(661) 257-6630
(800) 625-4327
(800) 627-4227
Egg Beaters: “The Crank Brothers
pedal is open and doesn’t have many
moving parts that can freeze up. They
are the only clipless pedals that can be
used in the snow,” says Calvin
Brownlee.
Nike
Nokian
Pearl Izumi
Phil Wood
Pit Bull
ProGold
RockShox
Schwalbe
Seal Skinz
Smith Optics
Sidi
Specialized
SRAM Corp
Surly
Toko
Trek
Velotique
White Lightning
Wipperman
WTB
(800) 806-6453
(310) 944-3747
(303) 464-6118
(408) 298-1540
(303) 646-1027
(404) 766-3990
(312) 664-8800
(250) 598-0397
(800) 868-2629
(208) 726-4477
(800) 578-5790
(408) 779-6229
(312) 664-8800
(952) 941-9391
(866) 865-6872
(800) 879 8735
(800) 363-3171
(720) 855-7870
(800) 422-2104
(415) 389-5040
Protect Those Shins: Dan Remsen
from the North Shore bordering Bellingham, Washington, says, “Anyone riding
platforms around here must wear shin
guards; you’ll be slipping off the pedal
more than ever in the wet.” ❏
MBA TECH
Stopping Power
The “big four” disc brake shootout
o sooner had the MBA test fleet
been delivered (four identical
Giant Trance 2’s) than we knew
what the first product comparison
would be. Brakes! The four-bike test
fleet gives us the unique ability to test
products simultaneously. No swapping
parts in the middle of testing or evaluating similar products on different bikes.
Our fleet allows us to swap bikes anytime during a ride, making comparisons
far easier to document and adding credence to our conclusions. Comparing
four brake systems was the obvious
place to break-in (no pun intended) the
test fleet.
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CHOOSING THE STOPPERS
There was never a question of what
type of brakes (rim brakes or disc brakes)
to use. Since the MBA test fleet is made
up of four-inch-travel trailbikes, disc
brakes were the obvious choice. We also
chose to go the hydraulic route (expect a
mechanical disc brake shootout in the
future). The easy part out of the way, the
tough part of choosing the brands to
compare came next.
Since the advent of disc brakes for
mountain biking and the overwhelming
acceptance of the technology by the midnineties, a large number of disc brake
suppliers have come on the scene. They
include Avid, Brembo, Formula, Hayes,
Hope, Interloc, Magura and Shimano.
Our decision to compare brakes from
Avid, Hayes, Magura and Shimano came
down to popularity. These four brands
make up the majority of brakes used on
the trails of America.
Since these companies offer a number
of models, we chose the model most
appropriate for trail riding. When the
boxes arrived and the brakes were
mounted to the test fleet, we had the
Avid Juicy Carbon, Hayes El Camino,
Magura Marta SL and Shimano XT
hydraulic disc brakes ready to strut their
stuff.
Brake test: The Wrecking Crew outfitted four identical bikes with four different hydraulic disc brakes and hit the trail. The
result was a rotor-to-rotor battle with a surprising outcome.
Power play: Hayes El Camino brakes
offer power to spare. This latest generation is the quietest Hayes has ever
offered.
Fresh: Avid Juicy Carbon brakes and
levers are a fine-tuner’s dream come
true. These stoppers are made to be
dialed in.
From the old country: Magura still
makes all their brakes in Germany. The
Marta SL brakes are the lightest of the
group.
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Stopping Power
THE TESTING
The test fleet bikes were ridden on our favorite trails to
properly scrub in the pads and introduce them to their
rotors. The hard-core testing took place at Snow Summit
in Big Bear Lake, California. Riding the lift up the mountain allowed us to spend the majority of our testing time on
downhill, cross-country and Super-D trails.
THE RESULTS
While mountain bike disc brakes have been available for
over a decade, their wide acceptance is still a fairly recent
development. Early disc brakes had plenty of issues,
including pad rubbing, overheating, poor modulation,
noise, excessive pad wear and added weight. Those issues,
at least on the four brakes tested here, are problems of the
past. Not one of the brakes we tested faded during descents
(even when we intentionally dragged the brakes). None of
our class squealed. The four contenders proved mostly
trouble-free and bulletproof. That made this shootout a
tough one.
MBA shootouts have traditionally ranked the tested
products from the winner to the last-place finisher. We
can’t do that in this shootout. Why? The competition was
too close. No matter how we tried to score the brakes, the
winner always won by the slightest of margins, and there
wasn’t a loser in the bunch.
We are not copping out. There is still a winner. This
brake is the one that received the most praise from the
wrecking crew. It is the brake that we’d put on our personal bikes and would recommend to our best friends
(that’s you). The brake shootout winner is marked with
“Best overall award” on the following comparison chart.
BRAKE COMPARISON CHART
MBA DISC BRAKE SHOOTOUT
AVID
AWARD
“Fine-tune” Award
MODEL
Juicy Carbon
PRICE (each)
$269.95
PAD SET PRICE
$24.95
WEIGHT1 (front)
11.4 ounces
WEIGHT1 (rear)
12.1 ounces
ROTOR WEIGHT2
3.7 ounces
LEVER CLAMP3
Two-piece
Intuitive: Shimano’s XT disc brakes force you to be a
better rider. Their power distribution allows you to grab
the terra firma instead of scraping over it.
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PAD REPLACEMENT
Snap into place. No tools required.
A little awkward because pads are
inserted with pad spring.
LEVER ADJUSTMENT
Tool-free pad contact point adjustment
and lever reach adjustment
(Allen wrench required).
LEVER FEEL
Fairly straight, fat lever with a slight dogleg
bend. Vague return feel.
POWER
Great blend of power and modulation.
Easy to tune to rider preference.
NOISE
Super quiet.
COMMENTS:
The Avid Juicy Brakes have been an MBA
favorite because they are powerful, easy to
mount (you don’t need shims to dial-in the fit),
and they offer so much rider adjustment (a nice
feature if you want to fine-tune brake feel).
It’s no wonder so many bike companies are
spec’ing their bikes with Avid Juicy brakes.
1—Weight includes caliper, lever, reservoir, hose and mounting hardware.
2—Weight includes all mounting hardware.
3 —Two-piece clamp allows lever removal from the bar without removing the grip.
HAYES
MAGURA
SHIMANO
“Power” Award
“Best overall” Award
“Ease-of-use” Award
El Camino
Marta SL
XT
$249.99
$269.95
$265
$19.95
$25
$18.95
11.2 ounces
8.7 ounces
11.1 ounces
s
12.1 ounces
9.2 ounces
11.3 ounces
s
4.5 ounces
3.7 ounces
4.9 ounces
s
Two-piece
Two-pieTwo-piece
Two-piece
Two-piece
s
s
s
One-piece
One-piece
Snap into place through the top of
the caliper. No tools required. Super
simple.
Pads seat into caliper magnetically, and a
pin secures the pads. Pads do not “snap,”
so care needs to be taken to be sure pads
are properly positioned. Allen wrench required.
Snap into place. A little awkward because
pads are inserted with pad spring. Pin with
a clip holds pads in place. Allen wrench
required.
Tool-free lever reach adjustment and
power-adjust dial.
Reach adjustment (Allen wrench required).
Reach adjustment (Allen wrench required).
Nice bend for two-finger braking with
slim profile. Vague return feel.
Nice bend for two-finger braking with a
chubby profile. Vague return feel.
Great bend for two-finger braking with slim
profile. Best return feel of the group.
Most powerful brake of the bunch
without being grabby. Requires proper
braking technique to avoid locking wheel.
Very powerful with excellent modulation.
Power commensurate with pressure applied
to the lever.
Beautiful power delivery. Helps rider keep
contact with the ground, even on softsurface descents.
Quiet with a slight organic scraping
sound when brakes are hot.
Absolutely silent.
Quiet with a slight organic scraping sound
when brakes are hot.
The El Camino puts Hayes shoulder to
shoulder with their competition. Recommended for more aggressive riders or
heavier riders looking for the most
powerful stoppers. One reach-adjustment
knob came loose during testing, making it
necessary to use pliers to dial-in the reach.
This problem would have been covered
under warranty.
The Magura Marta SL is our favorite because
the lever feels great, the power is awesome
and they ran silent our entire test period. All this
at a weight that helps bring down the weight of
your trailbike. Reduction in the brake pad price
eliminates an old objection to Magura brakes.
Marta brakes spec’ed on new bikes are always
a premium, because the German company can’t
offer deep discounts. What they can offer is
amazing performance.
If the Shimano XT brakes had come in at the
Magura’s weight, there would have been a
different champion. These brakes force you
to be a better rider because you won’t lock
your wheels as often. The levers feel like they
were formed for your hands, and their operation
(especially when released) is the best of the
bunch. No wonder so many bike companies
rely on Shimano’s stopping power.
99
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
Should
You Be
Training?
Not just for racers
By Dave Wiens
ave you ever wished you
were better prepared for a
certain ride with your buddies or a particular race? If you
answered yes, you might want to
consider training. Let’s define the
word training for this discussion.
By training, I mean to plan and then
execute physical activity for some
sort of specific or general goal. Yes,
nonpurposeful training exists. This
is called simply riding your bike,
and there is absolutely nothing
wrong with it. Not everyone is
interested in trying to improve their
performance or in having to go out
and ride in a scripted manner. But
many of us are, and that’s where
purposeful training enters the picture.
Before you get scared away,
understand that training is a spectrum, and while Lance is at one end
of it, using an all encompassing,
super scientific approach, the other
end also exists, and it’s a great place
to start. This starting place can be
as simple as one or two specific
rides a week. If you’ve never trained
before, you should see results quickly, even with the simplest program.
H
JOIN THE CLUB
Okay, you’re in. But how do you get
started? There are two ways to begin
training. You either hire a coach or you
create a training program yourself. Hiring
a coach is the quickest and easiest way to
begin training, but it also costs money and
comes with no guarantee of success.
While training is based on science, and
certified coaches have a background in
the science of training, training is actually
an inexact science. It is not a requirement
to have a coach and train scientifically to
be successful. I have seen success at all
levels of racing, from weekend warriors to
seasoned pros, both with and without scientific coaching.
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Fun ride: Dave Wiens carves up a trail near his home in Gunnison, Colorado. What
looks like a casual ride can be part of Dave’s (and any rider’s) training program. Dave
explains how training rides can be fun as well as beneficial to your conditioning.
I don’t care what any coach tells you,
there are way too many variables
involved in each individual human body
and in the nature of all of the things that
affect physical performance for professional coaching to be a sure thing.
Genetics, lifestyle, diet, stress, rest…
this list goes on and on, and every item
plays a role in ultimate performance, yet
it’s impossible to determine the exact
effect of each one. For every rider satisfied with his experience with a coach,
there is another who’s not.
This is not a knock on coaching, just
more of a disclaimer. There are numerous advantages to working with a
coach. If you can afford it and you don’t
want to put the time into learning about
training and creating your own program, I recommend hiring a reputable
coach. One big benefit of having a coach
is that you will learn about training.
Your coach will give you a program and
have you keep a training log (basically a
training diary), so you’ll actually have a
written record of a yearly or seasonal
plan, as well as your execution and subsequent results. If you’re happy with the
coach and your results and you want to
continue the relationship, great. Or, you
could give that coach the old heave-ho
and use what you’ve learned with him
to begin working out your own program. Another option is to hire a different coach to get a different perspective
and gain even more information.
This is how many of my racing peers
and I have developed our training programs. On an ongoing basis, we combine past experiences with new information to create a continually evolving
regimen.
Training
Inner voice: “There are way too many
variables involved in each individual
human body and in the nature of all of
the things that affect physical performance for professional coaching to be
a sure thing.”
Prerequisite: “It is not a requirement to
have a coach and train scientifically to
be successful.”
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THE BEGINNING
I was into my third year as a pro
back in 1990 and I knew nothing of
training; I just rode my bike. I was off
the back in the races early that summer and decided to learn about training. I took four days completely off the
bike, and during that time I got a copy
of Greg LeMond’s “Complete Book of
Cycling” and an MBA with an article
called “Ned Overend’s Training Tips.”
The LeMond book had a chapter
called “Training and Fitness” and the
MBA article had Ned’s weekly program, including some of his workouts.
I learned about microcycles,
macrocycles, training logs, intervals, rest days, all kinds of stuff,
and proceeded to hammer out my
first seven-week training plan. I
stuck to it, and four weeks in I
almost quit the sport. I was just
getting killed in the races. But
then, after week five, I had a good
race in Crested Butte and gained
some confidence. Beginning the
next weekend, I went on to win three
races in a row, including two NORBA
Nationals! Wow, this training thing
seems to work!
GETTING ADVICE
I worked with two different coaches
in 1992 and 1994. Both experiences
were similar in that I did way more
early in the season than I ever had; I
was really fit in the early season, and
then I crashed hard, as far as my fitness went, and never recovered for the
rest of the season.
In hindsight, had I stuck with the
coaches, especially Dave Smith in ’94,
I think I would have realized greater
success. But that’s just me, a little
impatient and a bit of a nonconformist, and a mountain biker first
and foremost. I wanted to go for epic
rides instead of doing intervals on a
road bike! My wife, Susan DeMattei,
stuck with him for three years, and
together they earned a bronze medal
in the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996.
TRAINING FOR LIFE
Now, while I’m not racing Norba
Nationals or World Cups anymore, I’m
still training. I train for a few ultra
endurance races like the Leadville 100
and the Vapor Trail 125; I train for
some adventure races; I train for our
local flag football league; I train for ski
season; and I train for general life fitness. My training program for all of
this is not complicated or even very
scientific, but I do very specific things
The gray area: “While training is based
on science, and certified coaches have
a background in the science of training,
training is actually an inexact science.”
depending on what season it is and
what I have coming up.
My training regimen is a combination of everything that I have learned
about training over the years. For me,
training is not drudgery, it’s a way of
life. If you have the desire, you can
begin to learn about training, too, and
make it part of your everyday life.
Either hire a coach or start reading up
on training. There is a ton of material
out there, and all you need is general
knowledge to hammer out your first
training program. Then, just constantly learn new information and don’t be
afraid to try new things. Before long,
you’ll have a good record of what you
have done and how it worked and you
can continually refine your own training program. Happy trails! ❏
MBA TECH
Integrated Performance
A downhill rig built from the SRAM family of components
S
RAM has been hard at work
gobbling up major brands
(RockShox, Avid and Truvativ)
and integrating those new components into SRAM’s drivetrain offerings. The thinking behind these acquisitions is simple. Why start from
scratch? Instead of developing suspension, brakes, and components, SRAM
integrated proven technology from
companies already established in the
game. It is a time-proven strategy of
together we stand, divided we fall.
MAKING THE CONNECTION
Since the acquisitions, it seems that
nary a month goes by without SRAM
revealing a new product. First, it was
the SRAM X.0 shifter and derailleur.
Next were the Avid Juicy Carbon
brakes. And most recently was the airsprung, eight-inch-travel RockShox
Boxxer World Cup.
During an extended product testing
session in Whistler, B.C., we had the
opportunity to ride all of these prolevel products on one machine, the
prototype Cove Shocker downhill rig.
Our test bike was set up by SRAM
Canadian Technical Rep, Cove team
rider, and current Canadian Downhill
National Champion Tyler Morland.
Here is how the Cove/SRAM project
bike came out.
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FRAME: 2006 Cove Shocker prototype, nine-inches of travel.
Key Features: This brand started
out of the back room of the Cove
Bicycle Shop located close to the North
Shore in Vancouver, British Columbia. Cove has a reputation for creating bikes worthy of any challenge the riders who frequent the Whistler Mountain Bike Park can
dish out. The shocker is their latest offering for true
downhill racing and includes SRAM’s Maxle rear
through-axle.
FORK: The last four Men’s World Cup
Downhill Overall Champions have ridden to glory aboard RockShox BlackBox
Boxxers. That BlackBox technology trickles down to the consumer in 2006 with
the air-sprung Boxxer World Cup, featuring Motion Control damping.
Key Features: The ’06 Boxxer World
Cup weighs only six pounds. It features
the Maxle 20-millimeter through-axle
and is set up to utilize a direct-mount
stem option. The Boxxer World Cup sells
for $1400.
BRAKES: The Avid Juicy carbon brakes
are a lighter, more tricked-out version of
the ultra-popular Juicy Seven brakes.
Key Features: The most identifiable features of the Juicy Carbon
brake are the Index Reach Adjustment,
moving the lever one-millimeter per click of the screw,
plus the carbon lever and reservoir cover. The Juicy
Carbons have a Tri-Align caliper positioning system,
eliminating trial and error during setup. The Polygon
rotor design is available in 6.5, 7.5, and eight-inch sizes.
The high-zoot Carbons also have titanium bolts. The
Juicy Carbons sell for $269.95 each.
CRANKSET: Truvativ
Holzfeller cranks have long
been the choice of top racers and riders. In 2006, the
Holzfeller uses a new arm
design resulting in a
stronger, lighter and stiffer
crank arm. Combine the
new Holzfeller with the
Howitzer bottom bracket
and Truvativ BoxGuide and
you’ve got a smooth and simple
design that can take all you can
dish out.
Key Features: The four-bolt
Holzfeller cranks are made from
7050 Aluminum. The oversized
Howitzer bottom bracket uses externally mounted bearings. The BoxGuide has an adjustable composite upper
guide and polyurethane, cartridge-bearing lower roller.
The guide features adjustable plate angles and is available
in both ISCG and bottom-bracket-mounted versions. The
cranks sell for $220, and the guide for $70.
SHIFTER:
SRAM’s X.0 trigger shifter is the
most advanced,
highly anticipated
trigger shifter to
hit the sport. The
nine-speed shifters
weigh nine ounces
(225g) a pair and
use a 1:1 actuation
ratio.
Key Features:
The X.0 shifters
are made from
brushed aluminum
and carbon fiber.
The trigger is compatible with SRAM
1:1 rear derailleurs
and Shimano front
derailleurs. The X.0 shifter has been designed to fit
either inside or outside of the brake mount on the handlebar. The X.0 triggers have unmatched adjustability for
personal preferences in relation to handlebar grip. The
X.0 shifters sell for $248.
CHAIN AND CASSETTE:
The
SRAM
PC-991
HollowPin chain and
PG-990 cassette are the
premium selections in
the lineup. For 2006,
the PC-991 chain has
been modified to further
enhance shifting performance with Truvativ
chainrings.
Key Features: The PC-991
HollowPin chain features nickel-plated outer
and inner plates and uses the exclusive Power
Link closure. The HollowPin riveting
process is designed to save weight. The PG990 cassette has been upgraded with a
lightweight aluminum spider. The cassette
features a 7000 series aluminum lock ring
and an attractive red anodized spider
and spacer. The PG-990 cassette is
available in ratios of 11-32, and 11-34. The chain sells
for $54 and the cassette for $99.
DERAILLEUR:
The SRAM X.0
derailleur features
their BlackBox technology, is available
in eight or nine
speeds, and in long,
medium and short
cage lengths.
Key
Features:
The X.0 derailleur
uses 1:1 actuation
and Direct Route
technology to produce lighter-effort
shifting. Weights on
the X.0 derailleur
are 7.4 ounces for
the long cage model,
6.9 ounces for the
medium, and 6.8
ounces for the short.
The X.0 is made from forged alloy, has machined and
heat-treated oversized pivots, a CNC-machined long cage,
and carbon fiber medium and short cages. The SRAM
X.0 derailleur sells for $235.
HANDLEBAR: Like the Truvativ Holzfeller cranks, the riser bar
is synonymous with strength and power.
Key Features: The Holzfeller bar is 28.9 inches wide and weighs
10.5 ounces. The bar features the OS 31.8-millimeter clamp diameter and is made from triple-butted AL-7050. The Holzfeller riser bar
has a five-degree upsweep and an eight-degree backsweep. The
Holzfeller bar sells for $60. ❏
105
MBA TECH
Inside
the
Pros’
Bikes
Selle Italia SLR XC seat.
Easton seatpost
EA50.
Cody Warren’s Haro
357 Magnum
aro’s Cody Warren started racing bikes at age 12, but it was
only recently that this 20-yearold racer became a star. Born in San
Diego, California, on August 27, 1985,
Cody raced BMX from age 12 to 17, but
never won a major race. It wasn’t until
Cody switched to racing mountain bikes
that he found his pedaling groove.
He won NORBA’s 2002 junior expert
downhill title and turned pro the following year. He brought his racing up to a
higher level and started making regular
podium appearances in both downhill
and slalom in 2005. Cody won his first
NORBA national series event in 2005
(with a mountaincross win), and then
capped off the year by winning the
downhill national championship at
Mammoth Mountain.
Here’s the bike he used, along with
some of his comments about it. ❏
H
Shimano Dura-Ace, 11-25-tooth
cogset, nine speeds.
Sun Ringle Rhino
Lite rims.
Bike weight: 40 pounds
Estimated price: $5000
Maxxis Highroller tires, 2.5inch width, front and rear.
Shimano XTR rear
derailleur.
Maxxis downhill
inner tubes.
108
www.mbaction.com
Haro 357 Magnum frame;
adjustable travel can be set at
seven, eight or nine inches.
“We went through numerous
design changes. The swingarm
on my bike will be the new standard on the ’06 models.”
TAG motorcycle grips
“I like their rubber compound
and their half-waffle design.”
Easton Monkey
Lite DH
handlebars.
Shimano XT
levers and
shifters.
Cane Creek
headset.
Manitou Revox
shock.
Titanium
spring.
E.thirteen
chainguide.
Shimano DX pedals.
“I think they’re model
636. They’re the clipin style. I use clips
because I don’t like
having my feet
bouncing around.”
Shimano Saint cranks,
165 millimeters.
“I use 165’s for better
clearance on the rocks.”
Manitou Travis fork, 7.9
inches of travel “Mine
has special valving. SPV is
standard. I use the TPC
internals because they
progress better than the
SPV. I get a little better
damping out of the TPC.”
Shimano
Saint hubs.
Shimano Saint
disc brakes, with
eight-inch rotors.
DT Swiss
straight-gauge
spokes.
109
Quick Releases
1
GIFTS
Looking for a last-minute Christmas
gift for that special mountain biker on
your list? What could be better than a
subscription to the very magazine you
are holding in your hands? The gift
includes twelve packed issues that
include our annual MBA buyer’s
guide and coveted tire shootout. Plus,
you get the lowest sub rate of the year
of only $14.99 by calling (800) 7670345 (or aim your web browser at
www.mbaction.com).
2 GOGGLES
The High Voltage is the top-of-theline motorsports goggle from Scott
USA. Perfect for downhill, mountaincross, and park riding, the $69.95
High Voltage features Scott’s NoSweat foam, Chrome Amplifier lens,
strap clips, and removable Voltage
nose guard. The Voltage also features
a patented frame ventilation system.
For more information, call (800) 2925874.
3 SHADES
The unique looking Oakley
Gascan sunglasses have a customized frame designed for premium
comfort. The Peripheral vision is maximized by XYZ Optics, maintaining
visual clarity at all angles of view. The
Gascan’s two lenses are cut from the
curve of a single lens, then mounted
in the frame to maintain the original,
continuous contour. The polished
black Gascan sells for $100. Get more
information by calling (800) 4311439.
1
2
4 FORKS
The 5.1-inch-travel, air-sprung Fox
Shox Float RLC fork weighs
just 3.69 pounds and features externally adjustable rebound, lockout and
compression. The $600 RLC is the
lightest five-inch-travel fork on the
market. For more information, call
Fox Racing Shox at (831) 274-6500.
3
5 TIRES
Schwalbe says the Fat Albert
tires started out as a secret, but they
are ready to let you in on it. It is a
large-volume tire with a versatile
tread pattern that is intended for loose
surfaces. The $56.11 tire comes in a
26x2.35-inch size with the Schwalbe
SnakeSkin light and flexible carcass
that makes the tire sidewall extremely
resistant to scrubbing. You can get
more information on this aggressive
trailbike tire by calling Schwalbe at
(888) 700-5860. ❏
112
www.mbaction.com
4
5
Down the Trail
1995
es, it was a simpler time. Two riders, two lanes, one jump, and wide, fast corners. This classic dual-slalom course on
the big mountain at the Mammoth Mountain Mountain Bike Park makes one long for the good old days. Dual-slalom
has been replaced by mountaincross in the States and 4-Cross in Europe, but it will never be replaced in the hearts of
riders who competed here. ❏
Y
114
www.mbaction.com

Mountain Bike Action - January 2006

Transcription

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