Bike and Stuffs

Technique: Singlespeeding

2011-08-03T01:16:00.000+07:00

By Matt Skinner

Singlespeed (Seb Rogers)

Singlespeeding is just that: stripping mountain biking down to just one really nice gear. No mechs, no shifters, no rear cassette; just the cranks, chain and rear cog, your legs and lungs.

You can get singlespeed-speciﬁc frames with either sliding horizontal dropouts or eccentric bottom brackets for chain tensioning, or you can convert most standard vertical dropout (geared) frames to the cause.

Why should I…?

Having only one gear means that there are no delicately set-up gears to get clogged up, jammed or go out of whack. That ensures more robust performance in mud and bad weather – great for winter, because they’re easier to clean up. Singlespeeds are also lighter in weight and are about as minimalist as you can get on a bike.

Having only one gear also changes your riding as you learn to maintain your momentum and ﬂow, come what may, by braking less and being smoother. It also helps you develop a sheer bloody-minded attitude to getting up any climb.

Singlespeeding is a great way to kick-start bike ﬁtness because – save for on the ﬂats – there’s no option for coasting. You’re either pushing the pedals or you’re walking on the ups. And because no one expects a singlespeeder to make it up climbs without pushing, when you beat your geared mates to the summit the victory is even sweeter.

How should I…?

Many bikes can be converted to singlespeeds, including all hardtails and most single-pivot suspension bikes. However, the use of a chain tensioner like Surly’s Singulator to take up any chain slack is essential.

Assuming you are stripping a geared bike down, you will need to remove the cassette and replace with a singlespeed sprocket and spacers, such as On-One’s conversion kit. You will also need to get either a singlespeed-speciﬁc crankset (the expensive option), or remove the inner and outer rings of your current set, and ﬁt some spacers with your outer chainring bolts to secure the middle ring (alternatively, use your current bolts but purchase a chainring guide/bashring).

If the terrain you’ll be riding is generally ﬂat or rolling with few steep climbs, then a 2:1 gearing ratio is generally best (32t chainring mated with a 16t sprocket in the back, or 34t:18t). For hillier terrain, a larger rear sprocket – 18t or 19t – will make the going easier. Gear down with larger rear sprockets if you struggle to turn the pedals, because you don’t want to put too much pressure on your delicate knees.

Highlights?

Simplicity: lower weight, less maintenance, more ﬂow and ﬁnesse, and great for ﬁtness

Lowlights?

Highly addictive, but it’s not known as a knee-popping for nothing: if you have knee problems, avoid singlespeeding

Workshop: Convert your bike to singlespeed

2011-08-03T01:11:00.000+07:00

By George Ramelkamp

Pedals and a cool bell will give your singlespeed some retro street cred. (Bikeradar)

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If you’ve been cycling for a while, chances are you’ve a few old components, or maybe even an unused bike, gathering dust in the shed or garage. If you’re not going to donate it to charity, resist the temptation to sell it for scrap or drop it at the dump. Instead, give your old bike and bits a new lease of life by using them to make a singlespeed machine.

Okay, some might think that opting for just one gear is jumping on the ‘trendy’ bandwagon, but by converting an old steed, you’ll be taking part in a venerable and virtuous tradition.

You’ll create an eco-bike with many uses and advantages: low gear winter training; improved pedalling technique; fun urban jungle riding; zen-like riding silence; and, perhaps best of all, low-to-no maintenance.

1] Measuring steerer length

The space a headset takes up is referred to as 'stack height' and tends to be around 42mm. Tange produces a model with a stack height of about 32mm that does the trick if your steerer is just a little bit too short.

Measure the frame's headtube, say 130mm. Add 42mm for a normal headset, plus a few spacers just in case (four 5mm washers). Measure the total (192mm in this case) onto the fork column from the crown race seat upwards and mark.

Thread the adjustable cup (preferably steel) down past the mark and cut, using it as a guide. Tidy the edges with a ﬁle, then back off the cup, cleaning the threads in the process. Blue threadlock on the top threads and locknut will prevent loosening.

2] Measure twice, cut once

If using a threaded fork, check that it's long enough to ﬁt in the frame's headtube while allowing enough threads for the headset. With a threadless steerer, you'll need to check for the same length requirements.

Assuming you've got a threadless fork with a diameter to match the frame's headtube, simply push it into the frame and slide the headset together, using the bearings, spacers and stem to determine what length will be required. Mark above the stem, then cut using a sharp hacksaw.

Don't worry if you've cut a bit longer – this can be dealt with easily by adding an extra washer. Grease, assemble and adjust with no play, but allowing free rotation.

3] Check brake reach

This is a critical measurement, especially if you're trying to get an older frame on the road. Make sure the brake pads can reach the rim braking surfaces without touching the tyre – if the pad wears through the tyre, it could lead to a sudden blowout.

Measure from the centre of the brake bolt hole to the middle of the rim braking surface. You may find that it's a really old frame made for 27in wheels. If the old brakes don't provide enough reach, Shimano and Alhonga both make long reach versions of their dual pivot designs that will provide modern levels of braking power.

Longer reach dimensions tend to be 47mm to 57mm or more when measured from the centre of the brake pivot bolt to the centre of the pad bolt in its lowest position.

4] Old skool Kool-Aids

The Cinelli bar and stem pictured are a late '80s/early '90s track stem with big drop and a round criterium bar with a very high cool factor. These will deﬁnitely get you noticed in the urban singlespeed and ﬁxie crowd.

These 'quill'-type units use a special bolt and wedge as a ﬁxing method – grease threads and mating surfaces along with the inside of the steerer and outside of stem. You can never over-grease, especially if the bike is used for winter training.

They'll only work on a bike with a 1in compatible head tube and a threaded steerer, so if you have a 1 1/8in compatible frame and fork, you'll need to use a more contemporary clamp. You can still salvage a retro look if you happen to have an older standard bar diameter of 25.8/26.0.

5] Special controls

Install your chosen brake levers (ours are Dia-Compe MX) in an appropriate and ergonomic position. Fixie riders will sometimes only run a front brake, but with a freewheeling singlespeed, two brakes are essential.

Notice the barrel shaped cable end – different to the pear shape found on road cables. Other lever options include plug-in Dia-Compe or Tektro aero bar levers. Size and cut your brake cable housing to the correct length, making sure there's enough to accommodate turning the bars, and don't use indexing gear outers.

Use ferrules where possible and apply a light grease or medium oil to the inners before stringing them through. Turn barrel adjusters all the way in, anchor cable ﬁrmly and put a crimp on the exposed end.

6] Modify the crankset

A three-to-one ratio between chainring and cog seems to be the current favourite, providing a high enough top speed to keep up with trafﬁc, while allowing decent acceleration and mild climbing capability (it could also help build up a bit of upper body strength in the process).

Choosing a 48-tooth ring with a 16-tooth cog gives you an 81in gear and both the ring and shorter bolts required are fairly common. The chainring bolt circle diameter for double cranksets is usually 130 for most brands other than Campagnolo, which is 135.

A good bike shop should be able to order the Stronglight or TA aftermarket chainrings and bolts favoured by the custom-gear ratio crowd. Grease generously to avoid annoying creaks and ticks during the rainy season and tighten ﬁrmly.

7] Spaced out

There are now several spacing kits available on the market, thanks to the popularity of singlespeed mountain biking. DMR and Surly come to mind, because both feature a series of attractive spacers that make use of old cassette cogs and lockrings.

Alternatively, you could make your own with the old spacers, although not all cassettes will lend themselves to being taken apart. Some of the cogs will be attached to an alloy spider with rivets.

Shimano's HG 50 series (105) and below, along with low to mid-range SRAM and Sun-Race cassettes, use separate all-steel cogs that are held in place by three long pins. These can be either unscrewed or ground down to free the cogs.

The nylon spacers between the cogs can be used to ﬁll the gaps on the freehub, although an additional spacer or two might be called for.

8] Adjust chain length

If you're really lucky, you could end up with a chain length that works without the use of a tensioner. This is more likely if you have the semi-horizontal or slightly longer drop out slots found on steel (and some alloy) frames.

See if you can ﬁnd a link that matches up with the wheel in its most forward position. A SRAM Powerlink is safe to use and makes life easier, but the whole process can be tricky and involve a lot of trial and error. Invariably, you'll have to call on one of many chain tensioning devices on the market – the DMR STS, for example.

Grease the threads and install the tensioner in place of the old derailleur. Two types are available: spring or no spring. Use the spring tensioned version and enjoy the peace and quiet of a single jockey wheel.

9] Check chain line

Check that the chain line is reasonably straight. You can get away with a little left or right variation, especially with a 3/32in (derailleur type) chain. They're a bit more ﬂexible than a 1/2in by 1/8in pitch chain and will still run smoothly when climbing the chainring from a slight angle.

It's nicer to get it right, though. Swap spacers as required, then lightly grease the spacers, cog and freehub lockring and tighten ﬁrmly without overdoing it (the serrations on the lockring should keep it from working its way loose).

It's a good idea to place a metal washer against the inside edge of the freehub body as a ﬁrst space. This will keep the cog running true – the nylon spacers can get distorted if the lock ring is overtightened.

10] Make final tweaks

Take a test ride to locate any small problems and iron them out. Check for pedal overlap, adequate braking power and brake lever placement. Install any ﬁnal parts: pedals, a cool bell, maybe some eco-splash guards fashioned from plastic milk jugs and zip ties! Assess the handling – a small variation in fork offset shouldn't drastically change the behaviour of the bike.

Most important is headset adjustment. Ensure this is not too tight because it can cause the headset to get indented and interfere with the balance of the bike. After a couple of rides, re-check the chain and tensioner.

Keep the bike clean if you can and make a habit of checking critical components for early signs of failure like small cracks.

Workshop: Troubleshooting Shimano gears

2011-08-03T01:05:00.000+07:00

By Hilary Stone

1 Chain comes off or won't go onto big chainring(Bike Radar)

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Gears not shifting as well as they should? We show you the tricks you need to keep them clicking cleanly into place.

Before working on your gears, clean both derailleurs in situ with a degreaser. An old electric toothbrush is useful for getting at all the difficult spots.

Lube the main parallelogram pivots with PTFE or Triflon based lubricant. Clean the chain with an in situ chain-cleaning tool. Use a top quality chain lube and lube the rollers of the chain.

Don't apply lube to the outside of the chain. If using a spray lube, put a newspaper behind the chain to prevent lube getting on your wheels. Wipe off any excess.

1] Problem: Chain comes off or won't go on to big chainring

Check that the derailleur cage clears the top of the large chainring's teeth by about 1mm. If necessary, slacken the derailleur mounting bolt by about two turns and move the derailleur up or down to correct its height.

Set the derailleur cage so that a centre line through the cage runs parallel to the chainrings. Tighten the derailleur mounting bolt and check that the derailleur cage does not touch the outer chainwheel. Slacken off any down-tube or cable adjusters by turning them fully clockwise. The outer limit screw is normally the high gear stop (large chainwheel).

Shift on to the smallest chainwheel. Slacken the gear cable fastening bolt, pull the gear cable taut and refasten the cable fastening bolt. Shift on to the smallest sprocket and large chainwheel. Adjust the high limit screw so that the outer plate of the cage is about 1mm from the chain. Shift into the smallest rear cog.

Repeatedly shift on to the biggest chainring, adjusting the high limit screw half a turn at a time until it does so without hesitation, but does not overshoot the largest ring.

2] Problem: Chain comes off or won't go on to small chainring

Check the derailleur position, as in section 1. Slacken off any down tube or cable adjusters by turning them fully clockwise. Shift on to the smallest chainwheel and large rear sprocket. The inner limit screw is the low gear stop. Adjust this screw so the inner plate of the cage is about 1mm from the chain.

Check that, under repeated shifting from the largest to the smallest chainring, the chain shifts without hesitation but does not overshoot the small chainwheel inwards. If necessary, adjust the low gear limit screw half a turn at a time either to make the shifting cleaner (anti-clockwise) or to prevent overshifting (clockwise).

Many front derailleurs won't shift on to the small chainwheel under a heavy pedalling load, even when correctly adjusted. Coat both spindle threads with anti-seize grease and refit.

3] Problem: Chain rubs on derailleur cage on middle chainwheel of a triple

Move the chain onto the middle chainwheel (by moving one click upwards from the small chainwheel) and largest rear sprocket. Adjust the cable tension with the down-tube adjuster so that the clearance between the derailleur's cage inner plate and the chain is between 0.5 and 1mm. Click the front STI lever one click so the chain moves outboard a little. With the rear derailleur, select the smallest rear sprocket.

Check that there is about 1mm of clearance between the chain and inner plate of the derailleur cage. If there is not, readjust the cable tension (an eighth or quarter turn) of the down-tube adjuster. Then recheck the clearance when the front derailleur is in the inner trim position, and with the chain on the largest rear sprocket.

4] Problem: Chain comes off or won't go on to small rear sprocket

With the chain on the largest rear sprocket and smallest chainwheel, check the upper derailleur pulley is as close as possible to the large sprocket without fouling the sprockets (turn the B-screw, which controls the derailleur body angle, out nearly as far it'll go). Check for fouling of the other gears, tightening the B-screw if necessary. Move the chain to the smallest rear sprocket and middle chainwheel.

Back off the cable adjuster on the down-tube completely. Turn the cable adjuster fully clockwise and back off one complete turn anti-clockwise. Loosen the inner cable clamp. The high gear (small sprocket) limit screw is the upper one. Visually check the upper derailleur cage pulley is in line beneath the smallest rear sprocket. If not, adjust the limit screw. With pliers, pull the inner cable taut and tighten the cable clamp. Adjust indexing as in 6.

5] Problem: Chain won't go on or comes off large rear sprocket or chain/rear derailleur catches spokes

Shift into the lowest gear (largest rear sprocket). Visually check that the upper derailleur cage is in line beneath the largest rear sprocket. If it is not, adjust the limit screw until the pulley is exactly in line with the sprocket. Now shift to a couple of higher gears and back again to check that the chain does not overshift the largest rear sprocket. Screw in low gear adjuster on rear derailleur (lower screw) an eighth of a turn at a time until it no longer happens.

6] Problem: Rear derailleur doesn't change gear when selected or changes two gears at a time, or indexing is imprecise

Possible cause: Rear gear cable tension needs adjusting

Select top gear, turn the pedals forward and select the next gear. If the chain doesn't move smoothly to the next sprocket, turn the adjuster anti-clockwise half a turn at a time until it does. Select the next largest sprocket and check that the chain will move cleanly to it. If not, turn the cable adjuster anti-clockwise a further quarter of a turn at a time until the change is clean.

Check that the upward shifts (to smaller sprockets) are still okay. If not, back off (turning clockwise) the cable adjuster until the shifts are correct. For 10-speed, select the second smallest sprocket. Press the STI lever just enough to take up the slack and turn the cranks.

If the chain shifts to the third smallest sprocket, turn the adjuster clockwise until the chain returns to the second sprocket. If no noise is heard at all, turn the adjuster anti-clockwise until the chain hits the third sprocket and makes a noise. Return the lever to second gear position; if the chain continues to rub on the third sprocket turn the adjuster clockwise until the noise stops. Check the rear derailleur now works correctly across the full range of the cassette.

Possible cause: Hanger alignment is incorrect (special tool required – only for the more experienced)

Incorrect rear derailleur hanger alignment is a common cause of gear indexing troubles. To correct the alignment, screw the special tool to the derailleur threads in the hanger. Adjust the pointer so it is in line with the rim and about 2mm above the rim. Rotate the pointer of the tool to the twelve, three, six and nine o'clock positions of the rim. The pointer should be at the same height above the rim at all positions.

To correct any misalignment, use the tool to bend the hanger so it is perfectly aligned at all four points. If you do not have the tool or have an aluminium or carbon fibre frame, you should take your bike to an experienced bike shop for a hanger alignment check.

Possible cause: Cables need replacing

Use the old outer cables as a guide for the new outer cable lengths – the length to the stops on the frame must be enough that the bars can be turned without tugging the cables. Use sharp cable cutters to trim the outer gear cable. The end may become slightly flattened, so squeeze it back into shape. Use a file to get the end as flat as possible and then open the liner up with a sharp point before fitting the ferrule. Select top gear. Back off all the cable adjusters. Loosen the cable clamp bolt and push the inner cable out through the shifter. Feed the new inner gear cable through the shifter lever and housing and through the first section of outer cable. Continue feeding the inner cables through the stops, bottom bracket guides and outer cable. Check that the ferrules are fitted and properly seated in the stops. Attach the inner wire to the derailleur clamp and, pulling the inner cable taut, tighten the clamp bolt. Adjust rear cable tension as described previously.

7] Problem: Chain jumping on sprockets

Possible cause: Chain tension needs adjusting

See 6] Cable/cassette needs lubrication/replacement

Possible cause: Chain is worn

Check the chain for wear with a chain wear checker tool, or use a steel rule and measure the chain's pin to pin distance over 24 links. If it's greater than 308mm, the chain is worn and needs replacing. Replacing the chain a little earlier, at 306mm, will probably obviate the need for a new cassette. Chain replacement is dependent on chain type.

Possible cause: Cassette is worn

If the chain is worn beyond the above limits, the cassette will probably be worn excessively as well and will need replacing at the same time as the chain. Slide the correct lockring tool into place and check that it is properly engaged in the splines. Refit the quick release and tighten sufficiently to keep the lockring tool fully seated in the splines of the lockring.

With the wheel vertical, place the chain whip on the left side of one of the larger sprockets. It should be positioned so that its handle is just above the horizontal.

Make sure that the chain is securely wrapped around the sprockets' teeth and that the short piece of chain on the chain whip is also fully engaged. Put a little pressure on the chain whip's handle to tension the chain. Fit a large adjustable spanner to the lockring tool so that its handle is horizontal or just above on the right-hand side. Push down on both the chain whip and adjustable spanner firmly. The lockring should loosen easily. Take care not to let the chain whip slip.Remove the wheel's quick release. Loosen the lockring completely and remove it.

To fit a new cassette, align the triangular mark on top of the cassette body with the widest spline and slide on. It is very important to ensure that the spacers and shims all go in their correct position – it is easy to check by eye that all the sprockets are spaced identically apart.

Trek Speed Concept 2.5 review | £1600

2011-08-03T00:55:00.000+07:00

By Guy Kesteven, Triathlon Plus

Trek’s Speed Concept 2.5 gets the same aggressive position and chopped teardrop proﬁling as the carbon 7-series bikes. The overall ride is more heavy metal than an Aerosmith chart-topper though.

The Speed Concept looks amazing, with all sorts of tricks to cheat wind and attract buyers, while the alloy frame’s weight is impressively close to the carbon version’s. But it’s still heavy in comparative terms and although the aero effect is obvious at higher speeds, ﬁt, handling and overall responsiveness issues meant our test team rarely experienced the beneﬁts.

Ride & handling: Low acceleration and responsiveness

While Trek have clearly spent a vast amount of time in the wind tunnel and on the drawing board to chase drag out of every part of the bike, the war on wind seems to have been waged at the expense of friendly rider interaction and easy ergonomics. In other words, while there might be the option to extend the seat tube aerodynamics and store your mid-ride munchies in a more aero manner, all our testers, apart from a couple of die-hard drag queens, found the ﬁt of the Speed Concept uncomfortable and restrictive, even after spending time tweaking the contact points.

The narrow shoulder and arm position caused by the narrow-span bar and extensions was an obvious problem for some broader-shouldered riders. Several riders also complained of reﬂux when trying to rev the bike, which was hard even in the tallest position possible. Issues like cable contact between the knees, the bulky tension screw adjusters looping out from behind the stem, and even rattling internal cables got on riders’ nerves.

While the handling in the tuck was sure-footed and stable for those who eventually got comfy, it’s positively frightening if you lift out of the saddle to inject speed out of a corner or up a climb. And although power transfer from the big frame tubes is reasonable, high bike weight – particularly the wheels – also meant low acceleration and responsiveness in general.

Combine this with the soft braking and you’ve got a bike with a cruiser rather than combative feel – as evidenced on group rides where the Trek struggled to keep the other bikes in sight. On the bright side it’s not as jarring as we feared from such a slab-sided alloy frame. You’ll need to keep an eye out for any signiﬁcant potholes or rough patches though, otherwise you’ll be punished through your palms and shorts pad.

Frame: Kammtail aerodynamics and integrated storage

The aggressively deep maintubes and the tapered headtube (all coated in sparkling metallic paint) are certainly striking, and the Kammtail Virtual Foil (KVF) aerodynamics are something of a talking point too. The tubes’ blunt, ﬂat backsides are designed to create ﬂexible vortices trails and a smoother overall airﬂow in crosswinds than a full teardrop.

Anti-drag detailing is equally comprehensive. Internal brake and gear cable routing disappears vertically behind the stem. The extended fork top and downtube dovetail via a right-angled notch. The carbon aero seat mast is clamped with a wedge system that’s ﬂush with the tapered horizontal top tube. While it’s not the complex, custom-faired in-brake of the carbon bikes, the rear U-brake is mounted under the chainstays behind the cranks in already ‘dirty’ air.

The frame is also drilled and pocketed to take Trek’s aero Speed Box top tube and Draft Box seat tube storage systems, as well as Speed Trap direct-mounted computer sensors. It’s not smooth-welded, but the Alpha Red aluminium is extensively shaped, which means this is actually a lighter frame than its carbon sibling if you include the integrated rear brake. It’s still heavy compared to most bikes though, especially if you include the amount of outer cable rattling round inside the frame.

Equipment: High weight and poor braking

Complete bike mass is relatively high too, and the Bontrager wheelset is the weightiest on test, which dulls acceleration. The SRAM Apex kit works smoothly though, and while we’d normally grumble about smaller compact chainset rings on a dedicated aero bike, when it’s designed for the entry-level market like this one, it’s much less of an issue. The Bontrager cockpit gives plenty of potential for adjustment too, although pad angle is crucial for a secure-feeling ﬁt.

While the chrome-effect Trek brake levers are particularly neat and pretty, convoluted internal cable routing also makes braking feel mushy. The fat-nosed Vision saddle is also very much in the mushy mould, which was appreciated by some, although others found the breadth between their legs too much for comfort.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine.

Specification

Name:: Speed Concept 2.5 (11)
Built by:: Trek Bikes
Price:: £1600.00
Available Sizes:: L, M, S, XL, M, L, M, L, M, L, XL, M, L, XL, M, XS, XS, S, M, L, XS, S, M, L, XL, XS, S, M, L, XL, XS, S, XS, XS
Available Colours:: Bright Silver/Black/Red
Weight (kg):: 9.63
Weight (lb):: 21.23
Frame & Fork:
Frame Material:: Alpha Black Aluminum, KVF (Kammtail Virtual Foil) tube design, SC Speed Box and Bento Box compatible
Frame Weight (g):: 1780 g
Fork Model:: Bontrager Race Lite E2 Tri Speed Concept, carbon, SpeedTrap compatible
Fork Weight:: 570 g
Rear Shock Model:: NA
Headset Type:: Integrated, sealed bearings, 1" top, 1-1/8" bottom
Brakes:
Brakes Model:: Alloy, dual pivot w/Bontrager Race Lite aero levers
Transmission:
Cranks Model:: SRAM Apex, 50/34
Bottom Bracket Brand:: SRAM press fit BB86.5
Rear Derailleur Model:: SRAM Apex
Front Derailleur Model:: SRAM Apex
Shifters Model:: SRAM 500 TT, bar end control, 10 speed
Cassette:: SRAM PG-1050 11-28, 10 speed
Pedals Model:: n/a
Wheels:
Front Wheel Weight:: 1400 g
Rear Wheel Weight:: 1930 g
Rims Brand:: Bontrager SSR
Spokes:: Bontrager R1, 700x23c (43cm: Bontrager Race Lite, 650x25c)
Contact Points:
Saddle Model:: Vision AeroMax Tri, Cro-Moly rails
Seatpost Model:: Bontrager Speed Concept Race X Lite, carbon, +/-10mm offset
Stem Model:: Bontrager Race Lite, 7 degree, 31.8mm
Handlebar Model:: Bontrager Race Bullhorn w/Race Lite clip-ons
Grips/Tape Model:: Bontrager gel tape

Workshop: How to clean and lube your bike

2009-03-28T15:16:00.001+07:00

By BikeRadar

One Dirty Drivetrain (Bikeradar)

If you’ve let the muck build up on your bike, here's a step-by-step guide that will get it looking like new – and running much better – in less than an hour.

We think this is best avoided: a five-minute hosedown and application of lube straight after your ride will help keep your bike running smoothly, if not showroom shiny. But nobody's perfect - least of all us - so here's how to shift serious grime.

Time: 1 hour
Skill rating: Easy
Cost: Degreaser, grease, chainlube (approx. £15)

Tools you’ll need

Bucket
Very hot water
Washing-up liquid
Brushes and sponges
Old toothbrush
Narrow flat-blade screwdriver
Old spoke
Degreaser
Polish/detailer
Grease
Chain lube
Rags

1] Scrub the chain

The chain is the most important part of the transmission. The first step to cleaning it is to use hot water — wearing rubber gloves will help you use hotter, more effective, water. Add regular washing-up liquid to your bucket of water and allow it to foam up.
With the chain in the biggest gear, apply the mixture vigorously using a stiff bristle scrubbing brush. You’ll see a bright, shining chain emerge.

2] Degrease the chain

With the chain free from dirt, apply a biodegradable degreaser to the chain and allow it to soak into all the links. This will remove any debris and sticky residues you can’t see, and make for a free-running chain.
Rotate the cranks backwards a few times to get the degreaser right into the links. Allow to drip-dry, or wash off with clean water.

3 Wipe the chain

Use a soft rag to wipe the chain completely clean — you’ll be surprised what still comes off a clean-looking chain. You’re trying to massage the links, moving them through as wide a range of movement as possible — this helps expose the sections of link normally hidden from view.

4] Lube the chain

Apply lube only when the chain is clean. We prefer to lube a chain as little as possible, with as light a lube as we can get away with. Use a dripper bottle, because it’s easier to apply accurately and with minimum wastage.
Coat the whole chain, spinning the cranks to force the lube into the links. That’s where lube is most useful — not coating the outside plates, as many believe. Wipe excess lube away with a rag.

5] Wipe cables

Slide the outers to expose previously covered sections of inner cable. Give the entire inner cable a wipe-over with a section of rag soaked in degreaser. If you come across any sections that are rusty, replace with a new inner cable. Most dry cables can be reinvigorated with a little light grease.

6] Lube cables

The best way to apply grease evenly to a cable is to first apply the grease to a clean (lint-free) rag. Holding the rag in one hand with the greased section between thumb and forefinger, gently pinch the section of inner cable in the rag and draw it through.
The idea is to allow the grease to get into the fine strands of the cable without creating any blobs of grease.

7] Scrub front mech

Front mechs always suffers from neglect. They’re hard to access and are often jammed full of dry mud, and have pivots drier than a Jacob’s Cracker. The first thing you can do to get your front mech swinging happily again is to apply steaming soapy water. Use a small toothbrush to get right into the parallelogram and underneath the band.

8] Wipe front mech

Give the mech a good going over with the rag. Use a thin strip of rag to thread though the body of the front mech — this allows you to floss the body. Don’t overlook the inside of the front mech cage, as these get pretty grubby from rubbing the chain all day. A couple of minutes and you should have a gleaming front mech.

9] Scrape out rear mech

There’s no point having a free-running chain if the jockey wheels of your rear mech are bunged up. Use an old spoke or the blade of a thin, flat-bladed screwdriver to carefully hook out any old grass and oily gunge that’s trapped between the jockey wheels and the mech arm side plates.

10] Scrub Jockey Wheels

With the serious grime gone, use a little degreaser and an old toothbrush to scrub the jockey wheels (not forgetting the insides of the mech arm). It’s possible to unscrew the jockey wheels from the mech arm, but we don’t recommend you do so unless you’ve got a thread lock to use when reinstalling the pivot bolts. Sadly, we’ve seen too many rides ended by bottom jockey wheels falling out.

11] Lube Jockey Wheels

Re-lube the jockey wheels. They really only need the very lightest touch of lube, as they’ll pick up enough from the chain through use. Remember these little wheels attract a lot of dirt, and with lube being sticky, it doesn’t pay to make matters worse by overdoing it. Wipe the excess away with a rag. They should look dry.

12] Unclip cables

Set the rear gears into the largest rear sprocket and then, without letting the rear wheel spin, shift into the smallest rear sprocket. This will free up a bunch of inner cable and allow you to pop the outers from the slotted cable stops on the frame. With the cables now fully unclipped from the frame you can inspect, clean, re-lube and reinstall everything.

13] Lube Front Mech

Use the lube dropper bottle to apply drops of lube to all the pivots on the front mech. These take a lot of load, and can use all the help you can give them to remain mobile. Shift the mech into the smallest chainring and then work the parallelogram with your fingers to get the lube worked in.

14] De-Gunk Rear Sprockets

The rear sprockets are the final port of call on this bicycle maintenance mystery tour. They’re full of technology to help faster shifts, but also full of grease, mud and grass. Pick the worst lumps out with an old spoke or the blade of a thin, flat screwdriver. You’ll be surprised what hides in those tight spaces, even on expensive, open alloy carrier versions.

15] Scrub Rear Sprockets

Get the hot soapy water on them and get scrubbing with a brush. Really stubborn grot can be shifted with a dose of degreaser and another hit with the scrubbing brush. Getting to the backs of the sprockets can be tricky, but it’s really worth persevering, as the cleaner you make it, the less easy it is for new mud to stick.

16] Wipe Rear Sprockets

Give the sprockets some flossing with your strip of rag. This helps dry the sprockets, and also buffs away any outstanding marks. The cleaner you can keep your sprockets, the faster they’ll shift and the longer they’ll last. Dirt acts like a grinding paste when in contact with any part of your transmission, so get rid of it.

Tip: don't forget the general clean-up

You can get away with just cleaning the important parts, but a full wash-down should be part of your regular post-ride plans. Take the wheels off the bike and wash everything, beginning with the underside of the saddle and working downwards.

Tip: lube the pivots

Add a drop of lube to your brake lever pivots — they dry out too and work better with some liquid love. Ditto the shifters. For SRAM X.9/X.0 gears, simply unscrew the top caps and drop a few drops on the spring and cable nipple. With Shimano, undo the plastic grub screw and put a few drops inside before replacing the grub screw.

Tip: polish it off

If you love your bike, show it offby taking a soft duster and some nice polish and giving the paintwork a buffing it’ll never forget. Apart from making the bike look shiny, it also helps make it harder for dirt to stick to the frame the next time you’re out.

Tip: hot water and detergent FTW

The marketplace is rammed with bike cleaning fluids, and they’re mostly pretty good. Most are applied using a trigger bottle spray, requiring you to leave it on for 30 seconds and then wash off with a brush.
That’s all well and good, but we have just as much success with car shampoo and hot water. You can even use washing up liquid, but remember it contains salt so you want to be sure you get it all off. For all the marketing hype, the detergent and the grime-busting strength of steaming hot water are hard to beat. Have a good selection of sponges and brushes available to get into all the nooks and crannies.

Specialized Bicycles FSR XC Comp (09) | $1410

2009-03-28T14:10:00.000+07:00

By Seb Rogers, What Mountain Bike

Specialized’s FSR suspension design has been around, in one form or another, for about 15 years. It’s a sign of the times that the company's mid-range, trail-orientated FSR XC bikes now get 120mm of rear wheel travel. The entry-level Comp boasts a full complement of Specialized kit, a Shimano transmission, and X-Fusion shock and RockShox fork pairing.

Bikes like the FSR XC Comp are the mainstay of Specialized’s business, so it’s no surprise to discover that the 2009 version is as competent an all-rounder as ever. If it weren’t for the limitations of its fork then it would deﬁnitely be in with a shout for top honours. As it is though, it’s a brilliantly executed do-anything machine that represents excellent value.

Ride & handling: Do-it-all performance, but frame needs a better fork to do it justice

It’s hard not to like the XC Comp from the ﬁrst turn of the pedals. Relaxed angles – particularly at the front – hint at handling that’s biased towards higher speeds, but this isn’t the case. The Specialized feels equally at home plodding up a steep, rooty climb at walking pace or carving turns on a high-speed singletrack descent, with weight distribution that feels perfectly ‘planted’ and pleasantly benign steering that does what you ask of it, when you want it to.

With no compression damping – adjustable or otherwise – on the basic rear shock, it pays to take a little time to ﬁne-tune setup. Specialized’s FSR rear end is naturally active, so a shock with too much sag and a choppy pedalling style can easily provoke a fair degree of rear end bounce and wallow.

Pump it up ﬁrmly enough, keep the power smooth and the rear end does what it was designed to do, remaining impressively active and supple over everything from the tiniest trail ripple to the biggest wheel-eater. Flicking the rebound adjust lever to lockout removes any trace of bob and bounce on smooth surfaces, too.

The fork matches the shock bump-for-bump, right up to the point where the hits are bigger, squarer-edged and faster, at which point it blots its copybook with a hint of bushing rattle that acts as a conﬁdence-inhibitor. There’s no doubt that the frame would deﬁnitely warrant a long-term fork upgrade, and that this would unleash its true downhill potential.

Frame: Time-proven FSR design in a good looking package

Specialized take the aesthetics of their bikes extremely seriously, with an entire department devoted to everything from decal design and paint ﬁnishes to ﬁnessing tube curvature. Perhaps that’s why the FSR XC Comp is one of the more elegant 120mm travel bikes out there, with clean lines that ﬂow uninterrupted from the head tube to the rear dropouts. The detail is also impressive, from the bolt-on cable guides under the down tube to the custom rubber chainstay protector.

It’s more than just a pretty face, though. For 2009, Specialized have managed to reduce standover height, giving a bit more space over the top tube for those unscheduled bail-outs. A longer seat tube also gives more scope for dropping the saddle out of the way on steep descents, and the impressively minimalist shock rocker linkage is also new. The patented Horst link (the key to the FSR suspension design) is still there on the chainstay, of course.

Equipment: Sound speccing decisions, with emphasis on quality own-brand kit

Spring duties are carried out by a custom-tuned X-Fusion air shock at the rear and a RockShox Tora SL coil fork up front. The shock is easy to set up and features a lever for adjusting rebound damping on the ﬂy and, if necessary, locking the shock out completely. It’s a neat solution, and far easier to use than the usual dial (though also easier to knock out of position, too).

Our test bike’s Tora fork behaved better than other samples we’ve ridden, with good low-to-medium speed performance and just a trace of bushing looseness on square-edged hits to betray its budget build

There’s barely a component on the XC Comp that hasn’t been tweaked by Specialized’s designers, from the wheelset to the excellent seatpost and saddle.

It all works well, though experience suggests the funky-looking red aluminium spoke nipples may not survive that many clumsy wheel-truing attempts.

[Specs] Bianchi Mutt 7800

2009-03-13T14:02:00.000+07:00

Mutt 7800

Alu XT Disc - Y9B66

Technical features

Code	Y9B66
Colours	8Z
Sizes	38-43-48-53
Frame	Bianchi MUTT Alu TB
Rear Shock	//
Fork	Marzocchi Corsa TST2 - 100mm travel, TST Remote Lockout
Headset	Fsa ZS4-CUSTOM
Shifters	Shimano XT
Rear Derailleur	Shimano XT
Front Derailleur	Shimano XT
Crankset	Shimano XT 44/32/22
Chain	Shimano LX
Sprocket	Sram PG970 11/34
Brakes	Shimano XT Disc
Brake Lever	included
Wheels
Rear Hub	Shimano XT
Front Hub	Shimano XT
Rims	Mavic XM 819 Disc 32h - Black
Tire	Hutchinson Python NG Tubeless Light 26x2.00
Stem	Fsa ST-OS-150LX
Handlebar	Fsa XC-180 Flat - White
Grips	Velo VLG-059-6A - superlight foam
Seatpost	Fsa SL-280 - 31.6mm
Saddle	Selle San Marco Ponza Power - rail CrMo, black/white
Pedals	Shimano PDM505
Waterbottle Hanger	Aluminium

Merlin 5.25 Works (09) (Frameset) | $3980.73

2009-03-13T10:27:00.000+07:00

By Steve Worland, What Mountain Bike

US titanium pioneers Merlin’s new mid-travel full-suspension mountain bike frame costs a hefty £2,800, but while there’s no doubting the build quality of the 5.25 Works, it’s a bike with a confused personality.

It’s light and fast enough to be a ﬁne all-rounder but it requires imagination to get the best out of it. However you set it up, the high bottom bracket is always an issue. At its best, it feels awkward at slow speeds but romps along at high speeds with a 120mm fork, the rider sat back with lots of shock sag and the back doing more work than the fork. At its worst, it feels more gawky giraffe than careering kangaroo.

Ride & handling: Surprisingly efﬁcient at speed, but feels a bit gawky on slow, technical singletrack

It’s been years since we’ve had a Merlin Metalworks bike on test. The titanium specialists have only created a few full-suspension frames, and while the mainframe of the 5.25 bears all the classy tube forming hallmarks of the brand, we’ve never been persuaded that titanium tubes offer any advantages when it comes to full-suspension chassis design.

The 5.25 is said to be designed with 120-150mm travel forks in mind, so we were surprised to ﬁnd that our test bike came with a 100mm Fox 32. As always, we only took our measurements after the ﬁrst ride. A 100mm fork resulted in static 69-degree head and 72-degree seat angles, and a lofty 14in bottom bracket height. This encouraged a soft rear shock and a ﬁrm fork setup.

We plugged in a RockShox Revelation fork with 110-140mm of U-Turn travel. At full length this relaxed static geometry by a couple of degrees but lifted the bottom bracket by half an inch. Crucially, it also allowed for more fork and shock sag, which dropped the bottom bracket again. A ﬂoaty fork setup seems to suit the back end.

The best setup compromise seemed to be a soft 120mm up front combined with a medium-soft back end permanently set to middle stage ProPedal platform damping. Whatever we did though, that high bottom bracket and slack head angle still felt awkward on slow speed terrain.

We began to see why, contrary to the marketing spiel, our sample was equipped with a 100mm fork. As one tester put it, after an awkward slow speed tumble: “Like a kangaroo, or a giraffe, it’s surprisingly efﬁcient once it gets up to speed but feels a bit gawky on slow-speed, technical singletrack.”

The high bottom bracket may suit you if you like to ride with a long-forked front and soft rear setup. This allows you to pedal hard and fast through rough terrain with minimum pedal strike risk while feeling at ease on rough downhills with the fork set to full travel. This, of course, makes for a wallowy ride on anything that involves lots of body language – such as hills.

If you like a ﬂoaty setup like this you’ll be using the ProPedal settings a lot, and you’ll probably use the suspension lockout on long uphills. To avoid the high centre of gravity caused by that lofty bottom bracket at other times, the perfect fork choice would be one you can lock down on climbs rather than lock out fully extended.

If you want the Merlin to feel tighter or ﬁrmer, a shorter fork and generous use of the ProPedal shock settings is the best way. The Revelation set to 120mm offered decent hard-riding cross-country trail performance and enough tuning adjustments to make it feel at ease with the back end on most terrain. But it took us a while to get to a point we were happy with, and we still felt the bottom bracket was too high.

Frame: Well thought out titanium chassis with Merlin's legendary quality control

A look at the technical speciﬁcations and forming expertise in the 5.25's tubes gives you a clue as to why Merlin have been around since 1986. Every 3/2.5 (three percent vanadium, 2.5 percent aluminium) tube on a Merlin is custom drawn to a ‘Merlin Tubing Speciﬁcation’ standard that exceeds aerospace industry standards for straightness, ovality and wall thickness.

Merlin's quality control requires testing processes that are generally ignored with non-aerospace tubing and its cold worked precision tube forming processes, while not obvious to the untrained eye, are the envy of the industry. In short, a Merlin frame has gone through a lot to earn its price tag. We love the engraved head tube too.

Merlin’s previous full-susser, the 4.0, used an Ellsworth Truth’s back end on Merlin’s titanium main triangle. Merlin designer Brad DeVaney’s loved the 5.25-inch travel Epiphany but Ellsworth wouldn’t let Merlin use the patented ICT (Instant Centre Tracking) four-bar linkage back end on the 5.25, so Brad designed it without ICT.

The cam-link rocker system on the 5.25 dictates the wheel-to-shock travel ratio in a way that optimises the 5.25in of travel without any overly plush or unwanted ramp-up spots within the stroke. Unsurprisingly the back end looks like an Ellsworth but the dropout pivots are on the seatstays and the rocker is shorter than on the Epiphany so the lever ratio and resulting ride feel are different.

Riders and manufacturers sing the praises of four-bar linkage bikes with chainstay pivots, but shock tuning and platform damping can allow seatstay pivot bikes such as the Merlin to work as well in most trail scenarios.

Despite its plain looks, there’s a lot going on in the 5.25’s mainframe. The big down tube has been formed to create the ideal mix of low weight and high strength, with a big weld contact area into the reinforced head tube. The sloped top tube has plenty of standover clearance and is tube-braced across to the seat tube to allow for ideal placement of the main rocker pivot. The seat tube base is heavily sleeved to hold the main swingarm pivot and lower shock mount.

All the tubes are 3/2.5 titanium, machined parts are super-tough 6/4 titanium and tube wall thickness varies according to frame size. There’s also a custom build service for those who can afford it. The back end is tough but light box-sectioned aluminium, with premium quality pivot bearings, and there’s lots of mud room.

Equipment: Pick your own – but put some thought into your fork choice

The air shock – Fox’s RP23 with three-stage ProPedal platform damping – and headset are included in the hefty price, but the rest is up to you.

Our test bike came with a Shimano XT drivetrain and brakes, Bontrager wheelset, Maxxis Larsen TT 2in tubeless tyres, Thomson seatpost and stem, Ritchey Pro Rizer bar and a Fizik Gobi saddle. The all-in weight was just over 27lb.

Tester’s thoughts

“I wanted to like the 5.25, especially as I love the Epiphany. Unfortunately its confused personality and a frame price that would buy a complete Epiphany didn’t impress. I prefer climb on, pedal and steer bikes rather than ﬁddling with suspension settings on the ﬂy.” Steve Worland

Designer's thoughts

We asked Chris Hewings, director of international sales for the American Bicycle Group, about the Merlin brand.

What sort of rider typically buys a Merlin, and who do you think will buy the 5.25?

That’s very hard to answer as we do no after-sales research to identify our customers, but I would guess at wealthy enthusiasts who recognise Merlin as one of the oldest, most reputable and experienced frame manufacturers, and want to buy into that reputation and experience. A lot of sales come from existing Merlin customers who want to try our new products. We make them, and they sell!

Does a depressed economic climate have a negative or positive effect on top-end bikes?

Again, very difﬁcult to answer as I’m not an economist. I’d guess at this level of bike purchasing, the customer is wealthier than the norm so they should be more insulated than the average man in the street from the economic downturn. We’ve not noticed a slowdown in sales over the past few months — in fact it’s been the opposite.

What is Merlin’s best selling frame these days?

The XLM hardtail in the mountain bike range — we sell more Merlin frames in Europe than in the USA.

What sets Merlin apart from other top end titanium frame builders?

They’re all designed and manufactured in the US, using the highest grade titanium available, with no shortcuts on material or design. The tubing manipulation on the downtube cannot be matched by any manufacturer. It’s why we manufacture titanium for aerospace applications for NASA.

There's no bike company on the planet that comes close to our titanium manipulation expertise. As different parts of a frame undergo totally different stresses during a ride, tubes need to be tuned (by manipulation and butting) to handle different forces that act at different points on the frame. We also manufacture different tubesets for each size of bike. It does cost us a small fortune to do this, but we won’t – and don’t – compromise.”

Nutrition: Supermarket superfoods

2009-03-13T10:22:00.000+07:00

By Christine Bailey

Add these superfoods to your shopping list and your daily diet will boost both your health and your performance.

Prune power

Need to supercharge your ride? Take a pack of dried fruits and you can top up your energy stores quickly. Dried apricots, ﬁgs, prunes and raisins are all excellent sources of quick releasing carbohydrates to prevent the dreaded ‘bonk’ and keep your muscles fuelled. They’re rich too in antioxidants to aid recovery and support immune health, plus potassium to maintain electrolyte balance and lower blood pressure.

Go nuts

Nuts are another great portable snack that is rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and magnesium – important for maintaining a healthy heart, joints and bones. Vitamin E, along with other antioxidants present, can help protect against free radical damage which can be linked to muscle soreness and slower recovery. A good source of protein, nuts can also help stabilise blood sugar levels and so prevent energy dips.

Wholegrain holy grail

Pasta and rice are well known staples for cyclists, providing plenty of easily digestible carbohydrate to help refuel your glycogen stores after a long ride. Choose wholegrain for additional B vitamins, needed for energy production, and ﬁbre. Combine it with some protein to fuel your muscles and aid repair.

Egg sample

Eggs are one of the best complete protein sources around. One egg contains 5.5g protein, over 10 percent – of your daily needs – with only 68 calories. So if you’re trying to build up your strength and endurance, add a couple of eggs to your morning breakfast. Packed with choline, an important B vitamin for brain health and reducing inﬂammation, they also contain the antioxidant lutein for healthy eyes and B vitamins to facilitate energy production.

Fish fat

Fish is an excellent high-quality protein food. A 100g (4oz) serving of salmon will deliver about 30g of protein – more than a third of your daily requirements. It’s also one of the best sources of omega 3 fats – essential for keeping inﬂammation in check, improving blood ﬂow to muscles and boosting the immune system, helping you to train for longer. If you’re short of time, add a can of salmon to your pasta or salads, or mix with mayo for a great topping for potatoes.

Take your leaf

Broccoli and leafy greens like kale and cabbage are rich in phytonutrients known to protect against cancers and boost immune function. A good source of vitamins C and K, calcium and magnesium, these are essential foods for healthy bones and joints – useful if you suffer from stiffness. They also provide plenty of beta-carotene, the vegetable source of vitamin A needed for a healthy respiratory system – important when cycling in the cold.

Banana appeal

The fantastic, energy-boosting banana is the perfect choice for long rides. Choose ripe fruit with a higher glycaemic rating for an easily digestible source of carbohydrate to keep glycogen levels up. Bananas are a great source of potassium needed to balance ﬂuid levels, keep muscles functioning effectively and assist in carbohydrate metabolism. They also provide plenty of B vitamins and magnesium needed for energy production to keep you in the saddle for longer.

Sweet spuds

A fantastic source of easily digestible carbohydrate, baked sweet potatoes make a quick, easy snack to refuel tired muscles. Packed with beta-carotene and vitamin C, these important antioxidants can help the body ﬁght off ills and can help reduce any inﬂammation. Sweet potatoes also supply iron, manganese and copper – essential nutrients for energy production and muscle function.

Berry booster

Their brightly coloured skins are the reason why blueberries, blackberries, cherries, raspberries and strawberries are such a good choice. Rich in powerful antioxidants known as anthocyanins, they can boost immune health and prevent the buildup of free radicals that can cause damage to the body. Include these in your post ride meal or snack to aid recovery, prevent muscle soreness and to speed up repair.

Cannondale announce riders for 2009 Factory Racing squad

2009-03-13T10:07:00.000+07:00

By BikeRadar

The Cannondale Factory Racing team ride together (Cannondale)

Cannondale have revealed the lineup for their 2009 Factory Racing team, which will be led by 10-time Belgian mountain bike champion Roel Paulissen.

Paulissen, who last year became world marathon champion, will be joined by Italian cyclo-cross sensation Marco Aurelio Fontana and Swiss mountain biker Martin Gujan.

Bike options for the team include the Scalpel and Taurine for off-road competition and the SuperSix and CX9 for road and ‘cross events. The riders will compete in World Cup races, road and ‘cross events, and hope to ride in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

For more information, go to Cannondale.com.

Folding bike wins international design award

2009-03-13T10:05:00.000+07:00

By BikeRadar

Pacific's MODE folder has won an international design award (Pacific Cycles)

Pacific Cycles have won an international design award for one of their folding bikes. The iF MODE was given a gold award at the CeBit trade fair in Hannover, Germany.

Designed by Mark Sanders, the futuristic-looking bike has an enclosed drivetrain and is designed to be easy to clean. It features Pacific's iF (Integrated Folding) technology that offers a single-action, automatic fold that requires no tools or removal of parts.

The iF Product Design Award is presented annually by international Forum (iF) Design in Hannover. Consumer products from all over the world compete for awards in 16 categories, including leisure and lifestyle, lighting, consumer electronics and interior design. This year, 2,808 products from 39 countries competed for an award, with 50 achieving gold.

2009 Truvativ Hammerschmidt - first in Indonesia?

2009-03-13T10:00:00.001+07:00

click the link below to see a larger pic of the bike!
http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc03089m.jpg

Hi guys,
here is the first bike in Indonesia with the brand new Hammerschmidt dirve train installed.

The conversion from a traditional crank to Hammerschmidt is pretty straight forward. You need a couple of special tools to prepare the BB (you need to face the BB and the ISCG mount) before mounting the crank, but besides that it's pretty simple.

The Hammerschmidt can only be installed on frames with ISCG mount!

The installation took around 1 hour to setup the BB and to make sure the ISCG mount is even, once the ISCG and the BB is done it's easy.

The Banshee Scythe setup is following:

-Hammerschmidt FR with 36/22T ratio (you can also choose 38/24T ratio)
-SRAM X.9 trigger rear with the matching X.9 Hammerschmidt trigger
-SRAM X.9 Super Short Cage with 11/34T cassette
-SRAM PC-991 chain

Saturday morning the initial testing was done on flat ground before it's being put through the paces on Sunday/Monday at our house track in Bedugul.

The shifts (even under load) are instant, you can shift while cruising and even paddling backwards or standing.
On a normal 24/36T crank you have around 1/4 to 1/2 rotation of the crank delay when shifting - here the shifting is with a blink of an eye, no rattling - very precise.

Improved ground clearance (you are basically running a 22T chainring).
No chain slack - with a super short cage no chain noise - shorter chain less weight - less slack.

After the conversation the bike gained a mere 350 grams of weight, than before (single chainring 36T/Gamut chainguide set-up).

Well let's see what the real world testing will bring in the next couple of days.

[Downhill Event] Kinabalu Rose Cabin Borneo Downhill Challenge 2009

2009-03-13T09:55:00.000+07:00

Event Name : Borneo Downhill Challenge 2009
Main Sponsor : Kinabalu Rose Cabin
Date : 16th and 17th May 2009(CONFIRMED)
Location : Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo Malaysia.

Categories :

Mens Open(18 years old and above)

Prizes :
1st - USD1000.00

2nd - USD750.00

3rd - USD 500.00

4th - 7th To Be Confirmed in cash or kind on a later date

Mens Master(35 years old and above)

Prizes :
1st - USD500.00

2nd - USD250.00

3rd USD150.00

4th - 7th To Be Confirmed in cash or kind on a later date

Registration Fee : Ringgit Malaysia One hundred and Fifty Only.

More info: http://www.mygravityriders.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=36

Bike review: Guru Geneo

2009-03-01T00:35:00.000+07:00

Guru builds custom bikes for riders who want to ride as fast as possible. Period. When my cycle arrived I was almost afraid to touch it. The single-piece, carbon-fiber frame resembles a sculpture by Calder. The Dura-Ace components look like they ought to be stored on red velvet. This isn't a bicycle — it's a stealth fighter on wheels. Four or five pedal strokes send you flying. On a 100-mile ride I averaged 19 mph, painlessly. You'd have to be a little crazy to spend this much on a bike. But after a few miles on this exquisite machine, that sort of insanity is contagious.

Wheels: 27 in.
Gears: 20
Weight: 16.2 lb.
Average speed, 10-mile loop: 20 mph
Highest level speed: 24 mph
Bottom line: Built by obsessives for obsessives.
Manufacturer website: gurubikes.com

Bike review: Raleigh Passage 4.0

2009-03-01T00:20:00.000+07:00

Hybrid bikes such as this are designed as compromises between road and trail. “This is for the person who just wants a pleasant ride,” says Steve Kahn, owner of Danny's Cycles, in Scarsdale, N.Y. With a cushy seat and front suspension, it rides like an old-time Cadillac. Too poky for long trips, and too heavy for steep trails, it's just the ticket for easy tours of dirt roads or bike paths. I found the upright riding position comfortable, but slow (too much wind against your torso). So, while it is well-made and easy to ride, this bike wasn't for me. More speed, please. Wheels 28 in.

Bike review: Huffy Lakota

2009-03-01T00:06:00.000+07:00

I wanted the cheapest bike an adult could ride, and I found it at the local Toys "R" Us. Could a $60 bike really be rideable? I had my doubts. Huffy describes this as a mountain bike, but this steel-frame cycle wouldn't get very far in the woods. At 42 pounds, it feels like it's made out of pig iron. And yet ... it has wheels, pedals, a chain — it goes! On a level bike trail it plugged along adequately. (Hills were tougher.) The brakes and shifters are crude but functional. While this is hardly a quality bike, it's a working bike. And at this price, that's impressive.

Here's what you can do with your bike

2009-02-25T23:23:00.000+07:00

Going to Campus

Afternoon Shopping

Sightseeing with kids

Bike to work

Welcome

2009-02-25T23:08:00.000+07:00

Welcome to Bike and Stuffs
It's all about bicycles and going beyond green!
This blog is created because I want to share my passion with bicycles. From mountain bike to Road bike and TT to BMX.

I also encourage each and everyone of you to own at least one bike and try to ride it at least once a week! It's good for your health and the environment.

Happy biking!