Superfly 100 specs: Here is how the 2010 Superfly 100 will be spec’ed out. This info was sourced straight from Fisher. Interestingly, it will use SRAM “Design Your Ride” touches and not a XX group.

Frame OCLV Co-Molded Carbon main frame and rear swingarm, G2 Geometry, E2 Headtube, ABP, Topswing Carbon Link
Rear Suspension Fox Float RP23, Boost Valve, Air Pressure, 3-position ProPedal, External Rebound, 7.25 x 1.75″ custom race tune
Wheels
Wheels Bontrager Race X Lite 29 Scandium Disc, Tubeless Ready
Tires Bontrager XR1 Team Issue 29×1.9, 120TPI, Aramid Bead
Drivetrain
Shifters SRAM X.O Redwin
Front Derailleur Shimano XT Direct Mount
Rear Derailleur SRAM X.O Redwin
Crank Truvativ Noir Redwin Carbon, 44/32/22
Cassette SRAM PG990 11-34 9speed
Pedals n/a
Components
Saddle Bontrager Race Lite, superlight hollow cromoly rails
Seat Post Bontrager Race XXX Lite Carbon OCLV, Carbon Shaft, infinite adjust Carbon Bontrager head
Stem Bontrager Race X Lite OS, 7d rise, 31.8mm clamp
Handlebars Bontrager Race Lite Big Sweep, 640mm width, 12d backsweep, 31.8mm
Headset Cane Creek Frustrum E2 1-1/8″-1-1/2″, semi-integrated, cartridge bearings
Brakeset Avid Elixir CR Hydraulic Hydraulic Disc, 160mm rotors front and rear

Shed Fire Leaks Pics Of New Off Road Drop Bar: Well, I will admit that this isn’t really a 29″er specific part. However; many of us 29″er freaks are using “alt bars” and I thought this would be of interest here. Brant Richards, formerly of On One and now running his own design firm under the Shed Fire name, has released images of a new off road drop bar he is calling the “Luxy Bar”. Check out the following images of the very raw prototype bar. Certainly there will be refinements and tweaks, so be aware that the final production bar may differ slightly.

As you can see, there is sweep to the extensions and they are longer than the current Midge Bar extensions. Also, the bar will initially be available in a 583mm or thereabouts. The sweep on the extension is 120 degrees from the plane of the top section. Also noteworthy is that the clamp diameter is 31.8mm and that dimension will be extended across the entire top section of the bar. No word on availability or on pricing as yet.

Santa Cruz Tallboy 29″er We’re hearing that Santa Cruz’s Rob Roskopp was quoted as saying the new Tallboy 29″er will indeed be at Interbike, the annual U.S. trade show for cycling held in the fall. He also tipped off that the frame will be under 5lbs weight in carbon fiber. Pretty impressive. We’ll be looking forward to seeing this at the fall show.

Ellsworth Carbon Fiber 29″er Tony Ellsworth of Ellsworth bikes was showing off a new 26 inch wheeled carbon fiber hardtail frame and let on that a 29 inch version would be forth coming. No word yet on what the frame details will be or where it will be made, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for this one.

All right, testing is done with the GEAX GATO 2,3 29er tires – time to clean up and write my summary.

Did the Gato meet my expectations? à Yes (and a tiny bit of NO)

Here in more detail:

1, Sizing: When being announced a 2.3″ width tire after having ridden the 2.2″ Saguaros, I was expecting a huge tire to come my way. When it turned out to be the same casing width as the formerly mentioned tire, but with a more aggressive tread, I was disappointed at first. On the other hand, when taking a closer look at my buddies´ bikes: The Gatos 58 mm width can already be near the limits in terms of tire clearance with some frames. And compared to its so called All Mountain brothers the Gato is almost exactly the same width, being only 1 mm narrower than the WeirWolf LT- so it is not too bad after all.

2, Riding: When putting the tires to the trail all these prior thoughts vanished into nothingness. The Gatos performed wonderfully in anything but the smoothest surfaces. I have had a great time with these tires. They rode very good in anything soft and /or rough conditions and remain capable in anything else. It sure excells in wet, muddy and / or slushy situations.

In technical riding, regardless of dry or wet, I would still opt for the Gato´s grip up front but would probably choose a smoother rolling tire in the rear (maybe the 29er 2.2″ Saguaro TNT?) – some of you have commented about this combination and I can confirm it should serve your needs very well.

In my opinion the Gato´s tread makes it a serious competitor to all the other large volume All Mountain tires – year round. It might not be as strictly tuned for rolling resistance as the Weirwolf or as enduro oriented as the Nevegal but fullfills everything in between with excellence – and reaches far into the territory of the above mentioned tires. I stick to my sentence in a earlier posting:

“Watch out for the New Kid in Town”

These above mentioned characteristics may vary to some extent in the various versions the tire will be available (folding, TNT, UST), you can choose the casing to your liking and your preferred riding.

3, Verdict: In the tested TNT version the Gato really shone as a weapon of choce for anything technical or All Mountain oriented. If additionally you are looking for excellent tubeless performance and very good traction on a large volume tire and/or don´t want to buy new (wider) rims you should have a closer look at the 2,3 GatoTNTs. Due to my extensive testing with varying tires this special ability of the Geax TNT tires – to remain stable on your rims despite its larger volume, down to ridiculously low pressures – is what really makes them something very, very unique which no competitor can rival.

I am sure there is a limit to this special quality of the TNTs – speaking of even wider tires – but in the combination of my 19 mm inside width rims and the 2.3 Gatos it has not been reached.

I haven´t had the chance to swap to 28 mm Flows or even the 35 mm Salsa Gordos at the time of testing so I can only imagine what it will do to the tire.

Ride on and hope the wait won´t be to long until the official release date – meanwhile you can try Geax´s TNT Saguaros if you like!!.

As the sun is setting on this last test ride – I am convinced the Gato has not even seen its dawn

First of all, the cyclists worst enemy is a flat tire. Nothing ruins a rides flow like a flat tire. Tubeless tires can puncture, rip, and leak, of course- so does a tubeless tire help in regards to the flat tire problem? Is it worth setting up your tires tubeless for this reason?

The short answer? Yes! Tubeless tires, while vulnerable to flatting, are far less likely to flat, and if you use sealant in them, they are even less likely to lose all the air in your tires. Here is why: A tube in a conventional tire is not part of the tire casing, obviously. Because of this, the tire casing can pinch the tube between it and your rim edge, or “bead”. This can happen when you strike an object hard enough that the force applied overcomes the pressure in the tube to withstand that force, allowing the tire carcass to pinch the tube against the rim. This is commonly referred to as a “snake bite” due to the usual pattern of two punctures on each rim bead directly across from each other which reminded someone of a snake’s bite, thus the name.

Geax Saguaro TNT tires: Tires that can be tubeless or tubed!

A tubeless tire has no tube, so nothing to pinch against the rim means no pinch flats……usually! One still can pinch the sidewall against the rim beads, but this is very unusual.

But what about punctures? Well, this is where sealant comes in. Sealant- some substance that seals punctures and seals up non-UST tire carcasses so they can be air tight, is a product that comes in many forms. Usually some form of latex sealant is most popular, however glycol based sealants are also somewhat popular for cycling. At any rate, the sealant seals up punctures, small tears, and holes….sometimes…and allows you to finish out the ride.

So, sealant combined with a tubeless tire greatly reduces the chances for flat tires. This is perhaps the single most popular reason for average mountain bikers to run tubeless tires, but there are other benefits.

Tubeless tires, since they do not pinch flat very easily, can be run at slightly lower pressures, enhancing traction. Also, since there is no tube to cause rolling resistance, this makes lower pressures even more attractive. A tubeless tire run at a slightly lower pressure than a tubed tire can get better grip, ride smoother, and have similar or less rolling resistance than the tubed tire. Reduce the pressure on the tubed tire to match and generally you will increase the likely hood of a pinch flat and greatly increase the rolling resistance.

Weight was an early reasoning for going tubeless, but this is not necessarily the number one priority of off road cyclists. Tubed tires, if the tire is a very lightweight folding type, can weigh less by far than a similar model that is tubeless. The extra butyl rubber necessary to make the casing air tight is the culprit. Now days though, there are a vast number of cyclists who convert standard tires to tubeless use by way of sealant. This has met with varying degrees of success and should be approached with caution. We’ll cover a few of the techniques used to do this in a later post. At any rate, tubed tire to tubeless tire weights are very similar these days, especially with conversions to tubeless type set ups.

To recap- Tubeless tires are a great way to avoid flat tires, get better performance characteristics, and may save some weight over a standard tube and tire set up. Now that you know why, we’ll delve in to the “how” of tubeless tires next time. Stay tuned!

Carbon fiber comes to Cannondale 29″ers: We’ve been reporting this for a couple weeks now, but here are the details as we know them. First, the spec sheet I have seen is saying that the Flash carbon 29″ers are “Hi-MOD”, which one would asume means that it is “high modulus” carbon fiber. The story is being told now that this isn’t the case, and that “standard modulus” carbon fiber is going to be used in these frames to keep the cost down. (Reportedly between $2500-$3000 for the Flash 29er 1) At any rate, even with the confusion there, the rest of the spec is exciting. The fork is a Lefty Carbon SL with DLR set at 80mm. The stem/steer tube is Cannondale’s SI (System Integrated) set up. The frame is also a BB-30 frame with FSA K-Force Light crank and BB-30 bottom bracket. The drive train consists of SRAM X-0 rear derailluer and shifters with a Shimano XT front mech all working to turn the DT Swiss 240 rear/Lefty SL front hubs laced to Stan’s NoTubes ZTR Arch rims with DT Swiss Aerospeed spokes.

The frame itself is very interesting with flattened chain stay sections mated with minimalistic looking seat stays, presumably to give better vertical compliance. The junction of the top tube to the seat tube is also curiously tapered. The seat post is a Cannondale branded piece that is reportedly using S.A.V.E. technology gained from working with the Synapse line on the road side. Note the flattened, thinner section at mid-post. This is again in an effort to provide more rider comfort. Avid Elixir CR Carbon brakes with a 180frt/160r rotor set up, Fizik Gobi XM with Kium rails, and TruVativ Stylo World Cup 10 degree bar round out the spec highlights here.

The Flash 29er 2 carries on with the same frame and BB-30 compatible bottom bracket. The fork is a Carbon Lefty with DLR and 80mm travel. Wheels go to DT Swiss for the X470 rims and 340 rear hub laced with DT Swiss Competition spokes. The drive train is a mash up of SRAM and Shimano gear with a X-9 rear derailleur, X-7 shifters, and a SLX front mech. Brakes go to Avid’s Elixir R models with the 180/160 rotor set up. Although the image shows differently, the spec sheet says this model gets a Thomson Elite post with a Fizik Gobi XM with MG rails.

Interestingly, the two carbon models come with Crank Brothers pedals. The graphics on these two models may be different as well, since the spec sheet and images do not agree with each other. Don’t be surprised to see color matched anodized bits on the forks, or elsewhere on the bike, since we have seen this on several of Cannondale’s other 2010 models. Also, I have been informed that these bikes won’t see the light of day until sometime late fall/early winter. Unfortunately, these most likely will not be at any of the Interbike Outdoor Demos.

Hydro-formed Aluminum Models: Cannondale seems to have benefited from the recent company changes in that now we are seeing hydro-forming as a frame building technique from them. The upper range of Cannondale’s 29″er line is benefiting from this and here we have an image of a 29″er 1 in the ball burnished finish it will come in. (Graphics are similar to what will be shown here on the 29″er 5 and 29er 4 models) Again we see the flattened chain stay/minimalistic seat stay arrangement that the carbon Flash models have. The top and down tubes are highly formed pieces on this frame and should really stiffen up the front triangle. The frame is also a BB-30 compatible one, as well.

The spec looks like this: Lefty Carbon with DLR at 80mm, Stan’s ZTR Arch rims laced to a Shimano H-M529 hub (the new 29″er specific hub) in the rear and a Lefty SL in the front. The rear cassette will also be the “29″er specific” 12-36 cassette that was reported on earlier this spring. Shifting duties will be handled Shimano’s XT shifters and rear derailleur with a SLX front mech. The brakes are also XT with the 180/160mm rotor set up. Seat post is the Thomson Elite and the handle bar is the TruVativ World Cup 10 degree model. Finally, the crank set is a FSA Afterburner with a carbon spider mated to a FSA BB-30 bottom bracket.

Okay, it needs to be noted that several things are wrong with this image. First off, the frame will be a “Jungle Green” which is a matte finished “green olive” colored looking deal with the white graphics much like the 29er 5 has. Also noteworthy is that the bike here is shown with ZTR Arch rims which will not be on this model. Okay? I hope you all got that. Moving along now………….

Otherwise the frame is a carry over from the 29er 1 with the BB-30 bottom bracket and hydro-formed, double butted 6061 alloy frame tubes. The fork is a Lefty DLR at 80mm travel. Rims will be the DT Swiss X470 with hubs the same as the 29er 1 and that mated to the same Shimano 12-36T cassette as the 29er 1. Shifting is all SRAM X-7 with Avid Elixir 5 brakes, 180/160 rotors, and the FSA V-Drive BB-30 cranks will be on this rig as well. Interesting again to note that the 29er 1 and 2 models are listed as coming with Crank Brothers candy pedals.

The 29er 3 will not be black, as shown here, but white with red graphics, again much like the 29er 5 coming up here. The images I have seen seem to indicate some white matching upper triple clamps and upper shock body on the Lefty fork, as well. That said, the frame remains the same hydro-formed model as the previous two in the range above it, but the cranks are standard Shimano issue, indicating that the insert must be used to adapt to European standard bottom bracket types. This bike goes with a lot more Cannondale branding and X-7/X-5 parts with Avid Juicy 3 brakes.

Okay, this one is spot on in the graphics/colors department! The 29er 4 model is also a different frame, looking much like its hydro-formed counterparts, but the specs say it is “mechanically formed”, double butted 6061 alloy. No BB-30 here either. However; there are several other interesting things to note on the 29er 4.

First, we have the appearance of the successor to the M-29 fork from RST. This new model, dubbed the “Deuce 29″, is RST’s 80mm travel fork for big wheels that is reportedly air sprung and has a cartridge damper, much like the M-29 before it. Gone are the old cantilever post mounts in favor of a cleaner looking disc only set up. This model gets the Deore drive train set up with Shimano hubs and the 12-36T cassette carries over from the upper aluminum models. Finally, the brakes are hydraulic, but are Tektro Auriga models with 160mm rotors at both ends.

Finally we have the 29er 5 with correct color and graphics package. Again, most of the aluminum line up has similar looking graphics. This is obviously the single speed model, but it is a radical departure from what Cannondale has offered single speeders the last two years. Gone is the Lefty and in its place we have an aluminum fork that closely resembles some carbon fiber models that are popular now. The fork has post mounts for the disc brake and is only described on the spec sheet as “Rigid Aluminum Post Mount”. Brakes are listed as Avid BB5 models (as are the brake levers??) and the hubs are Formula models laced to Maddux DC3.0 rims. Gearing will be 33T on the Truvativ IsoFlow crank and a Formula 20T on the rear.

That’s a wrap on your sneak peek at Cannondale’s 2010 range. More correct images will come later. Stay tuned.

The Ridgeline still has me awed by a few things. First off, the weight, which I don’t think I’d ever quite get over, is approaching road bike lightness. This isn’t reflected in an overly flexy, uncontrollable ride though. Quite the opposite. It actually has a very composed, stable feel on downhills and the bike does technical, “pick your way through”, and slow speed maneuverings without getting that wiggle that spells disaster. I really enjoyed descending on this bike even though it was a lightweight. It didn’t “ping” off stuff, and rode downhill a lot like a heavier rig. Of course, the climbs were very nice. Yes, you notice the lack of heft in the chassis, and don’t let anyone tell you to “just lose a few pounds” and live with your current steed. While losing body weight does indeed make a difference, so does a lighter bike.

The ride quality is very nice as well. I suppose I should mention the Lynskey titanium seat post here. The combination of the seat post extension and titanium frame was really nice. Trail chatter was definitely muted. Now it isn’t a soft tail feel, nor suspension by any measure, but I would liken it to the carbon stays of Salsa Cycles Mamasita/Selma frames, as a reference point. Of course, the test rig I rode had a White Brothers Rock Solid fork, but with a plush Reba up front, I think this may approach perfection in hard tail ride quality. That would be something I would definitely try if this were my own rig.

Of course, the mere fact that this is titanium is the icing on the cake. It won’t rust, and if it were to get scratched, I could refinish it myself to look practically new. Nice! Now if gray is too depressing, you could get it painted, but the silvery gray color was pleasant enough for me. Would I keep it for my lifetime? That’s always one of the benefits touted when titanium comes up in conversations. Hmm…….maybe. It is that smooth and the handling is pretty decent as it sits with this fork. A longer offset fork like the 46mm ones now being proffered? (Note: The Rock Solid is listed on White Brothers site as having a 42mm offset) I don’t know if I could do that for a lifetime, but I would give it a shot!

There were some things I had issue with on the Ridgeline. First of all, the flex in the frame’s bottom bracket area precluded me from using anything wider than a 2.2 inch tire. I could get bigger rubber to rub the chain stays. For me that would be a down side. I am a bigger guy though, and some have said I have a pretty powerful pedal stroke, (Not my words), so take that with a grain of salt. Still, there is a bit of flex that some folks might find objectionable, especially if you crave fat rubber on your single speed. If you don’t need such fat tires, and/or are not such a masher, this likely will not be an issue with the Ridgeline. Secondly, the drive train was subject to popping on extreme power strokes up steeps. Every time it happened, I would find the chain slack. The chain line was spot on, the tensioners were locked down, and I never could ferret out just what it was that was happening. I’ve never experienced this with sliders on any other single speed. (Many of them with designs identical to the Ridgeline’s sliders) My only guess is that it was chain related. The Ridgeline as sent to me was set up with a 9 speed SRAM chain. If this were my rig, I would swap out to my typical 8 speed chain set up, or a 1 1/8th chain set up. Lighter riders might not ever see this happen, but if you are like me, I would definitely think about using a heavier chain.

Conclusions: The Lynskey Ridgeline is a “budget” titanium frame with exceptionally worked over, shaped tubes, fine welding quality, and a great ride. Calling it “budget” is really a misnomer. I would say more like a “custom production bike”. Of course, you can get a custom steel frame for this price, and that is a consideration here, especially if titanium’s non-rusting, easy care finish holds no sway over you. That said, the ride feel of titanium is different than any steel rig I’ve thrown a leg over. That would be a tough question to answer: custom steel or “custom production” titanium. That said, the Ridgeline is a high performance raceable bike that can be geared or set up single speed and will likely be under the weight of any steel frame out there. Considering these facts, The Ridgeline looks hard to beat, if the geometry suits you. If you are a bigger, more powerful rider, you may experience some unwanted frame flex in the bottom bracket, so beware. Otherwise, the Lynskey Ridgeline is an impressive titanium 29″er on many fronts.

Thanks to Lynskey Performance for supplying the Ridgeline for this review. Check out there website for more: http://www.lynskeyperformance.com/a/

Twenty Nine Inches is starting a new series concerning tubeless tires, sealants, rims, and what you need to know to get your mountain bike set up with tubeless tires. We’ll discuss the “why” of tubeless mountain bike tires. We will also get into the different systems, sealants, and tires being used sucessfully- or not- out in the field.

While all our examples will be using 29 inch wheels, you can use this same knowledge for other wheels as well. So, stay tuned for more “Going Tubeless: What You Need To Know” posts coming soon. After the series is complete, we will compile all the posts in one so that researching things we will be bringing your way will be easier.

Cannondale 2010 Models: We reported earlier that Cannondale will have two models of carbon fiber hardtail 29″ers coming out for 2010. Dubbed the “Flash 1″ and “Flash 2″ these are reported to be the lightest 29″er hardtails ever. Expect big price tags as well. We hear that the 26″er version is $8800.00. Alongside these models will be the aluminum hardtails. I have seen a sneak peek of these and here is what I can relate from the viewing I got.

There will be five aluminum models. The “29er 5″ will be red and single speed. It features a rigid carbon “White Brothers-esque” fork, Avid mechanical brakes, and Kenda Smallblock 8 rubber. The “29er 4″ model is geared, features a standard fork with big decals that say “Duece” (Perhaps the new RST model?), Deore trigger shifters, and hydraulic brakes in white. This model is flat black. The next model……you guessed it…….. the “29er 3″, is white with red graphics, has SRAM trigger shifters, Avid Juicy brakes in white, and a Lefty fork done up in white to match. This model also gets TruVativ Stylo handle bars. The “29er 2″ is a moss green color, has SRAM X-9 looking drivetrain components, white brakes again, TruVativ bars, and a Lefty with lock out. All the aforementioned models have Smallblock 8 rubber. The next and highest model in the aluminum range is of course, the “29er 1″ and is raw aluminum looking with what appears to be an XT kit, including brakes. The big news here is the wheels which appear to be Stan’s ZTR Arches shod with Racing Ralph rubber.

All aluminum models seem to share a brand new frame design with heavily manipulated tubing. (Hydro formed?) and even the seat stays are flattened with the intention of giving a more comfortable ride. These are all emblazoned with “Flash” decals which would lead us to believe that the carbon models will also feature these flattened stays. The graphics are similar to last years models with some minor changes.

More on these models as we get the info. We’re also hearing that Cannondale is going to make 1 1/8th steerer versions of its unique Lefty fork. No word on any aftermarket sales.

Update: I have now seen an image of the Flash Carbon 29er 1. It will be a SRAM X-0 bike outfitted with Avid Elixir CR carbon brakes, a Lefty Carbon at 80mm travel, Lefty SL front hub with a DT Swiss 240 rear hub laced to Stan’s ZTR Arch 29″er rims shod with Racing Ralph rubber. It is black, but I couldn’t tell if it was a nude carbon finish or not. (The spec says “Race Red”??) The graphics are different and more in line with Cannondale’s other 26″er hardtails. No price has been determined for the Flash 29er 1 as of yet. Also, I am told that the 1 1/8th Lefty is actually an aftermarket adapter kit and that the Lefty will not appear on Cannondale’s rigs with the smaller sized steerer.

Easton Wheel News: Twenty Nine Inches learned today that Easton will be releasing all new mountain wheels which will be UST standard compatible. This includes at least one 29′er model in the range, (dubbed “Haven”), and it is likely all models will be UST type. This is a trend which I personally have been advocating for pre-built wheels. Hopefully we will bring you more news about these wheels soon.

FRM Rims: Our European contributor, chris_geotech filled us in on some goings on over in Europe regarding 29″ers. One of the new developments is a FRM rim that is tubeless compatible. It looks as if a test will be in the works and Twenty Nine Inches will hopefully be able to bring you the results. “chris_geotech” also tells us that work on Geax’s tubular 29″er rubber is still progressing and that something may pop up in late summer as a prototype. Stay tuned for more on these European stories which we hope to bring to you.

Superfly 100 Meets With JHK’s Approval: In a bit of racing news, we have learned that Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who recently won the Winter Park Series XC event last weekend, was quite pleased with the performance of the new Superfly 100, which will likely see duty in an upcoming event. That will likely be the National Marathon Championships next weekend. (Firecracker 50). News is that it will get an upgrade to SRAM’s new XX group, so if you are around next weekend, keep your eyes peeled for this rig and JHK.

Oh……did I say “no images”? Well, I have to throw in this one of super-wrench Matt Opperman. Known as “MattO” , JHK and the rest of the Subaru/Gary Fisher Team rely on his skills to attain their peak performances week in and week out. As a mechanic myself, I have to give a fellow “wrench” some props!

That’s it for this edition of 2010 news. Stay tuned for more as Twenty Nine Inches gets it.

As the name of these wheels suggests, these are cross country 29 inch wheels and were tested as such. The terrain consisted of trails ranging from buff single track to rougher, root and rock strewn trails with plenty of climbing and down hills along the way. The rim width is definitely cross country specific and the overall build of these wheels suggests that they could easily become a race wheel set for those inclined to rage on one gear.

So, just how do they stack up? Well, weight-wise, these wheels are right in the ball park as we measured them early on in this review period. They are not crazy light, but they are not anchors either. Over the entire testing period, which included time spent on these wheels by our former reviewer, Captain Bob and I, these wheels have always exhibited the best, smoothest rolling bearings I have experienced in a long time. That is something that I saw as a benefit when single speeding since I could carry momentum that much further than some of my other single speed wheels. This wheel set coasts like crazy!

Now with 24 spokes in each hoop, I have to admit, I anticipated problems at some point along the way. Captain Bob and I both go over 200lbs, and with such a low spoke count, I was at least expecting to see the wheels come out of true, or worse. I am surprised that never happened. The rims are as straight and true as the day I unboxed them last fall. The other thing related to the low spoke count is lateral rigidity. I fully expected flex to be an issue when using these wheels. Well, this has always been a bit hard to explain sufficiently, but flex in these wheels was almost a benefit of riding them.

Many times I have hit a corner hard to only have a wheel sort of “snap”, or wobble in the apex of the corner. Rim/spoke deflection often is random, and will shake a riders confidence, causing the rider to ease back a bit, or a lot, depending how bad it is. Well, both Captain Bob and I agree that the Easton XC One single speed wheels flex, but in a controlled, fully predictable way that allows you to be comfortable with the flex. It makes the wheels seem less harsh, and smooths out the ride of a hard tail. This flex is a lateral flex, and does not seem to affect climbing or braking at all. How Easton wheel builders/designers figured this out is a mystery to me, but there is no doubt it is there. Flex that is good? Maybe. I liked it, Captain Bob liked it, maybe you will too.

What isn’t so good? Well, the flex! Some riders are just not going to feel comfortable with the springy, alive feeling the Easton XC One wheels exhibit. It just isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. That said, the only other things I see here are either personal nit picks, or things that we couldn’t ferret out during the testing period. One is the straight pull spokes. If one was to break a spoke, it may be an issue to get a replacement in some cases. Secondly, these are not tubeless ready out of the box. (I’ll keep banging on that until wheel manufacturers get that sorted. I feel it should be a standard benefit of pre-built wheels.) Finally, Captain Bob, in his final report on these wheels, made mention of a free wheel noise. A “pop”, or crack he heard at times. I never was able to hear this. After Captain Bob’s time on them, all my rides were flawless. So if there was, or wasn’t an issue with the free hub, we can not say. My feeling is that it was something unrelated to the wheels.

Conclusions: Here is an excellent choice for a racing single speed wheel set for the person who appreciates a wheel that is “springy” and comfortable to ride with bearings that seem to spin forever. Could you train on them? I think so, yes. They are not tubeless ready, so a Stan’s strip is in order here. From the single speeders perspective, the free hub engagement is acceptable, the noise is average, and the cog alignment is good with the short cassette body. Bigger, heavier, more powerful riders may want to look elsewhere for stiffness, but the XC One single speed wheel is up to the task.

First up we have the sneak peek of Santa Cruz’s new 29″er model dubbed the “Tall Boy”. Using the VPP suspension design, this model will reportedly have 105mm of rear travel, (4.13 inches), that pivots on the newer angular contact bearings with grease fittings for future maintenance. Formed from carbon fiber, this rig is said to have a target weight of “really light” and will be offered in the orange seen here and possibly one other color. (Note, the aluminum rig shown behind the orange bike is a test mule prototype) No word on whether an aluminum version will be offered, or what the retail price might be. This picture is courtesy of Santa Cruz’s blog, where you can see more images of this new model.

Next up we have a photo of Tomac Bikes new entry into 29″ers dubbed the “Flint 29″. Not much is known about this new offering, but it is interesting to note the eccentric bottom bracket. No word on whether this feature will make it to final production. We hear this will be a 2010 introduction, so more info should be coming soon. You can see this image and read some inner-web banter about it on this thread on mtbr.com.

Finally, we have this image sent in by a reader of Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski’s Superfly 100 which he rode to victory in a recent Winter Park, Colorado cross country event. The Superfly 100 is Fisher Bikes new carbon fiber full suspension 29″er for 2010. Note the SRAM components in the anodized colors from SRAM’s “Select Program”. JHK has been running 2X9 setups for some time now. Note the direct mount front derailluer. If you look behind JHK’s rig, you can see Heather Irminger’s Superfly hardtail.

That’s it for now, but look for more “leaks” and news as the summer progresses.

I’ll try not to cover the same ground as the others who have written their thoughts on this black aluminum beauty. I will say a few words about the frame and the way I felt it rode and handled. First off, if you are thinking the typical “aluminum is harsh” thing, the diSSent isn’t that at all. I would put it on par with the stiffer steel frames I have ridden. Sure, it will buck at you and send a sharp shiver up your spine if you are not careful, but it is a hard tail after all. Don’t expect “plush” to be part of the adjective pool here in this review! It just rides nicely, with a great response to pedal input, and not at all flexy. The front triangle is well dialed. Almost to a fault. It is stiff to the point that unless you have a forgiving combination of bar, fork, and tire, you may want to seriously consider a suspension fork. The diSSent’s gusseted front end doesn’t give much, but I feel that is a great attribute of this frame.

Because you have such rigidity in the front triangle, the diSSent goes where you point it. Leveraging the bars doesn’t get lost in a twist of the three front frame tubes, it goes to the rear tire, just like it should on a great single speed. Those two attributes are good in a single speed 29″er, and the diSSent has not disappointed me in this area.

The single speed specific nature of the frame design is a good thing as well. You can set it up as a geared rig, but only with full run housings. I like the commitment to a single speed only look though. The only nit I have with the frame is that the range that the sliders can move doesn’t quite accommodate a two tooth swing in rear cogs. It comes up just shy, and a bit of extra travel room for the sliders would be welcomed. Of course, a half link solves all the issues, so that is an easy solution.

The fork offered for the diSSent is outstanding, and I was quite surprised by the performance of this lightweight aluminum piece. It had excellent ride qualities, not unlike the better carbon forks I have ridden. No lateral flex to bother mentioning, and steering precision was top notch. Again though, you should consider a big, fat tire as an ally in warding off bigger trail hits with the diSSent. The fork is good, but not that good! I think it matched up very nicely with the diSSent frame in terms of handling and geometry. The combination being quite easy to get to turn, and it wasn’t at all nervous in rougher terrain.

In Conclusion: The Misfit diSSent is a great package for just about any single speed build. It can definitely be raced, be a trail rig, or even an urban commuter. It is decently priced, and doesn’t have any glaring faults. Yes, it is aluminum, but that shouldn’t scare off anyone, as the diSSent rides quite nicely, not unlike a high quality, stiff steel rig. I recommend it and I feel it is a great value in a frame and fork.