The Kodiak represents an effort of several years by various folks to bring a tire to market that is aggressive and can hold up to abusive situations well. Meant for all mountain/free ride applications, the Kodiak features big, well supported knobs on a burly casing.

Look for a first impressions post and all the pertinent specs and measurements coming soon!

Note:This product was provided to Twenty Nine Inches at no charge for reviewing. I am not being paid or bribed for this review. I will give my honest opinion or thoughts through out.

Image from the post on Mountain Bike Review by Jeff Steber.

Based upon Intense’s 951 model, this prototype has been dubbed the “2951″. No more information about the bike or how it might ride is available at this time, but we’re keeping an eye on this one.

The bar was on my Salsa Cycles Big Mama for the entire testing period. I used it mostly for single track rides in varying conditions. Handle bars are one of those components that are personal, and when you find a bar that works, it doesn’t really need much attention afterward if it is doing the job of steering your bike and letting you ride how you want to. Such was the case with the Carnegie’s Bar. For my intentions and preferences, this handle bar is top of the heap.

The Carnegie’s Bar is stiff. You won’t find it to be compliant, and with aggressive riding, you really don’t want that in a handle bar anyway. The Carnegie’s points your front wheel where ever you want with authority, and without a hint of flex. This also comes in rather handy when things get hot and heavy in technical situations. The Carnegie’s delivers control here as well. The sweep is just right for my arms, wrists, and hands. Not too much sweep that it interferes with turning or control, and not too little that it is just trying to mimic a traditional riser. Speaking of riser bars, the Carnegie’s has a bit of rise, which I found to be okay with my set up. If that amount gets in the way on a 29″er, usually you have the option of swapping out a couple of spacers, or you could run the Carnegie’s upside down.

So, what’s not to like? Well, I had enough room to get my controls right…….but just that. Maybe some “wiggle room” by allowing a bit of cuttable extra width might be nice in the future, but the Carnegie’s should be wide enough for most folks. Perhaps an optional silver anodized hue? But really, if you want “alt bar” and big hit control, it doesn’t get much better than this. In fact, as far as I am concerned- it doesn’t. Other “alt bars” are just not up to the task.

Conclusions: Bottom line: If you want more sweep in a trail worthy bar, you really don’t have many choices. The Carnegie’s Bar delivers with toughness, good looks, and a great design that functions well for aggressive riding. It might be a tad narrow if you like really wide bars, but otherwise the Carnegie’s Bar should be on your radar. Bonus: I am hearing a version with an upside down logo and something in a “black” alternative to aluminum is on the horizon for the Carnegie’s Bar. Stay tuned………….

The Conti Race Kings with CaffeLatex saw the most usage since the final review on CaffeLatex in the most varied of situations.

I probably got the best all around conditions for testing this sealant from the Continental Race King set up I used since mid-summer. This wheel set saw single track, pavement, and gravel use over hundreds of miles of all three types of surfaces mentioned. It also bears mentioning that I was using a Stan’s Flow rim with yellow tape and Stan’s valves in this set up, which is arguably going to be representative of the most common set up 29″er riders would use CaffeLatex in. Since this is the case, I am basing my long term research comments on this example, although I do have other CaffeLatex set ups in my stable.

Long Term Performance: Several things about CaffeLatex still hold true from my original commentary. It sealed up punctures well, held air pressure reasonably well, and otherwise was “invisible” from the standpoint of riding. The only sign of CaffeLatex present being the occasional bubbling at the valve stem during pressure checking of the tires. I never experienced any burping, or major tears, punctures, or other calamities, so I can not speak for such occurances. I can only say that I rode the Continentals hard on all surfaces and did have a few crashes, tires bottoming out on the rims, and ran them through glass on the road without any concerns at all.

The longevity of the sealant is where I feel CaffeLatex doesn’t perform any better than current competition in the sealant market. I checked the Continentals recently after seeing some leak down in the rear tire over a period of a few days, which had not been typical before. I peeled off the tires to find that the sealant had in fact all dried up. Only a dried, brownish covering of residual CaffeLatex was found on all the surfaces inside the tire/rim well. My best guess is that somewhere between three to four months is what I got out of the sealant for lifespan. This compares to my Stan’s experimentation pretty evenly in terms of how long it takes for the sealant to dry up. CaffeLatex was boasting of a longer service life, but in my experience with a well used wheel set, this doesn’t seem to be the case. I will say that other, lesser used wheels do still exhibit evidence of CaffeLatex being present, (audible when shaking wheel, puffs of bubbles at the valve stem when opened), but I think my main test wheel set is going to be a more representative example of lifespan for the product.

Conclusions: I still feel that CaffeLatex is a superior sealant in terms of installation, and use over the lifetime of the sealant, but I will modify my overall impressions of the product in terms of the length of usable life of the product. In this light, it is no better or worse than anything else I have tried that is commercially available. However; the sealant is a synthetic latex, with no ammonia, installs into tubes and tubeless tires easily, and does seal minor punctures with ease. Due to these attributes, I will still give it my recommendo, but with the caveat that you will be well advised to check on the status of CaffeLatex every couple of months. In the sealant market, CaffeLatex is a great choice amongst some other great choices. If the life span claims would have panned out, it could have rated the best, but that accolade is reserved for the time being.

29″er custom bike sales don’t figure in to the totals at all.

Now, a company that specializes in “specialty retail market intelligence, consumer research, and relationship marketing solutions” called Leisure Trends Group has been tracking sales in the supply channel of bicycles to the retail outlets. This information is available now, not only to retailers, but has been reported in BRAIN in it’s latest issue. BRAIN writes, “One question on everyone’s mind at Interbike was how the 29-inch mountain segment is performing at retail.” That is something a lot of the riders of big wheelers have wondered as well.

Why does that matter? Well, to some it signifies whether or not certain advancements in 29″ers are justified or not. Things like long travel 29″ers, UST tire selection, and more suspension fork choices. The theory is that if the numbers show a big chunk of mountain bike sales are big wheels, then the companies that are into making parts for 29″ers and the companies that are into making complete 29″ers should “up the ante” and give the riders what they are demanding.

So, what do the numbers from this companies research show? Apparently, a panel of 232 U.S. retailers were monitored and the findings were that of all mountain bike sales in the specialty retailer segment, 4% of those units were 29″ers. That’s right folks. 4%. Now, that’s for every mountain bike from the lowest price point to the highest. Of course, we all know that finding a 29″er under a grand is not all that common, so let’s take another look. If we chop off the lower end, below $800.00, the numbers are looking like this: 19% of the market is 29″ers and in this range, if we take only front suspended hard tails, 29″ers are 47% of that pie.

So what? Well, this doesn’t tell us 29″er freaks anything we really already didn’t know. For one thing, viable, readily available “big brand” full suspension bikes in wagon wheeler format are still pretty new. (Fisher FS 29″ers not withstanding) Speaking of Fisher, their own numbers indicate that the 29″er format really didn’t pick up a ton of steam for them until 2007, only two years ago. So it shouldn’t be a shock as to why certain segments are not showing up yet in this one particular companies survey.

Then there is the survey itself, which consisted of what is reported as “232 U.S. retailers”. The National Bicycle Dealers Association reports that there are approximately “4300 specialty retailers selling bicycles” One has to wonder then if the 232 retailers sampled are a representative field of retailers that even sell 29″ers. Obviously the chance for the sales figures of 29″ers to “slip through the cracks” of this survey are rather high.

The manufacturers seem to have a different idea on the numbers. While out at the Interbike Outdooor Demo, it was easy to see that several companies had invested thousands of dollars of research and development into bringing some pretty impressive 29 inch wheeled product to market. Hardly a move one would suspect if the numbers of 29″ers sold are as meager as the survey suggests they are. Especially in the full suspension market. My guess is that this first glimpse into what the numbers of 29″er sales are is just a vague, foggy one.

Finally, I would suggest that if what I am observing has any veracity, then I would say that there is nothing much to this survey. My feeling looking around is that the future of 29″ers looks pretty bright, no matter what the number crunching wonks may say.

New kid on the block – the Velocity´s P35 rims:

While I am still busy testing the FRM 29er rims for their long term durability (with the Rohloff rear hub) I was blessed with a another set of the newly released rims: the Velocity P35s. These ultra wide rims from the Land Down Under have been announced only in late August and I was lucky enough to have them in my hands as early as Eurobike.

I was always very interested in seeing how a ultra wide rim would change a tire´s footprint and riding characteristics. I have read so much about how they transform ones ride and it has long been on my personal wish list for testing. With the Velocity P35 rims I had the first chance to see for myself and I was excited about it.

Now, is there another kid asking to take the Salsa Gordo´s monopoly by storm? Does it really have the potential? We will see …

This is what Velocity had to say in their press release:

“The P35 is designed for the cross country/all mountain rider craving a laterally stiff yet weight conscious rim that is still tough enough for the occasional Super – D race. At 35mm wide the P35 gives you one of the fattest footprints available which will float over the rough stuff and give you more bite and greater tread use through the turns. All of this and still weighing in at less than 600 grams in the 29er size! The P35 is 22mm deep with an inside width of 29.5mm which will accommodate a wide array of tire widths to cater to your riding preferences. In addition the P35 was designed to easily accommodate a tubeless application.

Weight: 29”: 595g, 650b: 570g, 26”: 535g”

One of the very obvious things about the P35 is color. Before Velocity sent the P-35s, my rims were always black or silver, or shades in between but never in bright colors (Oh yes, I forgot those uncanny “lemon” Mavic 217s I had an eternity ago). Anyway, holding these rims (I should say gems) in my hands I felt like a child all over again. Needless to say I have received the “antifreeze green” ones. It is a strange depth and lustre in the color (forgive me for not finding a better word) that feels like it were sugar glazed – pictures just can´t capture the sensation well. Sure enough my little boy (his favorite color is green), upon seeing the rims, he immediately approached me asking: “Daddy, when I am grown up will you give these rims to me?” My wife´s response was different: “But you´re not going to ride these things, are you?” – So you see, colors like these can make a statement and these rims do – especially the green or red ones. Love them or leave them.

But rest assured, the P35 is also available in black and the ultra hip white.

Purpose: “Man, why are you riding DH rims on your rigid?” was another comment I had to face riding the rims. With an outside width of 35 mm (what was the rim´s name again?) and an inner width of 29.5 mm it sure can be mistaken for a DH rim. It can easily take any size tire you throw at it.

2.3? – give me a break!

2.5? – You got nothing better? Keep it coming!

2.7? – Well, not yet but there is hope.

Given the dimensions of the rim I am in no way hesitant to rough it on them or even do occasional drops and enduro riding but judging by the weight I wouldn´t use it as my primary rim for DH usage on a continuous basis. Since I neither am very fond of bike parks, nor do I own a 4 inch suspension bike I see little change for me to push the P35s beyond their capacity.

The rims´design close up: I have mentioned how they are huge – even more so in such a flashy color. By design the cross section of the rim has a soft transition between the central groove and the wide and level shoulders. The rim, just like any other tubeless ready rim, is conventionally drilled so it will need some kind of sealing action before it can be used tubeless. The valves are drilled to 5.5 mm so only presta valves will fit unless you drill them open yourself. But then again most tubeless valves are presta. The spokes are without eyelets. I personally like the thought of eyelets distributing spoke tension to a larger area but many rims do without them and do so well. Time will tell …

The very early production samples I received had some sharp edges in some drill holes and even a few aluminum shavings floating in the inside (could hear them occasionally when building up the wheels) – but knowing Velocity , I am sure this will not be an issue when production is at full pace.

Wheel building: The build of the wheels went straight forward. The rims made a straight wheel from the start. Strangely the spoke holes are more or less in line (much different from the strong zig-zagging in the BLUNTs) – probably a tribute to concentrate forces in the rim´s pinnacle. Oh yes, weights were close to the release info: 504 g in 26 and 598 g for the 29er (sorry no 650b samples).

The build was no hassle at all. The only downside was that I had only one 29er rim and another in 26 – so despite sacrificing a bit on the perfect geometry I took my 26er rig and converted it into a 69er. I am waiting for a 29er rear wheel to resume testing with full force but for some initial impressions this setup was adequate.

Mounting: All tires I tried (tubeless, tubeless ready and folding bead of different makes) were easily mounted by hand. This is something unusual for a rim claiming tubeless readiness, more often than not tubeless ready rims (e. g. Notubes or FRM) are designed a bit larger to make conversion of folding beads easier. Riders of tubeless ready tires on rims like the ARCH or FLOW know what I am talking about. The P35 fit much like I had experienced with my Mavic UST wheels.

When taken to higher pressures all but the loosest tires “popped” onto the shoulders audibly indicating a good rim/bead lockage. Again something very reassuring when going tubeless.

Yes, I did convert the P35 tubeless on a homemade system – don´t ask me how (or if you ask, don´t expect an answer) – but, from a reliable source I know a tubeless conversion kit specifically for the P35 offered by Velocity is in the making. So for all those awaiting a wide rim and riding it tubeless under full cover by the manufacturer – there is hope.

Riding: I have only had a couple of rides on the wheels so my experiences are still forming, nothing definite. The wheels sure feel very stable, much like you´d expect with such wide rims.

The first thing I immediately noticed was how the wide rim changes the tires´ footprint. Usually people looking into wide rims are running wide tires and appreciate the extra support. I specifically tried a 2.0 XC tire that had remarkably bad cornering characteristic on the P35s. they went on and voila – it was like riding a completely different tire. For most riding I chose 2.3 tires and was pleased with the extra cushion from the added volume and low pressures possible. I was riding the wheels with pressures down to 1.35 bars without any adverse effects to be felt. Wait for more on the riding experiences to come as the miles accumulate. While riding on particularly rocky terrain I managed to strike through to the rim a couple of times and upon after ride examination I saw that I had produced one slight bend in the side walls – nothing bad but noticeable. Interestingly I didn´t experience any burping or flats throughout the ride – one more time riding tubeless saved my day.

Early comments: So who needs a rim like the P35? Let me answer by stating who doesn´t:

1, Well, weight weenies and XC racers need not apply At around 600gm for the 29er version it surely is not the lightest – but XC racers were never interested in them anyway (Still, lets not forget the P35 weighs almost 100 g less than its equal width competitor the Salsa Gordo).

2, Die hard gravity pilots might also look for something stronger (and heavier).

But every other rider, seeking the maximum in stability, huge volume (means comfort and cushion) largest footprint (translates into better traction and control), choice of multiple colors and sizes – and all that in a respectable weight and tubeless ready package (with a specific tubeless kit around the corner); all these should take a closer look at the P35.

One thing I cannot comment on with the short time running them is how they will stand up to long use and abuse. So far they have held up without any complaints but I will keep on riding them and will pass them on to other riders to see what they have to say about the “wide combo”.

Ps: Did I say I have mixed feelings about the green color, too? But honestly, can anyone argue that they look cool in winter riding? (makes me think those warm cozy Christmas feelings … and I needed them on that particular ride)

More to come as riding continues ….

There has been some loud clamoring for bigger travel 29ers lately, and in some cases, the response has been the development of five, six, and even seven inch travel bikes, the Dissent and Kodiak tires from WTB, and wider and stronger rims like the Salsa offerings including the Gordo. At the other end is the huge following of riders who have found 29ers to be the perfect platform to enjoy a rigid approach to off road by eschewing any suspension at all besides knees, elbows, and aired down tubeless tires.

I am no luddite, so if you want to ride a big travel 29er and you can talk some builder into making one, then buy it and go ride happy. But, as with 26” bikes which seem to have settled on 5” of travel as the point of balance for that wheel size, and as frame and suspension technology has been refined to the point we have today, 5” of travel could be argued as being the ‘sweet spot’ for 26ers. Even if manufacturers are able to produce a 6” travel bike that is as light and pedals as well as last years 5” version, the issue gets to be that very few average Joe riders need 6” of travel. There are exceptions, so don’t get all innerweb vicious here. I know that some parts of the globe are rough and tumble or you just love to huck off of whatever is in your way. But most riders in most parts of the nation on most trails that are not made from boards nailed to tree stumps ending in 8’ drops are well served by a 5” travel bike in a 26” wheel. They still climb well, all things considered, they are fairly light, and they are not too costly. It works. It is a bike that you can take nearly anywhere and it will get the job done.

We found this Santa Cruz Tall Boy to be a representative example of “The Sweet Spot”.

So it is with 29ers. I have said it before and I will say it again. One of the best things about 29ers is that they do more with less, not more with more. Look at all the hardtail and rigid riders flocking to the big wheels, in fact, many are new converts who would not be caught dead on a rigid 26” bike. I would not ride a hardtail 26” bike. Go even further and take away the suspension fork and on small wheels it is a beat down of epic proportions. The big wheels make it fun again. So, if there is a sweet spot for 26ers, is there one for 29ers? I think there is.

So where is it? I am making a case that 4” is that sweet spot. Depending on the way the bike is set up or tuned, you can have a Superfly 100 or a Big Mama. That is quite a range of bike performance and feel going on there. Recently I have found myself drawn to thoughts of a 120mm fork on a 120mm rear suspension 29er. But recent rides on the Tall Boy and the Epic Marathon 29er (not quite 100mm of travel, but close), along with time on the Rumblefish and the GT Sensor 29ers on that same day, got me to thinking that I likely will not go that direction. A 4” 29er can still climb well and be decently light. The 4” Lenz Leviathan is a standout frame for its weight vs. performance. The new carbon stuff is even lighter. A 100mm fork is still a fighting weight and, with a 15mm or 20mm axle, is stiff enough for trail work.

It has been said that 29”wheels are worth 1” of travel compared to a 26er, so that would make a 4” 29er the equivalent of a 5” travel 26er. I think that is somewhat true, the exception being true drops and jumps where the diameter of the wheel cannot save you any grief. But for stoking down a trail, over and around things, the big wheel does feel very capable with 100mm of travel. If I could have one bike and it was an FS, I would point my wallet at the 4” mark. I could go to Moab with that bike and have a good time. I could race a 24hr on it. I could easily run with my buddies on their 5” 26ers.

If I rode like some of the Rocky Mountain “long travel ambassadors“, I would choose otherwise, but that is no different then making that same decision for a 26er. It does depend on where you live and what you ride and getting the right tool for the job. But in this Editor’s opinion, the tool for the average everyman 29er rider looking for full suspension is very well served by 100mm/4” of travel. And bikes in this range are getting very good indeed. If, in a few years, 29ers evolve to the point where 120mm or 5” is no more of a penalty to overall performance than 4” is now, I may re-think that a bit. Until then, there are some amazing bikes out there that will give you a great riding experience with relatively little suspension. Don’t get caught up in the more is better mindset. Sometimes more is just that…more.

Four inches of FS travel and 29” wheels; in the words of Ralph Kramden, “How sweet it is!”

grannygear

The frame was sent up with its original finish which was Superior Blue and had all the decals on it. I sent it up to Ben’s Cycle and KG Coating took it from there. I chose a color based off of Chrysler’s purple hue they use on Charger models. Realizing that there may be some variance in what Gun Kote could come up with, I have to say I am very impressed with the color here. I will say that it seems to react to lighting in a unique way. Indoors and in shade it can appear as an almost black, tending toward eggplant sort of hue, but the brighter the light, the more purple it looks.

The coating job was complicated by the fact that I had specified a panel and requested a hand cut die to be made to simulate a Salsa pepper style decal. This caused extra time and delay, as KG Coatings is geared up for simpler bicycle frame jobs. However; this was just as much a test for them and Ben’s Cycle as it was going to be for Twenty Nine Inches, so time wasn’t too much of a concern at this point. Typically a one color job would take around three to four weeks. This one took quite a bit longer than that due to the complexity of this job and my having to approve certain aspects of it along the way. Again, it bears mentioning that if you are interested in pursuing a coating job, get in touch with Ben’s Cycle and let them know your desires.

Taking a close look it was easy to see that the entire frame got coated evenly. Even in the nooks and crannies of this frame which has some complicated places to cover. No such things as runs, orange peeling, or other anomalies associated with wet paint, and no areas that were faded, or covered too little as sometimes is the case with powder coating. Nice! The hue was consistent all over the frame, and only flaws associated with the metal were showing up. Even small scratches and tooling marks were visible in places! Not the fault of Gun Kote, it just doesn’t hide any of the “warts” due to the fact that it is such a thin coat.

I think the most impressive area I saw was the drop outs. Look at how crisp the stamp looks? That is due to the thin coating. Powder coat would have filled in this and wet paint would have tended to pool into the stamping. If this stuff is as tough as I am hearing that it is, I will be floored. Now I will be building this up and getting it dirty to find that out!

The build plan is to go single speed and use some nice parts in the build. White Industries ENO crank, Cane Creek short travel Thudbuster seat post, (a tester item for The Cyclist) , and a suspension fork yet to be determined. Stay tuned for further updates in the Gun Kote El Mariachi story!

Note: This product was provided to Twenty Nine Inches at no charge for review. We are not being paid or bribed for this review. We will give our honest opinion and thoughts throughout.

Picture courtesy of Salsa Cycles Facebook page

The Salsa “Enabler” will accept a 135mm spaced hub, and the Surly Endomorph and upcoming Larry tire. The fork is fitted with two water bottle mounts, ala the Fargo, and has stainless steel forward facing drop outs. No word on whether it will be available for this winter, but we’ll be bringing you updates as they become available.

The Elgokse Standard Set Up: The standard Elgokse comes with the swept flat bar in the box. I set my custom Pofahl single speed up with this set up to start things out with. The installation was easy, and everything fit quite well. I liked that the bar can have the ends pointing downward slightly, level, or slightly upwards. I personally prefer a slight downward tilt, so this is how I set the bar up and popped on some new Ergon grips which fit perfectly.

The ride was about average for any quality handle bar set up. Rigid, and stiffer than some, but still nothing out of the ordinary. I liked the amount of sweep on this particular bar. The width was fine for me, but as stated in the first post on these, the bars are laser etched with hash marks for cutting them down if so desired. All in all, a great modern take on the retro “Bull Moose” type bar.

Some have made note of the braze ons for the fastening hardware- how they stick out. I didn’t notice that while riding, but perhaps in a “fancy dismount” on the single track, you might become intimate with one of the protuberances. Perhaps in a future update this could be addressed. As for now, I don’t see this as a big negative, but I will admit the risk for injury is there off road.

The Antler/Elgokse Set Up: After the more “standard” looking Elgokse stock look, (if a Bull Moose style bar could ever be referred to as “standard”), I swapped out the bar for the Antler Bar. Okay….there is no getting around this. This bar looks odd, goofy, and well……..like it is an answer without a question. However goofy it may appear to be, it does function well in use.

The Antler Bar is a take off on the traditional “mustache bar” idea and I think has a distinct drop bar feel while riding. The big difference between the Antler Bar and the more traditional mustache and off road drop bars is that the Antler accepts mountain bike controls, not road bike controls. This is a smart move away from traditional design for mountain bikers and commuters. Plus, it allows for more freedom in positioning the controls, and makes the preferred ends position a safe usable one since the brakes can be positioned here.

The one negative in the design of the Antler Bar is that you will need extra cable and housing lengths over a standard set up. I had just enough extra that I made it work, but if you are converting over from another bar, plan on getting cables and housings as well. Also, your hydraulic brake lines may not be long enough, so be aware. After the installation, I decided to use the same Ergon grips and I taped the “hooks” with road bar tape to further extend my hand position options. Again, riders can also tilt the Antler Bar slightly downward for a different feel. Or you could go with a more “mustache bar” type level set up. I think the slight angle I set the Antler Bar up with gives them a bit of a drop bar feel.

Looks and options aside, the combination of the Antler bar and the Ergon grips just might be the perfect long distance gravel, back roads, or fire roading type set up I have ever tried. Add in the ability to stretch out into the forward hook area, and the usable inner part of the bar, and you can see that several options for altering your position while riding exist. I haven’t had the opportunity to do a multi-hour ride yet, but I look forward to doing it on the Antler Bar. I think it will be a great set up for the longer distance type ride.

That’s it for now. I’ll report back with a final review coming up in a while, depending on how kind the weather is in the late Fall!