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Turner Bikes has been cranking out quality, drool-worthy frames for some time and the Five Spot is Turner’s answer for the discerning all-mountain rider. The Five Spot, available from Turner as a frame-only, retails for about $1,850 usd and, depending on the model year features either a four-bar Horst linkage or Torque Neutralizing Technology. Turner’s move away from the acclaimed Horst link raised some eyebrows at last year’s Interbike but, to be honest, most riders really won’t notice any difference in overall ride quality with the TNT linkage.
Bike Magazine posted up a brief review of the Five Spot that doesn’t really introduce any new insight into the ride characterstics of the frame but it’s good to see that the overall quality of the company’s product remains high.
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BikeMagic posted up an interview with Cannondale rider Aaron Chase. The writeup provides a brief overview of Chase’s career, gives insight into the bike development process, and discusses the pressures of being a pro rider for a large bike company.
Chase, the winner of the 2005 Red Bull District Ride, recently signed a new contract with long-time team Cannondale that ensures the rider will be with the company for at least two more years.
Be sure to check out Chase’s segments in the Chain Reaction series of bike videos to see his smooth, street-influenced style.
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Following up on my entry from a couple of days back that discussed some of the riders signed on to the Cannondale team for 2006 is some more news about who’s going where for next year.
Norco signed freerider Gareth Dyer to a multi-year deal (.pdf), a move that gives the BC company an ‘established’ name on the freeride scene. I’m pretty certain that Dyer’s signing will give Norco exposure in slopestyle competitions and some of the larger freeride videos that make it to market.
Cycling News has a decent writeup covering additions and resignings by other teams, including Subaru-Gary Fisher, Honda, GT, and Mongoose. Check it out!
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A recent post over at PezCycling News discusses Smart Eating for the Holidays and offers strategies for combatting weight gain during the Food Season. The entry focuses less on turning people into fickle, holiday food avoiding drones and more on limiting the effects of downtime on a cyclist’s overall fitness.
Ways to eat smart over the holidays
- Keep a dietary log
- Limit the alcohol intake
- Eat before the party
- Emphasize quality and intensity during training over quantity
- Visit a health care professional for a check up
Of course, the chances of me actually following those points are between, well, slim and none, but I know that there are a bunch of you out there who will take the advice to heart.
I was back on a bike yesterday for the first time in a couple of months (injury). I felt pretty good, even though I just rolled for a couple of kilometers.
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Before I share my opinions on off season training, note that I am not a coach, or even a pro or expert cyclist. Just a regular joe with limited time. And I toss around terms like power, strength sort of interchangeably even though they are not. Currently, I am following the kung fu of Dave Morris a PhD in exercise physiology and former coach at the Olympic Training Center as outlined in his book Performance Cycling. I also wrote a primer on my program at my BLOG.
There are several philosophies about how to approach the off season for cyclists. The ideas that see a lot of debate are outlined in the list below:
- Strength training
- Cross training vs Sport Specificity
- Base versus intensity
In the rest of this entry, I’ll give you my thoughts on the subject. Comments and discussion are encouraged — use the form at the end of this writeup to add your thoughts. Read the rest of this entry »
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There’s been a bunch of announcements in recent weeks covering rider movement between old and new sponsors but, today, I’m going to focus on Cannondale and write about the company’s recent additions.
Cannondale lost a couple of its most visible riders in the past couple of months — Christoph Sauser moved to Specialized and, while there’s been no formal announcement, word is Cedric Gracia will return to French manufacturer Commencal. In response to Sauser’s departure, Cannondale signed two new riders and retained the services of two current riders. For 2006, Peter Riis Anderson and Jakob Fuglsang, both from Denmark are set to join Swedish ace Fredrik Kessiakoff and Kiwi Kashi Leuchs. Cannondale is making a good choice with these selections — the company looks set to develop some formidable young talent that Cannondale hopes will challenge for the cross country podium at the 2006 World Championships and in the 2008 Olympic Games.
While there seemed to be a little bitterness in the Cannondale camp when Sauser left, there was no such public display about Gracia, other than renaming the Gracia’s signature bike the ‘Judge’. Looking for a replacement for Gracia, Cannondale instead went for two riders instead of one, snapping up former Haro rider Mick Hannah and adding freerider Carlo Deickmann to the lineup. Few people will be surprised by the selection of Mick Hannah — he’s fast, young, and likely won’t have the same sort of elan that Gracia has. In Deickmann, Cannondale gets an up-and-comer capable of throwing down the big moves in front of huge crowds.
Update (10 January 2006): The complete 2006 Cannondale mountain bike team has been listed over at Cannondale’s weblog.
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Part of the problem with the ‘all mountain’ market is that many of the bikes slotted into this category try to be all things to all people. Where I prefer an all mountain bike that lends itself more to the freeride end of the spectrum, there are many others out there who are looking for a longer travel cross country bike.
When Santa Cruz introduced the Blur LT I was pleased, mostly because it was a good indicator that the five inch trail bike — something that was more than xc but less than freeride — was going to stick, but also because it meant the rush was officially on for a solid all-round bike that could do everything and go almost everywhere. Granted, Specialized had the Enduro series, and Giant was in the process of unveiling the Maestro line (as well as the trail bikes being planned by a handful of other manufacturers) but, to me, the introduction of the LT by Santa Cruz was something that would make a lot of people sit up and take notice.
Bike Magazine has a brief review of the Blur LT that outlines the bike’s strengths and a couple of its weaknesses. Based on the writeup, the Blur LT seems like a good climber that has a little bit of in issue when the descents get steep and chundery. Also, I know a number of people who experienced a relatively short life with their first couple sets of pivot bearings — make sure you ask your local bike dealer about it if you’re thinking about making this frame your own.
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9 December »
Tech tips »
Cory
Following up an earlier piece on night riding, BikeMagic has a new writeup discussing the technical details of different types of batteries and chargers for bike lighting systems.
And, speaking of chargers, a North Vancouver company has developed a fuel cell that can power bike lights. Although the current version of the cell only replaces two AA batteries — something that makes the cell suitable for lower powered lights sometimes used by commuters — the technology could hold promise for adventure racers and 24 hour racers if developed to light higher power lights.
Don’t forget about the entry I wrote that was meant to be a primer for getting out on your bike in the dark. If you’re looking for a starting point on your journey into darkness, that piece is a good choice.
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Norco headquarters are located about a 15 minute drive away from my place and I know a bunch of people who have, or have had, some involvement with the company over the years. By and large, these people love their jobs, and now the company can prove it: Earlier this week, Norco was ranked as one of the top 25 companies to work for in British Columbia. The rankings are based partly on a confidential survey given to employees from over 800 select companies.
As well as being a good place to work, Norco plays an active role in the community, providing support to local trailbuilders and trail advocacy organizations. The company also does its bit to help grow the sport at the grassroots level, sponsoring riding areas like the Sprockids bike park in Gibsons, BC.
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Earlier this year, Marzocchi unveiled its first official rear shock — a coil over beauty called the Roco — and promised greater things to come.
Rumours about another rear shock have swirled for the last couple of months and, now, the folks over at Mountain Bike Action have revealed some of the first shots of Marzocchi’s new air shock. MBA’s test shock featured a remote reservoir (a la the Fox DHX Air). The reservoir allows for significant degrees of damping adjustment, making this new shock perfect for riders interested in big air, jumps, and drops. The shock features a nickel-plated shaft designed to resist cracking better than its anodized counterparts and move through its range of travel smoothly. Also, MBA mentions that Marzocchi has another, shorter stroke version of the rear shock in development — something that’ll be more in line with the ‘all mountain’ and ‘trail’ market.
I’ll be interested to see how Marzocchi is able to compete in the rear shock marketplace. Does the industry really need another rear shock manufacturer? Is there room for one?
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