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If you’ve ever seen an Intense Cycles M3 in person, you’ll understand what I’m about to write about these frames: these things are likely the sexiest downhill bikes in existence. Combine the M3’s hot looks with a laterally-stiff rear end, race proven geometry, decent weight, and the cachet that comes along with a high-end frameset and you’ve got a frame that almost anyone would ride if given the chance.
Whatever your take on the characteristics of the M3, there’s no denying that it’s a performer, and a performer at the highest level of competition. Intense has several top pros on its downhill team, including Sabrina Jonnier and Chris Kovarik — who both did well on the World Cup circuit this past year.
asilvertouch has a long-term review of the Intense M3 that looks at the frame’s performance over an entire season on the dirt. There’s plenty of good advice about the frame — including some common problems related to set up — and a few photos that highlight the overall quality of the frame.
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31 January »
How tos »
Ashwin
Recently, I was comparing the geometries of two frames and, after a while, found myself in a dilemma that went something like this: Normally when comparing two frames, I focus primarily on the Effective Top Tube (ETT) measurement. My problem arose when I noticed that the two frames I was comparing each had different Seat Tube Angles (STA). Did the STA have any effect on the ETT and, in turn, affect the reach to the bars? I hope this article helps answer that question, and I hope it can be useful if you’re ever comparing different frames or trying to figure out what length stem to get for a new frame. Read the rest of this entry »
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30 January »
Reviews »
Ashwin
In the brake world, Avid has an incredible history and a reputation for developing great products. You can’t go wrong with any of the Avid v-brakes, and their mechanical disc brakes are the standard in the industry. However, up until a couple of years ago, Avid didn’t have a hydraulic disc brake and the company had people waiting for those hydraulic discs to come out. Well, the wait is over and, I must say, it was worth it.
I’ve had an aversion to discs since a bad experience with set from the early years. However, my new full suspension was disc only so I figured it was time to go try them again. Originally, I went with the weight weenie choice of the Marta SL but eventually switched to the Juicy 7 for several reasons, and I’ll talk about each of these in this review. Read the rest of this entry »
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We had lots of good stuff making it onto The Biking Hub this week and things are really starting to roll. In the coming weeks you’re going to see some new product reviews, more lifestyle-type features, and our regular dose of news from around the ‘net.
Original content
I started the week with a brief review of the Race Face Garda gloves. My writeup was followed by a couple of detailed entries by Ashwin that discussed specific strategies for trimming weight from your bike. The second part of Greg’s road trip planning series went online Wednesday, and Dan presented five dreamy cross country rides the next day. Today, I humbled myself by talking about some of the worst crashes that I’ve had on a bike.
Elsewhere on the ‘net
TBH-favourite asilvertouch posted up a review of Earthed 3: Europa. If you haven’t had the privilege of watching either of the two previous Earthed installments, check out the trailer for the new video from Alex Rankin — it’s well worth it. And, speaking of mountain bike flicks, the trailer for Roam — the new video from the team that brought you The Collective — is now online and available for your viewing pleasure. Last, but not least is the sneak peek for Back In The Saddle 3. Elsewhere, Continental Tires and Shimano have joined up with Kona to support the Bike Town Africa project. BikeMagic posted a review of the Specialized WindJacket Pro. The boys over at Blue Collar Mtb. found a great article discussing a 19th century bike suspension platform. There’s a good interview with Scot Nicol from Ibis Bikes on Shut Up and Drink the Kool-Aid. Flash games by Ferry Halim.
And following up on last week’s end-of-the-world indicators comes news that the future of Kentucky bourbon is threatened by climate change. Oh, that, and personal fave Erik Morales was knocked out in the tenth round by Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.
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I’ve been riding mountain bikes since the late 1980s and have spent countless hours in the saddle. That time has allowed me to develop some decent bike handling skills and, while I haven’t had too many serious crashes, I accept that the law of averages is bound to catch up with me once in a while. In my mind, when someone rides enough, whether it’s on a cross country bike or a full-on freeride machine, they’re going to meet the ground at some point or another and that fact is something all mountain bikers need to understand.
Getting knocked around is part of the game when it comes to mountain biking and I’ve experienced my fair share. Along with a regular assortment of scrapes and bruises, I’ve lived through the odd broken toe and one or two slightly separated shoulders. But this entry isn’t about these little dust-ups. Instead, I want to talk about the biggies, the crashes that you describe with relish and the ones you don’t need to embellish with any sort of superlatives. So without further adieu, here are three of my worst and scariest crashes: Read the rest of this entry »
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Judging by the popularity of our entries on the 2006 Cannondale Rush, it looks as though Cannondale made lots of good decisions when planning their new cross country racer. Dan’s initial impressions of the Rush 1000 were quite positive and other, similar assessments are starting to pop up around the Internet.
Racer Carl Buchanan has some good initial thoughts on his Cannondale Rush 2000. With the help of a number of quality photos, Buchanan’s post does a good job of highlighting some of the key features on the Rush, including the uber-sexy Lefty Speed Carbon DLR2 ‘fork’ and the nice-looking mocha finish. Check it out.
Update (27 February 2006): Carl has added some follow up thoughts on his Rush 2000. Looks like the tires aren’t the most mud-friendly things on the market.
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26 January »
Features »
Dan
So, you’re a budding cross country superstar and you’ve just inherited some cash from a rich uncle.
The question is, what’s your next move?
Clearly it’s time to go on a Bikes-R-Us shopping spree, but what to chose? Trek, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Norco, all the big players have some great options in the top tax bracket of cross country bikes, but you can’t forget some of the amazing offerings from smaller companies like Devinci, Titus, Scott, Gary Fisher, Turner and others.
You may not have unlimited funds to spend on a cross country bike, but just in case you suddenly get a job offer from a certain Mr. Trump this list should help you. Consider this your guide to the best of the best – like flipping through the pages of a Dupont Registry.
Here’s a look at five of our favorite cross country full-suspension cross country options when money is no object. Read the rest of this entry »
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25 January »
How tos »
Greg
Now that you’ve decided where you are going and for how long, you can now move on to the second stage of your journey: trip preparation. Like the planning phase, it’s important to prepare for your trip properly, especially if you want to make the most of the time (and money) that you’re going to be spending while on the road. Read the rest of this entry »
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In my first article on this subject I offered an introduction into the world of the weight weenie. There was a discussion of basic terminology, a few of the tools of the trade, and some online resources that you can use to get started down the never-ending path that all weight weenies follow.
In this installment, I discuss some of the specific things that you can do to drop those precious grams from your steed. I broke this article down into sections that discuss different areas of your bike so you can make little changes and see how these adjustments change the overall ride quality of your ride. Read the rest of this entry »
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NSMB.com has made a long-term review of the 2006 Rocky Mountain Switch 2.0 available for your reading pleasure. Check it out if you’re in the market for a well-rounded freeride bike that won’t kill you on an occasional jaunt up the mountain but remains burly enough to spend some serious time at the nearest bike park.
While my favourite Rocky Mountain for 2006 is still the Slayer, the Switch runs a close second. Featuring a lower front end and better standover height than the previous incarnation of the bike, the 2006 Switch is a little more ’snug’ than last year, something that will make both descents and climbs a little more pleasant.
And while nobody should confuse the Switch for a perfect “do-everything” bike — the frame alone weighs over 10lbs — it is a solid entry into the 40ish lb. category that is populated by park-worthy bikes like the Norco Six and even the Specialized SX Trail.
The 2006 Rocky Mountain Switch has an MSRP of $3,099 (usd) / $3,499 (cad). You can also snag a Switch frame (in Stealth Black) from your local Rocky dealer.
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