You are currently browsing the archives for the 'February 2006' category.
Based on the number of people coming to The Biking Hub who are looking for information about the Giant Anthem, Giant’s new cross country racer is one of two new bikes that are really generating a lot of buzz in the xc world (the other is the Cannondale Rush). Ever since the bike was unveiled on the trade show circuit in 2005, there’s been plenty of talk about the Anthem and rightly so. Built around Giant’s well-received Maestro suspension platform, the Anthem is set to replace the venerable NRS as the company’s dedicated cross country race bike and the expectations are high.
The first legitimate review of the Giant Anthem that I’ve seen on the ‘net was recently published on CyclingNews.com, and it contains plenty of meaty tidbits for all of you who are pining after the latest and (supposedly) greatest xc offering from the manufacturer. The CyclingNews writeup discusses the Australian version of the bike, with the only significant differences being in the parts spec — so you can read on knowing that the overall ride characteristics of the frame won’t be too different from what we see here in North America.
The reviewer’s biggest criticism of the Anthem centered around pushing the bike to the limits of its intended purpose (ie. xc racing) and he found that it didn’t perform well enough to be considered a cross country bike with trail-minded capabilities. Of course, it was admitted that the Trance would be a better option for those of you looking for a Maestro-equipped trail bike. Anyways, head on over and check out the review, there’s lots of good stuff there, including closeup photos, a response from Giant Australia, and more.
Note: the image above shows the US-version of the 2006 Trance 1 and not the Australian version of this bike.
As an aside, I recently picked up a 2005 Trance 4 for cheap, and am in the process of stripping down the frame and building it up with my favourite bits. I’ll post up my initial impressions of the frame and a longer term review after I’ve spent some real time on it. For those of you who live in Europe, keep in mind that the ‘05 version of the Trance is the same one that you’ll see at your local bike shop in 2006.
Hat tip: Mr. AshwinEarl
No Comments »
So you’ve made the plunge and purchased a full suspension mountain bike. You’re excited to get out on the trails and go faster than ever before but, on your first ride, the bike doesn’t feel the way you think it should. At this point it’s important to realize that dialling in your rear shock isn’t an exact science and you should play around with some of your shock’s settings and make notes about what you like and what you don’t. If you’re not happy with the feel of your shock after you’ve done this, then it’s time to take a few additional steps.
If you purchased your new bike from a local shop, you should take it back and explain what you like and what you don’t about the overall ‘feel’ of the suspension. Was it too mushy? Or did you feel like you were riding a pogo stick? An informed shop employee can use this information to help you get your rear shock ‘dialled in’ so you can get the most out of your new ride. If you purchased a used bike, you can still go to a local shop for some well-informed advice, but expect to pay a little for the worker’s expertise. Remember that they’re taking valuable time out of their day to help you get going on a bike that they didn’t sell to you.
Regardless of where you purchased your bike from, it never hurts to go into a shop armed with the basic information I mentioned above and to know a little bit about some of the key terms that will be used when discussing your suspension setup. This article is meant to serve as a primer that brings you up to speed on the terminology of mountain bike rear shocks and, while it’s not a definitive guide, it’ll help you on your way and get you closer to dialling in your bike’s rear suspension in a way that you’re happy with. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment »
It’s that time of year again. You know, the time when you hit the indoor trainer. Whether you’re faced with limited time, daylight savings, or the lousy weather, at this time of year many cyclists are faced with getting their miles in on a trainer or not riding at all. And for most of us, spinning on the trainer isn’t the most enjoyable part of the cycling experience, so I’ve got some tips to help make your trainer time more bearable. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments »
20 February »
Gear shots »
Cory
Mace Gear produces well-priced, quality biking gear that is targeted mostly at the freeride, downhill, and urban segment of the mountain bike market. And with a product line covering everything from helmets to protective padding to hoodies, the Norco-owned brand is a staple at many riding spots north of the 49th parallel (that’s in Canada for those of you who won’t look it up).
The Mace Ignition shorts are put together using 330D nylon, a long wearing and durable material that is meant to withstand the type of adverse conditions many riders ‘enjoy’ during the winter. The Ignition shorts also feature a ‘hydrophobic’ lining that is supposed to ‘wick’ water away from your skin and keep you a little more comfortable on those especially rainy days. Combine these core features with some well-placed zippered pockets and decent adjustments to snug the waist up properly and you’ve got a ride-ready short that should keep you going through wet winters and chilly spring mornings.
The good. The feature that I like the most about the Mace Ignition short is the material that makes up the outer shell — it’s durable and holds up well in the muck and the grime that is so common on the trails of the Pacific Northwest. And when the rain is really coming down and you know you’re going to get soaked, it’s nice to know that the lining of the shorts will keep the water away from your skin and keep you comfortable for much of your ride. Keep in mind that there are very few garments that keep you bone dry while you’re out riding in the rain — you’ll still get wet wearing these shorts.
The shorts fit pretty well and, for those of you who are in-between sizes, they have a fitting system that’s similar to a compression strap on a hydration bag or a backpack. My waist size is 32, and while I normally wear medium-sized bottoms, I chose a large pair of the Ignition shorts because they felt a little better when I was trying them on and because it’s so simple to cinch them up and keep them from sliding down. And this way, if I have an extra burger at the weekend BBQ, all I need to do is loosen off the compression strap and I’m on my way.
I also appreciated the two main zippered pockets on the front of the shorts. They’re waterproof and are easy to get into and out of while riding so you can quickly stash your gloves if you overheat on the climb up. I never really used the other pockets while riding, although the other two front pockets often held my keys when I was relaxing after a fun day in the saddle.
The bad. Overall, the Mace Ignition shorts provide good value for the suggested retail price of $89 cad, although there were a couple of things that bothered me. The stitching is decent, but there were a good number of loose ends and a couple of obviously botched stitches, something that had me a little concerned about the long-term durability of the product. In the end, the stitching wasn’t a big deal, even though I do get the occasional comment about orphaned threads.
More significant is the fact that the hydrophobic lining has a tendency to hook up on velcro-style attachments, which is a problem if you wear any type of knee protection when you ride. I found that the Mace Dirt Jump knee pads caused some significant abrasion on the liner after only a couple of rides, so I wouldn’t recommend using these two items together unless you’re looking for premature wear. The Roach Rally leg armour did a little better, but I did have to be careful about where I placed the straps when donning the armour.
Summary. The Mace Ignition short is a very good, wet and cold weather short for riders who are looking for a fairly-well made, durable short that will last for at least a couple of seasons. They look good, fit really well (although I’d consider a size larger if you normally fit into a medium), and, while they’re a little toasty when the temperatures rise, they’ll be comfortably at home on trails in the Pacific Northwest and the wet and muddy East Coast.
Manufacturer website: www.macegear.com
1 Comment »
Today, as I struggled to come to grips with how terrible the 2006 edition of Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey team is, I started to think about how much is going on with this site at the moment and how little I’ve let everyone out there (ie. you) in on what’s coming up with the site. We’ve got a bunch of new gear coming up for some testing and review time, so you can expect to read about our experiences with:
There’s a bunch more gear that I haven’t listed, so keep your eyes peeled and we’ll post up our thoughts after we’ve spent some time with it.
No Comments »
After a miserable stretch of weather, it’s finally nice around my place and I’m itching to get back on the bike for a rip. Unfortunately, my bikes are all waiting for this or that part and I’m without a ride for another few days. I guess that’s how it goes sometimes.
Original content
This week, we switched things up a bit and ran two short gear shots on Monday — Dan wrote about the Ultimate Support Pro Elite bike stand and I wrote about the Axiom Propel-Air DLX Gauge floor pump. On Tuesday, Aswhin’s entry described a quick tip for lubing the cables on your bike. On Wednesday, Denise posted her first writeup, which gave some practical advice about buying your first bike. Yesterday, I wrote about my experiences with a local mountain biker advocacy group, and discussed some of things that worked (and those that didn’t) when the association was starting up.
Elsewhere on the ‘net
Bike Magazine posted up a review of the Dakine Ventilator glove. Bicycle Design has a great feature on Michael Downes, the Senior Industrial Designer for Giant Bicycles. Go Clipless has some thoughts about Cannondale’s blog program. Masi Bicycles has a slick new website. Guitar Ted is starting up a series of discussions about the future of endurance racing — if this is your sort of thing, make sure you add your thoughts on his site.
Scientists in England used historical data to support the argument that Earth is experiencing dramatic temperature changes and widespread warming. Sociologists discovered that there is no set formula for ‘hit’ songs. And if you get through all of this and are still looking for something to do, spend some time working on your papercrafts.
No Comments »
If you’re like me, you find a disc brake that works well for you and are extremely hesitant to make changes to your existing setup. Of course, when you do this, you close doors that could help you ride faster and with more control.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere Magura is doing a good job creating a solid support network for its users across North America. And it doesn’t hurt that products like the Gustav are showing up on more and more pros’ freeride bikes and in places like North Vancouver’s ‘Shore’, which certainly is a testament to the stopping ability of the company’s ‘big’ brake.
BikeMagic posted up a quality review of the Magura Louise FR disc brake for those of you who want good stoppers but who don’t need the heart stopping power of the Gustav. Based on the reviews that have made their way onto the ‘net, there don’t appear to be too many problems or criticisms of Magura’s product.
Magura brakes have a five year ‘leak proof’ guarantee so, barring any mechanical failures that result because of crashes, you should be good to go for some time. And if you do need replacement hardware for your brakes, you can order parts for your Maguras directly from the company’s website.
1 Comment »
16 February »
Features »
Cory
If you’re lucky, you live in an area where you have unfettered access to a wide range of trails and the people — usually volunteers — who keep these trails running have the support of the local mountain biking community. Since this situation is an ideal one and all too many towns and cities don’t recognize the benefits of having such great recreational cycling spots inside their boundaries, a disorganized mountain biking community could find itself without a place to ride when an access or liability issue comes up.
In this article, I’m going to describe some of the initial steps taken by the founding members of our local mountain biking organization — the Fraser Valley Mountain Biker’s Association — when we were first getting started. While the FVMBA isn’t perfect, in only a few years, the group has gone from an idea to a recognized representative for area mountain bikers. It’s my hope that some of you can learn from our good ideas (and our bad ones) and work towards creating something that is a lasting legacy for cyclists in your area.
Keep in mind that the land I write about it in this article is located in Canada, and our ability to access land for recreational purposes is a little different from places in other parts of the world. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments »
15 February »
Tech tips »
Denise
Recently, a girlfriend asked for some advice on buying a new bike, something she wanted so she could come out and ride with “The Girls” — an interesting group of riders who all have a lack of techno-jargon in common. When I started thinking about the type of bike that would work for my friend, I was reminded of my own first mountain bike purchase:
First steps: catching the ‘biking bug’
After finding myself bitten by the ‘biking bug’ but without my own ride, my quest for a new bike began and I wandered aimlessly in and out of bike shops armed with my immense knowledge of… well… nothing bike-related. That, and not knowing what I wanted didn’t help the “shop guys” point me in the right direction either. One guy suggested that I bring my husband with me next time.
Point: If you don’t know what you want in a bike, get advice from people who know you and the type of riding that you’ll be doing. Read the rest of this entry »
No Comments »
The December 2004 issue of Bike Magazine had a feature on what the editors called the ‘10 best trails in America‘. For those of you who missed it, the article was just posted online and is a worthwhile read if only because it will help you beat your mid-winter blues. Personally, I try not to do the ‘list thing’ too often because they often end up as forum-fodder, but a number of the places mentioned in the writeup caught my eye and I’m sure you’ll find the name of a place that looks fantastic.
And then, some time last year, Bike followed up the first article with another that mentioned 10 trails that could have been included in the original list. Enjoy.
1 Comment »