The other day, I went out for a nice after-work singletrack ride. I’ve found that it is a great way to clear out the cobwebs from a long day at work, and I highly recommend it to you all, by the way. On my merry little way, I noticed that the trails were a bit damp, something that reminded me of the previous day’s downpour. Not to worry, I thought, as the trail system drains very quickly, made up mostly of sandy, silty dirt. The soil was collecting on my tires a bit and was getting tossed up in the air around me in small bits by my tires. I am always amused when that happens, and I kept right on pedalling and having fun. And that’s right about when it happened.
I got that rude awakening that we have all received at one time or another. The trail went around a tight 90 degree turn to the left. I dove into it with a good head of steam and the dirt-packed front tire started that dreaded slide that is a precursor to, well, doom. At that point in time, I always find I enter a time warp. How else can I explain the slow motion feel that I get when I am about to be introduced to Mother Earth in a violent manner? Read the rest of this entry »
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This month, in conjunction with PricePoint.com, we’re giving all of you out there a shot at a complete Sette cockpit for your bike. MSRP on this package is over two hundred bucks and, given the contest requirements, it’s pretty easy to get your name into the imaginary draw barrel.
The Goods
The following goods are up for grabs.
Sette APX Alloy Seatpost. The Sette APX alloy seatpost offers a high performance lightweight and durable package made from straight gauge 2014 T-6 aluminum tubing. CNC machined, the APX’s dual rocker bolt clamp is extremely strong and provides a wide range of micro adjustability.
Sette Edge stem. Designed with the XC racer in mind. The Edge stem is ready to guide you to podium finishes every time. 2014 aluminum provides lightweight and rigidity required for precise steering. The Sette Edge Stem features a removable 4-bolt face keeps your bar secured into place reducing harmful stress risers that can destroy handlebars.
Sette XLR Low Riser Handlebar. Is your classic XC rig missing comfort and control? Then you need to step up with the Sette XLR low riser handlebar. It will provide you the relaxed position you require. Fabricated from 2014 T-6 butted and bead blasted aluminum. The Sette XLR Low Riser Handlebar is hard anodized to prevent corrosion.
Sette Race Ti leather saddle . With the Sette Race Ti saddle you don’t have to suffer the consequences of an uncomfortable lightweight saddle. The Race Ti incorporates a layer of EVA foam and a ultra soft leather cover. The Titanium rails and aero design provide shock absorbency and reduce weight. Achieve a higher comfort level than you’re used to with the Sette Race Ti saddle.
How to enter
All you need to do is use the comment box below to add a paragraph or two using the comment box below explaining exactly why you’re a worthy recipient.
Other notes
Use a valid e-mail address. Make sure you add a valid e-mail address in the comment box. If you are selected as the winner I’ll contact you using the information you provide, so if I have an e-mail address that doesn’t work after a couple of attempts, I’ll move onto the next name on my list.
One entry per IP address. I can track this stuff, and multiple entries from the same address will be ineligible.
Draw date. The winner will be chosen in the last week of this month (June 2006) and will be required to answer a difficult, skill-testing question.
Questions? E-mail me directly with any questions about the Sette gear or about the giveaway requirements.
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The humidity up here in BC is hovering somewhere around 100% and the temperature is sitting around 20 celsius. It’s certainly not tropical but it’s pretty uncomfortable. Lots of hiking, not so much riding this week.
Original content
We started off this week with a writeup from Dan that looked at his five ‘must have bike tools‘; there were a few decent responses but we could always do with more. I spent too much time tracking down info about the last UCI World Cup event, held at Fort William in Scotland over the past weekend (also check out a couple of the links below for more on the event). On Wednesday, we posted up Ashwin’s interview with Dave Morris and it’s worth a read, especially if you do any sort of training as a part of your cycling routine. Yesterday, I served you my better-late-than-never review of Off Road to Athens, a documentary film following eight American riders as they vie for spots on their nation’s 2004 Olympic team. I gave Guitar Ted the week off — check back next week for your usual dose of humour and charm from Iowa.
Elsewhere on the ‘net
Sneak peeks from Fort William. Some manufacturers used the UCI event at Fort William to introduce new product; in case you missed it, Singletrack Magazine’s website has some good photos of some new brakes from Hope and the Felt Virtue, a 130mm full suspension ride with an interesting rear suspension linkage. Descent World has even more photos of the new Hopes, as well as a couple other sneak peeks.
Gear news and reviews. Pinkbike posted up some words and photos on a bunch of gear from Dakine, including gloves, a hydration pack, and a number of different bags. I saw images of this next one floating around the ‘net a couple of weeks ago but I didn’t think to post it up for some reason. Anyways, Intense is leaking pictures of the FRO Spider, a race-only xc chassis that uses the hallowed VPP suspension platform. The intrepid members of the MTBR.com forums captured some spy shots of the 2007 Giant Reign, spec’d with a DHX Air and featuring 6.7″ inches of rear wheel travel.
Shimano XTR. The informal launch of the 2007 Shimano XTR lineup is the longest one in recent memory. Weeks after introducing its shifters, brakes, wheels, and rear derailleur at Sea Otter, the new XTR cranks and front derailleur have surfaced in a number of locations. BikeMagic has some great images of the 2007 XTR crankset (hot!) and front derailleurs (sort of hot!), and Bicycle Retailer has some interesting technical info about the parts.
More next week! Over and out.
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1 June »
Reviews »
Cory
Off Road to Athens is a documentary that tells the story of eight American cross country racers as each tried to secure one of three spots on the US Olympic team prior to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
The project was put together by Gripped Films, and the production team travelled around the world with the riders and used their unfettered access to their subjects (and plenty of editing) to put together two hours of intense, insightful footage that shows what it takes to roll with the best in the world. The riders — Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Todd Wells, Adam Craig, Jeremiah Bishop, Alison Dunlap, Sue Haywood, Mary McConneloug, Shonny Vanlandingham — give it their all and wear their emotions on their sleeves throughout the film, something that in-and-of-itself adds to the drama created by the race footage.
Over the course of about two hours, viewers are treated to fine examples of top-notch cross country racing, really good interviews with the riders, and insightful criticism of the sport and its governing bodies. Read the rest of this entry »
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