Bike Rumor has posted new information on the Look X85. I was impressed when I saw it in person at last year’s Interbike. It seems to be a well thought out piece of machinery, and I’m looking forward to testing it out when it is released.
This is your opportunity to build a bike with Dario Pegoretti. The chosen few will travel to Italy to construct their own bike under the watchful eye of Dario himself. I’m hoping this means you are able to paint your own bike as well. More information here.
Duke Racing Wheels are a company based in Chambretaud, France. They have a small selection of products available, with an emphasis on wheels. Being the consummate admirer of small specialized parts, I immediately was struck by the tubeless valves they sell. Currently, there are very few choices for tubeless valves, so a new addition is welcome. The valves come in six different colors and weigh 4.8 grams, with a claimed weight savings of 36% over traditional valves. I think it’s great being able to customize your bike down to the smallest details, and these valves fulfill that desire. Duke Racing Wheels are also producing quick release levers and stems, both of which I will review down the road. The website has English translation making it easy to peruse the product. It is definitely worth a look.
The Nau Courier Wind Shirt is a remarkable piece of clothing. It is made from 100% recycled polyester, and is paper thin. It’s weight actually fools you into thinking it will not offer much protection, but this is wholeheartedly untrue. This shirt keeps you very warm when zipped up, and does a great job of keeping the wind at bay. On the flip side, it is a breathable fabric, so it also does well when the temperature rises. The cut is very trim and neat, with a zipper for closure, as well as a couple of snaps top and bottom. There is also a snap on the collar for keeping the wind from sneaking in. The cuffs are the signature Nau cut, coming to a bit of a point and with snaps. This shirt is very wearable on the bike. The four way stretch fabric does it’s job well, and doesn’t bind at all. The shirt’s clean look also makes it appropriate for work and for a night on the town. Nau has engineered a piece of clothing that works perfectly in all situations.
This is the new BMC Gran Fondo GF01. I’ve scoured the web for reviews, and they all seem to confirm my gut feeling of really liking this bike. This is the bike to purchase for doing Gran Fondos, or just plain long rides. It was raced in this years edition of Paris-Roubaix, so it is no slouch. It is an all around performer that should provide years of smiles for those lucky enough to ride one.
I’ve recently been introduced to Snow Peak, a Japanese company specializing in camping supplies. This, for me, is a wonderful discovery, as I’m always dreaming of taking a long camping trip by bicycle. To that end, Snow Peak delivers the most perfect products to fulfill that dream. The Titanium 350 Kanpai bottle is beautiful. It is meticulously made and comes with three different tops. One top is for hot liquids, another is for cold liquids, and the last is a sipping top. The cold top is meant to be placed in the freezer, and when cold, placed on the bottle. This keeps your drink quite cold for a very long time. The bottle weighs in at 5.7 oz without the lid, making it a lightweight companion for your pack. This bottle is definitely a high end addition to a camper’s dream set up.
As I’ve stated in the past, I like things that are made in the US. Search and State make their product in the US, so I am predisposed to liking the company and the product. There are currently two products available on their website, a jersey and a jacket. First up is the S1-A Riding Jersey. It is made from a two toned quick dry microbial fabric that is milled in the US. The fabric feels excellent against the skin, and should prove to be perfect for three season riding, or in my case in SoCal, four season riding. It is a very lightweight fabric, and it does indeed dry very quickly. The full length locking Riri zipper is another feature I appreciate, as a full length zipper is a must for me, and this one is particularly easy to use. There is a three pocket configuration in back with a reinforced elastic. The styling of the jersey is very simple and clean. It is all black with very subtle S and S branding on one sleeve, the rear pocket, and the zipper. All three are very understated and elegant. The fit of the jersey is really great. It is a slim fit, but not so slim that you have to squeeze yourself into it, making it very comfortable. I also wanted to point out the simplicity of the sizing chart on the website. It is all broken down by height which then translates to small through extra large. It’s very easy to figure out, and I believe it is very accurate. Search and State have entered into a market that already has its fair share of players, but the simplicity and quality of their design, combined with manufacturing in the US, will easily set them apart from their competitors.
The Mavic R-SYS SLR wheelset may be one of the sexiest set of wheels available. Instead of going into the details and specs, I just want to point out that I like aluminum rims. Carbon rims make me nervous. I know I should trust them, but while descending, I don’t want to have the slightest doubt that there will be any problems with braking. Carbon rims certainly look good because of their black sidewalls, and I have always yearned for that black sidewall on an aluminum rim. It would be the best of both worlds, the look of carbon with the reliability of aluminum. Mavic has fulfilled that want with Exalith, a hard coating that penetrates the alloy to give it extra durability. In addition to the durability, the Exalith coating is a wonderful matte black color, making the entire package black. The braking surfaces have a scalloped pattern that require a special pad, but in return give you superior braking. I will admit to also liking the strange noise they make under braking. Apparently the noise goes away after a time, but I kind of enjoy it. The wheels weigh in at 1370 grams, which most definitely puts them in the running for lightest aluminum clincher wheel set. I will write more once I’ve collected some miles on them, but in the meantime, Mavic’s site has lots of pertinent information worth looking at.
CicLAvia is starting in just under 2 hours. I hope everyone is getting their bikes ready to go. It should be perfect weather, and 100,000 plus like minded people will be out enjoying the day. See you on the streets of LA.
UPDATE
CicLAvia has come and gone. I’m quite certain today’s ride had many, many more participants than in any of the previous events. As usual, all was well organized, and spirits were high. It really is turning into an amazing LA event for everyone to enjoy. I want another one soon.
Rapha Cycle Club
Rapha Cycle Club
Mission Workshop
Carnival Roulette Wheels on Valencia
Rebolledo Cycles
Sycip Designs
My trip to San Francisco was fantastic. We drove up the coast, which was absolutely beautiful due to perfect weather and stunning scenery. I got a short ride in on Highway 1 above Ragged Point. Highway 1 is closed everyday until 4pm due to a construction project, so the bike came off the top of the car for a short reconnaissance mission. Pretty spectacular riding along a line of cars with their ignitions off, and having full command of the road, all the while enjoying stunning views of the Pacific. Once in the City, my family put up with me wanting to visit anything bike related. I managed visits to the Rapha Cycle Club, Mission Workshop, Mission Bicycle Company, the Freewheel Bike Shop, and Above Category in Mill Valley. Wow, now that I’m writing it, it’s a wonder my family is so tolerant of my obsession. And, to top it all off, the next day we all loaded into the car and headed north to Sonoma to see Rebolledo Cycles and Sycip Designs. Both visits were great, with Mauricio Rebolledo and his family hosting our crew for an amazing lunch that turned into an incredibly restful afternoon stay, and then with Jeremy Sycip showing us around the Sycip operations center in Santa Rosa. All in all, a great trip, the kind I hope to repeat in the near future. I’ve include a random selection of photos from the trip, and will post more down the road.
