Norridge, Illinois (March 26, 2008) Lexco will be showcasing its services, products and a selection of vendors at its Open House on Thursday, April 8 from 6-10 p.m. Included will be dinner, prizes and the debut of its new 2008 catalog. Plus, Lexco will be also offering a 10% discount on merchandise excluding already discounted items
and closeouts.

Featured vendors include: Planet Bike, which will be displaying its newest floor pumps, lights and fenders; Sta-Tru Wheels with its full line-up of wheels including new track and BMX offerings; Sigma USA will be showing its new “Black” edition lighting systems.

“We look forward to our Open House every year because it gives us a chance to meet our dealers and to generate excitement about the upcoming season,” says Karen Peterson of Lexco. “We guarantee a great time plus the opportunity to meet with vendors, receive information on all of our new product lines, and we’re even providing dinner.”

Says Dan Powell of Planet Bike: “As always, attending the Lexco open house is great for Planet Bike because we get to interact with dealers in an intimate setting. Often with all of the open houses that dealers attend, on top of Interbike, and just the rush of the spring season, sometimes details get glossed over. Specifics of new products, our warranty policy, etc. are the things that can fall through the cracks, especially this time of year

As a small company, we are able to move laterally based on feedback we get from dealers and consumers. An event like the Lexco open house, is often the type of setting where this information is conveyed to us.”

Adds Bill Hencke of Sta-Tru Wheels: “Sta-Tru Wheels is excited about the upcoming Lexco open house. It’s a great opportunity to speak with dealers, introduce new wheels and promote bicycle advocacy.”

To reserve your free ticket contact Lexco at (800) 626-6556, or e-mail sales@lexcobike.com

What: Lexco Open House
When: Tuesday, April 8, 6-10 p.m.
Where: 7320 W Agatite Ave., Norridge, IL 60706
Why: Chance to see new products, talk with vendors, receive Lexco’s 2008 product catalog, plus, enjoy complimentary dinner

About Lexco
Lexco offers value-driven bicycle products and services to the marketplace. Lexco is a family-owned and operated business that began as a hardware store and Schwinn franchise on Chicago’s west side in the 1950s. It continued as a Schwinn bicycle shop on the city’s north side in the 60s, and in the 70s, Lexco began making bicycle security cables and has grown that into Lexco’s cable division showcased at www.lexcocable.com. Lexco became a full-scale bicycle parts distributor in 1978. For more information, call toll-free (800) 626-6556.

source: Bicycle Newswire

Steamboat Springs, Colorado - March 10, 2008. Come out west and race with us in the Rio Stampede at the Steamboat Ski area. Legendary climbs and aspen-studded single track await you for this test of skill and endurance. Race either 12 or 6 hours with a team or solo. Not in the best of shape, get your work pals together and race in the corporate division.

Now in its 5th year, the new format replaces the established Rio 24 hours of Steamboat. “We are looking for ways to get more people involved,” says veteran event promoter Katie Lindquist. “We believe the format change will attract a great field of competitors creating an experience to be remembered.”

Shaking up the endurance racing scene organizers say will allow participants to ride it all in one day!

“The only change from the 24 hour race is the clock,” says co-director Brad Cusenbary. “We are the same organizers with the same great sponsors holding this race at the same spectacular venue. Festive, faster and local, you can’t go wrong!”

Classes include solo, duo and 3-person as well as a corporate division. After the race an awards party will be held at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, downtown Steamboat Springs. “We are hosting a huge prize drawing and category winner recognition ceremony as well as food and drink specials for everyone. With over $10,000 in cash and prizes, we guarantee a great celebration after a full day of racing and fun,” says Lindquist

Rocky Peak Productions is a cycling event promotion company. Its founders and directors are cyclists who provide other cyclists outstanding events for competition and fun. Our office is located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and we welcome your comments or questions anytime.

To learn more about this terrific event check out www.rockypeakproductions.com
Make sure to register early for great savings.

source: Bicycle Newswire

Dainese is an Italian company, and is a well known brand in the world of motorcycle road racing (I wear a Dainese Zen motorcycle jacket on my daily commute to work). They have been around for over 35 years, and have always been known for their excellent quality (albeit at a price). Most of their mountain biking products are oriented towards the gravity racing set and their most popular product for DH racers is their Safety Jacket.

I got the chance to test out the latest Dainese 3X Elbow Guards and 3X Knee Guards recently, and they performed superbly. I REALLY did test them out! I went down in a rock garden section, and the armor held up nicely. The pads did not slip or move one bit, and are no worse for wear, and most importantly, neither was I (see picture).

The fit (the knee and elbow guards only come in LG or MD, no SM) is good, although since I am a bit…short of femur…the medium size knee guards were a bit long, but nothing that felt uncomfortable. The cinching mechanism is a set of velcro straps (two straps on the calf and one above the knee, for leg armor….two straps on the forearm and one above the elbow, for the elbow guards). These were very easy to get on and off without having to remove your shoes or gloves.

For the Norcal summer weather, these pads were not overly hot, although I did not wear them well climbing, and only put them on during the DH portions of my trails.

I would strongly recommend this set of armor. While they are not the cheapest armor out there….protective body armor is not really something you want to cheap out on. The cost of the 3X Elbow Guards is $55.00 and the cost of the 3X Knee Guards is $79.00

I give them 5 flamin’ chili peppers overall:

And 4 flamin’ chili peppers for value:

Dainese Website:
http://www.dainese.com/

Shope the Dainese D-Store (motorcycle, ski&snowboard, mountain bike, watersports) :
https://www.dainese.com/store/usa/index.asp

From the manufacturer:

Dainese 3X Elbow Guards

Description:
- Articulated 3-plates elbow protector

Materials:
- Hard plate material:
Polypropylene
- Soft padding material:
Perforated polyethylene

SHOCK
- Composite protectors
- Soft paddings
- Homologation CE EN 1621.1

MICROCLIMA
- ultra-ventilated soft padding

ERGONOMIA
- Closing/Adjusting system: 3 adjustable straps

Dainese 3X Knee Guards

Description:
Composite ventilated protection divided into three parts for the knees, and upper shins in polypropylene and soft polyester padding inside. Adjustment strap fastening system. CE EN 1621/1 homologation.

Materials:
- Hard plate material:
Polypropylene
- Soft padding material:
Perforated polyethylene

SHOCK
- Composite protectors
- Soft paddings
- Homologation CE EN 1621.1

MICROCLIMA
- Ultra-ventilated soft padding

ERGONOMIA
- Closing/Adjusting system: 3 adjustable straps

Read or Write reviews on the 3X Elbow Guards:
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pads/product_129827.shtml

Read or Write reviews on the 3X Knee Guards:
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pads/product_129828.shtml

Wayfinder Active(tm) make maps, GPS recording, routes and statistics accessible on mobile phones.

Wayfinder, the leading supplier of innovative location and navigation services for mobile phones, today announced that it is introducing its Wayfinder Active(tm) application in the U.S. and Canada. Wayfinder Active is a free GPS application for mobile phones with a unique combination of maps, GPS recording and statistics that is designed for people who enjoy running, hiking, skiing, biking or other outdoor activities.

Wayfinder Active is a simple, fun, safe and social way to stay connected to others with similar outdoor interests. Once the application is installed on a mobile phone, each user will have access to a world wide map and the ability to record and share routes with a single keystroke. Users can follow in the footsteps of friends’ adventures and training routes by importing routes and tracks directly from and to their mobile phone.

Wayfinder Active’s integrated online community, ActiveOutdoor, takes outdoor activities to the Internet, with an innovative, user-friendly and measurable way of sharing outdoor activities. Each activity is recorded in a standard GPX format, and the route is then uploaded to the Internet. If needed, users can preload a specific route onto the phone’s caching memory so they can enjoy their activity without thinking about where they are going. Once a route or training trail is completed, the activity is automatically uploaded to the online community.

“The North American market has big potential, and it is with enthusiasm we introduce Wayfinder Active. It is also of strategic importance to extend our business offering beyond car navigation and integrating services like the interactive community ActiveOutdoor,” says Magnus Nilsson, CEO of Wayfinder.

Additional useful features include detailed statistics such as maximum, current and average speed during each activity, plus the distance travelled and calories burned. With a built-in compass and a “Reverse Route” feature, users can easily find a route to anywhere. With the introduction of free Wayfinder Active, Wayfinder also brings the topographic maps of North America to mobile phones, which are available for a fee directly from the device via Wayfinder’s mobile shop. Our partner Tele Atlas delivers the overview maps and U.S. Trailmaps topographical ones.

The free Wayfinder Active can be downloaded at www.activeoutdoor.com on a computer or directly from the phone from www.active.getwf.com. In addition to being available directly to end-users, the product is also available for service providers to offer directly to their subscribers. Wayfinder Active is compatible with more than 100 phone models from all major handset manufacturers including the most popular devices from Sony Ericsson and Nokia. In addition to being available directly to end-users, the Wayfinder Active product is also available for service providers to offer directly to their subscribers.

Meet us at CTIA in Las Vegas!
Wayfinder is exhibiting at the CTIA trade show April 1-3^rd. You are welcome to visit the Wayfinder stand at the Tele Atlas booth 1337 to become acquainted with our services and to interview our CEO Magnus Nilsson.

For press material and more information:
Marianne Olsson, Corporate Communications Director
Phone: +46 (8) 555 176 11, Mob: +46 (0) 701 449 020
E-mail: marianne.olsson@wayfinder.com
Press images can be downloaded from www.wayfinder.com

US inquiries: Catriona Harris, Phone: +1 407 767 0452 x222, E-mail: charris@pr-vantage.com

About Wayfinder
Wayfinder is the leading supplier of innovative location and navigation services for mobile phones. User-friendliness, the core attribute of all Wayfinder’s applications and services, makes it easy for consumers to take advantage of innovations for both business and leisure use. Our clients include major global mobile handset manufacturers and operators. Wayfinder’s base of unique users is growing steadily, and now exceeds 1,5 million users, from India to North America. Wayfinder has offices in Sweden, Finland, Romania and France. Wayfinder Systems AB is listed on the NGM Equity Stock Exchange in Sweden. For more information please visit www.wayfinder.com.

source:  Marie Goltara

- Kona Riders Stomp Competition In NZ; Make Plans For Pan-Am Games -

KONAWORLD (March 25, 2008) - Veteran Kona Factory Team riders Barry Wicks and Tracy Moseley took no prisoners en route to nailing down some first-place finishes in Nelson, New Zealand at the Oceania Championships held March 14-17.

With both riders coming off wins at the recent Kona Colville Connection, Wicks competed in two events at the championships finishing fourth in the XC event and securing the win in the Short Track race. Riding an unforgiving six-lap XC course that was littered with sections of hike-a-bike and sloppy, loose terrain, Wicks managed to climb back into contention but was hampered when he got a flat tire on the final downhill to the finish. Wicks rolled the Short Track course, taking first amid a heavy contingency of Aussie and Kiwi racers.

“All the Kiwi riders were cheering for the Kiwis, the Aussies for the Aussies and everyone for me to beat either the Aussie or Kiwi who was ahead of me,” says Wicks. “I obliged them all.

Competing in three races, Moseley took second in the 15-second Dual Slalom, first in the fierce 4X and another win in the loose and rocky DH event – which she won by a mere four seconds. From Nelson, Moseley cruised over to Victoria, Australia for the Victoria State Championships at the Kona BikePark at Mount Buller. Racing at the venue for the first time, Moseley stomped the DH course winning with a time of 4 minutes, 7 seconds – 19 seconds behind the winning time of the elite men’s time!

In other news, Neal Kindree will be representing Canada at the 2008 Pan-Am Mountain Bike Championship in San Juan de Los Morros, Venezuela the first week of April.

About the Kona Bicycle Company:
The Kona Bicycle Company designs, manufacturers and distributes more than 60 models of purpose-built, high-performance mountain, road and urban bicycles. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Ferndale, Washington, USA, Kona bicycles are distributed worldwide in more than 60 countries through independent specialty bicycle dealers. Kona funds several professional road, mountain and cyclo-cross racing teams that include World Cup Champions, World Champions and National Champions. For more information check www.konaworld.com.

source: Keith Cozzens | Base Camp Communications | www.basecampcomm.com

NOTE: Click on any photo for a full-sized version.

Bike LED lights have come a long way. They have come from bike tail lights to affordable commuter lights to decent trail riding lights last year. Everything about them was better than halogen or HID except for light brightness. This year though, we heard that they are now brighter than HID. Brighter than HID? This we had to see for ourselves.

Here are the light that will be reviewed in this shootout:

Read the rest of this entry »

TEMPE, AZ - Pivot Cycles/BH Bikes has hired industry veteran Jason Mead as its technical representative. Mead will lead the company’s 2008 demo tour.

Mead comes to the company from Slingshot Bicycles, where he was product manager. He also managed all events for the Michigan bike maker. He has years of experience in Michigan bike shops in both sales and service.

“Jason is a great fit for Pivot and BH. He has great knowledge of road and mountain product, can relate to dealers and consumers, is a hell of a rider and is a really nice guy. Everyone that has a chance should take the time to visit Jason at one of our many demo events throughout the country.” said Chris Cocalis, company founder.

Mead will lead the Pivot/BH demo tour, which began in Moab this month. Demo stops include:

March 29-30: Demo, Irvine Regional Park, Irvine, CA
April 4-6: Demo, Nova Classic, McDowell Mountain, AZ

April 17-20: Demo, Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA
April 26-27: Demo, Fruita Fat Tire Festival, Fruita, CO

May 3: Demo, Wheatridge Cycles, Wheatridge, CO
May 10: Demo, Sports Garage, Boulder, CO

May 10: Demo, Sports Garage, Boulder, CO
May 24: Demo, Santa Fe Mountain Sports, Santa Fe, NM

May 25: Demo, Fat Tire Cycles, Albuquerque, NM
June 15-21: Ride the Rockies, Durango-Breckenridge, CO

July 19-20: Demo, Speedgoat Bicycles, Laughlintown, PA

July 25-27: Kenda Fat Tire Festival, MA

Pivot/BH will continue to update the schedule as the season progresses. For updates, check out www.bhbikes-us.com or www.pivotcycles.com.

source: Adam Vincent, Sales & Marketing Specialist, BH USA/Pivot Cycles

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>> MTBR user reviews of Pivot Cycles

>> RoadBikeReview user reviews of BH Cycles

Kenda Tires Debuts the 650B/27.5 Nevegal at the 2008 Taipei International Cycle Show

Reynoldsburg, OH - 3/21/2008 - It turns out the rumors are true. Kenda has jumped into the budding 650B or 27.5″ market by showcasing it’s most popular tire, the John Tomac Nevegal, at this year’s Taipei Cycle show. Kenda displayed the 2.35 version and promises that a 2.10 size will follow.

When asked why they chose to pursue this new size, Jim Wannamaker, Kenda’s marketing director and events coordinator, said, “From a design standpoint, this new wheel size makes sense. It allows a bigger wheel to be used on a longer travel bike, plus smaller riders can get away from some of the negatives like toe overlap and stand over clearance issues found with bigger wheels. It looks like Kirk [Pacenti] is onto something.”

“We’ve also been asked by many product managers with various companies to offer our most popular tire in this new size format,” added Matt McClendon, Kenda’s OEM sales manager. “We’re in the tire business 100%. We don’t do grips, saddles, rims or cockpit components, so it’s important for us to plug into these new tire-related trends. Kenda provides tires of all sizes for cyclists of all kinds, so adding this new size helps us round-out our product offerings for the consumers as well as the bike manufacturers.”

“Going forward, we want this to be an open dialogue between Kenda, product managers, engineers and even the small frame builders concerning this new project. That’s why we chose to have the unveiling here at Taipei where the industry’s movers and shakers meet. In the months to follow, we encourage any and all industry folk to contact us so we can provide them with the specs of our tires to help them design their products.” McClendon continued, “As with all Kenda tires, we’re making the 2.10 and 2.35 true to size and every bit comparable in performance to our 26-inch versions.”

When asked about production, Wannamaker stated, “We’re in the initial testing phase with the 2.35 size and the mold for the 2.10 is being cut as we speak. If all goes well, consumers should expect to see these models by mid summer.”

To keep abreast of the development of the 650B/27.5 Nevegal or info on Kenda’s other fine products, surf over to www.kendausa.com or call 1-866-KENDA USA.

ABOUT Kenda USA: Kenda is a leading manufacturer of bicycle, motorcycle, ATV, industrial, and trailer tires. Most recently, Kenda has begun producing quality automotive tires and tubes for worldwide distribution. Since the inception of our company in 1962, we have operated on core values of honesty, innovation, quality, and customer service. For the past forty years, Kenda has continued to develop and expand its product selections to meet changing market demands.

www.kendausa.com

source: Matthew McClendon, Kenda

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>> MTBR user reviews of Kenda Products 

GRAND JUNCTION, March 24: Josh Bryceland, one of the most talented youngsters to be seen in many years has signed a deal with MRP. Bryceland will join his mentor Steve Peat as a member of the talent-stacked Santa Cruz Syndicate team this year as they battle for supremacy on the World Cup Circuit.

“I’m very excited. I like consistency in my components and that is exactly what MRP offers. I have always used MRP and I see no reason to change. I’m super stoked about running the new G2, it seems indestructible” said Bryceland.

This news comes on the heals of MRP releasing it’s newest chainguide, the G2. Designed for downhill racing, and weighing only 260 grams, the G2 is an extremely light and durable chain guide that features MRP’s patented integrated bash guard technology.

Peaty had this to say: “I have been helping and riding with young Josh for many years now and have seen him come from strength to strength, so it goes without saying that I am stoked for him to join me on the best chain guides in the world. We have the best bikes and the best set-ups so everything else should be easy now. Nice one Josh!”

Josh will be piloting a sweet new G2-equipped Santa Cruz V-10 in his first full season of racing with the big timers, and he will be turning heads along the way. Look for Josh to be making a name for himself as a new force on the World Cup circuit.

MRP is a small company based in Grand Junction, Colorado. With countless World Cup and World Championship victories, MRP has been choice of champions since 1996. MRP’s patented technologies put them at the top as the leader in smooth, silent, reliable chain retention.

For more information about MRP, please visit their website at www.mrpbike.com

Mountain Racing Products
580 N. Westgate Drive
Grand Junction, CO 81505

source: Ryan Cranston, MRP

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>> MTBR user reviews of MRP products 

UFO Plast in 2008

www.ufoplast.com
Via Marco Polo 155
Bientina (Pisa) Italy

UFO Plast SRL is pleased to announce that Jamis Bicycles Factory rider Tommy Tokarczyk has chosen UFO to be his partner in racewear and body protection for Downhill and Mountain Cross in 2008.

“I’m super excited about UFO Plast’s mtb line.” Tommy said. “The gear looks cool and everything fits perfectly. The gloves are amazing and the Downhill Knee-Shin Guards combined with the “Prokop Bendage” sleeve are without a doubt the best system I’ve rode in. These are the only knee-shin guards I’ve found that don’t slide or fall down when you’re pedaling. I’m looking forward to a great season.”

‘We have been working with some of the best riders in Europe the last few years to develop a complete line of protective gear including youth and female specific articles.’ Stated UFO Plast’s Wesley Parker. ‘UFO is eager to find distribution and enter the US Market. What better way to get some attention and exposure than to work with a positive, hard charging guy like Tommy. It’s hard to find a top level rider that’s available, but when Craig Hoyt from Jamis contacted me about Tommy’s need for a gear sponsor we got going immediately.

Tokarczyk is currently preparing for the US National Series which opens in Fontana, California March 27-30. In addition to North American races, Tommy will be heading to Maribor, Slovenia for the World Cup in May. He hopes to be selected to compete in UFO Plast’s backyard at the June World Championship events taking place in Italy. Tommy’s complete 08 sponsor lineup includes Jamis Bikes, UFO Plast, Syncros, Kenda, Hayes, Manitou, e 13 components, Smith Optics, Nationwide Hospitality, and Rockstar.

Pleave visit: http://www.ufoplast.com/en/catalog/mtb-bmx to view the complete UFO Plast mtb catalog and contact wparkermx@hotmail.com for more infomation.

source: Wesley Parker