Could use something to help keep breast plate and waist support in place
It is still not as comfy as just a jersey
Dainese Impact Race Jacket
Dainese is known for making the best body armor on the market. The new Impact Race Jacket doesn't let you down, though it is not quite perfect. I've been bashing around with it for about 2 months, riding in cold wet conditions to dry and hot dusty conditions. The Impact Race Jacket is very good, and the XXL size even fits a big 6'4" guy like me. Though guys with a bigger belly might want to stay clear, sizing does tend to run small and the breast plate on this safety jacket tends to ride up into the neck if there is not enough slack in the shoulder clips. Speaking of front protection, the breast plate is about all there is. No ribs or tummy protection. Some padding along the ribs would have been a nice feature, at least with the XXL size where there is more space between the breast plate and the waist belt. I have yet to get a good jab in the ribs in a crash, though I know it will happen one day.
Besides the jacket being tight fitting and not very bulky it is also very light, weighing in at about 1600 grams. The back plate is made with honeycomb shaped aluminum to help vent air air, keep the weight low, and cushion impact. The only bad side of this design that I could figure is that if all your honeycomb aluminum thingies get smashed you'll have to buy a new one. Sort of like a helmet after a good impact. That could get pricey. Though I've only managed to crush these honeycomb structures with my fingers so far.
The thumb wraps hold the sleeve in place, though with the wrong pair of gloves some added pressure when gripping the bars can build up. I noticed this at least in one pair of gloves of mine, but when wearing the my Dainese gloves, which fit better then the other pair, everything seemed just fine. Along the arms there is plenty of protective padding with semi-hard rubber shells at the elbows and shoulders. Also the elbows do not detach from the upper arm/shoulder area like some other safety jackets do.
Construction on the Race Jacket seems like it could have been a little bit better. Within a month of using it, some of the thread holding a zipper on has started to come out. But, nothing has ripped or come undone anywhere else. Even after hitting two trees and several good falls.
One of the best features in my opinion is that the back plate is removable. If you feel you don't need the shoulder and elbow guards just unzip it. Or if you want the shoulder and elbow guards with out the back plate so a hydration pack will fit better, you can just unzip and you are set to jet.
The only problem I had w/ the shoulder straps on the back plate is that it did take a bit of playing around to get the right setting because they are a bit stretchy, and they did start to rub raw around the shoulder/armpit area after wearing it all day with out an undershirt.
One suggestion I have for Dainese would be to add some stretchy straps between the breast plate and the waist belt, this will help keep the breast plate from riding up and will keep thing in front better fitting. Maybe some straps that could go to your riding shorts/pants as well would help. Really secure the whole front side up a bit more.
Value Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
I give the Dainese Impact Race Jacket 4 of 5 stars for value because, well, it is expensive and other safety jackets do the job for about half the price. But, like a King headset, sometimes you've got to pay for the best.
Overall Rating:
4.5 out of 5 Stars
4.5 stars for overall because Dainese has maybe a dang near perfect safety jacket. With a little tweak here and there it could be perfect.
Racing jacket in elasticated and tear-resistant mesh with ventilated protectors. Removable ergonomic Wave back protector (lightweight and breathable internal aluminium honeycomb structure offers elevated protection with contained weight) with removable braces and elastic band with double velcro strap. Composite polypropylene protectors on the shoulders, elbows, and chest. Soft padding on the shoulder blades and upper arms in perforated polyethylene. Fastening by buckle on the shoulder and lateral zip on the chest. Adjustable wrist band. Gaiters on the wrists. CE EN 1621/2 (back protector) and CE EN 1621/1 (elbows, shoulders) homologation.
Hard plate material: Polypropylene
Soft padding material: Perforated polyethylene
Other materials/fabrics: Elasticated and tear-resistant Lycra® mesh
SHOCK
Composite protectors on back (removable wave protector), shoulders, elbows
Soft paddings on scapulas, humerous, hips
Homologation CE EN 1621.2 (back protector)
Homologation CE EN 1621.1 (elbow, shoulders)
ERGONOMIA
Fastening system: lateral chest zip
Closing/Adjusting system: buckles/straps on shoulders, elbows
Braces removable, on the back protector
Lumbar belt: elastic belt with double strap
Wrist gaiters
Check out what other MTBR users have to say about the Dainese Impact Race Jacket
I am an XC rider. I’ll do small jumps and logs but mostly I like to stay on the ground. But I also enjoy the variety of cycling. I’ll ride an all-mountain bike, singlespeed, 29er, cross bike, road bike and I’ll always have a big grin on my face.
I haven’t really delved too much into downhill. About 5-10 years ago, I tried Mammoth, Northstar, Squaw resorts and was just not impressed. It just seemed too fast, dusty and rocky with only the upside of not having to pedal up.
Fast forward a few years and I keep hearing about this place in British Columbia called Whistler Bike Park. Folks started calling it the ‘mecca’ or an ‘awesome place to learn’. Still, I discounted it as just a place for downhillers and dirt jumpers.
Then I saw the Whistler segments in the DVD’s ‘Roam’ and ‘Seasons.’ “Wow, Now we’re talking!” I thought that singletrack actually looked pretty special.
The Trip:
By pure luck, my extended family decided to have a group vacation in Whistler. Who was I to object? If biking happened, bonus. If not, no problem.
Whistler is two and half hours north of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. The road is narrow and slow-going as they are trying to widen the single-lane highway before they host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Whistler features a stunning village/downtown area which is about a quarter-mile long with shops, restaurants, groceries and four Starbucks coffee shops. Some of the finest hotels are represented here and the architecture of each building complements the rest.
There’s a kids activity park with zip lines, luge carts and fun attractions. Also, the Village hosts at least a dozen adventures like ATV rides, rafting, guided hikes, etc.
The Biking:
It becomes obvious however that the king of all summer activities here is mountain biking. There’s about 10 bike shops in the village that sell and rent a huge selection of bikes and gear.
Outside the Village, there is a paved bike trail that goes for miles and loops around a few lakes in the area. Nearby, there is a fascinating trail system called Lost Lake. It features smooth fire roads as well as manicured singletrack topped with crushed gravel. And intertwined with all these trails in Lost Lake is an intermediate/advanced trail system called the Zappa trails. These trails feature rocks and roots and elevated wooden structures that is sure to challenge and thrill any rider.
There are also a ton of trails around the area. Trails like ‘Cut yer Bars’, ‘A river runs through it’ and others give the Whistler rider a lot of options.
In the Whistler Village, there is an indoor bike jump park with a foam pit for those super cushy landings. There is also a bmx style jump park on a flat area near the river.
Riding with the family:
I have two small kids and a big family and we had zero bikes and gear. Problem? Not at Whistler. There’s a lot of riding for any level of rider. Eight of us stormed a bike shop at 4pm and we were fully equipped with bikes, trailer-bikes, helmets within thirty minutes. We did the Lost Lake system and the kids had the time of their lives. We did this twice riding from the Village and finished off both rides at Lost Lake which sports a beach/picnic area.
When we had beginners in the group, like my 70-year old dad, we stuck to the village paved trail and were treated to incredible views at Alta Lake.
With a more experienced group, we did the Zappa trails at Lost Lake. These trails are a series of short, technical and absolutely fun trails all connected together. Each section is named after a song by the great Frank Zappa. I was introduced to elevated wooden ramps here. All the ramps are low, consistent in width and very solid in build. Plus the cedar wood used seemed to have great traction.
The Whistler Bike Park
I met with Rob McSkimming, VP of Business Development at Whistler and here are some of the things I learned about the bike park:
The Whistler Bike Park has been in existence now for 10 years.
It is open for about 150 days a year from mid-May to October 15.
There are about 25-30 people maintaining and building trails with 4 excavating machines at their disposal.
The Bike Park sells about 100,000 visitor day tickets a year. For comparison, they get about 2.2 million skiing visit days a year.
The average bike visitor does about 8 lift runs a day. This delivers about 10,000 feet of vertical descent.
The two lifts available are the Fitzimmons lift which goes up 1200 feet and above it is the Garbanzo lift which goes up 2200 feet.
Kids as young as 7-8 years old normally ride the Bike Park downhill trails.
The park’s famous runs are: A-line trail, Crank it Up, Freight Train and Original Sin
The costs:
An all-day lift ticket costs $49/day or $115/3 days (all rates are in Canadian dollars)
The official park bike, the Kona Garbanzo bike rents for $100/day
Full pads and full-face helmet is $45/day
There are many other bike options available around the village at about $50/day
Rob asked me if I had time to ride and I gladly obliged. I rode two whole days, one with Rob and the bike park manager, Brian Finestone. I rode the Kona Garbanzo bike with flat pedals and put on the full-face helmet and arm and leg armor. I gotta at least look the part right?
We started out on ‘Green - easiest’ trails and worked our way up. What I experienced after that was a real eye-opener. The bottom line is, Whistler is about the perfect product experience. The product is the trail and everybody here is passionate about building and maintaining the perfect trails.
Aside from being blessed with soft, tacky soil with natural granite features, the crew has spent thousands of hours building the best trails. There’s four levels of trails (green, blue, black and double-black) and each trail is consistent from top to bottom in terms of difficulty. It seems like every drop is labeled and steeper sections are labeled as well to give the rider time to prepare and make the right choices.
And of course there are the jumps. Whistler has jumps and they are all well-built table tops. In addition, the launch points of each jump is labeled each side by small orange flags. All these jumps can be rolled or launched.
And then there’s the berms. Have you ever gone through a corner without touching the brakes? Well at the Whistler ‘excavated’ trails, it is certainly doable. The berms are perfect and are usually 4-8 feet high. These berms whip you around corners and get you ready to launch the series of jumps coming up on the ‘Crank it Up’ trail. Learning by Repetition
“It’s about learning by repetition here” says Rob McSkimming. Instead of having a couple of opportunities to learn how to take a couple of jumps at your local trail, how about a couple hundred opportunities to do jumps in a single day at Whistler. The ability to do a technical and well-constructed trail over and over, in a time and energy efficient manner is almost guaranteed to make you a better descender.
Also, Whistler features graduated stunts on many areas of the park. An example is a wooden drop that comes in four sizes side by side, from small to extra-large. This allows the riders to start with what they’re comfortable with and work their way up.
Finally, there’s specified ‘Skills Areas’ where there are stunts and features specifically built for teaching the rider how to tackle new obstacles and learn new skills.
A Revelation
I started day one on Green trails with my first time on a downhill bike and my first time ever on flat pedals. It was a foreign animal even on the easiest trails of the park. But with perfect conditions and extremely well-built trails, I gained confidence quickly. Rob was very astute as he always guaged my comfort level always took me up to the next level at every opportunity.
He took me to the excavated, carved-out jump and bermed ‘Crank it Up’ and ‘B-line’ trails. Then he showed me the tight, perfect singletrack of ‘Karate Monkey’. We then flowed down the wooden ramp trails of ‘Devils Club’. I was having the time of my life and I was learning!
At first I had difficulty with my flat pedals as I felt like I was separating from my pedals as I pulled up on the handlebars to jump. Brian Finestone said “Don’t pull up. Just preload the bars and pedals on the jump then release when your front wheel hits the lip of the jump.” What great advice! The bike came up to meet me and I stayed on the pedals. He asked me to work on my timing too and that made a big difference with the direction of the bike in mid-air. So by the end of the day, I was jumping comfortably and hitting the backside of some jumps.
We went up the Garbanzo lift and experienced the big elevation of trails like Freight Train and Duffman. All the way down, the descent lasted forever as we went down 3400 feet in elevation back to the bottom.
Day Two and beyond
On day two, I did half a dozen runs on Crank it up, a run on Freight Train, Angry Pirate, A-line. Then I saw some mtbr friends and they took me down the double-black level Schleyer trail. It was daunting but doable!
I came out smiling, unscratched, with so much more confidence and a much better feel for the bike. All this in two days? I wondered how much I could learn if I had more time.
It was such an enlightening feeling since I’ve been riding for fifteen years and haven’t really improved my descending and jumping abilities in the last five years. And I thought this place wasn’t for my style of riding! The truth is descending is for every style of riding and it is what us mountain bikers enjoy the most.
But what if you’re already a great downhiller? Does Whistler still deliver? Does it pose enough challenges and still promote learning? Heck yes. We’ll let these photos speak for themselves.
I’ve been home now and riding my local trails and I’m a different rider taking new lines. I’ve taken a few of the difficult log drops for the first time ever and scary descents just seem tamer now. And more important, I feel safer and have a bigger smile on my face.
I’ve taken a piece of Whistler home with me and that is a good thing. One thing for sure though, I want more and I will be back.
So how would I rate Whistler? Well for value at $50 a day, it is 5-star. The lifts and the dozens of trails are clearly worth much, much more. It’s all the other amenities that can get expensive at Whistler.
For overall rating, it is again 5-star and beyond. How can you knock something that has no equal? Whistler exceeds all expectations and it gets better year after year.
Am I still an XC rider? I think so. I’m a better XC rider now. And I can dream of the days when I can once again flow and fly through the trails of Whistler.
Brand Name Bike At Discount Store Price
by The Staff of mountainbiketales.com
Tough to beat this performance at this price point.
It’s pretty safe to assume we’re a bit like you. How so? Well, for starters we get excited about the mere possibility of high end bikes with carbon fiber goodies, the latest suspension components and price tags that easily rival that of a very nice used car. And yet each month a majority of reader feedback centers on the bikes we test that cost a fraction of the latest, greatest, wunderkind. See it turns out that MBT is read by many real world riders who care less about status symbols than they do getting out there and enjoying the trails. To that we say kudos!
See? We told you we were a bit like you, but you didn’t believe us. Where was this going? Oh yes…
Enter the Felt Q720, a bike that looks in person every bit as modest as it does on paper (or in pixels as the case may be). While many instantly associate the Felt brand name with ultra-expensive featherweight race bikes (ourselves included) it turns out that the gang from planet F has even the most budget conscious riders in mind when they designed the $800 Q720 aluminum hardtail. Could this bike be all that separates you from a summer filled with blissful exploration? Read on to find out.
The Spec Sheet
Well for $800 you would probably expect to find a few no-name pieces and bits connected to the matte gray frame but try as we may, we were quite unable to locate any. Squish (frontal only) duties come via the coil sprung RockShox Dart 2 (4 inches of travel), WTB rims wrapped in Maxxis Ignitor rubber, Hayes Sole hydraulic disc brakes all around, Truvativ Iso-Flow cranks and chain rings, Shimano Deore shifters and front derailleur (XT rear). About the only components that come from in-house are the Felt branded aluminum riser bar and saddle. Not a bad ensemble for the price of admission.
Felt Q720
Frame
6061 Aluminum, Hydroformed Top tube, Externally Butted Tubing, Semi-Integrated HT, 3D Forged Dropouts
So what’s it like to gaze upon the Felt Q720? To be totally honest, it is nearly indecipherable from afar from their multi thousand offerings. About the biggest giveaway to the budget-minded nature of the Q720 would have to be the Rock Shox Dart fork. If you were to swap this unit for anything that the upper echelon of the suspension world has to offer, it would take a very trained eye indeed to suspect that this bike isn’t upper echelon racer-boy special. But then again, the purpose of this test isn’t to point out the ruse of the Q720’s appearance.
Climbing on board provides a nice upright pedaling position, which puts ample rider weight over the front of the bike. In the cockpit, everything feels clean and simple, much like the bike itself. About the only adjustment we made was to the height of the saddle to accommodate the various leg lengths of our test riders. Other than that, this bike is a very simple exercise in hopping on and hammering away.
The Ride
Drop the cranks and the bike powers out cleanly. Make no mistake, she is pretty chunky for a hard tail (about 30 lbs) and that heft is most apparent when the ground begins to tilt skyward. However, thanks to a seating position that doesn’t hang the rider’s weight too far off the rear of the bike, steering is quite precise and lively. We expected the front to wash out in tight switchbacks but it held its line quite effectively. And being a hard tail, power always feels directly plugged into the ground. Each crank rotation results in a surge of forward movement; truly no energy feels wasted in the process.
However, the test wasn’t without it’s fair share of complaints. For starters this is hard tail country and while this may mean crank pumps that send the bike into motion, it also means back jarring impact on rocks, slapper landings, and roots. We’re not here to add fuel to the whole hard tail versus full suspension debate (that’s what forums are for), we can testify that for east coast slop and trail clutter; the Felt presents a sketchy ride. While the front tire always remained planted in its intended line, we had no trouble finding terrain that would toss the back end around like a sailboat in the Bermuda Triangle.
Shifting was smooth so long as the rider was willing to back off the cranks a little bit just before hand. We experienced some skipping (and even some bent teeth) thanks to up-shifts while giving her the go juice. The SRAM PC-951 chain is good stuff, but maybe even too good when you consider that it gives so little that we managed to bend the teeth on the large ring.
The fork was actually better than we anticipated. Considering the Dart series replaced the long standing Judy line of budget suspension, we immediately feared the worst. However, the unit actually offers some pretty smooth damping with a plethora of customizable options including lock out (with blow off) adjustable rebound and compression. However, keep in mind that it is coil sprung meaning sag is set with the preload dial rather than by PSI in the chamber. This also means a weight penalty as the Dart 2 weighs in at nearly 5 and a half pounds. No it’s not like pushing a boulder with the front wheel but it does make lofting the front end to get over unexpected clutter a bit more of a chore than it should be. Also be sure to properly set the rebound adjustment, we began our test with far too little and managed to top the fork out with a scary clank when pre loading on the face of a jump.
Conclusion
Some may say we were a bit hard on the Q720 but in truth the bike has serious potential. The asking price is certainly right on for the spec sheet it boasts and the Felt name on the down tube is worth half that much alone. About the biggest area in need of addressing is the bike’s weight. 30 pounds has become the benchmark for affordable full suspension designs while hard tails have easily slipped down into the mid and under 20s. We here at MBT aren’t big fans of the hard tail way of life but are willing to endure it when it shaves five or six pounds off the full squish models we’re used to. As it stands, the Q720 really offers no benefits for enduring the backache that’s sure to accompany long days in the saddle, but it does ring up as a good value.
If you are a mountain biker and a new parent, one of the most common questions that comes up in our forums is, "How can I safely take my young child with me on my bike rides?"
There are actually several options available. You can:
pull a trailer behind you (good for 2 children, not good for visibility and interaction)
use a rear mounted seat (creates a very rearward biased center of gravity, can be tippy, not good for visibility and interaction)
use a mid bike (top tube mounted) seat (hard to pedal with the child carrier in this location)
use a trail-a-bike/alleycat style add on (good IF your child is old enough to hold on securely by themselves)
use the iBert safe-T-seat
I have tried the trailer and the rear mounted seat, but hands down the iBert safe-T-seat beats both of these options. If you have more than one young child, the trailer is a better option. But if you have only one small child/toddler who wants to ride with you, the iBert offers a much better view, and more importantly, better interaction with your child as you ride. Everywhere we go, we get comments and questions about the iBert safe-T-seat from other excited parents.
Mounting the seat to the bike:
The iBert safe-T-seat uses a very simple mounting bracket (called the "stinger") that mounts to the steerer tube of the fork, just below the stem. It uses two bolts and takes only 5 minutes to install (actually, it took me 10 minutes but only because I had to move a spacer from on top of my stem, to below it.) A minumum of 3/4" IS required, so if you don't have any spacers on your steerer tube, you may be out of luck.
The seat itself slides on to the stinger bracket and attaches via a pin that is secured by a cotter pin. Without the child in it, there seems to be a lot of play between the seat and the mounting bracket. However, once the child is in the seat and secured, it was never an issue.
You do not have to remove the stinger bracket, to ride the bike solo. The stinger bracket swings around when you turn the handlebar, but it does not get in the way.
Loading your child into the seat:
It is helpful to have a bench or tailgate of a truck or trunk of a car, or something to lean your bike against, when loading and unloading your child from the seat. Clearance between the cables from the handlebar and the leg portion of the seat can be tricky, but not a big deal (I try to make sure my child points his toes a bit when getting in or out so they don't get hung up on the cables.)
Also, I have found that it is necessary for me to load my child, then secure the safety straps over his head, without him wearing his helmet. If he has his helmet on, the clearance with the straps is not enough to go over his head with helmet. Not a big problem, but something to remember.
The Experience:
Once loaded and ready to go, the iBert safe-T-seat offers a great ride experience. We can talk back and forth, point out different sites along the trail...just a really fun and unique way to share the ride with your little one. Everywhere we go, we get comments and questions and smiles from other cyclists and parents.
At first, with the added weight of the child attached to the steering of the bike, it takes a bit of getting use to. But after just a couple of laps around the driveway, this feeling disappears (you won't be bombing any gnarly switchbacks, to be sure, though).
Also, because of the position and the spacing of the seat, there is not a lot of space to hop down between the saddle of the bike and the iBert safe-T-seat. You can solve this by either lowering your seat for starting and stopping (so you don't have to hop down) or by using something to stand on (a curb works well) when starting or stopping in order to maintain proper saddle height for peddling.
As a parent of a young child, there is no better option than the iBert safe-T-seat...really. And no, I didn't get paid to say that. In fact, I paid for this product with my own money, at full retail price, this is not a free test product or something bought at an industry insider price. I first found out about this product from their booth at the Sea Otter this past year. I recommend it to any cycling parent with a toddler.
If I had to complain about one thing (and I think every good review has to include at least 1 think that isn't perfect), it would be that the ride might be more comfortable with some padding in the butt and inner thigh area of the seat. You would think a diaper would be the mother of all chamois, but we've been working up to longer distances of rides and harder terrain, so a little bit of padding would be nice.
Summary and Rating:
I would strongly recommend the iBert safe-T-seat. It is a lot of fun for my son and I, and it is a great way to get your youngster excited about biking. I've even moved up from laps around the local park to real singletrack rides. My only complaint is that I didn't find out about this product sooner! Had I known, I would have had him in this thing for the last year, as it stands now, we don't have long to go before he reaches the 38 pound weight limit (which means I'll have to get him on a balance bike (Skuut/Like-a-Bike/Glider) soon!
From the manufacturer:
-better than trailers
-better than rear-mounted seats
-better than other front mounted seats
-installs in minutes
Will it fit your kids?
The safe-T-seat is designed for children age 4 and under. The minimum age is 12 months as the child needs to be able to sit up well and hold the weight of a helmet on his/her head. The maximum height of the child that can use the safe-T-seat is 42 inches. Kids much taller than that will be uncomfortable. The recommended max weight is 38 lbs. Above 38 lbs and the maneuverability of the bike may be affected.
Will it fit your bike?
The safe-T-seat is the most adaptable child carrier on the market today. It fits more bikes than any other front mounted seat. A minimum of 3/4 inch is needed on the handle bar stem to accommodate the stinger assembly.
Part I - Part II will come out in another three or four months. After some more training.
Hill Climb?
I was scanning the NorCal board on MTBR late one night and found a thread that caught my eye. Some crazy guy wanted to give a month long FREE strength training class so he could test out some biking specific exercises he is developing. Well, three words caught my attention quickly; exercise, bike, and FREE. So I shot off an email and a week later I was meeting up with some folks in Los Altos ready to take on my first ever timed hill climb test.
I guess roadies and xc types do this sort of thing all the time for fun and then brag about their wattage output. We dh'ers on the other hand, don't. But I wanted to get in better shape so I figured I'd give it a go. Actually the only thing I was worried about was the group's attitude, because I knew I would kill that hill climb! What worried me was that there would be negative or hostile "gym" mentality from the organizer, an attitude and outlook on life I just can't deal with, but my fears were quickly brushed aside after talking with Al for a couple minutes. Even though he was about to cause me great pain and suffering, and was on a road bike, in spandex, I felt at home on the trails while talking with him. (Left Image: Quinnhill Rd and Patrick)(Right Image: Richard Jancito climb results. Click to enlarge)
Well...to make a hill climbing story short (yes, you can thank me now), I got my arse, my lungs, and legs handed back to me, swollen, busted and drained of all energy. Although I was dead tired, I was happy. I knew I was about to enter into a program that will whip me into shape with a good attitude and a smile. Oh yes, my time up the hill was 1:53. Quite frankly, not a good time.
So, is this a review about IPF (Integrate Performance Fitness), or some god awful hill climb? Yes, yes, let me get on with it! The hill climb was for bench marks, which meant (much to my delight) I was going to have to do it again in four weeks.
About Integrate Performance Fitness and the Training Program:
IPF was started by Al Painter with the goal and philosophy of helping athletes, both professional and weekenders, "get... away from the leg press, ham curl, smith machine and knee extensions," with the specific intention to "help people ride better than they ever have." - Al Painter
Jamii North just recently came on board with IPF as a second instructor to offer more time slots for the growing class sizes.
IPF's activities focus on core strengthening with exercises done in short 30 seconds to 1 minute sprints with very short brakes in between while rotating to a new exercise after every set. For example, the first 40 seconds you might be doing push-ups on a large inflatable exercise ball, the next 40 seconds you'll be doing squats with a 30 lbs weight while balanced on some funny looking piece of equipment. After that, 40 seconds of lifting a weight in one hand and pulling a weight in the other while balancing on one foot and rotating the torso. Not to mention the hellishly large and hair pulling black bands that work the butt so hard it might hurt to sit the next day. The whole time Al or Jamii will be there, joking, leading, and helping the group stay focused but light-hearted. (Left image: group balance resting at studio. Click to enlarge)
Our specific biking-focused exercises were a bit of a modification of the above exercises. We spent more time balancing and having our feet placed as if on our bikes. One foot a bit in front of the other. We also did a lot of one footed exercises. My favorite being a one leg squat while balancing on a big blue rubber air filled bladder while stretching out an arm to touch a cone. For 40 seconds, start now. Ouch! This four week class was mainly focused on mountain biking, the cross country side of the sport. I spoke with Al about making a downhill focused class and he had a lot of ideas for it if there was demand.
I did most of my training for those four weeks with Jamii North. I have to say Jamii is just as easy to work with as Al. Though she isn't a mountain bike fanatic, the whole "down a gnarly trail at high speeds" isn't her cup of tea, she was able to help me in tailoring our work out toward specific requests I had. Like, how to maintain energy and stamina while constantly lowering and raising my center of gravity for berms. Jamii's style of instruction is best described by her own words: "I like to be there emotionally for my clients as fitness can only go so far but if they aren't happy the training is nearly worthless." - Jamii North
IPF is top notch in my book. The facilities are clean and well kept, the bathroom feels like you're at home, so much so I have found that many of the guys leaving the communal part of the mens room tend to leave the door open, as if at home. Sometimes I've had to jump to shut it, but really the point is that I, and others, just feel very comfortable at IPF. The women's room is very nice as well. Al seems particularly proud of it and had me take a look while it was empty. The coaching is very good, though in groups, especially when leg switching is involved, the coach would sometimes get confused as to which leg we were on, which was solved with some cones now marked L and R for left and right. Overall, Al and Jamii know what they are doing, and they have the credentials and skills to prove it. (Right image: studio. Click to enlarge)
Results:
So, I spent a month driving to Los Altos (from Berkeley) to get my body hurt and what do I have to show for it? Well, my hill climb improved by 30 seconds, but more important then the timing, my mental condition has changed. On our final test, when I felt like quiting, taking a break, or pulling over on the climb for a short break, I just got back up out of the saddle and kept pushing harder. Mentally I made a small step beyond the limits of my pain by pushing and pushing that limit further out there. My body is quickly following my mind, and I am finding myself pushing my pain limits out on the trail more often.
So does this help my downhill at all? Or can I pedal my 42 pound dh beast up a hill faster? The answer is, yes! I found over the last month my cornering improved greatly. I am able to quickly lower my center of gravity, shift my hips and weight. Don't get me wrong, I am not Steve Peat or Sam Hill, but I am better than I was a month ago. Also my stamina has increased. Ten runs for my first day at Northstar this year while last year I was topping out at about seven or eight runs in a day. I also found whatever muscles it is that makes me whip. I now can pull those like never before. So yes, it has helped significantly with my dh riding.
If you are in the Bay Area and are looking for training, you should seriously consider IPF as a place to spend your hard earned time, sweat and money. It is well worth it. And if you think I'm wrong, well, I'll be there so you can just tell me.
Value Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
I give it 5 stars for value. Sure the non-free classes are, well, not free, and they do cost more than just pocket change, but they are worth every penny. Besides the money the classes are what you put into them. If you go to train, focus and improve, Al and Jamii will work it. If you are just paying to play, well....
Overall Rating:
4.5 out of 5 Stars
4.5 stars for overall, because Al and Jamii are very nice and know what they are doing. The gym environment is friendly and clean. And the work out works. It would be great if could give more specific help towards DH racing. I did talk to Al about this and like I said above, he has some great ideas for dh racing training, but he doesn't have the demand at this point. So, (hint hint) who else rides dh and wants to train? So, 4.5 stars because it is dang near perfect, but not quite at this time.
>>> Look for my follow up review in three or four months.
2005 CitySports Magazine Best Bay Area Personal Trainer Al Painter, BA, NASM-CPT is the founder and President of Integrate Performance Fitness, the Bay Area’s premiere performance improvement facility. He is also a Graduate of Santa Clara University as well as a member of the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Core Strength Coach for the Silicon Valley Team In Training Cycling Team
University of Santa Clara Cycling Team Coach
Strength Consultant and Skills Instructor for the Northern California High School Mountain Bike League
Mountain View/Los Altos Soccer League Conditioning Consultant
Former Strength Coach for the Santa Clara University Women’s Crew Team
Former Director of Strength & Conditioning for two Bay Area Baseball Academies
Al’s client list includes a wide range of athletes from former World Cup Mountain Biker racers, Pro/1/2 Road Cyclists, NCAA Division I competitors, as well as “everyday” athletes in need of more strength to pick up their kids, work in the yard or have more energy throughout the day.
When Al isn't introducing his clients to new ways of making exercise “fun”, he enjoys suffering up Old La Honda Rd on his road bike and riding up the switchbacks at Saratoga Gap on his mountain bike. He also participates in both mountain and road bike racing.
He also likes playing Ultimate Frisbee, geeking out online, eating, reading, video games, trying to make the perfect cup of coffee, cooking, riding bikes, going on bookstore dates with his wife Jill and trying to get cat hair off his clothes.
Al is also on the eternal search for the perfect post ride burrito! * - http://www.integratefitness.com/staff-al.html
Jamii North, BS
Personal and Group Trainer
"I got into Personal Training at the same time as my Sports medicine studies since they seemed to go hand-in-hand. As a trainer I feel that if I should be the best role model I can for my clients. I want them to feel like I not only know what I'm tlaking about but I too do what I say. I also like to be there emotionally for my clients as fitness can only go so far but if they arent happy the training is nearly worthless."
Jamii's experience also includes his work as:
B.S. in Sports Medicine from SUNY Brockport, in Brockport, NY
MA in Kinesiology from SJSU in May 2009
Trainer in High School sports teams in New York
Rochester Brigade, Arena Football Team Summer 2001
Worked with UCSC (Lacrosse, Ultimate Frisbee, Rugby, Cross Country, Golf), and Stanford (Baseball, Field Hockey, Women's Basketball)
Empire State Games (semi-pro) in Field Hockey
Black Belt in Isshyn Ryu Karate, and taught it for 10 years in NY. He holds 2 dozen trophies from half as many karate Tournaments
The GP1 series of grips offer maximum comfort and the best possible pressure distribution. They are specially cut for a small to middle sized hand (Size S: 6.5 / 8.5 - particularly good for female hands), as well as for middle to larger sized hands (Size L: 8.5 – 10.5). They feature a forged aluminum clamp for fast and secure installation. The support platform is individually incrementally adjustable for the correct hand angle by simply turning the grip.
Installation is as easy as any other lock-on, slide on the grip and tighten the bolt. The only issue that takes any time is figuring out the most comfortable angle for your riding and making sure that both grips are even. With normal grips, this is not an issue because they are circular.
Weight
These grips are heavy due to the extra material (170g per pair according to JensonUSA on the smalls and over 200g for the larges). If you are a weight weenie looking to shed those precious grams, these are probably not the grips for you. I have heard from endurance racers that they find the added benefits during longer riding a big enough trade off for the weight.
Price
Averaging around 35.00 per pair (25.00 if you look hard), these are some of the most expensive grips you can put on a bike from a mainstream retailer.
First Impressions
At first, it really took some time to get used to the Ergon GP1’s. For such a long time, riders have gotten used to regular grips for all of their riding needs. The Ergon’s are much different than anything else on the market. Finding that “sweet spot” on the bikes was a little bit more difficult than I had planned on, but once they were set…they felt great.
My hands are relatively large and I found even the smalls to be a little big. I like to be able to grip all the way around the bars with my index and middle finger in technical riding situations. The large sized grips really hindered my ability to do this. So for me, the “better for women” size worked out the best. I have found this to be true for almost all of the men with any experience with Ergon’s. (For reference: My hands have a 9” spread)
On The Bike
According to Ergon, these grips are supposed to prevent soreness and numbness in the hands and fingers by providing optimal pressure distribution on the palm. I do not have chronic problems in these areas but I did find the grips to be very comfortable on long climbs. I was able to rest my upper body weight on the bulk of the grips and this helped in loosening my grip on the bars. I found that my hands were not as tired at the end of long climbs as compared to regular grips.
On the descents, I have two opinions. On the Moots Mooto-X 29er, the grips felt great when gravity takes over. I still had complete control over the front end and I felt more stable on the bars. When I switched the the Mojo, things changed a little bit. In more downhill/freeride situations, I really missed being able to grip all the way around the bars in multiple positions. This left me feeling uneasy on drops and jumps that I normally feel at home on.
One other critique…The one bolt clamping mechanism makes installation a breeze, but I did find that the bolt can loosen easily causing the grips to move on the bar. A simple tightening of the bolt with the multi-tool rectified the issue quickly, so it was more of a little annoyance than a deal breaker.
Durability
Even through all of the testing, the grips still look brand new (with some added dirt). This makes me believe that the grips are going to last a pretty long time. Some other brands soft compounds tend to wear out pretty quickly, but the Ergon’s look like they are going to be around for a long time. This helps with the price of the grips if you know you aren’t going to have to buy another set for a long time.
Conclusions
I can see exactly why endurance racers love these grips. They work out great on the long haul. It is my opinion that these grips are best suited for rigids, hard tails and short travel full suspension bikes. They will relieve your hands in long mileage rides and help with numbness and soreness in the palm area. If you are looking for a set of grips that are going to be comfortable over long rides and you aren’t worried about weight, look no farther than the GP1’s. I would try out a set before you purchase to make sure you are ok with the size, but it is my guess that the smalls are going to work for most riders.
If you are an all mountain/freeride/downhill rider, you are probably going to want to stick with a conventional grip. A personal favorite of mine is the Oury lock-ons, but Ergon also has a new GE1 that may work out better for more aggressive, technical riding situations.
Ergon is also the only grip company, that I can think of, that is truly involved with their riders. There have been multiple test sessions held at our local trail heads by Ergon employees. They install the grips on your bike for testing and answer questions as you go along. As the bike industry becomes more competitive, this is a huge plus in my book. I really like “hands on” manufacturers.
I’ve been using the pedals for two months now. The news is good. The pedals have performed very, very well. Click-in is easy and positive. It is accompanied by a distinct snap that echoes throughout the pedal body. The feel is a little bit different from the Eggbeater pedals I was used to so it took a couple of weeks until it became second nature.
Click-out is easy and consistent. The stock cleats offer 15 degrees of float and a 20 degree version will be available soon. Although there is 15 degrees of float, the cleat has a ‘centered’ location and there is bit of resistance along the the 15 degrees until the cleat is centered. Beyond the float, the pedal releases cleanly after a slight resistance. It seems easier to release than the Crank Brothers pedals. These pedals seem less likely to lock you in when an abrupt clickout is needed.
If you find the click-out resistance of the Crank Brothers Eggbeater just perfect, I think you will find that these Look Quartz pedals require less effort to click out. The only downside is you might inadvertently click out of the pedals in technical sections or during aerial maneuvers.
We did not have the opportunity to test these pedals in the mud but it is fairly clear that these will shed mud well. The open design provides very little surface for any mud to interfere with.
The pedals spun very smooth and displayed no noticeable play. After a month of use, the pedals spun more freely than new but they were not free spinning like some Shimano pedals that we’ve seen.
Verdict:
We are very satisfied so far. The pedals are light and spin nicely. They let us click in and click out consistently. They offer a large platform for less foot hotspots, although we haven’t felt a difference yet during riding. These look like they are going to work great in mud. And finally, they offer tremendous value at the $99 model weighing in at 260 grams.
The downside is the spring tension seems a bit light and is not adjustable. Thus accidental click-outs are a possibility for some riders. Also, the $399 Carbon Ti model is just a poor value. Another downside is initial setup can be tricky getting the pedal and sole interface to mate up perfectly. And as the sole of the shoe wears down, the shim stack on the cleat has to be adjusted to keep the shoe properly adjusted. Time will tell on the robustness and reliability of this pedal.
But this effort is a fantastic offering from Look. It’s great to have a new choice that is well-designed, light and offers good value.
This is one of the most anticipated products this year. I’ve got my hands on a production model so it should be hitting the store shelves pretty soon.Why the fuss?
it is a pedal from Look, which has a good track record of making excellent pedals
it is a very simple, open design.
the base model, the Look Quartz is very light and priced aggressively at $99/pair
each pedal has 1 set of sealed bearing and a needle bearing. The more expensive Ti axle pedals have 2 sealed bearings and a needle bearing.
Claimed weight is 125 grams per pedal. Our test set (production model) came in at 130 and 129.5 grams each. In comparison, the Crank comparable Crank Brothers pedals are: Read the rest of this entry »
New ride added - ADVANCED RIDERS ONLY!
You asked for an advanced ride, with climbing and no shuttle, well your wish has come true We are adding a Lower Bunchgrass and all of Heckletooth ride This is NOT a shuttle, this is a ride from the park The ride has a lot of climbing and is VERY technical in spots. This ride will be lead mostly by Cascade Cream Puff racers, so while it will not be at race pace, it will go along at a steady pace. Please speak with the guides and get the details before you sign up
Thanks, Randy
——————
Review
Destination: Oakridge, Oregon.
Where? Oakridge is a small valley town, east of Eugene. Where? It’s 9 hours north of Norcal. We’ll figure it out. There’s a small outfit called Mountain Bike Oregon that promises 3 days of riding bliss and free beer for less than $300. Last year, a few of my friends left me on injured reserve and took the trip to Oakridge. They said the riding was incredible and the event was very enjoyable. Tom Tran described it as: “You know our favorite part in Downieville… Third Divide? It’s like that but hundreds of miles long.” I said “Wow, let’s roll!”
What bike to bring?
Nomad, 29er FS, Rigid, Singlespeed? Since I was just hitching a ride, I could only bring one bike. All the rides are shuttle rides, I hear. So let’s bring the Nomad. Tom however convinces me to ride the Salsa Mamasita 29er singlespeed. “That’ll be perfect” he said. Nice cushy front and light enough to be fast. I had my doubts as I wasn’t too interested in racing XC up the trails. Although Tom took a Niner singlespeed rigid fork last year and had a blast. He said all the descents are fairly smooth and the climbs are not too steep. Ok, Mamasita it is.
Arrival
So I’ve never been to Oregon. Well it’s very green, hilly and scenic. The roads are smoother and the folks drive slower. But don’t you dare pump your own gas since you might get arrested. We roll into Oakridge and it’s a beautiful valley town surrounded 360 degrees by these tall green mountains. Right by the main road is a park/campground next to the Willamette river. We arrive on Thursday afternoon and the camping area has several dozen tents next to the river. We set up camp with about a dozen mtbr tents and signed up for the upcoming rides. There’s a beer garden area with a stage, a feeding area, a lunch box set up area and a shuttle staging area on one end of the park. Bathroooms are handled by several dozen portables. Showers are at a high school a half mile away with shuttles constantly running in the afternoons. Heck, we even had cell phone service.
The rides
There are many options for the three days of shuttle riding. Each route is described in a guidebook and it makes recommendations depending on rider skill level. Our ala carte schedule looked like this:
Friday- Lawler and Hardesty
Saturday - Middle Fork Trail ($35 extra)
Sunday - Alpine Trail
That’s the consensus of the locals for advanced riders. Middle Fork Trail costs an extra $35 since it’s way out there. The shuttle ride to the drop-off point takes about an hour and a half. There’s lunch midway through the ride and there’s ice-cold beer at the end of the ride.
In addition, our group decided to do a couple of self-supported shuttle rides since we drove all the way from another state and all. These were:
Thurs - Larison Rock
Monday - Mackenzie River Trail
So why are all the rides shuttle rides?? Are they such extreme downhill runs? Isn’t shuttling uncool? It turns out the descents are very XC style and 40 lb. bikes are not needed. In fact, the locals rarely shuttle these same rides. But the climbs are huge at 4000-6000 feet of elevation gain. Shuttles are done basically so we can ride every day and not feel cooked. The remarkable thing is all these trails are shuttle friendly. There’s usually a road that drops you off at the top of the trailhead. And even with the shuttle up the hill, there’s usually some climbing involved throughout the day. Another point is riders of varying abilities can try these wonderful descents. Not everybody can climb 5000 feet but most folks can descend that. Of course that’s a double-edged sword that can put riders in over their heads on top of a mountain.
Thursday - Larison Rock
This one is right behind the camping area across the river. We drove up a windy road for about 20 minutes and voila, we were at the trailhead. It’s about a 4-mile, 2000-foot descent. The minute we hit the trail, I knew this place was special. There were a hundred shades of green as vegetation covered every square inch outside the narrow singletrack. The trail snaked down the mountain, sometimes very narrow with some exposure on one side. Leaves lashed at my half-covered fingers as I swooped down the hill. The soil condition was A+ with zero dust and plenty of grip. We ended on a flatter trail that led us all the way to the campground. Wow, our beloved Norcal trails just got schooled and this was just a prelude to the trail orgy to follow.
Friday- Lawler and Hardesty trails
This one is actually two shuttle rides. The bus waits for us at the bottom of Lawler and takes us to the top of Hardesty. This ride was a gem! There was a little out and back bonus trail in the beginning. Then the Lawler descent ensued with uninterrupted descending down the middle of a very big, dark forest. The twisty descent just flowed through soft, loamy trails inside the tree canopy. Then came Hardesty trail. Hardesty was easier yet better. It had such good flow and speed that everyone came out of the canopy just smiling. But wait there’s more! at the bottom, people were just laughing.
Saturday - Middle Fork trail
An hour and a half away and $35 extra? Is it worth it? In a word, hellya! You have to be an advanced rider to survive the roots at the top and endure the 30 mile trek. But pay that price and you will be rewarded with the most interesting trail of the weekend. The trail is peppered with turns, roots, sights, hikes and flowy descents. The first half of the trail is an exciting and technical descent through some very twisty and very rooty singletrack. The views are dramatic with all the water flowing but there’s no time to look. It’s about a five-hour ride and the guides leave a personalized box lunch halfway through the trail. Let me just say that PB&J sandwiches never tasted so good. We even took a little hike across the highway and saw a natural spring pop out of the ground and start a creek before our very eyes. After the lunch break is an exciting but grueling section of creek crossings and hike-a-bikes. It then opens up to the flowy, buff singletrack the area is famous for. At the end of the 30 miles, the muscles, back and neck were sore. We then jumped into the river and injected life back into our bodies. Grab a beer at the shuttle and we can go ahead and anoint this as the ‘best ride evar’.
Sunday - Alpine trail
At around 2 am, the skies opened up. August downpours are rare even here in Oakridge and it took everyone by surprise. Half the attendees packed up while most of the Norcal crew donned shower caps and braved the elements. Remarkably, the trail was in great condition as the showers lightened up at around 11am. I did not make the Alpine ride said this one rivaled the Middle Fork ride. They said the flow was incredible and the vistas were epic.
Monday - self shuttle at Mackenzie River Trail (non-MBO)
The great thing about Oakridge is we are within striking distance of some of the other great Oregon trails. We took about an hour and a half drive to Mackenzie river and stayed at Harbick’s Inn. The next morning, we braved the morning drizzle that unfortunately turned into a downpour. We shuttled to the top and did a loop around the lake. This trail was again so interesting and flowy. Did you know that lava and big fir and redwood trees can thrive together? Well, here it does. There is about a one-mile section of lava that was so technical and interesting. The good news about lava trails is there is almost perfect traction even in the rain. The bad is the price for failure is very steep as that lava will exhibit it’s friction properties on your skin. On the trail, we are treated to a symphony of twisty singletrack, lava obstacles, bridges, water crossings, waterfalls, pools and a million shades of green.
The Carnage
At the July venue, it was reported that there were 5 broken bones(mostly collarbones). In this August MBO, we were spared that but one of our Norcal contingent went down very hard. Sarah is a beginner/intermediate rider and was having a blast at Lawler trail. But as the trail opened up to a fire road, she picked up a bit of speed and did not see a dirt mound for blocking vehicle access. Not having ever jumped before, she launched off the dirt and landed on her head and her back. Now for the scary part, she was incoherent for about two minutes. Then she came to but had no memory whatsoever of the last week’s events. Over the next hour, she regained all her memory and complained of a sore back while laying down. She declined the ambulance ride to the dismay of all the rescuers and ride organizers. She then got checked out at a nearby hospital and got a clean bill of health. She is a trooper and managed to have fun the rest of the days despite being quite sore. The other injury of note was Noah’s tattoo. Noah crashed on the trail and the the bike was still clipped in on one foot and landed on his shoulder. Noah is about 300 lbs and can put some heat on those disc brakes. He thought, ‘what’s that little stinger on my shoulder’? It was his brake rotor burning his skin!!! Wow. Rumor is Noah is going to mark that spot with a real rotor tattoo that says ‘MBO’.
The Guides
Each MBO ride is led by many guides. The guides are unpaid volunteers that belong to the Disciples of Dirt, the same group that maintains these trails. These guys were key to making this event so enjoyable. Their enthusiasm for sharing their trails was matched only by their riding ability. They excelled at climbing, descending, trials riding. Just by coincidence, the Norcal group was matched up with Boyd and Wes for four days of riding. We had fun at the expense of Boyd’s Kiwi accent. And we benefited from his guiding and riding expertise. Most important, Boyd and Wes’s upbeat spirit always lifted the group. I think they had fun too as they joined us on their own at the Mackenzie River Trail ride.
So there you have it. The perfect trip. The founders Randy and Porter of MBO have done good. The event has grown from 30 people in 2005, 250 in 2006 and 450 in 2007. Take note that MBO gives a money to a lot of local community groups. They care for the town and it shows as all the locals are very accomodating to cyclists. One caveat is each MBO event is capped at 300 riders. It will most likely sell out next year so register early when it opens before christmas.
Next year, get ready MBO, the Mtbr armada is coming!
MSRP: $52.95 These are T-shirt style jerseys that are comfortable on or off the bike. Though not a new concept, we were excited to try these new jerseys because they looked cool! Plus the material seemed really soft and light.
These run a little large so size I tested in all the photos is a size Small. I’m 5′8″ 145 lbs and normally wear medium jerseys.
I’ll pay it the highest compliment and say that I wear them even when I’m not on the bike. They are just so darn comfortable, specially on warm days. On the bike, they are hardly noticeable too and provide a lot of ventilation on hot exposed climbs. A lot of riding t-shirt jerseys get a bit hot due to the lack of a zipper. But the Salsa Riding Tee uses such a light and breathable material that it is cool enough even on hot days.
There are no pockets on this jersey since it’s a t-shirt style. A camelback will easily solve the storage issues and is the expected riding setup. So if you’re a water-bottle, pocket-stuffer kind of guy, you’ll have to think of another place to store your patch kit and essentials. On warm days, we like the feeling of having nothing on the back and having better ventilation. So we used a saddle bag and water bottles with this Riding Tee.
One disadvantage we found is the jersey material can run when snagged. Thus be careful when washing these and remove any velcro material from the same load as it will damage this jersey.
So the styling is excellent and comfort is top notch. It looks great both on and off the bike and that’s quite an accomplishment for lycra.
Conclusion:
It’s a little expensive for what it is given there’s no zippers or pockets. But beyond that, it’s one of the best executions of the riding t-shirt. It’s comfortable and it looks good. We would have given it a perfect rating if the material was more durable and less susceptible to snags. But if you take good care of this jersey, it will become one of your favorites.
The second ride on the Ardents changed my opinion on their performance due to a critical change in air pressure. I lowered the front another couple psi to the 26 lbs. range and the tire performed so well that I had to re-write this review.
I took the Ardents up to Pinhoti 2, 3 and 4 up in the north Georgia mountains over the weekend to get some long mile testing in. The Pinhoti’s are known for providing some of the best single track that Georgia can provide. Great tight, twisty downhills with long steep climbs get your heart rate peaked no matter which way you are headed.
To get full use out of these new tires from Maxxis, I mounted them up to the Flow rims on the Moots Mooto-X 29er 1×9 previously reviewed on this site. Luckily, a birthday ride for a fellow riding friend provided the perfect excuse to get up there and really throw the tires around.
MOUNTING
These tires went on very easily, almost too easily. Using my floor pump, I was not able to air up the tires tubeless, so I threw in some light 26″ tubes. Everything air up perfectly and the bead popped into the rim. I left the tires at 40 psi over night and then lowered them down to 28 psi for the ride. For the next ride, I am going to release one of the beads and attempt the tubeless route again.
THE RIDE
The first thing I noticed with these tires is that they roll incredibly fast. The center tread has very little rolling resistance which makes pedaling very efficient on climbs and flats. During the climbs, there were a few instances that the tires lost traction, but these were in very steep sections. This bike is also set up 1×9, so I don’t think the tires would have lost it in a granny ring situation climbing correctly. When the trail started pointing down, the tires did not disappoint. On the straights, the tires felt great. The low rolling resistance and consistent center tread made for a fast tire in the flats and straight downhills. When the trail got really twisty, they started to lose traction and pretty easily. I was struggling to keep them on the trail at speed. After letting some air out from the 28 psi baseline, the traction got a little better, but not much. The tires were actually making me nervous about going off of these tight trails. Now, the trail was dry and there was a lot of lose dirt and leaves that makes any tire a bear to handle, so this had an effect on the tires handling. At this point, I lowered the pressure some more down into the 26 psi range and the front tire came alive. The traction in the turns increased 10 times over and it was no holding incredibly well in the loose turns. At this psi, I would normally be worried about pinch flats, but even through rock gardens and jumps…I had zero issues with pressure loss or flats.
HOW IT STACKS UP TO THE COMPETITION
These are the other tires that I have ridden on 29er’s.
Specialized Resolution 2.3
WTB Stout 2.3
Kenda Nevegal 2.2
The Ardent tread pattern has huge potential. After I lowered the front pressure, these tires are at least on par and in certain situations better than their competition. In the future, I would like to see a 2.4 version with the specs below for a true AM 29er tire that can really do anything.
My 2.4 Ardent 29er Proposal
More Tread - The tread height is pretty low for an all mountain tire. Add a little bit of height and they should be set.
Tread - Widen the tread blocks. This added with the increased height should square the tire off a little bit more and really let the side and transitional knobs do their job. It will also bring the transitional knobs closer to the side and center tread which will increase the grip.
Volume - Increased volume will help even more in rock gardens and jump situations.
CONCLUSIONS
Maxxis has a real winner with the Ardent tread pattern. It is a fast rolling tire that also grips incredibly well in the turns. For the average 29er rider, these are going to be the perfect tire for everyday riding. Even pushed to the limit, these tires perform incredibly well for a 2.25. I would like to see a 2.4 offering out of Maxxis to fulfill my want/need for a big 29er tire, but in the meantime, this 2.25 Ardent has turned into my favorite 29er tire so far.
July 15th, 2008 by 
adam
I give the Dainese Impact Race Jacket 4 of 5 stars for value because, well, it is expensive and other safety jackets do the job for about half the price. But, like a King headset, sometimes you've got to pay for the best.
Dainese is known for making the best body armor on the market. The new Impact Race Jacket doesn't let you down, though it is not quite perfect. I've been bashing around with it for about 2 months, riding in cold wet conditions to dry and hot dusty conditions. The Impact Race Jacket is very good, and the XXL size even fits a big 6'4" guy like me. Though guys with a bigger belly might want to stay clear, sizing does tend to run small and the breast plate on this safety jacket tends to ride up into the neck if there is not enough slack in the shoulder clips. Speaking of front protection, the breast plate is about all there is. No ribs or tummy protection. Some padding along the ribs would have been a nice feature, at least with the XXL size where there is more space between the breast plate and the waist belt. I have yet to get a good jab in the ribs in a crash, though I know it will happen one day.
