Here is the summary data for the lights we have so far. We will publish our data and photos of each beam pattern in this article. In the coming weeks, we will produce a review and a video of each of the lights mentioned.

‘Claimed Lumens’ is the manufacturer’s claimed lumen brightness of their lights. It is usually not measured and is based on the best case scenario of the LEDs they are using. Measured Lux is mtbr’s light output measurement of the light. It is performed by bouncing the light off a white ceiling in a controlled environment. The measurements are consistent and are quite accurate in quantifying the light output.

First light photos are of the Ayup 2010 bar V4 Adventure System

Ayup 2010 bar V4 Adventure System
Price: $466 for the combined system
Claimed Lumens: 800
Measured Lux: 65

Ayup helmet light with narrow beam

Ayup bar light with wide beam

Ayup helmet and bar light combo

Next up is the Baja Designs Stryker light.

Introduction

Rocky Mountain Bicycles (RMB) will be resurrecting a venerable name from history when they release the Altitude in 2009. A marked departure from the racing-light steel hardtails that formerly bore the name Altitude, this new Altitude is described as a trail bike that keeps its wheels on the ground for “epic cross country”.

RMB provided me with a prototype Altitude aluminium 50 frame for review. The Altitude is slated to replace the ETS-X in the category which RMB calls XC Marathon and what other manufacturers loosely refer to as “all-mountain”. It will be produced in an aluminium version and in a (lighter, higher-end spec and more expensive) carbon version. As the Altitude is further refined to a production frame with a production spec, some details of this review may be redundant (I’ll highlight those details further in the review) so I urge the readers to also check the RMB website which should be considered to be authoritative.

I’ll note at the outset that I am reviewing the frame and NOT the components. My bike was built with a heavier-then-stock package for riding the Downieville downhill course. Although it is difficult to separate the bike from its parts, I will do my level best to confine my remarks to the performance of the frame. Because there is currently a paucity of information about the Altitude, I will be excerpting from a RMB presentation about this bike in lieu of my standard practise of directing readers to a website. I’ll then present my general impressions about this frame’s performance.

Whistler Alpine

South Chilcotin ~ photo Mark Rowe

Mountain King 2.4 29er

By: Ty Brookhart

The Continental Mountain King 29 tire comes in both 2.2″ and 2.4″ widths with 29″ diameter. The casing is made from 3 ply 180tpi cloth, and it has a foldable Kevlar bead. The tread and sidewalls are Black. Maximum inflation pressure is 65psi. 735g (2.2)/ 860g (2.4).

Continental’s Mountain King 2.4 tears through wet, mucky conditions. The tire has aggressive knobs that are well spaced to shed mud and rotting leaves. In messy conditions, cornering is superb and steering is predictable. The rubber compound is soft and tacky, adhering well to wet roots. The angular knobs dig deep into loamy soils and loose gravel. These are the best wet weather 29er tire I’ve ridden and they performed well in gravel and sand as well. Read the rest of this entry �