The Sea Otter Classic is returning to Monterey, California this weekend for its 21st year in a row and it looks to be bigger and badder than ever! I was able to attend last year courtesy of Airborne Bicycles, and this year I’m excited to return.

On the outside possibility that you haven’t heard of it, Sea Otter is simply one of the biggest (if not the biggest) bike fair/expo/race/events of the year covering all disciplines of riding. Last year there were almost 60,000 people present over the course of the weekend. While this event is technically cross-discipline, Sea Otter has a very distinct mountain bike bent to it.

The scope of this event is so huge that there is no way you could ever hope to experience it all in one day. In fact, even if you are there for all 4 days of the event, it is still physically impossible to take everything in!

Mayhem at Sea Otter: There are people and bikes everywhere!

Here’s a hypothetical dilemma: let’s say you show up and buy a one day pass to Sea Otter. Which  should you choose to do: watch or participate in one of the many races, tour the 400 booths at the fair and ogle the newest gear and pick up free samples and stickers, test ride brand-new mountain bikes that might not even be on the market yet, watch one of those crazy trials riders do a show, eat delicious food, play on one of the pump tracks, or go for a ride and explore the incredible singletrack of Fort Ord?

Personally, I recommend a large dose of all of the above. The problem is, there is no way you can do all that in one single day… and it would be tough to do even over the course of the entire event!

New for This Year

Ladies Day

On Sunday the 17th Sea Otter will feature a day set aside for events and rides geared specifically toward female riders. On tap for Sunday are “women-specific clinics, [a] demo ride, panel discussion, and product displays, plus a wine and chocolate reception.”

Side note: Now, I’d think most dedicated mountain biking ladies would appreciate this nod in their direction from a male-dominated sport, and I don’t think any guys would be opposed to it, either. Think about the possible benefits for the male gender as a whole: more female-specific events will probably lead to more female mountain bikers, which for all the singles out there is definitely a good thing! Well, the National Coalition of Men disagree, and have threatened the Classic with a lawsuit claiming that these events geared toward women were in fact discriminating against men. C’mon, really? Someone didn’t have enough coffee this morning…

Sea Otter Celebrates Bike Shops

Sea Otter is making an effort to promote local bike shops and dealers by allowing them free access to all 4 days of the event, as well as “dealers-only demo rides, along with dealer clinics, seminars, and daily receptions.”

New Events

Several new events have been added to the roster this year:

Handcycling has been added to Sea Otter’s athlete competitions, in the Road Circuit races.  Also up for 2011:  Speed and Style, which legendary freeriding course designer Jeff Lenosky calls “a combination of a head-to-head race and a freestyle jump contest.”  And Camp of Champions is bringing its Big Air Bag to Sea Otter!  With top pros as coaches, mountain bikers can learn on the Big Air Bag how to make those jumps like a pro.

Downhill Course

Construction is currently underway on a brand new course for the DH race. This update will hopefully silence many of the naysayers who have spoken out against the ease of the course in past years.

Photo taken from the Sea Otter Classic Facebook page.

Coverage

Many of the standard media outlets and some other large mountain bike websites will undoubtedly cover all of the happenings at Sea Otter this year in much greater detail than I ever could. Regardless, even though I may only be portraying a small slice of the entire event, I’m going to take a crack at it! Last year, I published a number of posts during my time at Sea Otter. I had just started blogging seriously a few months before, so this year I come to the game with much more experience, and a little bit more of a plan.

Obviously there is a small chance that this might not happen, but I am currently envisioning literally dozens of short blog posts this year. I plan on covering everything I possibly can including sweet gear, bike reviews, interesting vendors, unique activities, the trails, my experiences, everything Airborne, and possibly some racing action! I just hope I don’t get food poisoning again…

If you choose to follow my blog posts, you can be sure that you’ll get a unique perspective of all the goings on at Sea Otter! I’ll be publishing a recap post here on Singletracks in the aftermath of the event, but if you want a live stream of posts and tweets during the next week, be sure to stay tuned to my personal MTB blog: GregRidesTrails.com!

Your Turn

Are you attending Sea Otter 2011? Drop me a comment… we should meet up for a ride.

Can’t make it out this year? What sort of blog posts from the event are you most interested in seeing?

“What is this big brown thing in front of my door?  NO WAY! It’s a box full of gear from Singletracks to review!”

When I first tore into that box to see what I was going to be testing over the next few months, I knew that something looked vaguely familiar about the Kore Torsion handlebar. I walked outside to look at my bikes, and I realized why: a similar Kore Torsion had come stock on my Airborne Taka. That bar on my downhill rig, however, is quite different as it has a 35 mm rise and is flat black in color. So, I decided to throw the new Kore bar on my Zeppelin Elite and review them both!

Rounding out my new Kore Cockpit is a pair of Gripster bolt-on grips sporting a slight ergonomic flair.

Installation

Installation for both the handlebars and the grips was a cinch. The Torsion has lines marked on it to make centering the bar in the stem easier. The bar comes stock at 800mm wide but if that’s too much for your tastes there are lines marked down the ends that make precision cuts a cinch.

The grips were easy to install as well, only requiring a couple of hex keys. I simply lined them up to provide a comfortable angle while in the saddle, and tightened them down. Take care not to over-tighten – you could strip the bolts or even crush your bars.

On the Trail

These handlebars are made to perform in the rough! I could feel a distinct reduction of trail chatter and feedback on my Zeppelin after installing the Torsion. The massive width and beefy construction has true dampening power and really smooths out the trail! This helped me to focus on the big obstacles and gloss over the smaller bumps and roots.

The traditional benefits of a really wide bar were also apparent: everything seemed to slow down slightly, allowing me more time to react and fine-tune where I wanted my front wheel to go. I’ve also been enjoying the slight backwards sweep on both of the bars. It provides for a comfortable ride in a slightly more relaxed position.

Flat vs. Rise

I found it easier to loft the front end with the 35mm riser bar vs. the flat version mostly due to the difference in my posture on the bike. Of course I also have the riser installed on a short DH stem and the flat bar installed on a longer trail stem, so a shorter stem coupled with the flat bar could produce slightly better results in this category.

Personally, I like the shiny white finish on the flat bar much more than the flat black on the riser… and the white also happens to match my Zeppelin perfectly!

Grips

The Gripsters have been performing well in all my tests. Due to the bolt placement along the front of the grip, they tighten down well across the entire length of the grip, providing an absolutely rock-solid feel. The ergonomic flair is definitely present but isn’t as exaggerated as say Ergon grips. The Gripsters are definitely designed for aggressive riding but with a more comfortable shape for longer rides. As a result, the flair is just enough to be comfortable without reducing control and provide a secure grip in the rough.

Here’s a pretty cool solution for those of you who want your bars as low as possible: Answer’s direct-mount -ONE (minus one). The -ONE looks similar to Answer’s DH stem and shares the same wide front cap (at 62mm) but this three-piece bolt on stem also has the ability to change its reach from 50 to 55mm. It’s a neat trick for sure and necessary for Dorado fork owners.

If you look back my previous review of the Answer DH stem, you can see the two stems are strikingly similar. The biggest difference is where the bar sits. On the -ONE stem pictured above you can see half of the bar is below the top clamp of the Dorado fork. This gives the rider more bar choices and also offers lower body position on the bike for improved front-end grip in the corners. I’ve been using the Answer 780 DH low rise bar at 12.7mm for a while now and with the -ONE stem it feels like I’m using a flat bar (unfortunately Answer doesn’t have one yet). As you can see below, the Answer DH stem holds the bar up a bit higher compared to the -ONE.

The attention to detail on the -ONE is great and the time Answer spent reducing weight is much appreciated. The back half of the top cap has been milled out, keeping the mass as low as possible at 160 grams.

Installing the stem on any BoXXer style 4-bolt pattern fork is a piece of cake (Fox, Manitou, Rockshox). When you do install the bar, remember to have the fork crowns correctly torqued before you tighten the stem down. I snugged up all the direct mount bolts first, then aligned the bar before torquing down the top cap as per the included instructions. The final step (which I highly recommend) is to torque the bolts down using a torque wrench, especially if you have a carbon bar. The last thing you want is to crush your bar.

On the trail the -ONE provides a super strong connection to the fork with no creaking or play. By lowering my hand position on my DH rig I was able to extend my fork legs a touch more, giving me a bit more wheel base for better stability at high speeds. The lower position also placed me closer to the bike which felt great in corners. I did have to play a bit with my body positioning to get a comfortable feel when taking air as the lower bar position tended to bring my front end up a touch. At least I have a bit less fear of dropping the front too much!

At $70 MSRP you’re getting a good quality stem with the ability to change the way you ride and yet another dial to tune your bike.

Thanks to the folks at Answer for providing the -ONE for review.

Toby Henderson and crew have gone and done it again! For the past few years I’ve been rocking THE full face helmets on the slopes and at the parks and this year there’s a brand new lid that’s more than just another re-design. The T2 full face helmet takes some styling queues from last year’s ONE but takes things to another level entirely. As with everything Toby does, he adds his own touches to products which sets them apart from the pack.

The T2 is a fairly lightweight helmet at just under 1,100 grams (mine weighs 1025grams) and is made from hand-laid composite materials which makes it super strong. The stylish tight silhouette features a semi-integrated visor in a fixed position with custom metallic hardware. A cool padded chin strap and double D-ring arrangement with matching hardware ensures the lid doesn’t vibrate at high speeds. The T2 even comes with a second color-matched visor in case your first one gets shredded.

The liner inside the T2 is sort of a cross between Corinthian leather and suede from the interior of an exotic sports car, finished off with THE INDUSTRIES embroidery. Even around the mouth guard you have an extra touch of shock absorbing material for added protection. For heat management, the T2 sports 17 large cooling vents (11 forward facing / 6 back) and four internal air-flow channels, which combine to pull heat out the back of the helmet. There’s also an included Cordura nylon helmet bag with handles to carry the helmet around. The T2 has graphic choices ranging from mild to wild – check the site to see for yourself.

As far as fit is concerned, the T2 fits a bit on the tight side, almost like a euro racecar helmet (unlike the diving bell fit that I’ve experienced with other helmets). To put the helmet on you have to spread the bottom a bit by pulling on the chin strap since the helmet has a tapered fit to help reduce unwanted helmet movement on the slopes.

The face opening is big enough for most goggles on the market – my Oakley and Giro goggs fit great. Along the sides of the opening, THE even added hard rubber inserts to minimize wear on goggle straps. With goggles off, the shape of the T2 has also been designed to secure your strap in position which reduces the chances of your goggles slipping off.

Most of my tests of the T2 have been at the indoor park on my DJ bike. I haven’t had any big crashes yet (I did face plant once off a jump – that’s another story) but I’m pretty confident this helmet will be up to the task when the time comes. The T2 Exceeds CPSC and CE certification standards.

I had a really hard time picking a color scheme because all the choices are pretty hot. I went for the Fantasy ($229 MSRP) because I love the mix of patterns, vibrant colors, and graphics that will show great in photos this summer. The best helmet is the one you don’t mind wearing – and I can’t wait to put this one on every time I shred!

Helmets off to the folks at THE for sending the T2 down for a review!

WTB offers the LaserDisc DH wheelset as a low-cost, lightweight alternative for gravity riders who ride hard. I posted a preview of this wheelset last winter and now I’m finally ready to give my full review after months of thrashing. I conducted my rides on some of the most demanding trails in Whistler and Vancouver, so these wheels took quite a pounding. To see how they fared, read on…

The Ride

The WTB LaserDisc DH wheels bolted onto my Banshee Legend MK II effortlessly and lowered my bike’s weight by over a pound. A quick parking lot test revealed a bike that had a livelier feel with faster acceleration. Dropping weight in the wheels means a lower rotational mass which is much more noticeable than weight reduction elsewhere on a bike. Needless to say, losing a full pound in wheel weight makes a big difference in the ride. Unless you’re already running a race-light wheelset, you will notice a difference too. These wheels may be light but I wanted to see how they would hold up against the world’s most demanding trails.

For the first month of testing I was surprised by how well these wheels held up. I pounded them on the rocky, pothole filled trails of Whistler and the Shore and they stayed straight and flat-spot free. I was surprised because normally I destroy wheels pretty quickly. Could these be the perfect DH wheels?

Well the LaserDisc’s are good but certainly not perfect. After a month of thrashing the rear wheel un-tensioned itself and I put a good sized flat spot in it. From this point on, the wheel de-tensioned, went out of true and flat spotted every 2 or 3 rides (after re-tensioning of course). The result is that I now have a rear wheel with 3 flat spots, some side to side wobble and loose spokes. The front wheel fared much better with just 1 minor flat spot. On a positive note, the hubs still run as fast and smooth as they did when they were new.

It may sound like these wheels didn’t hold up very well, but readers should know that I put much more strain on my equipment than the average rider. I have a plow-through­-everything-quickly mentality, am 6’3” 200lbs with riding gear, and I ride the roughest, rootiest, rockiest trails in Canada. These wheels held up well for a month, so they will likely hold up for a full season under a lighter, finesse rider who frequents smoother trails. As someone who is tough on bike equipment, I’m used to breaking stuff; replacing the rims (edit: and spokes) should make these wheels good as new since the spokes and hubs have held up well.

The Verdict

If you’re a privateer racer or performance-minded downhiller looking for a lightweight, inexpensive wheelset, consider the WTB LaserDisc DH. These wheels do well on smooth, pedal-friendly tracks, though they’re not quite up to steep, burley tracks because they’re so lightweight. They are not bombproof, but will add horsepower to your bike when pedaling. I can’t think of a lighter DH wheelset at this price point, making the WTB LaserDisc DH wheels a great buy for the right rider.

Thanks to WTB for the test product.

This is pretty much it. My little red rocket. The Dream Machine. The Monster. Here is the Banshee Legend II that I finally have all built up and ready to rip. It took me a while to get it (nearly) complete – I’m actually still waiting on two items that should be arriving shortly. But other than that, it’s done. I can’t wait until the slopes open for the season.

I first managed to get the bike together and out on the trail late in the season last year where I tested out some great products from Rockshox, Avid, and SRAM. Since then I added the final touches of bling from Loaded as well as Deemax Ultimate wheels from Mavic. Those early test rides on the Easton wheelset and Answer products really whetted my appetite for the main course.

The frame is a Banshee Legend II in medium:

Head angle: (63.8°) Seat angle: (70.5°)
Wheelbase: 1171mm / 46.1″
Bottom bracket height: 348mm /13.7″

If you don’t understand those angles and measurements, let me break it down for you: this frame is a purpose-built DH racer, designed for speed and fast cornering. The ultra-low BB keeps the center of gravity down low while the long wheelbase is great for stability.

The suspension arrangement is what Banshee calls their VF4B (Virtual Floating Four Bar) suspension. Now you might say it looks like someone else’s design but let’s face it: unless you have a single pivot, multi-link, suspension configs almost all look alike. However, there are actually small differences in pivot placement that make a big difference in performance. The virtual center region where the Legend II pivots is also different from other bikes. The short lower link, positioning of the links, and lengths of the links make for an ideal axle path. This path starts arcing up and to the rear (perfect for absorbing square edged bumps) in the first bit of travel; from the middle to the end of its path, the axle goes up and forward (reduces chain growth and pedal feedback).

Up front I’m running the Manitou Dorado Pro. I did have the BoXXer WC on there, but for now I’m running the Dorado Pro. I just received the Loaded AmX Rizer bar, a beast of a bar at 31″ wide and 328 grams. The AmX Rizer features 8° back sweep and 4° up sweep which is just right for me. Connecting the bar to the Dorado I have the Loaded AmX direct mount stem set at 45mm length (adjustable to 50mm as well).

Completing the controls, I’m rocking Formula’s ONE brakes (I also run the 2011 Avid Codes) and I love the levers because they take up virtually zero room on my bars and have a great feel (never mind the power and excellent modulation). The shifter is  a SRAM 10spd X0 (presently my favorite) with 1×10 gearing.

Now let’s talk about the high performance drivetrain. The Descendant cranks are from Truvativ and I’ve added the e*thirteen SRS+ chain retention device to keep the SRAM PC 1091 chain in line. For now the pedals are Xpedo XMX12ACs which have a great feel and provide a wide foot plate. I’m also looking forward to trying Spank’s new Spike pedals soon. Although I don’t plan on doing much sitting on this bike, the saddle is a WTB Valcon mounted on a Loaded X-Lite seatpost.

On the back I have the SRAM X0 short cage 10spd derailleur on an OG1090 11-25 rear cassette. Talk about great shifting. Despite the fact that the rear cassette is the road version, it works great with the X0 rear derailleur. Wheels are the iconic Mavic Deemax Ultimates (12x150mm rear) which are super light for DH (under 2,000 grams) and oh so smooth.

Now all this is tied together by two other important things: the rear shock and tires. I’m running the Rockshox Vivid Air which provides an excellent feel while controlling the wheel nicely. For tires I went with the ITS Invader 2.5″. At about 1100 grams each, they offer a decent mix between weight and durability. The Invader is also what is considered an all conditions tire, perfect for the Ontario landscape where I do most my riding. Lately I’ve noticed North Shore type features popping up around here so I’m excited to see how these tires perform in a variety of conditions.

In its current state the bike weighs in under 40lbs. – 37 lbs. to be exact – and it’s still bulletproof. Weight savings come from several areas, starting with the innovative Interspoke milling on the Mavic rims. Banshee carefully selects tubing thicknesses and machined shapes while including titanium pivot hardware. The Vivid Air and the Sram OG-1090 rear cassette shed massive amounts of weight over competing products, accounting for a whole pound of savings together. The final little bits of weight fell off by replacing stock hardware bolts with titanium and alloy parts.

In case you’re interested here are the build details:

Frame: Banshee Legend II
Fork: Manitou Dorado Pro  / Rockshox BoXXer WC
Rear shock: Rockshox Vivid Air (240mm x 76mm) (9.5″x3.0″)
Seatpost: Loaded X-Lite
Saddle: WTB Valcon (Silverado Syndicate on order)
Cane Creek XX II headset
Stem: Loaded AmX direct mount / Answer -ONE (not shown at this time)
Bar: Loaded AmX riser bar (790mm / 31″) / Answer ProTAPER 780 DH
Bar Grips: ODI Ruffian
Brakes: Formula ONE 208mm rotors F/R / Avid Code (not shown)
Shifters: SRAM XO 1×10
Wheels: Mavic Deemax Ultimate
Tires: ITS 26 x 2.5″ Invader tires
Cranks: Truvativ Descendant / GXP BB 83mm 165mm lengths
Cassette: SRAM OG 1090
Chain: SRAM PC1091
Pedals: Xpedo XMX12AC
Extras: Alloy rotor bolts from Ashima, Titanium hardware for brakes, Titanium hardware for rear shock.

Based on a few early test rides I’ve found this bike loves all the lightweight components; in particular the lighter Deemax wheels actually showed increased precision and tracking. I love pitching the bike in corners and the feeling of control I get with the bike in the air. In the hands of a pro rider I can imagine some spectacular whips coming outta this bike!

One interesting thing I noticed so far is that for my body type (5’9″, 190lbs with 31″ inseam and regular arm length), a 50mm or 45mm stem works well with a riser bar; otherwise, running a 55mm stem with a flatter bar works equally well. A 30-31 inch bar seems to offer a good mix between control while limiting over-steering.

Speaking of control, I found with a properly tuned suspension I didn’t get a lot of the diving I normally expect from a long-legged trail machine. Keeping my weight centered or further back and nailing the brakes coming into sharp corners, the bike remains civil without that pitch feeling I’ve had on other machines. The front and rear suspension work well together to keep this ride stable (time spent setting up the shocks is key!). And when things do get rough, I absolutely understand why so much time was involved in the development of this bike. The Legend II feels pretty forgiving – hitting rocks didn’t seem to be much of an issue. The bike tracked nicely over that kind of stuff.

Once I get more seat time in and experiment a little with settings and parts, I’ll post further updates. Stayed tuned for more!

Syncros offers their FR wheelset to the DH/Freeride crowd as a high quality wheelset for a reasonable price. Back in the spring I previewed this wheelset so if you missed it or want to check out the specs, click here. Many of the top riders on the North Shore ride these wheels so I was excited to test them out for myself. My tests took place on the toughest, roughest trails in Whistler, on the North Shore and in Kelowna.

The Ride

The first thing you notice about these wheels is their distinctive styling – the white really pops out on the trail and in pictures and sets your bike apart from the rest. But as soon as you saddle up, what you’ll really appreciate is that the bearings roll fast and the hubs are smooth – and they remained so through the duration of my tests.

I tested these wheels under the most extreme conditions possible, mounting them on my Banshee Legend MKII and pounding them mercilessly on the rough, rock strewn, jump infested trails around Vancouver, British Columbia. I have a “plow through anything” mentality and at 6’3”, 195 lbs, my equipment takes far more abuse than the average rider dishes out. Given the extreme nature of the testing, the Syncros FR wheels held up fairly well.

I did my best to destroy these wheels. I rode them down steep rock faces, big jumps, rough landings and rock strewn race courses. They sustained some damage during testing but never catastrophically failed.

The front wheel still runs straight and true after 3 months of testing and only 1 spoke needed re-tensioning. Rear wheels always take more punishment than the front and this showed during testing. My first flat spot occurred early on but after tightening the spokes and straightening the rim, the wheel was good to good go for another month until I encountered a particularly nasty race course that resembled a dry riverbed. That trail, combined with a few more weeks on the shore and in Whistler, caused a couple more flat spots in the rear rim. By then the rim was pretty haggared and the flat spots caused the spokes to loosen prematurely.

The largest flat spot occurred at the seam which is pinned with no welding like some more robust wheels on the market. Welding the seam instead of just using sleeves would greatly increase the strength of this rim (but the trade-off is this would probably increase the price). That being said, I put these wheels through hell and they held up better than many other wheels I’ve tested.

The Verdict

If you’re looking for a relatively strong, middle-weight DH wheelset that won’t break the bank, consider the Syncros FR wheels. They aren’t nukeproof but will be plenty strong for the average downhiller or freerider. As long as you’re not casing lots of jumps or mindlessly plowing into rock gardens, these wheels should last a solid season or more.

Thanks to Syncros for providing these wheels for testing.

For 2011, SRAM is offering 10spd drivetrains throughout the line but that doesn’t mean they’ve dropped the 9spd option and for good reason – the nine speed drivetrains still work great. Choosing the best option is really about what you want to get out of your bike.

Usually whenever people talk about drivetrains they’re talking about both front and rear systems (2×10, 3×9, etc.). But what about drivetrains for slopestyle bikes? You know, those over-sized freeride and downhill mountain bikes that mostly just go down the hill.

For those who aren’t familiar, the term freeride means to make it down a hill on a bike with no rules and no set course using the most creative lines possible. Today’s freeride bikes are pure art with about 7 inches of travel yet they’re still capable of responding to tight and twisting turns. Because freeride bikes mostly ride downhill they typically don’t need a front derailleur and feature a beefed up chain retention system around the crank. So the driveline is usually a 1×9 set up – but what about 1×10?

Well to explore the differences, I installed the 2011 9spd X0 and the 2011 10spd X0 on my Opus Nelson and Banshee Legend II. No front derailleurs allowed – just a set of proper retention devices up front to protect the chains, rings and cranks (I really like the e*thirteen retention devices since they’re both lightweight and tough as nails).

Since both bikes are mainly used for riding down hill, I set up each using a tight DH-oriented cassette. For the 9spd drivetrain I used SRAM’s PG 970 (11-23) cassette and for the 10spd I used the SRAM OG-1090 (11-25) cassette (yup, that’s from the top tier Red group). The Red group cassette was pretty damn expensive (about $250) so you may want to consider that when choosing a 10spd cassette. The OG-1090 comes in at 160g compared to the less expensive but heavier, 225g 10spd PG-1070.

I also wanted to get maximum clearance from rocks and branches so I configured both drivetrains with  short cage derailleurs which are recommended for FR/DH applications (plus I get even more weight savings). Now both the 9spd and 10spd X0 systems share technologies and some material choices. Adjustments are identical between the two but that’s about where it ends.

The new 10spd X0 rear derailleur is very different from the 9spd version. The new forged link design and maximized knuckles offer an improvement over previous designs and the new pulley cage is pretty bling too. Just like the 9spd derailleur, the 10spd features a carbon outer cage, just without the flashy carbon weave as a finish layer.

Setting up both systems is pretty much the same – cable routing, housing lengths, and limit screw settings are critical for optimal performance. With everything on a DH bike vibrating to hell and back, taking your time here is a good thing. I did find the 10spd set-up took a few minutes longer than the 9spd which might sound surprising at first. But think about it: You want to control 10 gears in the same space where there were 9 gears before and something has to improve for this to work. That something is precision. Cable tension here is paramount – a small amount of tension one way or the other could toss everything off. I also found the spacing between the cassette and derailleur pulley to be critical which can add to the set-up time.

Once the derailleurs have been set and the limit screws all taken care of, installing the chains took just a few minutes. The 10spd chains use what is called the “Powerlock” link instead of the “Powerlink” used with 9spds chains. Once you get your chain to the right length, the Powerlock link locks the chain together (a one time shot, unlike the Powerlink which can be reset). Try to get the chain length right the first time before locking it in place or else have a few Powerlocks handy.

At the shifter end, things look very similar. Both shifters have the same feel to them and feature an adjustable shift lever. Installing the cable in each is simple and straightforward – just remove the “impulse” cover screw and thread the cable.

The anodized Redwin finish on the 9spd X0 is flawless as is the jet black and red finish on the 10spd. The little extra bits of titanium and stainless steel hardware from SRAM also complement the look.

Now, the real question is: how did they perform? Well in a few words – great, fantastic, awesome. Truly, both systems worked well. They shifted quickly and efficiently once they were configured correctly. I noticed the 10spd up-shifted a bit faster (mostly due to the tighter spacing) and both systems worked equally as well under power and didn’t complain when the slopes got rough. The spring tension on both derailleurs worked well at keeping chains on cassettes.

I didn’t get a chance to test the drivetrains in muddy conditions this time (I’ve already broken both my clavicles and I’m really not in the mood to do that again) so I can’t really comment on mud shedding. I can tell you the larger ratio cassettes all have spider supports with plenty of space to clear out mud and debris while the tighter cassettes do not. The OG-1090 is made from a solid forged form of heat-treated chromoly that has been machined rather than drilled with mud-clearing relief holes. If you live in an area where it’s mostly dry this doesn’t matter much to you and for me, I try to stay off the slopes when it’s raining (too many slick rocks).

As far as durability is concerned, so far so good. I haven’t tanked it bad enough on the drive side of either bike to see anything snap off or even come up with scratch. The short cage derailleurs do a nice job tucking the drive train in and keeping it safe and improving clearances through rock gardens. I’m a little curious about what might happen to the carbon plate in the event of a crash so I’ll keep you posted if I unwittingly go into test mode.

Maybe in the near future when the 10spd becomes a standard on DH bikes, the good folks at SRAM will consider producing a version specifically for DH riders. Today the Santa Cruz Syndicate Steve Peat Replica bike is one of the few 10spd DH bikes on the market and it features a road cassette! (the PG-1070)

Thanks to SRAM for sending down the XO for testing. Check out SRAM.com for more details on the XO as well as other great products for 2011.

When it comes to gravity riders, depending on who you talk to you get two basic types: those who care about the weight of their rig and those who pretend not to care about weight. But let’s face it, weight kills performance: both on the rider and on the ride. The more weight the bike has to carry, the slower a rider can change direction and speed, which limits their performance wailing down slopes at speeds that would make Mario Andretti messa his shortsa.

Clearly Rockshox is familiar with speed (not the messing shorts bit) and based on their commitment to top riders on the World Cup circuit, they have come up with inventive ways to save on weight. And I’m not talking about small savings here – I’m talking about a good 400 grams in savings on a single component which is huge.

The Technology

Witness the Vivid Air RC2 mountain bike shock. Essentially RockShox found a way to convert a coil shock into an air shock, which wasn’t easy by any means. Think of it: trying to get an air spring to behave like a steel spring – seems like a daunting challenge. Taking a look at the exploded view below, you can see for yourself that it really isn’t very simple at all. But then again not everything can be.

While the Vivid Air may look a bit complex with its dual air chambers, it’s basically very similar to the original Vivid coil shock. A modified shock body (J) has been machined smooth and now serves as part of the air spring. Parts (A)-(E) as well as (N) belong to the dual chamber air spring. Everything else is pretty much the same as the Vivid coil. All of this combines to achieve a coil spring-like feel – minus the heavy coil. Comparing spring rates between the Vivid Air and the Vivid coil shows they are nearly the same with the exception of the last few millimeters in travel where the Vivid coil ramps up a touch faster than the Vivid Air.

What you don’t see in the new Vivid Air is the hot rod compensation pellet which is built into the bypass rod. When heated (during extended runs), the pellet expands and adds additional rebound force. Some of you might scoff and say plastic isn’t durable enough but rest assured, the hot rod is a well engineered addition to the rebound rod.

Adjustments

The Vivid R2C features a host of adjustments. The most obvious one is the air spring pressure which means no more pesky coil spring swaps. There’s also the external low speed compression adjustment plus beginning and end stroke adjustments. These four dials give you pretty much everything you need to get your rig wailing down them slopes pinned and sticking to the trail. What you don’t get (which you’ll need to purchase separately) are the frame adapters. I opted for the three piece solution rather than the two piece aluminum set; it’s a bit more costly but a longer-lasting solution for your bike.

Installation and Set-up

Looking at the Vivid Air you might assume it’s larger than a coil shock but that’s not really the case. The overall diameter is only a few millimeters larger than a coil shock but since you can’t see through the Vivid Air that makes it look bigger. Installation works the same as it does for any other unit out on the market today – just make sure you install the shock so that you can get to all the adjustments and make sure the reservoir doesn’t strike anything when your suspension moves. Install the shock with no air and cycle the suspension to make sure you’re clear – easy peasy.

Setting up the Vivid Air is pretty much the same process as the Vivid coil except that you’re going to add or remove air from the single valve on the air can (it sets up the negative spring automatically via internal compensation ports). In my case I needed 30% sag on my Banshee Legend II, so knowing the stroke of the shock (76mm) and multiplying it by 0.30 I get the sag measurement (76mm x 0.30= 23mm). With that I just added air into the shock until I reached my measurement. Unfortunately the Vivid Air doesn’t have the sag gradients that grace many other Rockshox products; instead the gradients are printed on the reservoir sticker

With the sag set, it was time to head out to the slopes to fully set up the shock. Using my experience with the Vivid coil shock, I started off with the compression settings and quickly found that the Legend got a lot of traction with 4 clicks on the compression dial. The terrain that I was riding featured a mix of rocky, rooted terrain with hard patches and soft stuff in and around. With this set up I found I had good control over the wheel on the rough stuff while still tracking the terrain nicely.  On landing big jumps, the compression setting did well controlling the bike without too much fuss.

After the compression was set I started looking at the rebound settings. I tuned the beginning  stroke rebound (which plays a major roll on rockgardens) so that I didn’t get a bucking sensation out back when the wheel tried to return after those hits. The sweet spot for me was right about 9 clicks.

Lastly I set the end stroke rebound (for bigger hits) which was by far the most fun to set up. Essentially I was sessioning a few jumps and dialing the shock until I ended up at 5 clicks. I found the Banshee and the Vivid worked great together, mostly due to the initial rear wheel travel (designed into the geometry) which gave great control over the bike when hitting harder, squared-edged stuff. This also allowed me to dial back on the adjustments, resulting in more wheel sensitivity without sacrificing control.

Overall the Vivid Air feels great and performs like a champ. As a result I have a bike that is a pound and a half lighter, I don’t have to play with springs, and I have good control over my bike with a coil-like feeling. I’m definitely looking forward to playing around with the Vivid Air to see how much more I can get out of it in the future. The only drawback I can see is that the price for the Vivid Air is a few dollars more than the coil version. At about $630 MSRP it’s not cheap but to get a coil shock down to race weight the only other option is to upgrade to a titanium spring (which adds another $200 at least). To me that makes the Vivid Air a great value.

I would like to thank Tyler Morland and the good folks at Rockshox for setting up the Vivid Air for a review.

Looking at the photo above you might be thinking: are these Avid Codes?!? Yup they sure are. Totally revamped and improved for 2011 and you can see the difference right away. Gone is the clunky over-sized design; instead, the new Codes feature a sleek, lightweight profile that is very close in concept to the rest of the Avid brake line up. Fortunately the Codes keep many of the unique features that make them durable and reliable enough for gravity riders.

Crashing is inevitable for those who ride the slopes at high speed and the new Avid Code brake levers still feature the “Bend Zone” that allows the lever to flex which prevents damage to the lever body. The new levers also feature the same ultra-durable, 3-cartridge bearing pivot system as the previous generation Codes.

The 2011 Code system weighs in at 410 grams for the 160mm post mount version and the updated lever sports the same Taperbore technology as the rest of the 2011 Avid brake line-up. The integrated reservoir and pad contact adjustment is also featured on the new Codes as is an adjustable reach knob (shown above). The adjustable reach option is a wise addition to the brake since DH riders often have widely varying preferences for lever-to-bar distances. The new finish and graphics are something to behold – the whole set-up almost looks like surgical equipment!

The new Avid Codes still utilize a four piston caliper but this time around they feature a top loading pad (my personal favorite feature on a brake – other than stopping) and a caliper that has had a bit of the fat trimmed off with an adjustable banjo for that perfect fit. The caliper is a forged 2-piece unit that uses two bridge bolts compared to the four bolts that were used in previous versions. Thanks to the re-design, the new caliper is just as stiff or even stiffer. For friction material you’re getting a steel backing plate with organic linings which makes for a quieter brake. Inside, the brakes are running on DOT 5.1 fluid which keeps things crisp with great modulation. The Tri-align mounting system is perfect for frames that may not be perfectly straight and allows you to install the brakes in a fraction of the time it might normally take.

Speaking of installation, you get everything you need for each brake (front and rear) – just make sure to order the correct version for your needs and application. Although the calipers and levers are the same for front and rear, the hose lengths, rotors, and adapters are different. My set (shown above) came with front and rear 203mm G3 Cleansweep rotors. Following the easy instructions from Avid (these seem to get better every year), make sure you pay attention to the rotor bolt “star” installation section. Torque the T25 bolts down with a torque wrench and your rotor is good to go.

Following that, install the adapters as needed, and torque them in place. Finally, you’re ready to install the brakes to your bike. You can either fasten down the caliper or the levers first; I like to start with the calipers so I can run the cables exactly the way I want. Install the CPS caliper hardware loosely at first and run the cables up to the bars, fastening them to the frame with cable ties. [Side note: I used to love those snaps that some frames come with until mine popped off at the wrong time and I got a hose torn off. Lesson learned.] Now, at the bar end it’s just a matter of setting the correct angle and spacing, fastening the split clamp down with the supplied stainless steel hardware and torquing everything in place. Lastly, if necessary, shorten the hose.

The chart below shows the subjective brake performance of the new 2011 Avid Codes.

Once all that assembly stuff was out of the way I had to take these brakes out on the trail. This time around I installed the brakes on a brand new bike – my Banshee Legend II project bike – so I really didn’t know what to expect. Having ridden the older Codes (and honestly not liking them), I had a dim view of what was to come.

After putting these brakes to the test I’m happy to say the new Codes ride very differently than the older units. Avid really improved the brakes’ modulation – previous models worked more like on/off switches in many cases. I guess the revamped lever was part of the trick. Now when I ride I can play with the lever a bit to better control the wheel and I can still stop the bike in a hurry. After burnishing the pads I found I got surprisingly high levels of stopping power.

I also got a nice feel throughout the stroke when applying the brakes. At first contact there seems to be a very quick build of friction and stopping power with a high amount of torque. In some cases I found that I had to ease off the lever a touch as torque continued to build from the pads heating up. The second I got off the lever, the release was immediate with zero drag. Doing this often on some other brakes often leads to brake fade. Even over long runs the lever never went mushy. The Codes are definitely “one-finger brakes” thanks to the high braking forces – perfect for those of us who love gravity, are on the heavier side, or are just plain hard on our brakes.

Overall the 2011 Avid Code brakes ($235 MSRP) are impressive and offer a big upgrade over previous generations. Improved modulation, durable construction, and consistent performance make these a great choice for anyone who rides hard.

Thanks to the folks at Avid for sending down these brakes for a review.

Hi folks, I hope you enjoyed the Holiday Season. I also hope Santa was good to you as well. So… what did you do over the break? Anything interesting show up under the tree for ya? I ended spending some time over the break at Joyride 150, an indoor bike park up in Toronto, Canada much like the two Ray’s down in the States. I gotta say, indoor bike parks are a good idea for the whole family because there’s something for everyone.

I ended up riding indoors 4 times in 2 weeks, taking my XC, trail and DJ bikes out for spins. I rode just about everything they had to offer from the two pump tracks on my DJ bike to the challenging skinnies on my trail bike to the XC track with my XC bike. Joyride also has progressive jumps and a vert park for those who dare to enjoy air. Believe it or not, indoor riding is a great way to stay in shape and sharpen up your riding skills during the “off season.” I spent a ton of time learning a sweet new tail whip move on the progressive jumps, something I always wanted to do on the slopes but was a bit too shy to try. The idea of sucking dirt and rocks just doesn’t appeal to me so a controlled environment like the one at Joyride (high skill, low consequence) is perfect for building skills.

During some of my visits to Joyride 150 there up to 280 riders, not to mention families hanging around and watching everything from a few folks honing their trials skills to others nailing 360-degree backflips and tail whips into the foam pit. The great thing about many indoor parks is that they’re usually close enough to a hotel and other attractions that can add to the experience of your mini vacation if you have to travel. Fortunately I live very close by so I get to ride pretty much whenever I like!

Mark Summers, one of the owners at Joyride 150, explained how he got the idea to open the place after taking his own mini vacation a few years back with his family. He said he loved the idea so much they had to do it here (Toronto) and it was just a matter of finding a location big enough to do it (Joyride is 80,000 sq ft). These days Joyride is well established and has partnered with local hotels for deals and family packages. This, in turn, has lured more and more out of state visitors.

Well needless to say I continue to have a great time at Joyride and find that I use the facilities often when testing new products as well. I can always count on some of the key features to be there so I can evaluate products without second guessing if it’s the product or the terrain that is making a difference.

New MTB Gear

The photos below show a sneak peak of some hotly anticipated skid lids I just received. The new T2 from THE is for the gravity park folks and the new XAR is for all of you who want a lightweight XC / AM lid with superior protection and fit.

Speaking of products and parts and stuff – Santa (and his manufacturing reps) recently sent out some of the new 2011 items for product review. Look for product tests from Giro, POC, THE, Mavic, Fox and more to help you gear up for the upcoming riding season!

Looking further into 2011, we also have more cool contests on tap as well. Thanks to your word of mouth, singletracks has been growing and with growth comes notoriety (which helps us get great prizes for giveaways). Just above is my Opus Nelson FR bike which this year is sporting the all new Fox 36 Talas 180 FIT RC2 and a SRAM XO 9spd drivetrain in red.

My DH project bike, the Banshee Legend II, has been coming along nicely as well. Here is a glory shot of the bike just waiting to hit the slopes! The build now comes in at just a hair over 36lbs. with dual ply rubbers from ITS. The new Mavic Deemax Ultimate wheels, in case you’re wondering, are under 2,000 grams (1,965).

We’re stoked for mountain biking in 2011 and hope you are too! Stay tuned and stay well everyone.

Happy New Year.

Today I have something from Truvativ that has just been “declassified” from the company’s Blackbox technology group. The Descendant crank has actually been around since 2009 and was initially tested by Peaty himself. And unlike some cranks out there that are all about the bling, the Descendant crank is all about the business of performing on the slopes.

The Descendant crank arms are made from forged AL-7050-TV, the same material that’s regularly used in aerospace landing gear and bulkhead construction. The cranks share the same forging technology and design techniques as the Holzfeller but that’s basically where the similarities end. Truvativ managed to get the Descendant’s weight down to 822 grams which is especially impressive considering that the SRAM X9 crankset that I reviewed just a little while back comes in heavier at 845 grams. Sure the X9 has two chain rings but remember, the Descendant is made for the gravity crowd where parts have to be beefier, stiffer, and stronger. Just think about it – that’s about 240 grams lighter than the Holzfeller, 150 grams lighter than Saint, and 100 grams lighter than RaceFace Atlas FR!

Of course weight savings are great but they don’t mean squat if a crank can’t endure the abuse of DH and FR mountain biking. On any bike the crankset is the most important link between man and machine and it’s really a spot where you don’t want unnecessary flexing. Fortunately the Descendant over-delivers on the promise of high strength and stiffness (more on that later).

Another great thing about the new Descendant crank is the options that are offered. With three crank arm lengths (165, 170, 175mm) and two chain ring options (36 or 38) along with 73mm or 83mm bottom bracket options you’re pretty much covered. Now speaking of the bottom bracket (a sore spot for many cranks), the new Team GXP bottom bracket comes with Gutter seal technology and a new forged cup design. The gutter seal basically keeps junk out and reduces seal drag which means more power goes toward turning the crank instead of overcoming drag.

Unlike multi-ring cranks, the chain ring on the Descendant doesn’t feature shift ramps. Instead, the rings are machined from AL-7075 T and cut to a 4mm thickness so they’re still compatible with the present 8, 9, or 10spd systems. The chain ring is held in place with steel bolts and I opted to run an e*thirteen SRS+ chain retention system rather than risk bashing off the frame’s ISCG tabs. Although it might look better to show off the crank and ring, I decided to work with the strength of the crank’s spindle and bolted up the bash guard there instead. Besides, it’s cheaper to replace a bash guard than to replace a frame if the tabs get bent.

Installing the cranks was a piece of cake using a standard 16-notch external BB tool. Follow the easy to understand, full color instructions for proper spacer installation. Also remember to use a high quality grease to lube the cups before installation and add a touch of lube to the spindle before installing the non-drive side of the crank. As always, torque everything down precisely using a digital torque wrench like the D-Torq DX from Topeak. Remember, when it comes to torque, too much of a good thing is no good at all.

Hitting the Trail

I was really impressed with the solid feel of the Descendant crank on my Banshee Legend II. While hitting step-downs and decent-sized jumps I immediately noticed the stiffness of the cranks upon landing. I had no worries about things bending because I really didn’t felt much flex at all. Even when pedaling hard on the flats the crank felt rock solid with zero visible wobble. Even after casing it a more than a few times and bashing the cranks on rock gardens, the cranks stayed straight with just a few scratches on the ends of the crank arms.

Let’s face it, if the Descendant crankset is good enough to carry pro mountain bikers like Peaty to 17 podium finishes, 7 world cup wins, and the top three places the 2009 World Championships, it’s good enough for you and me. At just $185 MSRP you’re getting a lot of crank for your money.

Thanks to the folks at Truvativ for sending up the Descendant crank for review.