When I think about Italian-made cycling products, I almost always think about road racing gear. Swinging by the Fulcrum booth at Interbike this year changed my perspective. After looking over the lineup of wheels they are sporting for mountain as well as road, I knew that I had to set up a few reviews!

I manged to get my hands on Fulcrum’s top-shelf DH wheelset: the sexy Red Fire.

Tech

With their machined rims and straight-pull spokes, an untrained eye may mistake the Red Fires for a red set of another familiar brand that paints their DH wheels yellow.

Fulcrum’s Red Fire wheels don’t just hide behind fancy red anodizing, though – these wheels are something that any serious rider should take a good look at. Starting at the rim, the Red Fire has some important technical features which enables these wheels to handle serious abuse. The most obvious is the milled inner surface, designed to remove weight where it is not needed, while keeping plenty of material around the 32 asymmetrically-drilled eyelet-less holes.

Note: the holes do not go through to the inner rim surface, making these rims UST compatible. Not only is the inner surface not drilled, but the added safety ridges keep the tires firmly in place even at lower pressures (I ran them as low as 22 psi). To facilitate installation when running UST tires, the inner profile has a smooth, curved drop center which allows for both ease of installation and seating of the tire.

To ensure the rim stays round, the Red Fires are welded and milled to increase hoop life and strength. The easy-to-source stainless steel butted straight-pull spokes by Sapim are a great additional feature for this wheelset, so getting a few spares from your LBS shouldn’t be an issue (266 mm). Both front and rear wheels are laced up with 32 spokes in a conventional three-cross pattern.

The wheels feature beefy large-diameter aluminum hubs which house the industrial bearings in double rows on each side of the hub, with a few more in the cassette body for good measure. Speaking of the cassette body, the steel body runs a 3 cam pawl spring arrangement similar to that of the popular Easton Havoc series. What sets these apart is the locking bearing adjustment, which is a nice touch and well-worth the extra 6 grams or so that it adds. The front 20mm and rear 12mm through-axles round out the package and ensure that you’re getting a solid-performing duo.

Installation

In the box you get instructions, tire levers, spoke tools and a small stub of a nipple. Do not toss these parts out! The little nipple is magnetic, and the powerful earth magnet that is supplied (also in the package) is used to move your spoke nipples into place in the off chance that you break a spoke. So keep that gear safe.

Installing a set of UST tires on the Red Fires was a snap. I normally use an air compressor to mount tubeless tires, but using a quality floor pump like a Topeak Mountain will work with these tight rims. The inner 23mm width is generous enough to form a decent profile. I typically use 2.4 – 2.5″ tires and both have no issues with squirming on the rim or ballooning.

Although you can install a regular non-UST tire on these wheels, why would you? This is a question that my inner circle of friends have all asked themselves, and now they are running UST tires (those that can afford UST wheels). We all agree that it seems like the best way to go. I went with Muddy Mary and Fat Albert tires and using just a floor pump, it took little effort to snap the beads into place (spray a bit of soapy water on the bead first). A cassette and rotors was next, and away I went!

The Test

Testing was done at a smallish hill that my friends and I frequent that’s not well known to many besides a few core riders. This place has all the elements a larger hill has – from rock gardens to table jumps to big step ups and step downs to some of the best groomed, high speed berms in this part of Ontario. The only problem is there isn’t a lift… so down you fly… and up you trudge.

I was out shredding with a number of other riders whose opinions I really trust (including Bob_the_Builder), and we had a real go of it!  The first thing I noticed is the super-silent cassette body. I was kind of worried that it wasn’t working because it was so quiet! The engagement on the cassette is bang-on, like Easton and Mavic, requiring very little movement of the crank to engage. Definitely a positive point.

I hardly noticed the 2,200 gram weight. Standing alone on its own merits, I would say this is a fast-rolling set of wheels (stay tuned for a shoot-out test in the future). With a few pedal strokes and gravity on my side, these hoops helped propel the bike up to speed in no time.

Due to the relatively low weight, stopping these wheels is a non-issue. The Red Fire did very well on the big hits and rock gardens, with no signs of damage despite plowing them (sensibly) through rock gardens and sessioning step-downs and jumps over and over again. I was impressed at how laterally stiff the wheels felt when tossing the bike in the berms. Some wheels with straight-pull spokes tend to ping a tad if the wheel bends – but not these – which is a testament to how well-built and strong a wheel can be made. I have not had to turn a spoke to date: the Red Fires are still spinning smooth and free of dents!

All in all this is a great wheel set! They aren’t the lightest out there, but they hold up well to abuse and offer excellent performance. A pair will set you back around $960 and are priced similarly to the other top brands.

A big thanks to the folks at Fulcrum for sending the Red Fires down for review. Stay tuned for more from Fulcrum, and be ready for a wheel shoot-out in the near future!

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of catching air and defying gravity on your mountain bike! Whether it’s popping off of a small root drop, unweighting over a roller, or hucking a 15-foot cliff, we all love to take to the air and soar!

In honor of this natural desire, we present to you 7 Gravity-Defying MTB photos!

“Unidentified rider at Santos Fat Tire Festival, 2008. Yes, this is in Florida!” Trail: Santos, Ocala, Florida. Photo: trek7k.

“A bit of air at Kelso.” Trail: Kelso, Milton, Ontario. Photo: element22.

Trail: Seven Springs Resort, Pennsylvania. Photo: element22.

“Diving Board.” Trail: Porcupine Rim, Moab, Utah. Photo: ukraine.

Photo: element22.

“My son at 10 years old jumping the DJ line at Santos.” Photo: Bonsai-CP.

A cheese-wedge booter on the Timeline Trail at the Evolution Bike Park, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO. Photo: Greg Heil. Rider: Christian Robertson.

Your turn: Which air shot is your favorite?

I’ve had the pleasure of testing quite a few mountain bike shocks back-to-back this season, including the new Revox Pro from Manitou. The Revox has gone through a few cosmetic changes and internal tweaks recently. On the surface the new Revox definitely looks much more polished compared to what it looked like a few years back.

The Revox Pro is Manitou’s top-level rear shock and is best matched with the Dorado (or any other dual-crown fork). Coming in at about 450 grams without spring (depending on length), the Revox Pro is ready to rock. With a battery of adjustments (HSC, LHS, rebound, pre-load, and no-tool volume control) this shock can be tuned for anything you can dish out. To ensure that last statement holds true, a 14 mm hard-anodized damper shaft has been incorporated to keep things under control. Cosmetic changes to the anodizing and a new black damper body give the shock a fresh new look.

A shock with this many adjustments takes a bit of care to set up. Doing so correctly produces a rear shock that really shines and keeps you under control. When setting up the Revox, it’s a good idea to write down all the changes that you make. The detents are a bit soft, so recording adjustments as turns from full open / closed works best. Selecting the spring rate (usually manufacturers give you a good idea here) is a start. Consulting Banshee, for example, informed me that I needed a 400lb/inch spring for the correct rate to go along with the Revox. You can tell if you’re right when it comes time to setting up the sag. Usually you only need about 2 turns from initial contact of the spring to the spring seat collars. I wanted 35% sag, so from an eye-to-eye of 240 mm I wanted a compressed eye-to-eye of 213 mm. I tweaked the collar a half turn more, and I was there.

Once that was done, I was off to the slopes for some testing!

Below is a setup sheet:

After the sag, I set rebound, starting closer to the middle of the range and backing it off until I got a wheel that returned fairly quickly but not so quickly as to buck me off the back of the bike. Now I tend to run the shock at 8 clicks from full CCW. It gives me a live feeling in the back without pushing me too far forward.

The next two adjustments are the low speed compression and then the high speed. So again, I set the LSC at half-way and I went and did a few rides. It took a bit to figure out that the LSC was perfect the first time out. I was playing around with both compressions until I found that the mid level, 1.5 turns, was the perfect amount to give me active compression when hitting bumps, but still hard enough for pedaling.

Getting the high speed set was a bit easier. Starting at just over the mid-way point, I went mostly down from there, finding that once the HSC was set to 10 clicks, which is just a bit below the mid-point, I was happy to play with the bottom-out adjustment. Bottom-out was moved to position three with 160 psi in it (10 over stock fill).

After spending some time playing around with the Revox Pro at Seven Springs, Blue Mountain, and Horseshoe Valley, I can say it works perfectly! The Revox never faded, leaked, or had any other defect. I had superior control over the rear of my bike. Over gnarly rock gardens or boosting tables or even hitting 12ft drops to g-outs to step ups, the Revox did an excellent job. A good upgrade would be a Ti spring (hopefully for next season).

The only issues I had were that the LSC detents didn’t click well and it was a bit hard to repeat settings. The small red knob was also difficult to adjust with gloves. The Rebound knob did detent well enough, but it was a bit stiff. If Manitou works out these minor kinks they will have a flawless shock.  Get one of these for your bike for $400 MSRP (springs and hardware extra from $17.00 to $25.00).

Thanks to the folks at Manitou for sending down the Revox Pro for a review.

Crested Butte is legendary as one of the birth places of mountain biking. While Marin, California may receive most of the fame (infamy?), Crested Butte was also one of the places that the earliest mountain bike pioneers called home. Unlike Marin, Crested Butte has maintained its legendary status with the oldest mountain bike club in the world, CBMBA, and the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. The quality of the trails in the area back up this rich history: the greater Crested Butte area may boast one of the highest concentrations of singletrack anywhere in the United States, perhaps in the world!

Traditionally, Crested Butte has been strictly known for massive cross-country rides at lung-taxing altitudes on singletrack that sports truly epic views. However, that may be slowly changing.

Enter Evolution Bike Park.

Christian Robertson on the Timeline trail.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) has been running their lifts for mountain bikers for 8 or 9 years now, but up until just 3 years ago, the runs consisted of old hiking trails and cattle paths – they were anything but mountain bike-friendly. In 2008 CBMR made the decision to hire on a crew of full-time workers to build and maintain a park designed specifically for downhill mountain biking, and Evolution Bike Park was born.

Since that time, the bike park has grown at an astounding rate! It now boasts 25 miles of trails that are open to mountain bikes, and five of those trails have been purpose-built for downhill mountain biking and are closed to uphill riders and all other trail users. In 2009, CBMR logged 3,500 rider days; in 2010, that number jumped to 8,000. According to Christian Robertson, the bike park manager, they hope to log at least 10,000 rider days this year.

Over the past couple of years, CBMR has been a popular stop on the Mountain States Cup race series, and just this year they got certified with USA Cycling. As a result, CBMR has been added as a stop on the international-caliber Pro GRT race series.

My Experience Riding Evolution Bike Park

I was fortunate enough to be shown around the mountain by none other than Christian himself, and he was kind enough to let me pick his brain on the chairlift rides up the mountain. CBMR also hooked me up with a free pass, one of their Specialized Demo 8 rental bikes, and some body armor so I could get a true bike-park experience.

The Demo 8 performed superbly!

All kitted up, and ready to rip!

All of the mountain bike trails are serviced by a detachable high-speed quad, which means less time on the chairlift and more time on the mountain bike!

I was impressed by the number of groms tearing around the resort. Turns out there’s an organization in town called Gravity Groms.

Like everywhere else in Crested Butte, the views from the top of the lift are surreal!

Without further ado, here’s a breakdown of several of the trails that we rode:

Avery

Christian pinning it through one of the rock gardens.

Avery is Evolution Bike Park’s race course, and as such there is a little bit of everything incorporated into this top-to-bottom black diamond trail. You’ll find plenty of drops (including a 12-foot cliff), technical rock gardens, bridges, table-top jumps, big berms, off-camber turns, slick mud, a step down, and tons of roots. Basically anything you can imagine, Avery will throw at you!

After just one run down this trail, I knew it was my favorite run on the entire mountain. I absolutely love the variety and technical nature. And while it is challenging, I didn’t feel like I was going to die every time I rounded a turn.

Check out some of my GoPro footage from Avery:

Timeline

According to Christian, Timeline is the most popular trail on the mountain. Its design embodies what many people have come to expect in a fast, flowy jump trail. If you want to catch air and find your flow, Timeline is the place to do it! Almost every corner is bermed, rocks are few and far between, and the jumps vary from small kickers to table tops to massive cheese-wedge booters.

Christian Robertson.

Christian Robertson.

Wood’s

Wood’s Trail is far out on the rider’s right-hand side of the resort and it takes a little pedal to get there and back – but it’s well worth the effort! The top of the trail starts off with a quick barrage of small jumps and berms, but lower down the trail straightens out and speeds up as it feeds into a massive pair of back-to-back wooden wall rides. The lower section of Wood’s is currently under construction, but it looks like it holds a fast line of medium-size jumps.

Be sure to check out the wall rides at 1:07-1:25:

Luge

Luge is the classic intermediate trail at CBMR, and it flows quickly down the mountain. True to its rating, it isn’t very difficult: this is a great warm-up run for advanced riders. Check out the video to get an idea of what it’s like:

Psycho Rocks

The only double-black trail at CBMR, Psycho Rocks is full of (you guessed it) rocks and drops. If you are looking for gnar, a real test of your suspension, or are possibly suicidal, drop into this technical whirlwind!

Check out this video (not mine) to get an idea of what kind of challenges this trail holds:

Final Thoughts

While the Evolution Bike Park is quickly turning Crested Butte into a downhill mountain biker’s paradise, the lifts can also be of use to those who are of a more cross-country persuasion. There are many trails at CBMR that are not downhill-specific, meaning they require more pedaling and are much smoother. Cross country riders can ride the lift up, and then hop on one of these less-challenging trails for a fun ride without nearly as much climbing! Since CBMR is adjacent to many of the other area trails lying outside of the resort boundary, you can truly build an epic XC ride with a fraction of the normal effort. While this might sound lazy to some, this can be a great benefit to riders coming from much lower elevation, and to those who just aren’t used to climbing very much. Epic trails like 401 still require a serious aerobic effort, though!

While they already have 25 miles of trails, Christian and the crew are not done building: Wood’s Trail is currently under construction, and they are hoping to break ground soon on another intermediate trail with mid-sized jumps to help riders progress their levitation abilities.

After I sprayed my bike off and returned it to the shop, I wondered to myself, “What is the most fun I’ve ever had on a mountain bike in a single day?” I’m not sure, but this day of shredding might have been it!

If you’re worried about the price of admission, well, you shouldn’t be. I was amazed at how affordable the riding is! A full-day lift ticket is only $35, and if you’re a beginner, you can get a package deal with a bike rental, lift ticket, and lesson for only $70! How sweet is that?

Many thanks to Christian Robertson, Erica Reiter, and Crested Butte Mountain Resort for the royal treatment!

Some of you may not be familiar with the name Nukeproof but the company has actually been around since 1992. Nukeproof started off in Grand Rapids, MI producing high quality carbon bar ends and titanium/aluminum and carbon/aluminum hubs. Now owned and distributed by Hotlines in the UK, Nukeproof is really making a name for themselves once again, this time with a full complement of MTB gear. I recently got my hands on a complete set of Nukeproof cockpit equipment for testing: the Warhead flat bar, Warhead direct mount stem, and the Element skinny grips.

Warhead Handlebars

I tested the no-rise flat bar version of the Warhead (medium and high rise versions are also available) at 800mm wide with a 9-degree  back-sweep. These bars are meant to keep you low on the bike with plenty of control and torque. A 760mm version is also available for those who would prefer to trade torque for lower weight and better clearances.  The 7075 aluminum is strong and quite stiff – hey, as the name implies, these are nuke proof. Talk about tough.

Warhead Direct Mount Stem

Complimenting the Warhead flatbar is the Warhead direct mount stem. The version I tested was the BoXXer direct mount (also works with Manitou, Fox, and anyone else who shares the 4-bolt pattern). This stem is made from 6061 aluminum and has been CNC machined to reduce as much weight as possible while maintaining strength (136grams). With a 31.8mm diameter bar (Nukeproof only produces 31.8mm diameter products) the 4-bolt face plate makes for a solid connection. Having a 45mm reach and just enough rise to clear most forks, this stem allows you to ride a bit further back on the bike than some other stems on the market.

Element Skinny Grips

The Element Skinny grips tie everything together and connect the rider to the bike. Using a familiar locking arrangement, these Kraton-clad grips have a fine knurled pattern and a relatively small diameter for maximum control, even in wet, muddy conditions. The 7000-series aluminum lock rings and end cap ensure nothing comes loose when it counts. The solid end cap with the logo also really helps prevent injury and eliminates “core samples” on the trail (think sharp bar ends penetrating the skin).

Installation

Installing the gear took about 30 minutes and two tries. While bolting up the bars and stem I did come across a small defect in the design. I noticed that if you clamped down one end of the stem then the other, the bars did not mate well. What you have to do is loosely assemble the bar and stem, then tighten down the gear. I found that the hard way when I noticed that the bars didn’t sit straight on the first go. Once I changed the way I mounted the parts, things worked much better.  The grips were a piece of cake to install and I had no issues there.

On the trail

On the slopes I enjoyed the control and ease of steering that I had with these mammoth 800mm bars. It was easy to handle my DH bike through everything that crossed its path. Even round rocks on the rock gardens didn’t alter the bike’s path thanks to the great grip and leveraged positioning of my hands. Throughout my test I didn’t hear a noise or feel anything slip when riding. My positioning on the bike (lower and back) was great when things got really rough, offering good weight distribution over the bike.

The only negative thing I can really say is the bar is a bit too stiff for me. I did get a lot of feedback into my hands which over a full day of riding got to be a bit numbing. My suggestion: ride this bar with padded palms (I didn’t).

Overall the Nukeproof gear is on par with other brands out there as far as price vs. performance ($100 MSRP for the stem, $85 for the bars, and $25 for the grips). With three colors to choose from (black, silver and yellow) you can really trick out your bike. Check out Nukeproof for yourself and see what else they have in store.

Thanks to the Martin at Hotlines and the folks at Nukeproof for providing the gear for review.

I love having the opportunity to check out cool and exciting new MTB products, especially those from smaller niche manufacturers. Elka suspension opened its doors in Quebec, Canada back in 2000, starting out in the performance / racing ATV market. The company has now grown into a multi-discipline manufacturer but mountain bikers still get all the individual attention and professional support that only a pro racer would expect.

The Elka Stage 5 is a 4-way adjustable rear shock ranging in sizes from 7.5″ x 2″ all the way to 10.5″ x 3.5″, covering nearly all the AM-DH bikes that are out there.  The shining feature here is the bike-specific custom valving, a feature that no other manufacturer I know of provides standard. The shock is constructed using hard anodized machined aluminum on the body, main shaft, main piston and reservoir and features easy to use adjustments with a wide range of tuning. The clickers all have a very positive feel to them with no need for tools to turn them.

Due to the high-flowing internals of the shock, Elka uses a high-volume external reservoir to ensure adequate internal oil flow. To guarantee a long service life, Elka included long life premium seals, O-rings and wear bands in the internals of the shock plus DU bushing for the eyelets and a quality micro-cellular urethane bumper. As an added bonus, Elka didn’t want to re-invent the wheel so they used standard spring and mounting hardware (1/2″ DU bushing hardware and 1.38″ inner diameter springs). Looking carefully on the outside you will also notice the razor perfect lines of CNC machine work. An optional titanium spring is available for those who are concerned about saving weight.

Internally there is a standard De Carbon main damping system (shim stack main piston). The shim stack can be easily tuned by Elka during production to fit each bike and rider’s needs. Upon delivery the rider can further tune the shock externally, with the two HSC / LSC concentric adjusters. The technicians at the Elka factory tune and calibrate to perfection with the perfect amount of low-speed damping, usually on the strong side, providing a suspension that is firm, nimble, stable and quick. Out of the box the shock tends to maintain the bike’s ride height, using less travel and maintaining stability.

On the high speed side of things, the exclusive high-speed compression circuit is in fact an adjustable progressive blow-off valve, based on a piston and shim stack design. A calibrated spring controls the initial resistance of the valves and the HSC knob changes the pre-load on that spring. The adjustment controls the threshold where the blow-off circuit opens to reduce the pressure building up in the shock upon impact. Since this circuit is parallel to the low-speed compression circuit, the transition between the “firm” state and the “plush” state is progressive and smooth and proportional to the force of the impact. Elka’s rebound circuit is a shim stack that is speed-sensitive.

Having run the Stage 5 for a few months now I’ve decided this rear shock is one of my top three favorites (though it’s hard to say which of those three is the best!). Since the Stage 5 has a ton of settings, it’s important to follow the correct procedure when setting it up. After installing the shock, set the sag (assuming you have the correct spring rate) by adjusting the spring collar. Usually 2 – 3 turns maximum will do the job. If you find you’re turning more than 5 that is a good indication that your spring rate is too low.

After setting the sag it’s off to the slopes for testing! What I have found that works for me is setting everything at one third the total range. Doing this forgoes possible endos and other nasty things when you have way too little rebound.  At this point I focus on the things a rear shock should handle: cornering, hits (both big and small), and straightline stability. That’s a tall order but it’s what all the suspension manufacturers have to contend with!

When I dial in a shock I tend to set rebound first followed by low and high speed compression. The key is to do only one at a time until you’re satisfied. When setting rebound you’re looking to get to a point where the wheel maintains traction (contact with the ground) but does not pack up (lose travel after a series of bumps). Rebound takes care of the dreaded bronco-style rides that can result when the setting is way too low. I ended up having my rebound set at 23 clicks (out of 30) from full soft (pretty active).

Low speed compression (LSC) takes care of things like rolling hills and rider inputs (pedaling) and corner entry. I rode a series of high speed berm turns and flats to jumps to get the attitude and level of control I wanted. I wanted my bike to be sensitive enough that I felt the ground beneath me without too harsh of a ride (chatter). I also tried off-the-saddle sprints when pedaling to jumps and I ended up with 17 click of adjustment (out of 22).

Finally I set the high speed compression (HSC), and based on the recommendation from Patrick at Elka I did my best to set up the shock with as little HSC as possible. Following the guide I started with no HSC and added 2 clicks at a time until I was satisfied that the bike was not bottoming out. Seeing that from slope to slope and park to park there are wild combinations of jumps and varying degrees of height, this is a setting that will see a lot of adjustment. With the slopes of Blue Mountain and my style of riding (I tend to land both wheels at the same time) I found a setting of 6-8 clicks (out of 22) was all I needed. The bike stayed in control, didn’t feel harsh, and as a few other riders who also tested out the bike said, it was amazing.

So check out Elka and contract them if you’re looking for a near-custom valved shock for your AM – DH rig. Elka’s ability to provide the individual service in itself is worth the $495 MSRP ($450 for the shock, $45 for the spring).

Thanks to Patrick and the folks at Elka for providing the Stage 5 for review.

For gravity-oriented mountain bikers, the Fox DHX RC4 should already be familiar. But if you’re just starting to get serious about DH mountain biking, read on to learn about this essential upgrade.

The DHX is your top level rear shock from Fox with more features than you can shake a stick at. For the techie rider you’ll love playing with this unit to get it to do exactly what you want. With 15 rebound settings, 18 low speed compression settings, and 12 high speed compression settings (plus 4 turns of bottom out control), this shock is all business.

The Fox DHX RC4 is a high performance, racing-oriented rear shock designed to give you complete freedom to set up and control your rear wheel. Fox spent a ton of time dialing the shock in and incorporating their Boost Valve technology and the latest Boost Valve implementation features speed-sensitive dampening control over the last third of the shock travel. This means the shaft speed of the shock determines the amount of dampening you get as you approach the end of the shock travel. So those big drops and rock gardens that are your nemesis now become non-issues. Working in parallel with the Boost Valve are the two compression circuits (high and low speed) and the rebound circuit, providing precise control over the rear end of your bike.

With all those potential adjustments, setting up the RC4 takes a bit of time (it gets easier the more you do it). You’ll want to make sure you have a reference spring rate before you get started – check with Fox or your frame manufacturer if you’re not sure. My Opus Nelson with 7 inches of wheel travel and a shock travel of 2.75 inches has a leverage ratio of approximately 2.54. So being 200lbs with gear and knowing I gotta stop that mass in about 2.3 inches (to prevent excessive bottoming) plus the fact that my previous spring felt a bit too soft, I went with a 450lb spring (200lb x 2.3″= 460lb/inch approximately). With this spring I use very little pre-load which is a good thing. I opted for the titanium version to keep the weight down on my bike, though steel springs are much more affordable and cost about $30 each.

Once the spring was in and installed correctly (make sure the ends of the spring are seated on the lower retainer and not in the gap), I set the sag according to the table in the owner’s manual. From there I headed to the slopes at Blue Mountain and the flowy Haole trail with a 2.5mm and 3mm allen key for some fine tuning. I have a checklist I use for setting up my shocks starting with low speed compression, high speed compression, then rebound. After those are set I work on the extras like Boost Valve.

The Haole trail at Blue Mountain features sections of slow rises and falls as well as mildly rooted sections and a few small jump features. There are also some sweeping berms and switchbacks which are perfect for configuring low speed compression settings. So after a few runs I ended up going with 10 turns back from full +ve. After I was happy with that setting I concentrated on the high speed compression. Going to another slope with squared edged rocks and heavily rooted sections I sessioned Waterfall and O-chute (black diamond and double black diamond runs). This is a perfect workout for any shock and I ended up with a setting of  6 from full +ve. Finally I turned my attention to the rebound which I had been playing with throughout the day and finally settled on 8 from full +ve. Tweeking the Boost Valve to get just the right amount of rise on the spring rate I ended up with 1.5 turns back from full-in.

So how did the DHX RC4 do? Well, so far this is my favorite coil shock I’ve ridden. It’s very smooth and produces virtually zero sticktion. Plus I can feel everything on the slope with this shock.

At one point I did back-to-back runs with the RC4 installed on my FR bike and my DH bike and found this shock allowed my FR bike to give my DH bike a run for its money. Sure it would have been a better test to use identical bikes but knowing both bikes very well I could say that the traction off the back on my FR bike was superior. The RC4 produced smoother tracking in the rear end compared to the banging I felt on the other bike. I found I could really toss the bike deeper and faster into corners with the rear end hooking up nicely.

I would definitely recommend the DHX RC4 for anyone upgrading their rig or planning on stepping up their game on the race circuit. For $585 MSRP for the shock plus $30 for a steel spring you’re getting a world-class rear shock well worth the coin for your AM-DH rig.

I would like to thank the folks at FOX for sending up the 2011 DHX RC4 for review.

Every so often, someone in the bike industry comes up with something really unique… something truly revolutionary… something that’s just FRIC’n cool! Tom Ritchey and the folks at Syncros / Ritchey have had more than their fair share of these types of products and a little while back I got my hands on the new FRIC stem which I tossed on my bike right away.

The FRIC is intended for the FR/DH crowd. With a patented forged design, you’re getting a super strong stem that’s shockingly lightweight. How light? My stem weighed in at 123g according to my scale, which matches the claimed weight from Syncros. But how is this stem different from all the others on the market?

For one thing the steering tube clamp bolts are forward of the steering tube, adding precious space for the family jewels, just in case you find yourself in a bad situation. Sure, a few other brands have forward set bolts (or forward facing pinch wedges) but that’s not all. What really sets the FRIC apart is the revolutionary 260-degree 4-bolt wrap clamp. With this patented design [Intelligent Clamp (IC™ )] you thread the bar into the Fric and then use the small segments to fasten down the bar. This method applies more uniform force around the bar, reducing the chance of cracks and fatigue.

As far as fit goes, the FRIC is only offered with 45mm of extension, which is a pretty safe choice for most AM-DH bikes but may disappoint those looking for more options. The zero rise on this stem may require you to add spacers if you’re finding yourself a bit down and over the bars so if you’re installing this on a fresh fork, keep a bit of extra length for spacers until you find the perfect height (or bar rise).

Installing the FRIC did take a bit more patience than a standard stem as the clamp makes you thread the bar through rather than placing it in. A note to people with painted bars: due to the tight fitting clamp, lube up your bar with soap to allow it to slide in easier. The added layer of paint makes for a very tight fit, though carbon and anodized bars should be fine. I installed an Easton Havoc carbon bar with no issues or scratches. For those of you with full rise bars (40mm+), bring them to the store with you to make sure the FRIC can pass the bends (just in case). After you thread the bar it is a matter of following the installation instructions and warnings. Torque the stem clamp bolts first, followed by the handle bar clamp bolts. It may take two tries on this to get your bar position just right, but it’s well worth the added time taken.

Using the FRIC I have to say that I truly loved it and not just because the compact design makes for a very clean look. What I really appreciated was the silent operation of the stem with no slippage or creaking to be heard. Even on the roughest rockgardens I didn’t observe any signs of flex or twist. That’s pretty impressive considering the size and design of this stem.

Now for $79.99 MSRP you’re definitely getting your money’s worth. The only bad thing here is the fact that you only have one steering tube size so for those with the 1.5″ steering tubes you’re outta luck (for now). The Fric comes in either white or black and as I stated before, visit your LBS to make sure it fits your bars.

I would like to thank the folks at Syncros for sending up the FRIC for a review.

I’ve been running ITS (Intense) tires for a while now and this season I’m rockin’ the ITS Invaders on my DH rig. The Invader was originally simply called the DH tire, and for good reason too. At 1300 grams and a full 2.5 inches wide these are big tires. Some of you probably gasped at the weight, didn’t you?! Well there’s a reason for all that heft.

For starters, the Invader is a double ply tire which is two fabric layers for added protection, durability, and flat resistance. ITS also included a pinch flat bumper on the sidewalls for even more protection. The bumper is inserted between the bead and the tread to reduce chances of pinch flatting off squared edged bumps plus it adds support at lower tire pressures. All this adds up to one tough tire.

The tread pattern on the Invader is a mix between three different knob zones. The central trapezoidal knob has a decent bite and cuts into the softer stuff nicely. The double row of transitional square knobs work on corner entry and exit while the stout outer cornering knobs are slightly edged to keep your bike on line.

I installed the Invaders on my Deemax wheels with no tubes and 4 ounces of Stan’s per tire (no these aren’t tubeless tires but I’ve been able to run them without tubes). I had no problem beading or seating the tires – I just used a floor pump and they beaded perfectly with no real strain getting them on. Some tires are a pain to seal when going tubeless but the Invaders sealed up nice and fast, probably due to the double ply and extra rubber. Now this task took a total time of 1 hour (mounting, adding Stan’s and spreading the sealant around each wheel). After that I reset the pressures (I run 30psi) and I was off to the slopes.

I received these in January and had a chance to use them in very firm ground conditions initially (literally frozen) and more recently in soft, muddy terrain mixed with slate rock and roots. This extreme mix of terrain provided the perfect testing conditions. Over the course of my testing, the 50a durometer tread started to show some signs of wear which is to be expected, especially when riding the hard rocky stuff (think of dragging an eraser along sand paper).

In soft conditions (tacky mud) these tend to run a bit on the slow side as they really bite into the terrain (I found at faster speeds massive mud chunks would fling off the back of my bike and into my buddies’ faces.) This is actually a good thing since the tire offers both good speed and lateral control (some slip but manageable). On the medium terrain is where these work best; I got great directional control and good braking. On the harder terrain (hardpack and rocks) these tires work well but tend to wear quickly, especially if you make the mistake of being to aggressive on the brakes when riding rocks.

Overall the ITS Invader is a good high volume tire (your rims will love you for this) capable of handling a wide range of terrain. These feel like a mix between a Maxxis Ardent and Kenda Nevegal with characteristics of both. Over my time with these I didn’t get a single puncture or one ding on my rims (for me that is great, I hate rim dings). So the dual ply and pinch flat bumpers are working well. At about $54 MSRP these should last a full season of riding (unless you’re riding slickrock a lot).

I would like to thank the folks at ITS for sending down the Invaders for review.

FOX is one of those companies that doesn’t stop tinkering. Every year for the past few years I have seen improvement upon improvement and this year is no exemption. The shiny new 2011 36 TALAS FIT RC2 180 is exactly what I am talking about, with a host of improvements and brand new features. In fact, this is the first year FOX has produced a much needed 180mm version of the fork.

Tech and Features

First, the most obvious features: a new lower leg assembly and Kashima coated stanchions. The upper crown and hidden longer stanchions aren’t as obvious but they’re equally important. FOX wanted to make sure the TALAS was as bullet-proof as possible so they added extensions below the axle in the lower housing to allow room for the stanchions under full compression. The thinking is they wanted to spread the bushings as far apart as possible to better manage twisting and torsional forces.

Each model in the RC2 lineup features an all-new FIT RC2 inverted damper for consistent damping performance and reliability. The new FIT RC2 damper lowers un-sprung weight which essentially allows the fork to react more quickly for better steering control. The internal single-wall bladder has been engineered to hold all the fluid and provides consistent, fade-free damping by preventing the fluid from aerating. The inverted design offers the same range of adjustability as standard but the compression adjusters have been moved to the top of the stanchion for convenience. The rebound control, which is a set-and-forget kind of item, is now located on the bottom of the fork.

The TALAS 36 180mm has an incredibly large amount of bushing overlap. A look at the new below-axle tube design give you a hint of what had to be done to create this extremely stiff chassis. The upshot is Fox offers the lowest axle-to-crown distance available in a 180 mm fork. The RC2 model pictured comes with Kashima coated stanchions which provides nearly stiction-free performance for quicker suspension response and improved durability (longer life). The two step adjustable travel on the new 36 TALAS, with its ergonomically-pleasing TALAS lever, makes it super easy (even with gloves on) to toggle between 180mm to 140mm of travel.

Installation

Installing the TALAS is pretty much like any other fork – just remember to measure twice and cut once. The tapered head tube can be cut with either a pipe cutter (with a fresh blade) or with a Park SG-6 Threadless Saw Guide and saw (my method of choice). Install the star nut and lower race and you’re pretty much good to go (always torque the bolts to the manufacturer’s recommendations).

Dialing it in

After the fork is installed on the bike it’s time to get things dialed in. As I mentioned before, the controls on the new TALAS are not the same as older units which speeds up the entire process. Remove the center dust cap on the left leg, making sure you’re at full travel, and set the pressure so you have 25-30% sag and that’s about it for the air spring. If for whatever reason the o-ring is missing, place a tie wrap to get your reference point. There should be about 45mm of sag. After dialing the sag I started working on compression and rebound settings. Keep in mind I am 200lb with gear, armor, and shoes so my pressure was set at 74 psi.

Low speed compression is set using the smaller inside blue knob on the right fork leg. When setting the low speed compression you’re looking for the balance point where you can hit the brakes or accelerate without having the front of your bike dive or excessively move. Ride hard and hit the brakes, noting how much the bike pitches forward. You don’t want the bike to blow through the travel but at the same time you don’t want the fork to stay rigid. Ultimately you need the fork to follow the trail as closely as possible. I ended up setting the LSC to 9 clicks from full (+).

For me the high speed compression (top outer blue knob) took more work to get just right and I ended up sessioning a few jumps to get it dialed in. Most riders will probably only need to set this once after finding a satisfactory amount of control. Adjust your high speed compression setting so the fork doesn’t blow through its entire travel too quickly when taking a big hit (active word here is BIG). Keep adding damping until you have a controlled fork compression without the fork eating up all its travel and bottoming out (stopping abruptly in its internal bump stop). You will know you have too much high speed compression when you feel your wrists compress and an uncomfortable amount of force travels through your body on impact. I ended up with 9 clicks from full (+) to get the HSC where I wanted it.

Rebound is the next setting to manipulate and you can also do this one on the trail. Here you’re looking for a controlled return to ride height after the fork compresses. You don’t want the fork to feel like it’s a bucking bronco, tossing you off the bike on return (too much rebound) nor do you want the fork to come up so slow that it feels like the fork is losing travel over multiple bumps (too little rebound). My rebound setting was smack in the middle at 9 clicks from full (+).

Performance on the trail

So how did the FOX TALAS 36 perform? For a 180mm fork I noticed the initial bit of travel is very plush and then ramps up a bit mid stroke to end stroke. This actually works great because it absorbs a lot of the small trail chatter and unevenness that could cause the wheels to slip. Speaking of slip, the huge stanchion and bushing overlap really keeps this fork stiff and tracking where you want it.

Tracking through rock gardens is cruise-missile-like – even those hard-to-traverse round rocks that are sometimes tossed in the trail “just for fun. Height adjustment also works flawlessly. At Blue Mountain I ran the fork on my Nelson back to back with my other DH rig and found I actually gained a second on some runs, probably due to the greater control I found in the corners. Compared to last year’s TALAS the controls are easier to use and the 40mm drop on the front for most bikes is just about right to make you want to tackle that climb rather than hike-a-bike.

Now if you’re looking to lose some weight with a buttery smooth outta-the-box kinda fork with adjustable travel from 180mm – 140mm of travel, then test ride the FOX TALAS today. And if you’re a female rider who wants a truly kick butt setup, the TALAS gives you a lightweight front end and 180mm of travel yet still turns very well. The great thing is that the TALAS comes in 4 flavors that just might fit the bill if you’re in the need of a fork that’s 160mm+ for your AM-DH bike. At $1090 MSRP this is not the cheapest option out there but it’s a solid purchase for sure.

Overall ratings (out of 10)

I would like to thank FOX for sending out the TALAS for a review.

Part two of the Easton Havoc line-up is the all new wheelset. Talk about an upgrade! Wow. Yup, they really went and listened to the demands from aggressive all mountain and freeride mountain bikers and the result is the new Havoc 26″ wheels.

To start things off, Easton made some major changes to the rims. The company added a full 1mm to the inside width, bringing it to 23mm (28mm outside) which makes these stronger than ever before. The new Havocs are also UST compatible so you can run those UST tires with no special rim strips! If you choose not to run UST tires you can simply remove the valve cores and run tubes.

Of course Easton didn’t stop there – the hubs were redesigned as well. With sealed cartridge bearings and a re-tooled hub design you’re looking at a wheel that is designed for abuse. No only that, the new dedicated 20mm front hub increases performance over the previous model. The rear hub comes in QR10x135 or 12×135 with 12x142mm spacers, making the Havoc wheels very adaptable to a wide range of bikes. What does carry over from previous models is the same great 3-pawl cassette body.

Weighing in at 1750 grams (about 150 grams lighter than the 2010 Havocs) these new wheels are much snappier on the trail. Speaking of snappy, 24 butted Sapim spokes laced three cross front and rear is what holds everything together and helps balance between a fast energy-transferring wheel with one that’s supple enough to take some harshness out of the trail. For those of you who are running Shimano Center Lock rotors, you will have to get a set of 6-bolt rotors as these wheels only come with that rotor interface.

Bling-wise you get fresh matching graphics like the ones on the bars and stems I reviewed earlier on. A new high-end water transferred graphic circumscribes the entire rim looks hot when riding, not to mention the bright orange anodized hub which is sure to catch a look or two on the trails. If orange isn’t your thing, Easton also offers a toned down grey finish. Either way they both look great.

Installing tires on the Havoc wheels was a snap. I wrapped mine in a set of Minions with 4oz of Stan’s for a satisfying dual snap of the beads locking everything firmly in place. Best of all, it only took 10 minutes.  Just remember to generously apply soapy water on the sides of the tire and you’re golden. Installing and torquing down the rotors (4.5 – 6Nm) took another few minutes with no issues. The final step of tossing on a 9spd cassette burned less time that it took me to write this sentence.

I decided to install the Havocs on my Freeride bike instead of my AM/trail bike. Seeing that the Haven’s are doing such a great job in that area, and the Havoc’s come with the 12/135mm axle, I figured the freeride bike is the way to go. The first thing that came to mind is the fact that the Havocs are in direct competition with the Mavic Crossmax SX wheels. Both wheels are very similar, with weights that are grams away from one another (the Havocs are 5 grams lighter) and rim cross sections that are 2mm apart (Havoc 23mm / Mavic 21mm inside widths). Heck, both wheels are UST and have 24 spokes which adds to the similarities. It was definitely going to be interesting to see how the new Havocs stood up.

One of my biggest concerns with wheels is how well they engage when riding. Nothing spoils a ride more than not being able to put the power down or losing balance because you’re rocking the cranks too much to engage the freehub. As in previous models of Easton wheels, these Havocs feature the same welcomed and familiar engagement. At slow speeds or riding over a skinny I have no problem maintaining my cranks at 3 and 9 o’clock, allowing me to barely tap the cranks while still gaining forward movement. That’s a big, big plus here. With the three cam pawl engagement you need very little movement to get the freehub to catch. Now what I also picked up on while hitting trails is the quick acceleration you get due to the low mass (keep in mind the tires you choose). For what these wheels are, they are fast. I was really impressed with how fast they change direction – definitely not what most freeride wheels feel like.

As for strength I have had no issues so far with these wheels. Taking them to Kelso, Horseshoe Valley, and another few choice spots in and around Ontario I haven’t encountered any reliability issues; the wheels remain straight even after sailing over rock gardens (remember to keep up your momentum). Landing some pretty big doubles and step downs with smooth transitions is also no big deal. The over-sized bearings still spin like new, though I did have to adjust the front hub once during my test but it really is not a big deal.  I also tweaked the rear wheel a touch (remember the momentum comment) but fixed it up with a truing key to keep the rim dead straight.

So what do I think of the new Easton Havoc wheels ($945 MSRP)? They are certainly on par with other brands as far as pricing so that is not an issue at all – the value is definitely there. For strength I would also say these can take a beating like Rocky Balboa and still come back. To recap. Strength – check. Performance – check. Value – check (although pricy). Good looks – check. UST compatible – check. Hmmm there’s a lot going on here isn’t there? Check out a set for yourself and you tell me what you think! Cheers.

Thanks to the folks at Easton for supplying the Havoc wheels for review.

With the advent of the many affordable HD helmet camera options on the market (especially the GoPro), the number of point of view (POV) mountain bike videos on the internet has exploded! To be brutally honest, the vast majority of the POV videos uploaded every day aren’t worth the time that it takes to watch them.

There are 2 main reasons for this poor video quality, despite the access to excellent equipment:

1) The camera angle never changes, many shots are shaky, and/or the only perspective used is boring.

2) Poor editing.

In the first half of this two part series, I will analyze a number of popular camera mounting options for mountain biking. Hopefully this will help you add a little extra zest to your next trail video.

Helmet: Top, Facing Forward

Photo Credit: Contour.com

The default camera mounting option for most people seems to be on the top of the helmet, facing forward. This is expected, as these types of point of view cameras are commonly referred to collectively as “helmet cams.”

Unfortunately, this perspective can sometimes be the absolute worst choice for an interesting video. If you are riding solo, this shot tends to create a flag pole-type perspective with nothing in the frame to add depth to the picture. It’s almost impossible to tell how steep the trail actually is or how large the obstacles are as there is nothing else to compare them to. Also, the bike is not in the picture at all, so the viewer has no idea how exactly the rider is handling his bike.

However, if you are filming a chase scene with another rider in front of you, this angle does an excellent job of capturing what the other rider is doing on the trail. This is the only instance when I’d personally recommend this mount.

Helmet: Top, Facing Backward

Again, this angle is really only useful if you are shooting a chase scene. Obviously, it would capture the performance of the rider behind you.

Full Face Helmet:  Side Mount, Facing Forward

This is a pretty popular mount with gravity riders wearing full face helmets. The angle inevitably captures part of the helmet in the picture, and that little section of helmet is usually enough to lend a little bit of perspective to the image. Also, you can usually see the bike a little bit in the bottom of the frame, which is especially cool on jump lines.

Here’s an actual video to give you an idea of what this perspective looks like:

Handle Bars

Photo Credit: GoPro.com

After the forward helmet mount, this is probably the second most common mounting option… unfortunately. Because of the fact that the camera is mounted directly to the bars, it is constantly being jolted and shaken by the smallest bumps in the trail. When I watch videos shot from this perspective I can rarely make out what is going on, and most of the time my head starts hurting and I turn it off. It’s also impossible to see how the rider is working the bike.

The one thing that a bar mount does well is provide a good view of the trail surface, if it is relatively smooth.

Seat Post: Rear View

Photo Credit: GoPro.com

While at first glance you might think that the camera would suffer a lot of shaking mounted in this position, the truth is that this is actually a very stable mount, especially on a full suspension bike. This is a very unique perspective that I find is a lot of fun to watch. When you are riding a bike, you never get to see the trail disappearing behind your tires. But with your camera mounted like this, you can when you get home to your computer!

Also, the rear wheel provides a focal point for viewers to keep things interesting and to provide a little bit of depth to the picture. I also find it fun to watch how the suspension responds to changes in the terrain.

Chest Mount

When I’m riding solo, the chest mount is hands-down my favorite choice! Mounting the camera on your chest avoids the flag pole effect by providing close-up objects in the frame (arms and handlebars) that create perspective.

But the number one reason I enjoy this perspective so much is that the viewer can see exactly what the rider is doing, and how he manipulates the bike.  Everything from shifting to braking to steering is visible to the viewer, making for a much more interesting video, especially if there are no other riders present.

One word of caution: make sure that your camera is aimed high enough to catch the trail out in front, because we don’t want to be staring at the top tube of your bike the entire time!

Get Creative

From ground placements for ride-by shots to having a camera spin around your head, your creativity is really the only limit when it comes to creating a unique perspective for your next trail video!

Coming Up

In the next installment, I’ll cover a few tips to help you edit your videos so they don’t end up in the expansive vault of neglected YouTube videos.

Based on the videos that you’ve watched or created, what is your favorite video camera mounting option?