After testing six different full suspension 29ers at Interbike last year, I decided it was finally time to get one for myself. I’ve owned several hardtail mountain bikes since 1992, including a 29er, but this would be my first big move into full suspension mountain biking. Turns out it would also be my first carbon mountain bike.

The Santa Cruz Tallboy was the first bike I demoed at Interbike in September and it was love at first ride. I’m told this is Santa Cruz’s best selling mountain bike which says a lot since the company makes a bunch of great bikes (including the sexy V-10 Syd recently built up). And just in case you’re wondering, Santa Cruz didn’t give us these bikes – we both paid for ‘em with our hard-earned money.

Anyway, back to my Tallboy build. I decided to go with the carbon frame and Fox RP23 shock with Kashima coat (you can get the RP2 instead to save a little $$). Santa Cruz included a Fox shock pump and grease gun for the pivots but other than that, what I got was basically a blank canvas.

Initially, the biggest challenge was finding a headset that would work with the frame. Santa Cruz says this on their website: “As all of us frame manufacturers seem to be using slightly different configurations with tapered headtubes, these headsets are custom items.” Of course I read this after the purchased frame was sitting in my office, wondering what I had gotten myself into. The note from Santa Cruz made cryptic references to Cane Creek and Chris King headsets but didn’t give any specifics so I spent the next several days emailing Santa Cruz support and searching online for the right part.

Eventually Syd set me straight and before I knew it, I had the right Cane Creek upper and lower cups and a sweet Fox 32 Factory series fork with matching Kashima coat. I had the guys at Bicycle South install the headset and fork, then set out to build up the rest of the bike myself.

Ok so first, a bit about me: I am not Syd. I generally don’t enjoy working on bikes or researching parts and just when I *think* I know what I’m doing, I usually screw something up. Still, I figured building up a new bike would be a great opportunity to improve my wrench skills. And if I did make a mistake or get stuck, I could always bring the bike to the shop to have it put together the right way.

I started with the seat and seatpost, mainly so I’d have a way to hold the frame in my work stand. I found an old Easton EA70 30.9mm seatpost that came with mudhunny’s Blur and slapped a Titec Hellbent saddle on (the lightest one I could find in my collection). I was really anxious to get the thing looking like a bike so I grabbed my SunRingle Black Flag 29er wheels, strapped on a SRAM 2×10 cassette, and bolted on the rotors. The wheels were already shod with tubed tires even though the rims are tubeless but swapping those out is another project for another time.

After restoring my Redline to its original 1×9 configuration, I cleaned all my SRAM 2×10 X0 drivetrain stuff with a fine-tooth comb (and a ton of de-greaser). The bottom bracket and crank went on teflon-smooth and I finally figured out what that weird plastic piece on my bottom bracket tool is for (it tightens the retention nut on the crank arm). I attached the derailleurs, and was pretty happy with myself for actually buying the right front derailleur for my frame (it’s a high mount, dual pull, 34.9mm clamp, 2×10, in case you’re wondering).

Next I turned my attention to the cockpit. Not wanting to marginalize my Redline any further, I decided to use the alloy Syncros bars on my shelf instead of stealing the carbon Answer bars from that bike. I picked up a cheap 110mm FSA stem and Sette lock-on grips, then got busy attaching a new set of Avid Elixir 9 hydraulic disc brakes. I had planned on using a spare set of Hayes brakes but after looking at the brakes, they needed more work than I was willing to put into them at the time.

Finally, it was time to hook everything up and give the bike a spin! I wasn’t entirely sure how to route the derailleur and brake cables so I studied the Tallboy pics on the Santa Cruz website, making generous use of the zoom button to see the details. I used a fresh Jagwire cable kit, cut all the housing to size, and routed the cables. I ended up cutting one section of housing too short and fraying the rear derailleur cable but luckily I had spares.

Confession: derailleur and chain adjustments frighten me. This was the part of the build I was dreading and I assumed I would need professional help at this point. I read the SRAM instructions carefully and checked the existing chain length from my Redline. Turns out it was spot on! After routing the chain and linking it together, I attached the derailleur cables, made a few adjustments, then breathed a sigh of relief. It was alive! Final weight: about 27 lbs. which I could easily see dropping close to 25 lbs. with a few part swaps.

Of course I wasn’t completely done – there were still lots of little items like clipping zip ties, adjusting lever angles, and dialing in the shocks. All told I probably put 3-4 hours into the build and ended up doing it all myself (save the fork and headset installation).

I took a short test ride around the block to make sure everything was set, then drove out to the Pinhoti trail for my first real ride. It was a great ride and the only issue I ran into was with my rear derailleur cable slipping loose (easy trail-side fix).

In the end I’m really glad I built this bike up myself from scratch. I definitely learned a lot and gained confidence in my wrench skills, not to mention I got a bike that fits me better than one with stock components might. I can’t wait to put a ton of miles on this bike in 2012 – look for a full review sometime in late spring!

This is the final post in a series of how-to articles describing my 2012 DH bike build, the Santa Cruz V-10.

Stem and Bar Installation

Before shifters and brakes could be installed, I had to get the stem and bar on the fork. I decided to throw on a matching 50mm Holzfeller direct mount stem and a Boobar (also from Truvativ). Both went on with no trouble at all. Always follow the manufacturer’s torque specs and torquing sequence to prevent stress risers which could cause failure.

Brake Lever and Shifter Installation

Once my cranks and chain guides were set, I worked on installing the brake levers and shifter. I opted to use the Matchmaker X on the rear shifter just to make for a cleaner install and one less clamp on my bar, which is always a good idea with carbon bars.

Setting the angle of all the controls is next. I tend to start by carefully sliding the brakes and integrated shifter in place first, then my grips second. Tightening down the grips, I then set both the angle and spacing of the brake levers. Finally, I torque them down with the recommended amount of force. In case you’re wondering, the brake levers and shifter angle should be set with you in your normal riding position. The pathway of your hand/wrist should either be straight (more of an attack feel) or require a slight lift of the wrist.

That’s it! My V-10 has been built up for several weeks now and I’ve already had a chance to rail the local trails a bit. Look forward to more detailed product and frame reviews this spring.

SunRingle has been on a roll lately, as they have revamped their entire line of wheels. Beginning last year with a revamp of their XC, Trail, and AM lines of wheels, they’ve just completed the full rework with their DJ and DH wheels.

I was talking with Scott, the production manager from SunRingle, a while ago, and he mentioned that they were working on these new wheels, but couldn’t give me the details. With the release of the new ADD I finally had a chance to try them out!

Specs

What exactly is new here? Well, nearly everything. Like the new Charger Pro wheels, these hoops feature SunRingle’s new 28-hole straight-pull spoked hub. With a 20mm only front hub but a rear hub with all four configurations using adapters (135×12, 142×12, 150×12, and 157×12), these will surely fit your gravity ride.

Along with the redesign of the hub to accept the straight pull spokes, you get premium sealed cartridge bearings which keep things spinning smoothly. As an added feature to help keep the weight down, SunRingle decided to run double-butted Wheelsmith spokes and alloy nipples to shave a few grams without compromising strength too much. The new 30mm hoops utilize Stan’s no tube technology and come installed with Stan’s rim strips. Included, but not installed, are the Stan’s valves and bottles of sealant to get you started if you’re going tubeless right away. Outwardly fresh graphics and your choice of hub color finishes off the wheels.

These wheels come in at 2,000 grams ± a few (depending on axle configuration), making these pretty competitive as far as weight is concerned.

Installation

Installing a set of Schwalbe Muddy Mary UST tires was a snap (literally)–all that was needed to seat the beads on the rim was a quality floor pump. I have heard people complain about the troubles of setting tires on rims before, but if you just follow what Stans says on the website, it is foolproof. After the initial set-up of shaking the Stan’s sealant in the tires, I was ready to go. I set the tires to 26 PSI, installed an 11-25 cassette, and set off.  Nearly all the testing was done at the Dagmar test site, with both myself and Bob_the_Builder taking turns punishing these wheels.

Testing

As a standalone test, not thinking about any other specific wheel sets I have tested before, I could tell these wheels were a bit different. Not so much in performance, but in sound. The ADD wheels feature a slightly deeper tone to the cassette body compared to other wheels. Along with the sound, the cassette engagement is a bit coarser than other brands, meaning it takes more crank rotation to engage the cassette–about 10-12 degrees compared to about 6 degrees on others. It’s not much of a difference, but I noticed it nevertheless.

As far as rolling speed with tires, these keep up with the best of them! The ADD wheels roll very fast, and even when we tossed the bike hard into berms, we felt very little flex. What both I and Bob_the_Builder loved was the durability and solid feel of the wheels while taking off and landing. Even if we had the wheel slightly sideways coming in for a landing, we noticed very little flex, where with other wheels you hear pinging spokes. Sailing off rock gardens as fast as I was willing to send it, these wheels took the abuse without a ding, which is a good testament to the design of the rim profile. Not once did I burp or flat a tire during all that jumping and abuse.

But perhaps the best thing about the ADD wheels: they sell for about $750, a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than their competitors.

I would like to thank the folks at SunRingle for sending down the ADD wheels for a review. Stay tuned for a head-to-head comparison of these and other wheels in the coming months.

I’ve always found small tire pumps to be annoying at best, and even though they will eventually fill a fat MTB tire with air, I’d rather get on with my ride. CO2 inflators provide pretty much instant gratification.

There are a number of CO2 inflators on the market, some of which even include a built-in manual pump. Regardless of the design, they all function the same way. After attaching to a steel CO2 canister and pushing the inflator head onto the valve stem, a trigger or some other mechanism releases the pressurized CO2, inflating the tire in 2-3 seconds!

Enter the Genuine Innovations Air Chuck SL. This model dispenses with the extras and provides just basic inflation functionality. It weighs 21 grams and is available at many local bike shops, as well as big retailers like REI. It generally runs about $20, and comes with one CO2 cartridge to get you started.

Since I frequently participate in group rides, my little inflator gets a lot of use. It always inflates tires correctly, and we have used it on 26×2.5 tires as well as 29×2.2. With a stock 16 gram threaded cartridge, it barely has enough oomph for a really high volume tire, but it is enough to get you out of the woods. Another nice feature is that the trigger mechanism allows a quick burst to pre-inflate the tube, and then the rest once the tire is mounted. Some inflators are all-at-once.

Click the pic to the left for a short video demo.

Pros:

• 21 gram weight means you’ll hardly know it’s there.
• Excellent quality of machining and assembly.
• Works with any threaded CO2 cartridge.
• Easy to use and fills tires in seconds.
• Compatible with Schrader or Presta valves. (I have used mine on both)

Cons:

• So small you can lose it in your pack or on the ground. Seriously, it’s tiny.
• One of the frills this lacks is a cover over the cartridge. Thus the cartridge gets frosty cold when it’s discharged. Keep your gloves on while using it!
• Tire refills are limited to the number of cartridges you bring on a trip.
• Barely enough pressure for a really big tire. If you run huge tires, look into the ‘Big Air’ CO2 cartridge. The Air Chuck is compatible.

For all regular rides I bring this inflator, one cartridge and a tube in my Camelbak. For longer rides I attach a seat bag with a second tube and CO2 canister. For really epic rides, I also bring my Topeak Mini Morph pump. (Watch for a review on that later)

CO2 cartridges run about $4 at the LBS, which is ridiculous in my opinion. I get my 16 gram threaded cartridges from Amazon in a 12-pack for $19 with shipping. This works out to $1.58 per cartridge. Amazon sells bigger boxes of them, so you could drive the per unit cost even lower with a group or club order.

Manual tire pumps will always have a place on the trail, but if you race, are a weight weenie, or just enjoy speed and simplicity, then check out the Genuine Innovations Air Chuck SL. You won’t be disappointed!

This time of year really messes with my mountain bike mojo. Yes it’s cold, but the mountain bike industry makes all sorts of doodads that allow tough guys and girls to keep riding in damn near any conditions, no matter how sack-shrinkingly cold it gets. If I really need to get out and ride I’ll do it, enjoy it, then go back inside and warm up with a slanket, a flagon of grogg, and a very high thermostat. But the real bummer of this time of year is how it follows the roughest day of my mountain bike year: Daylight Savings. Whoever thought of “falling back” should be dipped in Power Goo and thrown to the roadies.

The changing of the clocks is the twist of the knife at the end of the long, slow dwindling of the evening sunlight. Memories of warm nights leisurely shredding your local singletrack, unhurried and enjoyable, fade away and you find yourself frantically calculating if you can get your gear together and to the trailhead in time to get a good ride in before the sun retreats below the treeline. But there’s a weapon that modern technology has provided us: the battery-powered trail light. Helmet or handlebar mounted (or both), they can kick out enough candelas to rail full speed down that descent as if it were high noon in August. Just bring your credit card, because bright, high quality gear usually comes at a dear price.

But wait! Enter: the MagicShine. Modern. Attractive. Bright. And at 10 Lumens per dollar it’s cheap. (If you’re looking for another adjective, you’re a greedy bastard). For comparison, lights from Cygolite, NiteRider, and Lupine fall somewhere between 2.5 and 5 lumens per dollar. But remember the old bike maker’s mantra: “Lightweight, durable, inexpensive. Pick two.” In the case of the MagicShine, as in all of life, there are compromises.

First I’ll heap praise on this little fella. It’s bright. 1000 lumens, 2+ hours on high no problem. It’s feature rich. High, medium, low settings with a battery life LED indicator in the translucent power switch. Recent improvements to the battery case are great: now you get a weather tight, compact package that can be connected via integral Velcro strap to all sorts of tubes. Stupid simple light mounting. One beefy O ring to wrap around almost all diameter bars, the helmet mount piece (not included but available as an accessory), or whatever else your twisted little imagination can come up with. If that’s not enough, it ships with a spare ring.

So, how’s it work?

This thing beats back the shadows. On one of my first nocturnal excursions with the MagicShine I was accompanied by a Big Time parts & accessory manager in the bike biz. He, the guy with every hookup and bro deal there is to be had, compared our lights and admitted the MS was The Bomb. Well, yeah. And on top of all those lumens it was a third the price of his kit. Less weight too. As Gob Bluth would say: “COME ON.” Hang on, there’s a BUT…

As we stated earlier, you get lightweight, rugged and inexpensive – but you can only pick two.

A) This one clocks in at 312 grams for the light and battery. Compared to some other systems that claim to put out a similar number of lumens, the MagicShine is right in the ballpark. And for some perspective on how lightweight serious lighting has gotten, that’s about the same as 4.6 Clif bars, or a can of post ride Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, the single greatest beer to enjoy after a good ride. Says me.

B) Way affordable. $99 bucks gets you a legit-looking presentation box with weatherproof battery, wall charger that charges said battery in around 4 hours, light head, 2 sizes of O ring mounts, and an extension cable for using in your hydration pack (or fanny pack if you’re Napolean Dynamite).

C) Rugged: ahhhh, hold on a second. I’ll be the first to admit I use gear in a less-than-dainty manner. In my mind it should work in the toughest conditions or it’s a waste of my effort carrying the thing out into the woods in the first place. Maybe you also have ‘packing neuroses’ as I do, but after agonizing over each tool, spare tube, extra layer, etc. (and the decision about whether the grams are worth lugging up the hills), I expect that if I brought it it’s ready in every contingency. If it’s going to fail, better to do it on my local trails where I can limp home instead of scuttling the trip I’ve planned for 6 months.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, the delicate electrical connections of the MagicShine. I used it on a handful of 0’Dark thirty road rides and night MTB rides, took it on one motorcycle camping weekend, and then two weeks into commuting on my new ‘cross bike in my new wintry corner of the world it started to cut out while riding. Not the sort of thing you want becoming a habit when you’re bombing full daytime speed down your favorite descent in the pitch black of night. Granted, I’ve traveled with the light kicking around on my carry-on bag, it has gotten its share of bumps and cable tugs, but felt like a brief life of reliability for my high output buddy.

Still, I think the fact that I promptly bought a replacement speaks to how much I like the MagicShine. For the money it still is at the top of my packing list when I’m planning any night ops on two wheels.

A couple of months ago I received a cache of Giro gear in the mail for my reviewing pleasure. Among the goods were a pair of Xen gloves.

Photo by Sydnah Swails.

Specs

The Xen is a heavily ventilated glove that is designed to breathe well and ride comfortabl,y even in the hottest temperatures. Along with ample ventilation, the back of the hand features knuckle protection in key locations in case something goes awry. The “Super Fit” palm has minimal padding, and is made of “Clarino” that is “tailored to minimize excess material, so you get maximum control and comfort,” according to Giro.

The Test

I have used the Xen gloves in a variety of riding conditions from cross country to all mountain to downhill. In all cases, I can honestly say that I have been very satisfied with these gloves!

Giro’s description rings absolutely true. The palms have very minimal material, and despite the minimalistic approach, these may be one of the most comfortable pairs of gloves I’ve used this year. The comfort provided by the Zen vastly outdistances the most recent pair of full-fingered gloves I reviewed here on the blog.

The index and middle fingers have extra grip for the brake levers. Photo by Sydnah Swails.

As for comfort in high temps, I haven’t had the chance to test these during the extremely hot months but I have worn them into the 70′s and down into the 40′s with no problems. These gloves are definitely designed for the summer months, though, so going any lower than the upper to mid 40′s will probably be uncomfortable.

Ventilation and Knuckle Protection. Photo by Sydnah Swails.

It is important to note that while these are aggressive full-fingered gloves, they aren’t specifically designed with downhilling in mind. While there is a little bit of knuckle protection, if you are looking for a full-on DH glove you might want to try something with a little more padding. If you are an aggressive all-mountain rider, though, these gloves split the difference between XC and DH perfectly!

Cons

The only question I have when it comes to the Xen gloves is, “How durable are they?”

I’ve had a small issue with some stitching coming out on one of the fingers. I’m not sure if I snagged it on something and tore a stitch out, allowing it widen into this hole, or what exactly happened.

I also have a much smaller hole forming on the knuckle of the thumb of the same hand. It is highly unlikely that I caused this one to happen in any way:

Bottom Line

This is a great glove that offers incredible comfort and great ventilation, and while it can work great for almost any style of mountain biking, it seems to be intended for all-mountain riders. While the durability of these gloves may be questionable, at an MSRP of $39.99 they are worth a look.

Many thanks to Giro for sending out the Xen gloves for review.

Specs

The WTB Nano Race 29er 2.1″ tire features an Aramid bead, DNA rubber, and a lightweight casing. The Aramid bead and lightweight casing definitely help drop weight, and at only 560 grams this tire is light and fast and definitely intended for use as an XC tire. According to WTB, the DNA rubber is a “fast-rolling 60a durometer rubber compound [...] specifically formulated for high-performance riding in a variety of conditions.” As for the Nano’s design itself, WTB claims:

“Its micro-knob design and large supportive casing conquer rough racecourses and roll with the punches on long trail rides. The elevated centerline tread rolls quickly on asphalt and hardpack, while the numerous working edges track predictably in ‘dust over crust’ conditions.”

Let’s see how accurate this description is, shall we?

Test

I’ve put close to 600 miles on the Nano as my rear tire on the Ibex Maroc. Over the course of my extensive test, I was very surprised to discover that despite being relatively narrow and so low-profile, the Nano provides excellent traction!

I think that the Nano’s traction in a variety of conditions can be attributed to the tacky DNA rubber. Despite having “micro” knobs, this tire seemed to stick to most stuff and provided plenty of power as I climbed up and ripped down the mountain, whether I was in Colorado or Georgia.

I’ve found that the description WTB gives above is pretty much spot-on. This tire is great in hardpack and “dust-over-crust” conditions, and I would add that it also handles well in rocky conditions (as long as the rocks are dry).

Negatives

As you might expect, this small-knobbed tire came up short in a few areas. Anytime the conditions were somewhat wet, the Nano started having difficulties. And it particularly hates wet roots. Trying to climb up a damp, root-infested slope that’s a little off-camber? Forget about it.

As I mentioned above, the Nano features a super-tacky rubber compound. While tacky rubber equals good traction, it doesn’t equal longevity. At about 400 miles, the Nano was already showing significant wear, and looked ready to be replaced. After 600 miles, I am in dire need of a new tire.

Before / After 400 miles.

After 600 miles.

Final Verdict

Due to the low weight and the extremely low-profile knobs, the Nano is a fast rolling tire! As the “race” designation obviously indicates, this tire is meant to be raced. It’s not really designed to be an everyday, do-it-all tire for the average Joe but if you’re looking for speed on a dry course, be sure to give the Nano a try!

MSRP on the Nano Race is $65 per tire.

I’ve been playing around with a cool new chain retention device from cSixx for a while now. cSixx (pronounced simply as “six”) hails from South Africa, and they presently offer two chain retention devices: the 150gm and the lighter weight 110gl. I had the pleasure of testing the full-on race version, the 150gm.

Specs

The cSixx 150gm really does weigh in at the advertised 150 grams, thanks to a mixture of weaved carbon and a section of kevlar/carbon mix at the bash area. All the fasteners are aluminum for further weight reduction, with the exception of the three bolts which hold the 150gm to the ISCG05 tabs on the bike. The guide comes with an adapter for ISCG, just in case your ride doesn’t have tabs.

Installation

Installation of the 150gm requires you to remove the cranks which is just about the hardest part of the installation. If you need to install the adapter, then you also have to remove one of the spacers and swap it with the adapter. Other than that, the installation instructions are very clear, with a mix of simple instructions and great illustrations. Once the guard is in, install the cranks and follow up by double checking that the pulley lines up with your chain (using the supplied washers). Afterwards, the taco and idler pulley should be set to your correct chain ring tooth count (32-42). Finally, thread the chain through and you are set.

The Test

I ran the 150gm for about three months on trails all over the region. This guide has taken a good amount of hits: everything from larger logs to the rocks of the Frankenstein trail at Seven Springs (which are mainly large boulders). Needless to say, the 150gm survived with minimal surface damage thanks to the reinforced Kevlar section. There were no other problems, either.

I did notice that I had some chain rub on the taco portion, and that it was just a bit too narrow. To remedy that issue, I ended up placing a 1mm washer behind the outer plate and the rubber spacer that goes to the inner plate. That helped reduce the rub that happened when the rear cassette was on the 11T cog. One great thing about the 150gm is it wasn’t affected by dry lube like some other brands.

For the entire duration that I had the tensioner installed on my Banshee Legend, it had no dropped chains or any other issues.

The cSixx retails for about $200. Contact cSixx for further details and to find distributors.

A quick thanks to the folks at cSixx for sending down the 150gm for review.

This could be your dream bike.

Hans Rey’s charity, Wheels4Life has teamed up with Crankbrothers to auction some amazing mountain bikes with all the proceeds going to the charity. The goal: to raise $50,000 which is enough money to buy 500 bikes for folks in developing countries who need basic bikes for transportation.

The first bike up for auction, an Ibis Tranny, is all tricked out with SRAM XX components and Crankbrothers Iodine 3 wheels, Cobalt seatpost and grips, and of course Eggbeater 11 titanium pedals. The Tranny frame itself is carbon, the rear triangle comes apart for easy packing, and this small frame weighs just 3 pounds. The estimated MSRP for a build like this: $6,500. And it’s a hardtail 26er. The bidding started at $2,500 but we don’t expect the price to stay that low for long.

Tomac Supermatic 120

You can check out the full list of Dream Bikes that are going up for sale including the maxed out Ibis Mojo SL-R, Scott Genius LT, and Tomac Supermatic 120. Also be sure to check out the Wheels4Life website to learn more about this worthy bike-related charity.

You have probably heard terms like 3×9, 2×10, or 1×9 thrown around in discussions about mountain bike gearing. In case you are not familiar with the jargon, here is a quick review.

When someone says 3×9 (pronounced “three by nine”) they are referring to the setup of the chain rings and cassette on their bike. The number 3 is how many chain rings they have on the front and 9 is the number of cogs on the cassette. Therefore a 1×9 would be 1 chain ring and a 9 speed cassette, etc. You get the idea.

A typical 3×9 crankset from RaceFace.

Additionally, chain rings and cassettes come in different sizes. Both are measured by the number of teeth they have, and if you’re mathematically inclined you can use this info, along with the wheel diameter and length of your crank arms, to calculate your total effective gear ratio. I am not mathematically inclined, so let’s just skip that part.

For years mountain bikes have employed a triple front chain ring and a 7, 8, or 9 speed cassette. This is a tried and true design and it gives you an extremely low granny gear for long, steep climbs, and a decent big ring for haulin’ the mail on flat or downhill sections.

However, there are some limitations to this setup.

Weight: Three chain rings weigh more than two … or one.

Clearance: When crossing logs, rocks, etc, the big ring can scrape, and bent or broken teeth are generally the result. (On the chain ring, not necessarily your teeth.)

Crossing Your Chain: This is discussed at length in this forum post but here are the cliff notes. Every rear derailleur has a range of gears that it can handle. It is usually expressed as a number of teeth, and on a typical 3×9 system it will be somewhat less than the difference between your largest chainring and smallest cog, or vice versa. Shifting into one of these extremes will result in poor pedaling efficiency and will accelerate wear on your chain and gears.

Derailleur Cage Length: The greater the difference between your large and small gears, the longer your derailleur cage needs to be to take up the chain slack. The longer the derailleur cage is, the more likely it is to get whacked on stuff.

One obvious solution is to just get rid of the big ring and maybe replace it with a bashguard. Many riders, especially here in Colorado, have done just that, leaving the small and middle rings. This is a workable solution, however without that big ring, long stints on the flats can be really tedious.

A ‘ghetto’ 2×9 setup with a bashguard installed.

So what is a modern mountain biker to do?

Enter the 2×10 setup!

But wait, isn’t that essentially what the bashguard setup is? 

Not exactly…

A typical 3×9 setup will have something like a 44t-32t-24t chain ring setup, (t = number of teeth) and an 11-34t cassette. There are some variations such as older 8 speed cassettes with 11-30t or 32t, and newer 10 speed cassettes with 11-36t. The latter is the norm on most 29ers.

So what those clever bike engineers have done is take the traditional triple chain ring and “split the difference” with a two ring setup. The current offerings from SRAM employ a 26t-39t setup, whereas Shimano has a 26t-38t or a 28t-40t.

Okay, I get the concept, but why do I care?

Admittedly, a 2×10 setup is the very definition of compromise, as there isn’t as big of a big ring and the granny gear is a little less granny and a little more gear, but there are some advantages.

Weight: Comparing otherwise identical Race Face Turbine crank sets, the double shaves 55 grams off the weight of the triple.

Clearance: While not as radical as the old school two ring setup, the new style 2 speed cranks are still smaller than the traditional big ring so it will scrape less (and yes, there are bashguards for a 39t big ring).

Crossing Your Chain: This is my favorite feature. On a 2×10 setup you can use all 10 gears with either chain ring; there is no chain crossing. On the trail this simplicity is awesome.

Derailleur Cage Length: Depending on your exact setup, you can most likely get away with a shorter, mid cage rear derailleur.

I recently made the switch from 3×9 to 2×10 and I am completely sold on the concept, however, it may not be for everyone. The slightly smaller big ring isn’t much of an issue, but out here in the mountains the lack of a true granny gear is very noticeable. I found myself needing to keep up a slightly higher cadence in order to avoid stalling out when climbing. It was brutal at first, but once I got used to it, I really liked it. And after a month or so, I found myself significantly faster on climbs.

There is nothing wrong with a traditional 3 chain ring approach or a homebrew 2x with a bashguard, but if you’re bored with your current setup and want to shave a little weight while losing some complexity, then you should definitely give 2×10 a try.

A few weeks back I reviewed the 2012 Fox TALAS RLC FIT. While I was reviewing that fork I also had the new RP23 installed to control the rear of the bike. Add those two together and you have a lot of butter. It’s a silky-smooth ride for sure, even on the roughest of terrain.

Specs

Fox’s 2012 RP23 with Adaptive logic boost valve is a significant upgrade over the previous model. The most obvious change is the color; well, it’s not so much a color change as a coating change. Not only did Fox coat the air piston in Kashima, but they coated the air sleeve with it as well. This year’s RP23 is all Kashima – a nice upgrade for sure. Another significant change lies in the way you set the dampening, with revamped compression/rebound and platform settings, making it much more user-friendly.

Now before you get all excited and rev up your car, ready to race out and get one, there are a few things to consider. First up: tuning the shock for your ride. Before I received my shock I had to let Fox know the bike model, as Fox tunes the dampening shim stack to the leverage ratio of your bike. Grouping builds in a few tune levels, this ensures the shock has the best control over your rear wheel. As a result, a product such as this is best purchased new, or at least from a someone who used it on a bike with the same leverage ratio as yours.

The Adaptive logic boost valve is pretty easy to use and gives you the freedom of absolute control. The design of the valve allows you to choose one of two platform options. The climb/sprint mode has the full level of compression for those uphill rides or sprints.  Then, with a flick of the switch, the shock opens up to one of three levels: full open, medium, or light. The full open works great for faster descents and rougher terrain on a slope. The other two settings, the light and medium, are great to fine tune to the terrain that you’re riding when not climbing.

At this point you’re probably wondering how much of a weight penalty you’re looking at to use the RP23. The good news is that they are pretty light, but they aren’t the lightest out there as this shock is still all aluminum. A 6.5 x 1.5 comes in at just over 200 grams. My 7.5 x 2″ unit comes in at 213 grams (without spacers), making it one of the lighter units I have tested in that length. I am still amazed at how light people can make these things.

Installation

Installing the RP23 is pretty easy. On most frame sets you only need to remove the two bolts holding the shock in place. I always recommend replacing the hardware that attaches them with new stuff (sold separately), simply because the old hardware has already been worn in and, in most cases, worn out. After all, wearing out the new bushings that come with the shock is no fun.

To set up the rear shock, you will need a high pressure shock pump and a friend. In order to get things set the right way you need to prep yourself. Get your gear on so you are at your riding weight. For example, I weigh in at 205lbs with hydration pack (filled with water) and all of the munchies that I would take on a normal ride.

So hop on the bike and pedal around, bouncing a bit to get things all settled, then stop by your friend without dismounting and have him/her set the o-ring back against the air sleeve while remaining in your riding position. Then carefully dismount and measure the distance from the o-ring to the air sleeve. In my case I wanted to see 1/2″ of sag (25% sag). It took a few tries to get the air pressure right at about 165psi, but it’s necessary to take the time.

Once that was set I concentrated on my rebound setting. I went out and hit a familiar section of trail with a good mix of features. I was trying to identify a packing-down feeling (too much rebound) or a bucking feeling (too little). Either of those feelings needed to be tuned out. In the end I played around between 3-5 clicks clockwise.

The next setting was the adaptive logic part. That was pretty easy to set (three choices), and was accomplished on the same trail section. You’re looking for good control over the wheel with little or no wallowing feeling out back. On the jumps, look for too much travel. If that is the case, bump it up a level. I ended on the highest setting of 2 on that dial, and after that I used the ProPedal lever often on the climbs.

The Test

So how did the new Rp23 feel on the trails? Keeping up with the rest of the Fox line up, the RP23 performed superbly, as I mentioned in my opening statement. The Rp23 is very smooth, with no stiction that I could detect.

My usual riding spots are Kelso and the Don. Both spots offer up a wide range of terrain, with Kelso having more aggressive slopes and rocky patches that make a great test track for shocks, really showing how they interact with the terrain. The Don has a mix of technical terrain with webs of roots all over that also challenge the shock in the rutted stuff.

The RP23, in my opinion, feels a bit softer than many other similar shocks, and I found that I spent a lot of time with the ProPedal on. I did play with the air pressure by adding a bit more, but I found that it just made it harsh–not exactly what I was looking for. The shock is a bit more active compared to other units which tend to ramp up quicker.

After my test I decided I need to rethink how suspension should work. The plusher feel did offer up more traction and having a more active wheel helped the bike follow the terrain a bit better, providing more contact over the surface. I guess that is what they mean by a “bottomless feel.” Overall I have to say that the RP23 is at home on any bike up to 5.5″ of travel. After that you may want to consider something a bit more aggressive.

All in all it’s a great shock and a nice upgrade for when you want more control over your ride. Fox has the Rp23 pegged at $420 MSRP which is a premium price for a rear shock, but still not too far from the cost of the other brands at this level.

I would like to thank the folks at Fox for sending down the RP23 for a review.

Can you think of anything more exotic than Carbon? Neither can I. Introducing the gorgeous 2012 Santa Cruz V-10 Carbon!

I seem to recall that Gordon Murry, a well-known engineer in motorsports, once said, “If it looks fast, it probably is.” Well, it turns out he’s right.

It all started back at Interbike while chatting a bit with the boys from the Syndicate and asking their feelings about the bike. Seeing that they were all smiles, I had to put one together. Besides, at the show this bike just looked so hot! After talking with a few other manufacturers I put together my own wish list of parts that I, and I am sure others, would like to see tested on the slopes. The actual build that comes with the V-10 Carbon is already a great build… I just wanted to see how far I could go. A few emails to Easton, Fulcrum, SRAM, Schwable, and Spank, and I was on my way.

But I still had a few hours of sweat equity to put in. Unfortunately, when it comes to custom bikes, you have to do one of two things: either build it yourself or pay someone else to do it. Of course I chose to do the former and over the next couple weeks I’ll be sharing some how-to articles about my build.

First Impressions of the Santa Cruz V-10 Carbon

So far I’ve already managed to get in a few rides aboard the V-10. The first thing I noticed was how incredibly light the bike felt. Every pedal stroke going into the trailhead at the slopes was pure acceleration! I managed to get the last DH bike I built down to 36.4lbs; the V-10 Carbon first came in at 32.42lbs. That’s a massive difference in weight! I also found that even after I removed half a degree of head angle to slacken up the steering (more on that in a later article), the bike was still very nimble at speed. And speed is the big key here.

The V-10 feels like it was meant to be in the air. When the bike leaves the ground, the light weight makes for a very flickable ride. On the ground the bike is lightning fast and can change direction with minimal steering input. You would think that the light weight would mean that the bike is fragile. So far, I have had no issues: tossing the bike into rock gardens was not an issue. The 14.5″ high bottom bracket helped at keeping the cranks and pedals away from stray rocks and boulders. I kept the bike in 10.5″ mode seeing that I preferred the slightly plusher ride, and the added travel didn’t hurt anything either.

I didn’t have a chance to tune the bike much after going a bit too fast over a road gap early in my test, which cut the day short. But up until then the bike was getting more and more comfortable with every tweak of the compression and rebound settings. I will not divulge the settings a this time, but will wait until I give a full review of the bike itself.

In short, if you have a chance to give this beast a ride: do it! This is an amazing bit of technology from the folks at Santa Cruz.

Price

So what kind of price are you looking at when assembling a dream bike like this one?

Here’s a quick cost break-down:

I would like to thank the folks at SRAM, Santa Cruz, Fulcrum, Schwalbe, Spank, WTB, and Easton for sending down the gear for this build.