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.

We’ve all dreamed about riding our mountain bikes in places that we know would get us thrown in jail… through the middle of a crowded mall being one of those places.

At this annual race in Prague, though, a lucky group of riders get to legally do just that in front of hoards of screaming fans:

Your Turn: What other urban settings do you think would be great for mountain biking?

If you’ve watched this video once, you’ve probably seen it a half-dozen times, and know how insane Danny Hart’s mud-riding skills are and how hilarious the announcers are. If you haven’t already seen this video, then you are in for a real treat:

One question in closing: “How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?”

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.

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!

Dakine is one of the big mountain bike apparel companies that really keeps an eye on performance as well as style. Add in durability and a good fit and you have the recipe for the perfect mountain bike gear! I rocked Dakine for more than half the summer and now I’m ready to share my review of the Descent long sleeve jersey and shorts.

Descent LS Jersey

The Descent LS Jersey has a familiar DH cut with a high v-neck collar and a rather roomy fit. The Raglan-cut jersey naturally has a nice-fitting arm in the long sleeve version thanks to the tubular cut. If you’re planning on wearing full armor you need to buy one size larger than normal for a proper fit.

Made from a durable 220 gm/yd polyester, the Descent jersey takes abrasion fairly well. I have had a few close calls with trees and even a crash or two on the rocks, and with the exception of a small tear (I was using elbow guards at the time), everything has held up great. Sewn into the jersey’s left side seam is a protected chamois to clean up your lens when things get really down and dirty. And to prevent stinking like a trash can, the fabric has an anti-microbial treatment which manages the deluge of bacteria that can cultivate while riding (or leaving you jersey in the trunk of your car for a week after a big ride).

As far as style goes, the asymmetrical  graphics are a bit different but I think they’re pretty cool. What looks like simple stripes from afar is actually an intricately printed maze – the graphics are definitely eye-catching.

Descent Short

The Descent shorts are purpose-built: constructed from 400D plain-weave nylon, they feature a mesh-polyester liner. That makes for a durable and comfortable short.

As far as fit, Dakine has you covered with perforated panels for better air flow, a ribbed crotch gusset for comfort, and a bit of extra stretch to provide maximum range of motion. What makes this a truly downhill-specific short is the 16″ inseam legs: perfect for just covering the knees, even with armor. The ratchet-type waist adjustment and back lumbar pad add to the durability, fit, and comfort.

If you didn’t already pick up on this from the pics, the Descent shorts and jersey are designed to match. Running both together makes you almost feel like a sponsored rider! But critically speaking,  the jersey and shorts do fit together perfectly with approximately the same fit and a similar feel to the materials.

The Test

The Descent shorts and jersey found themselves used and abused on the slopes of Blue Mountain and Horseshoe Valley resorts. Coincidentally, the instructors at Blue also use the same gear. You can imagine the confusion that arose from time to time. I was informed that the guys at Whistler also use the Descent jersey and shorts. With that kind of street cred, I feel like I’m in good company!

During the late summer months and into the fall, the Descent gear held up superbly! Despite taking various spills on rock gardens and hard-packed berms, the jersey and shorts endured, with very little sign of wear. I personally loved the feel of the material and the roomy fit that the Dakine gear provides. In case you haven’t been on a downhill or freeride bike before, there is a lot of body movement going on, with the legs and arms really working it. The combination of roominess and cut keeps the clothing from snagging up. Nothing bugs me more than having my clothing snag and pinch while I’m trying to get my groove on.

Not only do the Descent jersey ($60 MSRP) and short ($100 MSRP) look good, but they measure up in the performance and comfort arena as well.

Thanks to Dakine for sending out the Descent short and long sleeve jersey for review.

Sentry Jersey

The Sentry Jersey from Dakine is a baggy t-shirt-style jersey designed for downhill mountain bikers. It features a very roomy design to accommodate bulky pads and body armor underneath. Special features include mesh panels that run down the side for excellent ventilation, an anti-bacterial fabric treatment, an eyewear chamois located on the left interior sideseam, and eye-catching sleeve graphics.

Wearing the Dakine Sentry jersey, Sentinel gloves, and Syncline shorts.

Based on my personal experience with the Sentry, this jersey breathes very well even with serious body armor on thanks to the mesh side panels and lightweight fabric. I was actually surprised at how light this jersey is, and yet somehow it still feels durable enough for shredding. It’s lightweight which makes it comfortable on a cross-country or all-mountain ride, but it does feel pretty baggy without body armor. No worries – this jersey is meant for the chairlift!

Downhilling at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in the Dakine Sentry, Sentinel, and Syncline.

I really like the subdued graphics on the Sentry – to me they’re understated but stylish, not bright and obnoxious like many DH jerseys I’ve seen. The Sentry is available in black, burgundy, and concrete (tested).

The Sentry offers an excellent blend of comfort, style, and performance. And for only $50, it’s hard to go wrong!

Sentinel Glove

Dakine’s Sentinel full-finger glove features padding on the knuckles for plenty of protection, an adjustable velcro closure, and a D30 flexible palm that features synthetic suede and a one-piece seamless construction. The two brake fingers on each hand feature silicon grip for maximum control.

The seamless palm construction completely eliminates any possible pressure points. However, the stiff d3o padding can definitely take its toll if your hands aren’t up to the challenge. The first several days I used these gloves I developed some serious blisters, but after a couple of months of use those blisters have transformed into durable callouses, and I can ride for hours without a problem. I have noticed that the uniform padding gives me more control on the trail – there’s nothing to dull the feedback from the front end, providing a very snappy, precise feel.

Despite being full-finger gloves, the Sentinels feature excellent venting and are comfortable even on cross-country rides in 80 degree heat. If the temps get much warmer than 80, though, I’ll probably be reaching for a fingerless glove.

The knuckle armor is respectably burly and has saved my knuckles from several trees that were way too close for comfort!

The only possible negative that I have to mention from my test is that the silicon grip at the ends of the index and middle fingers has started to peel away. At present, there is only about 50% of the original grip left.

The Sentinel is available in black (tested) and white.

MSRP: $40.

Many thanks to Dakine for sending out the Sentry and Sentinel for review!

Who is Twenty6? I met with owner Tyler Jarosz at Interbike and, judging by our conversation, he is highly passionate about riding and his products definitely reflect that. The company is based in Bozeman, Montana, surrounded by some of the best biking in the country which clearly influences Twenty6 designs.

From pedals to brake levers, everything from Twenty6 has design appeal as well as function. After picking up my pimped-out package of the new Predator pedals, F1 stem, and Dualie levers, I was stoked to get back home and install these parts. Looking at the gear from Tyler, you can truly see the level of his CNC skills.

Predator Pedals

The Predator pedals have seen significant changes over the previous model (the Prerunner). For one thing, the body has been increased in size, with a bit more meat towards the outboard of the pedal. Not only did the body size get larger, but the pedal’s profile has actually changed with a more pronounced concave shape that provides better pin placement and traction. Speaking of the pins, Tyler explained to me the importance of his pins: these are not run-of-the-mill hex pins… they are engineered to have a break-away point to prevent damage or pull through.

The axle features an Enduro bearing near the axle root and a turcite bushing at the other end. Making sure everything stays mostly clean and running smooth, a Quad O-ring is designed to keep the crap out and provides a measure of pedal resistance (i.e. you can control the spin of the pedal). To keep the weight down, you have the option of either a titanium axle or a chromoly one. At a weight of 320 grams (ti axle) or 390 grams (chromoly), both options are very light for their size.

F1 Stem

The F1 Stem has been revised for this year with a one-piece mount to the upper crown while still keeping the same front cap. The added support stiffens the stem, preventing possible bending when you do case it, and it gives the rider more feedback. The stem is offered in two lengths with a choice of 40/45mm or 50/55mm and weighs ±150 grams, slightly heavier than the previous model as a result of the stiffer design. The F1 has a clamp diameter of 31.8 only, so installing your older 25.4 bar won’t work here. It mounts easily to any 4 bolt direct mount fork.

Dualie Levers

Small parts like a brake lever can easily be missed and taken for granted, but Tyler went to the trouble of coming up with some great levers for many a brake, including the Avid Codes that I reviewed earlier this year. The Dualie levers are machined from billet 6061 T6 aluminum and weigh about 50 grams (depending on the model). The attention to detail that went into the two finger design is impressive, with the machining both reducing weight and enhancing grip.

Installation

I had an easy time installing the new gear on my bike. The most work went into installing the levers on the Codes because you have to make sure that you engage the spring and carefully swap out the reach adjuster. A tip here would be to apply a bit of grease to the small hole where the spring and detent ball is installed then carefully slide the adjuster nut sideways, ensuring the detent ball stays put (use a toothpick or a slender tool to hold in the ball). The pedals and stem installations were no-brainers. The stem is a plug and play affair with a very straightforward install – just remember to torque everything down evenly (6Nm).

Predator Test

I used both the Predators and F1 stem on my Opus Nelson and the Dualie levers on my Banshee Legend, and they work great! The pedals had excellent grip, with no issues. My foot felt firm and balanced on the pedal and the large platform worked well even when it got really messy. The pin pattern on the Predator worked great at holding the shoe yet allowing me to rotate my foot without too much resistance when I needed to use some body English. You would think that the large pedal would strike every rock in sight (and I thought that too), but that was not the case. I make it a point to keep my feet at the 3 and 9 o’clock position when traveling through rock gardens and rock drops (places that will destroy most pedals if you’re not paying attention). Even so, I still thought that these would strike. They didn’t though… as long as I was upright. Even in the berms I was paying attention to see if I was close to striking, but I had no issues. The very thin profile of the pedal keeps it away from most everything, though I did strike a few times on an exceptionally large boulder section aptly named “The Coffin” at Blue Mountain.

To keep the pedals fresh, Tyler has an extensive choice of replacement pins, and he even has a repair kit available.

F1 Stem Test

The F1 stem worked well, holding the bar firmly in place without even a hint of creaking. Even after going down hard on a few occasions, I was impressed to see that the bar and stem remained perfectly aligned without a hint of movement or bending.

Dualie Test

I instantly loved how the Dualie levers felt over the stock Code levers. They provide a definite improvement in feel without any hint of slipping: I never had to use a second finger to stop the bike. Speaking of feel, the machining on the levers grab the finger nicely, even with wet gloves on. All this equates to a better, more confident braking experience with the Dualie levers. If you are looking for a major upgrade on your levers, look no further.

Bottom Line

All in all, Tyler’s Twenty6 products are definitely worth checking out. They easily offer the most color choices around! So what will all these cost? For the Predator Ti pedal you’re looking at $269 – $289 (white). The F1 stem comes in at $129 – $139 (white) and the levers are priced at $74 – $79 (white). Some of these parts may be a bit on the pricy side of things, but these are not your run-of-the-mill components!

I would like to thank Twenty6 for sending the gear down for review.

I did a bit of an introduction to Spank’s Spike pedal a while back and since then I’ve been rocking the Spike pedal on my Banshee DH bike. Today I’m finally ready to share my analysis of these pedals.

Technical Specs

The Spike pedal, unlike many other pedals on the market, is made of cold-forged aluminum, which offers increased strength and durability. This special construction also allows these pedals to be über-thin at just 12 mm (not including the pins). Within this thin profile you get an IGUS outboard bushing and an over-sized full-complement inboard bearing. The IGUS bushing is made from reinforced fibers and solid lubricants. This technique makes for a bushing with predictable characteristics such as high compressive strength and good corrosion resistance and can be run lubrication-free. The steel axle is hollowed out and is alloyed with scandium for increased strength.

The elongated hexagon-shaped pedal is made with chamfered edges (a wedge design, as compared to square edges) to increase pedal clearances. This is important for cornering – the pedal can glance off things if there is a pedal strike, thus reducing the impact force on the bike. The elongated design is also meant to prevent pedal flip. The 90+ cm² area and 20-pin design makes for a very sure-footed feel.  Pins are inserted from the opposite side of the pedal with a hex key and locked in place as if they were cap screws, unlike hex pins that rely on the use of thread lock to stop them from spinning. Finally, the seals serve dual duty, providing both protection from the elements while also acting as an anti-spin control.

Installation

Installation of the pedals requires a 10mm hex key – there are no pedal wrench options here due to the proximity of the inboard bearing. The use of thread lube is important to prevent seizure of the axle to the crank arm. If you have a crank that requires washers, don’t forget to install them. With this pedal design, the inboard pedal body runs very close to the crank arm (± 1mm) so the lack of a washer could cause it to rub.

Real-World Testing

I took my trusty DH rig to the slopes to see if these pedals really worked as advertised. Bottom line: they definitely do!

Surprisingly enough, the Spike pedals offered excellent traction. It took a while to get used to the tight proximity of the platform to the crank arms, but after a bit of fumbling around, things were good. I had no real need to play with the pins–the 10 pins per side were adequate and well-placed, giving my feet great traction while still allowing them to roll when necessary. The pins are not the most aggressive on the market, but they can still take a chunk out of your legs if you’re not careful. Wearing shin protection would be a good idea, just in case you lose a foot while getting bucked off your bike.

What I loved most about the Spike pedal was the very solid feel underfoot. The large platform allowed me to move my feet fore and aft just a touch when desired.  I really found these pedals advantageous in the corners and tight spots too. We have a run called the Coffin Drop at Blue Mountain which is pretty tricky. If you hit it wrong, it will smash up your pedals and possibly toss you off the trail into the rhubarb. The low profile and chamfered edges shine here, keeping both feet and the pedals away from the rocks.

After two weeks of riding, I did have to adjust the pedal a bit, adding a bit more anti-spin, but that was the only thing that needed adjustment. Running my DH bike through Ontario’s bad weather at Blue (cold, rainy, muddy), the pedals didn’t clog up or exhibit degraded performance in any way. They still feel as smooth as the day they were installed.

A bit of a side note: the funny thing about the Spike pedals is how very quickly you will learn how many people are checking out the gear on your bike. While waiting in line for the lift, I had many people comment on the Spikes.

The Spank Spike pedals come in five colors: orange, blue, black, ti-grey, and red (tested), which will compliment a wide range of colors on your bike. At $125 MSRP, these are available at a good price point. They aren’t crazy expensive, and they offer decent value for the money. These rank in the top three in my favorite pedals book, primarily for their excellent performance-oriented design!

Many thanks to Spank for sending the Spike pedals over for review.

My college gives us one day off for “Fall Break.” I’m not sure how a 3-day weekend qualifies for a vacation, but apparently it does! I decided to make the most of this precious time, so I hit the road and drove over to Ellijay, Georgia to investigate a couple of trails I’d never ridden before.

Ridgeway

First on my list was the Ridgeway Loop. I had heard that the hills were short, very steep and anaerobic, and that the trail didn’t receive much traffic… these reviews were dead on.

This photo is very characteristic of the entire trail.

This is definitely an old-school trail design that sends the singletrack straight up and straight down all the hills. Still, in spite of the design flaws, most of the climbs are manageable due to their short overall length; going anaerobic can be tough, but it can be done for a short time.

As for the condition of the singletrack itself, the trail doesn’t seem to receive much traffic at all. There were sticks, branches, and leaf litter on the main tread for miles. It was hard to tell, but it looked like the brush on the sides of the trail had recently been mowed down by a brush hog, and some of that debris fell on the singletrack as well. As a result, it might possibly receive more traffic than it appears to, but from one ride it was very difficult to tell.

Of course, the entire trail wasn’t actual singletrack… some rather lengthy sections were old doubletrack forest roads, and one section ran through what looked and felt like a tilled-up field, but there were a couple of singletrack jewels thrown in, too.

Hands down, the best section of trail was the last mile that drops down from the paved road junction before the turn off to the mountain bike parking and runs directly to the parking lot. This mile featured a modern trail design, and it looked like it had been cut more recently than the rest of the trail. However, it didn’t ride with the feel of a brand-new trail, so it’s difficult to say when they put this section in. Hopefully there is more of this in store for the rest of the trail!

When I dropped out into the parking lot after finishing with this swoopy delight, I had to ride back up the pavement and drop in again!

Taken on the best section of singletrack.

Downhill Trail

I had heard rumors of a downhill trail here at Ridgeway, so I packed my downhill rig, just in case. As my downhill bike isn’t in the best condition at the moment, I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to find the downhill course. I figured that if I saw the trail on my cross-country ride, then I’d go and check it out. Well, I didn’t see it, but when I got home and looked at the reviews, I realized that I should have read GoldenGoose’s review before I left, as the downhill trail apparently doesn’t actually touch any of the cross-country trails, but is very close to the parking lot.

Perhaps that’s another reason to go back and visit, but I do need to do some maintenance on my DH sled before I return!

Woodring Branch: Amadahy Trail

After spending too much time riding and hiking around in circles at Ridgeway, I finally made it to Woodring Branch to check out the Amadahy Trail.

Both of these trails are on the shores of Carter’s Lake, but they couldn’t be more different! While Ridgeway was steep, old-school, and anaerobic, Amadahy was very flat, easy, and flowed like a water slide!

The singletrack featured a beautiful bench-cut design that circles a large knob right on the shore of Carter’s Lake. The tread was mostly smooth with a light gravelly feel and is very fast, but there were a couple of entertaining sections of rocks and roots to break up the action.

While Ridgeway only provided views of Carter’s Lake, if you took a detour off the main trail, Amadahy follows the shore of the lake for about two thirds of its length. There are stunning views of the blue waters around every turn, with many opportunities for gorgeous photos.

At only 3.5 miles long, I just had to do two laps on this trail. Even then, 7 miles didn’t feel like enough. This is a wonderful little gold nugget of a trail, but it certainly isn’t a gold mine. If you live relatively close and want to check this place out, I highly recommend it, but there’s just not enough trail to make me drive an hour each way to get here again.

Your Turn: Have you ridden a new trail recently? Which one was it?

The Dakine Syncline features an “all-mountain fit” with a 14.5″ inseam. It has a conveniently removable Italian-made Comp chamois, ventilated mesh lining, zippered hand pockets and leg vents, a heavyweight rib knit back stretch panel, side waist tab adjustments, polyester birdseye waistband, and a crotch gusset for an increased range of motion.

But what does all of that even mean? Nothing if it doesn’t translate into a comfortable ride out on the trail.

Out on the Trail in the Syncline

I first tested the Syncline shorts during a long day of shredding the Evolution Bike Park at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The baggy fit easily accommodated some beefy knee pads without any catching or binding. Thanks to the removable chamois, I think you could easily wear a hip and tail bone protector under these shorts and still feel very comfortable (although I haven’t tried them with one yet). The exterior of the Syncline short is much heavier and tougher than a cross-country short (as you’d expect) since it’s built to survive a few tumbles off the bike now and again without getting shredded to pieces. I’ll admit I took a couple of spills, and the Syncline shorts thought nothing of them.

When is a pair of downhill shorts just another pair of shorts… and when is it something more?

Obviously, the Syncline is designed for the downhill aficionado, and with all of these DH-specific features and its durable build, it excels in this category.

I was surprised to discover that the Syncline performs well in a number of other applications, too.

Cross-country

Despite the fact that these shorts hit below the knee, they ride very well even on cross country rides. I guess the “all-mountain fit” lives up to its name, by keeping them from catching on the knee or saddle. There were several chilly, early-morning rides in Crested Butte when I threw the Syncline on for a little extra warmth, and they were both comfortable and toasty! Obviously, because of the heavy, durable exterior they wouldn’t be ideal for hot summertime rides, but as the temps continue to cool here in North Georgia I am looking forward to many fall rides in the Synclines,

Commuting

The cooler fall temperatures have also convinced me to start commuting to school again. As a result, my Syncline shorts have been seeing significant use as a pair of commuter shorts. They’re the perfect mix between bicycle comfort and classroom style. I don’t have to  destroy my taint on the uphill slog to campus, and I don’t have to pack an extra pair of shorts to change into before class. Dakine’s Phantom pattern (tested) is low-key enough to not draw any weird stares from my fellow English students. Want to sport a different style? The Synclines are available in 5 different colors.

Bottom Line

From the big hit bike to the carbon hardtail to the commuter, the Syncline shorts provide stellar performance and classy style!

MSRP: $135.

Many thanks to Dakine for providing the Syncline shorts for review.

Québec is famous in the mountain bike world for hosting the challenging UCI World Cup Downhill race at Mont Sainte Anne, a ski resort just 40km – about a 30 minute drive – from Québec City. I had just one afternoon to spend at Mont Sainte Anne, so when I arrived my guide, Christian, had a Scott Spark 60 ready for me.

Riding the gondola to the top of the mountain seemed to take forever. On the way up I saw many rocky downhill runs I was relieved we wouldn’t be riding down. The pitch got steeper with about 1/3 of the way to go to the summit at 800m (2625 ft) where there’s a nice view of Québec City. We started our descent on one of the “easy” trails – it was a pretty rocky ride, with baby heads covering the wide singletrack. I was getting tossed around a bit since my bike was too big and the extra length seemed to be pulling me down the mountain and through rough lines.  The initial descent was a lot rockier and bumpier than most east coast trails I’ve ridden.  There’s an old saying about Mont Saint Anne – if you can ride at Mont Sainte Anne you can ride anywhere! I was determined to make it down this mountain, hopefully in one piece.

We headed southeast toward the base of the mountain to the cross country trails.  Twisting, swooping, and less rocky singletrack plus smooth doubletrack and service roads make up about 150km or just under 100 total miles of trails, including the trails on the back side of the mountain.  We even rode several newly constructed trails where it was tough navigating my long bike through the fresh dirt and tight switchbacks. A couple of falls off the bike were inevitable. When you finally pop out of the woods, there are some nice views to the south.

I got just a sample of what Mont Sainte Anne has to offer, and I have a new-found respect for Canadian mountain bikers! Your XC trails are tough, and your downhill trails are just plain sick.  By the time we got back, the gondola was on its last 4pm run and the downhill riders were cleaning off their bikes in the parking lot.  I was surprised that it wasn’t very crowded for a Friday afternoon.  The village and rental shop were shutting down too, so I headed back to Québec City.

The city was bustling with activity after a big bike race, the Grand Prix de Cliciste de Québec, which took place earlier that day. Québec City hosts many major cycling events and the excitement of this race and energy in the crowd was proof of the city’s fervent cycling culture.  This UCI World Tour competition consisted of 16 laps on a 12.6km course through Québec City’s historic district and along the St. Lawrence riverfront.

Québec City itself is bicycle-friendly and cycling is definitely part of many residents’ lifestyle.  It’s always refreshing to see bikes and cars harmoniously sharing the road. In fact, a bike tour is a great way to explore this city. Visitors won’t want to miss the downtown area of Old Québec and a bike is ideal since like most urban areas, parking is sparse and one way streets abound. From the famous Château Frontenac on the cliffs above the St. Lawrence River westward to the vast urban park the Plains of Abraham, there are dozens of historic buildings, monuments, and the like to peruse by bike.

I wish I could have stayed a few more days in Québec City to explore more surrounding mountain bike trails or the Route Verte, North America’s most extensive bike route covering over 4,000 km (over 2,440 miles) across Québec province.  If you’re a mountain biker or cyclist, consider a trip to Québec City. The city is like no other, its history and European charm combined with proximity to world-class bike trails and other outdoor adventures makes it a truly special place!