Fresh out of the oven, the latest hotness from Louis Garneau.

The latest T-Flex 300 mountain bike shoe from Louis Garneau is the shoe Xzibit would build if his TV show were called “Pimp My MTB Shoe.” It’s the shoe with features you never thought to ask for while delivering on the features you can’t live without. In short, it’s completely a macked-out MTB shoe.

If you’ve owned more than a few pairs of mountain bike shoes over the years, you know the most crucial part of the shoe is the ratchet strap. I won’t buy an XC-style shoe without one because without it, the shoe feels loose and disconnected on the bike. The ratcheting buckle on the T-Flex 300 is simple to operate in both directions: pull up on the black tab to tighten or the red tab to loosen. I was able to get a nice, tight fit out of the straps without any sign of the ratchets pulling out.

Most ratchets work fine out of the box but eventually the plastic teeth will get worn either through use or damage (like when a vine grabs your strap and yanks as you speed by).  Fortunately the T-Flex 300 has been updated with improved ratchet reinforcement and Louis Garneau even includes two extra ratchet straps in the box. Swapping the straps out is a cinch – just push.

Like most high end cycling shoes these days, the Louis Garneau T-Flex shoes are heat moldable, allowing you to get a custom fit now matter how weird your foot shape is. The included instructions walk you through the process, though they recommend setting your oven to 150-degrees and mine won’t go below 170. Not to worry – my shoes came out just fine with no incidental melting. Just remember to remove the ratchet straps first and you’ll be okay.

The forefoot tread on the T-Flex 300 is what I’d call semi-aggressive with nice deep tread and included (but optional) crampons. The rear tread doesn’t have a ton of surface area which kept me on my toes for the most part. Still, the rear tread spacing allows the shoe to really dig in deep for the most extreme hike-a-bike situations.

Ok, so replaceable ratchets, heat molding, and aggressive tread are all pretty standard features on most high-end MTB shoes. Now this is the part of the show where Xzibit takes over…

Louis Garneau added a removeable carbon plate they call the Air Power Blade to the T-Flex 300′s outsole that serves two purposes. Attached, it stiffens the sole and prevents air infiltration, keeping your feet warm on cold rides. Removed, the shoe is ventilated from underneath, keeping your feet cooler and drier in the summer. Inside the shoe you can see a mesh screen covering the vent holes on the bottom of the shoe and aside from keeping your feet well ventilated, this also serves to drain your shoe quickly after a deep stream crossing.

Of course that works both ways. In my tests I was shocked at how quickly my feet got wet on stream crossings even with the Air Power Blade in place. Other shoes I’ve tested do a better job at keeping feet dry in shallow waters. Once the T-Flex 300 soles get wet, your feet are sure to get wet too.

Louise Garneau includes two sets of Ergo Air insoles with the T-Flex 300s: Hot Stuff and Cool Stuff. I used the CoolMax-covered Cool Stuff inserts on my first ride before realizing I needed to switch to the Hot Stuff. What a difference! The Cool Stuff insert is light and breezy, even with the Air Power Blade attached. The hot stuff kept the bottoms of my feet much warmer and limited the airflow from the sole.

Speaking of air flow, the T-Flex 300s have great ventilation on top too. The mesh upper is lightweight and comfortable, reinforced by the varnished microfiber leather for added strength and protection. For cold weather riding I invested in a set of shoe covers to cut down on the topside draft but in the summer these shoes should be pure bliss.

One of my favorite T-Flex 300 features is actually the heel padding on the inside of the shoe. The padding is covered with a fine, silvery mesh-like material that’s both soft and grippy, almost like fine sandpaper. That extra bit of grip prevents heel slip while padding the heel from uncomfortable rubbing. And thanks to the heat-moldable material on the outside of the shoe, the heel conforms nicely to the shape of my foot. I also love the loops inside the shoe’s tongue, perfect for hanging the shoes to dry after a wet ride.

I’ve been wearing these shoes on the trail since the beginning of the year and I have to say they’re pretty awesome. I only have two complaints: One, while white highlights on MTB gear is trendy right now, I don’t think shoes are a good place for it. The white highlights even extend to the tread which turned brown on the first day out and has stayed brown ever since. If LG wanted me to wear black shoes with brown highlights they should’ve just made them brown to begin with.

Two sets of insoles, 2 replacement straps, crampons & tool, plus the bag – all included.

Second, while heat-moldable, the T-Flex 300s felt a bit narrow out of the box. Granted, I have EE-width feet but other heat-moldable shoes I’ve tested felt slightly roomier in the forefoot to start. The good news is the shoes seemed to stretch pretty quickly and I’ve found if I leave a little slack in the lower velcro strap they’re not uncomfortable.

The T-Flex 300 is a fully featured mountain bike shoe designed for year-round comfort and performance. With the included replacement straps and insoles, these shoes should last even the most aggressive XC rider season after season.

The Louis Garneau T-Flex 300 is priced at $199 MSRP. Thanks to Louis Garneau for providing these shoes for review.

I recently worked with my buddy Chris to pimp out his 2010 Fox 40 to 2012 specs and it was a big success. Well, Fox decided to send down a brand new 2012 Fox 40 FIT RC2 for us to compare and review as well.

I was pretty stoked to give the 2012 Fox 40 a thrashing after fixing up the 2010. The new 40 incorporates all of the prior knowledge that Fox has gleaned from their other forks into a beautiful 6.81 pound package.

Intended for serious downhill service, the 40 is not for the budget-minded rider. Rather, the 40 is intended for the person who puts a premium on performance. With riders like Aaron Gwin running the 40 and winning world championships on it, I am sure we can all agree that it is definitely race-proven.

Specs

The 2012 Fox 40 comes in either white or black diamond (a slightly metallic black), with a 1 1/8 steering tube and a full 8″ (203mm) of travel. The fork travel can be reduced by changing up the shim height on the coil side in 1/2 inch (12mm) increments, potentially dropping it all the way down to 6.5″ (165mm) of travel.

As I previously mentioned on the Pimp My 40 article, this 40 comes with all the goodies: Kashima coated stanchions and low friction SKF seals are standard. On the spring side of things, a standard titanium coil (blue for 150-180lb) comes installed, and two extra steel coils (purple and green) are provided if you’re on the lighter or heavier end of the scale.

Dampening is handled by the new inverted FIT damper, which I have already had experience with. The damper takes care of high and low speed compression (up top) and rebound (down at the axle), which makes it easier for a rider to tune the bike. The FIT damper has been in existence since 2005, but this time around Fox re-engineered it by inverting it and changing up the controls, which effectively kills two birds with one stone.

For starters, the inverted damper removes un-sprung mass from around the axle, so that it is now supported by the spring. The second advantage is the improved placement of the compression dials. Previous versions had the compression dials at the axle, which made changing settings on the fly impossible. One would have to stop completely, dismount, and remove the protective cover in order to access the controls.

With the new damper there is also a reduction in internal friction, which further improves damper sensitivity. This is accomplished by low friction seals and a new bladder design.

Installation

Installing the Fox 40 requires a few tools:

• Saw guide
• Hacksaw
• Measuring tape
• Headset press (if this is a new installation)
• Star nut tool
• 4, 5, and 6mm hex keys
• Torque wrench

Installation of a dual-crown fork requires good measuring skills, correct tools, and a strong mechanical background. If you do not have all of these skills then just leave this job to a bike shop… there’s no shame in that. If you do have all of the aforementioned skills and want to do it on your own, here’s how:

Start off by installing the bearing cups in the frame with the headset press.

Follow that by installing the lower race on the fork (be careful not to damage the steering tube in any way).

Once the race and cups are installed, remove the upper crown from the fork using the 5mm hex tool.

Measure the head tube, and add the stack height of the headset. On the Fox 40 you must have a minimum stack height of 105mm and no greater than 166.8mm. If you fall on the short side, you’re adding spacers between the upper crown and headset. If you’re on the tall side, you need a shorter headset.

Install the fork, complete with bearings and spacers. Some people who run a direct-mount stem have the steering tube cut flush, as is the case in my situation. If you’re of like mind, place a mark on the steering tube where the top of the crown meets the steering tube. Remove the fork and then cut the steering tube 3mm shorter. It is critical that you get this right: anything greater than that gap, and you’re replacing the steering tube (measure twice, cut once).

Use a saw guide to cut the steering tube, making sure that you remove all the burs on the inside and outside of the tube. Install the star nut using the correct tool at a depth of 4-10mm.

Install the fork with all the spacers as you had it when you set it up the first time. Adjust the star nut tension to about 1.6Nm.

Once the fork is attached to the bike, installation is pretty much the same as all other forks. Installation of the stem, bars, and brakes is covered in this article. For more information, check out the Fox owner’s manual.

Setting up the fork does take a bit of time, but it is well-worth the trouble. You can check out our previous Pimp My 40 article for more information, but the procedure is essentially the same.

Start by setting up the sag, dialing it a turn or two on the left hand dial until you have 25-30% sag. After that, set your high speed compression, low speed compression, and rebound. We used the settings from our previous tests as a starting point (11 HSC, 12LSC, 10R clicks) and found them to be bang-on. In my case, I added +4 HSC and +2 Rebound and it worked great.

Review

The performance of the Fox 40 is tough to beat: the small bump sensitivity is right on par with other excellent forks such as the Dorado Pro. Like the Dorado, I found that the new 40 tracks wonderfully, even if the ground is full of ruts and roots.

The overall reduction in stiction is noticeable when doing back-to-back runs, compared to 2011 or older models without the Kashima coating and SKF seals. I felt that the wheel spent more time tracking the terrain than clipping objects.

On the rougher end of things like the bigger hits and gnarly square-edged rocks, the 40 exceeded my expectations. The 40mm stanchions really made sure that everything stayed straight. There was no hint of flex in the system, even glancing off rocks and roots.

The mastery over the front wheel that the 40 provides will be very hard to beat. Once the fork was tuned correctly, I didn’t notice any negative effects from either the compression or rebound controls. I loved the control layout with the compression dial up top and the rebound below. I also like how the dials on the Fox 40 have a very positive “click” to them, which didn’t leave me wondering if I had actually made a change or not.

Throughout the entire testing period the 40 worked flawlessly without a single issue.

To make this the ultimate fork, I would like to see independent rebound controls for both high and low-speed rebound.  At this level, it would be nice to have the ability to further tune the fork rather than compromise. I felt that shredding stuff like rock gardens with intermittent roller sections taxed the single rebound setting.

Being a bit of a weight weenie, I would also love to see a bit of weight removed, bringing the fork closer to 6.0 lbs. I’m not sure if that would mean a compromise in stiffness (which I love), or the removal of a coil spring replaced with air (which might change the feel of the spring).

Bottom Line

This fork, complete with the new FIT RC2 damper, works flawlessly and will be hard to beat.

MSRP: $1,600.

I would like to thank the folks at Fox for sending down the 40 for a review.

There’s one piece of gear that every mountain biker has, but most of us rarely think about: a helmet. That is, we rarely think about it until we really need it.

The Giro Hex is a beefy lid intended for all-mountain, trail, and marathon applications. It features an in-mold EPS liner, polycarbonate shell, P.O.V.™ visor with 15 degrees of vertical adjustment, Roc Loc® 5 fit system, and 21 vents.

According to Giro, the in-mold EPS liner allows them to create a lighter helmet with better ventilation and more durability. The special moldability allows them to create their Wind Tunnel ventilation system, which scoops air in on top and around the front of the head and pushes it out the back of the helmet along with excess heat.

The Roc Loc® 5 fit system provides easy one-handed tension adjustment as well as vertical adjustment, allowing the rider to easily adjust the fit on the go.

The Hex is available in numerous color combinations and designs (click here to check them out).

Photo credit, upper right: Sydnah Swails.

The Test

The first thing that struck me about the Hex was how rugged and no-nonsense this helmet looks. It may have something to do with the “matte brown lines” design, but the Hex just looks like it is durable and ready to protect your head, and it’s not going to be too finicky as it does it. I threw it on, adjusted the chin strap, tightened down the Roc Loc system, and I instantly felt as if I had been wearing this helmet for months. It has a natural, intuitive feel to it that takes no adjustment time.

Photo Credit: Sydnah Swails.

The 21 massive vents and Wind Tunnel ventilation system function as advertised: they will cool you down in a heart beat. In fact, during the late fall and early winter months that I have been using this helmet, the vents functioned almost too well: I had little excess heat, and I didn’t want to give it away! However, once things start really heating up in the spring, the massive scoops on top of the helmet will provide welcome relief while bombing down the mountain after sizzling climbs on the way to the summit.

The Roc Loc system worked great and it is almost as completely intuitive as the rest of the helmet. I still haven’t quite figured out what my favorite setting is in regards to vertical adjustment–probably because I’m not used to having a helmet that allows you to adjust that setting on the fly. However, the ease of adjustment allows you to play around with it even while rolling down the trail, allowing you to fine-tune to your heart’s desire!

Photo Credit: Sydnah Swails.

If I had to have a quibble with this helmet, it would be that the design and position of the vents makes it difficult to mount a head lamp or a helmet camera in the sweet spot. It’s difficult, but not impossible: with a little practice I was able to find the best vents to thread the straps through, and while I had to route them far down the sides of helmet, I had just enough strap on my mounts to successfully latch on to the helmet.

Bottom Line: The Giro Hex is an attractive looking lid that offers excellent protection, cooling, and adjustment in a no-nonsense package. MSRP is $90.

Many thanks to Giro for sending the Hex down for review!

Over the Christmas break I had a chance to put together a new DJ bike after retiring my older Opus. This year I decided to go with the Banshee AMP after a great season of riding the Banshee Legend. Calling up Banshee and ordering an Amp frame in black was an easy decision.

I had to wait a while as the company was completely sold out at the time. Thankfully, the guys were cool enough to ship it out immediately after it arrived, since I was seriously stoked to build it up!

The AMP can be purchased as a frame-only or as a complete bike. I opted to go with the frame-only and build it the way I wanted with a mix of black, red, and white components. With gear from Answer, Manitou, SunRinglé, Twenty6, Loaded, Cane Creek, and Syncros, I was good to go.

Specs

The AMP frame is tight with some unique features. It’s been designed not only to be a good jumper, but a great park bike as well. With a relatively low bottom bracket (12.4″ with a 100mm travel fork), a 68.5° head angle, and a 69.5° seat angle, this is a tight turning, flickable bike.

As I looked over the frame I could see right away what Keith and Jay had in mind when designing this bike: simple, strong, and lightweight. Every effort went into making this ride as stiff as possible without compromising weight. The internal ribbed rear chain stays (same idea in the Legend) add strength without much weight, and are mated to tough vertical drop outs and a reinforced bottom bracket shell. With a 100mm fork installed you have a short 1024-1049mm wheel base (small size) and a stand-over height of only 24.5″ (625mm). This is achieved in part by using an integrated headset for the most compact stack height possible.

Pictured above is the packaging for the complete Cane Creek 40 Integrated headset. You can only imagine how small the actual headset is. I even ordered the tall carbon cover so I could get some height to my stem without a stack of spacers.

The Build

I decided that because of the riding I do (mostly the indoor bike park in the winter and dirt jumps in the summer), I was going to make sure I could stop, climb over obstacles, and get the bike up to speed quickly. To do all of that I needed to make it light. I also took into consideration some of the things that I will not be doing (20 ft. drops or 360-degree back flips) and opted out on some features.

Unpacking the bike took a bit of time. I first installed a seatpost (a simple 30.9mm post I use just for service is shown) and started cleaning the frame so I could install the decals.

I decided to run the Manitou Circus Expert this time around. I loved using the Circus Comp on my old bike, and after a service it is still running strong. But I wanted to build this DJ bike as light as I could, so the Expert was the way to go.

Installing the Cane Creek headset is pretty easy. Since all you have to do is install the lower crown race and the bearings (no need for cups), the only difficult thing is cutting the steering tube to the correct height.

Establishing the correct height is easy enough, especially when you follow Cane Creek’s video instructions.

The next thing I was looking for was a balance between weight and strength in the parts I chose. I looked at what I had on hand, and the Syncros Fric stem that I reviewed not too long ago was first on the list. The Fric is lightweight, and at 45mm it is the perfect length for this application.The unique design of the Fric makes this unit friendly to the *anatomy*: close-fitting, without any bulk or sharp edges.

The drivetrain on a DJ bike is pretty dead simple. I needed a crank and a single cog for the rear. Up front I had to consider both strength and cost, as cranks on DJ bikes tend to take a lot of abuse. I also wanted something to match the bike’s colors. Again, going over the parts that I had on hand, I chose the Respond cranks from RaceFace. With a 165mm crank arm length and single ring compatibility, this was it. I just had to install the bottom bracket and toss on a 32T e*thirteen chain ring and life was good.

In the photo above you can see that the AMP comes with ISCG 05 tabs, which is great, but I am opting not to add a chain guide. It’s an option for a future change if needed.

The AMP does come with two spare derailleur hangers, in case I choose to run the bike as a 1×10 or 1×9 (for 4X or as a speedy park bike).

Lastly, I wanted fairly strong wheels but not totally beastly ones that would hinder the light, flickable feeling. Running a set of Charger Pros from SunRinglé was just the ticket (in case you’re wondering, I used these all season last year on my FR bike). The myriad adapters available for these wheels and the addition of the SunRinglé 135×12 conversion axle make these a great set for this project. The addition of the axle allowed me to use bolts to tighten these down. (It is a much better option than a quick release when dealing with vertical drop outs.)

People usually install just a rear brake on dirt jump bikes. I’ll use this bike for a variety of riding conditions, so I decided to run both front and rear brakes. I had a set of Formula The ONE’s on hand, and while they’re totally overkill, these are just the ticket for stopping on a dime with minimal weight. The only concern here is that the wheel has to be set properly on the chain stay so that the rotor does not contact the caliper.

Speaking of rotors, Ashima was nice enough to send me a set of their new prototype lightweight rotors. At 67 grams apiece, these are stupidly light.

I finished off the bike with Twenty6 pedals, a Loaded seatpost and bars, and a Silverado Syndicate saddle from WTB.

I was ready to rip.

First Impressions

I took the newly-built AMP to my favorite place to ride this time of year: Joyride 150. It’s a great spot for testing out a DJ bike. I have written about Joyride before, and the fact that they continue to improve the place never fail to impress me. With a bunch of refinements to the intermediate skinnies and the jumps, Joyride always feels fresh. The XC track has been also been improved with some additional skinnies and more challenging features to really add to the excitement.

Right off the start I could tell that this ride was significantly lighter, faster, and more responsive than other DJ bikes I’ve owned. I found that the bike sailed over table-top jumps without a problem. I could literally do them all day long. The very low weight also made it easier to handle while in the air. Speaking of air I found a new love for the foam pits. Spending days at the foam pit with the AMP, I had a great time learning how to do 360′s and tail whips. Did I actually land them? Not yet but getting close. In the air I found the buttery smooth headset really allows me to spin the bike very fast while attempting to whip.

Not only was the bike a great jumper, it handled very well on skinnies. I found that even on the gas pipes in the advanced skinny section I had decent control.

The MSRP for the frame is $675, but I am sure you can grab one for a couple of dollars less than that. A complete bike build like mine may cost around $2,000 if you find deals here and there on components. The great thing about a frame build-up is that you can make it as nice or as economical as you like. Half the fun is putting the bike together and choosing the color palette.

The other half, of course, is the ride.

Bottom line: The AMP frame, in my opinion, is definitely on the top of the food chain as far as hardtail dirt jumpers are concerned. With its outstanding performance on skinnies and pump tracks and its amazing flickable feeling in the air, the AMP really makes me smile whenever I’m aboard it!

If you’re planning on hitting up the dirt jumps or buying a park bike, check out the Banshee AMP for yourself!

I would like to thank the folks at Banshee for setting me up as well as the folks at Manitou for the Circus DJ up front. A big thanks to the folks at Joyride for keeping up the great work and providing a fun, safe place to ride!

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.

On more than one occasion, I have heard people respond to product reviews with, “You got it for free, of course you like it.”

As a reviewer, I can say that it doesn’t really matter, good stuff is good and bad stuff is bad, regardless of the source. If anything, the fallacy of sunk costs might actually imply the opposite effect… but I digress.

At any rate, here is the first of several reviews of stuff I’ve bought with my own dough.

Crank Bros Multi-17

As the name implies, this is a portable multi-tool for trailside repairs and adjustments. Before buying this model, I had tried or borrowed a number of different tools, and I found them all to be either too bulky, lacking specific features, or just plain too expensive. For $20 and weighing in at 168 grams, the Multi-17 nails the first two categories. As for included features, have a look and judge for yourself:

• Torx bit: t-25 for brake rotor bolts
• Open wrenches: 8mm and 10mm
• Screwdrivers: Phillips and flat
• Hex wrenches: #2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
• Spoke Wrenches: #1, 2, 3, 4
• Chain tool!!

Over the past 5 years I have used every tool on this device, but by far the most crucial one is the chain tool. I have fixed numerous broken chains for other riders along the trail, preventing many a ride from ending on foot.

This tool is flat, but with a slight curve so it fits perfectly into a hydration pack or seat bag. The weight is reasonable, the price is spot on, and you will be amazed at how frequently you’ll dig it out on the trail, especially on group rides.

If you are shopping for a packable multi-tool for anything more than casual mountain biking, this is the one you want. To me the Crankbrothers Multi-10 is too sparse, whereas the Multi-19 only adds an additional size of each screwdriver. Either way, Crank Bros backs their tools with a lifetime warranty.

Get this tool, put it in your pack, and thank yourself later when you REALLY need it 20 miles into an epic ride.

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.

Judging by the number of new and improved helmet cameras that hit the market each year, manufacturers are still trying to find the sweet spot where quality, dependability, usability, and affordability intersect. Over the past three years helmet cameras have moved from disappointing to good-enough to… well, almost exciting. The Drift HD is part of a new crop of helmet cams that just might get you excited about shooting video on the trail again.

The Drift HD from Drift Innovation is the latest and greatest in the line-up which includes the HD170 Action Cam and the X170 Action Cam. Compared to the HD170, the Drift HD beefs up the still camera resolution to 9 megapixels while reducing the length of the camera by 25%. The HD also utilizes the 170-degree wide-angle lens in all shooting modes, unlike the HD170 which limited the lens angle in full HD mode (1080p).

Ok, so after that last paragraph I’ve nearly lost about 70% of you who are considering buying a helmet camera. There’s a lot to keep track of here and the camera companies aren’t doing us any favors by trying to pack in dozens of features many of us will never use. The whole spec-war reminds me of buying a digital camera back in the early 2000s when it was all about megapixels and memory size. What about the majority of us who just want to get out, ride, and make a few short videos on the trail? Read on.

Quality

You’re not going to get cinema-quality footage out of the Drift HD or any other helmet camera out there for that matter. The Drift HD does include features like auto white balance and exposure settings to help you improve video quality but it can be hit or miss. Using the camera in “night mode” my footage actually came out pretty true to life, better than I could have done with a digital still camera (see embedded video below). But on a bright, beautiful fall ride punctuated with blazing red, yellow, and orange canopy, the footage ended up looking washed out and bland.

Dependability

One of my biggest gripes about helmet cameras is how difficult it can be to get a steady shot out of a fast ride. No matter where you mount the camera it seems like the video almost always comes out shaky but the Drift HD makes it possible to lose the shakes.

First, the Drift HD mounting system is solid and locks into place using a wide, rectangular clip into the included helmet, bar, and sticky mounts. On a hardtail mountain bike, mounting a helmet camera to the bars (or any other part of the bike for that matter) is usually a waste of time but I actually got some good footage using this camera. Unlike other systems on the market, the Drift HD includes a vented helmet mount and bar mount right in the box so you can figure out what works best for you. Even better: you can use the quick-lock mounting system to swap between helmet, bars, and other mounting positions with ease.

Using the built-in LCD screen you can watch your recorded footage on the trail to help you quickly dial in the most stable mounting points and interesting camera angles. The best mountain bike videos are made by sessioning features until the rider nails it and the Drift HD allows you to keep rolling and adjusting until you get the right shot. It’s always disappointing to get home and realize your camera was pointed at the ground the whole time because you couldn’t preview the footage!

The rubberized camera body is water resistant and does a good job absorbing the occasional glancing tree branch. After one misty night ride I took my helmet off and realized the Drift HD was dripping wet, as if it had been dunked in a stream. Still, the video footage came out great and I didn’t have any problems with the camera afterward.

 Usability

Drift packed a ton of features into the HD – still camera mode, external mic input, half a dozen video shooting modes, and even a rotating camera lens (helpful depending on how the camera is mounted). Still, this is a very usable camera for those who just want to ride and film their adventures. Drift includes a wireless remote control but I found even mounted on my helmet I could start and stop the camera pretty reliably with gloves on.

Four mounts and a remote control are included with the Drift HD.

For those who like to geek out with settings, the on-screen menus are pretty easy to navigate using the four top side buttons. The battery is rechargeable and the camera includes a removable microSD card. There’s even an HDMI output in case you want to air your unedited footage on an HDTV.

Sample Footage

The video below is a short sample of night riding footage shot with the Drift HD (click here to watch on YouTube).

Also check out this video from the Baker’s Dozen race (bar, helmet mount) and this one from Bent Creek (helmet mount, downhill).

Overall I’m pretty impressed with the Drift HD and have enjoyed using it on the trail. This camera is as close to plug and play as I’ve seen in a helmet camera and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get decent footage. The Drift HD is available in stores now for $369 MSRP.

The Ibex Maroc 29er has multiple personality disorder – but it’s the most wonderful disorder a mountain bike can have!

The Test

Any bike that shows up on my doorstep is bound to get the snot kicked out of it. The only question is whether or not it’ll get up and beg for more.

I have put well over 400 miles on the Maroc over the last 3 months, and have ridden it on trails all across the nation. I thrashed epic alpine rides in Crested Butte, Colorado (check out one of those ride reports here), punished it on my local trails in the mountains of North Georgia, and raced it in an endurance race in Sumter National Forest, South Carolina.

Over the course of my testing I’ve destroyed 1 WTB Laserdisc 29er wheel, 2 SRAM X-9 derailleurs, 2 derailleur hangers, and 1 jockey wheel. Despite all of this abuse, the Ibex Maroc got up off the ground, dusted itself off, and asked for more!

Personality #1: Lightweight Race Whip

As I recently demonstrated, the Maroc 29er is light enough and fast enough right out of the box to be competitive on the race course! The carbon fiber frame, carbon bars, carbon seat post, WTB Wolverine and WTB Nano tires, and X-9 2×10 build all contribute to the low stock weight.

As I mentioned in my initial review, my 16.9″ Maroc weighs in at just 24.82 pounds with a cheap pair of Wellgo SPD pedals installed. A number of crucial upgrades could drop this number by 2-3 pounds quickly:

• Lightweight Eggbeater pedals
• Tubeless conversion
• Lighter wheelset

The first two upgrades are fairly inexpensive, and while the third may cost more money, it would really help shed weight where it counts. If you really want to make this bike go anorexic, there are any number of parts that you can continue to upgrade. With a frame that only weighs 1,050 grams (2.31 pounds), the sky really is the limit!

While there are components that could be upgraded, whenever I am out riding the Maroc, either in an endurance race or just in a fast-paced group ride, I never feel like there is one single component that I can point at and say that it is holding me back. This bike was well-planned and features an excellent build. I’ve even had several friends remark that I climb way faster on this bike than on any other rig in my shed. No, the only thing that ever holds me back when riding the Maroc is my personal fitness–the amount of time I do (or do not) spend out on the bike.

Personality #2: Aggressive Trail Bike

While I do go on a lot of fast-paced rides, the majority of my time on the bike isn’t competing in races… it’s just riding around on trails. To that end, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Maroc 29er is a very capable trail bike!

A number of factors contribute to the Maroc’s general trail-worthiness. As maddslacker astutely pointed out, the Maroc sports a 70 degree headtube angle, which is rather slack for a hardtail. Even so, the Maroc still climbs superbly, while the 70 degree headtube allows it to descend like a demon!

To guard against rocks and random trail debris, the bottom of the downtube and chainstays are Kevlar-reinforced. Any worry that you might have about destroying this carbon frame from a random rock hit should be easily assuaged!

Kevlar-reinforced downtube.

You can see the Kevlar weave (the tan color on the underside) through the outer clear coat.

Cockpit

A few critical components help the Maroc perform admirably as a trail-attack bike. First up, the carbon fiber Race Face Next handlebar measures a glorious 685 mm wide with a nice, low rise. This provides precision handling at high speeds and a comfortable posture when descending steep slopes. I have to be honest, I’m a big-bar-lover, and I think the wide Race Face Next is perfect for this trail application!

Fork

The Rock Shox Reba RLT tapered 100 mm fork handles suspension duties and performs perfectly in all sorts of chunky conditions. I’ve ridden a couple of 29ers with 80 mm forks, and 3 inches of travel never seems like enough squish to my trail sensibilities. Bump it up to a 4 inch fork like the Reba RLT, though, and in my book, that’s just about perfect for a hardtail 29er! It’s enough travel to absorb all sorts of chunder-inducing ‘nast without harshing the climbs. Also, the Reba RLT features a mechanical pop-lock on the handlebar for easy-access remote lock out.

Braking

Many hardtails just run 160 mm rotors front and back. The Maroc, however, features a nice big 185 mm rotor up front to provide maximum stopping power while bombing at speeds. Yes, it’s obviously a bit heavier than a 160, but I really appreciated the additional stopping power during epic descents in the mountains of Colorado and north Georgia.

I’ve ridden a number of 29er hardtails with rotors that felt severely undergunned… not so with the Maroc!

Tires

The Maroc 29er comes stock with a WTB Wolverine 2.2″ tire up front and a WTB Nano 2.1″ tire in the rear. As I mentioned in my initial review, the choice of the Nano 2.1 is due to the tight rear tire clearance between the rear chain stays. While the Nano doesn’t rub, it still runs very close to the stays.

Out on the trail, though, this tire combination is definitely aggressive enough to tackle some serious terrain. The 2.2″ Wolverine is surprisingly aggressive for being so lightweight, and while the Nano is the most aggressive tire that will fit on the rear of the bike, it tracks true through a surprising amount of varied terrain.

SRAM X-9 2×10

While this is my first time on SRAM’s X-9 2×10 group, I’ve spent a significant amount of time on their X-7 2×10 and X-9 3×9.

In short, I am a huge fan of the 2×10 system, especially on a hardtail 29er! If you want more information, be sure to read my general 2×10 review and trek7k’s X-O 2×10 review.

Color, Tube Shape, and Other Details

The tube shape and general attention to detail is truly the icing on the cake. Riding a mountain bike that performs superbly is one thing… riding a mountain bike that performs superbly and looks good doing it is just that much better!

The naked carbon look is definitely “in” right now, and I love the stealthy black with the red highlights from the X-9 group.

The large curved tubes definitely add to the aesthetic appeal. Where the color and graphics end, the curves and cleanliness of the internal cable routing take over.

Finally, Ibex spared no expense and included a custom stem cap and custom head badge (not a decal).

Negatives

Negatives, what negatives? This is such an excellent bike that it is hard to complain about anything!

Nevertheless, it is worth noting (as I mentioned in my “on-test” blog post) that the clearance in the rear chainstays is very tight.

And while I think the Nano provides excellent traction for such a low-profile tire, after 400+ miles it is already showing significant wear:

Before / After

After.

I suppose that’s the trade-off, though: tackier rubber = shorter life span. It’s a tough choice, but with the performance that the Nano has been giving me, I think Ibex made the right choice.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, the Ibex Maroc 29er is everything that a 29er hardtail should be: lightweight and fast, but at the same time aggressive, and more than capable of holding its own against some rowdy singletrack and equally rowdy riders! In spite of the issue with the rear tire clearance between the chainstays, this is one mountain bike that I could see myself riding for a very long time!

MSRP: $2479.99

Many thanks to Ibex for loaning me the Maroc 29er for review!

Photo Gallery

To view the large images, click on the thumbnail, then click on the thumbnail again on the next page and you’ll be there.

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!