Interbike is a fascinating place, and if you ever get the chance to stroll through the booths you will find tons of fascinating products. Jeff and I were both really impressed with some of the things we saw, and at other times we were thoroughly unimpressed by some of the downright-ridiculous designs. We made sure to swing by most of our usual stops to chat with folks such as e*thirteen, Fox, iXS, Spank, SRAM, Shimano, Intense, Santa Cruz, Osprey, THE, and Easton. Interbike is seriously the greatest when it comes to getting a sneak peak at the latest gear and talking with your favorite riders.

e*thirteen

One of my first stops was at the e*thirteen booth. It’s hard to believe you can improve on such a great crank, but e*thirteen managed to squeeze 60 grams out of last year’s design by using an alloy axle and machining a little bit off the spider here and there. Not only did the crank just go through a weight reduction, but they also managed to change up the bottom bracket, making it more durable and easier to install.

Along with the cranks, there are two clever new pedals from e*thirteen: the LG1+ and LG1R. The pedals feature an alloy body, plates that attach to the pedal, and user-selectable 4mm or 7mm pins. The LG1R has titanium spindles and pins while the LG1+ features chromoly. The difference in weight between the two pedals is 88 grams (380g and 468g, respectively).

Race Face

Hard Goods

Race Face was at the show, but you had to look really hard to find their booth. Essentially the hard goods line-up has changed ever so slightly with the introduction of the Chester cranks. The Chester is basically Race Face’s entry-level DH crank, the Respond is their mid-level, and the Atlas is their top-tier DH crank.

Race Face is also getting ready to launch the SIXC, which is a new DH crank modified with a longer-than-average axle. The SIXC cranks will be lighter than the new XO DH coming out from SRAM and the rubber boots are a nice addition meant to save the crank ends from damage.

Soft Goods

I spent some time talking with Wendy from Race Face and she was proud to show off some of the clothing and protection that will be offered for next year. It looks like the trend is toward simple colors with large contrasting logos and neat argyle prints (kind of like the Singletracks jersey). Needless to say, Wendy (who also does the design work) has done a great job at making gear that will look cool for both men and women.

The new trend in MTB armor is softer, more flexible pieces and Race Face is on the ball with their Flank line-up. This soft wrap-around leg armor features a ton of excellent elements such as D3O on the impact points of the knee and shin and a Terry Cloth liner.

Stay tuned for more from RaceFace in the near future.

Niterider

A brilliant example of lighting at Interbike was Niterider. With all their lights out on display, this booth really was a beacon in a sea of bike gear. Niterider’s best and brightest, the Pro 3000 LED, uses 6 large Cree LEDs and a massive Li-Ion battery; the whole package retails for less than $700. Along with the top model, Niterider has a light for just about every budget, including both rechargeable and non-rechargeable units. I had a chance to talk with Tom, the founder of Niterider, and it seemed that we both shared the same passion for good lighting systems and the conviction that there really weren’t any good bike lights available when Niterider started out.

FSA

FSA was displaying all of their 2012 gear nearby and the smell of high quality, nicely-finished carbon saturated the booth. The K-Force and SL-K gear for the XC-Trail rider may be a good idea for those looking to save some weight. I really appreciated the extensive use of uni-directional carbon in the products that were on display. The cranks feature a spine of aluminum to keep things stiff along with the monocoque structure that you see. With other carbon goodies in the form of bars, seat posts and stems, FSA was out to impress.

Ritchey 29er

Despite not being a big 29er fan, I just had to stop and stare a while at this beautiful 29er by Ritchey. For one thing, I owned one way back in the day that was made by Tom Ritchey himself, and my bike had the same “America F*$@ ya” paint job. I kinda miss that bike, and this beautiful ride, although very modern, still has that classic look to it. I found myself wishing I had the cash to pick one up.

From the integrated seat post clamp, to the adjustable rear dropouts that allow you to go either singlespeed or geared, to the highly-polished look, this bike really is a stunner. It’s a steel frame and has a projected cost of $999 (frame only). Depending how you build it up, you can get weights down to 21lbs for a single or 23lbs if you’re going with gears.

THE

THE was showing off their new colors for this year’s T2, along with some cool armor and gear. There’s a decent mix of mild to wild color schemes for you.

Loaded Precision

Loaded Precision was showing off a few new components for this year with their signature series wheels and pedals. For those of you who are interested, they will have a 150mm rear axle available soon in addition to all the present wheel configurations… and in a variety of colors to really pimp your bike out. Anthony from Loaded also mentioned the growing number of products in their XC line-up, including some fire-red 29er wheels!

Topeak

Topeak was there showing off their vast array of pumps and gear. Some interesting additions included a new chain tool called the Link Meister which is geared toward serious users and shops. The head on the Link Meister adjusts so that you can get the pins out perfectly straight without messing things up, thanks to an adjustable shoulder which cradles the chain in the link separator. A really robust set of mud guards for suspension bikes caught Jeff’s eye as well as mine. It may have been sheer fascination about the whole idea, but I have to say they looked pretty sweet. I was thinking about tossing a pair on my DH bike…

For the Apple fanboys and fangirls out there, Topeak showed an iPhone 4 (and now iPhone 4S) compatible stem mount. Unlike the other iPhone handlebar mounts we’ve seen and used, this one put the phone front and center and leaves a cut-out for the phone’s camera. Not only can you use your iPhone as a GPS/cycling computer, now you can use it as a POV camera. Brilliant!

Randomness

When you go to Interbike, you will inevitably come across some oddities along with all the cool ideas. Below is one such product in the making (which type is it? that’s up to you). Still a prototype, this 4-wheeled pedal bike features full independent suspension using Rock Shox Monarchs. As Jeff and I chatted with the owners, we did see many places were weight could be removed. Presently this bike is pushing over 50lbs.

Azonic

Azonic proudly displayed the Outlaw wheels, which have been their staple product for many years and are now available in a 29er version and in an expanded color line. Along with that were bars and stems in the same color patterns for that perfect match.

Azonic has partnered up with O’neal to produce some cool looking threads and skid lids. Their focus seems to be all about color and a mix of retro patterns with modern graphics.

Twenty6

Before the show started, I got an invitation to visit Twenty6. Twenty6 is a small, high tech company that machines kick ass gear. Not only is the gear super slick, but they also have some rich color choices.

Below is just a sample of different color options. I’ll have a review written up soon on the Predator pedals, so stay tuned!

Pro Riders

Remember when I mentioned that Interbike offers access to celebrity riders? Well, great riders like Matt Hunter and Darren Berrecloth were at the iXS booth for a while signing posters and chatting it up.

I even got to spend a little while chatting with Matt. Having limited time, I just had to ask him how he did a particular jump in Seasons where he boosted off a kicker into a loose wall of dirt… it looked absolutely crazy! I got him to talk about how he felt going into it for the first time. It turns out a mix of confidence and fear with a bunch of adrenaline thrown in motivated him. I was really impressed to hear that he is human like the rest of us. Just in case you’re wondering, you can meet Matt in Whistler yourself during the summer months at the Summer Gravity Camp.

iXS

Speaking of iXS, they had a great line up of new 2012 gear on display. With a huge range of colors and improvements, I can’t wait to see when they will all be available. The new METIS shown below looks even better up close. The additional pad in back provides a perfect mating to a Leatt brace, and it provides excellent ventilation.

Not only does iXS make cool helmets, but they also produce a bunch of hemispherical goggles that really rock. They offer a dozen graphic styles to match or clash your helmets. iXS’s gloves and clothing are definitely something to behold. This is one website you must visit.

Spank

Spank had a bunch of shiny, new parts on display as well. They had a prototype stem that I thought looked absolutely amazing! The stem was beautifully CNC-machined, but I was told by Gavin Vos, the co-owner of Spank, that it is just a sample and that the final forged unit will be even stronger. The introduction of complete wheels from Spank also really peaked my interest. Even though I have no issues lacing up my own wheels, a complete solution with both hubs and rims is something I personally like.

The new Spike bar with another Spike stem prototype on display.

Speaking of Spike, stay tuned for a review of the new Spike pedals which, based on my initial rides, are excellent. These beasts have forged bodies with 20 pins on a true flat / thin body. How thin? 12mm to be exact. Not the thinnest, but in practical terms you can’t get much thinner without sacrificing strength.

In a previous post we talked a bit about wheels. Well, Spank has a few wheel sets bound to suit your riding style. The Spike and Spoon wheels look excellent with a bunch of innovative features like the BeadNip profile, the OhhBah inner wall, and zero eyelet construction. Again, Gavin explained why they decided to go without eyelets. They thought, “Why drill an extra large hole and add an eyelet, when precision drilling the holes with the correct angle will make a better interface and stronger wheel?”

Kore

Kore had a bunch of glossy parts out on display as well as a neat prototype of a new 35mm-diameter bar. They aren’t trying to set another standard just for the heck of it, but they reason that with bigger hit bikes, there is a real need for stronger gear that is more resistant to fatigue.

SRAM

One of my last Interbike stops was with SRAM. I talked with Tyler Morland for a while, and he showed off all the goodies to me. SRAM knows how to deliver! For one thing they had celebrities there with their bikes. Can you name the rider pictured below?

You know you done good when you have a tire named after you, like Danny Hart. Danny was around with his Giant showing off all the SRAM gear.

SRAM had all their components on display with new colors like the XO Silver, and there were other new additions to the line up like the XO DH chainring and bashguard.

Jeff and I both agree that the new X5 Group could be a game-changer next year. It looks like X9 but at a much lower price point. Tyler pointed out that essentially these two groups are the same and that the reduced pricing is a result of changes in materials. You will probably start seeing these on bikes in the $800 range – nice gear at a cheaper price point.

Shifting looks very X9ish as well.

The biggest story with SRAM is that you will have two more choices on gear for a total of 4 gear ranges for the chainrings: the original 42-28, 39-26, and now a lower 38-24 and an even lower 36-22. Another important set of products that SRAM will be releasing are easy-to-get repair kits for all your forks, shocks, and other gear.

Santa Cruz

The final stop that I had to make was Santa Cruz bikes. Like SRAM, you couldn’t miss this gorgeous booth with wall-to-wall wood and bike porn. Not to mention that Greg Minnar, Steve Peat, and Josh Bryceland were on hand as well.

Below are three of my favorite Santa Cruz bikes from the show:

The new carbon Nomad. This bike already was made even stronger than the aluminum version of the V10.

The new Carbon V10.

I got all goose-bumpy when I saw this rig! And to think that you can literally jump an entire highway with this bike and it’s still lighter than some XC bikes. What a testament to the strength found in newer carbon structures.

Santa Cruz Tallboy.

I have a lot of respect for this bike; the Tallboy is the bike that really turned me onto 29ers. A few people I know have this bike and they work magic on it–it climbs like a billy goat!

Well folks stay tuned for more – I hope to get a few more Interbike pics posted of even more sweet mountain bikes!

At Interbike this year we saw a number of mountain bike brake refinements along with a few interesting new developments from companies like Avid and Formula. Here’s what we found.

SRAM / Avid

One of the biggest deals at the show was Avid. The company is revamping their rotors this year and changing them to even sizes in line with the industry which is a big step for them. The new rotors are the HS1 (all stainless) and the higher-end HSX (two piece with aluminum center) in 140, 160, 180, and 200mm sizes. The new hexagonal-shaped rotor has been cross-drilled instead of having the rotor milled out. The smaller, more numerous holes will run smoother with less “growl” as the pads do their job bringing your bike to a stop.

The entire line of Avid brakes that feature taper bore (Elixir, XO, and XX) have been tweaked internally with a revised bladder to reduce air permeability. The new design adds an air trap system to prevent air from entering the reservoir and an O-ring just in front of the air trap to further improve the feel of the brake and maintain consistency. The new Elixir 9 also gets an improved contact point adjuster for 2012. Along with that, the World Cup brakes lose the tri-align system in favor of weight savings, bringing them down to 277 grams (weight includes lever, caliper, and 160mm rotor and hardware).

Shimano

Shimano had a see-through XT brake set on display with windows into the caliper and lever assembly (pics below). The complex lever design fits great for one finger operation and the adjustment on the lever works well at setting reach as well. The simple linear piston and return spring with its relatively large volume should perform nicely. However, even in this cutaway you can see how air could be trapped in the piston area of the master cylinder. Just be sure to have the reservoir pointing up and full when bleeding the system out and it shouldn’t be a big deal.

The brake caliper itself looks great with a simple, elegant design that makes it easy to remove top-loaded pads. But having the bleed port below the hose means you are doing a caliper-to-lever bleed only. Not a bad thing but with visuals like this you can get a better idea of what you’re dealing with. Now if only these would work in the real world I would be sold!

Formula

Formula has refined their mountain bike brake line-up as well. The new oval piston DH monster, the Formula RO, has a totally redesigned lever and master cylinder with more volume than the current THE ONE. Along with a redesign, the unit is also more robust. Stroke reach adjustments are built into the lever and the RO can also be had with optional FCS (contact point adjustment).

The top-load design makes for easy removal and servicing of the pads and pistons. The calipers on the RO are forged one-piece designs to keep weight to a minimum. The bleed port is located in the middle of the caliper making it easy to flip flop the calipers if you decide to run “Moto” style.

At about 361 grams per wheel, these are heavier than THE ONE brakes but heavier duty as well (not that there was anything wrong with THE ONE). The robust design as shown above and the redesigned levers scream DH.

THE ONE with reach adjust on the lever.

And when I saw the latest idea from Formula I was screaming like a little girl at a Justin Bieber concert. Formula is working on a new hydraulic brake hose quick release fitting. Coming from a race background and using zero loss quick releases before I was super stoked! Talk about making some jobs easy. The best part of the quick release is that the hose end is just slightly larger than the hose itself, opening up a bunch of possibilities for routing.

Ashima

Ashima Brakes has been coming up with inventive ways of making brake rotors run cooler and lighter. Wayne Moore let me in on some ideas that have been floating around, some of them a bit crazier than others but you never know.

The photo above shows a test concept that uses a simple fan that would pump air through the rotor to cool things off a bit. Simple, somewhat effective, and lightweight. Usually nothing gets in that space anyhow. Another idea Ashima is working on is a three spoke aluminum rotor core with carbon reinforcement (for added stiffness) and steel braking surfaces for compatibility. Of course this is still under development but it should make for a lightweight rotor.

Due to time constraints we didn’t get a chance to hit everyone else but believe me, Hope, Magura, Funn and others were also showing off their goods as well.

More to come…

Hi folks – in this article I am going to tell you how to install, set up, and adjust both 3×10 and 2×10 front derailleurs (though most of this will work for 9spd drivetrains as well). I will also cover the different types of front derailleurs including top clamp, bottom clamp, high direct mount, low direct mount and E-type.

The first step is to identify what type of front derailleur you have. You’re going to have to look at how the cable pulls, size the clamp diameter (or ID the type of direct mount), determine the cage length (short or long), and of course count the number of shifts (2 or 3). The photos below show the different types of front derailleurs.

Top clamp (left) & bottom clamp (right)

High direct mount (left) & low direct mount (right)

E-type

Establish the right front derailleur you need, make sure you have the correct fitting (is it E,E2,S1,S3), and if you’re upgrading to 3×10 or 2×10, make sure you have compatible gear (crank, front shifter).

The next step is to gather all the tools necessary along with the instructions from your manufacturer.

4mm, 5mm, 6mm Hex Keys
8mm, 10mm Hex Keys
Friction grease
Side cutter
Pliers
Cable housing cutter
Ruler / Vernier caliper
Bottom bracket tools (GXP, Octa link, 14mm,15mm extractors)
Torque wrench

Now it’s time to install the front derailleur. With a low direct mount model you’ll need to remove the crank to access the mounting points. E-type front derailleurs require you to remove the drive side crank bearing and replace one of the spacers with the mount plate. Bolt the E-type derailleur down with the single alignment bolt first, then torque the bearing cup back in place.

In setting the derailleur you have to keep three things in mind:

1. The spacing between the top of the large chain ring teeth and the lower edge of the derailleur cage should be 1-3mm (regardless of design).
2. Use friction grease to reduce the necessary torque on the clamp.
3. Tighten the clamp and make sure the cage is parallel with the chain ring.

Setting the gap with a 2×10 derailleur is pretty easy. Just align the set height and torque, keeping in mind that everything should stay parallel. The 3×10 set ups require you to either use a “pro alignment block” that comes with new Shimano front derailleurs or you can carefully move the cage to the middle ring position and check the gap, adjusting up or down as necessary. Torque the clamp down based on your manufacturer’s recommendation (usually 5 – 7Nm).

Now you can set the low (L) and high (H) settings. With the chain already installed you want to have a 0.5mm gap between the inner chain guide plate and the chain. If you don’t have a chain on, from the side of the small chainring to the inner chain guide plate you want a gap of 1.5mm (I usually prefer to do this with the chain installed). Turning the (L) screw counter-clockwise increases the gap while turning the screw clockwise decreases the gap. With the high gear we want the same spacing of 0.5mm between the chain and the inside of the outer plate. Use the (H) screw this time – a clockwise turn will decrease the gap.

With the derailleur physically set up, now you can continue with the rest of the installation.

Starting from the top, make sure the shifter is placed into low gear. For SRAM models, open up your shifter pod by loosening the single screw on the pod. For Shimano shifters there is a plastic cover which you remove (near the thumb shifter). In either case, simply install a new cable and give it a slight tug to make sure it is snug (saves time when tuning).

Above is a typical Shimano shifter. Below is the new X9 / X7.

Below is the XO with its cover removed. As you can see it’s pretty simple. One cover bolt.

Check out your cable housings and remove the housing caps to get a better look. If the ends look frayed it may be time to replace the cable housing as well. If you do decide to change the housing, use the existing pieces to match the lengths. Cutting shifter cable housing requires a proper cutter (not a side cutter as it squishes the housing and increases drag on the cable); try the Park CN-10 cutter. Using a proper cutter also ensures a nice clean, straight cut essential for proper shifting. Once the housing is all cut and installed with cable ends, feed the shifting cable through and down to your derailleur. Do not attach the cable at this point.

Once all the cables are routed and cable ends are on and double-checked for snugness, feed the cable to the front derailleur. Before attaching the cable to the derailleur, turn the cable tension adjuster all the way in (clockwise) and back it out 2 full turns (this is a perfect starting point). It is important to follow the routing correctly. If you purchased the derailleur new your instruction sheets should have clear diagrams showing the correct route. It is very, very, very important to get this right – I’ve seen too many installations where someone got the cable installed incorrectly and the index shifting just doesn’t work. What happens is that the incorrect amount of cable will be pulled. Below is an example of correct installations (Courtesy of SRAM):

Once you’ve figured out the correct route, tighten the cable with the pinch bolt. About 5-7Nm should ensure the cable doesn’t slip. The trick here is that there should be some slack in the cable.

Finally you’re ready to check out shifting performance. With 2X10 it is pretty easy to set up. If you have a stand to allow you to turn the cranks that’s great; if not, find a friend willing to hold the bike up for you for a few minutes. Crank the bike and shift up to the big ring. The shift should bring the chain up to the large ring almost instantly without grinding on the way up. If it takes too many crank strokes or just skips then you have to turn the adjuster knob on the shifter out (counter-clockwise) half a turn at a time until it shifts. Once it shifts up nicely, just make sure that when you’re in the smallest gears on the cassette the chain doesn’t rub on the inside of the outer cage.

With a 3×10 system we only care about centering the middle ring. The first and third rings are taken care of with the stops on the derailleur but the middle ring is aligned with cable tension and the index in the shifter. Again, shift from the small ring to the middle ring and see how it shifts – did it get to the middle ring in about one crank turn or did it skip? If it skipped and didn’t shift, add a bit more tension half a turn at a time (counter-clockwise). Now if it shifts too much, back it off a quarter turn (turn clockwise). You’re trying to get the cage positioned so that the middle gears shift perfectly without rubbing on the cage. On all bikes there will be a bit of rub on the extreme ends of your gear range. Below is a chart borrowed from Shimano that works great as a diagnostic chart.

After about a week or two of riding, especially with new cables, go back and recheck the spacing and torque on all the bolts. I hope this helps and if you have any questions, feel free to post a comment or a thread in our forums. Cheers folks!

I’m fortunate. I have a girlfriend who not only shares my passion for biking in general, but she also loves mountain biking. Susanita brings a different perspective to my normal male-dominated “must go as fast or as long as possible” perspective. I enjoy riding with her because it’s not about competition, it’s about enjoying the ride as much as possible.

With that in mind, comfort and convenience are important. Susanita rides a Specialized Safire full suspension bike that I bought her for Christmas two years ago and I noticed that on normal singletrack rides she rarely leaves the granny ring. She mentioned that “it’s a pain to have to shift to the middle ring to go down hill only to need to shift to the granny ring going up” and that she hates starting out in the wrong gear.

I’ve been riding a long long time and my first reaction was to explain that a. it really isn’t that hard to shift from the middle ring to the small ring and back and b. you need to anticipate and select the proper gear before you stop. But does it really have to be this way?

When I told her about the Rohloff hub she got excited about it for a few reasons that we all already know about. No front shifting, shift to the perfect starter gear from a stop, and less maintenance to deal with. The added of weight wasn’t a deal breaker but the cost seemed ridiculous. $1,400 to try it out? No WAY!

Enter the Alfine 11: about half the cost of the Rohloff and lighter weight. The Alfine’s 409% gear range basically covers all the gears in the granny and middle rings. She NEVER even had the bike in the big ring and rarely in the middle ring so it seemed like a good match.

Initially I had some trouble digging up the equivalent gear ratios to her current setup but I eventually stumbled on this chart which allowed me to calculate the chain ring/cog combo that would give her close to her existing ratio (22/32 with a 11-34 cassette). Originally I wanted to use a single speed 32T crankset with a 23T rear cog. The problem is the Alfine and Paul tensioners have a max cog size of 20T. This forced me to rely on using the small ring and eliminated the possibility of using a single speed 32T crankset. Sigh.

After doing a little research I figured that we could use her existing cranks, replace the 22T granny ring with a 26T, use a 20T on the hub (16T to 23T are available), and use the Alfine rear tensioner. In the process I could remove the front and rear x9 derailleur and shifters, middle and large chain rings, and replace the middle ring with a 32T bash ring. I talked to her about the plan and the project got the green light. I ordered all the parts, weighed her bike (26lb 2oz) and waited for the parts to arrive.

The first part to arrive was the Alfine tensioner. I wasn’t impressed at all. The tensioner was well built but heavy at 216g. I did a little more research and decided that the 90g Paul tensioner would work just as well and would give back some of the weight. When the Paul arrived I was impressed. Excellent workmanship and very light.

After the hub arrived I started to plan the wheel build. The goal was to shave as much weight as possible in order to make up for the boat anchor weight of the Alfine. If you pick up the hub by itself it is almost impossible to think you can remove enough bike parts to come even close to the weight of this hub. Because I love Stans NoTubes products I decided to build the wheel with the Stans Crest 26in rim with DT double butted spokes. The wheel build was uneventful, basically lacing the wheel three cross.

Next, after waiting an additional two weeks for the Alfine small parts kit we started converting the bike to work with the Alfine. We stripped off the rear derailleur, fitted the cables to the frame and got everything lined up and adjusted correctly. The instructions were flawless (I won’t go into the details) and the hub shifted perfectly straight out of the box. The only minor snag was that installing the cog on the hub was challenging because the snap ring was so tight.
Next we installed the Paul tensioner. It was obvious right away that the Paul tensioner was not going to line up with the Alfine cog even at full adjustment. Fortunately it was fairly easy to add a spacer to the derailleur cage to provide the additional 1/8 inch of adjustment we needed. After that the Paul tensioner lined up perfectly.

We decided to give the hub a try with the chain on the 32T middle ring before messing with the front chain rings or derailleur. I wasn’t positive that my gear calculations were correct so we decided to let Susanita give the bike a try. We also weighed the bike. The bike now weighed 27lb, 12oz. and I was scared. That was a lot of extra weight.

The following day we headed out to the single track at Schaeffer farms in Germantown, MD. Susanita could tell immediately that the gear range was 2-3 gears too hard. This basically confirmed that my calculations were correct and that the 26T ring would be just about perfect. Secretly I had hoped that she would be OK with the 32T ring because there are a lot of sweet and light 32T single speed cranksets out there that would look really nice on her bike. Oh well.

The next weekend I decided to tackle the front rings and derailleur. I had a spare 26T small ring in my parts bin so I installed the 26T ring and removed the big and middle rings, front derailleur, and shifter. All of these parts together totalled 1lb 1oz. I was a little worried about the chain jumping off the front ring without a derailleur to keep it there but was willing to go for a ride to see if that would happen.

So we headed out to the trails for the second trial. We rode for about an hour and a half over rocks and roots and the Alfine performed flawlessly – the chain never jumped off the front ring. Numerous times Susanita used the shift-while-stopped feature and was happily spinning wildly in 1st gear up some rooty climbs. Before the Alfine she would run out of gears in the granny ring; now she still had 3-4 gears to go with the Alfine. It was obvious the bike was heavier in the back but Susanita commented that the front end felt lighter and it seemed easier to pull the bike over things. Overall she was very happy.

The crank was looking very franken-crank-ish with no big or middle ring. To fix that I ordered a Race Face lightweight bash guard in blue which added another 65g to the total weight and matched the other blue anodized parts on her bike. The final bike weight came in at 26lb 13oz which is just 11oz over the original weight. I was pleasantly surprised that this was less than the weight of her tool bag. I’m pretty confident we could get the bike back to the original weight if we forked out the cash for a Middleburn crank with a 27T ring. We’ll see.

With about ten rides on the bike with the new hub, Susanita is very pleased with the results. There are only a few negatives that we see so far. The first is how the rear wheel mounts to the frame – there’s no quick release. Instead there are two huge (I mean heavy) shiny nuts on the back that need to be cranked down. These are bad because they are heavy (already looking to a titanium replacement) and also because we need to carry an extra tool to get them off in the event of a flat.

The second negative is that the hub complains when shifted under a heavy load. It shifts, but it gives you the same “it-is-going-to-break” snap that happens when you shift a conventional drive train under a heavy load. The difference is that I have no idea what is going on inside the can and I’m not sure whether the hub is going to explode. The bottom line is it’s important to ease up on every shift to save the expensive bits.

I anticipate that in the future Susanita will get stronger and may outgrow the 26T/20T combo. This should be no problem. Cogs range from 16T to 23T or we can upgrade the small chainring up to 28T. I am sure that there will always be a gear ratio for her. Best of all, the Alfine brings a smile to her face and ensures that she will keep riding with me for many many miles to come!

It’s taken us a while to get a hold of the folks at Shimano but this year we finally cornered them at Interbike. I talked with Devin Walton at the Shimano booth last month and we had just enough time to go over the new Dyna-Sys technology and XTR components. It’s a good thing too – the new XTR and Dyna-Sys represent a whole new level of shifting performance for Shimano.

Everyone has probably heard of XTR but fewer may be familiar with Dyna-Sys. In reality Dyna-Sys is more of a “how” than a “what” – it’s all about how the drivetrain reacts to mountain bike forces and conditions. Shimano put a lot of thought into which gears people use most often and found most revolved around the middle chain ring. This isn’t all that surprising – every frame maker already optimizes their chainlines so the main pivot is placed slightly above the middle ring. This prevents the rear suspension from reacting when power is applied but if you deviate from that intersection you will induce loads into the suspension either in the form of pedal kickback or drop-away. So, dropping the chainline into a 22T granny gear or shifting up to the 44T outer ring adds undesirable forces.

Dyna-Sys takes this into account and changes the tooth count on the outer and inner rings, offering a 42, 32, 24 setup (on the triple ring crank). This means the rider should be spending more time on the 32 and 42 rings and less on the 24. Paired with the 11-36T rear cassette, the middle ring becomes more usable. If you do have to drop down to the granny ring, you’re only going to be doing one or two recovery shifts because the difference between the gears is less than before.

Shimano didn’t stop at just changing gear combinations on the XTR group. For 2011 the company is making specific component groups for the strong trail bike market as well as the XC market. Knowing that there are many riders who want the legendary performance of XTR on their trail bikes, Shimano also knows that those same riders don’t want compromises. So the company is offering trail-specific components including cranks, chains, wheels, and brakes. Even seemingly minor details were redesigned – for example the side plates on the chain were designed to optimize shifting so that the plates match the shifting ramps and pins on the chainring to speed up shifting.

The integration of Servo-Wave brake-boosting technology into an XTR-level brake generates high levels of stopping power (125 percent of the previous XTR benchmark for the trail brake) that can be precisely modulated with single-finger effort, leaving a better grip on the bars for charging through anything the trails toss at you. This was achieved in part by a return to an axial configuration rather that the previous radial one.  Full ceramic caliper pistons, heat-sink-looking fin-backed brake pads to shed heat, and truly cool IceTech aluminum-core rotors go even further to keep heat generation at bay. These all-new brakes are said to maintain cool, quiet performance in virtually any conditions.

This is just a bit of what is new from Shimano for this year. Not only does Shimano have the all new XTR group available for the trail rider and XC racer, they also have a ton of other refinements in everything from their shoe line-up to wheels and components like the XT and SLX groups. Check out Shimano’s website when you can and hopefully stay tuned for more from Shimano in the future.

At this point in the MTB season you’ve been out dozens of times and may be experiencing “ghost shifting” or your shifting just isn’t what it used to be following a nasty crash. Now is a good time to check your gears.

Before we get started there are a few derailleur parts I’d like to illustrate and explain.

Limit Screws

There are three limit screws (shown above): the B-screw (B-tension adjustment) found on both Shimano and SRAM rear derailleurs, the H-screw (high gear limit stop), and the L-screw (low gear limit stop).

B-tension Adjustment

The B-screw controls the derailleur body’s angle in relation to the sprocket-set. Shift to the largest sprocket and check the distance between the guide pulley and the large sprocket. Adjust the B-screw until the pulley rubs the large sprocket, and then tighten the screw until it barely clears and the chain does not bind.

High Gear Limit Stop

The H-limit screw high gear limit stop prevents the guide pulley from shifting any further past the highest gear and into the axle. In order to adjust it properly there must be zero tension on the lower inner cable. If you feel tension, loosen the cable adjuster until there is none. Now check from behind to see how the chain is riding on the smallest sprocket. If it looks like it wants ride off into the axle, tighten the H-screw clockwise until it lines up. If it looks like it is rubbing on the next gear, loosen the screw until the chain is nicely centered on the sprocket. Now re-adjust the cable tension until the derailleur shifts smoothly down to the next gear.

Low Gear Limit Stop

The L-limit screw prevents the guide pulley from shifting any further past the lowest gear and into the wheel spokes. Shift down to the lowest gear, step behind the bike, and check how the chain rides on the sprocket. If it looks like it wants to ride into the spokes, tighten the L-screw clockwise until it is centered on the sprocket. If it looks like it wants to shift down, loosen the screw until it lines up. As an extra precaution you can use your thumb to gently push the derailleur body and make sure the chain will not run into the spokes, as this could obviously have a nasty effect on both you and your bike.

Now that we have the limit screws figured out, let’s start adjusting your gears. This article assumes you’re using a conventional derailleur where the default, no-tension state places the chain in high gear (smallest cog in the back).

NOTE: Stop here and read this first. Check your chain to make sure it isn’t bent. Look down the chainline as you back pedal and look for twisting. If anything looks wonky, replace the chain first.

NOTE 2: Check the cassette and chain rings to make sure the teeth are straight and none are missing or bent. Both these items will make smooth shifting impossible.

Replacing Cables and Housing

Starting from the top, shift all the way into high gear. From here, if you want to replace the cable (’tis the season), you would release the bolt that holds the cable at the rear derailleur and remove the old cable. After opening up your shifter pod, (SRAM X.0, x-9, x-7) it’s just a matter of loosening up the single screw on the pod, pulling the cable out, and inserting a new cable (replace cap). For Shimano shifters there is a plastic cover to remove (near the thumb shifter); pull out the old cable and insert the new one (replace plug).

Check out your cable housing and remove the housing caps to get a better look. If the ends look frayed it may be time to replace the cable housing as well. If you do decide to change the housing, use the existing pieces to match the lengths. Cutting shifter cable housing requires a proper cutter (not a side cutter as it squishes the housing and increases drag on the cable); try the Park CN-10 cutter. Using a proper cutter also ensures a nice clean, straight cut essential for proper shifting. Once the housing is all cut and installed with cable ends, feed the shifting cable through and down to your derailleur. Do not attach the cable at this point.

Alignment and Tensioning

Check out the alignment of your derailleur in two spatial planes. From behind the bike, first check to see if your derailleur hanger is straight. Next, look at the two jockey pulleys and the cassette body to make sure they all line up – there shouldn’t be an angle between them. If there is and it’s small, you can try to bend it back by hand. Looking top down at the derailleur, check out the pulley positions again, this time relative to the cassette body. They should be straight from this angle as well; if not, you may be able to tweak the derailleur hanger to get them in line.

After all the limits are set, let’s get the chain in place and install the shifting cable. Both Shimano and SRAM derailleurs have a small detent with mounting bolt where the cable goes. Before you tighten down the cable, double check that everything is routed properly and you have turned the adjuster screw all the way in and then out two turns (more on this later). Pull the cable and tighten it in. Turn the pedals and pay attention to the rear cassette as you go and shift up one gear. If the derailleur hesitates then you need to turn out the adjuster screw on the shifter pod (half turns) until it shifts. Shift down and back up again checking to see you get a clean shift. If you’re satisfied, try shifting up again; if the shift is jumping almost two gears at a time, you went to far. Check to see (viewed from behind) that in any given gear, everything is in line as you shift. The chain line on each gear should be dead on.

Once you have the derailleur shifting smoothly on the stand, get out there and test it out! Adjusting a rear derailleur takes patience but in the end it’s a great skill for any mountain biker to have.

Shimano has just released an improved model of their M300 shoe, which is now called the M310. For those of who haven’t seen or considered these shoes, you may very well be impressed. With an updated moldable upper, an improved carbon fiber midsole, and two colors to choose from (basic black or bling bling silver with red highlights), the M310s are a solid choice for the trail.

If you’re looking for comfort, light weight, and performance in a MTB shoe, listen up. The Shimano M310s are labeled as elite competition shoes and that’s because they are some of the most comfortable, precise shoes you can purchase. Don’t let the pro-level designation scare you off – even regular Joes deserve a great pair of MTB shoes!

A bit about the M310s from the Shimano website:

After purchasing the M310s from my LBS (Cyclepath North York), I made an appointment at Sporting Life where they have Shimano-specific equipment to heat-mold the shoes. With the help of the store manager Keith, the  shoes were ready to go in less than an hour. One word of advice: due to the fact that these shoes work best after a custom fitting, I strongly recommend getting these shoes at a retailer that has the equipment on site. Not all shops carry the equipment and some will charge for this feature if you have not purchased the shoes from them so if you purchase these shoes online, expect to pay up to $50.00 for the service (which takes a good three quarters of an hour – make an appointment).

I HIGHLY recommend having these shoes molded to your foot  – it makes a night and day difference and is well worth the cash. Hitting the trails with the M310s I noticed right away that my feet didn’t move in the shoes and there were no pressure points anywhere on my foot. With the new shoes my pedaling felt more efficient since my foot wasn’t moving around inside the shoe at all. I did, however, have to increase my pedals spring tension because I noticed my foot started sliding around the pedal a bit more. Going for a few long rides I expected the shoe to stretch out or change how it felt but that didn’t seem to happen – the fit was constant after hours of riding. The soles on the M310s are pretty basic and provide just moderate traction on the dirt. If you need something with a bit more bite you may want to look elsewhere – consider the Shimano M230 which is partially moldable but has more of a tread pattern.

Overall these shoes are super comfortable, fit great, and are light and breathable. The downside is the M310s are a bit overpriced and you have to lay out additional cash to get the shoe fit just right. I’ll also be keeping my eye on the minimal rear sole tread which may need replacing in the near future (I’ll keep you posted).

Cheers.