Fox has revamped their entire lineup for the 2012 production year. As a part of this revamp Fox has delineated the lines between their products so that you and I can understand them a bit better. The top-tier Factory line is where you can find the Talas 150 FIT RLC and all the latest and greatest technology by FOX. The mid-level gear is under the Performance category, using conventional coatings on the components and a slightly simplified damper. Finally, the Evolution line features high-quality entry-level forks that are priced for people looking for true quality at a real bargain.

Features

The 2012 Talas is truly something else… “revamp” doesn’t even begin to cover the advancements! For starters, the Talas features the new Kashima coating on the stanchions. To assure you that you got the real deal, the stanchions are now printed with a genuine Kashima coat logo, so that you and all of your friends know it! Kashima is a very low friction hard coating on the stanchions that is designed to extend the service life as well as provide a super low friction surface for the seals and bushings to ride on.

After my 1 1/8″ steering tube was cut to size (7 7/8″ or 200 mm  in length), the Talas weighed in at 3.8lb – pretty respectable for a fork with 5.9″ (150 mm) of travel when extended. The Talas is offered in both 9mm and 15mm QR configurations, but truthfully a fork with this much travel should really be run with the 15QR. If you’re still sitting on the fence thinking about going to 15QR, just stop thinking and go for it.

The last Fox 32 fork I reviewed was the 2010 32 Float 150. At that time it had the non-FIT damper, but this time around the Talas 32 runs a FIT damper cartridge. That in itself is a great feature to have on a fork. The FIT (Fox Isolated Technology) essentially runs a damper inverted with the single walled bladder holding all the suspension fluid. This prevents aeration (the production of tiny air bubbles) and improves the overall performance of the fork. First introduced back in 2005 on the 36 and 40 models in the RC2 dampers, the 32 FIT has benefited from all that development to now provide a 32 version with as little internal friction as possible.

Another big benefit that comes from inverting the damper is the location of the dials. Up top on the damper cartridge you have the low speed compression control, the lock-out adjust, and the lock-out lever. The rebound knob is located down below on the bottom of the fork leg, which makes more sense as the rebound setting is something that is changed less frequently, primarily only when tuning. The TALAS 2-step lever is located on the left leg, and in the middle of the lever is the rather stealthy air valve.

Installation

Installation of the Talas 32 150 RLC should only be attempted if you have the proper tools. With a price of about $880-$895 (depending on steering tube), you don’t want to screw things up and cut the steering tube too short. For this job you will need:

• Threadless saw guide
• Hacksaw
• Vise or stable bike stand
• Tape measure
• Lower race tool (length of aluminum pipe which fits over the lower race)
• Star nut tool
• Torque wrench
• Hex Keys

Begin the installation by removing your existing fork, being careful not to damage the brakes, shifters, or anything else you need to reuse. Once the old fork is off the bike, carefully remove the lower race and then measure the steering tube length. The measurement is taken from the face of the fork where the race fits to the end of the tube (be sure to check out our fork installation guide).

Once everything is installed it literally takes 5 minutes to set up the fork. I started setting sag by placing the fork at its 150 mm length and then playing with the pressure until I got 20% sag using 90 psi in the air spring. I ended up setting the fork with 4 clicks from soft on rebound, 10 clicks on the lock out, and 7 from soft for compression. I found that this combo worked great for the majority of terrain that I have ridden around Southern Ontario.

The Test

So what does Ontario offer? Well, depending on where you ride, there is soft, loamy terrain, slate, and some really rocky areas. It is definitely a great mixed-bag of terrain that is perfect for testing out any suspension.

I used the Talas on my 5.5″ Opus Crate, which is my go fast(ish) trail bike, so I use it for a variety of conditions. I have used the fork on step down drops of 6ft ± with smooth transitions, fast rolling terrain, and technical rocky sections. The Talas hasn’t let me down in any of those conditions.

I found that once I had tuned the fork it was almost a set-and-forget situation. Once the settings for compression and rebound were dialed in, the damper was so effective at keeping me in a good riding position that, aside from a few long climbs, I almost never used the lock-out. In spite of that, the lock-out is easy to get to with or without gloves.

On the technical climbs (usually the rocky ones) the Talas adjustments come into play nicely. Dropping the travel down from 150 mm to 120 mm steepens the head angle and lowers the center of gravity a bit more, allowing for a better position while climbing. Once the climb is over, the control knob on the Talas’s side is, again, easy to get to with or without gloves. Just remember to lean back a bit or cycle the fork to get the bike back into full travel.

The inverted FIT damper with the compression knobs up top, like its bigger cousin the 36 FIT, makes a lot of sense. I find that I tend to play around with the compression much more than rebound, so having the controls up top allows me to access it easily if I have to.

Based on my experience riding with the Talas, and having tested many forks in the past, I think that the 2012 Fox 32 Talas 150 FIT RLC provides superior performance! The fork offered good control over both the small bumps as well as the bigger hits… just what a fork like this is designed to do. The Kashima and low friction seals make a huge difference over older, non-Kashima coated forks. And the 15QR makes for hair-splitting precision steering, even when glancing off rocks. “Control over the wheel” should be the mantra here.

The buttery feeling of zero stiction, the precision tracking from the improved stiffness in the fork lowers due to the 15QR, and the positive click feel to the controls all enhance the performance and repeatability of this fork. But most importantly, take all the tech away, and what you have is a tool to enhance your ride that makes itself known to the rider.

The 32 Talas 150 FIT RLC is listed at $895 MSRP, though some places may sell them a little bit less. Check out Fox for more information and stay tuned for a write up on the RP23–coming soon!

I would like to thank Fox for sending down the Talas for review.

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

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

Predator Pedals

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

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

F1 Stem

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

Dualie Levers

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

Installation

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

Predator Test

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

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

F1 Stem Test

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

Dualie Test

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

Bottom Line

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

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

Trail 401 is one of the most renowned mountain bike trails in the nation and for good reason: it has all of the qualities that you could ever want in a classic singletrack ride:

• Delightfully narrow singletrack
• A long, tough climb with some serious elevation gain
• A long, fast descent!
• Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains
• Remoteness
• Tacky dirt
• Smooth sections of trail
• Rough, challenging sections (including rocks and roots)
• Stream crossings
• Serious exposure
• Switchbacks
• Berms
• Camping nearby
• A great mountain town with a mountain-bike friendly culture
• A place to get some beers and pizza afterwards
• The possibility of getting rained or snowed on at any time

I’ve been nervous about writing this ride report – how does one actually go about accurately describing one of the best trails in the nation in mere words? All of the standard metaphors, many of which now seem to border on the cliche, just don’t measure up to the grandeur of 401.

So instead of employing 5,000 words to describe this slender line of dirt, I’ll try to let the photographs do most of the talking.

Our Ride

We began our ride as most people do with the long climb up Gothic Road.

Rider: Andrew.

Despite the fact that we were slowly grinding up mile after mile of steep gravel roads, I was thoroughly enjoying myself because of the incredible views of the mountains all around us!

We spotted a mountain lake down below the road: it is one of the clearest blue lakes I have ever seen!

The most entertaining part of our entire climb up to the singletrack was crossing the snow. Yes, that’s right: snow. In the middle of August.

This mini-glacier lies at the very bottom of a steep-sided valley, protected from the warmth of the sun by the mountains and the elevation. I have no idea how deep that snow is, and I doubt anyone alive actually knows what the bottom of that ravine looks like.

Loving the mid-summer snow! Rider: Greg (me).

After much painful pedaling, we finally made Schofield pass!

The climbing wasn’t done, though: we still had at least a mile of ascending on the singletrack before we reached the summit of our ride. After already having climbed about 6 miles of gravel road at high elevation, the last steep push to the summit was a challenge, both mentally and physically.

After climbing a ways through the woods, the trail broke out into a high alpine meadow:

Looking back down through the meadow.

Finally, all of our hard work paid off, and we gained the high point:

Andrew and Greg at the Summit.

While all of the trails in Crested Butte are at high elevation, Trail 401 stands out as one of the highest with the summit of the route resting at about 11,400 feet above see level! For two Georgia boys, the oxygen molecules are way too few and far between up there!

The high point of the route afforded incredible views in almost every direction. We enjoyed the especially stunning view to the north, looking into the Maroon Bells Wilderness:

Everything up to this point had been the prelude to the main event, just the opening act: now it was really time to ride… it was time to descend! And descend we did: fast and furiously as we shredded the snot out of that singletrack, dropping as quickly as possible back down into the valley below.

Andrew descending Trail 401.

We were treated to incredible views all along the way. Riding through these high alpine meadows is so different from the deep forests of North Georgia… I found it hard to keep my eyes on the trail!

In the bottom of the valley you can see Gothic Road, which we rode up.

I hope all of these photos help portray how immense an experience riding Trail 401 is, because words just cannot do it justice. But still I must try…

Downhill

“So what about the downhill? What was it like, how did you enjoy it?”

Yeah, I only touched on it briefly above, but as I mentioned, it was just phenomenal! The descent featured several extended straightaways where you could just let ‘er rip, sections with swoopy turns, and even a section of fast, bermed switchbacks in the meadow. It was a glorious descent, and yet I wasn’t able to shred most of it as I would have liked to.

Negatives

In many of the reviews for Trail 401, people have mentioned the beautiful wildflowers right next to the trail that grow to head height. Sure, the flowers are pretty, but how does that affect the riding?

Personally, the wildflowers really harshed my flow. Not only was I getting whipped by the brush as I flew past, but the tall undergrowth made it absolutely impossible to see through the turns. As most of us are aware, the key to riding well is being able to look far down the trail so that you know what’s coming and can set up your line. This is especially important at high speed, which a descent like this is sure to offer. Instead of being able to truly revel in the speed of this mountain descent, I found myself either riding the brakes, or almost flying off of the many switchbacks hidden in the deep grasses. This tacky line of dirt will straight line through a meadow and then without warning feed straight into a series of switchbacks. I’m not complaining about the trail design in the least… it’s just that trail visibility in front of you is severely lacking.

On another negative note, the entire climb is on a gravel road. For many epic Rocky Mountain rides, that’s par for the course, but I can imagine how much more sublime this ride would have been if it was 100% singletrack instead of just about 60%.

Bottom Line

Small quibbles aside, this was probably my favorite ride from my recent trip to Colorado! The grandeur and remoteness of this route coupled with the excellent singletrack will make this a winner in almost anyone’s book!

Trail 401 is definitely on my “Top 10 Trails of All Time” list… though maybe not at the top of it.

Your Turn: Have you ridden Trail 401 before? What did you think?

Behold the Xar! I bet right now you’re imagining some big burly guy with tons of power and wealth overseeing his Slavic minions. Actually that would be a Czar. Even so, when you strap on Giro’s Xar I guarantee you’ll feel like an Emperor.

A while back I wrote about the release of Giro’s new Roc Loc 5 fit system which is featured in the Xar helmet. After testing the Roc Loc5 on my own noggin I’m ready to give you my thoughts on how I think the Xar fits and feels.

The Xar is the next generation premium all-mountain (AM) helmet from Giro. Taking some of the styling cues from the hugely popular Xen helmet, Giro set off to take this helmet in a slightly different direction. Sporting a bit more of an angular shape, Giro applied all their technical know-how to build the Xar for the more aggressive rider. A lot of time went into making this helmet comfortable, and comfortable it is.

The Roc Loc 5 system as I mentioned in previous articles takes up less space (making more room for eye-wear) while firmly holding the helmet in place. To me, a secure fit is the most important factor in making a helmet feel comfortable. The micro dial adjuster operates easily with one hand and is great for making sure the two rear pads position themselves evenly on the back side of your head just below the occipital lobe (back side of the brain just where the skull rounds itself towards the spine).

The pads are also adjustable up and down to ensure maximum comfort and fit (something that many lower-end models do not have and are not required by the CPSC ). The last thing mountain bikers want is a helmet that bobbles around while sailing over roots and rocks. What you don’t see in this helmet is the Dupont Nylon reinforcements molded right into the EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) liner for added protection without added bulk. So basically you won’t look like the Toad character from Mario Bro’s video games, unlike some other economy helmets out there. With the Xar you get a low-lined helmet that adds a measure of protection to the sides and lower half of your cranium. At a cost of $130 MSRP, the Xar is the top lid in the AM price range because you’re paying for the fit, finish, and technology in it.

Fitting the Xar took just a few minutes, dialing the Roc Loc 5 system and chin strap to the way I like it. Once adjusted it was a very nice fit. The sides of the Xar helmet are set in a bit so that the space is more ovalized than round (for those of you who have a very round head, try before you buy) but this suits me just fine.

Riding on the trails I found it an enjoyable experience knowing the helmet is there but not feeling uncomfortable or overly hot. I guess the time spent making sure that this helmet keeps you cool paid off. For an added measure I noticed the full width brow pad absorbed any excess sweat and moved it to the sides.

When you have a chance take a look at Giro and check out the Xar and the other helmets in the line up. They have something for everyone!

I’d like to thank the folks at Giro for providing the Xar for review.

If you were to walk around Interbike last month you might have wondered where the RaceFace booth was set up. Six floors above the noisy convention center inside the Venetian hotel, RaceFace set up a swanky suite to show off their latest gear to a mostly invitation-only crowd. Fortunately trek7k and I were on the list and we got a chance to sit down with John Pentecost to chat about the 2011 line.

We started off talking about the newest and most anticipated items, the Next SL and SixC cranks. Both of these cranks are made of carbon using a process that’s super cool and super secret. Suffice it to say it’s manufactured using aviation-grade technology. The Next SL cranks weigh in at a feather-light 675 grams, lighter than top-of-the-line SRAM and Shimano cranks.

The 2011 Deus and Next cranks feature some impressive features like newly redesigned chainrings called Turbine rings. Two years of engineering and testing went into the all new Turbine rings which have unparalleled performance.  As with the previous Team and Race rings, the Turbine rings are made in Canada from 7075 aluminum so they’re built to last.

What really piqued my interest was the SixC cranks (the “C” is silent), manufactured at the RaceFace British Columbia (Canada) facility. The crankset is completely hollow and the composite arms have no internal aluminum spine. Taking a look at the cutaway confirmed that claim, though the actual manufacturing process is a closely guarded secret (as it should be). With 3mm of chainline adjustability, this ensures the ability to achieve perfect drivetrain alignment even with difficult suspension frame designs and it’s ideal for fine-tuning shifting chainguide set-ups.

The pedal and spindle inserts on the SixC cranks are co-molded and mechanically locked into place to guarantee that they’ll never loosen or creak. The SixC can be purchased in either a triple ring set-up or double ring with a lightweight 7075 alloy bashguard. All-alloy Torx 30 hardware keeps weight down and looks sweet.

For 2011, RaceFace is all about color. Like the Atlas line, the Deus handlebars also come in several color choices, just in case you were planning on blinging out your ride. The 680mm wide Deus bar comes with a 3/4″ inch rise while the 785mm AtlasFR bar features a 1/2″ inch rise. But if color isn’t your thing, you can always go for the stealth look.

That’s right, RaceFace had stealth looking bars stems and matching cranks on display at the show. This stuff looked really cool but was hard to shoot with the cameras (I guess the stealth really works). Of course RaceFace isn’t limited to what we were able to photograph here. Rest assured that the product line-up is huge with a multitude of bars, stems, cranks, seatposts, rings, and headsets. And don’t forget they also have a huge clothing and protection line designed with feedback from great riders like Brett Tippie and Wade Simmons.

Now you gotta check out the RaceFace website to see all the cool gear and threads. I’ve been a believer in RaceFace products since as long as I owned a MTB – I had one of the original turbine cranks from way back – so I know the new stuff is going to be dialed on the trail. Put on your RaceFace for 2011!

It’s that time of year when I get to call up my good friends in the industry and see what’s up and coming and possibly squeeze out some interesting tidbits about new products. I recently got a chance to talk with with Joel Richardson, Production Manager at Hayes Disc Brakes, which is always super fun and exciting. I enjoy talking with Joel because we speak the same language – “Techish” – and he’s a person who is super stoked to talk about new products in development.

Joel managed a bike shop in Wisconsin from 1994-1998 and as things go in this kind of business he ended helping Len Cabaltera (the original Hayes guy) with development of the Hayes Mag brake back in 1996.

“Len would come into my shop and ask for design and feature feedback on the prototypes.  We had no idea what it would lead to. He hired me straight out of College in 1998 and I started in tech, hand bleeding brakes and answering phones.”

Joel moved around the company a few times before landing in his current position as the brake Product Manager.

Our conversation started out with a bit of small talk, chatting about the usual challenges riders have with disc brakes and set-up. It’s during conversations like these that new ideas are introduced and Joel and I actually came up with a few good ones – perhaps you may even see one or two in the near future, you never know. Anyhow getting into it, we talked a bit about technology and key product characteristics Hayes will carry forward and improve upon and even touched on some of the new stuff under development.

Above: a Hayes design that never went into production but got some serious consideration. Back in 2002 Hayes came up with a two piece rotor for Shimano’s centerlock hub design.

One of the most exciting new products at Hayes this year is the Prime braking system. Prime is the name of the eventual replacement for the Stroker brake line-up and the Prime Pro and Expert take all that is great about the Stroker – forged calipers, compact master cylinder design, and tool free reach adjustment – and make it even better. Prime brakes feature a new caliper design that can withstand a set of bigger pistons and allow you to change up the pads without removing the caliper thanks to a top-loading design. The new brakes also throw in a floating two-piece rotor for the icing on the cake.

The new Prime master cylinder design was put under heavy scrutiny during the design phase. Keeping the basic Stroker design, Hayes tilted the cylinder 10 degrees to maximize finger positioning and changed up the master cylinder internals to allow for easy position adjustments and pad placement. As if that weren’t enough, Prime brakes features a new hose design that minimizes expansion and improves feel while sporting a plethora of exotic materials to reduce weight – now that’s Prime!

A good bit of motorsports technology was put into the Prime brake design. These brakes will outperform all of the present systems that Hayes produces thanks in part to the largest pistons they have ever produced @ 26mm. Many hundreds of hours were needed to develop a brake that would feel consistent under the tremendous forces generated in the caliper. Early in the product development Hayes decided that the calipers needed to be forged to achieve performance expectations (just like the previous model Strokers).

Hayes takes product testing very seriously and one of the tools they use is a Dynamometer capable of testing real world situations such as high speed/high input and wet conditions, shock, and vibration, while monitoring hydraulic pressure, force, speed, torque and temperature. After the dyno test, Hayes slaps the brakes on real bikes rigged with data capturing tools for actual testing on the dirt.

Here’s more from my conversation with Joel.

So when can we expect the Prime for sale to the public?
Everything is pointing to a June 2010 release date.

How powerful is the Prime and where does it fit in the line-up?
It surpasses the power of the Stroker Ace 4 piston brake by 23% on average.

There are two versions here, are we going to see another model or two in the future?
You bet, we are investigating the possibilities for a carbon version.

Are you planning on matching the finish on the brakes to other components produced by Hayes group of companies?
Maybe you can find the ANSWER.

I noticed there are no weights listed yet, any clue as to how light these units will be?
You’re looking at about 385 grams for the Pro and approximately 415 grams for the Expert, give or take a few grams.

On the new Prime brakes I noticed Hayes is going with a two-piece rotor. How long has that been in the making? I recall there were rumors that you were thinking about that…
Back in 2002 there was consideration and work on a two-piece rotor but for various reasons it never made production.

Along with Prime, what other things are changed up for 2010?
The Stroker Gram now comes in all white with a white brake hose. The Stroker Ace has a revision on the friction material making it easier to burnish the brake pads while the caliper and brake lever now come in black. We also started selling the Stroker Ace tool kit as well as the Feel’r gauge to set up your brakes. In 2010 the familiar HAYES logo is back on our brakes as well.

Well folks, stay tuned for a product review or two of the new 2010 Hayes brake offerings. I’m not sure about you but I’m stoked to give the new Prime brakes a run for their money!

Hayes Company History

1972 –  Schwinn 200E Series bicycle disc brake
1993 –  Production of DiaCompe Speed Check Disk Brake
1997 –  HFX Mag
1999 -  Cable Actuated Hydraulic
2000 -  Redesigned flip-flop Mag MC 2 piece clamp, G1 Caliper 74mm post mount
2001 -  HMX-1 Mechanical
2002 -  HFX-Comp, HML Mechanical Levers
2003 -  HFX Mag Plus, HFX Nine MC, G2 Caliper
2004 -  HFX Nine Carbon, MX-1 Mechanical, MX-2 Mechanical, Wave Rotors
2005 -  El Camino, Sole, , BFL Levers, V-Series 6 & 8″ Rotors
2006 -  MX 3, V7(180mm) Rotor, SRL Lever
2007 – Stroker Trail / Ryde, Stroker Carbon/ V9 (224mm) rotor
2008 – Stroker Ace / Stroker Gram/ V5 (140mm) rotor
2010 – Now the PRIME

Hayes firsts

• Flip/Flop universal lever design with 2-piece clamp master cylinder body

• Three layer hose construction

• Tool-free brake pad change

• Magnesium master cylinder bodies

• Bladder/cartridge master cylinder design

• Ball socket caliper pistons

• Flip/Flop radial master cylinder

Hayes industry standards

• 74 mm post mount calipers with slotted mount feet

• 203 mm rotor size

• 10 mm quick release hub rotor offset

• 15 mm 20mm thru and rear hub rotor offset

• .070” thick rotors

• Forward arcing rotor splines for thermal capabilities and strength

• T25 low profile disc screws

If you’ve been following the Singletracks.com series on trailbuilding, you’ve read Choosing Your Line Part 1 and Part 2 and Trailbuilding 101. Congratulations, you’ve learned a lot about trailbuilding and you’re almost ready to head out and start digging. But you need something to dig with and some friendly people to help, right? Otherwise you’d just be that crazy guy digging alone in the woods with your hands. This article goes over the most useful trailbuilding tools and gives you strategies to expand your network of slave labor, er I mean friends.

Gather Tools and Building Supplies

Always use the right tool for the job to increase efficiency and reduce the chance of injury. Here is a list of tools I often use; I’ll provide details about what tools are needed for specific tasks in future articles.

1. Spade
2. Square shovel
3. Buckets
4. Wheelbarrow
5. Cutting Mattock
6. Pulaski
7. Chainsaw with sharpening and filing tools
8. Hoe
9. Rake
10. McLeod (pictured above)
11. Axe
12. Hammer
13. Battery powered hammer drill with 3 batteries
14. Folding saw
15. Pruners
16. Gas powered trimmer
17. Dakine Trailbuilders Backpack

It’s always a good idea to use protective gear when building new trails. I wear long pants, 8” steel toed boots, safety glasses and gloves whenever I build because you never know when or where you’ll encounter a nasty thorny bush, poison ivy, poison oak or just plain crap falling on you.

Find Building Partners

Contact your riding buddies and let them know that you are building a new trail. In all likelihood they’ll be stoked and will want to help you build. Many hands make light work and it’s always good to have company on those long trail building days (plus there’s safety in numbers). Friends can also help you brainstorm new trail ideas too. Having others to bounce thoughts off of will help you decide which ideas to embrace and which to kick to the curb. Just make sure you bring along creative, positive helpers!

If you don’t know many people who ride, don’t worry! Just by getting out there building and riding you will meet people. Get the contact info of people you meet on rides and expand your network. Social networking sites like Facebook can help organize your contacts. Don’t be shy about talking to other riders on the trails. Mountain Biking is a sub-culture where the passion for riding breaks many social barriers and there’s always something to talk about when you’re with other mountain bikers. At the beginning of the season, I didn’t know most of the people I ride with and build with now. I regularly plan build and ride sessions through Facebook and expand my circle of friends nearly every time I ride. The Singletracks.com Facebook page might be a good place to start finding local mountain bikers in your area.

Friends help make trail building more fun and it’s up to you maintain the positive vibe. Keeping the conversation light and positive helps the time pass more quickly. Ideally you will establish a core group of friends that can bring their own tools and will help you build regularly. Be sure to clarify your plans for the trail and ask them to consult you before they make modifications to the plan. When people work on your trail they are investing time and effort so they should be likely come back to build or ride because they have invested “sweat equity”.

Call Before You Dig

The last thing you want is to cut through a fiber optic cable or be electrocuted while digging. You don’t know what lies underground until you call 811 (United States only) or your local “call before you dig” hotline. This is especially important if you live in an urban area.

What’s Next

Now you’ve learned to:

- Gather the Right Tools and Building Supplies
- Tell Your Riding Buddies What’s Up
- Expand Your Network
- Call Before You Dig

Now you’re ready to start learning how to build!

Stay tuned for the next article in the Singletracks.com series on trailbuilding. Next article will outline perhaps the most useful method of trailbuilding: benchcutting.

About the Author

Kevin Johnstone is an avid mountain biker from Ontario, Canada. He has been building trails across Canada for 4 years. He has worked with the worlds #1 bike park builder, Jay Hoots, to build a mountain bike park on the Sunshine Coast of British, Columbia, Canada. He spent 2 seasons improving the trails at Kelso Conservation Area in Milton. He is currently building downhill specific trails. Kevin can be reached by private message at Singletracks.com.

*Disclaimer*Kevin Johnstone and Singletracks.com will not be held responsible for the consequences of illegal trailbuilding. Always get permission and build legally.

You’ve likely read Choosing Your Line Part 1 and Mountain Bike Trailbuild How-To. This article continues to detail the finer points of choosing your line. By the end of this article you should be able to flag out a flowy, well-drained trail with more natural features than Megan Fox.

Flow

Flow is the ability to carry momentum through an entire trail without having to brake or pedal excessively.

Ideally you want to pack as many features into your trail as you can while maintaining good flow. A trail with good flow will allow riders to maintain momentum from start to finish. The flowiest trails will not require riders to change speed drastically and allow riders to maintain momentum by avoiding long, steep uphills and extended straight sections. If you need to slow riders down, build a series of opposing turns.

Even slow speed trails can be flowy. The key is to decide what kind of trail you are trying to build and stick with that type. Trails can be fast with no steep hills or sharp turns, slow with steep and technical sections or in between. Avoid mixing high speed and low speed maneuvers on the same trail.

Build technical sections on a downhill slope to allow riders to maintain speed through features. One of the best ways to create flow is to include rolling uphills and downhills, or contours, throughout the trail. A rolling contour benchcut trail drains extremely well. More information about creating flow will be available in my next article, Benchcutting. It takes more thought and work to build a trail with flow but the final product is well worth it.

Choose Your Line

After you have familiarized yourself with the area on foot and identified some natural features you want to use, it’s time to choose your line. Again, include as many features as possible without disrupting flow. A trail that flows well and has fewer features is better than a trail packed with features but no flow.

Drainage

Route the trail along well drained areas. Avoid topographic low points, as these areas turn into speed sucking mud bogs. Muddy areas just get muddier and more rutted as more people ride through. Traversing a hillside is the best way to ensure that water flows off the trail, not down it. If the trail must be routed through a low lying or flat section, be prepared to dig drainage ditches.

Ruts

Ruts are every rider’s enemy. Few things in mountain biking rob riders of control like a big, rocky rut. It’s our job as trailbuilders to know how to design trails that remain rut-free for years. The principle is simple: the steeper the trail, the more prone it will be to ruts. Avoid ruts by designing trails with frequent changes in pitch. Route a trail straight up or down a hill and ruts will appear faster than Tiger Woods can bed a cocktail waitress.

Walk it, Flag it

Walk a few different lines multiple times. This will allow you to decide which line will yield the best finished product. You will likely be spending 50-100+ hours building your new trail so choose your line wisely. Once I choose a line I usually walk it top to bottom 3 times to get a good idea of what the final product will be like. After choosing the line, insert flags into the ground to mark where the trail will go. Don’t stress about being exact with flag placement. The line (trail) often changes slightly during construction.

What’s Next

In this article you’ve learned about Flow and how to build trails with Flow. I’ve also outlined the following strategies:

- Walk the area
- Look for natural features
- Consider Drainage
- Design a Rut-Free Trail
- Envision the line
- Walk the line
- Flag the line

If you enjoyed this article, you’ll want to catch the next one in the Singletracks.com series on trailbuilding. The next article, entitled Trailbuilding: Work Smart, Not Hard, identifies the most useful trailbuilding tools and strategies to gain new building partners.

About the Author

Kevin Johnstone is an avid mountain biker from Ontario, Canada. He has been building trails across Canada for 4 years. He has worked with the worlds #1 bike park builder, Jay Hoots, to build a mountain bike park on the Sunshine Coast of British, Columbia, Canada. He spent 2 seasons improving the trails at Kelso Conservation Area in Milton. He is currently building downhill specific trails. Kevin can be reached by private message at Singletracks.com

*Disclaimer* Kevin Johnstone and Singletracks.com will not be held responsible for the consequences of illegal trailbuilding. Always get permission and build legally.