During the summer months I have a lot of free time which allows me the pleasure of kicking it a bit more often and taking leisurely rides here and there. Sometimes I just don’t want to bust out my full kit and shoes to go for a ride in town. For these types of rides I love to carry around the camera, laptop and other gear but a regular hydration pack isn’t big enough; I need something that’s larger, water resistant, and expandable. It turns out Mission Workshop has some pretty cool gear for just what I am looking to do (or for commuting if that’s your thing). Today I’ll be reviewing the DZR District shoe and the “Made in the USA” Rambler expandable cargo pack.

The DZR District shoes are SPD-compatible (time, CB, Shimano) but most importantly, they’re comfortable. Even with the recessed SPD cleat installed I found walking around comfortable without compromise. The secret is the reinforced area where the cleat is attached which balances stiffness, power transfer (on the bike), and comfort.

Up top there’s a mix of durable canvas and leather with a neat reflective strip integrated into the design on the side along with a highly reflective logo on the heel of the shoe cup. This shoe has a fairly roomy fit (which I love) yet still close fitting enough that you can unclip easily without tearing off your shoe. In the box you also get a set of plugs in case you decide to take your cleats off the shoe and want the plate covered up.

I’ve found myself wearing the DZRs a lot recently as my “go to” shoe for nearly everything I do (except when I decide to hit the DH trails). But for hopping on my bike and heading to the coffee shop or gearing up for an urban assault, these shoes are perfect!

A while back I was hemming and hawing about finding a daypack I could use to carry a bunch of stuff like my camera gear, lunch, and water along for errands and leisurely rides around town. Now the Rambler is not a true camera bag (no segmented padding) but it serves my needs nicely for now (all my lenses have their own padded bags anyway).

The Rambler backpack features a cavernous, weatherproof main compartment that can transform from a 1350 cubic inch pack to an unzipped 2700 cubic inch monster. The uninterrupted main compartment, even when zipped down, easily fits my camera body, telephoto lens, books, and other supporting gear (laptop) when I am on the trails or in the city taking pics. Unzipped I have enough room for other clothing plus snacks (my favorite PB&J sandwiches).

The pack features two other slim sleeves – one right at your back and the other on the front of the bag. Both sleeves could be used to fit a thin laptop in a pinch. On the very outside of the bag there is a smaller zipped compartment for keys, wallet or your breath mints. The opening flap can be used as either a “roll-top” or in a traditional “flap-down” configuration.

The overall construction is a mix of durable weather proof materials (except the expandable fold), with collapsed dimensions of 13″x 19″ x 5″. A carbon fiber frame adds support and the urethane-coated zippers should last a long time. The main straps are padded and about 2.5″ wide with an adjustable-height sternum strap. An optional waist belt is a good addition if your gonna get aggressive on your bike as it adds a measure of stability to the whole system.

I used the Rambler as my commuter / carry a ton of stuff pack. This is not a true hydration pack as it is a bit too heavy and does not breathe that well. But if you’re a person who commutes to work this may be a great solution for carrying an entire change of clothes, a laptop, and a lunch on your bike.

I typically rolled with the Rambler in the zipped up, 1350 cubic inch configuration and looped my tripod on the outside when I was in the city taking pics and stuff. On one occasion while shopping I even fit my heavy Kryptonite lock in one of the sleeves and did some shopping with my DJ bike with no worries about the added weight from the lock.

As you can see from the photos, this is a very rectangular bag which makes it ideal for carting stuff like books and boxy items. The only problem I found is when I carried a bunch of small things they tended to fall to the bottom of the pack which required me to dig to find them again. Perhaps a few small elastic sleeves would really make the main compartment that much more useful. All in all this is a decent pack for those who are riding hard on the urban scene. Heck I even found myself using this bag on the slopes to carry my gear in for some photos of the DH riders on the trail.

Check out the Mission Workshop website – you might be surprised at what else is out there for bikers other than spandex and polyester! The DZR District shoes are available for $85 MSRP and the Rambler Backpack goes for $239.

Thanks to the folks at Mission for sending the gear for review.

In 2007 IMBA rolled out an ambitious plan to create mountain bike “Ride Centers” all around the US and we were curious to hear the latest at the IMBA World Summit. IMBA executive director Mike Van Abel did mention the Ride Center initiative in his keynote presentation but only after speaking at length about the new(er) “Gateway Trail” model.

According to recently collected survey data, mountain bikers are looking for more trails closer to home (no surprise here). While Ride Centers are designed to be “destination trail systems,” they’re typically sited in rural areas where there’s plenty of land to support dozens of miles of singletrack. As such, most mountain bikers need to drive to get to the trails which can limit usage significantly.

Gateway Trails, on the other hand, are designed to be accessible to the widest audience possible, including kids who aren’t old enough to drive yet. The ideal Gateway Trail includes purpose-built singletrack for beginner and intermediate riders and often includes a pump track as well. Like gateway drugs, Gateway Trails are designed to get folks hooked on mountain biking so they’ll want to get their fix on more advanced, epic rides outside of town.

Lately I’ve found myself looking for ways to “ride to the ride” as often as possible and the Gateway Trails model scratches where I itch. Loading the car and fighting traffic after work is often a big hassle and can take some of the fun out of riding. For me, heading out the front door and warming up on the pavement is a welcome change and makes the well deserved singletrack seem that much sweeter.  If only there was more singletrack within say 10 miles of my house (any further than that and I might as well ride my road bike).

Riding to the ride is also great for the environment since it gets more of us out of our cars and onto our bikes. Even if you don’t care about the environmental stuff, consider this: some MTB trailheads are in danger because of crowded parking lots. Just this week we read about a trail system in Idaho where residents are blocking access to trails because they don’t like all the cars parked on the street.

One of the first Gateway Trails IMBA talked about is the Valmont Bike Park in Boulder, CO (IMBA’s backyard, natch). Urban trail systems like those in Richmond, VA are also getting a fresh look, as are projects like the I-5 Collonade trails in Seattle. And don’t forget about Highbridge Park in Manhattan (NYC) – the pump track and trails there are being used by kids who had never heard of mountain biking before.

While we were stoked to hear about the Ride Center focus back in 2007, we’re even more excited about Gateway Trails. Not only are they convenient for old timers, they also bring new riders into the sport and get more folks out of their cars. Talk to your local club about getting on the bandwagon and opening more singletrack in your city!

Smith & Wesson Tactical Police Bike (photo courtesy policebikestore.com)

Drug dealers in Watford, Hertfordshire (UK) are offering 150 British Pounds to anyone who trashes police officer Mark Pearce’s mountain bike. Apparently Pearce and his bike are pretty effective at fighting crime and the local gangs want to put a stop to the dynamic duo. Although the short article I read didn’t offer a lot of details, it does say the bike is equipped with “surveillance equipment, a camera, radio and siren.”

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the effectiveness of police on mountain bikes but it is the first bounty we’ve heard on a bike. Other law enforcement agencies are also employing decoy bikes rigged with GPS transmitters to foil would be bike thieves so clearly the bad guys need to look out.

At the IMBA World Summit last week we learned about the effects of urban MTB trail networks in the bad parts of town and apparently the criminals and junkies aren’t into mountain biking. The I-5 Collonade bike park in Seattle forced junkies to find other places to get high while Ray’s Indoor MTB Park brings a whole new crowd to a previously abandoned warehouse district. No wonder thugs feel like mountain bikes are threatening their livelihood.

Photo from Red Trail Racing flyer. Slick or knobby tires are ok

This weekend we got a chance to attend the Athens Twilight Criterium and even though there weren’t any mountain bikes around we still had a blast. Watching those guys and girls take 90-degree turns at high speed will get anyone’s adrenaline pumping! There were thousands of cheering spectators lining the inside and outside of the 1-km downtown course which was pretty impressive, especially given cycling’s low profile in US sports culture.

Anyway, that got me thinking about mountain biking (which tends to happen at least a few times a day ) and how tough it is to put on a spectator-friendly mountain bike race. That is, unless you invent an urban MTB criterium like Red Trail Racing has done.

Just two weekends ago Red Trail Racing held a mountain bike criterium in downtown Lakeland, FL that sounded like a blast. The circuit course went up 5 levels of a parking garage (that’s 50+ feet of climbing for those keeping track), back to street level, then down the steps outside City Hall before more stairs and a sidewalk climb back to the start. The main event was a competition to see who could complete the most laps in 45 minutes (each lap took 5-6 minutes). Sorta like a short track race but with technical obstacles and urban flavor. There was also a 2-cross trials competition with ramps and plenty of big air.

Don’t get me wrong, I love mountain biking in the woods and in the backcountry but I’m also excited to see mountain biking becoming more accessible as urban courses and events spring up. Anyone else up for putting on an urban MTB crit in their town?

Okay, so this video is a little old (2005) but I thought I’d share it for those who missed it. The video was shot during a Red Bull downhill MTB race event through the streets and narrow alleyways of Taxco, Mexico and features some pretty gnarly stuff. Riders fly down steep stairways, around tight corners into skinny corridors, and through a person’s home at one point. With a little editing this video would make a great chase scene for the next Bond film!