The Cycling Thread

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

McQuaid says there will be no Contador verdict until 2011
UCI President speaks of reduced sentences for "lighter" substances

By: Barry Ryan
Published: December 13, 10:44

Pat McQuaid has said that a verdict in the Alberto Contador case will not be reached before the end of the year. The UCI president also moved to defend his organisation’s secretive handling of the affair in the weeks before Contador publicly revealed that he had returned an adverse analytical finding for Clenbuterol during the Tour de France.

“The UCI has been criticised because it hasn’t communicated on this matter, but it’s not a classic case of doping,” McQuaid told L’Équipe. “At the end of August, along with WADA, we gave Contador the chance to explain himself. Twenty-four hours later, he told us this story of the contaminated meat. We asked some experts to conduct a study to see if his version is credible. There won’t be a decision before the end of the year.”

McQuaid also claimed that while his personal preference was for life bans for doping offences, such measures would be legally difficult to introduce. The UCI will instead seek the introduction of four-year suspensions for EPO positives.

“I’m in favour of increasing the length of the suspension,” he said. “There should be a four-year ban for those who take EPO. We’re going to propose that soon to the national federations and they will need to be on the same page as us because if we had to keep asking for CAS arbitration, it wouldn’t go ahead.”

However, McQuaid favours more lenient penalties for certain other substances and thus appeared to open the door to a potentially reduced sentence for Contador, should he ultimately be sanctioned in the Clenbuterol affair.

“Light and heavy products should be differentiated,” McQuaid explained. “EPO is serious, that should be a four-year ban. Ventoline, for example, that could be six or nine months.”

McQuaid also told L’Équipe that he is happy to welcome back suspended riders who make a visible effort to atone for their transgressions but admitted that not all returning riders have done so. McQuaid expressed his admiration for Ivan Basso’s comeback from suspension for his involvement in Operacion Puerto (“I was very, very happy for him’”) but was less impressed by Vacansoleil’s recruitment of Riccardo Riccò, who returned from a suspension for CERA use in March 2010.

“I’ll just say that the management of that team have been naïve,” McQuaid said. “If were a director sportif, [Riccardo] Riccò would never come to my team.”

Vacansoleil also signed Ezequiel Mosquera, who returned an adverse analytical finding for Hydroxyethyl starch during the Vuelta a España. The UCI recently awarded the team a ProTeam licence for 2011.

In another doping-related matter, McQuaid commented on the most recent doping investigation in Spain. "In Spain, they say there aren't problems. It's not a big surprise for me to have seen Dr. Fuentes' name appear in recent days in a case concerning athletics."

Reducing the Giro and the Vuelta?

The UCI has been criticised in some quarters for the emphasis it places on spreading cycling beyond its traditional European boundaries but McQuaid explained that globalising the sport is a necessity and is dictated in part by the wishes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“Cycling’s history was forged in Europe,” McQuaid said. “But it’s equally our duty to look at the world market. It’s not so much looking to make money as remembering that the Olympic Games are essential to our development in the world.

“The IOC carries out detailed studies on every sport. It introduces new disciplines into the Games and states that cycling is not universal. It puts pressure on us so that it will be, and it’s vital to stay part of the Olympic programme.”

McQuaid outlined that the financial aspect of cycling’s globalisation is also an important concern.

“In order to offer a global market to our sponsors, we need races everywhere,” he explained. “It’s true that the Tour of California clashes with the Giro, and I understand that the Grand Tours would like to have full visibility but that’s not always possible.”

McQuaid went on to admit that the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España could ultimately be reduced if cycling’s worldwide expansion continues

“I think we could reduce the length of the Giro and the Vuelta by a few days,” he said. “The Tour will always last three weeks. We can’t touch the Tour. It’s the biggest race in the world, it’s our shop window."

[Rick Danger]

Weight Training for Cyclists
A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance, 2nd Ed.

Eric Schmitz and Ken Doyle

In addition to the powerful quads and chiseled calves they’re known for, cyclists need strong core muscles and solid upper-body strength to use their power efficiently. Weight Training for Cyclists is the only book available that shows cyclists how they can get stronger to ride stronger.

This revised second edition presents new information on core strength, nutrition, stretching and warm-up. Now comprehensively illustrated with easy-to-follow drawings, the authors explain in clear terms how strength training in the weight room translates to endurance and power on the bike.

With the latest research on strength building buttressed by the most recent and effective equipment innovations, Weight Training for Cyclists presents a series of training plans that require only a fraction of the time that cyclists spend in the saddle. For newcomers and veterans alike, Weight Training for Cyclists will become their fundamental guide to better performance.

Paperback. B&w illustrations throughout
6" x 9", 224 pp., $18.95 US, 978-1-934030-29-5

About Eric Schmitz and Ken Doyle

• Ken Doyle, a licensed coach with the U.S. Cycling Federation, is an exercise physiologist certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He currently coaches a road and a mountain bike team, and is also the head coach of the Santa Barbara Special Olympics Cycling Team.

• Eric Schmitz has a degree in Exercise Physiology and is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is a Level I USAT triathlon coach and the creator of two strength and conditioning DVDs.

[nevermind]

Originally Posted by tabler

Hey guys, Ive done the C2C four times now for various charities. I'm in the middle of building my new mtb from an S-works frame.

If anyone fancies joining me around Easter time, get in touch.

Don't wait up for me tabs....


This is my Carbon S-Works

• frame - fact Carbon
• Fork - Fox X 80
• Rims -Mavic SLR
• Crank - XTR
• Brakes - Juicy Seven
• Casette - XTR
• Front deraileur - XTR
• Rear deraileur - XTR
• Shift levers - XTR
• Bottom bracket - XTR
• handlebar - Ritchey Carbon CWS
• Stem - RItchey Carbon CWS
• Sadlle post - Specialized Carbon
• Pedals - Crankbrothers Candy

Bought the stuff mostly on ebay. took me a year to complete it.
The bike is exact like the one in the folder, except for the brakes.
Specialized price $ 5800. I paid about $ 3100..
Always wanted to have a Scott Scale, but could not get the frame
for a good price so i choosed for a Specialized...


.

[Rick Danger]

Originally Posted by nevermind

Bought the stuff mostly on ebay. took me a year to complete it.

Brilliant !

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

Armstrong’s comeback boosts the Tour de France profits
Financial report reveals ASO's turnover

By: Stephen Farrand
Published: December 15, 11:21

Lance Armstrong’s comeback and his duel with Alberto Contador at the 2009 Tour de France helped boost the profits of race organiser Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO).

The seven-time Tour winner and ASO often had a difficult relationship but Armstrong’s return to the Tour de France helped add $32 million to the company’s turnover as Skoda, Orange and other companies renewed their sponsorship.

The Bloomberg news agency claims to have seen an email of ASO’s filing to a company registry in Nanterre, France. It reports that sales from ASO’s sporting events, which includes the former Paris-Dakar rally, the Paris marathon and their other cycling races, rose 20% to 145.2 million euros ($195.4 million). The Tour’s global television audience increased 10 percent although net income fell 1.2% to 31.8 million euros.

“The Armstrong-Contador duel was certainly not irrelevant to the success” of the race, the company filing said, with the financial targets of the Tour de France slightly surpassed.

Armstrong rode with Contador at the Astana team in 2009. The Spaniard went on to win the race despite tension in the team, with Armstrong finishing third.

Major sponsors of the Tour de France include yellow jersey sponsor LCL Banque, Vittel, Carrefour and Skoda. Nike is the official jersey supplier.

The Tour de France publicity caravan consists of 160 vehicles representing 33 brands and gives out 16 million gifts each year according to ASO. Costs for the vehicles in the caravan range from 200,000 to 500,000 Euro.

The Tour de France is broadcast by 121 different television channels in 186 countries.

[Rick Danger]

www.mountainbike.com

The 11 for '11
New bikes for a new year. Anything can happen.

Every year, when new model-year bikes are introduced, there are a handful that stop us in our tracks. This year, it's a little more than two handfuls. We aren't promising that the eleven bikes featured here are revolutionary—they're too new to know for sure—but we've had the chance to take short rides on every one of them, and they're each worthy of your attention.




Specialized S-Works Epic Carbon 29ER
PRICE: $9,400 WEIGHT: 22 lb. (M) INFO: specialized.com

If you need proof that Specialized is now fully behind large-diameter wheels, take a look at the new S-Works Epic Carbon 29er. The frame is all carbon, right down to the proprietary 142x12mm rear thru-axle dropouts. The Roval wheels have tubeless-ready molded carbon rims to add stiffness and shave weight. Up front, the custom Specialized/RockShox Reba 29 fork has Specialized's Brain inertia-valve lockout, as well as a carbon crown and steerer. A slightly altered rear link reduces pedal feedback, so the bike relies less on the Brain's lockout for efficiency. (The fork has reduced platform, as well.). The changes create a more responsive ride, especially on low-amplitude bumps, without sacrificing speed on smoother trails. The frame is near perfect—stiff where it has to be and compliant where it should be—making this 29er a shoo-in as one of the best XC bikes ever.

Why: Cutting-edge technology and redesigned suspension make this bike a winner.



Trek Fuel EX 9.9
PRICE: $7,870 WEIGHT: 22 lb. (M, claimed) INFO: trekbikes.com

The Fuel EX frame is now 100 percent carbon, and the full SRAM XX group brings the total weight of this 120mm-travel bike down to 22 pounds. Stiffness increases, too, thanks in part to a 142x12mm thru-axle rear end. Up front, a custom piston-and-shim arrangement, says Trek, makes the Fox 32 FIT fork more responsive and better matched to the proprietary DRCV shock. The rebound tuning of the shock has been tweaked for better big-hit control, as well. Our preview ride on the 2011 EX 9.9 reaffirmed our feelings about the high-end machine. As trail bikes go, it leans toward the cross-country end of the spectrum. However, it's also stiff and stable enough to bomb technical descents with confidence, and so light and efficient that it would be a fantastic choice for a marathon or 24-hour event.

Why: Refinements to this XC-oriented trail bike make it more fun to ride than ever.



Cannodale Jekyll Ultimate
PRICE:$8,000 WEIGHT: 25.4 lb. (M) INFO: cannondale.com

The Jekyll is back and set to turn the trail category on its head thanks to its Fox-designed and manufactured DYAD RT2 pull shock. A bar-mounted lever lets the rider choose between the 150mm Flow travel mode or the 90mm Elevate mode, which reduces sag by 40 percent for a better climbing position and higher bottom bracket. The bike will be available in less-expensive aluminum models, but the higher-end all-carbon versions have a claimed frame weight of 4.5 pounds. We found the Jekyll to have an incredibly broad range of capabilities. Elevate mode offers a firm feel that keeps the rear wheel clawing away while minimizing excess movement. Unleash the shock and the bike doesn't just "Flow," it rips like no other Cannondale trail bike before. The dual-threat shock has the potential to wed ride-everything utility with genuine climbing prowess, and that flexibility raises the bar for how good a 150mm-travel bike can be.

Why: The innovative shock brings this two-faced bike to life—in a very good way.



Scott Genius LT 10
PRICE: $6,500 WEIGHT: 30 lb. (M) INFO: scott-sports.com

Scott's latest take on all-mountain aggression replaces the company's Ransom and boasts big travel at 185mm. The travel is easily controlled by the Twinloc bar-mounted system, which switches the third-generation DT Swiss-made pull shock from locked out to 110mm traction mode to full travel with a flick of a lever. Plus, the new one-piece IMP5 carbon mainframe keeps the bike light—Scott claims it has the best travel-to-weight ratio in the class. The low overall weight paired with climbing-friendly lockout and traction modes makes this long-travel trail bike effective on the climbs. However, the Genius LT 10 is a real magic-maker when the trail turns down. With its generous travel and lower, slacker poise, it inspires reckless line choices.

Why: Flip a lever and this bike goes from climbing specialist to downhill maniac.



Yeti 575
PRICE: $1,800 (frame only); $2,900-$5,500 (complete); $4,500 (25th Anniversary, complete) WEIGHT: 7.1 lb. (frame only) INFO: yeticycles.com

It's Yeti's 25th anniversary, and the company has celebrated by lavishing a host of refinements upon the 5.75-inch-travel 575. The updated bike embraces current standards: a tapered head tube, ISCG mounts for the chainguide, and cable guides for dropper posts. A beefy new swingarm is designed to take a direct-mount front derailleur; the back end features Yeti's chip system for 142x12mm thru-axle or 135mm compatibility. There are also new colors and graphics, including a limited run of 250 frames in throwback paint schemes with matching components. With geometry and suspension untouched, the 575 retains the ride that made it popular, but with improved stiffness and some weight gain. It's a scrappy climber and a scorching descender that feels at home on almost any trail no matter how buff or technical.

Why: Key updates make Yeti's most-popular bike even more desirable.



Santa Cruz V-10 Carbon
PRICE: $3,000 (frame only, includes Cane Creek AngleSet); $5,175 and up (complete); $7,800 (limited edition Team Syndicate replica) WEIGHT: 9.1 lb. (M frame w/RockShox Vivid R2C shock INFO: santacruz.com

With a new carbon front triangle, Santa Cruz's successful V-10 frame lost a pound and gained adjustable geometry, adjustable travel, bigger bearings, bigger axles, a longer-stroke shock and strength over the old aluminum model. We had an opportunity to ride a prototype 34-pound V-10 Carbon. Once we started using a lighter touch, we began to appreciate the Carbon's low-slung frame and heroic stiffness. Despite its suspension changes, the Carbon rides a lot like the old V-10: Part of the magic is having 10 inches of travel with geometry similar to 8-inch-travel frames. As for the complaint that the V-10 lacked snap and was too plush for less demanding courses: There's a new 8.5-inch-travel setting for that. And the best news of all? There's essentially no price increase with the new bike.

Why: Stiffer, stronger, lighter and more adjustable than last year's model.



Giant Trance X2
PRICE: $2,650 WEIGHT: 28.5 lb. (M) INFO: giant-bicycles.com

Over the past four years, the aggressive offspring of the popular Trance model has become Giant's most successful bike, which the company has redesigned for 2011 to address riders' demands for slacker head tubes, stiffer frames and less weight. The bike features a 69-degree head tube—a half-degree slacker than the previous version—designed to fit a tapered steerer tube. The oversized down tube increases stiffness, especially at the bottom bracket area. The remaining tubes give a classic front-triangle look, and Giant shaved 73 grams from the frame while increasing stiffness throughout. Although rear-wheel travel remains at 127mm, the bike descends more capably and feels comfortable on all but the steepest terrain. Fortunately, the Trance X still has the responsive handling and excellent pedaling characteristics of its predecessors, which should make it one of the top trail bikes of 2011.

Why: One of the top trail bikes just became even more versatile.



Norco Range SE
PRICE: $6,925 WEIGHT: 26.7 lb. (M) INFO: norco.com

Norco's new 160mm-travel, all-mountain Range SE really does have range, thanks at least in part to the company's Advanced Ride Technology (ART) suspension platform. It's still an FSR-licensed, modified Horst-link bike, but the pivot placement has been optimized to allow the rear wheel to travel 20 percent more rearward than the company's previous suspension design. This delivers greater anti-squat when climbing and more linear suspension travel to absorb square-edge bumps when descending. Our first taste of the Range was on its home turf, Vancouver's North Shore. The bike delivered a dynamic, bob-free ride on long climbs and devoured rocky and steep downhills—including some surprise five-foot drops off the top of the Pipeline Trail that would normally call for a few more inches of travel. Not bad for a sub-27-pound bike.

Why: It has six inches of plush travel, but is still efficient enough for climbing.



GT Sanction One
PRICE: $5,350 WEIGHT: 34.4 lb. (M, claimed) INFO: gtbicycles.com

After a one-year absence, the Sanction is back as an enduro-style all-mountain bike that's better equipped for pedaling than its forefathers, thanks to a reduction in weight and smart component upgrades. Anyone doubting this bike's climbing pedigree need look only at the shock. In place of the heavier Fox RC4 air shock of the past is the new Fox RP23, which is nearly as plush but weighs a half-pound less with a better pedaling platform. The updated Sanction also comes with an adjustable-height seatpost, tapered head tube and SRAM X0 2x9 setup with bashguard and chain guide. A few brief test rides showed that the 150mm-travel bike is stiff, smooth and surprisingly nimble, especially on long, flowing, bermed descents. Though it tackled biggerhit stuff well (aided by a custom shock tune), it's obvious that the new Sanction is designed less for hucking and more for pedaling, railing corners and ripping down steep, technical trails.

Why: Downhill prowess and pedal-friendly lightness come in one package.



Pivot Mach 5.7 XTR Ultralite
PRICE: $6,300; $1,995 (frame) WEIGHT: 25 lb. (M, claimed) INFO: pivotcycles.com

Pivot's Mach 5 morphs into the new Mach 5.7 for 2011 and has a more-aggressive attitude to go with its additional .7 inches of rear wheel travel. The redesigned frame is stiffer—and a half-pound lighter—than the old model, and a flatter spring curve gives a plusher overall suspension feel. Geometry gets a significant tweak, too, with a more-relaxed head angle, taller head tube and .4-inch-lower bottom bracket. Initial concerns that the bike might not have the original's ultra-crisp pedaling performance were immediately erased when we tested the 5.7 on Moab's Sovereign Trail: It still drives forward with the efficiency that made us fans of the Mach 5. The boost in frame stiffness is noticeable, especially in the front end—a nice touch because the plusher suspension and geometry say "attack" like never before.

Why: More travel, with the same snappy pedaling as its beloved predecessor.



Orbea Rallon 30
PRICE: $4,200 WEIGHT: 30.1 lb. (M) INFO: orbea.com

Like GT's Sanction, this 150mm-travel bike is intended for all-mountain riding and Megavalanche-style enduro racing. Its beauty is in the details. The Rallon uses a tuned-linkage single-pivot suspension, but Orbea's engineers spent two years poring over mountains of data—right down to the effect of tire pressure on shock performance—to identify the optimal spring curve and placement of the pivots. This intense focus on small details is carried throughout, from the manipulated frame tubes to the cartridge bearings on the pivots. The suspension delivers a supple, active feel and then progresses smoothly through its travel. At 7 pounds with shock, the frame is relatively light for a bike with this much travel. The Rallon is also surprisingly quick, thanks to chainstays that are only 2mm longer than those on Orbea's Alma carbon hardtail. If our early rides are any indication, this is a bike worth checking out.

Why: It's the most exciting full-suspension Orbea yet.

[Rick Danger]

An old film star gets an update..........

MASI GRAN CRITERIUM
Bike Tests
Road Bike Action
November 9, 2010



Gracing the big screen in 1979, the Academy Award-winning "Breaking Away" still remains one of the greatest films about cycling ever made. Taking place in a small Indiana town outside Indiana University, actor Dennis Christopher (Dave Stoller) rode a 1978 Gran Criterium in the movie, which culminated in a personal battle between himself and the Cinzano Italian team (Christian Vande Velde’s dad was one of the Italians on a Colnago). Dave Stoller extols the virtues of the Gran Criterium in the movie: “It floats over small bumps...as if the bike is barely touching the ground.” Almost 40 years after the first Masi Gran Criterium graced the roads of the United States, the 2010 version emerges with a few new features. If you haven’t seen the movie, rent it. Actually, buy it. It will change your life and make you want to become Italian. And, it just may be the final push that convinces you to purchase the modern version of the Masi Gran Criterium.



THE FRAME
While the 1978 Gran Criterium used a Columbus lugged steel frame, the new version uses a Masi 7005-T6 SLX custom- formed aluminum frame, mated to VDS (Vibration Damping System) carbon seat stays and chainstays. The cockpit is handled by Ritchey Pro Logic bars, a Ritchey Pro 4-Axis stem and Masi SLR saddle with chromoly rails. The wheels are Ritchey Zeta Pros with Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. And, the paint and decals are vintage 1978 and look it. The build and geometry are traditional and tight, and help give the Masi handling to match its pedigree.



A head badge full of history to complement a modern bike.

THE RIDE
Sweet. Seriously. If you have the means, this bike is really fun to ride. So the history and the movie and the cool paint do play a part in the personality of the bike, but it is snappy, comfortable and more than able to handle anything you throw at it. SRAM Rival, for the price, continues to overachieve in the shifting department, and the bike just has a great feel to it. The Gran Criterium is part of Masi’s lore and, yes, you can spend hours upon hours reading about Masi history and the interplay between frame builders and who built what and when in Italy or San Diego.

But, if you didn’t know about "Breaking Away" or realize the status of Masi not only in the minds of cycling historians but in the constant hunt for authenticity and classic bikes, the 2010 Gran Criterium will still impress you. We have a stable of bikes in the RBA compound, and few, if any, are as fun to ride at this price as the Masi Gran Criterium. It’s interesting to note that "Breaking Away" was the movie that got many bike industry veterans out on a bicycle for the first time or reminded them that a life of riding is a life worth living. Dave Stoller’s mom and dad say it best in a classic scene:

"Mom: He was very sickly until he started riding around on that bicycle.
Dad: Yeah...well...now his body is fine, but his mind is gone!"

House brand parts fill out the Gran Criterium's seating quarters.

BONUS POINTS
• Carbon rear triangle adds a modern ride quality.
• 40-year history of the model.
• Fun. Fun. Fun to ride.
• Troves of Masi lore to pour over on the Internet.
• The brown/orange paint and authentic decals.

THE STATS
Price: $2120
Sizes: 51, 53, 56, 58 and 60 centimeters
Weight: 18 pounds
Info: MasiBikes.com

[Rick Danger]

2011 Cannondale SuperX HammerTime
14.5lbs of ‘Cross Fury

BikeRumor.com
posted by Tyler Benedict, Editor
July 8, 2010, 7am UTC

While the main focus of Cannondale’s press camp was the new Jekyll and Scalpel, they had a few other new bikes floating around, like their new 2011 SuperX HammerTime cyclocross bike.

Weighing in at a feathery 14.5lbs (without pedals. 1,400g frameset), this is one of those bikes that just makes you laugh when you pick it up. It’s so light, it feels unreal, and yet here it is, completely spec’d out and ready to race.

As they’ve done with several other models, the new SuperX borrows from the frame technology Cannondale developed for the Flash hardtail mountain bikes. It uses their wide, flat SAVE stays to give a little vertical flex over the bumps, and the top tube flows around the seat tube and into the stays. On the SuperX, that junction flattens out a bit on the bottom to make shouldering the bike over barriers and up climbs a little easier.



The seat- and chainstays are wide and flat and designed to flex safely up and down by a few millimeters. The bottom of the top tube angles up as it meets the seat tube, providing a little nook for your shoulder.



Shown from the top, you can see how much wider they are than tall. You can also see the color-matched Fizik Tundra2 saddle and FSA post.



The SuperX frame is made of Cannondale’s BallisTec carbon fiber, just like on the Jekyll, so here’s the description from that bike:

Made in Japan, the ballistic carbon fiber used in the Jekyll is military spec, used in anti-ballistic equipment, and Cannondale has to sign off and account for every kilo of fiber. In fact, Cannondale's Murray Washburn, global product marketing manager, said you could take a hammer and smack the frame hard and there would be no damage. One of their German engineers has even taken a hatchet and hit the downtime and it didn't break the fibers.

By using BallisTec fibers, they've created a carbon frame that's lighter and stronger than aluminum and more dent resistant than steel.

Likely, if that carbon is good enough for a 6" travel all (oops, “over”) mountain bike, it should stand up to the rigors of ‘cross just fine.



One more look at this section also shows the custom rear brake cable hanger.



And another good look at the stays’ flattened flex section.



Keeping the SuperX’s ride quick and efficient is a wide downtube that meets almost the full width of the BB30 bottom bracket shell. Unlike many ‘cross bikes that run all cable on the top tube and rely on a pulley mechanism to re-route the cable to work with bottom-pull (ie. all) front derailleurs, C’dale runs both derailleur cables along the bottom. This probably saves a bit of weight, but it could makes things a bit gritty if that cable guide gets gummed up with mud. This would be a good time for some Gore Ride-On sealed cables.



The seattube flares out at the bottom, adding contact area to further limit lateral flex. As we’ve learned, too, wider and fatter tubes usually translate into less total material needed and better dispersion of stress across the area.



Up front, the headtube is tapered 1-1/8″ to 1-1/4″ with a full carbon fork.



Check the big mud clearance the fork has around the tire.



What you just drooled over was the 2011 Cannondale SuperX SRAM Red, their new top of the line model. There will still be some CAAD9 aluminum cyclocross bikes offered, but they’ll be below two SuperX carbon bikes.

The SRAM Red version will retail for $7,499 US and spec’d as shown here (HollowGram SL cranks on the FSA Rings, Vittoria tubular 320tpi Cross Evo XM tires plus what’s on the list above). Sure, that seems crazy expensive for a bike that’s only ridden for about 1/3 of the year, but think of it this way: You could pay more for a road bike that’s not this light, and all you’d have to do is throw some regular tires on during the Spring, Summer and Fall and ride the you-know-what out of it. You’d look so hardcore, too.

There’s also a Rival spec’d version for $3,749 that includes Mavic Ksyrium Equipe clinchers and weighs in at 16.7lbs. Aluminium CAADX models will come with either SRAM Rival or Shimano Ultegra, 105 or Tiagra builds, with complete bike prices ranging from $1,179 to $1,919.

[Rick Danger]

The website Singletracks.com had it's members rank the World's best mountain bike trails using a propreitary ranking algorithm. The best bike trails were rated by weighing the average trail rating, number of members who had ridden the trail, number of members who wanted to ride the trail, and the number of times the trail has been ridden by members.

In reviewing this list I noted that none of the trails chosen are outside of the United States. So clearly this is a subjective list, but perhaps useful for discussion purposes. If anyone has ridden any of these trails, I'm sure the rest of us would appreciate first hand knowledge of your experience. Ditto if you are outside the USA, please feel free to add your favorite trail(s) to the mix.

So, for what it's worth, here is the SingleTracks.com Top 100:

1 Buffalo Creek - Pine, Colorado
2 Trail 401 - Crested Butte, Colorado
3 Slickrock - Moab, Utah
4 Porcupine Rim - Moab, Utah
5 Forest Of Nisene Marks & Soquel Demonstration Forest - Santa Cruz, California
6 Alafia River State Park - Brandon, Florida
7 Monarch Crest Trail - Salida, Colorado
8 Tsali Right Loop - Bryson City, North Carolina
9 Colorado Trail / Green Mountain - Deckers, Colorado
10 Tsali Left Loop - Bryson City, North Carolina
11 Unicoi State Park - Helen, Georgia
12 Hole In The Ground - Truckee, California
13 Bull / Jake Mountain - Dahlonega, Georgia
14 Pinhoti Trail, Armuchee to Dug Gap - Dalton, Georgia
15 Bent Creek - Asheville, North Carolina
16 Barr Trail (Pikes Peak) - Manitou Springs, Colorado
17 Alpine Tunnel - St. Elmo, Colorado
18 Bootleg Canyon - Boulder City, Nevada
19 Fountainhead Regional Park - Fairfax, Virginia
20 Colorado Trail / Kenosha To Breckenridge - Breckenridge, Colorado
21 Colorado Trail / South Platte To Buffalo Creek - Deckers, Colorado
22 Chutes and Ladders - Fruita, Colorado
23 1st 2nd 3rd Divide - Downieville, California
24 Oleta State Park - Miami, Florida
25 Stanley Gap - Blue Ridge, Georgia
26 Potawatomi Trail - Pinckney, Michigan
27 Mountaintown Creek Trail - Ellijay, Georgia
28 Elk Park Trail - Colorado Springs, Colorado
29 Dupont State Forest - Brevard, North Carolina
30 Hawes Loop - Mesa, Arizona
31 Palo Duro Td - Canyon, Texas
32 Santos Ocala, Florida
33 Flying J Ranch - Conifer, Colorado
34 Syllamo Trails - Mountain View, Arkansas
35 Fort Custer Recreation Area - Augusta, Michigan
36 Tahoe Rim Trail: Kingsbury South To Armstrong Pass South - Lake Tahoe, California
37 Blankets Creek Bicycle Trail - Woodstock, Georgia
38 Berryman - Steelville, Missouri
39 Downieville Downhill - Downieville, California
40 Dadd Gulch - Fort Collins, Colorado
41 Chicopee Woods - Gainesville, Georgia
42 Bicycle Post Trails - Greenville, North Carolina
43 Wheeler Loop - Frisco/Breckenridge, Colorado
44 Forks Area Trail System (FATS) - Clarks Hill, South Carolina
45 Lewis River - Cougar, Washington
46 Big Laguna Trail San Diego, California
47 Joaquin Miller - Oakland, California
48 Teocalli Ridge - Crested Butte, Colorado
49 Kingdom Trails - St. Johnsbury, Vermont
50 Geisinger Trails - Danville, Pennsylvania
51 Phil's World - Cortez, Colorado
52 Aqueduct Trail - Keystone, Colorado
53 Gauley Headwaters - Slatyfork, West Virginia
54 Noble Canyon - San Diego, California
55 Montana De Oro - San Luis Obispo, California
56 Landahl Park Reseve - Blue Springs, Missouri
57 Schultz Creek - Flagstaff, Arizona
58 Alum Creek Phase II - Lewis Center, Ohio
59 Land Locked Forest - Burlington, Massachusetts
60 Hubbard Cave Complex - Glenwood Springs, Colorado
61 Tsali Thompson Loop - Bryson City, North Carolina
62 Catawba Mtb Park, US National Whitewater Center - Charlotte, North Carolina
63 Coopers Rock - Morgantown, West Virginia
64 Univ. of North Carolina - Charlotte Campus Trails - Charlotte, North Carolina
65 Farmdale Reservoir Recreation Area - East Peoria, Illinois
66 Turnbull Canyon - Whittier, California
67 Walnut Creek - Charlottesville, Virginia
68 Berry College - Rome, Georgia
69 Mckenzie River Trail - Eugene, Oregon
70 Western Rim - Fruita, Colorado
71 RCA trails - Rocky Point, New York
72 Novi Tree Farm (Lakeshore Park) - Novi, Michigan
73 Levis Mounds - Neillsville, Wisconsin
74 The Rock Trail - Gainesville, Florida
75 Centennial Trail - Sturgis, South Dakota
76 Maah Daah Hey - Medora, North Dakota
77 Lynn Woods Reservation - Lynn, Massachusetts
78 Pachecho Falls - Gilroy, California
79 Brush Creek - Ocoee, Tennessee
80 Shindagin Hollow - Ithaca, New York
81 Tahoe Rim Trail, Tahoe Meadows To Tunnel Cr Rd (flume Tr) - Reno/Tahoe, Nevada
82 Siue - Edwardsville, Illinois
83 Chuck Lennon Park - De Leon Springs, Florida
84 Monte Sano State Park - Huntsville, Alabama
85 Waltham Trail - Fort Collins, Colorado
86 Devil's Gulch - Cashmere, Washington
87 The Powerlines - Gainesville, Florida
88 Hanging Dog - Murphy, North Carolina
89 Snow Park Loop - Park City, Utah
90 12 Miles Of Hell - Lawton, Oklahoma
91 Naylor Mill Park - Salisbury/ Delmar, Maryland
92 Lake Murray State Park - Ardmore, Oklahoma
93 Mammoth Mountain Resort - Mammoth Lakes, California
94 Rattlesnake Gulch - Boulder, Colorado
95 Gabrielino Trail - Los Angeles, California
96 Platte River - Louisville, Nebraska
97 Tranquility - Omaha, Nebraska
98 Council Bluffs Trail - Potosi, Missouri
99 Bobsled - Salt Lake City, Utah
100 Slaughter Pen Trail - Bentonville, Arkansas

[dill99]

More and more, the MTB community is embracing the 29 inch wheel. Not only does it implement an overall faster ride, it gives the bike a sleeker look. There are some practical factors of the wider diameter to take into consideration as well. When riding over potholes and uneven surfaces, the wider wheelbase doesn't lend itself to absorbing all of the shock of the obstacle as a 26 inch wheel would. And, the frame geo of a 29er is a bit longer, which allows for a much more comfortable ride. I'm not all hunched over on my FUJI (see earlier posts) as I have been on my older MTBs. Plus, the 29 inch size MTBs are still, for the most part, moderately priced, as the consumer base is not yet familiar with the new tech. Have a go around on that S-WORKS 29er that Rick posted and I think you'll discover a whole new riding experience.