The LapelEau is a magnetic tether reel system, which holds the tube of a hydration pack in place, but it allows to be freely pulled or retracted as desired, and retails for $12.00. The US made reels come from the originators of the classic badge reel, which have been used for many years to secure employee badges. I can’t count how many times I have played around with my company badge, zinging it up and down like a yo-yo. The reel uses a military spec 3-strand nylon parachute thread, that has been cycled over 180,000 times, so it should have great durability.

I have used similar tube tethering systems from other hydration companies, such as Hydrapak’s Quantum Clip, but I quickly became enamored with the LapelEau due to it’s excellent functionality.

The LapelEau connects onto the shoulder harness of a hydration pack a couple of inches below the sternum strap or on the sternum strap itself, using a simple Velcro loop. The loop keeps it snugly in place, without any undue movement or creeping. There is a small clip at the reel end that clasps onto the tube, which might take some effort to install depending on the tube’s thickness. To prevent the hydration tube from flopping around when your riding and bouncing along on the trail, they use a set of Neodymium ring magnets at the tube clip, which provides just enough force to keep the tube in place, but still makes it easy to pull it when desired. Neodymium magnets (Nd₂Fe₁₄B) are the most powerful permanent magnets on the market, and a few grams can lift a thousand times its own weight. Neodymium magnets are used in microphones, loudspeakers, headphones, guitar and bass guitar pick-ups, computer hard disks and electric motor for hybrid vehicles, like the Toyota Prius. Due to the strength of the magnets, they even warn you to keep cell phones, credit cards and electronics away from them, else some bad mojo might happen (not tested).

Whenever you want a drink, grab the bite valve and gently pull it towards your mouth, with the reel offering just a subtle amount of resistance. When you’re done, let the bite valve go, and the cord retracts it back into the reel, and the magnets snap things down. On occasion, the magnets didn’t completely lock together, but everything stayed close enough not to cause any issues. I really liked the system, as it was a breeze to use, and keep the tube out of the way, and prevented it from flopping around, which was especially nice on rugged terrain. Anytime, you wanted a drink, you knew exactly where the bite valve was located, so you never had to hunt around for it. Do you know where you hose is located? I never had any issues with bushes or branches grabbing onto the cord, so I can’t comment much on that hazard.

Bottom Line
It’s a great system, that is cheap, and offers excellent functionality, keeping the hose in place, and the bite valve in the same exact location with superb extension and retraction for it from the reel

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Easy to use and install
• Prevents hose from flopping around
• Always know where the bite valve is located
• The reels extension and retraction work flawlessly

Cons

• Cord might catch on things (never had it happen)
• Sometimes the magnets don’t completely close (very minor)

Overall Rating: 5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

LifeProof recently released a bike and bar mount for their iPhone LifeProof case, which is a waterproof, snowproof, dustproof and shockproof case. The new mount fits a wide range of bike and motorsport bars, so you can take your iPhone on and off road, and into adverse conditions and environments. The synchronicity of the case and mount, allow you to use cycling GPS apps and normal mobile usage while riding a bike, extending the usefulness of your iPhone.

LifeProof Bike & Bar Mount
The mount is made from a tough high-impact resistant plastic, and it snugly cradles the iPhone case on its back, corners and top edge, without any undue movement. It clamps down with an easy to use handlebar clamp that has three rubber size adapters for varying bar thickness. The thinnest adapter will allow it clamp to fit onto most stems, though I was unable to use it on any of my oversize or irregular shaped stems, as it was too narrow for them. It pivots and locks down using a ball and socket gimbal system, much like a RAM mount, so the angle can easily be adjusted for personal preferences.

It was simple to pop the iPhone in and out of the unit using the top clip-in clasp, as well as the handlebar clamp, making for easy swap outs. It also didn’t need to be over tightened to keep it from moving, but the mount and iPhone aren’t that heavy, so nothing was really torquing things around much. I banged it around on some ugly heinous terrain, through teeth jarring rock gardens, in which the unit was subjected to some severe oscillations, and the iPhone remained rock solid and stable in the mount. Although the mount is designed specifically for their case, other rugged and durable iPhone case types might also fit, but I didn’t test them for sizing constraints nor fit.

Measured Specs:

• Bar mount – 69.6 grams + 10.2 grams or 8.4 grams or 3.7 grams for each adapter band

Conclusions
The unit is robust, easy to use and adjust, and held their iPhone case in a secure and stable manner, though it would be nice to have a way to attach it to oversize mountain-bike stems. I liked how simple it was to pop the case out of the unit, and that it went right back in and remained sturdy and immobile. I crashed a number of times and hit the mount pretty hard, and although it tweaked it out of position, it didn’t cause any damage. I was truly amazed how freakin’ secure and bombproof this held the case, even on the most rugged and gnarly trails, and it never seemed to waver out of place and remained stable, and it retails for a decent $39.95.

Strengths

• Durable and rugged
• Easy to use – bar clamp and case
• Adaptable to multiple bar sizes
• Secure and stable

Weaknesses

• It won’t fit irregular and oversize stems
• Designed for their iPhone case – not tested with other cases?

Overall Rating: 5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

LifeProof Bike and Bar Mount Specs:

• MSRP: $39.95
• Website: http://www.lifeproof.com/lifeproof-store/apple-accessories/bike-mount
• Light weight honeycomb construction with premium high-impact materials for optimal strength to weight ration
• Accepts LifeProof iPhone 4 + iPhone 4S case
• Use your performance and navigation apps in real-time
• All buttons and features accessible in mount, including speaker and microphone.
• Fits wide range of bars and bar-stems
• Adjustable for portrait or landscape orientation
• One-handed release latch for fast insertion and removal of LifeProof case
• Integrated lock switch to prevent unwanted removal of iPhone.
• Rear camera compatible – can be adjusted to vertical angle suitable for video recording activities
• Accepts phone facing in or out
• Compatible with Bluetooth headsets
• Gimbal ball-head allows for the fine adjustment of viewing angle
• Suitable for any use in any weather, seawater, dirt, and snow, including high vibration environments

LifeProof iPhone Case
The LifeProof iPhone 4/4S case is waterproof, snowproof, dustproof and shockproof, and protects the iPhone from abusive encounters with the environment and anything else you can toss at it. The case is around 1/16 inch thick, so it adds a tad more thickness than most other brands, but offers far more robustness and durability. The iPhone inserts tightly into the case, and then gets squeezed in snugly when the halves are closed together, and it takes some decent compression to get all the edges snapped completely shut and seal the waterproof gasket. Once everything is closed up tight, the case is immune to the average hazards tossed at it. To reopen the case, use a quarter or nickel to pry it open, and then it can be peeled apart, and the phone can be popped out. I opened and closed the case quite a few times, and it’s a pretty simple affair to do, just make sure the gasket is clean for complete waterproofness.

Using the touchscreen works pretty well, though on occasion, it takes additional effort to get the icons to work, as they can be less responsive. My kids could still play games on the phone, so I know that the interface was working decently enough for them to be entertained. It’s supposed to work with another screen protector underneath it, but I found the two protectors would stick together and cause clarity issues. In really bright light conditions, out in the full sunshine, the screen is a bit too glossy, and can make it more difficult to view things. The speaker and microphone covers utilize a Gore-Tex membrane, and they work surprisingly well, while still retaining their water and dirt protection qualities. While listening to music the back of the case works as a bass reinforcement device, and you can feel it slamming along like a mini subwoofer, and I thought that was a pretty trick feature. The buttons for volume work well, and the silence switch does its job, though it felt slightly stiff when used. To interface to the headphone jack, there is a watertight screw port, and a special adapter to run accessories, such as waterproof headphones. To use the power or docking port, you just flip the bottom closure flap down, and it’s accessed, although when inserting the plug, the flap gets in the way and there isn’t much maneuvering room due to the tolerances. I ran into an issue when trying to use my car power plugs to charge up the phone, as none of them would fit into the case’s tight recess, so I had to take the case apart to charge the iPhone. It was mildly annoying, but only took a few moments to take the case apart, as long as you had a large coin handy. I finally got a simple USB car charger that just allowed me to use the default iPhone plug, which fortunately doesn’t have any connection issues into the case.

I dropped the phone from 3 feet in the air, and it certainly seemed to offer considerable protection, but I didn’t test the extreme waterproofness (take it under water), so I’ll take their word on it. I got the unit into some hefty rain and snow storms, and plenty of dirt and mud have been thrown up on it, and it has been none the worse from the abuse.

Measured Specs:

• iPhone Case – 31.7 grams

Conclusions
The slim case is rugged and abuse proof, and can offer some serious protection from drops, dirt and water, while still offering full access to the buttons, touchscreen, camera and phone. The touchscreen is too glossy, making it somewhat difficult to view in bright light conditions, and it can be tougher to engage icons and text, but the additional protection is worth the compromises, especially if you use the phone in adverse environments. It’s not cheap at $79.99, but I liked the case, and really appreciated that I don’t have to worry about babying my precious iPhone, as I know it’s well protected.

Pros:

• Durable and rugged
• Back of case offers sound reinforcement
• Slim and light
• Waterproof, snowproof, dustproof and shockproof

Cons:

• Glossy screen can be difficult to view in bright light
• Touchscreen can be less responsive
• Power port recess is tight and might not fit all plugs – especially car chargers
• Expensive

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

LifeProof iPhone 4/4S Case Specs:

• MSRP: $79.99
• Website: http://www.lifeproof.com/lifeproof-store/apple-cases/iphone-4-g2
  
• Colors: black, pink, purple, white
• Case Dimensions: 2.6″ (W) x 5.08″ (L) x 0.42″ (D) inner, 0.52″(D) outer edge (66mm (W) x 129mm (L) x 10.8mm (D), 13.3mm (D) outer edge)
• Case Weight: 0.98 oz. (28g)
• Operational Depth: 6.6 feet (2 meters) underwater maximum
• Drop Height: 6.6 feet (2 meters) maximum
  
• Protection
  • Protects against every-day hazards—full IP-68 rating against water and dust, and designed to Military Specifications
  • High degree of shock and impact protection—tested to Military Specifications MIL-STD-810F-516.5 (2 meters/6.6ft drop on all surfaces and edges. 26 tests)
  • Fully sealed protection against minute dust particles
• Freedom
  • Ability to swim and take underwater (2 meters/6.6ft depth). Optional adapter allows use of waterproof headphones underwater
  • Mil-Spec protection that allows you to go anywhere, anytime, and do anything with carefree freedom
• Beauty
  • Ultra-slim and adds only 1/16” (1.5mm) when measured from the center of the phone
• Convenience
  • Weighs less than an ounce (28g).
  • Unique combination of materials that will not stick to your pocket
  • Compatible with all iPhone 4′s and 4S’s (International, AT&T and Verizon).
• Full Functionality
  • Double AR-coated optical glass lenses provide unprecedented crystal-clear photo and video quality
  • All phone features are operational while maintaining a high level of protection
  • Improves the bass and mid-frequency speaker response by utilizing the back of the case as a sub-woofer for a richer, fuller sound.

These mountain-bike fenders from the German SKS company, are part of their oversized line, and are meant for big fat meaty tires in mud and rain. The fenders are easy and quick to install and remove, have ultra wide coverage, and are made from a high quality dual compound plastic. I have used them throughout the Summer, Fall and part of the Winter, and they have been outstanding, and have kept me from getting the brunt of water, slush, snow, dirt, and mud during inclement and atrocious weather conditions. I was most appreciative of the fenders during high speed runs, when you weren’t constantly bombarded by flung up dirt and mud.

GRAND D.A.D.
The GRAND D.A.D. or Dual Adjustible Dirtboard, is their fork based fender, and is designed for 26-inch tires. The fender is 24 inches long and 4 inches wide, and use’s a dual-compound plastic, with a softer and flexible gray section at the rear. It clamps on by inserting a wedge system into the bottom of the fork’s crown, and the included hardware kit has adapters for 1 inch to 1.5 inch diameter steerer tubes. The insertion system has a quick-release connection, and has front and rear horizontal adjustment, and front vertical adjustments to fit a variety of forks and frames. It comes in basic Black, and retails for $35.

GRAND D.A.D.
The GRAND D.A.D. or Dual Adjustible Dirtboard, is their fork based fender, and is designed for 26-inch tires. The fender is 24 inches long and 4 inches wide, and use’s a dual-compound plastic, with a softer and flexible gray section at the rear. It clamps on by inserting a wedge system into the bottom of the fork’s crown, and the included hardware kit has adapters for 1 inch to 1.5 inch diameter steerer tubes. The insertion system has a quick-release connection, and has front and rear horizontal adjustment, and front vertical adjustments to fit a variety of forks and frames. It comes in basic Black, and retails for $35.

 Impressions
This fat tire beast is easy to install once the proper adapter is chosen, and the installation is understood, but the included multiple language instruction manual is a bit cryptic and too concise, so it takes some additional time to decipher the fender’s idiosyncrasies. You choose the largest wedge that fits into the fork’s crown tube, and screw in the quick-release bolt until the wedge expands, and tightly holds the fender in situ.  Lastly, you slide on a bright orange cover to keep everything protected and in place. Unfortunately, the cover is easy to misplace and lose, so it didn’t take me too long to accomplish that brain-dead maneuver. If any fine tuning is required for fitting things to the frame or fork, the front half of the fender has a simple three notch vertical height adjuster. The horizontal adjustment is a bit more involved and requires taking the wedge system apart, and then the front and rear sections can independently be moved fore and aft as required.

It’s nice to have a fender that is this wide, since a majority of the fenders on the market don’t have enough coverage for 2.35 inch to 4 inch tires. I found that it gave more than adequate protection from crud being flung up, and it kept me drier and cleaner. It didn’t provide much coverage for the feet, but the rear doesn’t swing down enough to provide the additional spray pattern. Even with 7 inches of suspension, the fender did an admirable job, which is pretty amazing considering the large distance it needs to cover. I never had any rubbing issues with the frame or fork once I did some fine tuning, and the only thing that ever rubbed was the front brake cable, which was exacerbated by my moto style setup.

Measured Specs:

• Length – 24 inches
• Width – 4 inches
• Weight – 150 to 157 grams (depending on adapter used)

The GRAND D.A.D is an excellent wide front fender, and is meant for uber wide tires. It’s easy to take on and off, is secure and stable, and can fit a wide variety of forks and frames.

Pros:

• Good coverage
• It fits fat and wide tires
• Easy on and off – excellent wedge system
• It fits multiple fork sizes with simple adapter change
• Soft and flexible rear section
• Secure and stable
• Rugged and durable

Cons:

• Cryptic and confusing install manual
• Horizontal adjustment is cumbersome
• Easy to loose bottom orange protection cover (I did)

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Grand D.A.D. Specs:

• Visit the SKS GRAND D.A.D website
• Grand D.A.D. offers optimal dirt protection due to its extra-wide size and high-quality, dual-compound plastic
• Rear board consists of a softer component so wheel contact is not a problem in extreme conditions
• Mounts easily to fork crown;  Includes fork mounting hardware and built in quick release
• 2-point angle adjustment ensures an optimal frame fit
• D.A.D. – ‘Dual Adjust Dirtboard’
• Color – Black
• Tire Size – 26″
• Coverage – Handles tires up to 4.0″ wide

GRAND M.O.M
The GRAND M.O.M or MTB Oversize Mudguard is their rear fender, and is 20 inches long and 4 inches wide, and is constructed with a dual-compound plastic, with a softer and flexible gray section at the rear. It clamps onto the seatpost with their SKS Power strip, which utilizes an adjustable length of nylon webbing that wraps around the post, and clamps shut with a rocker clasp. The angle of the fender can be adjusted, with a small hex bolt located aft of the strap system. The Power strip system and angle adjustment allow the fender to fit a wide variety of frames and suspension travel. It comes in basic Black, and retails for $30.

 Impressions
Initially installing the fender was simple, and you just adjust the strap’s length until the clasp clamps down snugly onto the seatpost without any unnecessary movement from the fender. You’ll need to adjust the angle of the fender depending on the requirements of the frame geometry and suspension travel constraints, which requires the loosening of the bolts on both sides of the unit, and tilting the fender to its desired pitch. Taking the fender on and off was a simple task, and only took a few moments to install.

Unfortunately, the seemingly simple strap system frequently loosened, and would require minor re-adjustments to get the proper amount of tightness so that it wouldn’t move. When riding in rough terrain or if the fender was even slightly hit, the strap would sometimes loosen, making for an annoying experience. If it was raining really hard, the strap got wet and tended to stretch, and would require a re-tightening, but at least I expected that to happen. On extremely rough and bumpy terrain, the fender flopped around too much, and it could be felt bouncing around on the rear of the bike. I also found that when I tossed a leg over the bike, I tended to hit the fender, and the strap would loosen, or it would get knocked out of place, so I had to train myself with more agility when mounting my steed, or perhaps I need to do more yoga?

“Hey Yoga Girl… I just wanna know your world…
When you do your chattaranga do your toes curl? Hey Yoga Girl”

If you could get the strap set properly, and it didn’t loosen, it worked admirably, and the width of the fender gave good coverage, and prevented unwanted debris from flinging up, even on long travel bikes. I enjoyed not having mud tossed up onto my back, and it worked nicely with my fat 2.4 inch tires and 6 inches of suspension. Perhaps their ratchet lock-down system where the webbing is adjusted needs to clamp with more force to keep the strap from sliding?

Measured Specs:

• Length – 20 inches
• Width – 4 inches
• Weight – 185 grams

The GRAND M.O.M is a good wide rear fender, and is meant for uber wide tires, and it’s simple to install, and easy to take on and off. Although it offers great coverage, it tends to flop around on rugged terrain, and the strap system likes to loosen, and requires occasional adjustment of the tightness.

Pros:

• Good coverage
• It fits fat and wide tires
• Easy on and off
• Simple install
• Soft and flexible rear section

Cons:

• Attachment strap would loosen too frequently and require adjustment
• Attachment strap would stretch in rain storms
• Floppy on rugged terrain

Overall Rating: 3.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

GRAND M.O.M Specs:

• MSRP: $30
• Visit the SKS GRAND M.O.M website
• M.O.M. (MTB Oversize Mudguard)
• Color – Black
• Quick-release power strap secures tightly to nearly any size seat tube
• 2-point angle adjustment ensures an optimal frame fit
• Heavy-duty, dual-compound plastic is long-lasting

Occasionally, something a bit different, unique and intriguing comes along in the bike world, and one of that is the Vincero Design magnetic water bottle system. The system is comprised of a water bottle with a slot (female) on one side that has an embedded magnet, and it mates to a magnetized rail mount (male) which is attached via the water bottle bosses to the bike. The slot and the rail align with each other, and the strong magnetic pair keeps the bottle securely attached.

Vincero Design is located in Boulder, Colorado, and they have been designing and building products since 2008, and they are obviously a bunch of engineers, techno weenies and bike geeks. The system I tested, consisted of the edge 16 rail mount, and the s24 water bottle.

Impressions
The installation of the system was simple, just attach the rail mount to the water bottle bosses with the mount’s wedge pointing down. Fill up the water bottle, and mate the bottle slot and rail mount, and it’s ready to go. I found that it was a tight fit matching up the mount’s holes with my bike water bottle bosses, and there wasn’t much wiggle room.

When I first got around to test out the system, and I was truly amazed how nice it worked. The water bottle pulled off with a slight tug (they are strong magnets), and only required about an inch of movement for it to release. The bottle has a nice drinking valve, and a gentle squeeze started a fast flow without any drips, and there was no need to pull open the valve with your teeth to get a drink. When I put the bottle back towards the mount, it seemed to get sucked right onto the wedge without me doing any positioning. It was literally three quick steps to get a drink of water, pull the bottle off, squeeze a drink and position over the mount. Even when I got it positioned slightly off the mount, with the bottle nose high, it didn’t seem to make much difference. If you get confused on the orientation of the bottle for remounting, the Vincero logo’s gives you a reference point.

Vincero Design Magnetic Water Bottle System Review from Brian Mullin on Vimeo.

It only took me a few tries of using the system, and interfacing the bottle and mount became second nature. My rides consisted of some stutter bumps, tree roots and other jarring terrain, and the bottle securely stayed on. I even took it through a short couple of rock gardens, and it never ejected (although I got ejected once).

edge16
The wedge shaped rail mount is known as the edge16, weighs 16 grams, and is made from a carbon fiber composite and uses a rare earth magnet. The edge16 is small, light and looks trick (love the carbon weave). Keep magnetic credit and ID cards, and people with pacemakers away from the strong magnetic fields of the magnet!

edge 16 Specifications

• Weight: 16g
• Height: 11.76mm
• Length: 78.13mm
• Width: 23.24mm
• Finishes: Carbon Fiber Weave, Gloss Black

s24
The s24 water bottle mates with the edge16 mount, utilizing an embedded rare earth magnet, and is one half of a strong magnetic pair. The s24 weighs 85 grams, has a 63mm wide mouth, uses a trick silicone valve, and is 100% BPA, DEHA, and DEHP free. The wide mouth makes it easier to pop in some ice cubes, which is good since the bottle isn’t insulated. The bottle is recyclable, and carries the Plastic Identification Code of number 4, which is for Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE).

S24 Specifications

• Volume: 710ml (24oz.)
• Weight: 85g
• Height: 218.44mm (without cap)
• Diameter: 73.02mm
• Cap Diameter: Standard 63mm
• Colors: Bottle – Opaque, Cap – Black, Opaque
• MSRP: $9.95

Additional Bottles
They are going to release a 20 ounce bottle named the s20, along with an aerodynamic model called the sAERO. I think they need to add an insulated bottle version of some sort, to even out the product line?

Bottom Line
The system is amazingly easy to use, and requires three simple steps to get a drink. No longer was I required to yank the bottle out of a cage, twisting and pulling through a large amount of travel, and then jamming the bottle back into the cage when I was done. The rough terrain that I rode did not eject the bottle, so it sat securely on the mount. The S24 bottle itself had an excellent draw, without any leaks, and mated perfectly to the mount, connected through the strong pair of magnets. The edge16 mount was small and unobtrusive, and looked sweet with the carbon weave. The glaring issue, is that the system only works with the Vincero water bottle’s, since nothing else will mate with specialized edge16 magnetic mount. Although the system is slightly expensive, it does include a water bottle and the mount (pseudo cage).

The Vincero Design Magnetic Water Bottle System is innovative, with clean lines, aesthetic looks, great functionality and is just pretty darn cool.

Strengths
- Light
- Excellent valve on bottle
- Easy to use

Weaknesses
- System only works with Vincero bottles
- Expensive

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

MSRP: $46.95 (s24 + edge16 Package System) and $9.95 (s24 bottle)

Vincero Design url: http://www.vincero-design.com/products/detail/Overview

Occasionally, something a bit different, unique and intriguing comes along in the bike world, and one of that is the Vincero Design magnetic water bottle system. The system is comprised of a water bottle with a slot (female) on one side that has an embedded magnet, and it mates to a magnetized rail mount (male) which is attached via the water bottle bosses to the bike. The slot and the rail align with each other, and the strong magnetic pair keeps the bottle securely attached.

I finally got around to test out the system today, and I was truly amazed how nice it worked. The installation of the system was simple, just attach the rail mount to the water bottle bosses with the wedge pointing down. Fill up the water bottle, and mate the bottle slot and rail mount, and it’s ready to go.
The water bottle pulled off with a slight tug (they are strong magnets), and only required about an inch of movement for it to release. The bottle has a nice valve, and a gentle squeeze started a fast flow without any drips. When I put the bottle back towards the mount, it seemed to get sucked right onto the wedge without me doing many positioning. It was literally 3 quick steps to get a drink of water, pull the bottle off, squeeze a drink and position over the mount. Even when I got it positioned slightly off the mount, with the bottle nose high, it didn’t seem to make much difference. My ride consisted of some stutter bumps, tree roots and other jarring terrain, and the bottle securely stayed on.

edge16
The wedge shaped rail mount is known as the edge16, weighs 16 grams, and is made from a carbon fiber composite and uses a rare earth magnet. The edge16 is small, light and looks trick (love the carbon weave).

edge 16 Specifications:
* Weight: 16g
* Height: 11.76mm
* Length: 78.13mm
* Width: 23.24mm
* Finishes: Carbon Fiber Weave or Gloss Black

S24
The s24 water bottle mates with the edge16 mount, utilizing an embedded rare earth magnet, and is one half of a strong magnetic pair. The S24 weighs 85 grams, has a 63mm wide mouth, uses a trick silicone valve, and is 100% BPA, DEHA, and DEHP free.

S24 Specifications:
* Volume: 710ml (24oz.)
* Weight: 85g
* Height: 218.44mm (without cap)
* Diameter: 73.02mm
* Cap Diameter: Standard 63mm
* Colors: Bottle – Opaque, Cap – Black, Opaque

Final Thoughts

The system is amazingly easy to use, and requires 3 simple steps to get a drink. No longer was I required to yank the bottle out of a cage, twisting and pulling through a large amount of travel, and then jamming the bottle back into the cage when I was done. The rough terrain that I rode did not eject the bottle, so it sat securely on the mount. The S24 bottle itself had an excellent draw, without any leaks, and mated perfectly to the mount, connected through the strong pair of magnets. The edge16 mount was small and unobtrusive, and looked sweet with the carbon weave. The Vincero Design Magnetic Water Bottle System is pretty darn cool!

Vincero Design url: http://www.vincero-design.com/products/detail/Overview

For the last several months, I have been testing and enjoying the sweet Velo Cache and Rakk Bicycle Storage Stand from Feedback Sports. The storage rack allows you to hang 2 bikes (optional to 4) from its strong and well made aluminum column, through the use of their dual rubberized arms. It’s perfect for the garage, home shop or in the house, but hopefully not your bedroom? It’s free standing, so there is no need mar the walls or ceiling. An excellent product to free up floor space!

A rack is a torture device, slang term for breasts, rock climbing gear, billiards frame, amplifier holder, antlers, etc.

The 2 piece columnar rack is made of anodized aluminum for strength, durability and weight, and comes in black or silver. The basic 2 bike model has a 3 legged base, while the optional 4 bike version uses 4 legs for additional stability. Each bike is cradled with a set of 2 steel arms, that have a rubberized holder at their end to protect the bike frame. The arms can slide up and down the main column, and can be set height independently depending on the frames geometry or needs of the user.

Specs
Height: 84″ (2130 mm )
Base footprint: 2 bike – 23″ x 32.5″ (580 mm x 830 mm ), 4 bike – 36.5″ x 38″ (925mm x 965mm)
Support arm length: 10″ (250 mm )
Column width: 4″ triangle (100mm)
Load capacity: 40 lbs. per cradle set (18 kg)
Weight: 2 bike – 22.5 lbs. (10.2 kg), 4 bike – 27.8 lbs. (12.6kg)

Installation
Putting the rack together took a little longer than expected considering how few parts there were, but once it was bolted up, it was incredibly sturdy and bomber. Basically, you bolt up through a bottom plate, then the legs and into the bottom of the column. It took some effort to get the bolts lined up through the legs and meshed (tough part) into the lower column. The version for 2 bikes uses 3 half length legs, while the 4 bike uses 2 half length and 1 full length leg (pseudo 2 legs). The two main column sections are then bolted together with a simple plate and a set of screws.

The cradle arms are attached on the back of the unit with small screws and a rectangular plate that fit in 2 long grooves located on the rear. Getting the screws aligned and into the plates was a bit tricky, else the plate would drop out of place. I found a center punch helped to hold things in place while clamping things together. Once attached, the arms can be moved up and down as desired. I did not like the use of Phillips head for the screws, which purposely are made to cam out (Phillips were engineered that way), and it seems prone to issues? I would prefer some Hex or Torx heads? The arms will likely not end up being parallel with each other due to the shapes of a frame, so it might take a few trials to get them set properly.

Impressions

The footprint taken up by the 3 legs is a tad smaller than the 4, but the additional stability of the 4 is worth the loss of floor space (its not much). In addition you can add the extra arms for 4 bikes when desired. The 3 legs do allow a closer proximity to a wall for the rack.

The arms are nice and rubberized so nothing harms the frame, but the scooped ends might be a tad tall (2.5″ but squishy), and may not squeeze into some oddly shaped frames? It a simple to task to put the bike on the arms, you just sort of plop it on them, although the pedals can bang into the column on occasion depending on the crank arm alignment. I did use the arms quite a bit when I was working on tires.

The arms sort of cradled the wheels, so I could work on things, and they sat at a nice and useful waist height. Setting up tubeless tires with this method was a breeze, with easy access to open the valve stem to add sealant, while keeping the wheel stable and vertical. You could also toss things on them when needed, as a sort of hanging rack?

I tossed all my bikes on and off the unit, and as long as the ground was stable I never any problems nor issues. There is a small leveling rubber screw on the bottom of one leg, to even things out if required. The unit is a tall, but it is easy enough to move around for different placements or rooms. It can hold 40 lbs bike in each arm set, and even when placing bikes high or low, the legs and column kept everything nice and stable.

Rakk
Feedback Sports also sent along another storage and display stand, named the Rakk. The Rakk is a small and unobtrusive unit, which is sort of a high tech kick stand, that you usually see in bike stores. They can be daisy chained together, for multiple bikes. It easily folds up into a compact unit, and it can hold almost any bike made (not giant snow tires).

Weight: 5.3 lbs. (2.27kg)
Size: 17.5″ tall x 13″ x 13.5″, 3″ tall when collapsed

It is simple to use, just place the rear tire in the bottom slot, give a good hard push (especially for fat tires), and let the wedge cradle the back of the tire and the bike is held with decent stability. The arm is spring loaded, so it will easily pop onto the tire. I have never had a bike fall over in one as yet? I really liked it for temporary storage when I need to place a bike out of the way. I started to use it for basic storage of the bike that I happened to be riding more regularly, whatever was the flavor of the week. It was an extremely handy stand for around the house and garage, and you might even bring it along for base camp on road trips or at races. No longer do you need to lean a bike up against something, just waiting for it to fall over? The Rakk gives you a secure, useful and fairly cheap stand to hold a bike.

Bottomline
I have mostly used the Velo Cache freestanding rack in my indoor home shop and storage area, but anywhere you store bikes (usually a garage) it will be a great addition. It frees up storage space and keeps the bikes out of the harms way. The adjustable rubberized arms protect a bike, and the movement allows varying frame shapes and sizes to be held. I really enjoyed the ability to use the arms as a wheel holder, which was not an engineered in function! The sturdy legs, heavy duty materials, impeccable build, and great engineering all add up to another excellent product from Feedback Sports. The small Rakk stand was a very handy unit, and I was extremely happy with it, it was the one that used quite a bit for my “go to” bike.

Strengths
-Sturdy
-Well built
-Rubberized arms
-Multiple uses for arms
-Handy (Rakk)

Weaknesses
-Phillips head screws
-Rubber arm scoops might be to tall for some frames

Velo Cache=>

Rakk=====>

Buy a 2 bike Velo Cache


Buy a Rakk

Velo Specs
2 Bike stand: black or silver – $169.99
Gear Storage Basket: load capacity 10 lbs. – $24.99
4-bike expansion kit: 4 arms and long leg – black or silver – $39.99
Arm cradle pair – $21.99
Velo Cache url: http://www.feedbacksports.com/products/velo_cache_storage_stand.aspx

Rakk Specs
Black, silver or white – $41.99
Rakk url: http://www.feedbacksports.com/products/rakk_storage_stand.aspx