SKS is a German company that is best known for their bike fenders and mudguards in the US, but their product suite also includes pumps, saddle bags, multitools, and chainguards and water bottle cages. They have been manufacturing bike pumps for 80 years, and originated the mini pump, and last year sold 7.8 million pumps and 4 millions fenders/mudguards worldwide. The US general manager for SKS, Mark Burgener went through part of their products one evening at the Magura 2011 Sedona press camp, and I was amazed at the breadth of their line relative to mountain biking, and to a lesser extent, the commuter and urban bikes.

Floor Pumps
Their floor pumps include their 40 year old prestigious Rennkompressor, the top of the line Airbase Pro, the entry level Airwork and the mountain bike specific Aircon. I used the Aircon quite a few times at the Sedona camp, and the large stable base, and the ability to add monstrous amounts of air volume with each stroke was perfect for inflating fat mountain bike tires. All the pumps include their EVA (Easy Valve Access) head, which auto detects the valve type, whether it’s a Schrader or Presta. All their pumps are engineered and made in Germany.

Aircon 6.0
The high-volume Aircon 6.0 floor pump uses an oversized corrosion-resistant steel barrel, with a 730mm stroke, and can inflate to 87 psi/6 bar. It features a large 80mm diameter pressure gauge, an ergonomic dual compound handle, a wide stable base, their valve sensing E.V.A. (Easy Valve Access) head, and retails for $45.

The Aircon is an interesting beast, and it proves that size does matter! Most floor pumps are designed for high pressure and low volume road tires, and can be somewhat ill-suited for pumping up their monstrous high-volume mountain bike brethren. Hook up a normal floor pump to inflate a large mountain bike tire, and you’ll be stroking forever to get it to its anemic pressure setting. While a road or cross tire might require 90-120 psi, the fatter and higher-volume mountain bike tires need pressures around 25-35 psi (ballpark numbers). Enter the high-volume Aircon floor pump as the ideal tool, which has a 730mm stroke and an oversized barrel, and is perfect for mountain bike tires. It creates over twice as much air per stroke than their other floor models, so that the high-volume and low pressure mountain bike tires can be quickly inflated. Its large-diameter barrel gives more volume per stroke!

During my usage over the last season, it has been immensely functional, and topping off my extremely fat 2.4 and 2.5 tires only required a few quick strokes, and I am done, in contrast to the usual endless number with a normal pump. The very large gauge was easy to see and read, even for my old eyes; although I am not sure why it goes to 140 psi (it goes to 11)? I wish that the gauge’s range was smaller, and would therefore have larger gradations between the numbers, especially considering the most mountain bike tires only need a 20-35 psi reading. The large-volume stroke can cause some issues once you get upwards of 45 psi, as it becomes more difficult to push that large amount of air at the higher pressures, which is why the road based designs are more throttled down in their barrel diameters. The Aircon is supposed to have a maximum output of 87 psi, but I never got close to that, since it was too tough to pump very high, and none of my mountain bike tires need anything above 35 psi. I could get several of my tubeless ready tires to seat on the rims, but it didn’t usurp my handy compressor, which is still the best for getting finicky tubeless tires to pop on. The fancy E.V.A head worked nicely, and did its job detecting if the valve was Schrader or Presta, although if the Schrader threading wasn’t long enough it wouldn’t clamp down to pop open the valve itself for proper inflation. The locking lever for the head was somewhat difficult to clamp down, and tended to snap back on your fingers when releasing it, so it took some practice for usage.

The pump handle had a nice feel in the hands, and was easy to hold onto when pushing the vast amounts of air into the tires. The wide base offered extra support and stability, which greatly helped with pumping the long stroked monster. It didn’t take to many strokes to inflate a tire from scratch, making the task much easier and less time consuming. For storing the pump, the hose can either be clamped on either side of the barrel just below the handle, or the integrated hook on the head can hang from its latch point on the handle. I used the former, since I was tossing the pump into the back of my truck, and the hose clamping over the top of the handle kept it in place.

Bottom Line
The Aircon 6.0 is an excellent floor pump that is extremely well suited for inflating high-volume and low pressure mountain bike tires. The oversized barrel creates double the amount of air for each stroke of the handle, so that mountain bike tires can be quickly inflated or topped off. The large gauge is easy to read, although it needs half the pressure range and better gradation. The ergonomic handle and stable base work in a synergistic fashion for easy stroking during inflation. The E.V.A. worked nicely and easily sensed the valve type, although the clamp snapped back during release. The Aircon 6.0 is well-built and durable, and is perhaps one of the most ideal mountain bike floor pumps I have used, with an excellent $45 price point.

Pros

• Large easy to read gauge
• Wide and stable base
• Large ergonomic handle
• Well built and durable
• Large-diameter barrel gives more volume per stroke

Cons

• Hard to pump at higher pressures
• E.V.A. head – hard to clamp and snaps back on release
• Gauge number range is too large

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Aircon 6.0 Specs:

• Visit the SKS Aircon 6.0 website
• high volume pump
• wide stable base
• oversized steel barrel
• high pressure flexible connection with EVA-Head
• Easy to read 80mm pressure gauge (bar/PSI)
• valve: all kinds of valves
• length: 730mm
• ouput max: 87psi/6 bar
• weight: 1730g

Airbase Pro
The Airbase Pro is a professional track floor pump which uses an aluminum barrel with an elliptic profile, with a 728mm stroke, and can inflate to 232 psi/16 bar. It features a top-mounted precision pressure gauge, an ergonomic handle, a heavy cast iron base with non-skid rubber inserts, their valve sensing E.V.A. (Easy Valve Access) head, and retails for $80.

The Airbase Pro is one tough hombre, and is truly built like a tank. The first thing you notice when using the pump is the prodigious weight (2850 grams), which is a combination of its overbuild and the heavy cast iron base. This sucker is rated at 232 psi, although I don’t remotely have anything that needs those sorts of pressures, but it can certainly pump tires up to immense levels if required. It is well suited for any sort of tire, from mountain to road bikes, but it is certainly more orientated towards the road side of things.

The Airbase Pro was predominately my shop pump, and I used to fill everything from my fat high-volume mountain bike tires to my higher pressure commuter tires, and an occasional road tire. The aluminum barrel has an elliptical profile, which made it easier to grab the pump and move it around. The stroke was very smooth and precise, something that is unusual in most floor pumps, as most have a sort of clunky movement through their travel. The top-mounted gauge was easy to read due to its proximity, and it was well protected, although the large range and small gradations made it more difficult to use with mountain bike tires.  The fancy E.V.A head worked nicely, and did its job detecting if the valve was Schrader or Presta, although if the Schrader threading wasn’t long enough it wouldn’t clamp down to pop open the valve itself for proper inflation. The locking lever for the head was somewhat difficult to clamp down, and tended to snap back on your fingers when releasing it, so it took some practice for usage.

The pump handle had a nice feel in the hands, and the indented finger grooves gave better grip, which helped when cranking out the higher pressures. The heavy base and sticky feet kept the pump stable and secure, and prevented it from any unwanted fall over’s. It was extremely easy to use the pump due to the precise and smooth stroke, and excellent support and stability provided by the cast iron base.  The integrated hook on the head could hang from its latch point on either side of the gauge, but seemed to work better on the left.

Bottom Line
The Airbase Pro is a great floor pump, with exceptional build quality, and the sweet smooth stroke and heavy sticky base work in synergy to provide a maximum usage factor. The top-mounted gauge is easy to read, although the pressure range and the pump’s rating seemed like overkill? The E.V.A. worked nicely and easily sensed the valve type, although the clamp snapped back during release. It is somewhat pricey at $80, but you’ll get a long-lived pump, that will be used for many years.

The Airbase Pro is extremely well-built and durable, and the precise and smooth stroke, heavy sticky base and large pressure range make for a superb multi usage floor pump, that is built like a tank and will last for a very long time.

Pros

• Easy to read top mounted pressure gauge
• Heavy, sticky and stable base
• Precise and smooth stroke
• Well built and durable
• Long lived pump

Cons

• Expensive
• E.V.A. head – hard to clamp and snaps back on release
• Gauge number range and rating is a bit extreme

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Air Base Pro Specs: 

• Visit the SKS Airbase Pro website
• extra long aluminum barrel with elliptic profile allows comfortable handling
• heavy ironcast foot-rest with non-skidrubber inserts
• high pressure flexible connection with EVA-Head
• precision pressure gauge (bar/PSI)
• optional floor mounting for workshop use
• valve: all kinds of valves
• length: 728mm
• ouput max: 16 bar / 232 PSI
• weight: 2850g

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.

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