SRAM has been busy lately, and at Sea Otter they were showing off new and improved components. The new products included the 650B Rise wheel, Avid X0 Trail brake, Grip Shift, Type 2 Rear Derailer and Reverb Stealth, while the RockShox forks and Monarch RT3 shock got some hefty tweaks.

Wheels
SRAM introduced their Rise MTB wheel in October, and it comes in two models, the carbon rim Rise 60 and the aluminum rim Rise 40. At Sea Otter, they showed the spanking-new 650B, which joins its 26 and 29 brethren, although currently it will only be offered in the aluminum Rise 40 versions. The Rise 40 is a budget conscious all around wheel, which uses a lightweight welded rim for low rotational mass and a durable hub with a chromoly axle and steel driver body, with cartridge bearings for trouble-free maintenance. They have also added a size indicator by the air valve (small red decal), to simplify identification. All the sizes, 26, 29 and 650B, share the same specs, a 19mm inner width, 24 spokes in a two-cross pattern, and a variety of quick-release or thru-axles. They are also working on a Rise tubeless-kit, to make the wheels useful for a wide variety of tires and setups.

Brakes
Avid has an interesting new offering, the powerful X0 Trail brake. The X0 Trail lever has an internal stack that improves permeability and manages air better, and it uses sealed bearings at the pivot, for a lighter and friction-free feel without any stichion. It uses a four piston caliper, with new top loading pads, and it weighs in at 340 grams with a 160mm rotor. The standard two piston X0 brake (call it XX Junior), has been simplified, and loses the contact  adjustment, gets organic pads with aluminum backing, and weighs in at 315 grams with a 160mm rotor. They added a 170mm rotor size, to the recently resized 140, 160, 180 and 200mm rotors, as they feel it’s a great middle size for trail usage.

RockShox
The big change at RockShox is the elimination of the Dual-Air from their premier lineup, which includes Reba, SID and Revelation, in favor of the simpler single air adjustment. The Solo-Air system uses one valve to regulate both the positive and negative air chambers, for easier tuning, and fewer chance for errors. This change decreases weight, has less moving parts, and gives the forks a feel that is similar to the Monarch spring technology, for a more balanced feel. They are also adding a 650B to the Revelation model, which is good news for the middle wheel size.

The cable-actuated Push-Loc system has been upgraded, to mimic the hydraulic X-Loc lockout lever, so that it has a push-push feel, and requires less cable sweep.

The Monarch RT3 has gotten a complete redo, and now has three discrete setting, an open, pedal and lock, and the compression settings have a 360 degree dial, for easier on the fly adjustments. They have added a rapid recovery system, which allows the rear wheel to return quicker over successive hits, so the rider sits higher in spring curve, for a softer and livelier feel.

The Reverb Stealth adjustable seatpost, has the internals inverted to allow the hydraulic hose to exit from the bottom,  instead of the normal upper post connection. This arrangement allows the hose to be routed internally through the frame, for a cleaner, more durable and reliable setup. Previously, Scott and Trek had exclusive rights to use the post, and now the general public can purchase it, although RockShox offers no guidelines on drilling holes into your frame to incorporate one!

Grip Shift
One of SRAM’s oldest products is the Grip Shift, and it’s perfect to coincide with its re-introduction with their 25th anniversary. The totally redesigned Grip Shift, comes in a XX 2×10, and X0 version in 2×10 or 3×10 models, and weighs in at 207 grams (cables and clamp), and another 80 grams for the optional Lock-On grip. The system uses their Speed Metal indexing for crisp and precise shifting, the Rolling Thunder ball bearing technology for low twist force and friction-free movement, and the Jaws Lock-On integrated grips for easy installation and a secure and stable interface. I have used a set of the X.0 for several rides, and I am suitably impressed, as they have a fast shift pattern, which has a precise feel through the drivetrain. I really liked the front shifting, as it only took a small amount of twist to get a quick shift, and it was nice to have the ability to roll multiple gears on the rear. In addition, the width of the shifting paddles, allow you to place your hand in more positions on the grip, and still have access to the shifters.

Derailer
The new SRAM TYPE 2 rear derailer are designed for X0 and X9 families, and it will deliver maximum drivetrain stability, even while riding through brutal technical terrain and heinous conditions.
It uses their Roller Bearing Clutch technology to prevent undue derailer bounce and chain slap by providing resistance to the cages forward swinging, without sacrificing precision and quick shifting. The system only adds around 30 grams in weight, which is a small penalty to pay for better chain management, a quieter drivetrain and more consistent shifting, especially while in rough terrain. As a bonus, when removing the rear wheel, you press a small lock button on the lower cage to disengage the system for easy wheel removal.

2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge Route Features American Professional Cycling’s Highest Elevation
Second-Annual Race Challenges Professional Cyclists with Altitude and Difficult Terrain

DENVER (April 4, 2012) – The route for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge professional cycling stage race, taking place Aug. 20-26 in Colorado, will take riders on a heart-pounding journey through the breathtaking Colorado Rockies.  After making history in the inaugural year by traveling to the highest elevation of any race in North America or Europe – higher than the most challenging route on the Tour de France – this year’s race will take the riders to an altitude of 12,000 ft. not once, but three separate times, and will include a finish on iconic Flagstaff Mountain on the penultimate day.

“In determining the route for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, we wanted to showcase as much of the Rocky Mountains as possible, while creating a challenging course for the riders that would provide ideal viewing locations for spectators,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. “This year, the route will take the riders through more mountain passes than any other race of its kind, with five topping out at a minimum of 10,000 ft.”

The race will visit 12 official host cities for the starts and finishes of each stage, ranging from towns as small as 250 residents, to cities as large as Denver with a population of more than 600,000. The four new cities joining the 2012 race – Durango, Telluride, Montrose and Boulder – each offer breathtaking scenery, as well as a unique cycling history, that will add to the overall excitement of the race.

Also new in 2012 is the placement of the Individual Time Trial on the final day of racing in Denver, keeping fans holding their breath until the very end to see who will be awarded the overall victory of the seven days of fiercely competitive racing.

“Each day of this route is a challenge; there will be nowhere to hide for these riders,” added Hunter.  “Staging the Individual Time Trial on the last day will punctuate the drama, as we expect any time lead could be taken away with the challenge and intensity of a circuit sprint. With this course, we should witness intense competition right down to the last minute.”

A highly anticipated event on the race calendar, the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge will test the riders’ strength and endurance over a more than 680-mile course. Highlights of the route include:

Stage 1: Durango to Telluride – Monday, Aug. 20

This year’s Grand Depart will begin with a unique start of two neutral laps through downtown, followed by a larger 6.5-mile racing loop that encompasses most of town and then heads back through downtown for the first Sprint Line of 2012. A few bumpy feet of road as the racers cross the tracks of Durango’s famous Narrow Gauge Railroad will send the riders on their way out of town toward Telluride. On the ride out of LaPlata County the racers will have to tackle the Hesperus Climb on US 160. After a challenging, rolling ride across the high windswept plains and the second Sprint Line in the town of Dolores, the riders start a gradual canyon climb that lasts more than 30 miles. Topping out over Lizard Head Pass at 10,222 ft., any time gaps gained going up must be maintained on the 15-mile descent into Telluride. A tight and technical finish awaits the riders in the small, scenic town and they must navigate a small round-about and four turns in the last mile before sprinting to the finish line.

Stage 2:  Montrose to Crested Butte – Tuesday, Aug. 21

At 99 miles, Stage 2 is a mix of old and new. Beginning with a new course for the first 65 miles, the race then visits familiar territory as it passes through Gunnison and retraces the 2011 route up to the grueling finish in Mt. Crested Butte. Beginning at Montrose Pavilion, the stage will begin with a quick neutral lap before the riders head east out of town. As Montrose fades into the distance, the short but challenging climbs over Cerro Summit and Blue Mesa Summit await and make for early launch pads for the breakaway specialists.

As the road levels, giving way to the picturesque twists and turns along the shores of Blue Mesa Reservoir, the riders approach the first Sprint Line of the day in Gunnison, 65 miles away from the start in Montrose. Gunnison will host the race two days in a row, first as a pass-through in Stage 2 and then as the start city for Stage 3. Moving north out of Gunnison breakaway time gaps will shrink, team leaders will move to the front and domestiques will protect and position their leaders. As the riders head into downtown Crested Butte, they’ll face the day’s last Sprint Line. From there it’s a 2-mile climb to the line at Mt. Crested Butte. A dynamic and exciting uphill finish, this short, but steep hill gave Levi Leipheimer the leader’s jersey in 2011.

Stage 3:  Gunnison to Aspen – Wednesday, Aug. 22

In 2011, U.S. stage racing saw one of its toughest days with the ride from Gunnison to Aspen and in 2012 the “Queen Stage” will again feature two of the highest climbs in professional racing. The stage starts in downtown Gunnison with a short neutral section leading out of town; however, as soon as the racing begins, so do the challenges. Just after the first right turn the riders face the first Sprint Line of the day in the small community of Almont. This will most likely be the last time the true sprinters will play a part in this stage, as the race quickly turns uphill and heads toward the first King of the Mountain (KOM) of the day near Taylor Park Reservoir.

A short, flat section on the north side of the reservoir will be the last pavement the field will see for almost 14 miles, as the dirt climb that follows will take the race to 12,126 ft. and the highest point of the week at Cottonwood Pass. A beautiful, twisting descent will take the peloton down into the town of Buena Vista and the second sprint line of the day before heading north on US 24 to Twin Lakes. The left turn toward Twin Lakes will show the field what is to come as they see the massive ridge in front of them. Although the climb up Independence Pass is paved and not quite as high as Cottonwood, it is sure to produce fireworks again this year. Lined with fans in 2011, the climb to 12,095 ft. caused several gaps in the field that led to an exciting finish in Aspen, which will no doubt be duplicated in 2012.

Stage 4:  Aspen to Beaver Creek – Thursday, Aug. 23

Elevation is the main story for Stage 4 because with much of the course above 9,000 ft., it will be anything but easy. Those who conquered Independence Pass on Stage 3 will see it again very early in Stage 4, with the climb starting almost immediately after several neutral start laps in downtown Aspen. Unlike the previous day, the climb may not decide the winner, but will be an ideal launching point for a breakaway or possibly an overall contender to lose time.

Anyone who is brave enough to attack over Independence Pass will be faced with more than 75 miles of racing at altitude. Along the way they will compete for a sprint in the historic town of Leadville, the highest incorporated city in the United States at 10,152 ft. Next on the agenda will be the climb over the Continental Divide at Tennessee Pass (10,424 ft.) before descending into Minturn and tackling the rolling run toward the final climb to Beaver Creek. Passing through the 2011 start city of Avon, the peloton will be faced by a stiff 2.5-mile climb that rises almost 1,000 ft. to the ski resort of Beaver Creek. Although not the fiercest climb on the route, the finale is sure to produce exciting racing, especially among those fighting for the overall lead.

Stage 5:  Breckenridge to Colorado Springs – Friday, Aug. 24

Stage 5 will see two returning host cities, but in new roles. A rude awakening is the only way to describe the start of Stage 5 in Breckenridge. After a short, flat section through downtown, the riders will have to face the daunting 10-mile climb up Hoosier Pass, which tops out at 11,500 ft. The summit is followed by a fast descent into Fairplay and with that, the high mountains are left behind and a day for the sprinters and breakaway specialists awaits. A fast rush across Colorado’s high plains ends with a Sprint Line in Woodland Park where the riders may hit their fastest speeds of the week, and from there they continue downhill to Colorado Springs through the shadow of Pikes Peak. Once in Colorado Springs, the route will take a technical uphill run through the Garden of the Gods, home of the 2011 Prologue. From there the route takes a quick downhill run to downtown for the 2012 race’s only finishing circuits. With the peloton passing through the finish line three times as they blast around downtown Colorado Springs, spectators will be treated to a thrilling elbow-to-elbow competition that can reach up to 35 mph.

Stage 6:  Golden to Boulder – Saturday, Aug. 25

Stage 6 will depart from Golden, a second-year host city and site of one of the largest crowds in the 2011 race, but not before several circuit laps around downtown provide fans with the chance to cheer on their favorite riders. The peloton will then head north on CO 93 en route to Boulder, a city very well known for its bicycle culture. Upon arrival in downtown Boulder, the sprinters will have an opportunity to earn valuable points with a sprint line adjacent to the Pearl Street Mall and the USA Pro Challenge expo area.

After the sprint points have been awarded, the route will head up Boulder Canyon along CO 119 towards Nederland and the day’s first KOM competition. Joining the cycling fans in this small mountain town will be the 14th Annual Nedfest, a music, arts and microbrew festival. Riders will continue climbing as they are faced with ascents exceeding 9,300 ft. on the incredible Peak to Peak Highway before a long and fast descent into the town of Lyons, where they will encounter another sprint line and the annual Rocky Mountain Folk Festival.

Classic local climbs up Lefthand Canyon and Lee Hill Rd. present the next set of challenges for the riders before they return for one final pass through downtown Boulder. In a dramatic race to the finish, the riders will head up “The Hill” to Flagstaff Mountain where a 3.5-mile vertical, dramatic race to the finish line at Sunrise Amphitheater will commence.

Stage 7:  Denver Individual Time Trial – Sunday, Aug. 26

After a tough week of racing over mountains at high altitude, the Stage 7 Individual Time Trial will be a completely different kind of race – and one that could dramatically change the results. By taking the team factor out of the race, this flat and fast course in downtown Denver will have those looking to take the overall win facing a tough individual test, making this one of the most exciting finishes possible.

Using many of the same roads as the final Denver finish circuits of 2011, the course will provide a challenge for the riders and fantastic viewing opportunities for race fans. Starting at one-minute intervals, with the final riders going off at two minutes, near the State Capitol Building in Denver’s Civic Center Park, the riders will first face a familiar out-and-back section along Speer Blvd. and Colfax Ave., with a slight detour through the entertainment district along Larimer Street.

Returning toward the start area on Colfax, the riders will turn north to 17^th Ave. and a long section of straight road, eventually delivering them to City Park. A short, but technical run through the park will return the riders to 17^th Ave., allowing spectators to see their favorite riders pass by again. Two quick turns will put the riders back on Broadway headed south to the finish line adjacent to Civic Center Park.

Host city information, maps and elevation profiles are available HERE.

About the USA Pro Cycling Challenge

For seven consecutive days, the world’s top athletes race through the majestic Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure – more than two miles in elevation. One of the largest cycling events in United States history, the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge will feature the best of the best in professional cycling, competing on a challenging course through some of America’s most beautiful scenery.

Referred to as “America’s Race,” the second annual USA Pro Cycling Challenge will take place August 20-26, 2012, a week proclaimed by Governor John Hickenlooper as “Colorado Cycling Holiday,” and travel through 12 host cities from Durango to Denver. More than 1 million spectators are expected to once again line the route to see if Levi Leipheimer will defend his title as reigning champion, while millions more around the world watch the race live on television and online through the Tour Tracker.

More information can be found online at www.USAProCyclingChallenge.com and on Twitter at @USAProChallenge.

Source – Nicole  Okoneski

GU Energy Partners With Rebecca Rusch

March 15, 2012, Berkeley, CA –  GU Energy is proud to announce that effective today, it is the exclusive nutrition sponsor of the world’s greatest female endurance cyclist, Rebecca Rusch.  Known as “The Queen of Pain,” Rusch, 43, has showcased her world-class fitness in an astonishing range of sports, winning national or world championships in sports as diverse as adventure racing, 24-hour mountain bike racing, cross-country mountain biking, cross country skiing, orienteering and rafting.

It is in mountain biking where the resident of Ketchum, Idaho has made her most lasting impression.  In August, 2011, Rusch won her third straight Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race, crushing her previous year’s record time by almost 16 minutes.  She is a three-time World Champion in 24-hour solo mountain biking and is also the 2010 Master’s World Champion in cross country mountain biking.

“Rebecca lives at the outermost edge of fitness and endurance,” noted GU Energy president Brian Vaughan, himself a national-class endurance athlete.  “What she does demands the absolute best in nutrition, which GU provides in Roctane, Chomps, and Brew products.  We’ll gain unique insight from working with Rebecca as she pushes her body and mind to the limits.  Our experience with athletes like Rebecca help drive our research and product development.”

Both Rusch and Vaughan recently competed in the TransAndes bike race, in which Rusch partnered with Chris Carmichael and Vaughan teamed with Yuri Hauswald, a top California cycling advocate and endurance racer.  Carmichael and Rusch won the 80+ Mixed division, while Vaughan and Hauswald placed second in the 80+ Men’s Division.

Regarding her partnership with GU Energy, Rusch said, “In my 25+ years as an athlete and 15+ years as a pro, I have experimented with pretty much every nutrition product out there.  I’ve educated myself through trial and error and research.  I’ve graduated from a comfort food approach during some of my early adventure racing days to a more scientific approach with GU Roctane and Recovery.  The results speak for themselves, and I’m stoked to be on the GU team.”

ABOUT GU ENERGY LABS

GU’s original Energy Gel was launched in 1994 in Berkeley, CA. GU Energy Labs consistent innovation keeps GU at the forefront of the industry.  Roctane, Chomps and GU Recovery Brew are staples of endurance athletes’ worldwide, providing scientifically-proven, performance-tested nutrition.  For more information about GU, log onto www.GUenergy.com

Although not specifically related to biking, I thought their newly revised All Clear UV Purifier is pretty darn trick, and it would be a great unit for back country travelers, long bike rides, bike backpacking and endurance racing. The All Clear UV Purifier uses ultraviolet light to kill off and eliminate bacteria, viruses and protozoa that cause water-borne illness, that might exist in alpine lakes, tap water and streams. The unit is comprised of a 24-ounce bottle, a battery-powered cap that contains the UV light, a power switch and an LCD screen. You can get an optional pre-filter if needed for sediments and debris.

The All Clear is pretty easy to use, just fill it with questionable water, push the button on the lid, shake it gently for 60 seconds (the LCD screen counts down), and you have clean water. The UV bulb is supposed to last for 10,000 cycles, and the battery (charged via a USB port) for over 80 cycles. The All Clear is a pretty sweet unit that is simple, innovative, easy to use, and you can replace the UV lid with a normal lid from the newer bottle line for easier drinking purposes.

Side Note => SteriPEN, which uses a UV water purifier light on a small handheld device, had this to say about using their unit for hydration bladders:

• Run purified water through the tube – Make sure you run a small amount of purified water (following treatment) from the bladder through the hydration tube before next consumption of water. This should push trace amounts of microbes out of the tube.
• 1 Liter treatments or less only. Hydration companies offer many larger size hydration bladder/reservoirs that we cannot recommend for use with SteriPEN water purifiers. DO NOT use them with SteriPEN.
• Single chamber model only! Hydrapak ShapeShift and some Camelbak Antidote have multiple chambers, and we cannot recommend these models for use with SteriPEN water purifiers.

Camelbak is also coming out with a couple of new packs, and some interesting color schemes, such as the Tin Man Mule, shown above on the back of their PR wizard Seth. You’ll definitely stand out, or shine out with the very bright Tin Man! The new packs are the freeride oriented Agent and Asset, and the Charge LR lumbar pack. The larger 3 liter Agent and smaller 2 liter Asset, come in orange, purple and gray, and both have color matched insulated hoses. The Agent has a few more features, including the NVIS ventilated back panel system, a cell phone pocket on the shoulder strap, a full clam shell opening and two fleece lined goggle or sunglasses pockets.

Pack Specs:

Camelbak Charge LR

• $100
• Ultra light
• Side stash pockets
• Top routed hose
• 2 liter Antidote lumbar reservoir – Housed in the waist
• Hip-mounted cinch straps to keep the pack snug as you drain the bladder

Camelbak Agent

• $150
• 3 liter/100 oz bladder
• 11 liter capacity
• Purple, Orange and Grey/Black Colors (aka Grape Drink, Sunny D, Cola)
• Equipped with insulated matching tube covers
• NVis (pronounced “envious”) ventilated back panel system
• Cell Phone pocket
• 2 fleece lined goggle pockets
• Overflow pocket
• Armor attatchment
• Helmet carrier – full face or xc

Camelbak Asset

• $115
• 8.5 liter capacity
• 2 liter/70 oz
• Straps for armor and helmets
• Equipped with insulated matching tube covers
• Purple, Orange and Grey/Black Colors (aka Grape Drink, Sunny D, Cola)

Mule

• $100
• New Tin Man color scheme

Ketchum, Idaho (July 16, 2011) – Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) successfully defended her pro women’s cross country national title in front of her hometown crowd on day three of the 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike Cross-Country National Championships on Saturday. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) also maintained his Stars-and-Stripes jersey after an impressive showing at Sun Valley Resort in Ketchum, Idaho. By virtue of winning national titles today, the pair earned an automatic nomination to the team that will represent the United States at the Union Cycliste International World Championships in Champéry, Switzerland, from Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

Zions Bank Pro Women’s Cross-Country race
Gould quickly jumped out to the early lead with Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rabobank-Giant) hanging on her wheel in the early going. The 2008 Olympian Gould was able to slowly build her lead throughout the five-lap affair to earn her third overall and second consecutive pro women’s cross-country national title. “I was in the front and I just tried to be as conservative as I could be when you’re going all out at the top of that climb,” said Gould. “I wanted to save a little bit in case somebody caught up and attacked.” “I knew she (Lea Davison) was not that far behind. It was really everybody individually against the hill.”

As Gould soloed to victory, Compton and Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt./Specialized Factory Racing) battled for the silver. Davison surged late in the 29-kilometer event and was able to catch Compton, who suffered a flat, on the penultimate lap. The pair was able to close some ground on the leader as Gould battled cramps on the final lap. Davison had to settle for silver however, despite closing the gap to finish only 23 seconds behind Gould. On the comeback trail following a hip injury in 2010, the 28 year-old Davison recorded her best-ever finish, nearly a minute ahead of the seven-time cyclo-cross national champion Compton who earned the bronze on a tough climbing course. “I was feeling better on the second-to-last lap,” explained Davison. “I passed Katie (Compton), then she kinda got me at the beginning of the last lap, but I absolutely throttled myself on that last climb. I was really motivated and I was closing on Georgia (Gould), but I ran out of ground. I’m still really, really happy.”

The 2009 national champion Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek) finished fourth, nearly four minutes behind the winner, after battling mechanical issues. Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo./Giant Bicycles) who led a big chase group throughout the race grabbed the final podium spot just ahead of Judy Freeman (Boulder, Colo./Kenda-Felt) in sixth.

Zions Bank Pro Men’s Cross-Country
Wells, who became the first man ever to win national titles in cross-country, short track cross-country and cyclo-cross in a single year in 2010, continued his streak on Saturday earning his second pro men’s cross-country national title. The defense of his title wasn’t easy however as 26-year-old Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Trek) put up a hard fight to garner the silver medal. “To win it the first time, last year, was a huge weight off my shoulders,” said Wells, the top-ranked American internationally. “This year, I’ve been riding strong in all of the previous races, but this course is a lot different than most of the races I train. I’m a bigger guy, so to be able to win here is really satisfying. On a steep climb like this, at high altitude, you can’t really attack. Everyone just rides at their own pace. My pace just happened to be a few seconds faster than Sam’s (Schultz) each lap which was enough to allow me to get away.”

Schultz came around for the first of six laps in the lead, but Wells wasn’t far off his heels and was able to overtake the former U23 national champion on lap two. Wells was able to grow his lead to just under a minute before Schultz came surging back to finish only around 20 seconds down to record his best-ever pro national championships finish. “I would have loved to have won, but I was psyched to make it a race,” said Schultz. “I felt good right from the start and thought I might as well run with it. I tried to hang with him (Wells) but he was climbing pretty hard.”

The 2007 and 2008 national champ Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Rabobank-Giant) moved into third on the second lap and rode comfortably to the bronze. Ultra-endurance specialist and former marathon mountain bike national champion Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Cannondale Factory Racing) prevailed in a shoot-out with 2009 cross country national champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek) to round out the podium. Twenty-three-year-old Tad Elliot (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) also had a strong ride finishing just ahead of Spencer Paxson (Seattle, Wash./Kona) for sixth and seventh, respectively.

SINGLE SPEED
Hometown heroine, Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho/Specialized), competing for the first time in a single speed race, won by over nine minutes, traversing the 22.25-kilometer course in 1:31:43. “Hearing my name and seeing all of my friends and my training partners,” a jubilant Rusch said after her win. “It’s the best week of my life living here, having nationals here. It’s awesome.”

In the men’s single-speed race, Cary Smith (Jackson, Wyo.) earned the gold medal with a time of 1:21:36, slightly more than two minutes faster than silver medalist Cameron Brenneman (Santa Fe, N.M.).

CATEGORY 1 AGE GROUPS MEN 19-70+
Brennan Wodtli (Bend, Ore.) completed the men’s 19-24 course in 1:18:11 to win the Stars-and-Stripes jersey.

Brendan Shafer (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) was nearly one minute faster than Miguel Ramos (Durango, Colo.) to win the men’s 25-29 contest.

Ty Kady (Brea, Calif.) traveled 22.25 kilometers in 1:19:21 to win the men’s 30-34 by only 38 seconds over Marco Arocha (Newbury, Calif./Team Velosport Club).

In the men’s 35-39 race, Kyle Dixon (Reno, Nev.) was three minutes faster than Scott Leland (Reno, Nev.).

Dario Fredrick (San Anselmo, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized) was just 17 seconds faster than Mark Legg Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to win the men’s 40-44 race.

Donald Myrah (San Jose, Calif.) was two minutes faster than the runner-up Michael Hogan (Louisville, Colo./Justin’s-Titus Mountain Bike) in the men’s 45-49 race.

Russell Kappius (Littleton, Colo.) won the men’s 50-54 contest by almost three minutes, posting a time of 1:26:00.

Gary Thacker (Boulder, Colo./Justin’s-Titus Mountain Bikes) traversed 22.25 kilometers in 1:31:48, almost two minutes faster than Dean Swank (Crestline, Calif.), who finished second, in the men’s 55-59 contest.

Don Leet (Bend, Ore./Ben Endurace Academy) posted the best time among the men’s 60-64 racers at 49:54, 90 seconds faster than silver medalist Glen Norton (Renton, Wash.).

James Wagner (Auburn, Wash./Cycle Therapy-4 Corners Cycling) topped the men’s 65-69 podium.

In the men’s 70+ race, 69-year-old Andy Andrews (Hailey, Idaho) completed the 12.5-kilometer course four seconds faster than 71-year-old Hans Muehlegger (Sun Valley, Idaho).

CATEGORY 1 AGE GROUPS WOMEN 19-60+
Katie Sodergren (Brekenridge, Colo.) traveled the 22.25 kilometers in an impressive 1:39:55, almost 11 minutes better than the runner-up Lindsy Campbell (Missoula, Mont./Northern Rockies Cycling Team) to win the women’s 19-24 competition.

In the women’s 25-29 race, Rose Grant (Kalispell, Mont./Sportsman & Ski Haus) took the top spot of the podium with a time of 1:35:17, nearly seven minutes better than the silver medalist Jena Greaser (Newton, Mass./Noreast Cycling).

Jamie Busch (Los Gatos, Calif.) earned the gold medal after winning the women’s 30-34 race by nearly six minutes over Serena Bishop (Bend, Ore.).

Another hometown cyclist won in front of her fans as Brooke Hovey (Ketchum, Idaho/Mud Honey Cycling) traveled 22.25 kilometers in 1:34:22 to win the Stars-and-Stripes jersey in the women’s 35-39.

Helene Drumm (San Anselmo, Calif.) won the women’s 40-44 contest by just over 90 seconds over Christine Irelan (Colorado Springs, Colo.).

Julia Violich (San Anselmo, Calif./Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY 12) topped the women’s 45-49 podium after completing the 22.25-kilometer challenge in 1:35:21.

Anne Gonzales (Aspen, Colo.) emerged victorious in the women’s 50-54 race, finishing in 1:38:34, 12 minutes faster than the next finisher in her age group.

Lesley Jensen (Benicia, Calif./One Team Racing) was the first woman to complete the course among the riders, winning the women’s category 1 55-59 with a time of 57:58.

Former road age-group world champion, 62-year-old Martha Iverson (Durango, Colo./Durango Wheel Club) won the women’s 60+ race, completing the 12.5-kilometer course in 1:12:47.

National championship mountain bike racing continues Sunday with the BNSF super D races beginning at 8 a.m. and the exciting short track cross-country national championships starting at 11:30 a.m.

Visit the official event webpage of the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Cross-Country National Championships for more information on the event, including complete schedule, results, photo gallery and more.

USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships
Sun Valley Resort, Ketchum, Idaho
July 14-17, 2011

Pro Men
1. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) 1:44:38
2. Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Trek) 1:45:27
3. Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Rabobank-Giant) 1:47:06
4. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Cannondale Factory Racing) 1:48:43
5. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek) 1:49:03

Pro Women
1. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) 1:40:14
2. Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt./Specialized Factory Racing) 1:40:37
3. Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./RaboBank-Giant Off Road Team) 1:41:28
4. Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek) 1:45:30
5. Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo./Giant Bicycles) 1:46:37

Men’s Single Speed
1. Cary Smith (Jackson, Wyo.) 1:21:36
2. Cameron Brenneman (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1:23:53
3. Cody Peterson (Bend, Ore.) 1:25:13
4. Christopher McGovern (Durango, Colo.) 1:25:26
5. Chad Cheeney (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) 1:26:31

Women’s Single Speed
1. Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho/Specialized) 1:31:43
2. Jennifer Wilson (El Paso, Texas) 1:41:15
3. Sara Tescher (Durango, Colo.) 1:44:20
4. Melissa Liebling (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1:48:23
5. Lisa Curry (Bozeman, Mont./Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club) 1:49:16

Category 1 Men 19-24
1. Brennan Wodtli (Bend, Ore.) 1:18:11
2. Greg Krieger (Cedarburg, Wisc./Team Extreme) 1:22:49
3. Sean Jones (Billings, Mont./Montana Cycling and Ski) 1:23:13
4. Chris Jackson (San Luis Obispo, Calif./California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo) 1:24:15
5. Garet Steinmetz (Warrenburg, Mo./Ethos Racing) 1:24:17

Category 1 Women 19-24
1. Katie Sodergren (Breckenridge, Colo.) 1:39:55
2. Lindsy Campbell (Missoula, Mont./Northern Rockies Cycling Team) 1:50:35
3. Lauren Gregg (Big Bear Lake, Calif.) 1:53:49
4. Katelyn Isaacson (McKinleyville, Calif.) 1:57:34

Category 1 Men 25-29
1. Brendan Shafer (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) 1:19:46
2. Miguel Ramos (Durango, Colo.) 1:20:44
3. Jafer Beizer (Conyers, Ga./TBB Sports) 1:20:47
4. Adam Leiferman (Casper, Wyo.) 1:21:00
5. Tyler Gauthier (Ishpeming, Mich./Range Mountain Bike Association) 1:21:36

Category 1 Women 25-29
1. Rose Grant (Kalispell, Mont./Sportsman & Ski Haus) 1:35:17
2. Jena Greaser (Newton, Mass./Noreast Cycling) 1:42:07
3. Sara Schroeder (Hailey, Idaho/Mud Honey) 1:43:17
4. Mary Foss (Ogden, Utah) 1:47:10
5. Jamie Terry (Missoula, Mont.) 1:57:52

Category 1 Men 30-34
1. Ty Kady (Brea, Calif.) 1:19:21
2. Marco Arocha (Newbury Park, Calif./Team Velosport Club) 1:19:59
3. Josh Whitney (Boulder, Colo./Rockymounts-Izze Racing) 1:22:12
4. Douglas Schuler (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) 1:23:15
5. Scott Morris (Tucson, Ariz.) 1:23:34

Category 1 Women 30-34
1. Jamie Busch (Los Gatos, Calif.) 1:39:17
2. Serena Bishop (Bend, Ore.) 1:45:14
3. Rebekah Rottenberg (Davis, Calif./Davis Bike Club) 1:46:24
4. Becky Sears (Gunnison, Colo.) 1:46:29
5. Megan Chinburg (Portland, Ore./Veloforma) 1:47:31

Category 1 Men 35-39
1. Kyle Dixon (Reno, Nev.) 1:20:10
2. Scott Leland (Reno, Nev.) 1:23:14
3. Justin Mann (Murrieta, Calif./Rock N’ Road Cyclery) 1:24:02
4. Jerry Long (Moscow, Idaho/Coeur d’Alene Velo Racers) 1:24:49
5. Troy Olson (Driggs, Idaho) 1:25:09

Category 1 Women 35-39
1. Brooke Hovey (Ketchum, Idaho/Mud Honey) 1:34:22
2. Tara Walhart (San Francisco, Calif.) 1:39:06
3. Hollie McGovern (Nevada City, Calif./Calnorte VC Switchbacks) 1:46:06
4. Melanie Long (Boulder, Colo.) 1:46:51
5. Abbie Durkee (Des Moines, Iowa/Whole Athlete-Specialized) 1:51:27

Category 1 Men 40-44
1. Mario Fredrick (San Anselmo, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized) 1:19:57
2. Mark Legg Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo.) 1:20:14
3. Kenny When (Durango, Colo./No Tubes Race Team) 1:22:19
4. Stanislaus Bankston (Nevada City, Calif./Bicycle Emporium) 1:22:56
5. Kevin Donovan (Boise, Idaho/Team Ascent Idaho) 1:25:03

Category 1 Women 40-44
1. Helene Drumm (San Anselmo, Calif.) 1:37:23
2. Christine Irelan (Colorado Springs, Colo.) 1:39:01
3. Jill Hardiman (White Salmon, Wash.) 1:43:56
4. Heidi Volpe (Topanga, Calif.) 1:45:36
5. Brenna Lopez-Otero (Bend, Ore./Bend Memorial Clinic Total Care) 1:45:54

Category 1 Men 45-49
1. Donald Myrah (San Jose, Calif.) 1:23:02
2. Michael Hogan (Louisville, Colo./Justin’s-Titus Mountain Bike) 1:25:04
3. Frank Gonzalez (Helena, Mont./Montana Velo) 1:26:04
4. Brian Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Team Ascent Velo) 1:26:28
5. Mark Roebke (Avon, Colo.) 1:26:45

Category 1 Women 45-49
1. Julia Violich (San Anselmo, Calif./Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12) 1:35:21
2. Karen Hogan (Louisville, Colo./Justin’s-Titus Mountain Bike) 1:41:34
3. Coreen Wright (Evergreen, Colo.) 1:45:35
4. Michelle Richardson (Helena, Mont./Montana Velo) 1:55:28
5. Elaine Bothe (Portland, Ore.) 2:01:26

Category 1 Men 50-54
1. Russell Kappius (Littleton, Colo) 1:26:00
2. Wade Wilderman (Fraser, Colo.) 1:28:46
3. Johnny O’Mara (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) 1:28:52
4. Terry Duran (Birmingham, Ala./Birmingham Velo) 1:30:34
5. Scott Seaton (Bend, Ore.) 1:30:49

Category 1 Women 50-54
1. Anne Gonzales (Aspen, Colo.) 1:38:34
2. Laura Howat (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1:50:36
3. Ursula Sandefur (Auburn, Ala.) 1:52:18
4. Ellen Guthrie (Salt Lake City, Utah/Revolution Café Rio) 1:52:42
5. Lori Smith (Boise, Idaho/Wild Rockies Inc.) 1:54:41

Category 1 Men 55-59
1. Gary Thacker (Boulder, Colo./Justin’s-Titus Mountain Bike) 1:31:48
2. Dean Swank (Crestline, Calif.) 1:33:37
3. Russell Asleson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) 1:36:02
4. Randy Beckner (Helena, Mont./Montana Velo) 1:37:02
5. Michael Longmire (Missoula, Mont./Northern Rockies Cycling Team) 1:38:06

Category 1 Women 55-59
1. Lesley Jensen (Benicia, Calif./One Team Racing) 57:58
2. Karla Segale (Winthrop, Wash./Methow Valley Cycling) 1:04:50
3. Victoria Wiseman (Ketchum, Idaho/Mud Honey) 1:11:54
4. Marti Merritt (Ruckersville, Va.) 1:25:23
5. Melissa Boyd (Corvallis, Ore.) 1:26:10

Category 1 Men 60-64
1. Don Leet (Bend, Ore./Bend Endurance Academy) 49:54
2. Glen Norton (Renton, Wash.) 51:24
3. Dwight Hibdon (Park City, Utah/Mad Dog Cycles Race Team) 52:06
4. Dan Meyer (Lake Elmo, Minn./Loon State Cyclists) 56:05
5. Thomas Heywood (Wenatchee, Wash.) 59:01

Category 1 Women 60+
1. Martha Iverson (Durango, Colo./Durango Wheel Club) 1:12:47
2. Melinda Berge (Park City, Utah) 1:25:22

Category 1 Men 65-69
1. James Wagner (Auburn, Wash./Cycle Therapy) 54:18
2. Stan Ford (Temecula, Calif.) 55:17
3. Joel Quinn (South Jordan, Utah) 57:22
4. Whitney Fanning (Waco, Texas) 59:52
5. Tomas Pastalka (Belvedere, Calif.) 1:00:27

Category 1 Men 70+
1. Andy Andrews (Hailey, Idaho) 57:46
2. Hans Muehlegger (Sun Valley, Idaho) 57:50
3. Frederic Schmid (Waco, Texas/Bicycles Outback) 1:06:03
4. Ronald Riley (Aptos, Calif./Bike Station Aptos) 1:09:08
5. William Chambers (Park City, Utah) 1:59:11

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 70,000 licensees; 2,400 clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,900 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year, manages 17 national championship events and is responsible for fostering the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.

Source: Dave Gaylinn, USA Cycling
www.usacycling.org

New line combines patented technology, design and swagger

For Immediate Release:

CARLSBAD, Calif.—SPY Optic™ announced the release of its SPY Performance™ series, a line of highly-stylized technical eyewear, inaugurated with two models, Quanta™ and Alpha™.

“SPY’s connection to technical eyewear goes all the way back to the beginning of the Company, when we invented our anti-fogging technology, so the whole ‘Performance’ thing is an evolution of our heritage as much as it is about design or innovation,” says Jeremy McGrath, 7-Time AMA Supercross Champion, SPY® founder and rider. “We started out as California racers who did other sports, and that vibe is still what SPY is about today. If I don’t have to wear goggles, whether it’s mountain-biking or hitting golf balls or whatever, I’m wearing these glasses.”

The SPY Performance™ series features the SPY®-patented anti-fogging Scoop® venting system; virtually unbreakable Grilamid™ frames; impact-resistant, optically-correct and distortion-free ARC® (Accurate Radius Curve) lenses; glare-reducing Premium Trident™ polarized infusion in select models; bounce-back glare-diffusing lens coating; anti-scratch and hydrophobic and oleophobic technology; environmentally reactive Hytrel™ rubber nose pads and temple tips; and UVA, UVB and UVC protective treatments.

“My Alphas stay on my face and stay clear, which is important when up and down can be a little foggy,” muses Mike Montgomery, Freestyle mountain bike rider. “Seriously, these are the only glasses I’d wear when it matters. They look sick too, so you don’t look like a kook off the bike.”

MSRP for the Quanta™ is $100 to $140, which are available in translucent black, matte black, shiny black, translucent brown and matte white frame colors. Replacement Quanta™ lenses come in select colors and range from $20 for non-polarized to $40 for polarized versions.

The Alpha™, the lighter-weight, streamlined, semi-rimless installment in the SPY Performance™ line, have an MSRP of $120 to $160, and come in shiny black, matte black, metallic silver and translucent brown frame styles with corresponding grey, blue Spectra™ mirror, black mirror, rose with blue mirror, yellow or bronze lenses, or polarized grey or black mirror lenses. Additional lenses in select colors for the Alpha™ also range from $20 to $40.

For additional information about SPY Performance™, go to www.spyoptic.com/performance.

For more information about SPY®, log-on at www.spyoptic.com.

Quanta Matte White, Bronze with Green Spectra

Alpha Metallic Silver, Grey with Blue Spectra

I am going to start a new series of weekly or biweekly articles. The first will be called “Reviews In The Queue”, which will cover products, which are currently being tested and reviewed, meaning the items that are been hammered and used on a frequent basis. It will include a first impression synopsis and a preliminary rating. The next will be called “Just In”, and will be a brief outline of a product along with some pictures.

2wheelogic the US distributor for IceToolz and Nokon, sent along a nice array of headset tools, which is going too very handy for me during my current in depth testing of several forks and the new Cane Creek Angleset. They also tossed in some brake bleeding tools, and I am especially interested in the needle driver. It will hold the brake line and allow a more accurate and less cumbersome manual method of inserting the needle (aka the hose insert) into the hole. The headset tools include a starnut installer, head cup remover, crown race remover, steerer tube cutter, and a headset cup press tool. I tested the head cup remover and headset cup press, and they worked fine, though the press came without any instructions, and it took me a while to figure it out. I am looking forward to testing out these products, as so far they are seemed to be of excellent quality and very tough?

IceToolz – Toolz for the people.  Bike shop quality tools at an affordable price.  IceToolz has been making hand toolz for over 30 years and have compiles a range of over 250 toolz for the basic repair to the full professional mechanic.

My care package from Honey Stinger finally showed up. It contains the new Stinger Waffles, which are organic stroopwafels with honey in lieu of syrup. They are quite tasty, without being overly sweet. They also included their organic energy chews, that are sort of like gummy bears, but they don’t stick to your teeth. The chews are very addicting, and are available in a number of flavors. I like them after eating an energy bar, since they cleanse the palette and clean your teeth, picking up any residue that was clinging to them.

Located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Honey Stinger, was founded in 2002 to bring great tasting, convenient honey-based foods to consumers. An athletic entrepreneur, a honey industry veteran, a food product developer and a beekeeper make up the team that founded Honey Stinger.

The GoPro LCD BacPac, is a detachable LCD screen for their HD HERO camera. You can now preview what the camera is looking at, and review previously recorded video. The kit also includes several housing backdoors to accommodate the fatter size of the system. This unit should really help accentuate the usefulness of the camera in the field, and provide tons of functional into a previously blind camera. I poked around with the screen in the office, and it was quite nice to be able to view things. It uses the small button on the right for operation and to maneuver through its menu.

Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture, and wearable and gear mountable camera company.

GoPro­® Launches the LCD BacPac™

Detachable LCD Screen for 1080p HD HERO^® Camera

The first of several removable expansion modules
for industry leading HD HERO camera.

I ride an Ibis Mojo carbon bike, and to protect the frame from dings and scratches, I have always used protective tape in any areas that are susceptible to abuse. The tape is usually some form of helicopter rotor tape (protects their leading edge) or automobile clear bra tape. It provides adequate protection, and keeps minor scratches and rock dings from getting to the clear coat of the frame or deeper. Whenever some major rock crashes happen it sometimes creeps its way past the tape, and chips the clearcoat, and on rare occasions it even gets to the top surface of the carbon fiber. Fortunately, it never does much beyond superficial damage to the frame.

I just became aware of this very interesting product, which is supposed to have some pretty amazing impact absorption characteristics. The accompanying video is sort of cool, but I would need to do some real world testing before I can make any sort of judgment call.

Company Fodder:

Shelter is an impact absorption medium, which contains 50 layers of a visco-elastomeric material-like a memory foam that absorbs energy before it gets through to the frame. It’s also clear so it doesn’t hide your bike.

There are many abrasion resistant products, like “Helicopter tape” or “duct tape” but none of them provide shock absorption. Shelter is the first shock absorption and abrasion resistant bicycle frame protection product of its type. Shelter is also pretty much invisible so your bike graphics are not hidden from the world.

Great places for a Shelter Impact Absorption Strip:

• underside of down tubes,

• chain stays,

• along head tubes to protect from cable housing abrasion and the sound of the housing slapping against the tubes.

This is a video showing how Shelter works, by using it to protect a fluorescent bulb from hammer impacts:

Click here to view the embedded video.

MSRP: $29.95

Shelter Package Includes => 2 Strips (strip size: 55mm X 500mm)

Visit the Shelter website at http://www.CantitoeRoad.com/Shelter

Well, another Interbike show wrapped up a couple of weeks ago, and it was entertaining and tiring, but it was fun to catch up with old friends and meet a few new ones. It was hotter and windier than normal at the Outdoor portion, making for a couple of sand filled desiccating days. Indoors was the usual monstrous mess of booths, and I kept getting lost (as usual), and thank goodness for maps and overhead signage.

Bikes just keep getting better, both the frames and components. When comparing the same types of bikes (All Mountain, for example), the differences between them are becoming more subtle, as the manufacturer is building excellent product, that are functional and well engineered. It is hard to pick trends each year, but in general the direction is for more suspension, especially on a bike that can be ridden uphill. Components are getting lighter, with accompanying durability, and bike gearing has evolved (or devolved) to 10 speeds, although there’s a large continuing renaissance for single speeds, with a lot of bikes using belt drive systems. Now that Europe has decided that 29er is not a lunatic North American biking variant, more 29er bikes, wheels, forks and tires are being released. A couple of the smaller helmet manufacturers, POC and Kali are morphing their full faced helmet technical protection innovations to their cross country versions, which is a good sign for continued helmet safety.

I compiled together a Top 5 list of products that I found interesting and innovative from this year show:

Nutrition – Honey Stinger Waffle

The Honey Stinger Waffle is tasty, good for you and are pretty darn addicting, and I can’t wait to include one for snacking on bike rides. New part-owner Lance Armstrong, suggested the Waffles, after eating many Stroopwafels in the Netherlands, which are two thin layers of baked batter with a caramel-like syrup filling in the middle. The Honey Stinger version is organic, and substitute honey instead of syrup, for enjoyable 160 calories of edible goodness.

Bike – Santa Cruz Carbon Nomad

I first saw the Nomad Carbon at Sea Otter this year, and was impressed with the swooping lines and attention to detail that the frame displayed. Santa Cruz had recently revamped the Nomad slightly, and I liked the improvements to the suspension system, but the addition of a carbon frameset was a wholesale change for the Nomad line. It has a 67 degree head angle, 1.5″ steerer tube, ISCG 05 tabs, a woven downtube protector (cosmetic only), and comes default with a Fox RP23 rear, although my test rig was tricked out with a TALAS 180 and DHX- Air. The Nomad Carbon is available in Black and Matte White.

It only takes a short distance down any sort of singletrack to feel the extreme stiffness of the Nomad Carbon. Superlatives like taut and muscular come to mind as you thread your way down the trail, being able to slice and dice wherever you want. The laser like steering qualities of this bike are pretty amazing, and when combined with the stiffness of the frameset, allow immediate changes and transitions in your direction, along with accompanying traction control. There is no need to recoil and load up the suspension, it reacts like clockwork and does exactly what you tell it to do (sit Nomad), like a telepathic twin. The damping qualities of carbon shine through every time you hit a bump, or toss yourself into some ugly terrain, and remove that slight edge received back through the handlebars. Much like the Ibis HD, the Nomad Carbon felt very firm in its feel, although in comparison it does have more plushness than the HD. Pedaling gave great feedback, and produced prodigious traction for a 6″ travel bike. I could pull off some technical moves, that more nimble bikes only get, which was a welcome surprise, especially considering I was riding a 180mm fork.

Santa Cruz has a real home run on their hands with the Nomad Carbon, and it’s a great all around bike that can pull off most anything!

Tools – Prestacycle Prestainflator

Prestacycle makes the very functional and useful Prestaflator, which is basically a trigger operated air chuck with an air pressure gauge, that makes for easy bike tire fillings from an air tank or compressor. Their new product is the Prestaflator 2go, which is a portable high pressure Nitrogen tire filler. You load the unit up with Nitrogen, and with a simple preset of the desired pressure, it loads each tire up without any fuss. With a full load, it can fill 40 road bike tires to 120psi, though a slightly fewer numbers of mountain bikes, due to the larger air volume. The unit retails at $129.99. Filling tires with Nitrogen gives more consistent pressures (temperature fluctuations exacerbate the problems), they stay inflated longer, and tires don’t heat up as much. Downhill racers have confirmed tire heat is also a problem for them, not just road riders, so the use of Nitrogen can give a beneficial time advantage.

Components – Shimano XTR bakes

The totally redesigned XTR brakes are incredibly innovative, and come in either Race and Trail version. The Race version has a shorter lever, an integrated barrel and reservoir, a split clamp, non slip dimples on the lever face, and uses alloy backed resin pads. The Trail version uses the same barrel and reservoir, but has longer dimpled levers, a short stroke Servo-Wave mechanism, and metallic pads with a finned radiator plate (I.C.E).

The brakes use the trick I.C.E rotors, which feature a three layer construction, which uses an aluminum core and an outer steel facing for better heat dissipation. The forged calipers are oversized, and use ceramic piston’s, which helps absorb the heat from the oil, and dissipate it outwards. Pads are available resin with aluminum backing, metallic with titanium, and metallic with I.C.E. (finned).

Apparel – Gore Bike Wear’s new Fusion AS Cross jacket

Gore Bike Wear’s new Fusion AS Cross jacket was pretty sweet looking, and had plenty of innovative and functional features. The first one that captures your eye, is the wear resistant stripes on the shoulder area and the outer arms. The patches protect the outer fabric, from abrasion, tears and scratches, greatly helping the longevity of the jacket. The outer material is the light windproof and water resistant Windstopper Active Shell, which has excellent breathability. Stretchy sections of Windstopper are added on the sides and elbows for comfort and maneuverability. Other features are underarm vents, front zipper, Napoleon pocket, and an adjustable hem. The Fusion AS Cross jacket should be an excellent cool weather and transitional season product, that is comfortable, durable and functional.