My reviews on bikes and parts.
The guys over at Maxxis sent us some of the 29er Ardents to test along side the DH casing 26er versions we are currently running on the Terremoto. So far, we are extremely impressed with the performance out of the 26er version, and we are excited about getting our hands on the 29er set.
At that time, he was riding a 32 lbs. red RFX that seemed to be fitting the bill for the new Asheville, NC local. Due to an attempt at flying incident on Green’s Lick at Bent Creek, MP dented the RFX and had to build up the newly painted Sultan in a hurry to be ready for our HIP rides over the past weekend.
Thule Sweden bought the T2 design when they acquired Sportwerks. When this buy out was completed, Thule owned the patents to the best rack design on the market. With a couple of Thule “tweaks”, the rack became what it is today. The main design stayed the same, but the addition of adjustable rails, locking arms and replaceable straps gave the rack the Thule quality with the trusted Sportwerks design.
Singletrackworld.com hooked us up with a video of the new “Magic Link” on the Coilair Supreme from Kona. Interesting concept, and at least from this video you can get an idea on how the linkage/dual shock setup works. Real world testing on some serious trails will be the real test on if this bike truly works as it says or not. In the meantime, this video does help to spell out more clearly how the bike works.
The hits just keep on coming from Rock Shox/SRAM and it is starting to look like a huge year for the RS line. It also appears that SRAM is paying very close attention to what their end users are asking for. These new Reba’s will also be using the new 46mm offset. This Reba line answers all of the requests that 29er and 26er riders have been asking for all year long. Very exciting news…
Some might argue that a bicycle is simply a tool, a way to get from point A to point B. They’re not wrong, but that utilitarian view misses perhaps the most crucial point: A bicycle, especially one built with passion for passionate riders, is not just a tool. It’s a way out. Out of where? One ride, and you’ll know.
Now, these measurements will vary slightly depending on rim choice. My 2.6 is measuring out smaller on the 5.1d (27.8mm wide) than it would on an 823 (30mm wide). The rear 2.4 width on the 823 is pretty close to what you should find on most DH rims. The full labeled production versions should be very close to this set.
For all of the Cannondale riders, this is not new information because your bikes have been running this system for awhile. The BB30 standard (Cannondale calls it SI – System Integrated) integrates the bottom bracket bearings into the frame via a press fit.
Singletrackworld.com posted up a really cool video of the MX200 rear shock from Magura in action. After taking all the air out of it, we were able to get it to compress slowly so’s you could get a look. See how the rubber bladder folds over itself as it compresses.
How about this for some late Sunday night stoke?! We got our hands on some of the new prototype Ardents from Maxxis…specfically the 2.6 (3c compound) and 2.4 (60a compound). They are going on the Terremoto for some testing running the 2.6 in the front and the 2.4 in the rear.