Dr. Thunda recently bought a new Sette Ace. He had seen me ride it through some of the local trails and based on my review and my suggestion, he bought one. Here he is with his new bike.

Congrats to Dr. Thunda, getting a new bike is certainly a great experience!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Last weekend some of my teammates (David, Kim and Tony) and I headed to the Santiago Oaks for some fun. We were joined by our friends Dan, Albert and Joshua. Following the heavy rains earlier in the week, we waited until the weekend to give the trails a chance to dry. Unfortunately some areas at the lower part were still pretty muddy.

Oaks is always fun. This time we stopped at the play area to watch David “el Guapo” Sanderson put on a clinic and show us his jumping skills. Below is a short video our ride. Enjoy!

Popularity: 2% [?]

MtnBikeRiders.com first heard about the KHS SixFifty 606 just before Interbike 2009. Excited with the 650b concept, I couldn’t wait to see it in person in Las Vegas. To date, there are only a few manufacturers entertaining this wheel size as part of their line-up. The 650b (27.5”) is the third option in mountain bike tire size. It falls in between the established 26” and the revolutionary 29er (29”). The 27.5” tire is fairly new in the current MTB arena however the tire size itself has been around for many years. The 650b is designed to roll faster than a 26” bike, yet is lighter than a 29er and will fit smaller riders.

BIKE SPECS:
Frame
650B” Full Alloy, Hydroformed Tubing, Gussetted Headtube
Fork X-Fusion Velvet, 650B
Headset Cane Creek A-Headset 1-1/8″
Rims Weinmann XM280 Disc Specific, Doublewall, Black, 650B
Hubs Alloy 6-Bolt Disc, QR, Cassette
Tires Kenda Nevegal Folding Kevlar, 650B x 2.1
Spokes 15G FT/14G RR Black Stainless, 32°
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur Shimano SLX
Shifters Shimano Deore Pods w/Optical Gear Display
Chain KMC Z9000 w/Master Link
Crankset Truvativ Fire 44/32/22
Bottom Bracket Truvativ GXP outboard cartridge bearing
Cassette SRAM PG950 11-34, 9 Speed
Pedals Wellgo Alloy Platform
Seatpost Alloy micro-adjust
Saddle WTB Siverado
Handlebar FSA XC300 31.8, Alloy
Stem FSA OS190 31.8, 3D Forged
Grips PowerTools Dual Density
Brake Levers Hayes Stroker Ryde
Brakes Hayes Stroker Ryde, 6″ rotors
Color Gloss Red w/White Panels
SIZES: S, M, L, XL
MSRP: $1199

ABOUT ME:
5’10” 195lbs, 40 year old male, mountain biking enthusiast.

TESTING GROUNDS:
SoCal’s finest: Aliso Woods, Whiting Ranch, Fullerton Loop, Santiago Oaks, Turnbull Canyon and Santa Ana Mtns. (Coal Canyon & Skyline).

THE BIKE:
The KHS SixFifty 606 was ready to ride from the day it was picked up from the KHS office. Already pre-assembled, there were only minor adjustments and changes that I had to make. First were the pedals. The SixFifty 606 came with the generic plastic flat pedals. To give it a thorough testing, I installed one of my Crank Bros Candy pedals. I then made an adjustment with the handlebar position pushing forward by a few degrees. With its initial set-up from the factory, I felt cramped the way it was laid back. Last were the throw on the brake levers of the Hayes Stroker Ryde. These seemed to be installed right “out-the-box” where they were too far for my index finger to reach. From here I was ready to go! Later on I installed Ergon GC2 grips with integrated bar-ends.

AESTHETICS:
The KHS SixFifty 606is truly a good looking bike. The top tube is a unique hydro-formed shape that resembles a hexagon shape. It’s a solid hardtail frame. I love the color scheme of red, black and white. Looks very sharp and FAST!!!

COMPONENTS:
The components paired up with the KHS SixFifty 606 would be considered mid-level. Far from the top of the line, however the performance was exceptional. First is the Hayes Stroker Ryde. Like its predecessors, it provided excellent stopping power. At high speeds I was able to control the corners on a fireroad descent with light dabs on the lever. The Shimano Deore shifters and the SLX rear derailleur performed really well. The shifting was precise and crisp. (during a race I had minor issues with shifting; it was later resolved with adjustments).

The X-Fusion Velvet is a very good fork. For a 100mm of travel it performed really well through the trails I frequent. Although geared for XC, I did take it on a few runs down technical/rocky sections such a Rock-it in Aliso and portions of the Troy Lee trail in Corona. Short of additional travel, it handled the well.

Rounding it off with Kenda Nevegals. All of my bikes are equipped with the Nevegals, so off the bat I’m already partial to it. Needless to say, it performed well to my standards.

PERFORMANCE:
Climbing: Ascents on the 650b, whether it was on a long grinding fireroad or technical switchbacks, the semi-big wheel motored up without any issues. You are centered in the best position to make a quick fore-to-aft shifts in upper body weight that make a difference in handling. I always felt balanced on the SixFifty 606. When I was crawling up tight switchbacks the 650b felt like a 26” bike. On sandy sections where I had struggled on my 26” bike, the semi-big tires motored through it. Finally, climbing on and off the saddle felt great… off course it’s a hardtail.

Descending: Through the various trails that I rode the SixFifty 606, there were never any descents where I was uncomfortable on. The bike felt great and rolled exceptionally well over rocks. Off course I didn’t ride it on a six inch (or more) required gnar-gnar trail… after all, it is a XC bike. But for the likes of Chutes (Santiago Oaks), Rock-it (Aliso Woods) and portions of the Troy Lee Trail, the SixFifty handled really well. The 90mm stem placed me in a better position than the traditional 110-120mm XC stems.

Cornering: The SixFifty 606 was very nimble. It felt light and responded quickly to my steering.

I had the opportunity to race the SixFifty 606 at the Mt. SAC Fat Tire Festival. The course laid out dry, sandy un-groomed trails as well as hard-packed dirt. The bike plowed throughout the course. Then somewhere in the middle of the race I started experiencing “ghost” shifting which hindered acceleration on certain areas. Never the less, I finished the race however did not place.

At the same race but in the Pro category, a better testimonial came from a Charles Jenkins, Professional Racer who won on the KHS SixFifty 606. See video below:

WEAKNESS:
I found no weakness with the SixFifty 606’s performance. Other than the mis-shifting that I had encountered during a race the bike has performed exceptionally well on the trails. The gears shifted on queue, the fork was plush and reacted well to the trail.

One thing that it can benefit from is a diet. At 29lbs, for a hardtail there are plenty of areas where lighter components can be used. Short of wheel selection for the 650b size, the rest are standard in the market. However with an MSRP of $1199.00, it’s spec’d appropriately with the components listed above.

SUMMARY: The Good just got Better…
Since taking possession of the KHS SixFifty 606, I have logged approx 300 miles on it. Riding the 650b I did notice a faster rolling bike. In the beginning I wasn’t quite convinced, however I rode it frequent enough were I eventually felt the difference. It has many characteristics of the 26” yet the benefits of the big wheeled 29er. I would often switch between my 26” bikes and the 650b throughout the week and on the same trail. The SixFifty is so enjoyable to ride, that I would have smiles for miles on the trail. I wouldn’t mind having a 650b in my stable however I’ll have to rid some of my 26” bikes first

For more information on the KHS SixFifty 606 visit www.khsbicycles.com.

FTC Disclaimer

Popularity: 3% [?]

Just received this bad boy the other day for testing from KUAT Innovations.

Specs:

Here’s some photos on how it looks on the Limo.

The NV came with additional adapters to allow 700c wheels. But what you see can also handle 29er wheels. Plus it ratchets so you can make sure your bike is snug and with a simple press of the button, it releases.

Wheel tray.

Large quick release lever allows multiple rack positions.

Tilt forward

Flat

Up

Built in lock and cable

See that knob, you crank on it and it will tighten the rack against your hitch to prevent sway.

Here’s the best part of the rack, built in repair stand!

I’ll be testing this rack in the next few months. For more information, check out KUAT Innovations.

Popularity: 3% [?]

A few months ago The Moe took a dive during a DH practice run at Fontana. He took a jump, landed but his bike bucked him off and OTB he went. Little did he know that his fall actually resulted in a REALLY messed up shoulder. He knew it hurt but he didn’t know the extent of the injury since he kept DH racing. Months later the pain got to The Moe. He finally went in and the doctor said that he tore his labral or something like that. That meant surgery, a few screws and orders that he stay off the bike for months.

Well its been a long few months and the Doc gave him the ok to start riding again. When The Moe told me that he wanted to ride the Fullerton Loop, I assembled a Welcome Back Ride with a few Trail Thugs to help him ease back into the joy of riding.

The Moe

Randall Robinson. He has a nick name of “Full Squish.” But that was sooo 2008. I’m assigning him a new name. Randall “Radical” Robinson.

Priscilla “hawtness” Policar

The Dr. is in! Gabe “Dr. Thunda” Preda

I actually forgot his name, so for now, his name is “This Guy.”

Cameron “Mac” McMackin. That’s one cool last name! Can you imagine all the ways you can use that? “McLovin’”, “MacDaddy”, “Daddy Mac”, “Snackin On Da Mackin”, “Mac Attack”, “Mac Mac”…the possibilities are endless.

Andrew “GoGo” Gomez

The Moe felt pretty good during the ride. Though there were times he had to walk some of the hills, he was back in his groove on the descents.

Have you ever heard of that saying, “your bike will go where you’re looking?” Well sure enough, The Moe was trying to avoid the mud pit and look where he ended up.

hmm…I guess 29ers don’t really roll over everything.

By the end of it all, we had an awesome time. No injuries, no mechanicals, just pure fun. We’re glad to see The Moe Back on the trails. Who knows, you may see him at the next DH Race.

Popularity: 4% [?]

I recently received the Prologo Vertigo Nack to review. I’ve only put about 40 miles on the saddle, so this is just a quick first impression and some pictures for everyone to look at.

Out of the box, the Vertigo Nack looks plain Jane from the top save for the flash of gold on its rear

Out of the box, the first impression you receive is that this baby is light! The Vertigo family has three different variants: Vertigo, Vertigo Max and Vertigo Nack. All are designed for mountain biking. The lightest and most XC oriented saddle is the Vertigo Nack. I don’t have a gram scale, so my office’s postal scale will have to do. It came in at a svelte 5.8 oz which translates into 164.4 grams. The posted weight of the saddle is 163 grams, so I’d call this truth in advertising… a rarity. A push with my thumb yields a decent amount of padding up top, but its the butt’s opinion that will matter.

Mounted on a Thomson post to my Niner AIR9, where this will probably stay for a while

I’m coming from a WTB Rocket V saddle and I was surprised to note that the sizes are similar. The Rocket has a more upward sloped rear end to its saddle as part of the whale tail design while the Vertigo Nack eschews that element. The length and width are pretty similiar with the WTB being a slight tad bit shorter than the Vertigo Nack. I really should get up a picture of the two side by side. I guess that will have to wait until the review.

The rails look like they have a carbon fibre weave (but it may be just for looks) and distance markings, note the red dots, but they are hard to make out. I could barely make them out with my own eyes, let alone get them to show up in a picture

The fit and finish on the saddle is good. The base is made of carbon fibre and kevlar and looks really cool! So cool, that I wish it was the design on top so that EVERYONE would be able to see it when I ride. Oh… vanity! The cover is made of Lorica and the design is low key. A quick search for the word Lorica nets me: a Latin word literally meaning body armour. This doesn’t help me very much but I will be testing the durability of this product with some use over the next couple of months.

The underside of the saddle is pretty. The white “Prologo” against the red/black weave is a nice look

After putting about 30 miles on the saddle the first weekend I received it, I was surprised to find that I was immediately comfortable on it. I basically copied the same clamping angle (got to love the Thomson posts for that!) and location on the rails as I used for the WTB. This put the saddle in a very comfortable position. Saddles, in my opinion, are a highly subjective piece of equipment and as such I was very concerned my sensitive tush wouldn’t take well to the Vertigo Nack. I was sorely (or not sorely) mistaken.

A little more detail of the carbon fibre (look?) weave of the rails

A review will be upcoming after more miles and saddle time on the Prologo Vertigo Nack.

For more information check out the Vertigo Nack here.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Lightly tensioned chain causes major chain slap noise

Are you experiencing chain slap on those downhill sections or sections of trail that you are not having to pedal? Doesn’t that sound get annoying to you after a while?

If you are experiencing a lot of chain slap, try moving your chain into the big ring up front. When you big ring it, you are essentially taking up more slack in the chain. By taking up some of that slack in the chain you reduce the amount of vertical movement of the chain which thereby reduces the amount of chain slap you hear.

Shift the chain to the big ring to reduce chain slap.

Just be careful when the terrain changes on you. If you are suddenly confronted with a little hill to climb don’t start dumping gears via the rear cassette. First, move the chain from the big ring to the middle chain ring up front then quickly change gears in the rear. Find the gear you need and pedal up the hill. If you immediately start dumping gears, while panicking that you won’t make it up the hill, you may reach the bottom of your cassette before you even know it and now you are cross-chaining! Ask me how I know this.

Of course, the best approach would be to plan ahead. If you see the trail heading upwards, start shifting before you reach the hill and get down into the gear you need so that you can attack the hill accordingly. Then, when it flattens out or points down again, big ring it!

Awww… Music to my ears, or is that the sound of silence?

Popularity: 5% [?]

Meet my brother Staff Sgt. Randolph (Randy) Policar. He’s in the Army. He’s some sort of Jump Master and he’s also in the HALO programalso known as Military Free Fall..

Part of his daily job is to jump out of big military airplanes high above the skies, around 12,500 feet. He’s been in the Army for at least 14-15 years and has tons of jumps under his belt. One of the things I asked my brother was, “Don’t you get scared or nervous before jumping out?” He replied with a very cool and simple, “yeah.” He then went into great detail how he overcomes his anxiety before and during the flight up to the drop zone. Want to know what he said? “Smile!”

So why am I talking about my brother and smiling. Well its simple really. You see when I first started downhill racing, my nerves would be all messed up. I would get nervous and during my race runs I’d make simple mistakes that cost me time. Since I had this pre-race anxiety, I called my brother for advice. I figured the guy did something far more dangerous than downhill racing. That’s when we told me to smile. It took me a while to get used to the notion of smiling during practice and race runs. But here’s something that I discovered. When I would try to get into the zone or focus too hard, my body would stiffen up, my grip on the bars were too hard and my reaction time was slower. But when I started smiling more, I noticed I was more limber, reaction was way quicker and I ended up having more fun!

Don’t get me wrong, this smiling thing isn’t just for downhill riding/racing. This can be executed when tackling a technical XC trail. Just check out the big smile on Priscilla’s face while racing Super D.

Try it today, try smiling as much as you can while riding, and you’ll see how that translates to your experience.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Popularity: 5% [?]

If you’re not familiar with this term, Urban Dictionary defines it as: “craving; wanting-I’m jonesing for some sushi.”. So what am I jonesing for? Anything that has to do with me being on a bike. Being sidelined with a bruised rib has taken a toll on me. I tortured myself by watching the downhill races last Sunday…now I’m sitting here wanting to plan a nice technical ride this weekend. However, my back and chest, where the ribs connect are still achey. In fact I popped a rib on Sunday night, ouch!

Anyhow, if you can ride, and have the ability, make sure you thank God that you can, cuz’ it sucks not being able to be out on the trails….ARGH!

Popularity: 5% [?]