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When you take a husky rider like me and do something like this…
With a seat like this…the Sette Strike DH Saddle…
Then I don’t quite land the right way…
You’ll end up with a seat like this…
When I landed, I went one way, the bike went the other. Luckily, I hit my thigh…not my nuts. But the Sette seat acted like a crumple zone and absorbed my weight…Poor saddle, that was my first and last ride with it.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Most wouldn’t really consider Trials mountain biking, but I do. Trials bikes are basically mountain bikes used to do some gnarly tricks and the dudes and chicks that can ride them are awesome bike handlers. One of our regular readers, Jay, is a Trials Rider with Evomo. Jay likes to compete in trials and I swear, anytime I see guys doing trials I am always amazed…and envious.
If you’re still not sure what Trials is, here’s a video showcasing it.
Man I still don’t get how these guys do it…
Popularity: 5% [?]
That’s right our very own Moe “Master Mind” Ramirez is turning…old! We’re going to celebrate Moe’s berfday by getting some nachos and beer this Friday at his favorite hole in the wall in La Mirada, Ca. called Marisa’s.
Here’s the address if you want to join us at 7:30pm
Marisa’s
15711 Imperial Hwy
La Mirada, CA 90638-2510, US
Just to show our appreciation for Moe, I’ve created a short slideshow/video about the guy that is pretty much the brains of our network of bicycle sites.
Popularity: 6% [?]
So most of our humble little group will be racing the local Mt. SAC(San Antonio College) Fat Tire classic cross country race this coming Sunday. Everyone will be racing beginner and, No, I’m not a sandbagger. I’ve never done better than 3rd in a beginner race but I’m sure hoping I can do just that. Unlike previous races I’ve got some commuting miles under my belt, which means I should feel ready right? I sure don’t feel that way. I always find that I become more and more nervous as the time grows closer.
Recently I was reading an article in Bike magazine that went through interviews with 4 different professional racers from various disciplines, specifically questioning them about what they do the night before race day. I thought the professional XC racer’s was the most interesting and surprising. He said that before the Sea Otter and any other race he would always drink three Tecates(Mexican beer) before bed!!! What the? He said a good nights sleep was more important to him than anything else.
Man I don’t know if I’d have the outright balls or stamina to be able to do that but he makes an excellent point. I think I may drink a glass of wine Saturday night. Wine always seems to put me in a sleepy mood. That might be the best anxiety killing idea I’ve heard so far although I’m always open to suggestions.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Not it is not a Reba…. it’s a SID Race!!! The KHS Alite Team’s first upgrade is a RockShox SID race fork. I’d mentioned that the Manitou Black Super was the weak link of my race bike, so I invested on one of the lightest production forks. The SID Race weighs merely 2.87 lbs, so the KHS Alite Team should lose about 2lbs and that should put the bike at about 23lbs.
Next upgrade: XT Crankset
Popularity: 7% [?]
I had a mechanical today on my morning ride. Boo. I was doing pretty well for being so slovenly the last month or so. Right at about the mid point of my ride, I was riding the Redline Mono 9, my chain dropped. This occurred as I was screaming down a wicked downhill while riding rigid (which REALLY means I’m crawling along going barely faster than the guy hiking up the hill). This has only happened a couple of times over the past three months, so in my book, it’s no big deal.
Redline Mono 9, pre-ride shot
Next up was a hill and as I started pedaling I noticed no resistance. A quick glance down and my suspicions were confirmed, the chain dropped. This time the chain had gone inside and gotten itself stuck in the gap between the crankset and the bottom bracket. I tried to pull it out without flipping the bike over, but to no avail. I proceeded to flip the bike over and tried gently prying the chain out again. But it was really stuck.
Right about now, a mountain biking gal came riding up the trail and yelled out “Need a tool?” But before I could even begin to conjure up my male pride and reply back to her “no thanks” she glanced over and without stopping said “Oh, I don’t know how to fix a chain. Sorry.” And off she went, all without stopping.
Uh, thanks?
So, I know that it was very nice of her to ask if I needed a tool and I appreciate it. But is it too much to ask you to be genuine when offer assistance? Maybe stop and check out if you can really help or at least wait for a reply? Am I asking for too much?
I passed her later.
Popularity: 5% [?]
A while back our resident Beer Expert, Lance “Lush” Lowry reviewed a stout called Old Rasputin.
Moe gave me a bottle of this stuff to try. As I’m drinking it I’m reading Lance’s review and trying to see if I could taste what he’s talking about…Well I don’t know about the sweet oatmeal taste he’s talking about, but I do know it certainly has put hair on my chest.
The 9% alcohol is doable…But then again I’m not so great at handling spirits…
So this Old Rasputin is pretty gnarly. I like dark beers, but this like drinking alcoholic espresso! Lance was right, this thing is super thick…but its REALLY GOOD! Man, Lance knows what he’s talking about!
Popularity: 5% [?]
Cycle Simplex Tandem Roof Rack
Model Tested: One Tandem One Regular Bike Roof Rack
Price: $269.00
As stated on their website:
CycleSimplex Mountain, Road, Recumbent, Tandem and Children’s Bike Racks for the car, van, SUV or truck
The best line of bike racks at the lowest price – our bike racks are perfect for the active cyclist or the weekend enthusiast. These bike carriers are designed to be kind to your bicycle and your wallet.
If you own a tandem bike, then you know that the best way to transport them if you don’t have a truck or a big enough van is by roof rack. I can’t hang my tandem on a trunk mount rack because it would be stick out the sides ready to come in contact with others or even bicyclists riding by.
So I contacted the folks at Cycle Simplex and asked them if I could review their rack. Their roof racks are compatible with my Thule rack as well as Yakima and your factory cross bars. What’s surprising is Cycle Simplex’s claim to fame is a simple J-Hooks.
These J-Hooks are remarkably strong and they are able to hold my tandem and my mountain bike in place. It’s too simple if you ask me…but it works.
Just by looking at the rack, you’ll notice there’s allot of hardware involved. Anyone can assemble this rack with out a problem. The instruction manual was pretty thorough, easy and if I can do it so can you. Make sure you don’t take any short cuts, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!
If you haven’t already figured it out,the rack holds onto your bike(s) by grabbing onto the crank arm(s). Then you tie it down with some velcro straps that are included.
If you look at the picture below, these arms that hold your wheels in actually do a great job. Once its been strapped in, the wheel doesn’t wiggle at all. There are different ways to attach these arms to the rack, but I had to do it the way the picture shows based on the situation I had with my bikes. You can attach this arm on the front or like I did, on the back of the wheel.
As I’ve mentioned this is a two bike roof rack. I have my mountain bike right next to my tandem. Not once did they hit handle bars or get caught up in each other. The mountain bike rack sits further back than the tandem.
Also keep in mind, if you’re loading up your bike, put the mountain bike in first, then the tandem. It’s just easier that way…trust me!
This is a rear view of the rack. It’s pretty straight if you ask me. I’ve driven around with my bikes on top for a few months now and I’ve never had an issue of them coming off or undone from the rack.
Here’s the only thing bad that I experienced. The rack tray is so long that if I open up my hatch back, it would hit it. But you have to keep in mind that my car is compact. If I had placed this rack on a non-hatch back/compact vehicle such as a mid-sized sedan or a large SUV, then this problem would have never occurred.
These two photos were taken while I was traveling at 60mph. I was never insecure of the rack and it felt pretty solid. Enough so that I had forgotten that I had my bikes on top.
Strengths: Super strong rack. Never let me down, I’ve used this rack dozens of times and I’ve never been disappointed with it. It’s pretty affordable, a Thule fork mounted tandem rack would have cost as much as $375…and that’s only for one bike. Cycle Simplex, you get two roof racks for only $269. This rack has seen rain, heat and what ever else Southern California can dish out. I am thoroughly happy with this rack.
Weaknesses: I didn’t like how my hatch back would hit the rack, but like I said, you won’t have that problem if you have a sedan or an SUV. I also didn’t like how the arms that hold the wheels and where the J-Hooks attach too would always be sticking up. I wished there was a way I could lower those arms when I’m just driving around.
Recommendations: On my Swagman bike rack, I am able to lock my bike with the knobs that it came with. I think it would be great if the J-hooks were equipped with locking knobs. That way if you wanted to, you can leave your bike on the rack while you go eat breakfast after a ride.
Summary: The Cycle Simplex Tandem Roof Rack is something I’d definitely recommend. It’s affordable, durable and its easy to use. I’m always looking for ways to save money, and if you’re i in the market for a tandem roof rack and you’re on a budget, you’ll get a high quality rack almost $100 cheaper than the leading brand…and its a top notch rack!
For more information on Cycle Simplex, visit their website or contact them:
CycleSimplex – 703 Head Tide Hill Road – Alna, Me 04535
Popularity: 13% [?]
www.bikecommuters.com
KHS XCT 555
