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Tyte Rack sent over their universal roof top bike rack to us for testing. Here is what Tyte Rack says about their rack:

Tyte Rack roof racks incorporate a unique design, that make them the best rack today to carry bicycles on a vehicle roof. In addition, this rack is very versatile and adapts to your other recreational and sporting activities, including but not limited to, skiing, kayaking, surfing to name a few.

(1) Can easily attach to factory racks and will attach to the car without factory racks click here to learn how it will fit both of your cars.
(2) Universal bike attachment, click here to learn why this bicycle attachment is more stable.
(3) Bike frame security without the wheel removal and without the optional wheel holder.
(4) Reduced reach requirements for bike loading and unloading (approximately 12″ ).

Tyte Rack mounted with Redline Mono 9

Impressions:
I’ve actually been driving around with just the rack on my car for a little over a week. I wanted to make sure that I could confidently carry my 29er on there without fear of having the rack fall off the roof of my car. After a week of driving it around Southern California including hitting the freeways and going umm… fast, the Tyte rack has shown to be stable. The hooks and straps have not budged and although there is some noise, the rack has proven secure.

Side view

On the first night, I spent about 30 minutes trying to understand the directions before I gave up. A day or two later I jumped on the website and saw some pictures and finally understood what to do. I always feel that a picture is worth a thousand words so we recommended Tyte Rack to provide more pictures on their instruction manual and their website. They took this suggestion and added a TON of pictures. I found this instruction page to be especially helpful, more so than the actual Instruction page. This page and the links on the left makes it much easier to understand how to mount the rack and bike.

All the materials are solid yet light weight. The bars going across the car’s roof are small and round but coated with a durable finish. The tapered seatpost attachment fits perfectly into my 27.2mm seatpost while the straps for the handlebar are strong. The only part that I had any problem with is the rubber boot on the bottom of the towers which had a tendency to fall off when it was not mounted onto the car. Just watch out for these and you’ll be ok.

Tapered seatpost installed into seatpost socket & frame of bike

Once I understood how the whole system worked, the Tyte Rack setup/tear down became VERY quick and was easy. Mount the rack, secure the straps and hooks, mount the bike and secure the handlebar and you’re all set. It takes probably about 10 minutes. Tear down was even faster.

It does seem to be universal. I mounted the rack to my Honda Accord and after fiddling with it a while, I can understand why Tyte Rack claims to be a universal rack. It has minor adjustments that can be made on the bar and the straps can be lengthened or shortened to fit many if not all cars.

Tower, rubber boot, hook and straps all secure

Since I’m still laid up (I think I’ll be riding again next week!!) I only got to drive the Tyte rack around the block a few times but I did choose to go over some speed bumps and I raised my speed all the way up to 40+mph, legally. I had my windows rolled down the whole time listening for any signs that the rack might be shifting but I heard none. Interestingly I didn’t hear any of the noise I had previously heard with just the rack on my car. I hope this bodes well for future trips.

This short first impressions could not be complete without mentioning the price. Tyte rack has aggressively priced their racks starting at $89. For a limited time though the standard rack has a $10 discount which makes it a very good value for any type of roof mount bike rack.

Handlebar straps. Two of them

We’ll be taking this rack out to the trail & back over the next couple of months to give it a good workout. Come back to check out the review.

For more information about the Tyte Rack, click here.

An “RL” shot: reflection of the Tyte rack on my Accord

Popularity: 9% [?]

There’s been a considerable amount of questions regarding this particular seatpost, and for good reason. As I stated previously, if this seatpost worked it could very well be one of the best deals out there. At a selling price of $34.98, it is approximately 15% of the cost of the 2nd least expensive offering(Gravity Dropper). First off, let’s take a quick look at what else is available in the dropping seatpost market.

(Left to right)

Gravity Dropper($239.98)

Maverick Speedball($248.86)

Crank Bros Joplin($274.98)

These are prices I got from different websites but you may be able to find them for fairly cheaper(or fairly more expensive). Also note, I have not tested any of these other seatposts. All have a handlebar switch which the Ryde seatpost does not. A minor downside if this one worked correctly. My hope was that this would be the Sam Cassell of seatposts…not the best looking but still a champion.

The red lever is all you have to deal with on the Sette Ryde ST-850. It’s just that simple. However, the one “issue” you’ll run into is weighting the seatpost at the proper angle. At first I was jumping and slamming my weight straight down, with little result. I’m 155 pounds so I was afraid I was too light. This was most definitely not the case. It’s a very easy technique but took me about 3 rides to figure out and perfect. The video below shows me weighting the seat with my arm but here’s how to make your Ryde seatpost work in the real application.

How to weight your Ryde ST-850:

I’ll assume we’re all riding along as this is the whole point of the seatpost: so that you don’t have to stop to adjust. This requires a fair amount of balance and obviously you’ll have to be able to steer with one hand, while the other goes for the trigger which is right near your…uhh, saddle bag. Here’s where the technique comes in. You’ll want to scoot your ass up towards the front of your saddle. Second, grab that trigger(it’s extremely easy to pull and can be done with one finger). At the same time, with your weight toward the front of the saddle you’ll have to lean your body back, as if you were in a recliner, until your weight is in line with the angle of your seat tube. When you hit this angle you’ll know it as your post will drop ever so comfortably and easily down. Simply let go of the trigger at this point(if you don’t the post will pop back up to full mast). Viola…now you’re ready to punish some downhill.

As soon as the hill starts pointing up just reach down, get your ass off the saddle, and pull the trigger. Bam! Seatpost is back to climbing height in less than a second. After a while it’ll become second nature to you. I can adjust the post up or down within about a second, either way with ease. Believe me, the extra leg room is a welcome luxury on descents when you’re riding a bike with no suspension.

First ride with the Ryde(that’s redundant) was the mud and clay filled mess you see above. The post did get that “sticky” feel but I lathered some grease on there, pumped the post a few times and its been going strong for months.

The only technical downside, in comparison with its high-priced brethren, is the lack of adjustments through the 3-4 inches of travel. But think about it a second. Are you really going to need to adjust your seatpost that much? When I’m riding I don’t want to have to worry about weather I need my post 1 inch lower or 1 3/4 lower. I either want my post up for climbing or down for descents. Don’t make me think beyond that, dammit! I just want to ride my bike.

The Ryde ST-850 lets you do just that. Hey, but the Ryde doesn’t have a cool cord and handlebar knob! Ya, well, if you need shiny parts and a little bit more makeup on your post then get out your credit card and have at it. You’ll be spending 85% more for a post that, in reality, does the same exact thing! After riding this post I look at the pricey alternatives and laugh. This is the greatest deal I’ve ever come across in mountain biking components. The shear savings from the alternatives is reason enough alone to buy the Ryde ST-850. Its durability and ease of use are icing on top of a very inexpensive, but delicious cake.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Frame: Vassago Bandersnatch Large (Grey) ’07

Weight: 28 pounds(cheesy bathroom scale). The frame could easily be built in the low 20s but this was a budget build

Rider: 5’10″, 150 lbs. Enjoy long walks on the beach and back rubs

The wonderful people at Vassago gave us this frame to build. How do I know they’re wonderful? They have Stone Brewing listed as their favorite brewery! Instant credibility, as far as I’m concerned. The frame itself is long and primed for cruising the countryside at speed. Coming from a Santa Cruz Heckler, the wheelbase feels quite long. Almost more of large-scale XC rig …lengthy and fast.

Downer Stuff: Lets get this out of the way first. This frame is an ’07 Large. The only thing I’d change about the frame would be to tack on a replaceable derailleur hanger. This is a steel frame so I imagine the existing one would be very tough to bend. Still, this isn’t really a valid complaint as Vassago already remedied the situation, slapping a replaceable hanger on the ’08 model. Problem solved!

Another might be the weight but again, part selection would help lighten the load. Still, I never felt hindered despite the almost 30 pound weight.

Lugs on a mountain bike? Sweet!

One of the obvious downsides, you would think, would be the lack of suspension. Yes and No. Picking your line on a downhill becomes more of a necessity than an option. Full rigid becomes a teacher much like the caretaker in Happy Gilmore, with the philosophy: “You will go to sleep or I will put you to sleep”. The Bandersnatch will gladly allow you to flow with the trails or it will make you flow them. If you find yourself lazily descending a technical section prepare to be bitch-slapped back into understanding that YOU are all the suspension this bike needs.

Still, I cringe to list this as a downside. On the contrary, I’ve noticed my handling skills have progressed rapidly with the lack of any squish.

Good Vibes: The steel frame has been a trusty friend on my road bike, but this was the first steel mountain bike I’ve owned. Vassago uses 4130 Chromoly tubing dubbed “R-Tech” . This and the large 29 inch wheels help to serve as a minimalist’s sort of suspension. It really is surprising how much the frame deadens any bad vibrations and will even encourage you on small drops. Drops on a 29er? It can and will be done when you’re on the Bandersnatch.

I’ll admit, it does take a couple rides to get used to the shear size of the tires and wheels. Normally I’m a habitual bunny-hopper but a long frame can make you feel skill-less in a hurry. Even so, by my fourth ride I was hopping tall curbs with confidence and speed. This is where the Bandersnatch sheds it’s cocoon and shows you it’s wings. Don’t be fooled into thinking you’re pedaling some nambi pambi cross country rig whose sole purpose is to avoid fun, keeping you riding fireroads all day. OH NO, the Bandersnatch welcomes all terrain and is ready to rip all but the hairiest sections. I imagine a suspension fork with a small but firm amount of travel would make this ride and absolute dream.

Speedin’ through the jungle

Whoever said 29ers are big and unresponsive didn’t tell Vassago. I’d read reviews of the Bandersnatch listing its prime weakness as tight switchbacks. I’ll gladly disagree. As long as there’s room for the wheels to roll, the bike will follow you through the tightest of turns.

The elusive Bandersnatch stalks it’s unsuspecting prey

The foundation for the Bandersnatch’s greatness is obviously the 29 inch wheels. The first ride characteristic that sticks out he most was the ability to maintain rolling speed. Yes, this bike rips up trails and singletrack but its ever present forte is the ability to keep that average speed up. Those fellas at Vassago named this ride quite appropriately after the mythical Bandersnatch that travels the land at incredible speed.

Bandersnatch in its stomping grounds

The ODIS fork (Oh Damn It’s Smooth) is an excellent three piece fork. There’s almost no flex at all. Also steel, it dulls the edge of the small bumps and keeps all your pedal energy efficient. High speed downhills are an absolute thrill, provided there are no jarring washerboard sections. The sacrifice of no suspension can and will get you into trouble on high speed descents. I was on a fireroad downhill when the road turned rough in a hurry. Instantly my hands were struggling to keep a grip making it difficult to find the brake levers. A swap to suspension fork would be a good solution but I think working with the rigid has been highly challenging and highly rewarding.

Verdict:

Don’t be deceived by it’s no suspension, no frills looks. The Bandersnatch excels in all areas. I did notice I’ve been climbing in lower gears. Possibly a result of the larger wheel radius. However it still climbs confidently and quickly. In the tightest of turns you’ll notice the big wheels turn a little slower but as long as you have decent balance it’s manageable.

Rolling, winding singletrack and high speed downhills will be eaten alive by the Bandersnatch. Again, the only thing keeping you from achieving light speed may be the rigid fork. With a short-travel suspension fork the Bandi would be unstoppable.

The Bandersnatch has all the speedy traits of a road bike but is more than ready to take punishment and even dish out a little of its own along the way.

Recommended? Oh, hell yes. I was skeptical that 29ers were a gimmick. Not so. The big wheels definitely have advantages. I’ll not say 29 inch wheels are superior to 26, or vice versa. It’s simply a different style of ride…albeit an excellent one.

Despite my Bandersnatch’s hefty 28 pounds I found it an all-out thrillride and have opted to ride it over my Heckler. Like a slutty female trainer, it’ll whip your ass into shape but reward for your efforts. A highly capable machine, it could easily double as an XC race rig or a full bore all-mountain shredding beast. Don’t have a Bandersnatch? Get one!

Final Spec:

Fork: Vassago ODIS

Wheels: Bontranger Superstock

Tires: WTB Exiwolf 2.3 (F&R)

Brakes: Hayes Mags, 7″ front & 6″ rear

Drivetrain: SRAM X7 (shifters, F&R derailleurs)

Seatpost: Sette Ryde ST-850 dropper

Cranks: Truvativ Firex

Cockpit: Cane Creek S3 headset, Spank Lounge Bar, Spank Not 1.5 Timer stem, OURI grips

Pedals: Xpedo

Popularity: 13% [?]

Who:
From Twenty6 products: Twenty 6 products is an American owned and operated manufacturer of high quality, innovative CNC machined, performance enhancing components for bicycles. Twenty6 products was formed in February 2006 by Tyler Jarosz on a few basic premises; quality products, unsuppressed customer service, advanced technologies, passion, devotion, and determination. We are a team of active, insightful, and dedicated individuals, all seeking excellence. Our team is composed of experienced engineers, proven machinists, and top riders who rigorously and continuously test our products.

Product Tested:
Twenty6 products Dualie Lever

Red means stop!

Website’s MSRP:
$ 74.99

Specs:
Dualie lever
6061 t6 cnc brake levers
two-finger grip design
quicker engagement
available in anodized colors
fits: avid: juicy / code, hayes: mag / nine / el camino trail, shimano (it doesn’t say but I’ve seen the dualie levers for Formula brakes too)

Pretty details in the finish.

First Impressions:
These dualie levers will bring attention to your bike. Unless you’re going with black, then expect to get some comments on them. Thankfully I love me some attention! j/k.

The anodized colored levers are very nice but I’m still not digging the blue and red they sent. I’d rather have one color of course but you won’t have this problem when you purchase yours as they’ll both be the same color. Ours are different colors because they are 2007 samples.

Blue lever flipped as it is normally a left lever. Normal pair will not need to be flipped nor will the etching be upside down.

Strengths:
The first thing you notice about the levers, other than the cool color, is that they have little to no vertical movement when mounted. The stock Avid levers that came with my juicy 7 always had a little bit of vertical jiggle to them. I’m not exactly sure why, but the twenty6 levers did not have this problem. Once installed, they exhibited little to no vertical movement which tends to inspire a little more confidence in their abilities.

I also noticed that the dualie levers are stiffer than the stock levers my juicy 7’s came with. The stock levers are nice. They have a nice shape that I have liked with all my Avid brakes but they somehow feel flexy when I’m squeezing hard. They never felt like they’d break, but it did feel like it gave in a bit more than it should. This is nothing “bad�? but it is different from the twenty6 dualie levers. The dualie levers do not feel flexy. They feel firm when squeezed which is reassuring.

One finger braking… my favorite!

The curve is the reason why you would buy a twenty6 lever. Sure the levers look great and the machining rocks but it’s really all about the curve. If the curve is not right on, then what’s the point? In the case of the twenty6 levers the curve of the lever is at an optimal position. I am normally a one finger brake-r so on the twenty6 levers I use the first hook for my index finger. In all the riding I’ve done with these levers, I have not had to use my middle finger to apply more power to the brakes. This speaks to a couple of design elements including the excellent curve, the stiffness of the lever and the location of the mounting holes which provide faster engagement.

The design of the lever allows for the brakes to engage earlier in the “squeeze�? than stock brakes. This has to do with the mounting holes which are not in the same position that the holes are found on the Avid levers. This also allows for me to engage the brakes easier without it touching the rest of the fingers still on the bar.

I can’t believe I’ve written so many positives on this lever without mentioning the fact that they are offered in a 10 different colors: red, blue, black, orange, yellow, pink, green, brown, urban camo and white. Matching your levers with the rest of your bike is a cinch.

Slightly longer than the stock levers

Weakness:
The lever is a tad long. It is just a tad bit longer than the Avid lever and I think it could use a bit of shortening. I don’t think it will ever be as short as the stock levers (because of the first hook) but shortening it up a little will help in that it decreases unnecessary weight. Weight, by the way, was not a factor in my mind but could be to you. Shortening will also allow me to move the brakes out towards the grip a bit more. Currently I find them to be located a little farther in on the handlebar than I prefer.

Red lever to match the red headset

Summary:
If you’re looking for better levers than the current ones you’re running on your bike look no further than the twenty6 dualie levers. They’re stiffer than stock levers and have an excellent curve to them that makes braking much easier especially one finger braking. The mounting holes are designed to allow for quicker engagement of the brakes and the levers look great with many different colors to choose from. Not only this, but twenty6 makes these levers for many different braking systems including formula, shimano, hayes, avid.

Click here for the twenty6products.com website.

Popularity: 14% [?]

RL Policar lost 2lbs this week, leaving him at 190lbs.
202-190 = 12lbs
12/202= 5.94 %

Vince Rodarte gained a pound this week, leaving him at 231lbs.
242-231 = 11lb
11/242 = 4.55%

I’d like to add something. Before the contest, I had already started losing some weight. So my total weightloss is now at 20lbs! Yes, I weighed 210lbs…Below is a pic of me with my 2 chins weighing in at 210lbs.


Here’s one from last Saturday while we were exhibiting at the Urban Commuter Expo.

Vince Rodarte is doing really well on his weight loss challenge. The fella is riding more, eating less and is a big threat to me in this contest! Though he may have gained a pound, I’m sure he could lose it quickly with one bowel movement…

Popularity: 3% [?]