Earlier this morning The Moe, Roy (Moe’s bro) and I headed to Tehachapi for the second segment of the Rock Shox Golden State series.   Approximately 2.5 hrs away from Corona we arrived at Woodward West shortly after noon.  We saw our teammates Kim and Tony Finch along with many familiar So Cal faces. 

The DH course:  It starts you off down a ladder drop.  It then takes you through a series of S turns and over two small rock gardens.  There were quite a few jumps along the way with a table top.  It’s a fun course but very short.  Looking at my Garmin 305, it was approximately .35 miles.  Overall we had three practice runs for the day. Look for a follow-up race report from our team.

After a long day in the Woodward West dust bowl, we checked into our hotel.  Relaxed for a little bit and we got ready for diner.  We dined at the local watering hole City Slickers.  Dinner was great!  It was awesome just hanging with the Team, sharing stories and eating good food.

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Product Tested:
Sette Razzo

Sette Razzo 29er frame in size Large (20″)

Website’s MSRP:
$199.98

Specs:
Material Full 7005 Alloy, Double Butted Main Triangle
Welding Tig Welding
Recommended Suspension Fork Travel 80-100mm
Headset 1-1/8″ Standard
Front Derailleur 31.8mm Clamp Type, Top Pull/Top Swing
Bottom Bracket 68mm, English
Rear Hub Spacing 135mm
Max Rear Tire Clearance 2.3″
Seatpost Size 27.2mm
Seat Clamp Size 31.8mm
Brake Mount IS 51mm Standard Disc
Available Sizes Small (17″/43cm), Medium (19″/48cm), Large (21″/53cm)
Color(s) Polished Aluminum
Weight 3.2lbs/1.5kg (Medium Size Avg.)
Warranty 5 Years

About Me:
6’1” 210lbs, 29 year old male. I’m a mountain biking enthusiast who enjoys XC riding.

Climbing on the Sette Razzo at Sycamore Canyon in Riverside.

Testing Grounds:
Marshall Canyon, Sycamore Canyon, Fullerton Loop, Bonelli … and many other trails in Southern California.

First Impressions:
The frame was light. The Large version came in at a pretty light 3.5 lbs which is comparable to frames 2 to 3 times the price. The polished look is nice and the graphics are understated. The welds are not pretty resembling toothpaste being squeezed out than the clean stack of dimes look. But for this price you can’t have everything and the bike provides most everything else in spades.

Even with a non-bling build (bb5, low end fsa cranks), the weight of the complete bike came out to 22ish lbs

Strengths:
The frame is light. Light enough to race. Light enough to be considered a light frame out there in 29er land. This means that even if you’re throwing heavy parts on it, which I most assuredly did, you’ll still end up with a relatively light bike. My SS build, other than the carbon fork and 200 gram saddle, was not an exercise in weight weenism and the bike still came out to a very decent 22ish pounds. I’m not a gram counter, but this bike is definitely the lightest non road bike I’ve ridden. Other then the fork and saddle, the whole build could lose a LOT more weight easily.

For a 7005 series aluminum frame, the ride is really pretty good. It is definitely not harsh like some other frames I’ve ridden before. Now, don’t get me wrong, you will not be mistaking this for steel, but it’s quite comfortable as long as you keep in mind that it is an aluminum bike. In one particular instance from this past weekend, I remember riding down a skinny singletrack trail with babyhead sized rocks. Immediately after that, the singletrack widened into doubletrack but went up through more rocks that were bigger. Both coming down and going up that part of the trail was, I wouldn’t say comfortable but, do-able. I didn’t feel totally beat up because of the rocks going down or up.

Sette Razzo enjoying the fun singletrack at Bonelli.

The Razzo has held up very well under me. I’m 210lbs but geared up with a full camelbak I go about 220-225 and this frame has been very good. I had no issues with flex which I would definitely have noticed since I have only run this frame as a rigid singelspeed. Climbing and descending would have definitely shown me some flex issues in this particular setup.

I also did not have any issues with the welds even as I’ve ridden it through some fun Southern California terrain. On a side note, riding rigid singlespeed has really been a revelation to me in the simplicity of a rigid, ss, mechanical disc brake bike. With less complexity, the bike really has less of a chance of having any issues. Just lube up the chain, check the tire pressure and I’m off.

Toptube plate… not sure what it is there for… maybe it lends more strength to the toptube/seattube junction.

The price is very competitive if not an absolute steal. Some people have bemoaned the fact that the Razzo costs so little compared to other 29er frames out there. I don’t. I’m all for more options and at this price the Sette Razzo really gives you a lot of options. This bike can be run in so many different ways from ultra light & fast race bike with really good weight weenie parts to a total beater with parts bin components used. The sturdy, comfortable hardtail frame can easily go high or low end or something else in between without feeling as if the frame didn’t match the purpose.

Weakness:
A frame at this price will have its cons. The first one most people don’t notice unless they look very closely is that the welds are not pretty. The welds are functional but they won’t be winning any beauty pageants nor will they be getting any nicknames like Ventana’s Electric Sex welds. Weld beauty, though, is way down the list of important factors when it comes to a bike frame purchase. As long as the welds hold and it has under the testing from this clyde over the last 4 months, I’m ok with it.

Rear tire clearance at the chainstays are a little tight with a 2.1″ Miaxxis Ignitor

The rear tire clearance is not 2.3”. I mounted up a 2.1” Maxxis Ignitor and it fits fine, but I’m not going to be able clear much mud at the chainstays. The seatstays had plenty of clearance for bigger rubber though. No problem for me as I don’t really want to run anything bigger than that on this bike but for those looking to build the Razzo into a burlier trail bike would want to consider this issue. Your milage may vary as I’ve seen some people run 2.25” rubber back there without issues.

Summary:
Simple, light, comfortable, stiff and priced very well, the Sette Razzo really has a lot going for it. These traits could also be one of the reasons why the Razzo is the #1 selling Sette frame. Small issues like beauty of the weld and rear tire clearance are really outweighed by the many pros of this excellent 29er frame. Get one while they’re still available.

For more info on the Sette Razzo, click here.

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This weekend is the Rock Shox Golden State Downhill Race in Woodward West. Our DH crew (minus me) will be out there in full force ready to tear it up.
Joe Sizzzle

Kim “Champ” Finch

Tony “Wizard” Finch

Last but not least, the Angel of Death himself…THE MOE!

They’ll be showing off the new Team Jerseys at Woodward, so if you plan on racing or spectating, just look out for the MtnBikeRiders jerseys..you can’t miss them.

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Tim Scissors scored a pair of Sette Vexx sunglasses at Sea Otter. He’s been riding with them for the past month and a half. Here are his thoughts:

Sette Vexx sunglasses from Pricepoint.com

Eye protection is of the utmost importance while doing any type of riding. Could you imagine getting a little winged fellow in your pupil while doing 20mph down some single track parallel to a nice little drop off? Well for this reason and a few more I always wear sunglasses while “eye” ride.

The Vexx are comfortable and stylish with holes on the arms and in the front for venting

My first pair of real biker glasses came in the form of Sette’s VEXX sunglasses, previously I always wore my trusty Oakley street shades. These glasses are definitely a cyclist style and not really what I’m used to. To that end they feature a nice aerodynamic shape, holes for venting, UV protection lenses and a little cyclist style. The lenses are pretty cool as they get progressively lighter towards the bottom.

Product Specifications
# Features: 100% UV protection, Impact tested Polycarbonate Lenses
# Frame Color: Black, Silver/Black
# Includes a Rigid Durable Zip Case

The first thing I noticed about the Sette glasses was how light weight they were compared to my regular glasses. They hugged my face nicely and I could barely tell they were there. The problem I always had wearing “street” shades for mtb’ing was that they would fog up at the wrong time. While wearing these they never once fogged up and the lenses were distortion free. They say that your brain will make up for any distortion in a lens but as far as I could tell, these were clear as a bell.

The Vexx are MUCH better than using street shades for biking

These glasses will now be my go to glasses whenever I cycle; I never knew what I was missing by wearing regular ol’ street shades for biking. You can find the Sette Vexx here. They are definitely worth every penny. They even come with a pretty cool and sturdy case for safe keeping.

Sturdy useful carrying case

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That’s right, Slayer is The Moe’s favorite band so when I saw this sweet helmet I HAD to have it. Dunno what it is, but as soon as I put the helmet on, I felt like a bad ass.

So as you can see, I was showing no mercy on the trails at Fontana. Yeah, I know that my new Team Jersey and my Bad Ass KHS DH200 also makes me bad ass, but I’m telling you the helmet made me safe as I avoided the Angel of Death.

You may ask yourself, well what happens if you eat it and scratch the helmet? Well, I got such a super deal from www.motorcycle-superstore.com that I bought two!!! One to race and the other to keep as a collectible.

Look for The Moe to be Criminally insane at Woodward West this weekend!

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We gathered up the crew and invited some friends to try out downhill riding at the World Famous Southridge course in Fontana, Ca. We were joined by my former Downhill Race Rival/Buddy Johnny Dow as well as Tim Scissors, Mark West and Val M.

This was Priscilla’s second time riding DH and she has remarkably improved since her first time. She was more confident and was even building up speed as she attacked certain portions of the trail. For the most part it was Tim, Mark and Val’s first time out on a DH course. Some of the stuff we did can be intimidating, but when you have a great support system, anyone can be successful.

Memorial Day DH session at Fontana from RL Policar on Vimeo.

I took a spill that morning, my front tire went into a run and I tried to ditch the bike run, but since I was on a descent, I lost my footing, tumbled, hit my head and right shoulder, tumbled, and came to a sliding stop. I sat there for a few seconds, took inventory and found that I was ok. My Sette Impact Suit really protected me. Thanks to the Dainese Raptor helmet…I’m still here!

Everyone else did really great. In fact you can see all the photos from this weekend, courtesy of Joe Solancho, HERE.

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At Sea Otter, we met up with our friend Steve Boehmke and while we chatted he gave me a small tub of a new chamois ointment called Okole Stuff, this is endorsed by World Famous Racer,Pua Sawicki and made by Team Mata LLC.

How do you pronounce it?

Okole (oh koh lay). Hawaiian word for the gluteus maximus region or buttocks.

What is it supposed to do?

an ointment that really works and stops the cringing feeling of getting back in the saddle, taking another stroke or pounding the pavement for one more second. With Okole Stuff you can put all your focus back into your riding, racing and training whether it’s for one hour or 24 hours.

Okole Stuff as Lanolin, Allantoin, Tea Tree Oil, Aloe and Love. It’s primarily made with Petroleum Jelly so that means its pretty slick and sticky.

The Tea Tree Oil is very noticeable in the fragrance of the Stuff, I like it, some folks may not. So the real test came when I finally took a gob of it into my fingers and applied it all over my nuts, butt and any areas that would be touching the chamois of my shorts.

Boy I tell you what, this stuff is great! Not only does it make your butt area nice and comfy, but it leaves your parts in the same condition it was before you rode.

The only problem I had with it…well it is Petroleum Jelly, so washing this stuff of my fingers made it hard. But that’s nothing a bit of warm water and soap can take care of. If anything, just use a paper towel to apply it.

I’ve used regular lotions and even Utter Butter as well as Butt Butr, but none of those really compare to how well Okole Stuff works. Heck, I even use it on my feet before putting on my socks when I ride or go to work.

Cost: $25.00…well worth it.

So check it out, get some Okole Stuff, you won’t regret it.

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MtnBikeRiders.com received several bottles of SportLegs. Basically I wanted to have our race team use them in a real race setting. We had the opportunity to test how these pills worked during the Shimano Winter Series as well as Counting Coup and Traverse.

Cost: $26.95 for a bottle of 120 capsules.

What’s in it?

Here’s some testimonials from the race team and staffers.

Eric “The Animal” Hunner

I believe the Sportlegs worked for me during the 2009 “Counting Coup”. I took six before the race at 4:30 am and started at 5:30am. 25 miles later crossing the top of Saddleback I took a few more.

After 44 miles and 5 plus hours of single speed riding I was feeling good with no signs of leg cramps that I fought off in the same event the year before. I intend on using them from now on in long distance races such as “The Traverse” on May 9, 2009.

Kim Finch (Team Racer)

As a mountain bike rider & Cross Country racer, I have been using “Sport Legs” for a few years. I first tried them while attending Nationals in Mammoth Ca. I would not ride without them even on my casual rides. I found that my legs do not tire as soon as they normally would and have less recovery pain the following day. At first I thought it was just that I was getting stronger but when I ran out of them a few months ago and realized how much they really helped.

I had found out, without Sportlegs, my legs would become fatigued much quicker on the climbs and the next day they were sore & stiff. I will NOT ride without them. These are not some energy pick me up type product, they are natural way for my legs to continue to do what I am demanding of them! I use them prior to rides and races and always after I have finished. On long endurance rides I even take a couple in the middle of the ride to stay strong. It really does help keep the Lactic Acid build up in check.

Priscilla Policar (Team Racer)

Sportlegs helps my legs recover faster after long rides. It used to take me a couple of days to start feeling better, but if I take Sportslegs before and after the rides, I don’t have any negative effects from the ride the following day or two.

Jeremy Yang (Staffer)

Anybody who has ridden with me knows I have a nasty habit: at the two hour mark of every ride my body goes into “hate” mode and painful cramps begin in my legs. It doesn’t matter if it is a moderate 2 hour or a hellacious 2 hour ride at the two hour mark my body begins cramping. People who know me also know I’ve done everything in my power to cure this. I’ve invested in sports drinks, drank 20 cups of water the day before, considered pickle juice/mustard (ewww) and even tried sleeping early! All to no avail.

Things changed when I started using Sports Legs. Before a 4 hour ride, I decided to take the recommended amount for my body weight (4). During the ride, a singlespeed/rigid/hilly ride (think hellacious), I went past the three hour mark before the cramps set in. This was phenomenal. I have been dealing with this issue since I began riding years ago and Sports Legs has allowed me to get past the 2 hour barrier without cramping.

This past weekend, I rode on back to back days, a rare occurrence for me. On the second day, my legs were feeling sore from all the miles put in the day before and since I was running low on Sports Legs, I decided to forego them on day one. I took the last of my Sports Legs on day 2 then proceeded to hammer out the longest climb of the weekend (over 5 miles with a few thousand feet of elevation gain) without any issues. Actually, I felt pretty good afterwards. I’m a Sports Legs believer. No more cramps for me.

Well there you have it…from racers to staffers. They all seem to agree that SportLegs work. So don’t hesitate, get yourself a bottle and see for yourself how they work.

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We received the WOOdman BILL LTI FZQT Hub to test and I recently had it built onto a wheel by our very own Tony “Wizard” Finch (thanks Tony!).

Specifications

Material : CNC-machined 6061 T6 aluminum anodized in black
Includes : V-Cup Q and V-Cup T
Holes : 32 or 36

What’s cool about this hub is I can go from a 20mm thru axle onto a standard QR fork by swapping out the V Cups.


This particular wheel will be installed onto the KHS XCT 555. Though the 555 has a 15mm thru axle, I’ll be swapping out the fork that uses a 20mm hub.

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Private party transactions are usually the best way to get the cheapest deal. Craigslist, mtbr or ebay are common places to complete these transactions. The tradeoff for the lower price is a brick and mortar, or even online, store standing behind their product.

Over the past few years I have had my share of bad transactions. Usually it is not the fault of the seller but the product might have some small issue with it. Without a store to return the product to sometimes you can feel stuck with something that isn’t working quite right. When this happens it is always best to contact the manufacturer.

Manufacturers have a reputation to maintain. They want the riders on their products to be happy with what they bought and to use their product as it was designed. The manufacturers definitely don’t want the rider to get on mtbr or another board and rail about how their product sucks. A couple of people like that and product sales will drop.

An example of this is when I bought a pair of running shoes from a nearby Sports Chalet. I needed a new pair of shoes for an upcoming trip I was going on. I wore the shoes briefly once before the the vacation so when I was on vacation I made an interesting discovery. The black shoe had a black tongue that would slide around even when I tied the shoes on tight. After a few minutes with them on, my white socks would start peaking out and look quite silly.

Since I had gone on vacation with it, Sports Chalet wouldn’t accept it back because it was not in “like new” condition. Understandable. One quick email to the manufacturer explaining my issue and the manufacturer OK’d me to return the shoe to them and they sent me a new one, of my choice, within two weeks.

Another time, I purchased a seatpost from a seller on a local forum. The seatpost seemed to have been crushed a little as I could not get it to stay tight on my frame. This was the correct sized seatpost because I compared it to the seatpost I replaced it with. An email to the manufacturer with an explanation led to a few follow up emails before the manufacturer asked for the seatpost back and a new seatpost was sent to me.

In my limited experience, it is best to be clear, concise and level headed. SHOUTING or cursing doesn’t get very far. You can offer a solution or, what seems to work even better, ask politely: What can be done to fix this issue? By the way, I don’t know I have also found that honesty is the best policy. If the manufacturer asks if it was purchased second hand my honest answer has not deterred the manufacturer from standing behind their product.

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