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Lezyne Svelte Trail Use Review

Posted by Tim "Ciseaux" On July - 28 - 2010

My first initial review of this bag was published June 18th and since then I have been able to do a few rides with it. For reference you can read my first impressions Here. The bags features are extensive and very well thought out. Lezyne has a knack for taking a mundane routine item and putting an esthetic and functional twist on it. The results are finely crafted, functional and visually appealing products that scream “I’m a discerning MTB’r”.

I rode with the bag across typical cross country routes that included fire road climbs, single track descents and water crossings. The bag performed as expected and without any problems as expected while wearing it. I rode without the removable waist belts and at first did not notice much of a difference. While riding Turnbull, a section of trail has these “humps” (for lack of a better term) that quickly force rider and bike skywards but not in a jump style, you know what I mean? Anyway, riding over the humps the bag and all its contents would shoot upwards and I could physically feel the bag leave my back and then come back down. I’m guessing the original idea of removable waist belts was so the bag could be used on shorts hikes or as a day pack, either way the waist belt is going back on and I suggest leaving them on for all mtb’rs.

Water Break

Only a couple of things stuck out at me as needing slight modifications. The first being the storage compartment zippers. Although the large zipper pulls worked wonderfully, I did get the zipper itself stuck on an inside flap causing all zipper operation to cease; I had to institute the help of my wife to get it unstuck. What a pain that would be trail side! The other thing I struggled with was the threaded hydration tube. The tube actually screws into the bladder rather than snap in as is the common method. This made removing the entire bladder and tube together a necessity rather than an option. On the latter style, I simply unplug the tube from the bladder, fill it up and re-insert it into the bag. With the Lezyne bladder, if you unscrew the tube from the bladder, all contents from the bladder will come spilling out.

Pack with XC helmet strapped on

Overall the bag has been very good. It has worn well, lets my back breathe and organization is very cool, you don’t waste time digging for a particular tool, you just go straight to the designated pocket.
The bag has held up well to the elements including sun, mud and water. I imagine it would take a very long time to reveal any material deficiencies. I have received more than a few compliments on the bags style and visual attributes. I will continue to wear the bag and will report back any unexpected problems. Good job Lezyne, keep up the good work!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Sea Otter 20 Ten, Camelbak, Indubitably

Posted by Tim "Ciseaux" On May - 12 - 2010

Indubitably Sea Otter 20 Ten didn’t fail to deliver; beautiful weather, bikes, people and products. Last year Jer and I visited as many booths as possible looking for new and innovative products. Sometimes though the coolest new products can be found from the old guard companies; one such company is Camelbak. Camelbak has been around for a long time and they tout themselves as “the originator and world leader in hands-free hydration systems”. Indubitably we all love their products and indubitably their competition has began taking a piece of their market share. We stopped by to see what was new and indubitably, Camelbak delivered again. Here is a sampling of what Camelbak 2010 looks like, indubitably!

Sweet Color Combo! USA USA


Ahhhh, airflow...


Examples of how Camelbak has solved the sweaty back issue…

Being organized is the key to success...


Here are some random shots of the different bags that Camelbak is offering this year. They make hydration solutions for just about every activity including the military; in fact, I’ve heard that some MTB’rs are opting for the military pack due to their storage capicity and the fact that it automatically turns you into an Army of one…no military bags were at S.O. though, bummer.


Flow Meter for those who need positive afirmation while riding their MTB...


Here we have a cool flow meter that guages your flow rate when descending sweet Single Track like at our friend the San Juan trail in Capistrano. Jer was lucky enough to be gifted one by the folks at Camelbak, I can’t wait to read his review.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Ergon love

Posted by Priscilla Policar On November - 19 - 2008

As most of you know the Team MtnBikeRiders has been representin’ strong in our first few races. The team has been training hard these past few months and we’ve been having a great time out there! RL has done a great job with setting us up with some of the best companies out there for sponsorships and we are so proud to have their names on our jerseys! :D

This past weekend Jeffrey over at Ergon set me up with the girlie Ergon backpacks since the boy pack packs were a little big for Kim and I. I am a huge fan of Ergon grips and I wouldn’t ride without them….so I was excited to try out their backpacks.

I instantly fell in love when I opened the box! As much as I love the trademark green for Ergon, I have to say that the all black backpack is super sleek looking! Perfect fit for my curvy frame and I just love all the bells and whistles on this pack.

Here is the description for the boys BD1 pack:

A cycling backpack featuring a revolutionary carrying system. The central Flink® Link ball joint allows for huge freedom of movement for the upper body. Pressure is evenly distributed on both shoulders, protecting the back. This makes for a completely new and comfortable carrying sensation. Gender specific carrying systems each in two sizes. The BD1 is the perfect lightweight compact daypack. The BD1 features a large top opening design and includes one small external gear pocket, hydration bladder sleeve, helmet holder and integrated rain cover.

As a woman, I love small details – it really shows how much a company values their product when they put the extra time and money into small details. My favorite details in this pack – great padding on the straps, the built in whistle on the front buckle, the built in rain cover on the underside of the pack, the fact that it sits up right when placed on the floor, the design of the bag keeps it off your back…(no more sweaty back) and I love the flexible link system. If you ever get the opportunity you must try on this pack. I was amazed when I picked up the pack filled with items – it feels heavy in my hands, BUT the instant you put it on your back..AMAZING…it feels weightless! NO KIDDING.

I often hesitate when filling my backpack because of how heavy it feels on my back but that really isn’t an issue anymore with this pack. I can’t wait to put it to full use on an epic ride, filling it with all kinds of goodies! :)

Popularity: 7% [?]

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