Ergon GC2 Magnesium Grips
Specs:

Multi-position grips with integrated cold forged alu barends, which have a dual function acting as the clamps for the grip. The shape of the grip is identical to the GP1. The GC2 is the replacement for the older R1 model. It features a longer, ergonomically optimized barend, which is adjustable in terms of its angle on the bar. Its size and shape are ideal for small to middle sized hands (Size S: 6.5 – 8.5) as well as for middle to larger sized hands (Size L: 8.5 – 10.5). The barend and the support platform on the grip can be independently adjusted for the correct angle to allow optimized fit for individual saddle position and riding style
Sizes: S, L GC2
Sizes: S, L GC2 Gripshift® compatible
Sizes: S, L GC2 Rohloff®/Nexus® compatible
Gender • Unisex
Size • Small, Large
Clamp • Forged Aluminum
Use • Mountainbike, Touring
Price (MRSP) 29.95 $US

I’ve been riding with the GC2 grips for about 4 months now. During the test period, the grips were mounted on the Sette Reken Single Speed project bike. This bike has seen various trails such as the Fullerton Loop, Turnbull Canyon, Aliso Woods, Southridge and many more.

Pros:
-Easy to install
-Very comfortable
-Multiple position possibilities
-Great bar ends for climbing, a must on single speeds
-Black, the best color in the world
-Bar end doesn’t stick out too far, great for aesthetics

Cons:
-Not the best grips for tackling very technical terrain

Installation of the grips were very easy. The outer portion of the grips have a lock on feature that keeps them in place. The grips are excellent for climbing, thanks to the bar ends. I’ve used other bar ends that attach separately from my grips and I didn’t like those because they would cause you to lose bar space since they needed an additional 3/4 of an inch on both sides to mount. But what I liked about the GC2 is the all in one grip set. Not only do you have the bar end attached to the ergonomic grip, but it also fully adjustable for your needs.

The GC2 are very comfortable grips to use, they allow multiple hand positions in which you can even rest your palms on the wider portion of the grip. Changing hand positions during a long grind can help prevent hand fatigue in the long run.

My only beef with these grips would be the feeling that I wasn’t getting enough to grab. From what I understand, Ergon Grips are supposed to give you more hand coverage of their grips over standard grips. But what the weird thing was the feeling that I would get when going down trails like Rock-it and Lynx, both rocky and technical trails. Each time I rode down these trails with the Sette Reken, I found my hands grabbing harder on the bars, which then lead to hand fatigued. When I experienced hand fatigue, I would have to stop and shake my hands until I the burning would go away.

Summary:
Would I recommend it? I’m a bit on the fence on this one. The grips are comfy, the bar ends work great especially for climbing with a single speed. But I just didn’t like that feeling like I didn’t have a full grip. So with all that said, if you are doing strictly XC riding where technical downhills are at a minimum, then sure these would be great for you. But if you plan on using these grips on an AM bike, I’d pass.

Popularity: 17% [?]

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: 17% [?]

PRODUCT REVIEW: TIFOSI DOLOMITE: Product Tested: Tifosi Dolomite T-V390 BACKCOUNTRY ORANGEâ„¢ (VARIABLE TINT TECHNOLOGY) 45-15% light transmission.

As described on their website:

Weight: 26 grams
Fit: Medium to Large Faces

Frame Features

* Lifetime Warranty

Lens Features

* Enhanced Visual System [EVS] Polycarbonate Decentered Lens for Optical Clarity
* Glare Guardâ„¢ Glare Reducer to Decrease Eye Fatigue
* 100% UVA & UVB Protection
* Ventilated Lens for Increased Airflow & Anti-fog
* Three Lenses Included for Various Light Conditions
* View Lens Chart

Eclipse Case header
All Tifosi Eyewear include case & microfiber cleaning bag with purchase

Our buddy Shannon Haslam sent me the Dolomite a few months ago and I’ve pretty much used it everyday and on every ride since then. The Dolomite not only works great on the trail by protecting my eyes from harmful UV rays and from dirt and debris, but it also looks good enough to wear with business attire.

They offer a wrap around design where it does prevent dust, gravel or any little particles to come in contact with your eyes while riding down the trail. The lenses are also vented on the upper and lower corners to prevent fog up.

The selling feature about the Dolomite is what Tifosi calls “Fototec.�

Here’s a description of it:

Fototec
Lenses with Variable Tint Technology (V.T.T.)
These polycarbonate lenses are blended with microscopic photochromes that alter the tint of the lenses when exposed to UV rays. The results of this process is a family of lenses that adapt to your individual needs regardless of outdoor lighting condtions.

They actually offer about 29 designs with the Fototec technology. So you’ll easily find something you like.

Anyhow you’re probably wondering how well this Fototec works, well I’ll tell you this, I can easily go indoors to out and vice versa without having the need to take the Dolomite off. In fact when I walk in from a parking lot to a grocery store, the lenses goes from dark to light in a matter of about 8 seconds. When I’m in the store, I can just keep them on if I wanted to. But I don’t because I’ve always thought that people that wear their sunglasses indoors are dorks.

Here’s a shot of how light the lenses are. I just pulled them out of the shade and set them down in the sunlight.

Then here’s a shot of them going dark after I placed them under the sunlight.

Here’s what I liked about the Tifosi Dolomite:
I like how they actually fit my big head. I’ve always had issues of sunglasses that are too small. But the Dolomite are pretty comfy, snug and did not fall off my face at all. I also like how they change tinting once I got into the sun. At first it wasn’t so obvious, especially with these amberish/orangey lenses, things are always going to be brighter. But one thing I did notice about the Dolomite is the fact that I wasn’t squinting once I got out.

I’m not scientist or something, but I’ve read that UV rays have an effect on people that causes them to squint. Since all of the Tifosi’s eye wear offers 100% UVA and UVB protection, I didn’t squint at all when wearing them.

In the past few months that I’ve been wearing them, like I said I wear them EVERY day. The scratches are to a minimum. Now I do know how to take care of my eyewear so that means I never left it lens side down or put it in the same pocket as my keys or change. The scratches I’ve had are from stupid mistakes I’ve made such as dropping them on the ground or just not being careful where I set them down. Other than that, the lenses are pretty durable.

What I didn’t like about the glasses:
For some weird reason, the left lens would fog up more than the right. I don’t know if my left eyeball was a bit more moist than my right, but I even had a friend try them out, and sure enough they fogged up on the left lens…kinda weird.

Don’t worry, almost any pair of glasses you’ll ever own will some way or another fog up on you, there aren’t any exceptions. What’s cool about the Dolomite, it does have those vents on the upper and lower corners that I mentioned earlier. If I did fog up, its because I was stopped after climbing a mondo, epic hill and the sweat from my face and the heat generated from my pulsating muscles…hey I have some…created some hot steam that would fog the Dolomite up. But! Once I got rolling again and the air hit it, the glasses would be clear again.

Price: Depending on where you buy them, they can cost anywhere between $49.95-$59.95.

Based on what you’ve read, you may have already noticed that I do like the Tifosi Dolomite. What’s there not to like? They look great, fit good, work awesome when in the sun and they are pretty affordable. Here’s the thing too, they have a lifetime warranty. I absolutely dig the Tofisi Dolomite. I’m sure would too if you had a pair. Heck, even Bryan from Evomo has a pair!

Contact Info:
Tifosi Optics
1051 Industrial Blvd. Watkinsville, GA 30677
phone: 866.310-0996 (toll free) / fax: 800.229.8122 (toll free)

Popularity: 4% [?]