Utah Mountain Biking, Backcountry Skiing and Outdoor Sports Videos, Pictures and Articles
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Is the Horst-link Suspension Design Becoming Irrelevant?
Over the past 5 years, mountain bike suspension designs have evolved from a few designs (essentially Horst and single-pivot) to a myriad of high-performance suspension designs (VPP, DW-Link, CVA, Maestro, ABP, I-Drive, ICT, ETS and the like). All the while, Specialized has become cornered–pinned in by the very patent that they’ve held so dear all these years. Their way is a great way, but is it the BEST way?
In no way am I discounting the Horst-link suspension design, but at this point, I could take it or leave it. Five years ago, that wasn’t the case though because it was the most reliable and efficient suspension design available. Now, there are several designs vying for the “best” suspension design on the market. While the topic of “Best Suspension Design” will be quite subjective, it’s still an interesting debate.
This year alone, I’ve ridden the following suspension designs:
DW-link(Iron Horse MKIII, Iron Horse 6Point6, Pivot Mach 5 and Ibis Mojo)
At this point, every manufacturer will tell you that their suspension design is the best. Of course they believe it and of course you should look at those claims with some degree of scrutiny. Those claims are just marketing hooey until rubber meets dirt and bumps are met with squishy travel in all it’s glorious varieties.
Quite honestly, every suspension design I’ve ridden in recent years has been good and sometimes they have been outstanding, but no single modern suspension design is inherently bad. There can be bad renditions, but each suspension design on the market has merit and can be stellar when properly executed with the right implementation.
Yes, you can easily tell the difference between each design and some are better suited to climbing while others are more well-suited to descending. Some are built for simplicity while others end up being flush with complexity. Again, the marketing engine will try to pit one design against another–claiming superiority.
Single-pivot designs are typically the most picked-on design these days, but when one is properly executed, you’ll have a hard time differentiating it from a Horst-link. On the other end, the VPP, DW-Link and their copycats are often written off as too complex or prone to breakdown.
The performance of virtual pivot designs is proof that the simplest solution is not always the best.
Is the Horst-link Becoming Irrelevant?
Horst-link suspension designs have been the ideal for a long time and suspension designers have been held back because of their reluctance to push the limits of the Specialized-owned patent. For 2009, Rocky Mountain is splitting hairs between the Horst and their own ETSX patent on the new Altitude platform. The untrained eye will never notice the subtle differences and even the most experienced rider will likely not be able to tell the difference in ride quality.
Rocky Mountain's ETS Suspension Design
Trek is also pushing the Horst-link into its corner with the introduction of their Active Braking Pivot or ABP design, which puts both the axle and rearward pivot at the same location. Braking, suspension and pedaling forces are isolated with a stellar ride quality.
Trek's Active Braking Pivot (ABP) Suspension Design
All the virtual pivot designs share enough similarities that I’ll lump them together. Each one does ride slightly different, but they are all awesome alternatives and sometimes superior alternatives to the traditional Horst-link. Pedaling and braking forces are canceled out and isolated from the suspension action.
Santa Cruz's VPP Suspension Design
Single-pivot designs can be simple (swingarm and shock) or more complex (four bar), but in the end the pivoting chainstay produces a simple arced wheel path. I dare you to ride a Rocky Mountain Slayer, Ventana El Terremoto or a Kona Hei Hei 2-9 and tell me that single-pivot designs have poor ride qualities. When done well, they offer outstanding performance.
Ventana's Single Pivot (Faux Bar) Suspension Design
So, I throw it out there to you… do you think the Horst-link (Specialized-owned suspension design) is becoming irrelevant in today’s mountain bike suspension world? Chime in below.
TREW Technical Outerwear to Launch with RV Tour
I have no idea what their outerwear will look like, but I’m intrigued by the philosophy. Their goal is to provide highly-technical and functional outerwear for backcountry skiing and other demanding outdoor pursuits. It’s a pretty small niche, but if they nail it, that same niche is also very loyal.
I’m interested to see the fabrics that will be used and the overall function and design of these jackets and pants. An email to their PR contact yielded minimal information at this time. Hopefully I can get the scoop at Outdoor Retailer in January. For now, you and I will just have to wait until their Web site launches or look for the TREW RV to roll into town. It’s actually pretty surprising that this is the first I’ve heard of TREW, but sometimes I’m late to the party eh? Here’s to TREW crashing the outerwear industry’s current party.
More Info from TREW
A love for the mountains, passion for the sport, and a need for technical, yet stylish outerwear set three guys on a mission to create the ultimate outerwear collection for the true rider. The true rider being the person who loves first tracks, knows the meaning of earning their turns, and has fun “gettin’ ‘er done” on and off the mountain. Tripp Frey, John and Chris Pew are proud to announce the creation of TREW and its inaugural TREW Tour.
TREW’s premier men’s collection consists of three jackets and two pants, each available in three colorways. The collection re-invents classic pieces with updated colors, technologies and fits. TREW will also be offering hoodies, tees and beanies in addition to its core outerwear. The price points will range from $30.00 to $479.00 and will be available at independent retail shops throughout the country.
Tripp, John and Chris are Hood River transplants by way of Michigan and North Carolina and will be touring the U.S. and Canada to formally launch TREW, share the brand’s philosophy and have some fun. A customized TREW RV, complete with solar panels, will be traveling throughout the U.S. starting in December and ending whenever the snow melts. The three of them intend to visit snow destinations in British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Each stop will be unique to its own; however, each stop will include product previews, giveaways, barbeques, beverages, visits to the local pubs, and of course riding. TREW will also be meeting with local retailers to present the collection throughout their journey. Information and updates about the TREW Tour will be posted continuously on TREW’s website www.TrewGear.com.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the TREW RV in your town; if you see it, stop by and say hi. To learn more about TREW or the TREW Tour please check out: www.TREWGear.com.
About TREW
The TREW customer is first on the tram and knows what it means to earn their turns in the backcountry. He is friends with the locals wherever he goes and knows that being TREW means being who you are and doing what you love; and above all having fun. Trends come and go, but the fun of being on the mountain with friends remains a TREW constant. TREW provides men’s outerwear that combines the technicality and comfort needed to stay on the mountain from sun-up to sun-down while adding style to take you into the night. Founded in 2008 by Tripp Frey and Chris and John Pew, TREW price points range from $30.00 to $479.00 and will be sold though a network of independent
retail shops through out the country.
IMBA: New Rule May Allow Mountain Biking In National Parks
Want to saddle up in Yosemete? How about pedaling the East Rim of Zion Canyon? What about a mountain bike traverse of the Olympic National Park? Well, it’s not quite here, but the ball is in motion for opportunities to ride in America’s National Parks.
Currently, mountain biking is seen as “motorized” in National Parks and hence is off limits. While some areas within our national treasures will always remain off limits to mountain biking, there are some prime trails that have been debated for years. Why not allow mountain biking in certain areas of our National Parks? So long as mountain bikers can be good stewards and consistently obey trail etiquitte, I believe there is no reason to enforce an across-the-board ban on two-wheeled travel.
Again, this new rule change does not mandate that parks allow mountain biking at all. It merely will open up the decision to be made at the local park level instead of mandated by stuff shirts in Washington DC. Here’s to riding at a National Park near you.
More Details on Mountain Biking in our National Parks
An upcoming National Park Service (NPS) rule change could greatly benefit mountain bicycling by improving the administrative process for opening trails to bicyclists. IMBA has been asking the agency to revise its policies since 1992, because the current “special regulations” process is needlessly cumbersome and treats bicycles like motorized vehicles.
The NPS has said the proposal for new rules will be formally announced later this year. IMBA hopes the enhanced procedure will allow park superintendents to make trail access decisions locally, instead of being tied to a Washington-based, multi-year regulatory journey. The new rule would treat bicycling like other non-motorized trail users, such as equestrians.
The suggested NPS rule change would only apply to places where including bicycling is deemed non controversial, and would maintain current requirements for environmental review and public notice. Opening a trail to bicycling must be done in compliance with the National Park Service Organic Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Historic Preservation Act, and all NPS General Management Planning processes.
Proposed Rule Subject of Misunderstandings
Recently, the American Hiking Society (AHS) published a national action alert opposing the as-yet-unreleased NPS rule. This alert is based on the incorrect assumption that requirements for comprehensive environmental review and public commentary about opening a trail to bicycling will be discarded. In fact, these safeguards will remain in place, as required by federal law. IMBA and AHS leaders met nationally on this issue a few weeks ago.
Unfortunately, the alert has rippled through the hiking community, causing consternation and confusion amongst the shared-use trails community. Some hiking-based groups have expressed concern that mountain biking will infringe on foot travel, but IMBA remains confident that shared-use trails can succeed in national parks, as they do in countless public land settings around the globe.
The alert also suggests that this regulatory change could affect how Wilderness, or areas proposed for Wilderness, will be managed. In fact, these issues are completely separate. IMBA recognizes that cycling is not allowed in areas designated as Wilderness. The NPS proposed rule change would have no impact on Wilderness regulations.
National parks that are not interested in expanding opportunities for bicycling will not be affected by the rule change. The new procedures will not force mountain biking on any park unit, and superintendents that do not see opportunities for mountain biking in their parks will not be asked to adopt it.
IMBA Encourages Clubs to Reach Out to Hiking Groups and NPS Leaders
IMBA encourages mountain bike organizations to reach out to their local hiking trail partners and NPS local leaders with our fact sheet on the issue, to address concerns and answer questions about the rule change.
Creating opportunities for mountain biking will not diminish experiences for existing users such as hikers or equestrians. Park staff are skilled at selecting appropriate trails for shared-use experiences. Hikers and bikers can work together to repair eroded trails, get kids exercising in parks and build excitement about our national parks.
More on What the Rule Change Will Achieve
The current “special regulations” process for opening NPS trail to bicycling is onerous and cumbersome, often typically taking years to complete. Only two of the roughly 24 parks that currently allow singletrack mountain biking have managed to complete special regulations, highlighting the unrealistic and unnecessary burden it places on NPS staff. The special regulations process required for bicycles also applies to snowmobiles, jet skis, airplanes, commercial trucking and other similarly intensive park uses. IMBA believes local park management, using the inclusive NEPA process, can best make decisions regarding bicycle use on the trails that they oversee.
In one real-world example, Tennessee’s Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, trail users and park staff worked for many years to open two existing routes to bicycling, detailing the process publicly in environmental reviews, park planning documents and rigorous scientific research. Regardless, the trail opening was prohibited because special regulations had not been completed. While bicyclists, NPS staff, hikers and equestrians all support opening these trails to bicycles, the opening date is likely several years in the future, at best.
Another example can be found in Washington, DC, at Fort Dupont National Park. IMBA affiliated club Trips for Kids has been bringing inner-city youth to the park to ride the existing network of singletrack trails for many years. This program helps build self-esteem, get kids exercising and exposes an often underserved population to the benefits of bicycling and national parks. Technically, these trails are out of compliance with this bureaucratic, special regulations process - although all groups involved would call this program wildly successful.
Over the years, I’ve purchased my fair share of outdoor gear. Some of the customer service experiences have been outstanding while others have been decidedly less than outstanding. On the retailer side, Nordstrom comes to mind as a retailer who puts the customer first, no questions asked. Their service is always impeccable and they will do all they can to make sure you’re satisfied. For outdoor retailers, Backcountry.com is the top-of-the-heap with a lifetime 100% satisfaction guarantee… no matter what.
If you take that satisfaction guarantee up one level to the product manufacturers, the warranties and customer service vary widely. Some manufacturers will take excellent care of you to ensure loyalty and satisfaction, while others can display serious lapses in understanding customer loyalty at all.
I recently had two vastly different experiences with two major outdoor gear brands: Patagonia and Race Face. Lets see how they compare.
The Good: Patagonia
The Issue: Broken jute lacing on the Patagonia Clover shoes
The Details: I purchased a pair of Patagonia Clover shoes for my wife last Christmas. She wore the shoes as indoor shoes around the house because we have lots of tile. After about six months of use, the braided jute laces broke on both shoes. Though we purchased the shoes at Backcountry.com and could have simply returned them, I thought I’d ping Patagonia to see how they would handle the situation.
My email to Patagonia Customer Service at 9:30 am on September 30:
I purchased a pair of Women’s Clover slides for my wife a few months back. She loves them, but the jute side lacing has now broken on both shoes. Do you have replacements available? Is there an alternative lacing that you recommend? If you can send replacements, that would be
ideal. Thanks!
I got a simple response from Patagonia Customer Service at 2:00 pm that same day:
We will send out the replacement laces tomorrow.
Have a good day!
A couple of days later and I had two new jute laces to re-lace my wife’s shoes. I’m a happy camper and my wife thinks I’m a hero for fixing her shoes. Kudos all around.
The Bad: Race Face
The Issue: A bent bolt on the faceplate of my brand new Race Face Evolve AM stem (notice only 3 bolts)
The Details: I purchased a Santa Cruz Blur LT from the factory for product testing. When the bike arrived, the stem was loosely attached to the steerer tube of the fork with the faceplate bolts loosely in place. This is a standard shipping arrangement, so it’s typically no big deal. Well, somewhere along the line (I’m guessing when Santa Cruz boxed it up), one of the four bolts got bent.
I thought it would be no big deal to contact Race Face and have them re-send a single bolt. I mean people must lose those bolts all the time, they’re bound to have a few hundred of them just sitting around ready for shipment. As it turned out, that’s not the reality.
I sent an email to Race Face Customer Service on July 25:
I just got a Santa Cruz Blur LT shipped from Santa Cruz to me for testing. Unfortunately, one of the four bolts on the front of the Evolve XC stem was bent in shipping, or was bent inadvertently prior to boxing things up.
The four front bolts were just loosely screwed into the body of the stem, so they were sticking out pretty far and the one that was bent was a lower bolt. Seems like it just got whacked against something causing it to be bent. I didn’t notice it until I started clamping down the bars and that bolt was going in all screwy.
Any chance I could get a new bolt? My address is below. Thanks!
Here’s the response I got from Race Face on July 29:
Sorry to hear that your stem got damaged. I am afraid that we don’t hold stock of bolts here. They come with the stems which are manufactured in the Far East. The bolts they use are standard M4 bolts. Your local bike shop or hardware store should be able to sort you out with one. Thanks for choosing RaceFace.
Bummer. OK so, I simply swap out the Race Face stem for a Syncros one I had on-hand and continue riding the new Blur LT thinking I’ll stop at my local shop and The Home Depot at some point and get a new bolt. After all, an M4 bolt should be easy enough to find–according to Race Face.
When I finally got around to it, I stop at the first bike shop to see if they had a bolt. They searched and searched to no avail. So, I thought I’d hit Home Depot. I had no luck there either. One more bike shop and I had struck out three times.
At this point, I was pretty miffed that Race Face would leave me hanging over a stupid $0.05 bolt. So, I sent them another email on October 6:
I know I sent this request several months ago. I was a little floored when you guys didn’t have any M4 bolts on-hand to ship out to me. I slapped another stem on the test bike and have been OK with it until now that I want to put the original stem on there.
So, I went to my local bike shop… no dice. Went to Home Depot… no dice. I don’t have time to keep running around for a simple bolt that I’m sure you’ve got there on-hand.
Is there someone I can talk to about this because it’s completely unacceptable that you don’t have a replacement bolt. Come on guys… you can do better than this. Definitely not a good example of primo customer service.
Should you find one, my address is below.
Here’s the response I got on October 10 from Race Face:
Our Evolve XC stems are manufactured & assembled in Taiwan, hence we do not have a huge stock of spare bolts. Even if we had a load to send you, the problem we have with sending small parts across the border is that US customs always questions them (I guess they think we’re building a bomb piece by piece or something) & they never get delivered.
It’s very unusual that you can’t find an M4 bolt. Most bike shops have tons of them.
I can put one in the post to you no problem, but I’d be surprised if it makes it across the border.
That was October 10 and I’ve never received the M4 bolt. Maybe I should talk to someone at US Customs, who I’m sure has a lifetime supply of M4 bolts? Umm yeah…
Lessons Learned in Customer Service
The reality is that each of these companies had an opportunity to provide excellent customer service–no matter what. Patagonia simply got it done quickly and courteously while Race Face seems like they don’t know how to do business in North America and can’t seem to provide quality customer service over a $0.05 part.
The fact that they can’t even ship parts across the border without customs snuffing them out is absurd. There are hundreds of legitimate companies who ship products and small parts across the border every single day–their businesses depend on it. If Race Face cared enough, they would do everything in their power to ensure I got a stinking bolt so I would be a satisfied customer, but they didn’t.
So, now I have a nice Evolve AM paperweight to remind me of how not to treat my customers. Thanks Race Face!
Polar FT60 G1 Heart Rate Fitness Watch Review
I’ve got a thing for watches and have had so many different altimeter watches, heart rate watches and training watches that I’ve developed quite the discerning eye and taste for them. I know my way around nearly every watch on the market.
I’m never satisfied with a run-of-the-mill watch that just tells the time and date, It takes much more than that to get me jazzed about a watch. I’m talking about watches that can nearly guess your next move, can track your entire ski day or, in this case, one that can help you make smarter workout decisions. The Polar FT60 has been my training partner for a couple of months now and I’m amazed how far heart rate monitors have come… this one is definitely one of the most useful workout tools I’ve used.
About the Polar FT60 Training Watch
With a sea full of heart rate watches, the original and market-leader can’t sit still while innovation happens around them. Suunto and Polar are neck-and-neck in the training watch market–each with their versions of training watches. Both happen to be Finnish companies and both have a long history of producing some of the most advanced watches on the market.
The FT 60 raises the bar on training watches by simplifying measurements that were previously left only for Ph. D’s. Detailed workout analysis is now available on your wrist. And with the ability to personalize your workouts and track your performance based on your characteristics and fitness level, the FT60 can truly be your personal fitness coach.
Colors: Pink or Black (Women’s), Black/Silver/White or Black/Silver/Red (Men’s)
MSRP: $239.95 (Watch and HR) / $139.95 for G1 GPS
Polar FT60 Training Watch Review
Out of the box, I noticed two things: 1) This watch is very stylish and clean looking, and 2) It had an intuitive setup wizard that guided me through the initial setup process for goof-proof setup. The initial setup wizard is refreshing in a world of uber-complicated training watches.This process takes you through your key stats (ladies… don’t lie about your age and weight), workout goals, fitness level and basic setup.
Like anything, the most important step is always the setup and preparation. With the FT60, you get everything configured right off the bat so you can get on with your workouts in a jiffy.
The large dot-matrix display is awesome and can display a ton of data and graphs. Unlike many designs, the entire screen uses the same display style. Some try and mix-and-match dot-matrix with LED-style and it just looks awkward. All controls are super-simple to understand and buttons are clearly marked during each function. I’ve never once referenced the manual to use all the functions–that’s how clear and logical everything is on this watch.
After some quick tightness adjustments on the WearLink heart rate transmitter, I was ready to head out. The WearLink transmitter design is a 360-degree soft band for unparalleled comfort and transmission quality. Wearing this heart rate band becomes second-nature and works well under a hydration pack.
The G1 GPS pod is comfortable to wear and is easy to use. A single button turns it on and if the watch is configured for GPS mode, the signal is picked-up in about 15 seconds. Like any GPS device, you’re always limited by the quality of the view of the sky. While trail running through mixed trees, I found it to lock onto the satellites very well, but while on a mountain bike in mixed trees, it tended to lose the signal much more often. Comfort of the G1 is excellent and can be easily adjusted on-the-fly. You can choose to wear it on your arm or waistbelt. Tossing it in your pack may or may not work–it all depends on the distance from your wrist.
Working out is where the FT60 shines. Training mode is easy to start and you’ll immediately have access to your heart rate, elapsed time, calories burned and speed and distance at the touch of a button. I wish it had an auto-scroll function to scan through all of the above, but as it stands, you’ll have to tap the button to switch views. While trail running or mountain biking, this was sometimes difficult since the buttons weren’t as tactile as I’d like.
At the end of your workout, the stored memory will give you a one-line summary of your performance. Did you overtrain? Did you improve performance? Did you improve fitness? Did you not work hard enough? The one-line workout summary will tell you–that alone is awesome! The rest of the summary data is to be expected with min/max heart rate, time in each heart rate zone, min/max speed, distance, calories burned (total and fat%) and elapsed time. Workouts are automatically grouped by week for a weekly summary.
The STAR training program offers the additional ability to have a guided workout routine with alarms (audible and on-screen) to keep you on track. It’s like having your own personal trainer on your wrist that can cater the workout to your height, weight, age and fitness level.
I used the FT60 for indoor workouts, trail running, hiking, road cycling and mountain biking and was able to track my performance effectively and easily. I loved seeing the calories burned and was often-times surprised at how much I did burn during my workouts. In the past, every heart rate watch I’ve used has quickly lost its luster, but the FT60 continues to deliver–so much so that I haven’t exercised without it.
Good FT60
Stylish and comfortable enough for daily wear
Separate GPS device reduces bulk
Lightweight
Very intuitive design
Initial setup wizard is great
Ability to connect HRM, GPS or Footpod
Smart training programs analyze your workouts
Simple review of previous workouts and performance
Comfortable HRM
Tracks VO2 max over time
Bad FT60
Buttons can be hard to press while running or biking
No scan feature to see HRM, Speed, Distance and Elapsed time
No lap tracking
G1 GPS tends to lose signal in the trees
Can be cumbersome to wear multiple devices, but you don’t wear the GPS on every workout
The Bottom Line on the Polar FT60
With catered workout measurement and on-the-fly training, the Polar FT60 has been an awesome workout partner that has truly helped me maximize my workouts. If you are looking for a heart rate monitor and training watch that actually delivers, the FT60 is hard to beat. Ditch “Hans the Trainer” and switch to the Polar FT60 to measure your workout performance.
POC Enters Bike Market with Helmets and Protective Gear
After only three years in business, POC is already making a huge name for themselves in the ski helmet and protective ski gear market. Their designs are known to be tops on the market for safety with amazing engineering and simple styling.
For 2009, POC takes their schtick to the bike market where the consequences for falling can be equally if not more life-threatening. The new POC Wheels lineup features three helmet designs, protective gear, goggles and outerwear. Again, the designs are simple-looking, but extremely high-tech and will likely be the best protection money can buy. They won’t come cheap, but if you’ve spent a lifetime putting stuff in your brain and enjoying your lifestyle, it’s hard to put a price on safety, right? Here are a few products in the 2009 POC Wheels lineup.
POC Wheels Cortex DH and Cortex Flow Full-face Helmets
For the freeride and DH crowd, the POC Cortex DH and Flow offer the most advanced full-face protection on the market today. The DH utilizies a carbon-fiber shell while the more-ventilated Flow uses a slightly-heaver but more durable fiberglass shell. Both POC helmet designs offer ventilation and legendary POC protection.
POC Wheels Receptor+ and Receptor Flow Helmets
These designs are the classic BMX, slopestyle or pipe design with POC’s protective flavor. The Receptor+ is a multi-discipline lid with the ability to go from snow, skate, bike and water utilizing various water and snow-friendly earpieces and EVA pads.
The Receptor Flow is a bike-specific helmet built with ventilation in mind. This lid offers a lower profile design and the highest level of protection money can buy.
POC Wheels Protective Body Armor
The Spine VPD Body Armor line was awarded the Eurobike/IF Award in September for it’s innovation and high level of protection for athletes pushing it on DH courses in the park and anywhere they are getting after it on wheels.
The full line of protective body armor consists of the Spine Adaptive Tee, Spine Vest and Shorts, Spine Ergo Flow spine protection and leg/arm body armor. If you’re pushing it hard enough to need body armor, POC should be tops on your list.
POC Wheels Goggles, Gloves, Clothing and Accessories
To round out the 2009 POC Wheels collection, POC is also introducing bike-specific goggles, DH and freeride gloves, jerseys, shorts and casual wear.
Going into Interbike, I had made an exhaustive list of probably 20 bikes that I had hoped to swing a leg over during the Outdoor Demo. As it always turns out, the heat takes its toll, you end up shooting the breeze a little longer and more often than not, the bike you’re looking for is out on the trails somewhere.
To get what you want, it oftentimes takes a bit of camping out to get onboard a popular new design. Having featured the new Salsa full suspension platform on the El Kaboing earlier this summer, I wanted to get my hands on the 29er version of it, the new 2009 Salsa Big Mama. After a long wait in the shade of the Salsa Cycles tent, the Medium Big Mama finally arrived.
About the Salsa Big Mama 29er
A new bike in the Salsa lineup for 2009, the Big Mama continues in a long line of 29er heritage from Salsa Cycles. With a slew of big-wheeled options, the Big Mama is just that… the Big Mama of the Salsa 29er lineup. Sporting a custom-drawn Scandium frameset and 100mm of travel, the Big Mama sits right at the sweet spot for XC 29ers.
One of the cool features of the design is the unified single-pivot rear triangle that takes advantage of the flexible characteristics of Scandium. So, instead of placing a pivot on the seatstay, the Scandium flex stays allow for about 8mm of flex to help take the edge off small stuff and provide for a more progressive suspension feel and pedaling platform.
The entire rear triangle was built with lateral stiffness in mind and to top it off, the post-style rear brake mount just adds to the package by eliminating the need for adapters. And, so you can take advantage of the best in 29er tires, there’s ample mud clearance for up to 2.4-inch tires.
More details of the Salsa Big Mama 29er
Fox RP2 rear shock delivers 100mm travel
Designed for 100mm fork (501mm axle-to-crown)
7 lb. frame weight (18″ with RP2)
Available in Orange Funk color
MSRP: $1500
Salsa Big Mama 29er Quick Review
After a long wait to get on the Big Mama, I finally got a hold of the Medium I’d been waiting for. The rider returning it to the tent mentioned that the stem felt a little long. Immediately, a red flag popped up and I nearly bailed on the ride for fear I’d not be able to dial in the cockpit just right. As it turned out, I remained calm and sped off and up the trail with a determination to tweak things to make it feel right.
It didn’t take more than a few hundred yards to realize that indeed the stem was a little long for a Medium frame. Perhaps that was an intentional spec to keep the front-end down or maybe it was just spec’d wrong. I’d likely suggest a shorter stem (80mm-ish) and a small riser bar to provide enough comfort without turning it into a wheelie machine. In the end, this is always one of the challenges of riding a bike at Interbike… many times the cockpit needs a little more tweaking than can be done, so you just live with it.
OK, onto the trail manners of the Big Mama. The first thing I noticed about the Big Mama was the outstanding climbing traction. The combination of the single-pivot design with Scandium flex stays, the Fox RP2 shock and the venerable Kenda Nevegal 2.2 tires was money. I was climbing up the narrow, rocky and loose trails with ease. I felt confident and stable on the climbs–in spite of feeling a bit stretched out.
This all changed a bit when pointed downhill when the ill-effects of the long-ish stem was most apparent. Some technical sections ended up being walked because I just didn’t have the confidence to push it hard without feeling like I was going over the bars. Potentially a 120mm fork (Fox F29 100mm as spec’d) and a shorter stem could alleviate much of this–not sure what Salsa would say about a 120mm fork though as it may void warranty. Another negative on the downhills was the stiff suspension feel in its initial travel. It does well at absorbing bigger hits, but it didn’t feel very supple over small to medium-sized stuff, thus making for a little rougher downhill than on other bikes. I did appreciate the Fox F29 fork, which was super smooth and tracked straight and true.
This bike feels very XC-ish and would suit a more traditional 29er rider who’s looking for a little bit of squish to take the edge off on long rides, but may be a little tanky compared to others in this category.
Good Big Mama
Excellent climbing traction
Outstanding price point ($1500 frame-only)
Scandium flex stays simplify things
Lateral stiffness of the rear triangle is solid
Bad Big Mama
Suspension feels a little too stiff (very XC)
I couldn’t push it as hard as I’d like due to the uncomfortable cockpit
The Bottom Line on the Salsa Big Mama
This was one of the bikes I really wanted to ride at the demo and I’m glad I did. It’s obvious that Salsa has spent a lot of time developing this new suspension platform. Unfortunately, the cockpit wasn’t conducive to pushing the limits, so I can’t say definitively how well it will perform overall. I can say this… it climbs like a banshee and feels very efficient overall. It’s not going to descend with the prowess of a Niner RIP 9, or be as smooth as the Kona Hei Hei 2-9, but I’m thinking it will suit most XC 29er riders just fine. However, I didn’t get to ride this under the most ideal circumstances, so the jury is still out. Hopefully I can get one for long-term testing in the Spring.
Camp 4. Many outside of the of the climbing community won’t know what the significance of Camp 4 in Yosemite National Park is to climbers but this “physically unimpressive” campground has not only been the epicenter for North American rock climbing but it quite likely is the birth place of many tools of the trade and techniques used today in climbing.
On days when climbers would recuperate from being on the wall or when they were just plain bored, they started to string up ropes between trees and boulders and would test their skill walking the line, much like a tight rope walker.
With that Slacklining was born.
About Gibbon Slacklines
Until recently, slacklining has remained quite difficult due to the thinness of the rope and webbing used or due to the often crude mechanical systems which sometimes required an engineering degree to configure. I recently checked out Gibbon Slacklines and found that this simple setup couldn’t be easier…to set up that is. The actually slacklining wasn’t so easy, but it was addicting.
“The beauty of Gibbon Slacklines is that they provide the perfect mix of fun, focus, balance, and strength training,” said Gary Richter, Chief Gibbon Officer of North America. “We have set up our lines all over the world and the result is always the same. A crowd forms and just about everyone gives it a try. We constantly hear about how addictive and fun this activity is.”
The Gibbon Slackline is 50mm wide, about twice as wide as traditional lines. It can be set up at any height and anywhere that you have 2 solid objects like trees which oppose each other.
Gibbon Slacklines Review
Setting up the Gibbon Slacklines is about the easiest thing I’ve ever done. But there is a right and wrong way to do it. As you can see in the image below, I didn’t pay close attention to how I was feeding it through the webbing loop and ended up with the slackline not laying flat.
Wrong on the left, right on the…right!
I should have watched the video but being a guy I couldn’t read the instructions first!
They come in two lengths - 15 meter and 25 meter. I took the slackline to a family party at my in-laws and by far this was the hit of the party. From kids to grown ups everyone had to try, with some trying for hours and hours. After a few minutes my oldest son who is 9 said to me:
Dad, this so awesome! I’m going to try this all night!
Balance, agility, coordination are all skills that are honed from slacklining but the bottom line for me is that it’s absolutely fun to do!
The kit comes in an easy carry bag and isn’t too heavy that I won’t consider taking it camping next summer. For now it’s in the back yard ready for our next session this afternoon!
Buy Now: After December 1 you can purchase a Gibbon Slacklines from their own website.
Rokit Fuel Sports Nutrition Cereal Review
I enjoy a good breakfast. Being a breakfast guy, I’ve never understood those who feel they can go without breakfast and still have a decent day. Well, many of those people down a gallon of coffee and the occasional doughnut as their “breakfast”, so the “non-breakfast” actually turns into a junkfood breakfast.
I read a recent study that found those who ate a nutritious breakfast were less likely to be overweight. It attributed it to eating well and starting off the day with the right nutrition. Well, the right nutrition is what Rokit Fuel is aiming for. But, can a healthy mix of grains, fruit and nuts really taste good, or is it like eating birdseed?
About Rokit Fuel Sports Cereal
Rokit Fuel founder, Bernell Taylor, is actually a recovering junk food salesman. After years of schlepping his sugary wares to convenience stores, he faced the fact that he lead a double-life. While his job required that he promote junk food, at home he was an avid health food and exercise nut. With that amazing experience under his belt, Bernell decided it was time to introduce a healthy breakfast alternative for athletes and nutrition-conscious people.
After all that, Bernell has turned things around and has introduced Rokit Fuel in four flavors:
Astro Nut
Peanut Better
Pumpkin Chocolate
X-15
To learn more about these flavors and the ingredients, visit the Nutrition Facts.
Rokit Fuel Sports Cereal Review
I got a couple of packets of Rokit Fuel just before Interbike. The two flavors I received were X-15 and Astro Nut. Knowing I’d be flying into Las Vegas early in the morning, then heading straight for Bootleg Canyon, I thought it perfect to have these little packets along.
Though not the ideal, I poured cold water inside the packet and downed the X-15 in the shuttle bus on the way to the Outdoor Demo. Though it was a little challenging to eat without a spoon, the whole grains and nuts tasted good and filled me up.
I truly felt that the nutrition provided by Rokit Fuel set the table for a good day of riding in the hot Nevada sun. The next day, Astro Nut was on tap and this time I had it warm, which was much better–again, a solid way to start the day.
Good Rokit Fuel
Healthy and hearty breakfast cereal
X-15 and Astro Nut are great
Excellent source of energy
Bad Rokit Fuel
Mixing with cold water is an option, but not recommended by me
Limited retail distribution so far
The Bottom Line on Rokit Fuel Sports Cereal
If you’re an avid athlete, outdoor enthusiast or health food nut and are looking for a healty breakfast option, give Rokit Fuel a try. It’s full of old-fashioned goodness and sprinkled with modern nutrition to start your day on the right foot and keep you pumping all day long.
I heard this morning that the Utah Highway Patrol and local residents are fed up with the lineup of cars that appears at the mouth of Little Cottonwod Canyon while the road is closed for avalanche control work. Apparently, the rowdy bunch that piles for miles down Wasatch Blvd. and Little Cottonwood Road does things like pee in people’s yards and leaves piles of trash behind. Admittedly, I’ve been a part of the former (hey, where else are you supposed to relieve yourself).
The details weren’t disclosed, but I’d guess that the roadblocks will be placed at the Wasatch Blvd. junction to the north and to the East on 9600 S. That’s really the only way they will be able to keep the hordes from piling up. Most likely, the UHP will not allow any brobrah-types to pass the roadblocks and they won’t put up with folks crowding other nearby streets.
