INTERBIKE SHOW PREVIEW

INTERBIKE BACKSTA
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PASS!

MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION

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www.mbaction.com

NOVEMBER 2009

SNEAK PEEK!

ALL-NEW
HOT GEAR:
SEE IT
BEFORE
THE BIKE
SHOPS DO
$4.99
Att’n Retailer: Please
display until November 5

BMC TRAILFOX FELT VIRTUE

 BATTLE PROVEN.
The HollowGram SI Crankset. The lightest, stiffest crankset on the planet.
Standard on the Cannondale Factory Racing Team Scalpel.

The good fight. cannondale.com

 THIS MONTH
Don’t wait for the Interbike Show to
open its doors. We bring you the show-
stoppers early. Page 52.

46 70

Photo by John Ker

Photo by John Ker

BIKE TESTS FEATURES 104 Riders Who Inspire
South Mountain Bike Patrol,
38 BMC TrailFox 01 42 Trek Unveils Its 2010 stewards of the preserve.
Switzerland’s long-travel trail- Lineup
bike interpretation. Bet Lance wants to ride one of
these. TECHNICAL
70 The Ellsworth Truth
The truth and nothing but the 78 Giant Rolls Out The 74 As Seen On ET
truth. 2010’s Three components from our
Faster, lighter and Ellsworth Truth.
90 The Specialized Enduro color-coordinated.
SL Pro Carbon 84 Inside The Pros’ Bikes
Max Plaxton shows off his
Own the entire mountain.
TRAINING & FITNESS Specialized cross-country racer.
112 Gary Fisher’s 46 Ten Long-Travel Trailbike 106 The Downhill Workhorse
Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Tips Riding the 2010 RockShox
A hardtail with history. Make your bike do the work. Boxxer Team fork.

108 Damage Control

DESTINATIONS Tips for surviving a crash. COMPETITION
96 Sedona’s Warm Welcome 116 Crowning America’s
Where to go when the snow falls. 2009 Champions
MBA 2009 INTERBIKE America’s best battle at SolVista,
PREVIEW Colorado.
52 Backstage Pass To
Stop right
there: The
Mountain Biking’s
Annual Trade Show DEPARTMENTS
stoppers
that we Over 70 products that you’ll see 12 Happy Trails
compare all before the bike shops. Damon, Rebeca and Priority Cycles.
other
brakes to.
They are
16 Mac Attack
from PEOPLE The application store.
Germany. 88 Young Rippers
Page 74.
Introducing Cierra Smith. 20 Hard Tales
Specialized shows off the rest
of its 2010’s.

4 www.mbaction.com

24 Trailgrams
A new team, a new hope and
more 29er intrigue.
26 Trail Mix
All you need is love and a
camera.
32 Thrash Tests
A warm vest, cool helmet and
fast inflator.
35 Inside Line
More on mystery drag and
getting tubed.
82 How To Subscribe To
MBA.
Twelve issues for only $14.99
(lowest price of the year).
Bead it up: This handy gadget takes the
work out of mountain biking’s most
thankless job. Page 32.
contents
Photo by John Ker
Photo by John Ker
108
126 Quick Releases
Gear bags for hauling your
stuff.
130 Down The Trail VOLUME 24, NUMBER 11
Old tips that still ring true. NOVEMBER 2009
ON THE COVER
(Clockwise from top left) New components pour out of our pre-Interbike special
section. Aaron Gwin flies to a national championship. Photo by John “Are those
thunderheads?” Ker. The 2010 Felt Virtue 2 gets a face lift and looks years
younger. The BMC TrailFox is from a Swiss visionary who believes the only way
to succeed is to make every design an over-the-top effort. Photo by John “The
hills are alive” Ker.
MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION Magazine (ISSN 0895-8467 Canada GST 12500#9266RT: CPC INT’L. PUB MAIL
40024492) NOVEMBER 2009, Volume 24, Issue 11, is published monthly by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company,
Inc., with editorial offices at 25233 Anza Dr., Valencia, CA 91355. Subscriptions $19.98 for 12 issues (one year).
Canada add $12 additional postage for one year, $24 for two years. Foreign add $15 additional postage for one year,
$30 for two years. Foreign subscriptions are shipped by surface mail and may take up to 15 weeks to receive.
Copyright ©2009 by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be
reprinted in whole or in part, by any means, without the express permission of the publisher. Contributors:
Photographs should be submitted in digital form on CD or DVD. Images should be 4 megapixels or higher. High-qual-
ity, low-compression JPEG images are preferred. Please limit submissions to no more than 20 photos at one time.
Transparencies and prints will no longer be accepted for consideration; such images should be scanned and submit-
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International, P.O. Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2.
WARNING: Much of the action depicted in this magazine is potentially danger-
ous. Virtually all of the riders seen in our photos are experienced experts or pro-
fessionals. Do not attempt to duplicate any stunts that are beyond your own
capabilities. Always use discretion and wear the appropriate safety gear.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 5
©2009 FOX Factory Inc. All rights reserved.
 In a perfect world.
MTB FR/DH
rc2
40
rC2
In a perfect world, you’d ride what the World Champ rides. At FOX we
race what we sell. The 40® RC2 with FOX’s World Championship proven
and proprietary FIT ™ technology produces incredibly consistent,
fade-free damping, and FOX’s legendary chassis stiffness provides
unrivaled steering confidence so you can push your limits.
FOX Racing Shox. Purpose built. Race proven. We’re never done.
Visit our all-new website: foxracingshox.com
DHXrc4
The DHX® RC4 is a new from-the-ground-up,
purpose-built downhill shock with a World
Championship on its resume in its rookie
year. Externally adjustable high and low
speed velocity sensitive damping and
a completely redesigned Boost Valve® for
position sensitive ending stroke control,
act independently so you can dial in the
perfect balance of traction, small bump
compliance and big-hit absorption.
Embrace your inner World Champion.
 MBA STAFF

www.mbaction.com
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 C2C DRED TREAD

EXCAVATOR HAPPY MEDIUM BLUE KING

GROOVE john TOMAC TRACTI
signature series
Photo Credit: Photo Credit:
Chris Wood Dean Howard
 Photo Credit:
Tom Lopes

OF TELONIX HFACTOR EL MOCO BBG

ON
Photo Credit:
craigglaspellphoto
HAPPY TRAILS
F
rom Twin Falls, Idaho, to
Mountain Bike Action’s
offices in Southern
California is a long stretch of
driving for a one-day visit, but
Damon Madsen and his wife,
Rebeca, made the trip for the
opportunity to show me his
“Portafortuna” five-inch-travel,
dual-suspension design. We had
never met face to face, and I was
unfamiliar with Priority Cycles
(Damon is the lead designer,
fabricator, welder and founder),
so I had no preconceptions about
the bike’s design or its intended
purpose. All I knew was that the
plan was to shake hands, go over
the bike, take some technical
photographs and then head out
for an afternoon test ride. Damon
and Rebeca drove straight
through (check out Highway 93
on Google Earth, then tell me
that was fun). They showed up
early, got the 25-cent Hi-Torque
tour and were ready to rock.
Damon’s candid, quiet demeanor did
not mask his enthusiasm for building
bicycles. He rolled the Portafortuna up
and admitted that he used many of
Brent Foes’ suspension concepts in the
design. The 7007-alloy aluminum
frame was beautifully painted with a
creamy white sparkle finish, but its
construction was a bit rough and angu-
lar—far removed from the curvy car-
bon and manipulated aluminum tubes
that grace the latest big-brand bikes.
That said, the Priority Cycles design
sported a number of unusual features
that begged for explanation.
Any skepticism that I harbored
about the utilitarian machine before
me faded as Damon glided around his
creation, describing the purpose of
each detail. The triangulated swingarm
was long and Foes-esque, with a scissor
link above to control lateral flex and a
single pivot located well ahead of the
bottom bracket center. Machined arch-
es and dogleg fittings reinforced the
lengthy chainstays and directed the
swingarm beneath the front derailleur
and bottom bracket. He explained that,
as complicated as it seemed, the for-
ward pivot was the simplest way to
achieve good pedaling without adverse-
ly affecting the suspension. Like Foes,
Damon settled upon a low-leverage 2:1
12 www.mbaction.com
suspension rate, which drove a Fox
DHX Air shock (“Its wide range of
damping and rate adjustments made it
the only choice”). By the time Damon
finished his dog and pony show, I was
really curious to ride the Portafortuna.
During the pre-ride fiddling, our
conversation traversed Damon’s bud-
ding career as a frame builder. He and
his brother were inspired to build their
first custom dual-suspension bike in
high school after reading a line in
MBA that mentioned that the easiest
way to experiment with new designs
was to grab a hacksaw and modify an
existing bike. “It was a Schwinn
Crossroads 700C bike,” Damon
laughed. “We made a crude shock on
an old lathe and grafted a swingarm
onto the frame. The rear wheel was
like, five inches off center, and it had
something like a 76-degree head angle.
We quickly learned a lot about bikes.”
Damon’s interest lies in dual-suspen-
sion trailbikes, but he has built a num-
ber of designs, including hardtail 29ers
and even a few road bikes. He freely
admits that his Priority Cycles enter-
prise has not grown large enough to
support him—yet—so Damon day-jobs
as a machinist. Miracles happen; it
wasn’t so long ago that I, too, was
burning up welding rod well past mid-
night, hoping to break into the moun-
tain bike biz.
The three of us set off on a local
loop that I often use for bike testing.
By Richard J. Cunningham
Damon Madsen
Damon rode my Santa Cruz Blur LT-
Carbon, Rebeca had a prototype
Portafortuna much like the one I was
riding—and I was surprised (to put it
mildly) that Damon’s latest design was
a sweet performer. Without touching a
platform lever, the 29-pound trailbike
breezed up the route’s steep single-
tracks and carved the twisting descents
with a nimble and balanced feel. It bog-
gles the mind that such accolades could
be bestowed upon an industrial-looking
machine, but the reality was that every
attribute that Damon had previously
ascribed to the bike was brought to life
as I made my way around the test loop.
Before I rode Damon’s
Portafortuna, I would have scoffed at
the suggestion that at such a late point
in the mountain bike’s development
cycle, an aspiring garage builder
could produce a single-pivot suspen-
sion trailbike that could go wheel to
wheel with the likes of Specialized
and Trek in both the handling and
pedaling departments—but I would
have been wrong. Damon has to
smooth out the cosmetics before his
Portafortuna will be ready for prime
time, but the engineering and perfor-
mance are spot-on. I hope we hear
more good things from Priority
Cycles, and I guess I should thank
Damon and Rebeca for driving such a
great distance to remind me to dig a
little deeper when I search for innova-
tion—where the new sprouts live. ❑
— NED OVEREND, STRETCHING HIS LEGS IN OAKLAND, CA
GAME.
GAME
CHANGER.
“WHEN SPECIALIZED SHOWED ME THEIR CONCEPT FOR BRAIN TECHNOLOGY, I THOUGHT ‘THIS IS A GAME CHANGER’.
I’M PROUD THAT FOX RACING SHOX HAS BEEN ABLE TO PARTNER WITH SPECIALIZED ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
OF THE NEW BRAIN REAR SHOCKS.” — BOB FOX, FOUNDER FOX RACING SHOX. TEST RIDE THE NEW STUMPJUMPER FSR AT
YOUR SPECIALIZED DEALER AND SEE HOW BRAIN, FSR, AND TOTAL SUSPENSION INTEGRATION MAKE IT THE FASTEST CLIMBING,
BEST HANDLING, AND MOST CAPABLE XC TRAIL BIKE OUT THERE.
THE MAC ATTACK
Visiting The Application Store
A
s a rider who just a few years
ago fell on the leave-it-behind
side of the cell phone debate, it is
hard to believe that today I feel naked if
I leave for a ride without my trusty
Apple iPhone stuffed in a hydration
pack pocket. The little device has
become as essential as the helmet on my
head and the cushy chamois under my
other end.
The reason for jumping ships started
out with safety concerns. Knock on
wood, but after 20-some odd years of
mountain biking, I’ve never found
myself lost or seriously injured while on
a ride. A good sense of direction and
never giving in to peer pressure (“Come
on Jimmy, you can jump down that.”)
has worked pretty well for me. Still, the
phone gets stuffed between the spare
tube, patch kit, tire pump and Clif Bars,
so I might save the day for some other
trail user.
But my iPhone has turned out to be
so much more than a 911 terminal.
16 www.mbaction.com
Software from Apple’s application store
turns the iPhone (or iPod Touch) into a
supercomputer that would make Dick
Tracy jealous. The application store has
hundreds of applications that were writ-
ten just for mountain bikers. Strolling
the virtual aisles of the mountain bikers’
applications section, I couldn’t believe
the apps being offered.
SpinCycle: Place the iPhone in your
baggy short pocket (or tuck it in the leg
of your Lycra short) and this application
monitors your spin. It instructs you to
shift up or down based on your cadence,
the incline of the trail and your exact
location on the mountain (based on
input from the built-in GPS sensor). You
can choose between race, training or
cruising modes, and you’ve got 32 voices
to choose from for receiving instructions
(mine is set on Sgt. Hartman, the gun-
nery sergeant from the movie Full Metal
Jacket).
Cheater Line: Using data acquired
from GPS, enhanced satellite imaging
and the U.S. Department of Interior
maps, Cheater Line charts a cross-
country, Super D or 24-hour
course and suggests where an
unscrupulous rider can cut the
course with the least likely chance
of being detected. While the com-
pany protects the identity of the
riders who have already purchased
the program, they claim, “A num-
ber of top professionals, including
two former national champions,
are currently using the program.”
Lift Line Time: Tired of wait-
ing in the lift line at your favorite
bike park? Lift Line Time moni-
tors the length of the lift line and
the number of riders coming down
the mountain, beeping you when
you will experience the shortest
lift line wait.
In The Bag: Ever drive to a
trailhead only to find you forgot to
pack your shoes, or gloves or hel-
met? Enable In The Bag, place
your iPhone inside your gear bag
and lift it up. The phone’s built-in
accelerometer senses the bag’s
weight and will alert you of what
it thinks you are missing. “You for-
got a shoe,” is broadcast in the
voice of Jill Taylor (the “Home
Improvement” mom). I don’t
know how it does it, but this app
even alerted me to a missing Halo
headband.
By Jim McIlvain
Perfect Shift: Use the iPhone’s built-in
camera to shoot a photo down the chain-
line (including the derailleur pulleys and
cage) and this simple program instructs
you which way and how much to turn the
barrel adjusters on your shifters for per-
fect drivetrain shifting performance. It can
identify Shimano or SRAM components
(including the Truvativ HammerSchmidt
crankset), and a SRAM XX group update
is promised. An added feature alerts you
to a bent derailleur hanger.
Disaster Avoidance: Using all the
tricks the iPhone offers (accelerometer,
proximity sensor, ambient light sensor and
memory), Disaster Avoidance learns how
fast you ride in different situations and
calculates your riding ability. If it senses
that you are riding over your head, it
broadcasts “Danger, Will Robinson!
Danger!” in the voice of the “Lost In
Space” robot. It’s already saved my skin
on a number of occasions.
Virtual Joe: Say you come to a tricky
switchback and would like some coaching
on how to clean the section. Take a photo
of the section and let Virtual Joe do the
rest. In a few moments, Virtual Joe deliv-
ers an animated video of Bikeskill’s Joe
Lawwill riding the troubling section while
giving tips for proper positioning and use
of the bike’s controls.
Skunk Dunk: Alerts the rider when an
article of riding gear is omitting an offen-
sive odor. We’ve heard this is one of the
best-selling applications used as a gift. Bet
you know somebody to give Skunk Dunk
to.
Stuff Yo Face: This app calculates how
many calories you’ve burned on a ride and
then suggests the appropriate amount of
food to consume after the ride. It can be
programmed for bakery, burger, pizza or
Mexican food and, using the GPS feature,
will actually order you the meal from a
local restaurant so it is ready when you
arrive.
Ride It Off: The same as Stuff Yo Face
except it tells you how long you have to
ride to burn off the pizza, burrito and
donuts you ate yesterday.
Leave Me Alone: My favorite. It dis-
ables all the other programs and lets you
enjoy your ride. ❑
ber his iPhone
He cannot remem to reach
have
number, so you’ll
my M ac by e-m ailing him at
Jim .com.
@ hi -to rque
Jamesmac
 FASTER, NO MATTER THE TERRAIN.

Designed for riders who appreciate the superior performance and quality of a lightweight, hand-built wheelset,
Bontrager XXX, RXL, and Rhythm Pro wheels help you climb with less effort, accelerate out of switchbacks more
quickly, and descend with greater confidence and control. Whether you’re looking for the lightest option for your
29er or an incredibly strong cross country wheelset for your trail bike, Bontrager has the perfect wheelset for the
way you ride. Upgrade your ride to the legendary performance of Bontrager wheels.

BONTRAGER.COM
© 2009 TREK BICYCLE CORPORATION
The Power of 4
The four most innovative brands in cycling have come together behind one
singular goal: to craft the most advanced 2x10 cross country group ever: XX™

A complete group that weighs in at less than 2300 grams. The fastest,
cleanest shifting in mountain biking. More options and adjustability than
ever before. New patented technologies. Praised by the best riders in the
world. Faster. Lighter. The game has changed.

© 2009 SRAM, LLC

 Julien Absalon, Team Orbea and XX Test Rider

sram.com/xx
HARD TALES

Going Big With Specialized

Specialized introduces their long-travel line in Whistler

I
n our October issue we brought you a first look at
Specialized’s refined and redesigned cross-country and
trailbike lines from Snowbird, Utah. For their gravity
bikes, Specialized hosted media from around the world at
Whistler Mountain, the world’s premiere gravity park.
Whistler was the ideal spot for throwing a leg over the fifth
generation of the Enduro all-mountain trailbike, and the Big
Hit and Demo downhill bikes. Along with ripping through
Whistler on Specialized’s latest downhill creations, we had
the opportunity to ride with Specialized team riders Sam
Hill, Brendan Fairclough, Matt Hunter and Darren
Berrecloth.
We’ve included highlights of Specialized’s 2010
long-travel bikes in this month’s “Hard Tales.”

SPECIALIZED SX TRAIL
One of the most versatile and popular long-travel bikes,
the SX Trail sees some major revisions for the 2010 model
year. Most noticeably is the straightened-up top tube. The
frame has trimmed down by a quarter of a pound thanks to
new tubing and shock mount configuration. The bike park
oriented SX Trail now has a 29.5-inch-wide handlebar,
Specialized’s Clutch tires with the SX casing, FSA Gravity
cranks and a Gamut shiftable chainguide.
A favorite of Specialized team riders Darren Berrecloth
and Matt Hunter, The SX Trail has dialed geometry for
throwing big tricks or charging technical downhill terrain.

Race-specific: The 2010 Specialized Demo 8 features race-oriented

fixed geometry, such as the 64-degree head angle and a 13.5-inch
bottom bracket.

SPECIALIZED DEMO 8 II
At first glance, the 2010 Demo 8 II downhill race bike may not
appear to have undergone any changes other than new Team
graphics. Not true! Specialized altered the D8’s geometry to meet
the demands of their World Cup downhillers Sam Hill and
Brendan Fairclough. The new Demo 8 has a 1.5-inch head tube
and features the refined “Team” geometry with a lower bottom
bracket, slacker seat tube angle and integrated bearing head tube
for a lower handlebar height. In order to achieve the geometry
tweaks, Specialized had to basically redesign the entire Demo 8 Built to go big: With relaxed geometry and short chainstays, the
frame. The Demo 8 is built up with a Fox Shox DHX RC4 coil SX Trail is an agile long-travel machine built to shred bike parks.
shock, a 29-inch-wide handlebar, the air-sprung RockShox The 2010 SX Trail is claimed to weigh about 36.5 pounds.
Boxxer World Cup, and custom Avid Code brakes. You’ve heard
us sing the praises for Specialized’s downhill tires, but we’re not
the only ones who know their capabilities. Sam Hill and Brendan
Fairclough are free to run any tires they choose, and they prefer
to run Specialized’s downhill rubber. The 2010 Specialized Demo
8 is equipped with a Specialized Clutch front tire and a
Specialized Chunder rear tire.
We’ve ridden nearly every generation of the Demo 8 line, and
we can say without a doubt the revised 2010 has the most active
rear suspension to date, which means you’ll have more control
on high-speed rugged terrain. Specialized says the complete
Demo 8 II package weighs in at 38.5 pounds.

Performance tune:
The Demo 8’s FSR
suspension separates
suspension actuation
from the wheel path. Badge of honor:
How progressive the Specialized cold forges
suspension feels is frame junctions that
connect the bike, such Trail tuned: The SX Trail is equipped
governed by the sub- with the new Fox Shox RC4 shock
seat stay driving the as the head tube, to
maximize frame featuring a custom yoke that goes
shock. around the seat tube.
strength.

20 www.mbaction.com
HARD TALES

Specialized
S-WORKS ENDURO
The fifth generation of the Specialized Enduro gets a com-
pletely redesigned six-inch-travel “X-Wing” carbon fiber frame
and custom-tuned Fox RP23BV shock with Fox’s Boost Valve
technology. Specialized says the size medium S-Works Enduro
weighs 26.8 pounds without pedals.
The new frame aligns the shock and the seat stay for
increased rear-end rigidity, and the drivetrain features a cus-
tom Shimano double ring 22/36 cranks and a Gamut shiftable Cool cap: No part of the 2010 S-Works Enduro was
chainguide. left unrevised, including this ultra-lightweight top cap.
Specialized ditched their dual-crown fork found on the high-
end Enduros over the last
few years, opting for the air-
sprung, single-crown
Specialized E160 Future
Shock fork. It has adjustable
travel from 5.3 and 6.3 inch-
es and a 20-millimeter
Maxle thru-axle, and a
claimed weight of just 3.9
pounds.
Claimed to come in at
under 27 pounds, the S-
Works Enduro is an
extremely capable bike, as it
can crest the toughest climbs
and roar through technical
descents.

Do-it-all: The 6.3-inch-travel

Enduro is built to conquer
whatever the mountain throws
your way, including technical
climbs and challenging down-
hills. The Specialized Eskar
tires and adjustable Command
Post seatpost speak to the
Enduro’s versatility.

SPECIALIZED BIG HIT

If you’re looking for a capable
downhill or park bike but are on a
limited budget, the seven-inch-travel
Big Hit was made for you. The Big
Hit uses technology that has trickled
down from the Demo line of bikes to
create an affordable downhill
machine. The Big Hit III features
Specialized’s FSR suspension and has
geometry dialed in for aggressive
riding and agile handling. The Big
Hit III features a Fox DHX 4.0 shock
and a RockShox Domain fork with a
20-millimeter Maxle thru-axle. The
Big Hit is equipped with a 29.5-inch-
wide handlebar and Specialized’s
Clutch downhill tires.

22 www.mbaction.com
TRAILGRAMS
GOING BIGGER
I was reading Richard
Cunningham’s August “Happy Trails”
and thinking about his obvious addic-
tion to 29ers. I could not help thinking
that he is already a generation behind.
Everyone knows the real future is in
32ers. The 32er size will easily carry
you over any obstacle, including curbs,
stumps and Smart cars. The contact
patch delivers insane grip, even with
lightly knobbed tires, allowing smooth
rolling and high traction. Sure, it will
take frame designers and component
manufacturers a little to optimize
everything, but at this size, 1.5 inches
of travel will feel like five inches on a
less wheeled bike. The 32er will also
allow for radical simplification of the
drivetrain. There will be a need for
only a 1x9 drivetrain with a granny
out front. This will primarily be used
for climbing, as the momentum from
the 32er will carry the rider over any
flat and downhill section once up to
speed. Yes, change is always difficult,
but once riders get a hold of the 32er,
nothing else will do. Okay, I think
27.5-inch wheels are a better answer,
but could not resist.
Jeff Bradley
Denver, Colorado
96er BACKWARDS
I don’t care for 29ers, but I see them
as acceptable from a scientific stand-
point. A bigger wheel will increase
pedaling efficiency and have a better
contact patch, etc. The flipside is you
have extra weight, decreased agility
and slightly slower responses on the
front end.
My random thought is this. Run a
29er frame with a 29-inch rear wheel
to take advantage of the bigger contact
patch. Then run a fork with 1.5 inches
more travel than intended for the
bike’s frame and run a 26-inch wheel
up front! This would maintain the
intended geometry of the frame while
24 www.mbaction.com
keeping agile handling, plus you get
more fork travel. It would look funny,
but 29ers look funny anyway, so, no
harm, no foul.
Jonathan Dodds
Kansas City, Missouri
YEAR OF 29
I just read Richard Cunningham’s
August “Happy Trails” about this being
the year of the 29er. I agree with all of
the 29er advantages, but disagree that
the 26-inch-wheeled hardtail will be
“left without a chair.” Having lived in
the West and now the Midwest, I have
learned that the location and local ter-
rain should decide what type of moun-
tain bike best suits a rider’s needs. If I
were still living in Idaho, the bike I’d
plan to buy would be a long-travel 26er
or short-travel 29er, because the terrain
is rough and technical. Here in Iowa,
our trails are hardpack with short hills
and tight switches. There are a few
small drops and logs to ride over, but
nothing big. Riding these trails with
suspension or big wheels makes it too
easy and takes away the challenge and
the reason I love mountain biking.
Riding anything other than a 26er
hardtail on my trails would be just like
riding on the road. It is for this reason
my new mountain bike in 2010 will be
a Specialized Stumpjumper Comp HT
with 26-inch wheels.
Jonathan Olson
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
LOCKED UP
I was very surprised to read in the
August “Inside Line” that riding with a
Fox fork locked out causes premature
wear and is not recommended. I have
been riding my Titus Racer X with the
Fox 32 F-Series RLC fork locked and
the blow-off threshold set low for about
six months (ever since another MBA
article recommended this very setup.)
MBA editors said that this setup is con-
sidered to be the best all-around aggres-
sive trail-riding tune and found on
numerous pros’ bikes. Moreover, Fox’s
owner’s manual recommends that rid-
ers leave their fork in the locked-out
position. So what gives?
David Yarden
Newbury Park, California
Lockout is no longer an on/off switch
on most new suspension components
(although it can be adjusted to feel that
way). The damage outlined in Fox’s
answer (bushing wear, performance dete-
rioration and oil breakdown) is caused
by extensive lockout use when the lockout
force adjustment is set near or at its
maximum resistance. Fox does not rec-
ommend this setting for extended use
(and neither do we). Reducing the lock-
out force and riding with the lockout
lever engaged is a recommendation that
Fox and MBA have suggested for riders
who want a firm riding fork. Never
engaging the lockout and instead adjust-
ing the low-speed compression is another
way to arrive at close to the same ride
characteristic.
BEND IN THE ROAD
Our friend Jim (the guy on the
right) is getting ready to return from a
seven-year stint in Germany. After
reading your article about Bend,
Oregon, (MBA, May 2009), Jim added
Bend to his short list of places to settle.
He flew back on a scouting mission
and asked my husband, myself and our
mutual friend, Gordon, from Phoenix,
Arizona, to join him. We started near
Mt. Bachelor and rode the Whoops
Trail to this convergence of trails
marked with a red Phoenix (the locals
say it’s a magical place). After riding
the sweet, twisting singletrack through
the pine forests, we have to agree. Jim
bought a house in Bend before the bike
trip was over.
Linda Straub
Boise Idaho
DANGER ABOVE
John Neiley (August “Trail Mix”)
probably had Steve’s Loop to himself,
because off in the distance it looks like
there was a storm a brewing. Being out
there in an electrical storm is not
where I’d want to be. The lightning is
one thing, but it is the risk of flash
floods that would worry me. The
Steve’s Loop and Mary’s Loop trail sys-
tem winds its way in and around
canyons and washes where flash flood-
ing is prevalent. Just a little safety tip
for those unfamiliar with the risks of
riding in the backcountry.
Andrew Jarolimek
McKinleyville, California
STAY AFTER SCHOOL
I can tell from the August “Mac
Attack” that you get it. It’s true that
thunder in the distance is getting loud-
er! You can’t go to a race (NorCal or
SoCal) and not be swept up. It’s inter-
esting to see where SoCal started at
this year and where NorCal is now. It
was also eye opening for the SoCal kids
who went to the first state champi-
onship as they saw the “promised
land” of large fields and deep, high-
level racing. They saw what SoCal will
become. But the fantastic thing about
the state championship is that, even
though the level of sophistication was
higher in NorCal, the spirit was the
same. Everyone was helpful, welcom-
ing and hugely passionate. In my mind,
the high school movement is the future
of the sport. And 25 years from now,
when these kids have kids, it will be
even more magnified!
Matt Gunnell
Executive Director
SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League
MB,A2,009
August
Carbide. Thanks to Joel Smith and
everyone affiliated with Tomac Bikes
for looking after people who love to
ride and race, whether they are
beginners or pros.
Chris Sharp
TAKING SHOTS Team Director
Great write up on the Tomac Backbone Adventure Cycling
Snyper (MBA, August 2009). Our
entire fleet of Tomac Bikes is on its NEW TEAM
second full season of racing without a A company who wanted to form a
single frame failure. Some of these mountain bike team approached me. I
bikes are even from 2004 when they remembered reading the story about
were retired from racers like Jeremy starting a team (MBA, July 2009) and
Horgan-Kobelski and Dave Wiens. grabbed the issue. It’s been a great help
These bikes are still raced almost with getting ideas and knowing what
every weekend. Charles Libolt (Pro to do. We now have a bike company
DH), Austin and Cody Benge (U-23), backing us and a shop offering deals
and Jim Roff (Cat 1) regularly race on parts and service. We are a small
downhill and slalom/4-Cross on their squad of four riders from a Cat 3
Snypers if the course dictates a faster, Clydesdale to a first-year Cat 1 rider.
shorter-travel bike. Vanessa Humic Thanks for a great article and support-
(Cat 1) has landed podium spots in ing grassroots mountain biking.
downhill, cross-country and Super D, Kerry Waldman
all on her two-year-old carbon Tomac Rodder Racing ❏
Write us at mbaction@hi-torque.com or hard copy us at MBA Trailgrams,
25233 Anza Drive, Valencia, CA 91355. Trailgrams tip of the month: The
amount of pressure you apply to your brake levers depends on the surface you
are riding. The worst braking technique is locking either wheel. Keeping the
wheels rolling is the key to control. A locked-up wheel cannot be steered.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 25
TRAIL MIX

񡑘񡑈񡑅񡑁񡑗񡑈񡑂񡑄񡑔񡑠񡑗񡑁񡑐񡑓񡑔񡑠񡑗
񡑂񡑑񡑑 񡑡񡑔񡑙 񡑓񡑅񡑅񡑄
Our bikes during the bumpy
After having crawled through the concrete jungles of trek down to Gooseberry Mesa
Tokyo Metropolis for one sultry day, my bike, Marin, near Hurricane, Utah.
eventually found what was all around that could help Shalyn and Jason Gates
make it get going on...love. Temecula, California
Chaturong Yongsiri
Tokyo, Japan

񡑇񡑖񡑅񡑂񡑘 񡑒񡑉񡑗񡑘񡑂񡑐񡑅

񡑕񡑅񡑖񡑆񡑅񡑃񡑘 񡑖񡑉񡑄񡑅
While mountain biking the New
Hartford Town Park Trail system in
New York, I came across a field of tril-
a liums in bloom. I leaned my bike
made with a camera. I went out for
This is the coolest mistake I’ve ever self-port rait. I set the time r on the against a tree so that I could take the
ted a
night ride in the fresh snow and wan like it picture with my cell phone.
t-mode. After the red light flashed
camera and set the camera to nigh e, but it was n’t. The shut ter Peter Inserra
was don
usually does, I thought the camera picture Oriskany, New York
cam, and I thought I had a useless
sound went off as I picked up the
of my palm. Not true at all.
Eric Whiteside
East of Osan AB, South Korea

26 www.mbaction.com
Used to be, you had to choose. Balanced, confidence-inspiring trail bike or quick and agile race whip. Now you can have
both in one race-ready package. The all-new 22.5-pound Felt Nine Team, with a superior Ultra High Modulus (UHM)
carbon fiber frame that’s custom designed to make the most of its 29-inch wheels. The Nine Team is one of five new
bikes in Felt’s 2010 Nine series.
http://www.feltbicycles.com
Go big. Go fast. Go Felt.
TRAIL MIX

񡑄񡑅񡑒񡑅񡑑񡑓 񡑒񡑈񡑔
A photo taken after a long day
riding the Palo Duro Canyon located
in the Texas Panhandle. A great
place to ride and camp.
Rick Kieffer
Austin, Texas

񡑉񡑐 񡑃񡑅񡑓񡑓񡑅񡑑 񡑓񡑆񡑂񡑉 񡑓񡑆񡑇񡑒

Are there any bad trails in Tahoe?
Riding through Big Meadow.
Brian Bartholomew
Santa Clara, California

28 www.mbaction.com
 񡑈񡑅񡑆񡑇񡑄 񡑇񡑄񡑂 񡑂񡑃񡑃񡑅񡑆񡑇
My ’05 Norco Six in its element,
Alpine Country, Pemberton, B.C.,
Canada. All mountain...all of it.
Cookie Blosee
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
TRAIL MIX

񡑓񡑇񡑆 񡑔񡑉񡑓񡑈񡑐񡑂񡑓񡑆
Nothing compares to Moab, Utah, for the trails, views and people.
I recently completed six days of riding that words can’t describe and
pictures that don’t do it justice.
Kell Heikoop and Daryl Goodfellow
Burlington Ontario, Canada

񡑂񡑃񡑑񡑕񡑆 񡑓񡑇񡑆 񡑄񡑉񡑑񡑔񡑅񡑒

This is the view enjoyed by my Specialized
and me from the top of Santiago Peak, at
5700 feet, the highest peak of the Saddleback
Mountain range in Orange County,
California. Clouds were around 4000 feet, so
it felt like being in an airplane looking down
at the clouds. It took over four hours to get
here, and it was worth all the effort.
Jeff Eales
Mission Viejo, California

BECOME ALMOST FAMOUS

We want to make you a star. Here’s how:
1) Image file size needs to be 600 KB or
larger.
2) Tell us what is going on in your photo
(include names).
3) Include your name and the city and
state where you live.
4) E-mail it to Trail Mix
(mbaction@hi-torque.com).
Trail Mix rider of the month:
Matt Fritzinger ❑

30 www.mbaction.com
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 31
 THRASH TESTS
PRESTAFLATOR
★★★✩✩
Never have to pump again
Wish the air compressor in your
garage had a presta valve adaptor so
you didn’t have to hand pump every
presta-valved tube and tubeless tire?
PrestaFlator gives you that adaptor—
and a lot more.
Tech features: The PrestaFlator
connects to your air compressor with a
replaceable I/M compressor quick-
release attachment. It has a cast alu-
minum pistol grip handle with bead-
blasted finish. A two-finger, variable-
rate trigger valve controls airflow. An
air gauge (up to 174psi) is protected in
a rubber housing. The brass presta
chuck is rebuildable. The tool will
work on presta and Schrader valves.
The PrestaFlator sells for $39.95, and
the company offers an array of accesso-
ry attachments and rebuild kits.
You can reach PrestaFlator at
(518) 577-2150.
LAZER GENESIS RD 1 RACE
★★★✩✩
For the hard-to-fit head
Lazer Helmets knows that no two
heads are the same, and instead of
designing a helmet with a liner that
might favor one type of head over anoth-
er, they came up with an idea to fit
everybody.
Tech features: The $175 Genesis RD
Race helmet has an internal fitting har-
ness that Lazer calls the Rollsys. Plop
the helmet on and turn a dial (popping
up from the shell near the rear of the
helmet) to adjust the harness to the size
and shape of your noggin. The helmet’s
liner and shell are in-molded (they start
production as two pieces and come out
as one). The helmet has 19 vents. Pads
are removable for easy cleaning. The
helmet weighed ten ounces. You can
reach Lazer at (952) 236-4440.
32 www.mbaction.com
Thrash test rating:
★★★★★ Perfection
★★★★✩ Delivers above average value and performance
★★★✩✩ Recommended for intended application
★★✩✩✩ Shows potential but has drawbacks
★✩✩✩✩ Save your hard-earned bucks
After the thrashing: The first without incident (or breaking a
time we used the PrestaFlator, we sweat). The PrestaFlator really comes
blew a loose-fitting Kenda Nevegal in handy for tires that just don’t want
tire right off the rim. After the ring- to seat properly. The PrestaFlator
ing in our ears had subsided and we made short work of those jobs. We
had collected the shards of rubber found the tool’s gauge to be accurate,
from the ripped tube, we took and the big printing makes it easy to
PrestaFlator’s instructions more read. The PrestaFlator feels like a tool
seriously. It says right there in the that will last for years. Get one and
manual to take it easy with a light you will have the most popular garage
trigger squeeze when adding air. From on the block.
that point on, we filled tires and tubes
After the thrashing: The Rollsys fit-
ting system is not a cute gimmick. The
Rollsys dial reels in or takes out a tiny
monofilament line that runs through the
helmet’s fit pads. We didn’t have trouble
fitting any of the wrecking crew with a
single helmet. Lazer was also nice
enough to use different colors for the
retention straps so it is easier to know
which strap to pull on when adjusting.
The helmet feels light and offers ade-
quate coverage for cross-country racing
or trail riding. Some riders will experi-
ence slight changes in their head size
during rides due to temperatures (of the
environment and their bodies). These
riders will love the Rollsys, because they
can adjust the fit on the fly. The Genesis
RD 1 Race is highly recommended for
riders who have had fit issues with con-
ventional helmets.
 WOOLRICH WEATHERCHASER VEST
★★★✩✩
It does more than keep you warm

A must-have accessory in your clothing arsenal is a high-

quality riding vest. A vest will help you survive a cold ride
in comfort and may get you out of a bad situation.
Woolrich offers the $70 Weatherchaser Vest that is ready to
do both.
Tech features: The Weatherchaser Vest has a 100-
percent Polyester Microfiber shell and 90/10 poly-
ester/cotton liner. It is available in Cinder, Burnt Orange
or Tidal colors in sizes medium through XX-large. The vest
has a full-length zipper, three zippered pockets and a 2.5-
inch-tall collar. The vest (size large) will increase your
hydration pack load by 11 ounces. You can reach Woolrich
at (800) 995-1299.
After the thrashing: This is not a cycling-specific vest,
so why did we like it so much? It’s warm. The shell does a
great job of blocking the wind, and the thin liner holds
body warmth in. We were caught by a surprise cold snap
while on an overnighter, and the Weatherchaser was the
warmest item we had next to leg and arm warmers. We are
happy to report that it kept us toasty in mid-30-degree
temps. The construction is impeccable. It’s hard to believe
that we are headed into fall, but that’s why we opted for
the Burnt Orange color. That color helps eliminate you as
a target during hunting season. One tip is to buy one size
CONTINENTAL KAISER TIRE smaller than usual if you are looking for a snug cycling fit.
★★★★✩
Tires handmade in Germany

Continental brand tires are good enough for the first fami-
ly in downhill racing—the Athertons. The new Kaiser tires
have a downhill-specific tread pattern and sell for $75 each.
Tech features: The Kaiser features a double-walled,
three-ply casing, and is constructed with Conti’s special soft
and tacky Black Chili compound. The Kaiser is sold in only
a 2.5-inch width and for 26-inch wheels. The ramped center
knobs are designed for minimal rolling resistance, while
broad shoulder knobs provide cornering bite. The
Continental Kaiser tires weigh two pounds, three ounces
each. (877) 395-8088.
After the thrashing: From a distance, the Kaiser tire
looks better suited for a monster truck than a mountain
bike, so the first thing we did was weigh the tire side-by-side
with proven downhill treads—the Maxxis 2.5-inch 3C High
Roller and Specialized’s 2.5-inch S-Works Chunder. Despite
its appearance, the Continental Kaiser was six ounces lighter
than the Maxxis High Roller and ten ounces lighter than the
Specialized Chunder.
The Kaiser does not roll as fast as other downhill tires on
hardpacked terrain, but in loose, rocky and damp conditions,
it blew us away. This is a tire built for the dynamic terrain
of the World Cup circuit, and it showed its capabilities on
the steepest and rockiest trails. The tacky Black Chili com-
pound maintains excellent traction through slick rock gar-
dens and high-speed off-camber corners. Despite the Kaiser
being significantly lighter than other top downhill tires, we
had only one pinch-flat puncture during testing. The
Kaiser’s superb performance on steep, technical terrain and
its relatively light weight make it the ultimate sleeper in
downhill race rubber.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 33

 THRASH TESTS

OAKLEY RETRO GRIP FLEECE HOODY

★★★✩✩
Stylish performance outerwear

The Oakley Retro Grip hoody is designed for riding in

breezy weather, but is stylish enough to be worn off the bike
as well. The Retro Grip hoody sells for $85.
Tech features: Made from 100-percent polyester, the
Retro Grip has a special pocket for your media player and a
port for your earphone cables. It has a fixed hood, thumb-
hole cuffs, and the Retro Grip gets its name from the graphic
on the chest. If you look closely, you’ll see it’s a closeup shot
of Oakley’s first product, a grip for a motocross bike. Oakley,
(800) 431-1439.
After the thrashing: To be honest, this is one product
we didn’t want to completely “thrash,” because it’s a stylish
and versatile product that we hope to wear for months to
come. The Retro Grip hoody is perfect for cool weather rides
and commutes, as polyester doesn’t absorb sweat, and the
thumbholes will keep the sleeves in place when you’re pin-
ning down the trail. We regularly found ourselves reaching
for the Retro Grip hoody and stashing it into our hydration
pack before rides instead of our old standby jacket. The best
aspect of the Retro Grip hoody is that it can function as a
brisk-weather riding jacket and fit the bill for casual wear.

SPECIALIZED PHENOM SL SADDLE

★★★★✩
Road-race style turned dirty
Specialized took the high-performance
qualities of their elite road racing Toupé
saddle and adapted them to cross-coun-
try riding and racing. The Phenom SL
sells for $150.
Tech features: The Phenom saddle
features Specialized’s Body Geometry
design to assure blood flow to a man’s
sensitive areas. The carbon-reinforced
shell is tuned for sitbone flex and is
more rigid than the Toupé road saddle.
The Phenom has a snag-free recessed
cuff, and the down-turned perch is
designed for seated climbing. The hol-
low titanium rails support the ultra-light,
dual-density foam padding, and the
cover has a water-resistant Micromatrix
cover. The Phenom SL is available in
two widths, 130- and 143-millimeters,
and weighs 6.7 ounces (130-millimeter
version). Specialized, (877) 808-8154.
After the thrashing: The saddle is
often an overlooked component of the
mountain bike, which is unfortunate,
because besides being a contact point
between you and your bike, it greatly
influences your position on the bike and
can reduce the aches and pains associat-
ed with long rides. All of the features
Specialized set out to address with the
race-oriented Phenom are evident when
on the bike. You may not necessarily
notice the increased blood flow, but
relieving pressure on certain nerves
reduces numbness. The sloping nose of
the saddle is important, because it does-
n’t interfere with the male anatomy and
allows your hips and lower back to
curve in a natural manner.
The rounded corners and top cover
on the Phenom mean you won’t snag
your shorts on the edges of the saddle
when moving front to back and side to
side. Often we reached for the
Specialized Phenom SL after riding a
test bike with a saddle that caused lower
back pain or excessive numbness, and it
remedied the problem.
If you’re unfamiliar with Specialized’s
Body Geometry products, we recom-
mend visiting a dealer to see if the gear
can improve the quality of your ride. ❑

34 www.mbaction.com
INSIDE LINE
GETTING TUBED
Does it matter what tubes I use in my tires?
Danny Macrone
Redmond, Oregon
Short and sweet. That is how we like “Inside Line”
questions. Your to-the-point question is something very
few riders pay much attention to. That’s why we con-
tacted a guy who devotes most of his attention to the
subject. Jim Wannamaker, Kenda’s North American
Bicycle Division marketing director, explains the
importance of picking and using the right tube.
Does it matter what tubes you use in your tires? Absolutely.
To begin with, you need the appropriate tube size for your tire.
Check the sidewall of the tire for this information. If the tire is
marked 26x2.35, then use a corresponding size, such as a
26x2~2.4 tube. This will fit best.
A tube is a bag that holds air and will fit the cavity it is
placed in. So a 2.3~2.4 tube will fit the 2.35 tire pretty easily
and not give you grief. If you take that same tire marked 2.35
and insert a tube that is marked 26x1.75~1.95, the tube will
fit, but it will be undersized. Once the undersized tube is
inflated inside the tire, it will stretch and thin out its wall
thickness. This is when you are more likely to have a blowout
or become more susceptible to a puncture, as the tube is very
thin.
If you use a larger tube, say 2.5~2.7, in this same 2.35 tire,
the first problem is mounting it and getting it to fit inside the
channel of the rim and the tire. You will have trouble getting
the tire on the rim with this oversize tube. And once on and
inflated, it will be heavy and may not roll as true as a tire
with the correct size tube in it.
The next thing to take into consideration is the type of rid-
ing you are doing. Tire and tube manufacturers make tubes in
different wall thicknesses for different purposes. Tube wall
thickness can range from a very thin 0.45-millimeters to a
thick 2.25-millimeters (these are Kenda sizes). Obviously, the
thicker the wall, the harder it is to puncture the tube, but also
the heavier the tube becomes. And tubes can come with a
sealant inside them to seal punctures.
What tube to use? A downhill or gravity rider with a big-
hit bike most likely will have 26x2.5 or larger tires on his
bike. The ideal tube for this tire is one that has a thicker wall
of rubber, and this would be a 1.2- or 2.25-millimeter thick-
ness (these are Kenda
thicknesses. Other
makers may have dif-
ferent thicknesses). A
fast cross-country
racer may want to
shave weight, so he
could opt for a thinner
wall tube (0.73-mil-
limeters) compared to
a standard wall thick-
ness. The typical week-
end warrior will do
best with a normal
wall (0.95-millime-
ters) thickness tube.
Keep in mind your
weight, riding type,
bike type, where you ride and the air pressure you run. Each
one of these has an impact on what tire/tube combination is
right for you. A 220-pound rider has different needs from a
150-pound rider. Someone who is really hard on the bike needs
to consider the forces applied to the tire/tube.
The fork and shock of a dual-suspension bike will absorb
more of the bumps and keep the wheels on the ground better
than a hardtail bike. Hence the tire may wear faster. Riding
where there are lots of sticks and sharp-edged rocks is different
from riding on hardpack or soft dirt trails.
Nothing affects the ride more than air pressure. Tubes with
no air mean you are not going anywhere. Tubes with 40 psi
(pounds per square inch) mean you can pedal, but you may
bounce too much. Start high and lower the air pressure by
increments of 2 psi until you feel a better ride.
Finally, try to use tire and tube products from the same
manufacturer. Why? Many manufacturers have different ways
of calculating size, and if you have a tire marked 26x2.10 from
one company and a tube from another marked “Fits
26x1.75~2.35,” you may run into difficulties. It is like shirts
and shoes. Companies have different measuring methods. One
company’s large is another company’s medium. One compa-
ny’s size 10 is another company’s size 11. So you have to check
them out as to what is a good fit. ❑
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 35
INSIDE LINE
Got a question about mountain biking? Send it to “Inside Line” and let some of the most know-
ledgeable folks who ride answer it for you. E-mail your question to Inside@hi-torque.com, and we’ll
get it answered.
WHAT A DRAG, PART II
I ride a five-inch-travel, 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper
equipped with a Fox fork that adjusts from 5.5 inches
down to 3.1 inches of travel. When I’m climbing and drop
the fork to its lowest travel setting, I immediately feel drag
in the drivetrain. Pop it back to full travel and the drag is
gone. What is going on? Is there a way to prevent this
feeling?
Dan Newman
Sacramento, California
We ran this question in our May 2009 issue, and
many riders wrote to say they felt the same sensation
as Dan. David Roman of Thousand Oaks, California,
who is a schoolteacher by trade, put some thought into
the phenomenon and came up with this explanation.
I have an explanation for the sensation of drag when lower-
ing a fork for climbing. The reason is actually fairly simple.
The force that propels the bike forward is transferred forward
from the center of the rear wheel in a straight line from the
rear axle to the front axle (i.e., parallel to the ground, whether
on an incline or level ground). This “straight-forward” force
pushes the front wheel forward at the axle. Because the front
end (fork/head tube) is at an angle to that forward force, the
force acting on the front end is split into vertical and horizon-
tal vectors (shown below). The slacker the head angle, the
more force going toward the vertical vector, which is why
slack/long-travel bikes tend to wheelie (succumb to the vertical
force) or at least get squirrelly on steep climbs.
36 www.mbaction.com
Conversely, the steeper head angle when the fork is lowered
means more of the force is transferred into the horizontal vec-
tor. The reason for the drag is that the horizontal vector is
pointing into the incline (i.e., there’s more force trying to
drive the bike into the mountain, instead of moving you up
it.) Add in the fact that the rider usually shifts his weight for-
ward while climbing, thus compressing the fork and steepen-
ing the head tube, and the effect is even more pronounced.
The benefit of lowering the fork is that it puts the rider in a
better position for effective and powerful pedaling, but the
trade-off is that it also increases the horizontal vector of the
force pushing forward on the front wheel.
As a quick experiment to demonstrate the effect, place a
book on an incline (simulating the incline of the mountain).
Place a pencil (eraser side down) on the book and hold the
pencil toward the top. The pencil represents the front end
(head tube/fork) of the bike. With a finger on your other
hand, apply horizontal force (not parallel to the book’s
incline, but perfectly horizontal) near the bottom of the pencil.
Try it with the pencil at different angles. The steeper the
angle, the more the pencil pushes into the book and, thus, the
more force required to move the pencil up the incline. The
slacker the angle, the more easily the pencil moves up the
incline, until the angle becomes too slack and it just rotates
upwards (like a slack bike doing a wheelie on a climb).
Hopefully, the image and the experiment will demonstrate
the simplicity of the concept.
 351g

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A well-rounded brake at a
competitive price. At 351g
(160mm rotor, front, post mount),
the RX is a lightweight brake
with the power to handle all of
your XC, Trail, All-Mountain,
and Enduro needs. Featuring a
1-piece caliper, the RX delivers
impressive modulation and power.
Experience the value of Formula’s
RX on your next ride.
MBA est
Switzerland’s Long-Travel Trailbike
Interpretation BMC TrailFox 01
B
MC hails from Switzerland and is a name that
American riders will be hearing more of. Its presi-
dent, Andy Rihs, is a Swiss visionary who believes
that the only way to succeed is to make every design an
over-the-top effort. The BMC TrailFox 01 is a stunning
expression of this belief.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
Trail riders seeking a longer-travel machine will find the
BMC a near-perfect blend of aggressive and efficient quali-
ties.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
The TrailFox 01 is an aluminum-framed work of art,
crafted with triple-butted tubes that are so wildly profiled
and manipulated that it rivals the curvy lines
of cutting-edge, carbon fiber designs. BMC gave the TrailFox
01 5.5 inches of suspension travel on both ends with their
own rendition of the ever-popular dual-link rear suspension.
The beautiful BMC’s design features are beyond skin
deep, as evidenced by its upper rocker link and bottom
bracket assembly, which are created by welding mated alu-
minum forgings together. This construction method results
in lightweight, yet rigid, structures. The TF01’s dropouts are
similarly constructed, with the rear brake caliper cleanly
integrated into the left-side forging (BMC calls this “Natural
Born Post Mount”).
Other BMC treats can be found at the head tube, where
the headset bearings are integrated into the frame, and at the
seat tube/seat stay junction, where BMC works some metal
magic to split the top tube into a tubular Y-shape to rein-
force the area. BMC’s wrap-around, quick-release seat tube
clamp is quite impressive. The frame and shock can be had
for $2249.
38 www.mbaction.com
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
With its over-the-top design and engineering, you’d expect
that the TrailFox 01 would be outfitted with a flashier-than-
necessary component group. Not the case. BMC splurges
where performance must never be compromised (Fox Racing
Shox suspension, DT Swiss X 1800 wheels and Schwalbe
tires). BMC then opted for Shimano’s workhorse XT group
for the TF01’s drivetrain and brakes. For the cockpit, BMC
specs its home-designed Scor Race saddle, seatpost, stem and
bar.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
BMC’s TrailFox 01 takes a mile or so to make friends
with. At first, the chassis feels tall and its geometry
too cross-country to be taken seriously by those
with a ride-aggressively-or-go-home attitude.
However, the first-time TrailFox rider quickly
discovers that BMC knows a lot about trail
riding.
Pedaling: The TrailFox’s rear suspension
dips slightly with every pedal stroke, but its
effect on performance is negligible, so we were
not tempted to flip the shock’s ProPedal lever
on except during long climbs or
endless fire road sessions.
Use the Fox fork’s
TALAS travel adjust-
ment to further
brighten the
TrailFox’s climbing
performance. The
BMC’s steering
responds more
quickly with the
fork travel short-
ened, and the slightly
steeper effective seat
angle leaves your legs
feeling fresher on steep
climbs.
On the trail: Steering feels
quicker than we have come to expect from a 68-degree head
angle, probably due to the TrailFox’s short, 90-millimeter
stem and mid-width handlebar. Drop the air pressure in the
jumbo-sized Schwalbe tires to 28 psi front and 30 rear, and
they roll faster than many 2.0-inch cross-country tires, but
with gobs of traction in reserve for steep climbs and fast cor-
ners. The bike’s ride-everything-from-the-middle handling
makes any type of ride a delight, because the rider is always
in the sweet spot for climbing traction, balanced cornering
or hard braking. The front end can feel light up steep grades,
but this is due more to the abundance of grip afforded by the
2.4-inch tires than a flaw in the bike’s geometry.
Descending: Open up the TrailFox 01’s suspension and
let it rip. The BMC rolls smoothly over some gnarly bumps,
and it keeps the tires on the ground around fast corners.
The feel of the BMC is trustworthy, but if you push it deep
into the realm of a black-diamond bike, bouncing through
boulder fields and sticking bad landings from sizable jumps,
Switch hitter: The BMC will climb
smoothly without switching on the
Fox RP2 shock’s ProPedal feature,
but the addition of the pedal plat-
form gives the TrailFox 01 an ener-
getic feel under power.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 39

Trailbike Interpretation
an aggressive rider will notice flex in its rear suspension.
Speed control is not an issue aboard the TrailFox, because
the seven-inch rotors and fat rubber make for impressive
braking. Shimano gets high marks for its no-rub XT disc
brakes. XTR and XT stoppers usually develop a rub at least
once during a day’s ride, but not this time. They were
responsive and powerful without being grabby.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?

We hit upon one troublesome detail that was probably an
assembly mistake at the factory. The left-side retaining
screws backed out of the suspension’s lower pivot linkage,
twice. A call to BMC North America netted new screws and
helped us find the root of the problem. It seems that the alu-
minum screws should have been secured with a thread-lock-
ing fluid. Our TrailFox pivot bolts were assembled with
grease. A thorough cleaning of the pivot assembly and the
application of some thread locker was an easy fix.
Most accomplished bike handlers will toss the TrailFox’s
narrow 25-inch handlebar and opt for a wider one. Finally,
riders who are more gravity oriented will accuse BMC
designers of making the chassis too lightweight for no-com-
promise descending.

BUYING ADVICE
Riding the BMC TrailFox 01 was an unexpected pleasure. Quick, like a fox: Brisk steering and a light feel at the pedals
make the BMC TrailFox 01 a great choice for racer types who
Its performance is well-suited for all-day rides over technical are making the transition to a dedicated trailbike.
terrain, and its easy-going manners and smooth-riding sus-
pension make the hours pass by in a most enjoyable fashion.

BMC TRAILFOX 01
BMC’s long-travel trailbike joins MBA favorites like the
Giant Trance for do-it-all, cross-country performance. ❑
Price $4499
Country of origin Taiwan
Weight 29 pounds
Hotline (952) 941-9391
Frame tested 18.5" (medium)
Bottom bracket height 13"
Chainstay length 17.125"
Top tube length 23"
Head tube angle 68°
Seat tube angle 73°
Standover height 30"
Wheelbase 44.25"
Suspension travel (front) 5.5"
Suspension travel (rear) 5.5"
Frame material Aluminum
Fork Fox 32 TALAS 140
Shock Fox Float RP2
Rims DT Swiss X1800
Tires Schwalbe Nobby Nic (2.4")
Hub DT Swiss X1800
BMC’ing: (Clockwise from Brakes Shimano XT
top) BMC uses a dual-link Brake levers Shimano XT
suspension configured much Crankset Shimano XT
like Giant’s Maestro system.
Paired halves, which are then Handlebar Scor Race (25")
welded together, form a light- Shifters Shimano XT
weight and rigid rocker link. Front derailleur Shimano XT
The same construction tech-
nique is used for the bottom Rear derailleur Shimano XT (Shadow)
bracket shell. Shimano XT Chainrings Shimano XT (44/32/22)
disc brakes delivered no- Cassette Shimano XT (11-34)
drag and right-now stopping
performance. Pedals None (weighed with Shimano XT)

40 www.mbaction.com
 Passion Driven.

Our brand was

bred from the
very roots of
mountain biking,
rider: Nick Pescetto

NOT borrowed
from the
automotive or any
other industry.
We are unique and
exclusive,
photo: Matteo Cappe - www.mc-photographer.com

designing and
manufacturing
tires specifically
for your sport,
your lifestyle,
your passion.

www.geax.com
 I
n 2007, Trek Bikes under-
went a significant change in
their mountain bike culture,
and in the company itself. The

2010 Trek
decision was made to invest in
the terrain around the company
by building over ten miles of
MBA TECH

trails and hiring a full-time trail

builder. Around this same time,
Trek began development on
what has become their bread
and butter ABP (Active Braking
Pivot) and Full-Floater suspen-
Mountain Bikes
Trek debuts new suspension bikes in Austria
sion, found on their high-end
cross-country bike the Top Fuel,
the Fuel EX trailbike and the
versatile Remedy all-mountain
platform. We’ve been impressed
with each of the above-men-
tioned bikes and were eager to
find out how Trek would be
able to improve on these plat-
forms for 2010.
We had the opportunity to get
a first glimpse at Trek’s Top
Fuel, Fuel EX and carbon fiber
Remedy in the Salzkammergut
area of Altaussee, Austria.

2010 BIKE UPDATES

Although Trek’s entire line of moun-
tain bikes receives revisions and
upgrades, we’re going to focus on the
updates to their flagship and upper-end
models. You will find many of the tech-
nologies applied to these bikes will
trickle down to more budget-friendly
versions.
Top Fuel ($2599-$6499): Trek
claims their carbon fiber Top Fuel 9.9 is
their fastest race bike ever, that’s also
versatile enough for trail riding. The
eye-catching carbon fiber frame retains
the no-cut seat mast, BB90 Net Molded
bottom bracket with drop-in bearings, fications we’d like to see on the bike, ear shock feel of a coil spring. The Fuel
ABP Race System and magnesium Evo such as utilizing one of the new thru- EX will carry the DRCV shocks down
Link. New for the 3.9-inch-travel Top axle trailbike forks. The 2010 Fuel EX the line to the aluminum EX 8 model.
Fuel is the custom Race Cam shock that 9.9 now is equipped with an air-sprung The carbon fiber-framed Fuel EX 9.9
takes a Fox RP23 shock and makes it Fox Shox 32 F-Series Fit RLC fork with and the 9.8 receive Trek’s OCLV carbon
equal parts race, and equal parts trail. a tapered alloy steerer tube and 15QR seat stay. The carbon stay uses Trek’s
The ProPedal positions 1 and 2 maintain thru-axle. However, the biggest news Net Molded precision-fit bearings and
that same plush trailbike feel, while comes in the area of the Fuel EX 9.9’s all-carbon disc brake tabs.
position 3 gives the highest degree of new shock and rear triangle. The EX 9.9 Taking a page from the Top Fuel, the
lockout ever offered by Fox, ideal for receives Fox’s DRCV (Dual Rate Control Fuel EX line will utilize the lighter, one-
out-of-the-saddle sprints and extended Valve) RP23 shock technology that Trek piece ABP Race rear axle down to their
climbing. The premium 21.2-pound Top describes as having two shocks in one. aluminum EX 7 model.
Fuel 9.9 features the SRAM XX group, The goal of the DRCV is to provide effi- Remedy Carbon ($2600-$6499):
Bontrager XXX Lite wheels and has a cient pedaling while being able to transi- Trek takes their OCLV carbon frames to
price tag of $6499. tion into soaking up big hits without any the all-mountain category as their six-
Fuel EX ($1399-$6499): We fell in compromise in suspension performance. inch-travel Remedy gets a carbon
love with the 2009 4.7-inch-travel Fuel The Fox DRCV shock is designed to makeover. Designed specifically for the
EX 9.9 (tested in our August 2009 seamlessly transition between the first carbon Remedy, Trek deploys their
issue), but had a short wish list of modi- and second chambers providing the lin- Carbon Armor to protect against rocks

42 www.mbaction.com
 The hills are alive: Trek’s 2010 cross-
country and trailbike launch took place
on the breathtaking terrain of Altaussee,
Austria. Trek’s Travis Brown puts down
the power aboard the new Fuel EX.

kicking up into the downtube. The four-

layer Carbon Armor adds embedded
stiffeners to the main frame and tops it
off with a replaceable polymer shield.
Like the Fuel EX, the Remedy gets the
Fox DRCV RP23 shock (all four models
down to the Remedy 7). The Remedy
line keeps the triple chainring crankset,
acquires the ABP Race suspension, a
Fox Shox 15QR fork, and is now avail-
able in a new 18.5-inch size. The carbon
Remedy 9.9 and 9.8 models share the
BB95 press-in bottom bracket.

Top-notch: Trek says their 21.2-pound Top Fuel 9.9 is their fastest mountain bike ever.
The premium Top Fuel gets SRAM’s XX group, a custom Fox Shox RP23 Race Cam
shock, and Bontrager XXX Lite wheels. It could be yours for $6499.

Shock therapy: The new Race Cam RP23

shock from Fox is specific to Trek’s Top Fuel
cross-country racer. The ProPedal positions
1 and 2 maintain that same plush trailbike
feel, while position 3 gives the highest
degree of lockout ever offered by Fox.
Fueling the fire: The Top Fuel 9.8 is equipped with cross-country’s hardest working
component group, Shimano XT, and shares the same frame and Fox Shox RP23 Race
Cam shock as the premium 9.9 version.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 43

 Trek
MBA TECH

2 for 1: The Fox

Shox DRCV
RP23 shock
serves as two
shocks in one,
as it offers
superb pedaling
Great got greater: One of MBA’s favorite bikes of 2009, the 4.7-inch- performance and
travel Trek Fuel EX 9.9, now features a Fox Shox 32 F-Series Fit RLC seamlessly
fork with a 15QR thru-axle, the Fox DRCV (Dual Rate Control Valve) opens up the top
shock and a carbon fiber Truvativ Noir crankset. air chamber to
soak up harsh
impacts.

Born in the USA: Trek’s American-made, OCLV, carbon fiber Fuel EX

frames feature the tapered E2 head tube. The E2 puts more frame material
in an area that takes the brunt of high-speed hits along the trail.

All-mountain beauty: It was only a matter of time before Trek unveiled

their carbon fiber, six-inch-travel Remedy all-mountain trailbike. Trek will
offer two carbon and two aluminum-framed Remedies, each of which
will utilize a Fox Shox fork with a 15QR thru-axle, and the Fox DRCV
RP23 shock.
Midas touch: The gold-trimmed Remedy 9.9 features a
Crankbrothers Joplin remote-controlled adjustable seat-
post, massive head tube junction and SRAM X.0 shifters
and rear derailleur. ❑

44 www.mbaction.com
 visit us at SUNLINERACING.COM or call 661 257 2756
ay

k
ac
gr

bl
st
po
at
Se
ne
O
V-

Micro Adjust Head

- 40mm rail cradle to help prevent bent seat rails.

- Zero offset clamp.
- Tilt adjustment independent of fore and aft adjustments.
- 2-Bolt clamp for secure hold.
- Can accommodate many different seat tube angles.
- 350mm length.
- Anodized ⇒nish with lazer etched graphics.
 10
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS

Long-Travel
Trailbike
Tips
Make your bike
do the work
R.Cunningham

The new face of cross-country:
Pedal-friendly suspension and
platform damping have made long-
travel trailbikes practical for riding all
day or all out.
L
ong-travel trailbikes—dual-suspension designs with five or six inches
of wheel travel and cross-country-suitable geometry—are the most pop-
ular bike choice for today’s experienced riders. Those who make the
transition from a hardtail or short-travel cross-country dual-suspension bike
to a long-travel trailbike usually waste at least six weeks choosing lines and
applying power in much the same way they did on their old mounts. All new
or improved technology comes with a revised operating handbook, and long-
travel trailbikes are no exception. Bike setup, line choices, braking technique,
pedaling style and position over the bike are different for long-legged designs,
so to get the most performance from your Giant Trance, Pivot Mach 5, or
Specialized Stumpjumper, study the following tips.

46 www.mbaction.com
 FIVE LONG-TRAVEL SETUPS TIPS
BEFORE YOU HIT THE TRAIL

1 SUSPENSION SETUP—SOFT

Set the suspension softer than you may believe is best. The first big error
newbies make is pumping up the air spring of the shock and fork to achieve a
similar feel to a three-inch cross-country racer. Big mistake. You will never
use the full travel of either end of the bike, and worse, you will effectively
raise the bike’s ride height (and thus the center of gravity), causing the bike
to bounce and chatter over the bumps more than your old short-stroke cross-
country machine ever did. Set the suspension sag at 25 percent and lower the
ride-height of the bike. Pedaling will not be less firm, because the suspension
(and any built-in anti-bob attribute) is designed to work in this range. The
overall ride of the bike, climbing and descending, will be miraculously
improved.

2 GADGETS—USE THEM

Hey, the inertia valves on the Specialized Stumpjumper’s Brain fork and
shock are not ornaments. Turn them up and the bike will pedal marvelously
well while you—the ex-hardtail monkey—flail away at the pedals as if the
crankset were your arch enemy. If your bike is sold with a Fox RP23 shock
and a Fox fork with the TALAS feature, its designer is telling you that
switching to a firmer pedal platform in the rear and lowering the front end
will enhance your climbing—and maybe boost the performance elsewhere on Resist the temptation: Trek’s suspension-
the trail. Same goes for handlebar-remote lockouts and in-flight-adjustable sag gauge graphically reveals how much neg-
seatposts. Once suspension travel exceeds five inches, the interplay between ative travel a trailbike needs to operate cor-
the fork and shock action can alter the bike’s effective frame geometry by up rectly. Don’t over-pressurize your air springs
to two degrees in extreme situations. Experiment. Use your on-the-fly tuning to hedge against pedal bob.
options to speed up or slow down the steering as needed, to lower your cen-
ter of gravity, or to maximize your pedaling efficiency.

3 TIRES—GO BIG

The 2.35-inch Kenda Nevegal is the long-travel-trailbike national anthem,

and for good reason—it sticks on any soil, climbs like a goat and rolls with
reasonable efficiency. Schwalbe’s Nobby Nic and Rocket Ron 2.4-inch tires
are also big-volume/fast-rolling tires. Why big rubber? For starters, you’ll be
carrying more speed, braking with more force and attacking technical sec-
tions that previously you may have walked or soft-pedaled. Big tires protect
lightweight wheels, and wide, soft, aggressive tread will find adequate climb-
ing and braking traction, regardless of where the rider’s weight is balanced
over the bike. Go big, and if you want to save weight, then convert to tubeless
(we highly recommend this).

Get some leverage: Big, grippy

tires can transmit a lot of force
through the steering. Wider handle-
bars help tame the handling of a
modern trailbike when the terrain
gets wild.

Be a knob twister: Remote seatpost-height

and fork-travel adjustments help extend the
versatility of trailbikes, especially when wheel
travel edges towards the six-inch mark.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 47

MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS
10 Tips
4 STEMS AND BARS—GO LONG

Forty-five-millimeter stems are fine for level jump parks and

steep descents, but the slacker head angles (68 to 69 degrees) of
the modern trailbike put the rider’s weight too far aft of the
front wheel for climbing. Ninety- to 100-millimeter stems
weight the front tire for better cornering and climbing, and
slightly wider handlebars (26 to 27 inches) will boost technical
control while descending without adversely affecting climbing.

5 TIRE PRESSURE—TEN PSI LOWER

Large-volume tires require less air pressure to support the

same weight when compared to skinny 2.1 or 1.9 racing rub-
ber. If a 2.1 tire feels rock hard at 50 psi, a 2.35 tire will feel
the same at 40 psi. Cross-country pressure for a 170-pound
rider with 2.35-inch tires will average 28 in the front and 30 in
the rear—depending upon riding style. Excessive tire pressure
in large-volume tires will make for a harsh, bouncy ride and
mess with the bike’s low-speed suspension performance.

FIVE LONG-TRAVEL RIDING TIPS Sit down and pedal: Smooth and steady pedaling is
possible aboard a long-stroke trailbike, so use this to
GETTING ALL YOU PAID FOR your advantage and conserve energy on long, arduous
climbs. Sit down and spin.

1 ROCK GARDENS—GEAR UP through the boulders in the middle chainring. Practice on

Poking through the rocks in low gear may have been an
effective strategy for your nearly rigid bike, but you’ll
need some speed to bust through the rocks with a long-
travel machine. Below a certain speed, five- or six-inch-
stroke forks can soak up enough energy to stop a rider
dead in his tracks. Big-travel bikes can surf over hefty-
sized rocks and logs, but you’ll need to be bold and run
a short section of way-larger-than-you-would-normally-
ride-over rocks and hit them with your weight back
slightly and your arms braced so the forks take the full
impact instead of your body. Try different speeds until
you find a gear that uses the full travel of your bike’s sus-
pension and rolls over the rocks with conviction. Don’t
focus on the largest obstacle in your path. Instead, look
across the rock garden, or ten feet ahead of the bike, and
keep pedaling.

Don’t sweat the rocks: Use your

suspension and higher-volume tires
to your advantage by straight-lining
rough and rocky sections that the
2 LINE CHOICE—STRAIGHT
TO THE APEX
skinny-tire bikes must weave through.
Forget about all that wiggling and waver-
ing and pretend that the well-worn line on
the trail doesn’t exist. Rigid bikes force
cross-country riders to sweat every bump or
soft spot on the trail. Carry some speed and
let your suspension and momentum work
for you. Take the straightest path between
corners, even if this means pounding over a
few rocks or soft spots. When you approach
corners, ignore the wide, sweeping path that
timid cross-country riders use and arc from
the outside line to the inside apex. You’ll
cross over some rough ground near the apex,
but your turns will be faster and you’ll exit
with more speed and control. Take the
straight line down technical descents for the
same reasons. Should you make a mistake,
your bike will stay on line.

48 www.mbaction.com
Over three years in development, the Carbide SL is the ultimate in lightweight,
stiffness and pedaling efficiency. At a scant 4.4 pound frame weight with a
DT Swiss carbon shock, it's one of the lightest XC full suspension bikes on the
market, and certainly the stiffest. The Carbide SL can be hammered through
anything a cross country rider can throw at it.
Tomac Bikes | 2932 South 26th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68502 | 402 261 3988
 10 Tips
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS

3 CLIMBING—GEAR DOWN

You don’t have to climb every hill

in the granny gear, but your long-
travel suspension and oversized tires
will work to your advantage if you
stay seated and pedal smoothly in a
lower gear. Your climbing efficiency
comes from the fact that your bike
can maintain traction and soak up
the bumps on the trail ahead while
you remain in an optimal cycling
position—in the saddle and over the
cranks. Skinny-tired hardtail boys
must shift their weight constantly to
maintain traction and to attack steps
and roots successfully. Let your bike
find its way up the climb. Keep your
heart rate in the zone and take the
straightest path, knowing that your
tires will find grip in soft soil and
allow you to cross ruts that may
stymie lesser men on inferior
machines. This is your long-travel
strength—use it wisely.

No need to skid: Aggressive tires and more

capable handling boosts braking power and
control, so lay off the binders until you actually
4 BRAKING—LATER
AND HARDER
need to slow down and brake late in short,
powerful intervals.
Armed with six inches of wheel
travel and 2.35-inch tires, you should
rarely have an occasion to lock up a
tire. Use more front brake than would
be practical with a cross-country
racing bike and brake later and
harder—on the last straight section of
trail before the corners. Gain your
time on the straighter sections of the
descent and brake late to enter the
corners at a safer, more controlled
speed and you will make fewer
mistakes. Ease off the brakes as you
lean the bike into the turn so you are
coasting at the apex. Control your
speed on steep or long descents by
braking harder where the trail is
smooth and your tires can find maxi-
mum traction. Ease up where traction
is sketchy or the grade is chopped up
so the wheels can roll through. You
can’t steer a bike with a locked
wheel—period. A bike that rolls is
under control.

50 www.mbaction.com
 Stay centered: Keep your suspen-
sion balanced by riding from the
middle of the chassis. Crouch down
to lower the bike’s center of gravity
for steep descents or hard braking
instead of sliding to the extreme
rear of the saddle.

5 STAY CENTERED—
EXCEPT IN ONE
SITUATION
The more wheel travel your dual-
suspension chassis has, the easier it
is to upset the front/rear balance by
exaggerating your body position
fore or aft. Stay centered. Confine
your fore/aft weight shifts to the
length of the saddle and you will
never be caught out of position for
a surprise climb or drop. Excessive
weight shifts unload one side of the
suspension and over-compress the
other—which can make a great
bike feel like a monster. Stay cen-
tered and you force the suspension
to act against your mass—which is
balanced between the wheels—so
the bike will also remain in bal-
ance.
There is one exception to the
stay-centered rule: When you need
to sprint or power out of the saddle,
lean over the front of the bike and
preload the fork with your weight.
This will compress the fork about
halfway through its stroke and
boost the spring and damping rates
so it will bob less under a 100-per-
cent effort. ❑

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 51

 Crashing Mountain
MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Biking’s Annual
Trade Show See the new stuff before the doors open

C
ar nuts have the Detroit Auto show.
Gamers have the E3 Electronic
Entertainment Expo. Surfer dudes get
the Orlando Surf Expo. Snowboarders attend
the Snowsports Industries America Trade Stop the bleeding:
Adventure Medical
Show. But none of these shows are as exciting Kits’ QuikClot Sport
to us as Interbike. is a sponge made of
Interbike corrals bike shop employees in a porous fabric that
Las Vegas convention center where they get to contains tiny beads
of the mineral Zeolite.
see the latest offerings from folks who make When placed onto a
bikes, components and apparel for mountain wound, the QuikClot
bikers. We asked these companies if we could sponge conforms to
the shape of the
give riders who depend on Mountain Bike injury and is claimed
Action a sneak peek at what they are taking to to stop even venous
Interbike. The response was overwhelming and arterial bleeding
in less than three
(we couldn’t fit everything in), because you minutes. How? QuikClot claims to act as a molecular sieve,
are important to these people. sifting molecules by size. When QuikClot comes into con-
tact with blood, it rapidly absorbs smaller water molecules
from the blood, effectively sucking out all of the liquid. Only
the larger platelet and clotting factor molecules remain in
the wound in a highly concentrated form. This process pro-
motes extremely rapid natural clotting and prevents severe
blood loss. QuikClot Sport has a suggested retail of $9.99.
You’ll find it at bike shops and sporting goods stores.

Right price: The $150

Xpedo Twins XMF6AT
pedals reportedly
weigh 10.5 ounces
and use a titanium
axle and aluminum
body with a three-car-
tridge bearing system
that Xpedo claims
increases strength
enough to extend the
pedals’ life span by 20
percent. The front and
rear claws have
adjustments for either
toe-in or step-in entry
and work with
Take a shot: The $139 EVS Sports BJ33 Ballistic Jersey Shimano cleats.
is an all-in-one protector that incorporates upper-body
protective gear in one piece of equipment. It offers a full
torso, newly designed elbow protection and is machine
washable. Available in black or gray in both youth ($79)
and adult sizes up to XXXXL. (888) 873-8423.

52 www.mbaction.com
 Downhiller’s necklace: The Leatt-Brace GPX
Sport is an injection-molded, glass-reinforced,
nylon/carbon fiber neck brace system designed
by medical professionals to help prevent
extreme forward, rearward and sideways head
movements. It should also reduce spinal col-
umn compression, hyperflexion and hyperex-
tension. The $595 GPX Sport is available in two
sizes, small for four- to 16-year-olds who have
a thin build, or medium for riders older than 16
years old. Leatt-Brace also makes neck braces
for adults. Call them at (800) 691-3314.

Slippery stuff: The

$9.99 Muc-Off Wet
Lube is a naturally
derived, biodegrad-
able lube formulated
for long-distance
lubrication and pro-
tection. It can be
used in wet or muddy
conditions where it
will repel water and
inhibit rust and corro-
sion. (562) 945-9944.
Three ones: The $129.95 Cygolite Milion 200 LED Li-Ion light
has one light, one battery and it comes in one piece. This
rechargeable headlight system integrates a high-brightness LED
light with a three-hour Li-Ion battery. It weighs a claimed 4.6
ounces and offers USB charging, three lighting modes, charging
and low-battery indicators, plus helmet and handlebar mounts.
(714) 437-7752.

Fast wheels:
Fulcrum is rolling
out (pun intended)
the Red Metal 1 XL
wheel, which takes
weight off their pre-
vious offering with
the use of 24 alu-
minum spokes (both
front and rear). The
spoke lacing is
claimed to improve Pump it up: Genuine
wheel performance Innovations gets you back
during braking and riding fast after a flat tire with
torquing in the big their new $39.99 Mountain
ring. The hub’s Pipe. It is the best of both
bearings are dou- worlds, with a combo CO2 inflator
bled sealed and can and hand pump. The Mountain Pipe
be run with a tradi- has a magnetic lock that keeps the
tional nine-millime- barrel locked and closed. The slip-on
ter axle or 15-mil- valve fits presta valves, and a Schrader
limeter thru-axle. valve adaptor is included.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 53

MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Trade Show
Bling-a-licious:
The guys at
Crankskins.com
continue to come
up with ideas to
Light feet: The new $230 add bling to your
Xpedo M-Force XMF08TT bike and protect
pedals are claimed to tip the it at the same
scales at 7.4 ounces. They hit time. They offer
that weight with the use of a chainstay guards,
titanium body and axle. The crankarm guards
axle still floats on three car- and, new for
tridge bearings. The pedals 2010, Rimskins,
are Shimano cleat compatible. which will sell for
(310) 993-5949. between $15 and
$20. Crankskins
offers custom
graphics in small
quantities to
make your club
or team look pro.

Save your marriage: The

$29.99 Save-A-Seat may
just save your marriage.
Instead of plastering the
family car seat with every-
thing you just finished riding
through, pull the Save-A-
Seat over the car seat (like
a window shade) and pro-
tect it from your muddy
backside. You can reach
Save-A-Seat at
(724) 962-2072.

Comfort in a jar: Okole Stuff was

Added protection: Element Case offers the developed by six-time National
$149 Alloy Base case for select iPhone and Endurance Champion Monique
iPod Touch models. The flip-lid is translucent “Pua” Sawicki. “No chamois oint-
acrylic with laser-engraved graphics. You ment stayed the distance, so I creat-
choose your color and graphic for a custom ed Okole Stuff using lanolin, allan-
look. The molded polycarbonate bezel keeps toin, tea tree oil, aloe, love and
the phone secure in the base. The Alloy Base secret ingredients. It provides com-
is CNC-machined from aluminum, anodized, fort and healing for rides around the
and laser-engraved with custom graphics. block all the way to the 24-Hour
Nickel-plated fasteners resist corrosion. You Solo World Championships.” The
can get more info at (650) 226-3680. $25 Okole Stuff (six ounces) can be
purchased at KHS dealers or at
teammata.com.

54 www.mbaction.com
 Home mechanic: Need to remove your Shimano Hollowtech
bottom bracket? You need special tools, and Icetoolz gives
you everything you need in this $12 kit. (888) 804-1095.
Fly to the finish: The $4295 Fly Team 29er titanium
is made from a 3/2.5 butted titanium tubeset with
Motobecane’s Vari-butting. They offer the bike in four
sizes (15, 17, 19 or 21 inch) with FSA Afterburner
cranks, Shimano XTR components and a 3.9-inch
travel RockShox Reba 29 fork. Claimed weight is
23.5 pounds.

Strong and pretty:

The Cane Creek
Premium 110
One.Point.Five head-
set is available in
black, silver, blue,
red, purple or
turquoise. The $175
Premium Headset is
claimed to weigh 5.5
ounces, with a split-
lip, black oxide upper
bearing and a 1.5-
inch lower angular
contact bearing. It is
made in the U.S. and
comes with Cane
Creek’s 110-year
warranty. More info at Toolbox in a bag: The $119 Icetoolz Tool Wrap includes popular
(800) 234-2725. tools (including an Allen wrench set that is hard to see in the
photo) in a handy and durable nylon wrap. We keep our Wrap
under the car’s front seat so we are never at a loss when it
comes time to make those last-minute trailhead adjustments.

Feeling thirsty?: The Elite Jossa

Water Bottles’ special spout guaran-
tees consistent, abundant flow when
the middle of the bottle is squeezed.
The Jossa is compatible with most
standard bottle cages. Available in
Be visible: The $15 Frog Strobe light is five LEDs rolled into one. It uti- two sizes and four colors (blue,
lizes patented strobe technology and is five times brighter than the origi- clear, red or smoke). The Elite Jossa
nal Frog. It has four modes: normal flash, normal constant, strobe flash Water Bottle is $18.99, and the Elite
and strobe constant, with a claimed 180 hours of flash time. Featuring 12 Super Jossa Water Bottle is $21.99.
colors, the new Frog Strobe has an integrated clip and comes in low- Contact them at (800) 279-3793.
impact, recyclable packaging.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 55

 Trade Show
MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL
Serious training: The Elite
RealPower CT Internet Trainer fea-
tures an electronic resistance unit
that replicates slopes up to 20 per-
cent. Ride conditions are simulated
according to gradients, speeds
and rider/bicycle weights. Train
according to fixed power, heart
rate, speed and distance. The
Ritmo dancing mechanism follows
the movements of your body as
you train. The $2300 trainer
includes 15 video races, a heart-
rate belt, standard feet and auto-
matic software updates.
(800) 283-2453.
Have it your way: Two new lights from NiteRider
Technical Lighting Systems come with D.I.Y. software
(do it yourself) that allows you to customize the light to
your specific needs. You can program the number of
light outputs, how bright they will blast, and you can
even customize your own flash rate. The $500 Pro 600
LED (single beam) offers an eight-step fuel gauge,
quick-release battery system, a low battery warning
and it is all compatible with the NiteRider Explorer
headband. The $650 Pro 1200 LED (dual beam) has all
of the features of the Pro 600.
56 www.mbaction.com
Stylish trio:
The $270 Remedy CF is Giro’s ultimate
full-face helmet. It is engineered to meet
CPSC and ASTM downhill standards and fea-
tures a full-carbon shell with removable interior
pads. The all-new $50 Station MTB goggle is the
perfect complement to the Remedy, thanks to a Super Fit
Engineered frame that matches up flawlessly and offers a comfortable,
wide-open field of view. And the all-new $34 DJ glove, designed with
input from riders like Greg Watts and Paul Basagoitia, is durable
enough for digging and riding, with extra style points, too.
Get a grip: Fizik’s new XC Grips provide mountain
bikers with an opportunity to use the handlebar tape
used by roadies. Incorporating their mictrotex bar
wrap into an interchangeable mountain bike grip, the
new XC Grips employ a dual cover of matte and
suede microtex, encasing a shock-absorbing but lean
blue, foam padding. The Grips are capped with
brushed aluminum lock-on clamps, secured with
stainless steel M3 screws. The clamps are easily
removable, the core collapses, and your XC Grip
cover can be changed in a flash. The XC Grips will
come with two covers: black/black suede or
white/gray suede, and will retail for $47.99. Additional
grip covers will be sold separately for $13.99.
 Saddle holder: Fizik’s new $125 Cyrano 3D forged 7075
aluminum seatpost has mast walls that are thicker in the
front and back for strength and thinner on the sides for
weight savings. Radiused clamp edges prevent damage No Fox tail: Fox took the V3 motocross helmet and re-engi-
to rails. The tilt mechanism is a two-bolt system (with neered it for bike-specific use by trimming some weight
thumb wheel for front adjustment) with infinite angle (down to a claimed 2.6 pounds) with the use of carbon fiber
adjustment to accommodate a variety of seat tube in the shell lay up. The $379.95 V3R has rear venting, a
angles. The Cyrano includes a silicone ring useful for multi-channel internal EPS liner for airflow and a fully remov-
marking your post height. The Cyrano comes in four able and washable Coolmax liner and cheek pads.
diameters (27.2-, 30.9-, 31.6- and 34.9-millimeters) and
three lengths (270-, 350-, and 400-millimeters).

Padded cell: The Fox Titan

Sport Jacket is a new upper
body suit for the gravity set
that won’t break the bank at
$139.95. It offers hard shell
plastic protection on the back,
shoulders, chest and arms,
with a mesh chassis for maxi-
mum comfort when railing the
berms.

Important info: The

$9.95 SafeTband is a
little pouch that
attaches to your
hydration pack or
goggle strap and
contains emergency
medical information
for first responders.
A neat little product
that could save your
life. Get one at
www.safetband.com.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 57

 Trade Show
MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Feel a draft?: The $119.95 Fox

Ventilator Short is new for 2010
and features a lightweight shell
with a shorter outseam, specifi-
cally designed for hot weather
rides when the humidity is high.
Ventilation ports and a detach-
able inner mesh short optimize
the airflow, and a new Evo
chamois adds comfort.

Knee-high protection: The $59.95

Fox Launch Pro Knee Pad is a new,
soft-shell kneepad with a hard plastic
knee insert. The insert is an ergonom-
ic shape for comfort and stability. The
perforated neoprene helps prevent
sweaty-knee syndrome.

Casual cool: The Fox 2010 Dirt Shirt Collection uses a unique bamboo
fabric that is both wicking and anti-microbial. Fox then adds graphics
that seem to appeal to everyone from trials riders to downhillers. The
shirts sell for $39.95 each.

58 www.mbaction.com
Budget rubber: German
The CST protection:
Camber tire The $110
comes in 26x2.1 Uvex
or a fatter Supersonic
26x2.25 size GT helmet
that mimics the offers the
low profile of IAS 3D
expensive adjustment
cross-country system
race tires. It (adjustable in
doesn’t mimic height and
their price, width), 23 ven-
though. All tires tilation open-
will be available ings, on-the-fly chin
in wire or fold- strap adjustment, and for-
ing bead. The ward vents screened to keep
Camber prices bees out. Uvex helmets are
start at $17. now available in America
through Magura USA,
(800) 448-3876.

Sun power: The $179 Vaude

Solar Charger is a pack accesso-
ry that mounts solar panels that
charge your batteries with sun
power. It fits all Vaude packs and
only adds 12 ounces to your Up front: Magura’s
pack. Available from Magura USA $899 Thor fork has
at (800) 448-3876. adjustable travel
from 5.5 inches to
3.9 inches with
remote control
rebound, compres-
sion and lockout
adjustment. You
get a Maxle 360
thru-axle and a
disc brake post-
mount for seven-
inch rotors. Add
improved wiper
seals and an
optional conical
steerer and you are
ready to rage.

Light brake: Lighten up your ride Add some cushion: Smooth out the
with some $99.95 Carver titanium bumps with a Carver Ti Seatpost. It has
disc rotors. Claimed to weigh less a two-bolt micro adjust with Carver’s
than two ounces, the titanium disc unique setback design. The titanium
brake rotors are currently available post is available in 27.2 x 350 millime-
in a six-inch diameter with a six-bolt ters, and they will make custom sizes.
pattern and should be compatible The matte finish is $169.95 and the
with all popular cross-country race brushed finish goes for $199.95.
bike brake calipers. Carver Bikes,
(207) 442-7840.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 59

MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Trade Show
Inflated action: New
for 2010, the $30.99
Axiom Enforce Air Pro
hand pump has a
dual-density handle,
aluminum barrel and
160 psi maximum
pressure. With an
anodized body and
nickel-plated accents,
it looks as good as it
works. Like all Axiom
pumps, it is complete-
ly serviceable with
available replacement
parts and is backed by
a lifetime warranty.
Real steel: It is not new for 2010, but you can’t sue us because we think Available from Norco
the chromoly Brodie Heritage Series is simply elegant. Brodie says, at (800) 663-8916.
“Chromoly is in our blood, and with a little something for almost everyone,
we just couldn’t leave it off the menu any longer. Whether riding down a
trail, along a long and winding road or across town, we have you covered
with the classic feel of steel.”

Sturdy shorts: The Mace $100 NOS Equipe Short is

a loose-fitting short for epic rides. Made with woven
stretch fabric and 30-percent lighter than Mace’s reg-
ular NOS shorts, the NOS Equipe won’t restrict
mobility. Anti-UV and DWR (Durable Water
Repellency) are combined with anti-abrasion coat-
ings. Available in men’s and women’s styles, the
NOS Equipe shorts are for anyone who wants a
comfortable over-short for longer rides in warm
weather or just cruising around in the summer
heat. Available from Norco at (800) 663-8916.

Hats off to THE: The 2010 carbon Tiki helmet goes for $299 and comes with two visors and an all-
new cool dry, washable padset. It comes in sizes from X-small to X-large. THE at (562) 407-2184.

60 www.mbaction.com
 Ear warmer: Get
ready for the fall and
winter riding season with
the $16.95 Halo Anti-Freeze
pullover headband. It features a
wider profile and ear protection to block
the wind and cold weather. The one-size-fits-all design
includes the patented Sweat Block Technology that prevents
sweat from getting in your eyes. Halo, (800) 508-4256.

“Please Mace me, man.”: The $80 Mace NOS

helmet has a lightweight micro-shell with plenty
of vents for those epic rides. Available in three
custom colors, the helmet comes with a remov-
able visor and rear fin that allow you to customize
the look of your helmet. The NOS is for cross-
country and trail riders looking for a solid, light-
weight helmet. (800) 663-8916.

Not a passing Faze: The 2010 Norco Faze SE has 4.7 inches of travel
with a frame made from butted tubing and a new, one-piece carbon link
arm. The Faze SE is lighter and stiffer than the 2009 model.

Bottle holder with style: The

Aspire Velotech $39.50 Pro
Carbon Water Bottle Cage is
claimed to weigh less than an
ounce and is constructed with
hand-laid unidirectional carbon
fiber. It has a clear gloss and
accepts standard-diameter, short
or tall bottles. All Pro Carbon
Components come with a limited
lifetime warranty. (425) 823-2453.

Check out these colors: THE doesn’t call this $200 downhill helmet the Throwback
because of its technology. It’s because of the colors! You get two visors and an all-new
cool dry, washable padset. Comes in sizes from X-small to X-large.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 61

 Trade Show
MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Coming soon: We
got our hands on a
2010 Turner Flux and
will have a test in our
December issue. Until
then, drool over this
four-inch-travel trail-
bike that thinks it is a
cross-country racer.
Now with the dw-link,
the frame-only price
is $2395 from Turner
at (951) 677-1711.

The In-Crowd: Chris King’s InSet headset has user-serviceable

stainless steel bearings and aluminum cups, bearing
The WeirWolf lives: The redesigned cap and stem cap. It’s a member of the
$60 WTB WeirWolf gets an extra row NoThreadSet family with the same ten-year war-
of transitional tread between the ranty. InSet is a low-stack threadless headset
crown and side knobs. This slight designed for use with contemporary frames
alteration is claimed to give the tire featuring what would traditionally be called
positive feel and consistent traction oversized head tubes. InSet is available in
at any lean angle, from moderate to 1-1/8-inch upper and
extreme. It will be available in UST lower cups ($129)
and TCS. TCS stands for Tubeless and a tapered
Compatible System and couples 1-1/8-inch
WTB’s Race casing with a UST bead. upper cup
with 1.5-inch
lower cup
($149).

Stay in place: The $27.50 Pro Carbon

Computer Mount from Aspire Velotech is
a solution for securely mounting your
computer and accessories on either
carbon or aluminum handlebars. It
features a 7075 T6 aluminum
mount arm for strength and a true
carbon tube that’s sized to fit any
computer and power meter. It fits
standard and oversize handlebars,
and also fits both standard and over-
size computer mounts for complete ver-
satility. The shims and all the hardware
you need are included. (425) 823-2453.

Fight mold: The $29.99

ZeroGoo Hydration Reservoir
Dryer stuffs in the filler hole of
your CamelBak and a fan
forces air in, drying the reser-
voir and making it as fresh as
the day you bought it.
ZeroGoo, (402) 202-3505.

62 www.mbaction.com
 Haro Porter: Eric Porter, Haro’s go-to guy for going big, offers a sig-
nature model for 2010 called, surprise, The Porter. He gives you a
custom Fox 36 Float RC2 fork (set to 3.9 inches of travel and at a
height just right for the frame), a FSA Gravity Gap Mega EXO crankset
and bottom bracket, FSA Gravity Chain Guide, Pivit Featherlite CNC Big axle compatible: The $44.95 Sequel
pedals and Hayes Stroker Ryde brakes with six-inch rotors. If you 15mm from Hurricane Components
think $3350 sounds pricey, try building this bike with the same com- adapts most suspension forks using
ponents. It is a steal! 15-millimeter axles to existing bike rack.
Call them at (951) 280-6036.

Racers ready: The WTB $50

Vulpine SL 1.9 Race tire is
claimed to weigh 14
ounces and features DNA
Rubber Compound,
minimal center tread,
mid-sized transition
knobs and raised
outside knobs with
added corner
shelf tread.
Designed with
feedback from
XX marks the Zaskar: With a 2008 World Championship Team Sho-Air’s
under its belt in the Under-23 category, the Zaskar Team XX Max Plaxton.
looks like the fastest rig on the planet. The all-new SRAM XX
2x10-speed group is the choice of world champions as well,
and that, combined with the all-new SID XX fork, makes the
Team a very exclusive race rig.

Red, white and true blue: The

new American Classic MTB 26
Disc Tubeless and MTB 29
Disc Tubeless wheelsets
use 14/15 gauge
stainless steel
spokes, fully
sealed cartridge
bearings and tita-
nium quick-
releases. Each
wheel has 32
spokes that are
laced in a three-
cross pattern. The
new Tubeless 26 MTB
Black Crest color goes
for $779.95 and the
Alphatype White is $819.95.
American Classic, (800) 813-5545.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 63

 Trade Show
MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Foxy fork: The new

$740 Fox F Series
are the lightest
forks that Fox has
ever made. The
3.9-inch travel 32
F100 FIT RLC is
claimed to weigh
3.14 pounds
with Fox’s
integrated FIT
damper tech-
nology. The
Fox Isolation
Technology
(FIT) damper
Super T: The $3400 Mongoose Teocali Super gets a 5.7-inch-travel uses a
RockShox Revelation Race fork, a RockShox Monarch 4.2 air shock unique
with Floodgate adjust and a SRAM X.O rear derailleur paired with bladder
Shimano SLX Shadow front derailleur. This is a trailbike too pretty to design,
be so tough. which
provides
the lowest possible
friction for a sealed damper, reduces
fluid aeration for enhanced suspension
consistency, and reduces unsprung
weight for faster wheel response and
increased steering precision.

Take a stab at it: The $5999

Kona Stab Supreme has a
sloping top tube, a compact
rear triangle, a tapered head
tube, a 7005 aluminum frame and
Kona’s take on a four-bar rear sus-
pension for what appears to be around
eight inches of rear wheel travel.
Race day ride: The $2499 Kona
Hei Hei 100 uses hydroformed
aluminum frame tubing, a sloping
top tube, and scandium, asym-
metrical chainstays. The four-bar
rear suspension uses magnesium
rockers for 3.9 inches of travel.

64 www.mbaction.com
 Speed thrills: The Niner Air 9 Carbon can
be run as a single-speed or geared and
the bottom bracket will work with sev-
eral bottom bracket systems
including the new BB-30
standard that single-
speed riders crave. We
can’t wait to get our
hands on one of
these. High-
speed sin-
gletrack
fun!

Color your ride: The $20 KMC Patriot

Series and Bravo Series chains allow you
to mix and match your color choices for
the ultimate custom look. These colorful
offerings are for your cruiser. KMC offers
the $75 X9SL chain for the dirt.

Get a Glimpse: The $1895

Glimpse (frame and shock) is
Ellsworth’s most affordable,
high-performance, Instant-
Center-Tracking suspension
trailbike. It is made with a U.S.-
certified drawn seamless alu-
minum, swaged, shaped and
tapered tube set and rockers
machined by Ellsworth.

K H Yes: Always one of our

favorite bikes for getting the
most bang for your buck,
the 2010 aluminum-framed
KHS XCT555 is coming
with five inches of rear
wheel travel, a Marzocchi
44 TST2 with 15-millimeter
axle, Truvativ Firex 3.1
GigaPipe cranks and Hayes
Stroker Trail hydraulic disc
brakes. The suggested
retail is $2199.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 65

MBA PRE-INTERBIKE SPECIAL

Trade Show

Color guard: The $2499 Felt Virtue Two is a 5.1-inch travel trailbike
that has an aluminum main frame and carbon fiber rear triangle. Think
of this as a cross-country/trailbike, because even with its long travel,
it thinks it is a race bike.
Become an outlaw: The $330 Azonic
Outlaw Welded Wheel Sets Come in
135- or 150-millimeter rear hub spac-
ing, anodized black, red, gold, cyan or
green. The rims (also available sepa-
rately) are a 7075 aluminum double-wall
design with eyelets and a wide profile
for extra strength and rigidity. The front
wheel is compatible with a nine-milli-
meter quick-release axle and 15- or 20-
millimeter thru-axle conversions.

Carbon coverage: The $299 O’Neal

Skad Joker Carbon Helmet has
removable and washable cheek
pads, height-adjustable visor and a
double-D closure. Available in sizes
X-small to X-large with a claimed
weight of 2.1 pounds. O’Neal at
(800) 326-6325.

Large hoops: The $4999 Felt Nine Team takes a carbon fiber frame and
enforces it with their replaceable “Dingle Guard” (a replaceable Kevlar
downtube protector) and bolt-on Kevlar chain watcher. You get Mavic
Crossmax 29-inch wheels with WTB Vulpine tires.

66 www.mbaction.com
 Winning wheels: The $950 2010 ZTR
Podium MMX cross-country-racing
wheelset has seen the top podium spot at
the Olympics, World Cups and national
championships. Claimed to weigh just 2.6
pounds, the little company from Upstate
New York is the David against a bunch of
Goliaths. NoTubes, (607) 562-2877.

Crank up the volume: The $250 Azonic Raptor Crank

Set comes in 170- or 175-millimeter lengths with your
choice of black or double-anodized black/red. The
cranks are compatible with all four-bolt 104-millimeter
chainrings and chain guides. It has an outboard sealed-
bearing bottom bracket and includes a bashguard.

Value racer: The $2600 Sette Vexx DH bike features a 6061 aluminum, eight-
inch-travel frame with a monocoque top tube. The Vexx has CNC-machined
struts and linkage with oversized ten-millimeter pivot bearings. Components
include a RockShox Boxxer Race fork and Vivid 4.1 shock, SRAM X7/X9 dri-
vetrain and FSA Gravity MegaExo DH cranks. Only available from Price Point
at (800) 774-2376.

Go custom: Squadra makes custom clothing

for professional (and professional-looking)
teams or clubs. They offer jerseys, shorts,
jackets, vests and more. Want to take it to
the next level? Call them at (760) 431-0870.
Feeling compulsive?: The $4299 Felt Compulsion uses Felt’s Equilink rear
suspension to squeeze 5.9 inches of travel out of the double-butted aluminum
frame and rear triangle. Comes with a RockShox Monarch 4.2 shock. ❏

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 67

 Fast to the top: The active
rear suspension lends a hand
when climbing rough terrain.
The Truth pedals as well as the
best stable-platform trailbikes.

70 www.mbaction.com
MBA est
The Truth & Nothing But The Truth
The Ellsworth Truth
T
he American-made Ellsworth Truth has been around
for 16 years, but it has never sat still. Those years
have seen plenty of changes, including additional
travel, new materials (including a titanium version) and
refinements to the frame’s geometry.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Truth is a versatile platform to base your dream bike
on. Using expensive carbon fiber, titanium and magnesium
components, it can serve as a competitive (and lightweight)
cross-country racer. Build it with more durable components
and the four-inch travel frame will serve as your high-perfor-
mance trailbike. Build it somewhere between the two and
this bike will do both. Our Truth was built as a trailbike,
and that’s how we evaluated it.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
The Truth uses an aluminum, diamond-style frame with a
large walking-beam link at the seat stay junction. The rear
triangle is also aluminum, and all the pivots rotate on large,
sealed ball bearings. A massive gusset is employed in front
of the seat tube/top tube junction, allowing for a sloping top
tube and a great standover height.
The small print on the top tube is patent language for the
Ellsworth Instant Center suspension. The term “Instant
Center” explains an imaginary point in space that one side
of a four-bar linkage rotates around. To find it, draw an
imaginary line through the middle of the two upper pivots
and another line through the center of the lower pivot
points. The Instant Center is where the two lines intersect.
The pivot’s actual location often changes as the rear suspen-
sion cycles through its travel, so the “Instant” part of the
term refers to where the lines intersect at any given moment
in time.
The Instant Centers of most four-bar mountain bike sus-
pensions intersect in the area near the crankset and behind
the front wheel. Ellsworth’s Instant Centers range from
three feet to a number of yards in front of the bike.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Three components steal the show: The Magura Marta
SL Magnesium brakes, the Magura Durin Marathon fork
and the Ellsworth XC Wheelset. We look at each of these
components separately immediately following the test.
The Syntace P6 carbon seatpost, Syntace F119 stem and
Vector handlebar combo with Syntace lockable grips are
also noteworthy.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Ergonomics: The last few Truths to roll through the
test fleet were built for cross-country racing. This is a
trail-friendly Truth with a longer-travel fork (4.7 inches
of travel instead of 3.9), nice wide bars, the super-com-
fortable WTB Pure V saddle and a Syntace carbon
fiber seatpost. The rider is still not as upright as
on a long-travel trailbike. Think of it as a sporty
trail riding position.
Moving out: No ProPedal lever? No problem.
In or out of the saddle, the Truth, with its custom-
tuned shock, just motors away with a firm rear
suspension, remaining responsive to the trail sur-
face and immune to your pedal mashing. Even
efforts out of the saddle don’t create
squish in the rear suspension.
Cornering: The Truth
shines while negotiating
tight, technical single-
track. Switchbacks
require nothing more
than a flick of the han-
dlebar to full-lock. The
rider feels perfectly cen-
tered, and there is no
need for exaggerated body
English to get the Truth to
do what you want.
Stay over the middle of the
bike and the Truth holds its line
and will carve around corners without pushing the front
tire.
Climbing: The active rear suspension definitely lends a
hand when climbing rough terrain. It softens the worst
bumps, but it doesn’t feel all that supple. If your litmus
test for a great-performing cross-country bike is a firm-
pedaling platform, then the upside of the Ellsworth’s
rough ride is that it pedals as well as the best stable-plat-
form trailbikes.
In the rough: The Truth’s suspension feels firm, but
the sensation does not adversely affect the handling.
There always seems to be enough suspension travel in
reserve to ride aggressively, but you must be mindful of its
steep steering geometry when you drop down something
steep, especially if you build your Truth with the recom-
mended 3.9-inch travel fork.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 71
The Truth
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
We do not recommend equipping the Truth with anything
other than the Ellsworth-valved shock. The Truth’s rear sus-
pension is firm enough without help from a stable-platform
shock.
Ellsworth requires a 3.9-inch travel fork for the Truth. If
you are going to use the bike more for trail riding than rac-
ing, you may want to go for a slightly longer-travel fork. It
makes descents more manageable and slows down the cross-
country-race geometry. This trick will void the frame’s war-
ranty, so make the upgrade at your own risk.

BUYING ADVICE
One of the most common mistakes riders make is buying
too much bike. If your trails require a long-travel suspension
bike because of the severity of the terrain, Ellsworth has
plenty of models to choose from. However, if your trails
throw challenging obstacles at you with plenty of climbing
and descending, a Truth built just like this one would serve
you for years. ❑

Call up the reserves: There always seems to be enough sus-

pension travel in reserve to ride aggressively. Still, this is made
to be a cross-country racer, and it comes with the geometry
to match.

ELLSWORTH TRUTH
Price $2195 (frame and shock)
Country of origin USA
Weight 26.6 pounds
Hotline (760) 788-7500
Size tested 20" (large)
Bottom bracket height 13.9"
Chainstay length 16.5"
Top tube length 24.5"
Head tube angle 70.2°
Seat tube angle 72.7°
Standover height 29.5"
Wheelbase 44"
Suspension travel (front) 4.7"
Suspension travel (rear) 4"
Frame material Aluminum
Fork Magura Durin Marathon
Shock Fox Float R
Rims Ellsworth XC
Tires Kenda Nevegal 2.35,
Kenda Small Bock Eight (r)
Hub Ellsworth XC
Brakes Magura Marta SL Magnesium
Brake levers Magura Marta SL Magnesium
Crankset Shimano XT
Shifters Shimano XT Rapidfire
Handlebar Syntace Vector (27")
Front derailleur Shimano XT
Truth serum: (Clockwise from top) A large walking-beam link Rear derailleur Shimano XT
at the seat stay junction is part of the Ellsworth Instant Chainrings Shimano (44/32/22)
Center suspension. The seat tube is enforced by a massive Cassette Shimano XTR (11-34)
gusset. The Fox shock is tuned just for this application.
Pedals None (weighed w/Shimano XTR)

72 www.mbaction.com
 Rating:
★★★★★ Perfection

As Seen On ET ★★★★✩ Delivers above average value and performance

★★★✩✩ Recommended for intended application
The Ellsworth Truth, that is ★★✩✩✩ Shows potential but has drawbacks
MBA TECH

★✩✩✩✩ Save your hard-earned bucks

O
ur Ellsworth Truth was equipped with three com-
ponents that deserve to be more than a footnote in
the test. The Magura Durin Marathon fork, Magura
Marta SL Magnesium brakes and Ellsworth’s just-released
XC wheelset.

ELLSWORTH XC WHEELSET
★★✩✩✩
Tech features: The $799 XC wheelset features 24 spokes with a two-cross lac-
ing pattern and Ellsworth-patented Quad Butted Spokes. The 29-millimeter-wide
rims have tapered walls. The hubs are compatible with a standard quick-release or
a 15-millimeter thru-axle. The wheelset comes with extra spokes, nipples and the
spacers you need for your axle preference. These wheels are also available in 29-
inch diameters. The rear wheel with rim strip weighs one pound, 13.4 ounces,
while the front is one pound, 9.5 ounces. Ellsworth skewers are 2.1 ounces (rear)
and 1.9 ounces.
After the thrashing: These wheels are beautiful, with striking attention to
detail from the polished hubs to the red Ellsworth rim strip. Mounting tires on the
wider-than-usual-23-millimeter rims was no hassle, and the tires beaded to the rim
easily. The wider rims gives any tire the feel of being slightly larger because it
increases the contact patch. We found the wheels to lack the necessary rigidity for
big-gear-mashing, cross-country racing and any type of trail riding. We were able to
make tire contact with the fork slider and seat stays under hard efforts or G-out
bumps. The wheels were taken to an Ellsworth dealer, who determined the spoke
tension was correct. A lightweight racer (say, under 150 pounds) looking for the
weight advantage these wheels bring might find them acceptable. It is our opinion
that larger riders will not find them rigid enough.

MAGURA MARTA SL MAGNESIUM BRAKES MAGURA DURIN

★★★★★
Tech features: The flagship of
the Marta brake line, the $389
Marta SL Magnesium is an open,
hydraulic, disc brake system that
uses forged-magnesium, fixed, dual-
piston calipers and integrated reser-
voirs. Carbon fiber levers and titani-
um hardware are two more tricks
that let Magura hit the ridiculously
light weight of 11 ounces. Each
brake comes with a five-year leak-
proof warranty and will work with
six-, seven- or eight-inch Magura SL
rotors. The brake pads do not need
to be removed to check wear.
After the thrashing: The adjustable levers feel like they
were individually shaped for your fingers. The brake-fluid reser-
voir is ample in size, yet never gets in the way during get-offs or
snags on brush. A rider can apply the ideal stopping power,
depending on the incline and trail surface, by modulating the
squeeze on the brake levers. Even the MBA wrecking crew—
who intentionally dragged the brakes—couldn’t get them to
overheat, fade or become grabby. The brakes don’t squeak or
squeal even after water crossings. Pad replacement is ultra-easy.
The company also backs the product with exceptional technical
field support. This is the brake that the MBA wrecking crew
compares all other brakes to.
MARATHON FORK
★★✩✩✩
Tech features: The $799 Durin
Marathon fork has a cold-forged, alu-
minum fork crown with integrated cable
stops for an optional remote lockout con-
trol. The stanchion tubes are 32-milli-
meters in diameter, and the one-piece
fork slider design includes Magura’s
Double Arch Design (DAD). The fork is
available with an adjustable travel option
called Flight Control Remote (FCR) that
offers from 3.1 to 4.7 inches of travel (it
goes for $899). The model we tested was fixed at 4.7 inches.
External adjustments allow the rider to turn on a lockout
feature, adjust the small-bump compliance (a pedaling plat-
form) and dial-in rebound.
After the thrashing: The fork is easy to dial in because
the external adjustments actually make changes a rider can
feel. The rigidity of the fork is above average, especially under
hard braking. Magura’s DAD really works. These forks have
the feel of a fork with larger diameter stanchions (but with-
out the weight penalty). The only area where the Durin
Marathon falls short is in its damping characteristics, which
do not deliver the smooth feel of many of today’s popular
forks. You can dial in small-bump compliance, but you give
up some big-hit performance. Get the big-hit coverage you are
looking for, and you lose a little small-bump compliance. ❑

74 www.mbaction.com
 IRC Mythos XC II
Racing Tire
msrp $50
$1498 Avid Single
Digit 7 Brake
msrp $40
$2198
Panaracer Fire
XC Pro Tire
msrp $40
$2198

msrp $105 SRAM Alligator Wavy Rotor

$8498 X.9 9-Spd Trigger

Shifters ‘08
Kenda
Nevegal
msrp $45

Lite-DTC Tire $998

msrp $53
$3698

msrp $750 Mavic

M i msrp $67 SRAM
$599 98 Crossmax ST Disc
Wheelset ‘09 $4998 X.7 9-Spd Trigger
Shifters ‘08 Giro Athlon Helmet
Hayes Disc Brake
msrp $130 HFX 9 XC
$9998 msrp $150
$5998

Crank Brothers
Planet Bike Egg Beater C
Super⇑ash
msrp $60 San Marco msrp $85 Selle Italia msrp $50 WTB msrp $40 WTB msrp $30
Pedal
Ponza Saddle msrp $80
$2998 $5998 Shiver Gel $3498 Speed V Pro $2698 Speed V
Flow Saddle Gel Saddle Comp Saddle $1798 $5498

Fox msrp $70 Fox msrp $60 Fox msrp $40 Fox msrp $55
Ranger Baseline Baseline Live Wire
Short $44 Short $39 Jersey $24 Jersey $39
98 98 98 98
 Easton EC70
Carbon
Seatpost
msrp $120
$7998

Rockshox
Dart 2 ‘08
msrp $119
$7998

WTB DX28 w/Shimano

M510 Wheelset
msrp $130
msrp $250 msrp $500
Sram PC971 $8998
Chain ‘08 $8998 Sette $19998 Sette
Reken Hardtail Frame Razzo 29er Frame
msrp $32
$1998
msrp $40 Sette
Fox Incline Glove $1998 XLR Low ¾ Riser
Handlebar
msrp $22 msrp $70 Sette
$1498 $2498 Amp Saddle msrp $100 Sette Type-S
S
$4998 Lock-On Grips
Sette Torx msrp $30
ST-21 Tool Kit
Sette Sette Element MTB Shoe msrp $100 $998
Neo Alloy
Titec El Norte
Water Bottle $4698
Camelbak HAWG ‘08 Cage msrp $150
Gold Stem
msrp $100 msrp $7
msrp $50 $8998 msrp $35
$5998 $298 Sette
$14 98 Quantum-X Cyclo- $998
Sette Epic MTB Shoe Computer Ver. 2.0

Easton EA70 Monkeybar ‘08 msrp $60

$4998

Hoss AAdidas
Ponderosa Oakley TTrail CP Dakine
Short Descent SStorm Limelight
msrp $50
Short JJacket Zip Hoody
msrp $140 m
msrp $130 msrp $80
$4498
$5498 $5498 $3498

Fox
Women’s Dakine Adidas
A
Sierra Mask Bike
B
Short T-Shirt JJacket
msrp $65 msrp $25 msrp $55 msrp $8
Price Point
$3998 $1298 $2998 Team Sock $398
 Giant Lightens Up
A first look at Giant’s 2010 Maestro suspension bikes
MBA TECH

Total package: Giant revamped their all-mountain Reign X from the ground up. The new frame utilizes their OverDrive tapered head
tube and has a 67-degree head angle ideal for aggressive trail riding.

Reign X: Giant’s 6.7-inch-travel, all-mountain Reign X sees

B
efore 2005, Giant employed a variety of full-suspension
platforms in their mountain bike line. When they a massive weight reduction for 2010. Compared to the 2009
unveiled their Maestro suspension that same year version, Giant says the all-new aluminum Reign X frame drops
everything changed, as many of their bikes have become some 1.5 pounds alone, and a production bike out of the box without
of the sport’s most highly regarded performance machines. pedals weighs 30.2 pounds. Giant was able to shed some
The evolution of Giant’s dual-link Maestro has resulted in weight in the frame by going to a co-pivot design and not pierc-
their lightest and most capable mountain bikes yet. ing the downtube. The new Reign has Giant’s OverDrive head
What is Maestro suspension? In short, it’s a design with tube and tapered steerer tube to stiffen up the frame, and a
four pivot points that allow two rocker arms to articulate in a 12x135 Maxle Lite rear thru-axle.
manner that creates a single floating pivot point. Faith: Back from the dead is Giant’s Faith black-diamond
We had the opportunity to get a first look at their flagship bike. Like the Reign, the Faith sees a massive drop in the frame
full-suspension Maestro models on the challenging terrain of
the Keystone, Colorado, resort. The technical Keystone down-
hill courses and epic cross-country trails played a perfect host
to Giant’s all-new, six-inch-travel, all-mountain Reign X; the
World Cup-tested Glory downhill bike; reborn seven-inch-trav-
el Faith park bike; the all-new Anthem X Advanced SL; and
the highly anticipated carbon fiber version of the bike that
won MBA’s $2500 trailbike shootout—the five-inch-travel
Giant Trance.
Entering the 2010 model year, Giant knew they were sitting
on a remarkable-performing suspension platform, so their goal
was to refine those designs and shed some weight. We’ll touch
on some highlights and refinements of the Reign X, Faith,
Glory, Anthem X SL and Trance X Advanced SL.

LONG-TRAVEL MAESTRO
For Giant, the beauty of their Maestro suspension was they
could now use the same suspension platform for both short-
Hard goods: The 6.7-inch-travel Reign X features all-new suspen-
and long-travel bikes. sion hardware and forged upper rockers.

78 www.mbaction.com
Keeping the faith: The Faith returns to Giant’s gravity lineup and is
built to handle huge drops and stunts. How tough is the new Faith?
Giant rider Kurt Sorge rode his to a podium finish in the Red Bull
Rampage. The Faith comes stock with two sets of replaceable
dropouts. The different dropouts change the head angle by half of a
degree and either drops or raises the bottom bracket.
Weighting game: Giant’s 2010 Faith drops an incredible 2.5
pounds from the frame alone, and Giant says the complete bike
weighs 36.8 pounds out of the box. Suspension duties are han-
dled by RockShox’s Vivid 5.1 shock and air-sprung Totem fork.

Race ready: Giant’s Glory downhill bike has been one of the best
deals in the expensive sport of downhill racing; however, it was a
beast at over 45 pounds. Giant says their completely redesigned
2010 Glory weighs an impressive 37.9 pounds out of the box and
is World Cup ready.

weight. We were told the all-new Faith’s frame is 2.5 pounds

lighter than the last generation of the Faith, and the complete
seven-inch-travel bike out of the box weighs 36.8 pounds.
Glory 0: You may have spotted Giant World Cup racer Jared
Rando’s 2010 Giant Glory downhill bike in our September
2009 issue “Inside The Pros’ Bikes.” For the past couple of
years, Giant’s Glory downhill bike was an excellent performing
machine; however, it couldn’t be denied it was a beast, weigh-
ing upwards of 46 pounds. Completely redesigned from the
ground up, the new eight-inch-travel Glory is claimed to weigh
just 37.9 pounds out of the box. New features to the Glory
include the OverDrive head tube to increase frame stiffness,
and despite being incredibly lighter than last year’s Glory,
Giant says the new design is actually stiffer. Giant was able to
drop the pounds from the Glory by pushing the limits of hydro-
forming the aluminum tubing, and going away from the
pierced downtube shock cradle design.

SHORT-TRAVEL MAESTRO
Keeping with the theme of the long-travel machines, Giant’s
proven cross-country racing and trailbike designs also lighten
up significantly for the 2010 model year. Giant utilizes their
Advanced Composite Technology to achieve the maximum
Glorious descender: Tested on the World Cup circuit, the eight-
inch-travel Glory downhill bike utilizes Fox Shox suspension,
Shimano Saint components and a 65.5-degree head angle.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 79

 Giant
MBA TECH

Ultimate versatility: Giant set out to make their impressive five-

inch-travel Trance trailbike even better. The Trance X Advanced
SL has a carbon fiber frame, which shaves 14 ounces from the
bike’s total weight, dropping it down to a remarkable 24.5
pounds, 15-percent lighter than the 2009 aluminum version.
Race tested: Giant’s four-inch-travel carbon fiber Anthem X
Advanced SL cross-country race bike was put through the paces
by the highly skilled World Cup racer Adam Craig. The collabora-
tion of engineering and rider input resulted in Giant’s lightest,
fastest and stiffest full-suspension bike.

Tuned in: The Trance’s Maestro suspension operates with a Fox

Float RP23 shock and carbon fiber upper rocker links. The five
inches of Maestro suspension is designed to be fully active under
braking and power for all conditions. Riding tubes: To maximize the strength to weight ratio on the
Anthem X Advanced SL, Giant employed their OverDrive head
tube and MegaDrive downtube. The flagship carbon Anthem is
strength to weight ratio of their carbon fiber frames, and that equipped with SRAM’s XX group, and is said to weigh just 21.8
is exhibited in their Anthem X cross-country racer and the pounds.
ultra-capable Trance trailbike.
Anthem X Advanced SL: Giant says their flagship four-
inch-travel Anthem is their lightest, fastest and stiffest full-sus-
pension bike they’ve ever made. Out of the box, a size medium
carbon Anthem X is claimed to weigh 21.8 pounds, and the
frame alone is almost a half-pound lighter than the 2009 car-
bon version. The Anthem X SL utilizes Giant’s OverDrive
tapered head tube, and taking from their road bike technology,
Giant utilizes their massive MegaDrive downtube for
increased front-end stiffness.
Trance: The 2009 Giant Trance was one of MBA’s top
choices of the year. How would Giant improve on an already
impressive five-inch-travel platform? By utilizing their carbon
fiber manufacturing resources. The new carbon fiber Trance X
SL sheds nearly an entire pound off the trailbike frame alone,
while also improving overall stiffness. Giant could’ve taken
even more weight out of the Trance by spec’ing ultra-light
cross-country racing components, but the goal was to create
the lightest bike possible with “real world” parts that will meet
Inside job: Along with the 2010 bikes, Giant introduced their own
their performance standards. The Trance X Advanced SL has house brand of components, like this sleek carbon fiber stem
a claimed weight of 24.5 pounds. ❑ found on the Anthem X SL.

80 www.mbaction.com
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Inside The
Pros’ Bikes
20

Max Plaxton’s Specialized Epic

C
anada’s Max Plaxton has been climbing
his way to the top of the cross-country
ranks in North America. Max, now 24,
started mountain biking at 14, when his family
was living in Spain. When the family moved
back to British Columbia in 2002, Max won
Canada’s Junior Cross-Country National
Championship.
Moving forward, Max took the Pan American
Espoir (Under-23) cross-country title in 2006
and 2007, and a bronze medal in the U23 class
at the World Championships in 2006. Max also
won gold medals in the Team Relay races at two
World Championships.
Max’s first big national win in the U.S. came
in the short-track event at the Santa Barbara, 19
California, National in 2007. This summer,
Max took his first pro cross-country win at the
Colorado Springs Pro XCT National, beating
Canadian rival Geoff Kabush and American
champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski.
Max rides this Specialized Epic for Team
Sho-Air.

1. Specialized Carbon Epic S-

Works frame, size large.
“The frame is 100-percent stock. The
Epic frame, fork and shock are devel-
oped together, resulting in one fast cross-
country bike. I am truly blown away by
how fast it is, and I really think I have
an advantage over my competitors.”
2. Specialized Future Shock e100
fork, 3.9 inches of travel, carbon 1-
1/8-inch to 1.5-inch steer tube.
“This fork knows the difference
between rider-induced force and terrain-
induced force. Basically, you never have
to worry about locking or unlocking the
fork, which adds up to save me valuable
seconds.”
3. WTB Vulpine 2.1 tires, Kevlar
bead.
“This is a super-fast tire and great for
dry, hardpacked trails. It’s very light,
too.”
4. Stan’s NoTubes Tire Sealant.
5. Specialized Roval Controle SL
rims, disc, 24mm.
“Very light rims. They form a solid
bead with the tire, allowing me to run
low pressure without burping any air.”
16
6. DT Swiss Aerolite 2.0/1.6 spokes
with black alloy nipples.
“They’re super-stiff and light spokes.”
7. Specialized Roval Controle SL XC
Carbon front hub and Roval SL disc-
style rear hub.
“They’re very light and fitted with the
Enduro ceramic bearings—a super-fast
combo.”
8. Hayes Stroker Gram brakes, titani-
um hardware.
“Light, powerful and adjustable to suit
my braking style.”
9. Race Face, Carbon Next, Low Rise
SL handlebar, 26-inches width.
“Perfect width and low-rise—one of the
best-looking handlebars out there for sure.”
10. Race Face Carbon Next SL seat-
post.
“Very light and stiff; this seatpost has
amazing adjustability.”
15
11. ESI Silicon Racers Edge grips.
“Amazing feel to the hands and
superb control.”
12. Specialized S-Works MTB
crankset, 175-millimeters.
“The S-Works cranks use a BB30 bot-
tom bracket. This means the bearings
are fitted inside the frame, resulting in
superior stiffness. The carbon
crankarms shave serious weight.”
13. Specialized S-Works chain-
rings, 7075 T6, 42/26.
“A real cool feature about the S-Works
cranks and chainrings is the possibility
of running different size chainrings,
depending on the race course. They’re
very smooth shifting as well.”
14. Crankbrothers Eggbeater 4 Ti
pedals.
“They’re very light, with really easy
access in all conditions—a must-have
pedal.”

84 www.mbaction.com
 Weight: 20.5 pounds
11 Estimated worth: $9000
9
21

10 23
18
1
3

24 4
22
2 5
25

17 8

26
7
12

13 14
15. Shimano Dura-Ace chain.
“I always prefer to run this chain. I have
never had a broken chain in a race or train-
ing and hope to keep that streak going.”
16. Shimano XTR Shadow rear
derailleur.
“Combined with the XTR trigger
shifters, there is no better combination for
flawless shifting.”
17. Shimano XTR front derailleur.
18. Shimano XTR Rapidfire Plus
shifters.
“Super-solid shifting and very precise.”
19. Shimano XTR 11-34 cassette.
“Perfect gear ratio for a fast-pedaling
downhill or a steep uphill.”
20. WTB Silverado SLT seat.
“The Silverado is the perfect choice for
me. At 6.5 ounces, it is light but also very
comfy.”
21. Race Face Deus XC stem,
110-millimeters, at minus-6
degrees.
“Very stiff and lightweight.”
22. Jagwire Ripcord cable
housing.
“Simply flawless shifting without
having to change the housing all the
time.”
23. Threadless headset,
Campy-style 1-1/8-inch upper
and 1.5-inch lower cartridge
bearing.
“I am blown away by how stiff the
head tube area is. Accelerating out of
the saddle is when I notice it the
most.”
24. Chris King titanium water-
bottle cage.
“It’s my all-time favorite cage. I
think most people would agree.”
6
25. Specialized AFR remote
mini shock with Brain inertia
valve with Brain Fade, rebound-
adjustment and 3.9 inches of
travel.
“Just like the Brain Fork, this
shock does it all for you. It remains
firm on smooth terrain and goes fully
active in rough terrain without hav-
ing to touch anything. I am super
lucky to be riding on the most
advanced suspension technology out
there.”
26. Enduro ceramic bearings are
fitted in the bottom bracket and
hubs.
“This is one of the best upgrades
anyone can do to their race bike. It
simply makes the bike faster.” ❑

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 85

 1.909.947.2100
We Offer a 30-Day
Price Protection
Policy, Plus NO-
HASSLE RETURNS local or international
with NO Restocking or toll free 1.888.880.3403
FEES! or www.JensonUSA.com

%0#2#12
Nema Grasp Glove ‘09
Red, S-XXL
GL281A00
*61*##4#0


MSRP $35
14#

14#
-$$+10.

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RaceFace Atlas AM
Riser Bar ‘09
1
14# Black, 31.8mm, 700 mm length.
Shimano LX M581 Rear
Derailleur

-$$ HB290A01
MSRP $64
Thiss is a traditionally-sprung
traditionaallly-sprung
y p g (i.e.
( not Shimano LX FC-M582 Crankset


Amazing upgrade for just about any bike! 170 or 175mm,
+10.  p Rise) rear derailleur
pid
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railleur designed to
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Trigger 44-32-22
Ro kGardn Warbird
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Ro
RockGardn W rbird
Wa
D3 309A01
RD309A01 MSRP $80 CR303A00 14#
Helmet MSRP $189.99
14# -$$+10.

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HE283G03
MSRP $79.99 -$$+10.
Shimano LX M580 9SP Trigger Shifters
These LX RapidFire levers are ideal for almost every rider.
SL302A00
MSRP $79.99

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The legendary Monkeylite featuring CNT (carbon nano tube) technology, making this bar
White 100mm, Disc Only, 26”,
light and strong. Easton is the leader in carbon fiber technology.
w/Pushloc
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FK293A07
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14# MSRP -$$
MSRP $120


$724 +10.
14#
 Titus RX-1 2008 Frame
-$$


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FR285B01 14#
Serfas SI-4 Wireless


Cyclocomputer
MSRP $1599 -$$+10. 13 Functions
CP281A00 MSRP $44.99

Easton EC70 Carbon

Seatpost ‘08
A proven design, year after
year. Space age carbon fiber
construction!

 
SE402A01
MSRP
Hutchinson Toro Tire OE
Black, 26x2.15, Kevlar Folding Blackburn Trakstand Ultra
$130

TI284A00
MSRP $54.99
Trainer
14#

Ultra smooth. Ultra quiet. Ultra-realistic

14# -$$

resistance.
TR501A00 14#
MSRP Minewt.X2
-$$+10. $299.99 -$$+10. # 150 lumen’s of light output
Minewt Mini USB Plus Light System
# Superlight thanks to Li-Ion battery technology
Lake MX 190 ‘09 # 3:30-7:00 hours of run time # 110+ lumen output


Shoe # 3 light settings: High, Low, Flash # 3:00 runtime
Sun Drift Thru Axle DH/FR You call it. Men, Lady or Wide LS306A04 LS294A01
Wheelset SE402A01 MSRP $209.99 MSRP $129.99
MSRP $159.99
14#-$$ 14#-$$
Get ready to rock the trail with these fast,
strong and reliable wheels. Featuring a
20mm thru front axle, 12x135 thru rear axle,


SS spokes, brass nipples and stout EQ31 rims. Trinewt Wireless


WH282I01 # 500 lumen’s of light output
MSRP $499.99 14# # 3:30-7:00 hours of run time

14#-$$

# 3 light settings: High, Low, Flash
-$$+10. LS306A08
MSRP $549

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Eastern Nighttrain Bike ‘09
Disclaimer* Quantities on some items may be limited - shop early for best selection. Pricing may vary between our magazine ads, catalogs, showroom,
retail stores, and website. Currency ⇑uctuations, manufacturer price increases, model year changes, and other factors may cause our costs to change. Vredestein Black Black or Purple

 
JensonUSA reserves the right to modify our prices at any time without notice. Prices listed do not include shipping. Errors in product descriptions, weights, Panther Folding Tire BI284R00
prices, or photography are unintentional and subject to correction. Customer bears the cost of return shipping for exchanges/returns unless Jenson USA has
made a shipping error. Please call for a return authorization number. Jenson USA strives to offer the best prices on every item we sell. We will price match
26x2.0, Folding  MSRP $1599.99
any nationally advertised price - just give us the details at the time of your order. The identical item (size, color, model year) must be in stock at the time your TI283A09 MSRP $55.95

14#-$$

order is placed. This does not include items which are on sale/clearance/blowout. Price match may not be combined with any other offers. * All Shimano
logos and brands are the exclusive property of Shimano American Corporation.
14#-$$
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Titus Motolite Frame ‘09
 Easton Havoc AM Wheelset ‘08
The first wheelset truly designed from the ground-up
for all-mountain riders.
WH501A02


Adjustable to 100mm or 127mm of travel.
XS, S, M, L msrp $799.99
FR289B12 MKN> ;:K=>LB@G
msrp $1699.99 14#
14# -$$+10.
-$$+10. Easton Havoc DH Wheelset ‘08
WH402A09 msrp $799
14#
-$$+10.

Azonic O’Neal Fury Full Marzocchi 66 RC3 Fork ‘09
Face ‘08 Helmet Metalic Grey, 180mm, RC3
Easton XC One Disc Wheelset ‘08
(S, M, L) Designed to inspire the most demanding XC rider,
FK291A16
HE302G04 the XC One is up to 10% lighter than competing
MSRP $999


wheels — AND as much as 36% stiffer.
MSRP
$89.99  WH402A09
msrp $799.99


14#
-$$+10.
Be Sweep ‘09 Helmet
Bell

-$$+10.
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-$
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 -$
-$
-$$+10.
(S, M, L)
HE290A02 Intense Spider XVP


MSRP $140 Frame Swinger 3 Way
-$$ VPP “Virtual Pivot Point” technology allow


a bob-free ride, but still offers the plush feel
+10. you’d want for an all-day ride. It’s constructed of
Easton aluminum tubes with CNC linkages and sealed
bearing pivots and offers 4” of rear wheel travel.

14#
FR503A00
msrp $2140
-$$+10.
Giro Remedy ‘09 Helmet
(S, M, L) Marzocchi 55 ATA Fork ‘09 Yeti ASR Alloy Frame
HE290G12 Black, 120-160mm, ATA One of the best “bang for the buck” cross-country
MSRP

FK291A09 race frames you can buy. 3.89” of rear wheel travel
$130 MSRP $599 using the Fox RP23 shock.


Ano Black, Pink, Turqoise, White/Raw or
14# Black/Turquoise
FR289B00
-$$+10.
-$$+10.
MSRP $1830
14# 
Marzocchi 44 TST2 Ontario, California Will-Call Window
Fork ‘09
The ‘09 44 TST2 gives you 120mm 1441 S. Carlos Ave Mission Blvd
of travel on one of the lightest
Ontario, California 91751
long travel XC forks.
909.947.2100
Archibald
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msrp $369 Open Mon-Sat
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15
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Order Online or By
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60
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TI283A08
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MSRP $60

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Research Dr
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Marzocchi Dirt Jumper Nema Revolver Jersey

Lincoln

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This is a strong and stiff fork that is
MSRP

 
great in the dirt or in the concrete
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91
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MBA YOUNG RIPPER

Introducing Cierra Smith

Photos by Wil Smith

ing. You can do whatever you want
there because it has such an awesome
variety of trails. If you can ride the trails
there, you can ride anywhere.”
Although still very young for a moun-
tain bike racer, Cierra’s been a part of
the Santa Cruz crew for a handful of
years.
“There used to be a junior Santa Cruz
Syndicate division, and I was with them
the past couple of years,” explains
Cierra. “When it became the AllRide
Academy, I was picked from the original
team to stay on board.”
“Cierra rocks!” says all-around elite
rider Kirt Voreis. “I’m excited to have
the opportunity to help youngsters like
Cierra have opportunities in this sport.
Seeing the passion she has for riding, it
inspires me everyday to keep riding
hard and helping out wherever I can.
event was crazy!” says Cierra. “I was so
happy to win that race, because I finally
had some competition. Before, I was so
young I hardly had any other girls to
race against, because not that many of
them were doing it.”
“She took a bad fall in practice and
she got pinned head-first at the bottom
of a nasty rock section,” says Kirt
Voreis. “As soon as the course workers
removed the bike from atop her pret-
zeled body, she jumped up chuckling
saying, ‘Dude, that was crazy! I definite-
ly think I need to take a break.’ She dust-
ed herself off, jumped onto her bike and
ripped down the course. Cierra has what
it takes to be the best.”
“My goal is to be a world champion,”
Cierra says confidently. “I want to race
all of the UCI World Cup stuff and go as
far as I can with racing. I want to try to

M
ost 14-year-old girls spend The girl is super tough and has an all- be the best in the world. I can’t really
their summer vacation day- or-nothing attitude. She’s totally humble picture myself doing anything other
dreaming about entering high with a laid-back demeanor.” than being a pro mountain biker.
school in the fall, what experiences The World Cup circuit is still a few “Racing takes a lot of time and dedica-
their freshman year will bring, or, well, years down the road, but Cierra’s tion. I’m really thankful for, and lucky
whatever it is teenage girls daydream already proven to be the best on the to have, all of the people helping me out
about. Cierra Smith prefers to spend biggest stage she’s been on so far. racing, especially my dad.” ❑
hers training for downhill racing. Her “The U.S. National Championship
work has paid off, as she was recently
crowned the Junior Division National
Champion at the U.S. National
Championships at the SolVista
Mountain Bike Park in Granby,
Colorado. Cierra’s riding skills not only
caught our attention, but that of the
Santa Cruz AllRide Academy, a junior
development mountain bike racing team
headed by Santa Cruz Syndicate’s
AllRide Tour leader and champion
gravity racer Kirt Voreis and his, wife
Lindsey.
“My family has been involved in
cycling for a long time,” explains Cierra.
“My grandpa used to race road bikes,
and then he and my dad got into moun-
tain biking. My dad then began riding
downhill and started to bring me to the
mountain.”
Northern California has incredible
mountain biking terrain, and Cierra
appreciates the world class trails in her
backyard.
“My home mountain is definitely
Northstar at Lake Tahoe,” she says.
“I’m so lucky to live about 20 minutes
away from there, and I spend practically
every weekend riding or racing down-
hill there. Northstar is so great for train-

Home turf: Junior national downhill

champion Cierra Smith races at the
Northstar Mountain Bike Park, just
outside of her home in Reno, Nevada.

88 www.mbaction.com
 Supreme descender: With a 67-
degree head angle, thru-axle fork
and an eight-inch front brake rotor,
the Enduro SL Pro Carbon can
charge high-speed terrain.

90 www.mbaction.com
MBA est
Own The Entire Mountain
The Specialized Enduro SL Pro Carbon
L
ong-travel trailbikes combine relatively lightweight
suspension technology with a smattering of durable
trailbike or high-end cross-country components.
Specialized’s offering in this category is their six-inch-travel
Enduro. Four models carry the Enduro title, including two
with carbon fiber frames and two made from aluminum.
The Enduros range in price from $7700 to $3300.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
With six inches of front and rear travel, the Enduro is
ideal for a trail rider who doesn’t shy away from technical
descents and has the fitness to haul wider tires, plush sus-
pension and more overall weight uphill. These chassis are
dialed so riders can muscle their way to the top of technical
climbs and let it fly on challenging downhills.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Our 2009 Enduro SL Pro Carbon is the
least expensive of the two carbon fiber-
framed Enduros. The carbon frame uses a
rocker-link-actuated, four-bar suspension fea-
turing Specialized’s FSR
design and operates on
cartridge bearings.
The Enduro’s
adjustable geome-
try allows for sit-
uation-specific
tuning. The two
bottom shock
mount positions
offer either a 67-
degree head angle
and a 14-inch bottom
bracket height or a 68-
degree head angle and a 14.5-inch bottom bracket height.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Each of the four Enduro models feature Specialized’s AFR
air-sprung shock. The damping curve is specifically tuned to
optimize the FSR suspension design, and toggling the blue
lever activates the four-position pedaling platform. The
Specialized Command Post adjustable seatpost is a nice
touch, and one of three seat height positions can be chosen
by pressing a handlebar-mounted lever.
Those of you familiar with the high-end Specialized
Enduros of the past few years will notice this model is spec’ed
with a Fox 32 TALAS fork instead of the Specialized Future
Shock E150 fork found on the 2009 S-Works version. After we
experienced inconsistent performance with the E150 fork on
the 2008 Enduro, we welcomed the Fox slider on this test bike.
The Fox 32F TALAS RL fork offers premium perfor-
mance and has adjustable travel with 4.3-, 5.1-, and 5.9-inch
travel settings.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
In the saddle: For a six-inch-travel bike, the Enduro has
a low, 29.5-inch standover height, which makes riders com-
fortable when riding aggressively. The 67-degree head angle,
74-degree seat tube angle, and 75-millimeter Specialized
stem make for a comfortable cockpit and speak to the bike’s
descending competence.
To achieve optimum suspension performance, you’ll need
to set the correct amount of sag. Specialized includes a little
sag meter that you can use to determine when you’ve
achieved 25-percent sag in the shock. With the Fox fork,
you’ll want to run 20-percent sag with the fork in the full-
travel setting.
Climbing: For a bike with six inches of travel, the Enduro
is a snappy accelerator. We were impressed with how well it
scrambled uphill on loose terrain. The Enduro is capable of
cresting any climb you have the lungs and legs to hammer
up and over.
The AFR shock has a four-position pedaling platform,
with the first setting being the most plush and
the fourth the most firm. The first and third
settings were the easiest to find while
wearing gloves, but it’s easy to unin-
tentionally press the lever past the
fourth position. On technical climbs,
our best results were with the shock
in the third setting. It offered a
consistent pedaling platform
with enough bump
absorption to handle
terrain features.
The Fox 32F
TALAS fork’s ability
to lower the front end
is perfect for keeping
the front end from
wandering when spin-
ning in the saddle.
Although three positions are
available on this fork, we were
more comfortable during long
climbs with the travel set in the middle (5.1-inch) position.
Lowering the fork to this setting allowed us to maintain a
centered and aggressive riding position on the bike. Only on
extended fire road climbs did we reach for the lockout fea-
ture (in the softest blow-off setting), as spinning in the sad-
dle on singletrack trails caused slight unwanted fork move-
ment.
The key to cresting the steepest of climbs is to keep your
weight forward and spin a low gear. The 34-tooth Shimano
XT cassette helped keep the wheels rolling and our legs
churning.
Descending: As you approach downhills, open up the
fork and shock, and if you’ve set the suspension sag correct-
ly, you’ll be stoked by how well the front and rear of the
Enduro work in synchronization to gobble up rocks, roots
and trail chatter at speed.
The 15QR thru-axle on the Fox fork drastically improves
the front-end rigidity when riding technical trails. What
does a stiffer front end mean to the rider? When you’re able
to hold your intended line without the front end deflecting
or twisting, not only do you conserve energy because you’re
not fighting the bike, but you can focus farther down the
trail and choose your lines earlier. This ultimately adds
speed and efficiency to your ride.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 91
The Entire Mountain
Another key to the Enduro’s descending merit is the
Specialized Command Post adjustable seatpost. With a flick
of the lever you can drop the seat to make drops, jumps and
ultra-steep chutes less daunting. If you’ve spent much time
aboard a seatpost like this, you’re likely already a believer.
Cornering: The Enduro’s supple suspension keeps the
tires hooked up on chattery, off-camber corners. The stiffness
of the front end lets you really lean on the front wheel to
confidently hold a line in a corner, and the 2.3-inch
Specialized Eskar tires are easily some of the best all-moun-
tain/trailbike tires out there for moderately loose trails. They
have an aggressive center tread and hard-biting side knobs.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?

You may have seen the 2010 Specialized Enduro S-Works on
the cover of our October issue. Although the 2010 Enduro
shares the same name, it is very different from the 2009 tested
here. The 2010 model receives an all-new frame, a two-chain-
ring crankset, plus a different fork and shock. It takes the bike
closer to the gravity-oriented, black-diamond or stunt category.
BUYING ADVICE
This is a terrific time of year to buy a new bike, because
shops are offering deals on existing models to make room for
the new ones. We touched on the changes made to the 2010
Enduro, but if you’re in the market for a long-travel, pedal-
it-six-hours trailbike, holding off for the 2010 Enduro
doesn’t make sense.
Tried and true: The Shimano XT crankset, plus Specialized
Eskar 2.3-inch tires and Command Post adjustable seatpost,
speak to the all-mountain capabilities of the 2009 Enduro SL
Pro Carbon.
The Enduro SL Pro Carbon surpassed our expectations in
nearly all areas of testing, and with features like the ultra-reli-
able Fox Shox 32F TALAS fork, Specialized Command Post
and Avid Elixir brakes, finding a smoking closeout sale on
this Enduro would be the Holy Grail for any bargain-hunting
trail rider. Heck, even paying full boat would be a deal. ❑

SPECIALIZED ENDURO SL PRO CARBON

Price $5500
Country of origin Taiwan
Weight 30 pounds
Hotline (877) 808-8154
Frame tested Medium)
Bottom bracket height 14"
Chainstay length 16.6"
Top tube length 22.6"
Head tube angle 67°
Seat tube angle 74°
Standover height 29.5"
Wheelbase 45"
Suspension travel (front) 5.9"
Suspension travel (rear) 6"
Frame material Carbon
Fork Fox 32F TALAS RL
Shock Specialized AFR
Rims Custom DT Swiss E440S
Tires S-Works Eskar (2.3")
Hub (f) Specialized Hi-Lo, DT Swiss 370
Brakes Avid Elixir R Carbon SL
Crankset Shimano XT Custom
Shifters SRAM X.9
Handlebar Specialized Enduro mid-rise (26" wide)
Front derailleur Shimano XT
Rear derailleur SRAM X.9
Chainrings Shimano XT (44/32/22)
New slider: The 2009 Enduro SL Pro Carbon ditches the dual-
crown Specialized fork found on the more expensive Enduro Cassette Shimano XT (11-34)
and uses the reliable Fox Shox 32F TALAS RL fork equipped Pedals None (weighed w/Shimano XT)
with the 15QR thru-axle.

92 www.mbaction.com
@kËjnfik_Xj\Zfe[afY%
K_\)''0K`klj=KDdfkf%
DJIG-+0,%Kf]`e[flkdfi\XYflkk_\e\n=KDdfkf Xe[gXik$k`d\\dgcfpd\ek`epfliXi\Xm`j`kk`kljk`%Zfd%
 reg. $399 sale $249
reg. $79 sale $39 reg. $79 sale $39 reg. $109 sale $59 Mavic DeeTraks Wheelset
Pearl Izumi Quest II Road Shoe Shoe
Pearl Izumi Quest II MTB Shoe Pearl Izumi At tack MTB

140mm
of Travel

reg. $249 sale $109 reg. $689 sale $349 reg. $199 sale $89 reg. $774 sale $499c
08 Stroker Carbon V6 Brakes 2008 FOX Float RL OEM Race Face Ride XC Crank
s Mavic CrossMax SX Dis

175mm,
22/32/44,
Black

PC-830 8sp. reg. $19 sale $12

PC-951 9sp. reg. $26 sale $15
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reg. $110 sale $59 reg. $239 sale $109 reg. $379 sale $16
9
CHAIN SALE
Shimano M525 /
Sun Ringle Single
2008 Giro Animas Helmet Evolve XC “X-Type” Crank Set 20mm Trak
Thru Axle.

KENDA
Nevagal

31.8
Oversized
Low Rise XC

reg. $54 sale $29 reg. $399 sale $249

reg. $33 sale $19 reg. $49 sale $24 FSA SL/XC Disc Wheelset
Kenda Nevagal Kona Jack Pedals Race Face Evolve XC Ba
r Hook your “Back Country” or “Cross
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EA70 DH Handlebar
reg. $60 sale $24

EA50 DH Handlebar
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reg. $100 sale $5ille reg. $79 sale $54 sale $5.99 Call For The Scoop!
Dera ur LX SL-M580 Trigger Shif ter DVD Blowout! 80% OFF
SRAM X.9 Re ar
 reg. $139.99 sale $69.99
BELL DROP HELMET
reg. $18 now $12
2009 Fox Tahoe Short Gloves
reg. $54 now $39
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2008 CamelBak 100oz.
CULVER CITY TOTALLY REMODELED
reg. $29 sale $9.99
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KONA RIPSTOP SHORT CATEYE MICRO-WIRELES
reg. $18 now $12 reg. $27 now $14 reg. $39 now $24
reg. $39 now $19 2009 Fox Baseline SS Jersey
2009 Fox Womens Tah 2009 Fox Sidewinder Gloves 2009 Fox Reflex Gloves
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reg. $54 now $34 reg. $44 now $29 reg. $89 now $59 reg. $59 now $39
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reg. $89 now $39 reg. $59 now $14 reg. $89 now $59 reg. $49 now $24
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rt 2007 O’Neal Hardware Jerseys
reg. $49 now $23 reg. $79 now $39 reg. $59 now $29 reg. $50 sale $12
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‘08 CANARI CRUISER JER
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reg. $110 now $69 reg. $74 now $49 reg. $16.99 now $9.99
reg. $85 now $54 Mini 9 Multi Tool ToPeak
2008 CamelBak 100oz. MULE 2008 CamelBak 100oz. LOBO
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*With your good credit, call for details. Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices subject to change.
*LOW PRICE GUARANTEE: SEE WWW.WHEELWORLD.COM OR ASK A WHEEL WORLD SALES ASSOCIATE FOR DETAILS. WOODLAND HILLS
 Sedona’s
MBA DESTINATIONS

Warm Welcome
Where to go when the snow falls

G
ray, sunless skies, dropping temperatures and falling snow
doesn’t mean it is time to put the mountain bike away and pray
for spring to arrive early. There are places that don’t come into
their riding primetime until other locations are covered in snow, ice
and slush. Sedona, Arizona, is a mountain biker’s winter getaway that
has a lot more to offer than warm temperatures.
Cooling off: Sedona trail riding is made more
tolerable in the hot weather due to the number
of rivers and streams that are encountered. How
do you find them? Look for the green below the
red rocks.

Accessibility: Road trips The people you meet: We spied former World Cross-
originating from anywhere but Country Champion Ruthie Mathis (right), a native of
California don’t make a lot of sense. Durango, Colorado, sampling the Sedona sun-
Ride areas to the north or east of shine with a friend. Sedona is an option for
getting away from a long winter.
Sedona could be under snow from
November to March, so your riding
opportunities are limited to your final
destination. Your best bet is to jet it
to Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix is a
major flight hub, and that means pret-
ty good deals on airfare. Remember to
use your free bike voucher if you are
an IMBA member. Rent a car, head
north on Highway 179 and exit at
Sedona. If you have time, take an
extra day to visit South Mountain
Park and Preserve in Phoenix before
you head to Sedona.
28 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona
113 miles from Phoenix, Arizona
278 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada
341 miles from Durango, Colorado
482 miles from Los Angeles, California
792 miles from San Francisco, California
1384 miles from Seattle, Washington
2580 miles from Boston, Massachusetts

96 www.mbaction.com
 ARIZONA Trails: Sedona is called the
Red Rock Country, and you’ll
figure out why before you’ve left
GRAND CANYON
108 mi. the trailhead. The hills and cliffs
that surround you offer views
that are totally unique to the
area. This wild terrain also
FLAGSTAFF
28 mi. offers everything from beginner
trails to white-knuckle, cliff-side
SEDONA riding insanity.
You’ll want to launch your
Sedona riding adventure at the
Bell Rock Pathway off highway
179 in the Village of Oak Creek
PHOENIX
119 mi. (Sedona’s southern neighbor).
Local riders affectionately refer
to the place as “The Boat
Ramp,” because it is the jumping
off place for so many of the
TUCSON area’s rides. Bell Rock Pathway
230 mi.
offers good trails for beginners
and opens up to more technical
and advanced riding.
The town of Sedona itself is
surrounded by trails. It is hard to ride
Maps: Buy Fat Tire Tales And half a mile on any street without see-
Trails as soon as you arrive in ing a trailhead. The trails east of
Arizona. The book is sold in most town are not recommended for begin-
bike shops, and it is the consummate ners. These trails feature a lot of
Arizona mountain bike trail guide. It rocks, drops, steep climbs, switch-
has 13 unique rides listed for Sedona backs and loose rocks. These can be
alone. You can also get a free copy of frustrating rides, because one
the Experience Sedona Guide by call- moment you are rolling along fun,
ing (800) 288-7336 or visiting flowy singletrack and the next second
visitsedona.com. you are trying to clear six two-foot-
Pay attention: The
scenery begs to be
taken in, but don’t
be sightseeing while
riding. The loose
surface, severe
drop-offs and men-
acing foliage will all
attack if you are not
paying attention.
tall rock steps. Talk about a flow kill!
It is the type of terrain that you’ll
struggle to clean and then feel exalta-
tion when you do.
The trail surface is everything from
hardpack to sand with lots of flat-
edged slate thrown in for added trac-
tion. We are talking desert riding
with all the prickly vegetation that
you’d expect.
Equipment: Sedona is not a
place for lightweight hardtails or even
short-travel, cross-country bikes.
While a four- or five-inch-travel trail-
bike works great, if you are going to
tackle the technical trails, bikes like
the Pivot Firebird, Specialized
Enduro, Giant Reign, Fisher Roscoe
or Trek Remedy are the ticket. Many
local riders use flat pedals rather than
clipless pedals. Fat tires with sealant
are highly recommended.
Poachers: We have been riding
Sedona for years, and our most recent
trip revealed an alarming number of
illegal trails. It makes no sense,
because there are so many great exist-
ing trails. It is hard to believe that a
hiker or biker would feel compelled to
bushwhack. Off-trail riding, hiking or
climbing in this fragile desert envi-
ronment creates lasting damage. We
don’t have to ask you to stay on desig-
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 97
 MBA DESTINATIONS

Sedona
nated trails, because we know you
will. We will ask you to take a
moment during your ride to block the
entrance of an illegal trail with fallen
timber or rocks.

Shops: Sedona Bike & Bean,

(928) 284-0210, (bike-bean.com) offers
more than maps, bike rentals and
repairs. The closest shop to the Bell
Rock Pathway partners with a local
resort to offer accommodations tai-
lored for mountain bikers. The resort
has a number of large cabins (to fit
your crew) that include kitchens, a
pool, washer and dryer, gas grills and
hot tubs. The place is within riding
distance of the Bell Rock Pathway.
This is a great base camp for your
Sedona adventure.
Absolute Bikes, (928) 284-1242, is
another bike shop close to the trails
that offers bike rentals, repairs and
spare parts.

Change it up: The trails in Sedona

can be sweet, flowy, big-ring fun
one mile while the next is two-foot
stair steps comprised of loose
shale. This is not the place for light-
weight components.

98 www.mbaction.com
 Eats: Sedona offers tons of
restaurants on the two extremes.
There seem to be either expensive,
hoity-toity, napkin-in-your-lap
restaurants or fast food places and
greasy spoons. If you don’t have the
budget to blow on grub, we’d suggest
booking a cabin with the Bike &
Bean and doing the grocery shopping
and cooking yourself.

Weather: Sedona is a
September-through-May riding desti-
nation. When summer hits, so does
the heat. Triple-digit temperatures
are not uncommon in the summer
months. The place has been know to
get dusted with snow in the winter,
but it won’t stick around long. Be
sure to pack some warm riding cloth-
ing during the winter months, as the
mornings can be cold.

Advisory: Put a comb in your

hydration pack. If you do pick up a
cactus bulb, the only way to get it off
is to flick it with a comb.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 99

 Sedona
Red and it rocks: Sedona is known as
Red Rock Country for obvious reasons.
The trails snake through canyons and
MBA DESTINATIONS

make any rider feel like he or she has been

transported back in time. This is what the
Wild West used to look like.

100 www.mbaction.com

Before the ride: The Sedona Bike & Bean offers rental bikes
(nice ones), spare parts, professional service, maps and most
important, a great cup of Joe to get you off on your rides.
Photos by Jan Sullivan/Retro Art By Jan
Mountain bike resort: The Bike & Bean runs a resort that is
tailored to the needs of visiting mountain bikers. The cabins are
your home away from home, while the pool and barbecue area
is great for after-ride tale telling.
Photos by Jan Sullivan/Retro Art By Jan ❑
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 101
 MBA

Inspire
RIDERS
WHO

Stewards Of
The Preserve Fun work: Members of the South Mountain Bike Patrol claim
they would be riding anyway, so their duties never feel like work.
Arizona riders who care for all They are being modest. Training and volunteering hours is work.

trail users Photos by John Romero

The SoMo BP has already saved lives. Giving water to
unprepared trail users on a plus-100-degree day saves lives.

A
t over 16,000 acres, the South Mountain Preserve in
Blocking bootleg trails so hikers and riders don’t get lost saves
Phoenix, Arizona, has 51 miles of primary trails for
horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking. That’s a lives. Repairing trail damage saves lives.
lot of territory to care for, and with budget cutbacks, it seems like “We may stack some rocks to make a drop safer for begin-
an impossible task. This is why the South Mountain Bike Patrol ners, but our goal is to keep the park’s trails as natural as pos-
(SoMo BP) was formed and why it is so important. sible,” explains Tom. “The trails hold up very well until the
“We want to keep things natural and don’t want to see the monsoon season hits. That’s when we put in a lot of water
park spoiled,” explains SoMo BP member Tom Cavaretta. “We bars.”
want our kids to enjoy the preserve as much as we do.” What’s the biggest problem the SoMo BP has encountered?
The SoMo BP is the eyes and ears of the park’s rangers. Dogs off leash.
Members complete a park stewardship program that includes “I love dogs and want to keep them safe,” says Tom. “A situ-
CPR and first aid training, a background check and fingerprint- ation can get out of hand quickly if a few dogs show up at the
ing. Certified members are expected to donate 60 hours a year to same place. I’ve had to use my bike to keep dogs apart. The
the patrol. preserve is home to predators like coyotes and rattlesnakes. A
“I am going to be riding the park anyway, so it never feels like hiker lost her dog to a snake bite last year.”
I’m working,” explains Tom. “I always carry a first aid kit, tools The SoMo BP and NoMo BP show all trail users that moun-
and some spares, even when I’m not in uniform.” tain bikers care. Funding cutbacks have hurt every park sys-
The SoMo BP has many duties, the most important being com- tem in America, so there is a good chance that the park where
munication. “We have hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers you ride could use your help. Tom and Gabe suggest visiting
sharing the trails, and it is key for trail users to understand prop- the IMBA website (imba.com) and checking out their bike
er trail etiquette and to communicate with each other,” explains patrol resources page. Like Tom says, “You are going to be out
Gabe Lucero, who is part of the North Mountain Bike Patrol, there anyway. Why not pitch in to preserve the places we love
formed after the success of the SoMo BP. to ride?” ❑
The few, the proud, the dirty: The South Mountain Bike Patrol, from left, are Tom
Cavaretta, Scott MacFarlane, Mike Lust, Kurt Krause, Bryan Fox, Chris Gardner,
Micky Santa Maria, Brian Higgins, Dan Ryan, Gabe Lucero and Chris Capages.

104 www.mbaction.com
 The Downhill
Workhorse
MBA TECH

T
he RockShox Boxxer is
the most decorated fork Break it in: The Boxxer
in downhill racing history, Team’s tight bushings
take a few days of rid-
and for the first time since the ing to break in. Once
original prototypes debuted in the fork’s been given
1996, it has been redesigned from the business on some
the ground up. We first brought tough terrain, it has a
plush coil feel that can
you images and riding impres- absorb repetitive mon-
sions of the three, eight-inch- ster hits.
travel 2010 Boxxer models—
the World Cup ($1700), Team
($1160) and Race ($775)—in
our February 2009 issue.

BOXXER RECAP
RockShox set out to accomplish
three goals with their new downhill
fork: to be lighter, stiffer and achieve
increased control. The new Boxxer
jumped from the 32-millimeter stan-
chions found on most cross-country
forks to a thinner-wall, 35-millimeter
tubing. This change improved stiffness
and reduced weight. The Boxxer’s new
forged crowns use less material than
previous versions, and the new Maxle
Lite DH also shaves a couple ounces.
The World Cup and Team forks get the
new Mission Control DH damping sys-
tem with Dual Flow adjust compres-
sion and rebound damping. This damp-
ing system was developed to optimize
front wheel traction.
We put the mid-priced version of the
new Boxxer, the Team, to the test on
our Santa Cruz V10.

BOXXER TEAM SPECIFICS

The 6.57-pound 2010 Team fork is
5.3 ounces lighter than the previous
year’s version of the Team and is about
a half-pound heavier than the pricier
air-sprung World Cup model. The dif-
ference between these top-end down-
hill forks isn’t merely the weight or the
$540 price difference; it also has to do
with a rider’s preference for the feel of
air-sprung or coil-sprung suspension. speed (fast shaft speeds) hits, and the stroke rebound for when the fork is
The coil-sprung Boxxer Team has all smaller silver dial on top of the high- farther into the travel, while the gray
of the tuning features of the World Cup speed knob tunes low-speed (slow knob controls beginning stroke
but uses different methods to achieve shaft speeds) travel. rebound when the fork is in the ini-
them. The Dual Flow compression The Dual Flow Rebound adjustment tial part of the travel.
adjustment interface is atop the right sits on the bottom of the right fork leg. A new feature of the 2010 Boxxer
fork leg. The blue knob tunes high- The larger red dial controls the ending Team is the DropStop bottom-out

106 www.mbaction.com

Workhorse: The coil-sprung RockShox
Boxxer Team features tunable beginning
and ending stroke rebound, high- and-
low-speed compression, and utilizes the
new Maxle Lite 20-millimeter thru-axle.
adjustment atop the left fork leg. Inside
the center of the coil spring is the MCU
(an elastomer) that smoothes the tran-
sition between the spring rate and the
bottom-out pad. Turning the DropStop
dial changes how soon it kicks in.
When purchased aftermarket, the
Boxxer Team includes two alternative
tuning springs and both upper crown
sizes.
SETTING UP THE BOXXER
Along with the additional springs,
RockShox includes their handy
Trailside Tuning Guide with the
Boxxer forks (also available as PDFs on
their website). The tuning guide and
springs are included so you can tune
your fork to your particular weight,
riding style, and terrain. The stock red
spring is said to be for riders between
160 and 180 pounds, and one lighter
and one heavier spring are included.
The tuning guide offers nine different
terrain or downhill course scenarios as
starting points for your fork tuning.
RIDING THE BOXXER TEAM
On paper, the stock red spring was
supposed to be perfect for 170-pound
riders in full gear. The fork sag looked
good according to the gradient on the
stanchion. However, after numerous
days of riding the Team, we were able
to achieve full travel on certain
impacts, but were not using any of the
compression tuning features or the
DropStop bottom-out adjustment.
Originally, we thought this was
because of the very stiff bushings, but
after the fork was sufficiently broken
in, it had supple small-bump absorp-
tion, yet was still too firm for riders
between 160 and 180 pounds to utilize
the tuning features. Thankfully, the
lighter yellow spring was already in the
box.
Instructions for swapping the fork
spring were easily downloaded online,
and what a difference the change made.
The sag on the stock spring read 25
percent, but was too firm when on the
bike. The sag reading on the softer yel-
low spring read between 25 and 30
percent, and gave us the opportunity to
use the Tuning Guide and the com-
pression and bottom-out features.
With the softer yellow spring, our
default settings became four clicks of
the blue high-speed compression knob,
three turns of the low-speed knob, and Spring time: The stock spring is said to
one turn of the bottom-out adjuster. be ideal for riders between 160 and 180
pounds. We found riders around 170
The increased rigidity of the new pounds were able to achieve more supple
Boxxer eliminated all twisting sensa- and active suspension by swapping the
tions felt in the previous versions. stock spring to the lighter yellow spring
Whether riding low-speed steep terrain (included) and turning the blue high-speed
or bombing run after run at Northstar compression dial up a few clicks.
Mountain Bike park, we chose rugged
lines with confidence. Although out of
the box the Team felt slightly sluggish,
once broken in it had superb small-
bump performance.
The tunability of the high- and low-
speed rebound is most noticeable on
fast, rocky terrain with repeated big
hits, drops and holes. The ability to
keep the fork stuck to the ground with
a slower rebound setting improves trac-
tion and speeds up the rebound so the
fork can return to full travel on harsh
hits. It works very well for maintaining
control on trails that put every part of
the bike to the test.
Through corners, whether berms or
rutted off-cambers, the Boxxer’s rigidi-
ty helped us keep our intended line
and took the brunt of the harshest
impacts at speed. On more than one
occasion there was a wince after an
impact from a gnarly line choice
aboard the Boxxer Team, but the 2010
stayed true, and this Boxxer showed
much less deflection than previous ver-
sions.
Although it took some tinkering and
head scratching for us to bring the
most out of the new Boxxer Team, it’s
fair to say that RockShox seriously Tuning in: Tuning the beginning and end-
ing stroke rebound allows you to tune your
improved upon an already excellent ride to the terrain. The red dial controls the
and race-proven design. fork’s rebound when deeper in the stroke,
For on-board video of testing the and the gray knob controls the beginning
Boxxer Team, visit mbaction.com. ❑ stroke rebound.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 107
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS

How to crash and walk away

very rider crashes. Smack downs are not reserved as

E payback for wide-eyed wild men who take insane risks

and ride above their natural ability. Soil samples hap-
pen to skilled riders who happen to roll into the wrong place
at the wrong time. Singletrack tilling can begin with a
mechanical failure as innocent as a blown tire or as evil as a
pedal cleat that won’t release. Yard sales are held after the
earth gives way unexpectedly, a low-hanging branch rips you
from the saddle, or a deeper-than-anticipated water crossing
swallows you. There will come a time when you will find
yourself eye-to-eye with a rabbit or lizard, no matter how
careful a rider you may be.
There are ways to limit the pain and suffering inflicted by
these unexpected mining expeditions. Using our tips for
crashing gracefully may result in brushing the dirt off your
jersey rather than heading to the ER to find out how good
your health insurance coverage really is.

108 www.mbaction.com
 STAY WITH THE BIKE
If your bike is on the ground when you lose control, ride it
out to the very end. Your bike can absorb more of the crash
than you can. Everything on the bike sucks energy out of the
crash.
Your bike’s suspension is designed to absorb impact, but the
rest of the bike will do it, too. If your bike lands hard off a
jump or drop-off and the rims, spokes, fork, handlebars,
cranks and seatpost bend, the energy absorbed in that bending
reduces the shock to your feet, ankles, hands, wrists, arms and
shoulders. It’s similar to the way a stack of cardboard boxes
can collapse and absorb the impact of a stunt man falling off a
roof in a movie. This is a good thing. It’s usually less expen-
sive (and less painful) to let the bike, rather than your body,
absorb the energy of a crash.
TUCK AND ROLL
If you are separated from your bike, don’t land with your
arms straight out and your palms facing down. If you do,
you’re likely to break your collarbone. Instead, try to roll
when you hit the ground, keeping your hands in fists and
your arms tucked into your body.
Unlike learning a new riding skill, we would never suggest
practicing this crash technique from the bike. You are asking
for injury if you do. Instead, practice on a trampoline, while
jumping into a pool or falling on a bed or tumbling mat.
Tuck and roll: This rider does a great job of tucking and rolling after what appears to be losing the front wheel to a slippery root.
Bonus tip: Never jump back up to your feet. Wait until you are sure that the bike is not about to bean you and that you are not injured.
RELAX
Tensing your muscles before a collision
will transfer more impact force to your vital
organs. Intoxicated people involved in a car crash
have disproportionately higher survival rates than the
rest of us. Why this occurs is not proven, but one theory
is that people who are drunk may be more relaxed before
and upon impact.
Now, we are not suggesting that you down a stiff one
before your next ride. Practice your tuck and roll tech-
niques, and if the time comes when you are forced to use
them, go with the flow. Use the confidence built from
your practice to remain calm. Much, much easier said
than done.
PICK YOUR IMPACT
Relaxing doesn’t mean giving up. Think fast, keep
your eyes open and do your best to minimize the sever-
ity of your impact by picking where you are going to
land. Remember, the bike is your greatest asset for
absorbing the impact’s energy. Also, long tumbles are
better than stopping abruptly (like hitting a tree). Do
your best to aim for a soft landing spot.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 109
MBA TRAINING AND FITNESS

THE AFTERMATH

If you crash hard, don’t stand up

right away. Riders often have so much
adrenaline released during a crash that
they stand up right away and then
collapse. Many spinal injuries are the
result of the rider standing up right
away.
There’s a reason emergency medical
technicians immobilize an accident
victims’ heads when they think the
spine may be injured. Vertebrae can Live to tell: There is nothing wrong with getting off the bike and walking down a sec-
tion of sketchy trail. In many instances, it is faster than riding the section (even if you
fracture on a hard impact, and yet don’t crash).
there may not be any injury to the
spinal cord until they stand up. Stay
down and assess the damage.

PRECAUTIONS

This is probably a good time to

remind you that when you ride, ride
with a buddy, or at least tell someone
where you are going. Make sure your
helmet retention system is properly
adjusted. Always wear glasses (day or
night, bright or overcast) and gloves.
Have a first aid kit in your hydration
pack. Don’t ride a bike that is not
mechanically sound. Finally, know
your limits and don’t take wild
chances. ❑

Slide into home: Gravity racers get tons more experience crashing than their trail-
riding compadres. One thing they’ve learned from experience, and the hardest tech-
nique to teach, is to remain relaxed and go with the flow.

110 www.mbaction.com
Niner W.F.O. 9 >> The most capable 29er ever.
Get the details: www.thebigrevolution.com
Drifter: The supple action of
the RockShox Recon fork
keeps the front wheel hooked
up to the ground, and allows
the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo pilot to
relax and look down the trail.

112 www.mbaction.com
MBA est
A Hardtail With History
Return to roots with Fisher’s Hoo-Koo-E-Koo
T
he Gary Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo hardtail trailbike’s
name may not exactly roll off of the tongue, but with
a little backstory it’s a fitting title. Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is
a historic reference to a tribe that once lived on Mount
Tamalpais, the mountain made famous by Gary Fisher and
his pals racing down fireroads on their modified beach cruis-
er “Klunkers.”
Fisher offers ten hardtail trailbikes ranging in price from
$439 to our $1429 Hoo-Koo-E-Koo test bike.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is aimed at the hardcore
enthusiast looking to push the limits of his riding with a 3.9-
inch travel fork and hydraulic disc brakes.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
The aluminum-framed Hoo-Koo-E-Koo features Fisher’s
G2 geometry, which offers the amount of fork offset needed
to improve slow-speed handling. This reduces the amount of
trail to make the bike steer quicker without changing the
rest of its handling characteristics. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is
built with a 68-degree head angle and 12.25-inch bottom
bracket.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s 28-millimeter-wide Bontrager
Duster wheels are tubeless ready and are mounted up with
2.2-inch Bontrager Jones XR tires. The cockpit features a
24.5-inch-wide Bontrager Race Big Sweep handlebar, Race
Lite grips and Bontrager Race saddle.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Ergonomics: The 23.5-inch top tube comfortably posi-
tions the rider in the saddle, not overextended or too
relaxed. The Bontrager Race Big Sweep handlebar takes
some getting used to and is on the narrow side by today’s
standards.
Pedaling: With a hardtail, you’re practically guaranteed
snappy acceleration. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s rigid bottom
bracket area provides a stable platform for hammering on
the trail. Popping through the gears when on the gas was
made easy by the SRAM X.9 and X.7 components, and spin-
ning in the saddle is made easier with the help of Shimano’s
Octalink cranks and M505 clipless pedals. Depending on the
terrain, we ran between 28 and 32 psi in the Bontrager tires
for ideal traction and fast rolling.
Climbing: Lean forward, choose the perfect gear and
spin away. The rear Bontrager Jones XR tire is mounted
backwards, which elicits more scoop from the tread pat-
tern. The direction of this rear tire has a large impact on
the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s climbing performance. You’ll find
yourself wishing for a 34-tooth cassette instead of
the 32-tooth version the bike comes with. Those
couple of extra teeth could be the difference
between grinding up a climb in the middle
ring and having to drop down to the granny
gear. When the time came to choose between
chainrings, big-ring shifting was made easy by
the precise action of the SRAM X.7 front
derailleur. During extended seat time,
we appreciated the cush of the
comfortable Bontrager Race
saddle. To aid out-of-the
saddle efforts, you can
easily lock out the
RockShox fork by flip-
ping the blue compres-
sion knob atop the
right fork leg.
Cornering: The
Bontrager Jones XR
tires are a good fit for
hardpacked or slightly
loose trails. Despite the
tires being on the narrow
side of 2.2 inches, they have
good side knob bite for off-camber
turns. The best way to attack
uphill switchbacks is to stay in the saddle and spin the
cranks. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s G2 geometry and tight
cockpit take the edge off of maneuvering tricky uphill
corners.
Descending: Don’t think that because it’s a hardtail the
Hoo-Koo-E-Koo can’t rip descents. The coil-sprung
RockShox Recon fork takes the brunt of harsh hits on the
downhills. The stock spring feels spot-on for a 165-pound
rider and smoothed relentless trail chatter and braking
bumps. The Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s descending is hindered by
the 24.5-inch handlebar. Going up to a 26- or 27-inch bar
would take some twitchiness out of the bike’s handling. A
big reason for the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo’s stability on the
descents (despite the handlebar) is the Bontrager Duster
wheelset. The Duster shares the same 28-millimeter-wide
rims as the popular Rhythm wheels, but it uses less expen-
sive spokes and hubs to get the job done.
November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 113
Fisher
Braking: The Avid Juicy 3 brakes have an adjustable
lever reach and operate on six-inch rotors. The popular
Juicy brakes with organic pads have a comfortable feel at the
lever and sufficient stopping power on mellow, meandering
trails. When flying down high-speed descents, we found our-
selves over-riding the power of the Juicy 3s and had to
watch how much we let it hang out on the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?

After riding the Hoo-Koo-E-Koo, a few suggestions come
to mind to help its overall handling and performance. A 34-
tooth cassette would make tough uphills more manageable,
the aforementioned wider bar would aid in both ascending
and descending, and you’ll want to look into a metallic
brake pad or two for the front brake. This will give the Juicy
3 brakes more bite and you more control of the bike.
The Duster wheelset is tubeless ready, and we highly rec-
ommend taking advantage of that feature.

BUYING ADVICE
The hardtail is as integral to mountain biking as the Hoo-
Koo-E-Koo riding area was to the first mountain bikers on
Northern California’s Mount Tamalpais. The Hoo-Koo-E-
Koo may fall near the “recreational” price point category,
but don’t be fooled; it’s a cool and extremely capable hardtail Climbing high: When attacking long climbs, the backwards-
mountain bike. For $1429, you get a great-looking, root-beer- facing Bontrager Jones XR tire provides plenty of scoop to grab
colored aluminum frame; dependable RockShox and traction on loose terrain.
Shimano components; a high-performance trailbike wheelset
and a little piece of history. ❑

FISHER HOO-KOO-E-KOO
Price $1429
Country of origin Taiwan
Weight 27 pounds
Hotline (800) 585-8735
Frame tested Medium
Bottom bracket height 12.25"
Chainstay length 16.25"
Top tube length 23.5"
Head tube angle 69°
Seat tube angle 72°
Standover height 29.5"
Wheelbase 42.7"
Suspension travel (front) 3.9"
Suspension travel (rear) None
Frame material Aluminum
Fork RockShox Recon 335
Shock None
Rims Bontrager Duster
Tires Bontrager Jones XR
Hubs Shimano M525 disc
Brakes Avid Juicy 3
Crankset Shimano Octalink
Shifters SRAM X.7
Handlebar Bontrager Race Big Sweep
Front derailleur SRAM X.7
Rear derailleur SRAM X.9
Chainrings Shimano (44/32/22)
Narrow-minded: Despite the narrow 24.5-inch handlebar, the
Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo is a more than capable descender. You Cassette SRAM PG950 (11-32)
can thank the trail-riding-oriented 69-degree head angle for its Pedals Shimano M505
descending abilities.

114 www.mbaction.com
MBA Competition

America’s best battle at SolVista, Colorado

R
acing mountain bikes on American soil, the birthplace of the
sport, attracts riders from all over the world. Our national series
have traditionally pulled riders from Europe, Asia, South Africa,
Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and north of the border in Canada
(Canadians have become a greedy bunch when it comes to carting home
American medals).
The international flavor of our national events is a testament to the
attraction of American culture, great racecourses, deep pockets of spon-
sors and Denny’s (hey, they have nothing like it in Krasnoyarsk).
American race promoters like the melting pot approach because it attracts
more interest from spectators and pushes the level of competition.
But once a year we bar all them foreigners and throw a party called the
USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Championships. This event, open
only to American citizens with big legs, larger lungs and cat-like reflexes,
determines America’s top mountain bikers in a variety of cross-country
and gravity disciplines.
This year, the National Mountain Bike Championships were held in
Granby, Colorado, at the SolVista ski resort, about an hour and a half
west of Denver, high in the Rocky Mountains. These are the highlights,
along with the names and ranks of America’s 78 fastest men and women.

New champion: Mitch Ropelato was recently featured in MBA’s

“Young Rippers” as a hot up-and-comer. Well, young Mitch has
now officially arrived. The teenage pro battled the darkness to
become America’s new 4-Cross National champion. Mitch
Ropelato also won the Junior Expert Downhill Championship.

116 www.mbaction.com
 Into the night: The decision to delay the
4-Cross Pro finals until nightfall did not sit
well with many spectators, who packed up
and went home. Those who left missed a
memorable show under the lights.

4-CROSS RESULTS
PRO MEN’S 4-CROSS
1. Mitch Ropelato, Cafe Rio
2. Rich Houseman, Intense/Team Houseman
3. Brian Buell, Team Geronimo
4. John Swanguen, Intense/Troy Lee/ODI/Fox Shox

PRO WOMEN’S 4-CROSS

1. Jill Kintner, GT
2. Melissa Buhl, KHS
3. Kathy Pruitt, Jamis
4. Darian Harvey, Cannondale

Back to work: Jill Kintner returned to our

National Championships this year to win
the 4-Cross title. She missed last year’s
biggest mountain bike races to concen-
trate on the Olympics, where she picked
up a bronze medal in BMX.

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 117

MBA Competition

Pitched battle: America’s top cross-

country riders came out in force for
the 2009 national title race. Adam
Craig (269), Todd Wells (270), and
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (23) led the
field up the steep climb that began
each of the five long laps.

Changing it up: Adam Craig can be counted on

Target practice: Women downhill racers need to pin a bull’s-eye on Melissa to earn at least one championship every year. He
Buhl’s back if they ever have dreams of a stars and stripes jersey in their didn’t disappoint. He dominated the short track
collection. Melissa has a closet full of them. event with the powerful rider’s trademark mix of
determination and enthusiasm.

118 www.mbaction.com
 Big-wheel history:
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski
cemented himself in the
history books by becom-
ing the first pro man to
win the cross-country
national championship on
29-inch wheels. JHK is
hooked on the big hoops
for his Fisher hardtail and
dual-suspension race rigs.

CROSS-COUNTRY RESULTS
PRO MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 2:02:10
2. Adam Craig, Giant Bicycles, 2:08:57
3. Sam Schultz, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 2:09:34
4. Jeremiah Bishop, Monavie/Cannondale, 2:09:55
5. Jay Henry, Tokyo Joes, 2:10:19
6. Andy Schultz, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes, 2:10:23
7. Sam Jurekovic, Sho-Air-Specialized, 2:11:54
8. Ryan Trebon, Kona, 2:12:57
9. Michael Broderick, Kenda/Seven, 2:14:14
10. Barry Wicks, Kona, 2:16:33
PRO WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
1. Heather Irmiger, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 1:55:40
2. Willow Koerber, Subaru/Gary Fisher, 1:57:58
3. Katie Compton, Katie Compton, 2:00:09
4. Georgia Gould, Luna Pro Team, 2:00:35
5. Mary McConneloug, Kenda/Seven, 2:01:39
6. Pua Sawicki, Ellsworth, 2:03:42
7. Judy Freeman, Tough Girl/Scott, 2:05:01
8. Lea Davison, Maxxis/Rocky Mountain, 2:06:19
9. Kelli Emmett, Giant Bicycles, 2:07:35
10. Krista Park, Incycle/Magur, 2:08:22
PRO MEN’S SHORT TRACK CROSS-COUNTRY
1. Adam Craig, Giant Bicycles
2. Todd Wells, Specialized
3. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru/Gary Fisher
4. Ryan Trebon, Kona
5. Sam Schultz, Subaru/Gary Fisher
6. Carl Decker, Giant Bicycles
7. Jeremiah Bishop, Monavie/Cannondale
8. Andy Schultz, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes
9. Bryan Alders, Monavie/Cannondale
10. Colin Cares, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes
PRO WOMEN’S SHORT TRACK CROSS-COUNTRY
1. Georgia Gould, Luna Pro Team
2. Heather Irmiger, Subaru/Gary Fisher
3. Lea Davison, Maxxis/Rocky Mountain
4. Willow Koerber, Subaru/Gary Fisher
5. Mary McConneloug, Kenda/Seven/NoTubes
6. Kelli Emmett, Giant Bicycles
7. Judy Freeman, Tough Girl/Scott
8. Chloe Forsman, Luna Pro Team
9. Pua Sawicki, Ellsworth
10. Zephanie Blasi, Kenda/Tomac/Hayes

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 119

 MBA Competition

Return of “the Palm”: A silver medalist in

Men’s Downhill at the 1996 World
Championships, Shaun Palmer, 40, is back
racing downhill and finished 12th. Judging
from how he cleared the 55-foot doubles, the
famed snowboarder still has his bike skills, too.

Family affair: Heather

Irmiger laid claim to
her first cross-country
national title, and she
did it on a Fisher 29er
Superfly. Her hus-
band’s win gave
Fisher a 29er sweep
of the cross-country
titles. Yes, the
Horgan-
Seeing red: Georgia Gould used the Nats to debut Luna’s new Kobelski/Irmiger
line of women’s sports apparel. Maybe they should call it “sports household has a lot of
performance apparel,” because Georgia’s competition saw red as stars and stripes
she rode away in the short track. jerseys.

120 www.mbaction.com
MBA Competition
America’s best: Aaron Gwin dominated the Pro Men’s
Downhill event to score his first National Pro Downhill
title. Considering that he made two World Cup podi-
ums in the next two weeks, Aaron is America’s most
promising downhill competitor in ten years.

GRAVITY RESULTS
PRO MEN’S DOWNHILL
1. Aaron Gwin, Yeti/Fox Factory, 2:11.72
2. Duncan Riffle, DDR/Giantnerd, 2:13.87
3. J.D. Swanguen, Intense/Troy Lee/ODI, 2:15.69
4. Cody Warren, Specialized, 2:16.92
5. (tie) Gerrit Behtagh, Morewood Bikes, 2:16.94
5. (tie) Joey Schusler, Yeti, 2:16.94
7. Luke Strobel, Maxxis/Rocky Mountain, 2:17.64
8. Kyle Strait, Specialized, 2:18.02
9. Michael Sylvestri, Santa Cruz/Allride, 2:18.03
10. Curtis Keene, Specialized/SRAM, 2:18.51

PRO WOMEN’S DOWNHILL

1. Melissa Buhl, KHS Bicycles, 2:41.13
2. Kathy Pruitt, Jamis, 2:41.20
3. Lisa Myklak, Fox Racing Shox, 2:47.83
4. Jaqueline Harmony, Vixen Racing, 2:52.59
5. Katie Holden, Specialized, 2:55.31
6. Darian Harvey, Cannondale, 2:59.91
7. Rachel Bauer, Banshee, 3:01.14
8. Jennifer Wolf, Vixen Racing, 3:19.00
9. Jennifer Whalen, Jenxracer.com, 3:19.35
10. Stephanie Leonard, Crested Butte Mountain, 3:21.71

122 www.mbaction.com
MBA Competition

Rookie champion: Only 30 pros, including Adam

Craig, Ross Schnell, Carl Decker and Eric Carter,
entered the Men’s Super D. “It was hectic,” said
winner Aaron Bradford (shown) of the uphill Le Mans
start followed by a six-minute singletrack descent to
his first national title.

Elke’s return: None of the out-of-retirement stars

did as well as Elke Brutsaert. She retired from Never too old: Ned Overend’s racing license says 54 years old, but he put the
pro downhill in 2001, but came back and won hurt to lot of young guns. “I was hovering around tenth when I blew on the
the Pro Women’s Super D title, less than a month fourth lap,” laughs Ned about his early race enthusiasm. The 1990 UCI World
before her 40th birthday. champion and six-time National champ finished 21st out of 69 pros.

She’s back:
Colorado’s Alison SUPER D RESULTS
Dunlap (345), the PRO MEN’S SUPER D
2001 World 1. Aaron Bradford, Onsite Ultrasound
Champion and 2. Mike West, Maverick
former national 3. Ross Schnell, Trek/Oakley
4. Jon Wilson, Northstar/Giant
champion, came 5. Eric Carter, GT Bicycles
out of retirement
to compete in the PRO WOMEN’S SUPER D
pro short track. 1. Elke Brutsaert, Durango Devo
She led Kelli 2. Jacqueline Harmony, Vixen Racing/Loeka
3. Kelli Emmett, Giant Bicycles
Emmett (267) 4. Krista Park, INcycle/Magura
and Mary 5. Kyia Anderson, Hidden Bay Sports
McConneloug (1),
but faded to 11th
by the finish. ❏

124 www.mbaction.com
SHOWCASE

November 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 125

 1
ith the explosion of

W successful regional race

series across the country
and the ever-growing bike park
scene at ski resorts, people are
traveling with their bikes and gear
more than ever before. We’ve
rounded up some worthy gear bags
to help make those travel adven-
tures go a little more smoothly.

1 bagBuilt to last: The O’Neal MX4 gear

is made from 600 Denier nylon and
has four fixed handles and one that tele-
3
scopes. The MX4 uses wheels for easy
maneuvering, has a padded shoulder
strap, an I.D. holder, separate boot com-
partment, four internal and two external
2
pockets, and heavy-duty zippers. The
MX4 measures 35x28x25 inches in size.
$139, (800) 326-6325

2 theInnewest
transit: Fox’s Transport gear bag is
and largest cargo carrier in
their line of luggage. With room for all
your big stuff and intelligent pockets and
dividers for the little essentials, the
Transport super-sizes your race case.
Now, you have no excuse for forgetting
something! The Transit features vented
pockets and urethane wheels. $189,
(888) 772-2242

3 Luggage
Tanked: Oakley’s 16 Gallon Tank
is built to travel with you, com-
bining big volume with low profile. A
telescoping handle and built-in wheels
make it roll with ease. Special zippers are
engineered to fit your lock, and with all
the pockets and storage features. The 16
Gallon Tank measures 22x14x9 inches in 5
size, and has a 50/50 design that opens in
the middle like a suitcase for convenient
access. $135, (800) 431-1439

4 LeeFlight path: The Flight Bag from Troy

Designs has a 15-inch retractable han- 4
dle, expanded pockets with a zippered clo-
sure and a wide base for rolling stability.
The Flight Bag measures 22x14x10 inch-
es. $125, (951) 371-5219

5 plane
Catch the Shuttle: Built to fit in air-
overhead compartments, the
SixSixOne Shuttle gear bag has a telescop-
ing handle, urethane wheels for smooth
rolling, and an expandable compartment
that nearly doubles the storage size.
$129, (888) 520-4888

126 www.mbaction.com
Quak
e F
HAL ! ‘08 Mt. e
of th er ‘09 6” el
Vision Bikaer winn 5” trav
frame OFF ye trave
l Wolf 5.5”
$2000 frame 99 Ridge Ridgeline: 26er, 29er, or
$999 $1400 $9 singlespeed
USA Titanium e

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P2
ame: USA fram
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xR
$3 0
70 $1295! $1295!
$2199! XT-A Fo
pex Frame line
n
599 prices o
6.6”travel Bike $1

Carbon C2C Campy bike: $1999!

XCT 5 FXR Foes R
7
Fly Pro or no
DHS Mo utt
MBA: ail bike ma
de” Fox rnutt rn
6” 7” 8” Lite XC Cu 10” Cu
“Best tr Curnutt Curnutt Curnutt 4”

made in made in made in made in made in de

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frame
3.35” 1645 gram s!)
travel (3.62 lb
Vamoots & d on
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Zirkel Rigor Moo
tis Compact frame size

99 :
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b $ rs

old
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made in Lifetime Full
Colorado Warranty Titanium
BMC ‘08 SLC01 $3900 $2999
BMC ‘08 SLT01 $3000 $2299
BMC BMC ‘08 SLX01 $2600 $1999 ‘08
Bike ‘07 DH200 $1500 rbon rear XT
Alite Hydra. $5300 FS03 Apex Frame/fork. Element 4”, Caut shocks: Tora
2K $1040 discs 4” Trav. $799! Bike Kits extra. & Fox lock-o$1370 $799
$699 ! Bike
Frame brakes ! Full $3399 Frame $1449 Element 30 $ 1700 $999 $1399
$ 139 ! Saint & Element 50
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0O
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r a Button le Full
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 6

6 from
Bag it: The all-new Rider’s Duffle bag
Dakine has 3100 cubic-inches of
space and weighs 1.4 pounds. Made
from polyester and twill, the Rider’s
Duffle features a U-shaped opening,
tarp-lined side pockets, a shoulder strap
and internal mesh organizers. $60,
(541) 386-3166
7 Team issue: Made from durable
nylon fabrics, the Team Pro Bag from
Specialized can hold all of your gear and 7
more. The stiff bottom has sliding rails,
and the inline skate-type wheels are
smooth and durable. The telescoping
handle retracts easily for storage, and a
separate compartment houses dirty
clothes and gear. $145, (877) 808-
8154
8 Supersized: The Ogio 9800 is made
to move with its oversized, off-road
wheels and a retractable handle, but its
protected compartments appeal to any-
one who travels hard and heavy. The
redesigned 9800 features the new SLED
(Structural Load Equalizing Deck) sys-
tem, along with a front accessory pocket,
goggle pocket, large main area, a fold-out
changing mat for muddy conditions and 8
compression straps. $179, (800) 922-
1944
9 Kick it: Designed to organize and
protect all of your gear, the Kicker bag
from Thor has over five cubic feet of
space, oversized zippers and a PVC base. 9
The Kicker has three compartments that
can be combined to form one large main
compartment. $109, (619) 448-8467 ❑

128 www.mbaction.com
DOWN THE TRAIL Illustrations by Dwight Wanhala

t was ten years ago in our November 1999 issue that we were

I warning riders about training traps. We still see riders falling into
the same traps today. Okay, sometimes we are looking in the mirror
when we see these riders; so let’s take a quick refresher course.

Only riding hard.

Not drinking enough.

Only eating when hungry.

Skipping the group rides.

Not getting enough rest. Only concentrating on what you are good at.
130 www.mbaction.com
 Performance, function, and style have
never been more abundant than in the
brand new, high
performance Fenix helmet.

- Kevlar, Carbon fiber and fiberglass

composite tri-weave shell.
- Bagmold technology ensures a
consistent resin thickness over
the entire helmet.
- Exceeds Snell M2005, US DOT,
AU, and CE standards.
- Innovative wide goggle port for
better goggle-to-face seating
and greater peripheral vision.
- Three external plastic intake vents
combined with internal EPS air
channels allow maximum airflow.
- Stylish, large mouth vent allows
for better air intake and increased
ventilation.
- Wider, longer chin bar for
increased roost protection, safety,
and comfort.
- Removable, washable Savior
comfort liner, cheek pads, and
strap liners for maximum
moisture absorption and comfort.
Aaron Gwin
US National Champ

CITYFLAGE
- Molded rubber eye port channels
air to the forehead.
- Unique, soft molded rubber roost
guard provides protection and style.
- Aluminum visor bolts with stylized
plastic washers.
- New EPS foam liner for greater
protetion, increased airflow, and
reduced weight.
- One-Piece molded rubber bottom
edge beading.

Photo by: ©MichaelDarter.com

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