 |
|
|
Aaaaaah, Continental breakfast at Travelodge. Frosted Flakes with sugar on them, debatable milk, and
a danish from a shrink wrapped bag for "freshness".
|
|
|
Hanebrink suspension has introduced their WFO fork. 10" of smooth travel with a 120mm axle spacing
and close to 8lbs of heft. The travel is adjustable over a wide range however, it preloads the suspension
to do so. You can unscrew the preload to a point but then the fork requires disassembly to remove part
of the spring stack till you have the correct spring rate. Dan Hanebrink with Ryun Noble. I see some
really good strengths in the Hanebrink WFO but it still has its weaknesses. I believe that it will be
very stiff. I worry about its overlap, how it is pinned and the damper problems I have experienced time
and time again. If we can solve these problems and the issue of price, I may go back to a Hanebrink.
|
|
Can you say, Monkey Motion? Somethings I like about this bike:
Through Shaft Technology with
the shock
Steep angle four bar linkage
Adjustable seat mast
Very steep headtube angle
Needle
bearings rather than ball bearings
Potential for adjustment is endless
Some things I don't like
about this bike:
Narrow pivot locations
This bike is a TANK
The shock is WAY overleveraged
The headtube gussett is in the centerline of the top and downtube
Headtube angle is steeper than the
Seat tube angle at full height
Did I mention weight?
|
|
|
|
|
The new DARE from ELLSWORTH. 10.5+ lbs with a better rate on the shock, however, why the same amount
of travel as the 6.5 lb version? If it is going to be a downhill bike Tony, why not make it a DOWNHILL
bike???!? Lets see some 10+ inches of travel. The tail sections on ALL of the ELLSWORTH BICYCLES were
greatly stiffened over previous models. The new TRUTH looks to be a venerable XC bike. Cartridge bearings
at each location make the system much more managable. Tony's long top tubes with short snappy chainstays
and steep angles should allow for longer travel on a bike that can still corner with the best of the
hardtails. The weight is claimed around 5.5ish but I believe it is closer to the 7ish mark. The AEON
bikes using a swingarm have the potential of being lighter, stiffer and acting just as smoothly as the
more expensive ELLSWORTHs with more travel options and the same excellent standover heights. The DUAL
SUSPENSION TANDEM I think is also a very good move!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shaums's Choice, the Chumba wumba. Swingarm design with a swingarm that compresses a spring that is
connected to a link that is compressed by an arm that is attached to the swingarm. Can you imagine what
would happen if people actually did the math that it takes to show how utterly redundant their systems
are? And how about we stop the madness right now and quit overleveraging our shocks. The motorcycle
industry has pretty much capped with a 3:1 overall ratio. Why is it that in the bicycle industry we
think we can run 5:1 and get away with it?
|
|
|
|
|
Cheeta has been doing their homework. Here you are seeing their swingarm design that is connected side
to side with an oversized tube. This is leveraging a shock at about a 4:1 ratio with an ultra stiff
tail section. Very heavy but all in all, it works. The white bike is their new linkage setup. They
have a good pivot location and a very stiff tail section, but the question has to be asked, why such
a small pivot? Why overbuild a section of a frame that basically does absolutly nothing? And who in
the world made the choice for the font of their logo?
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Nate the great with his next ride ...
|
|
|
|
|
In the goal to find the ultimate rack carrier for every bicycle on the planet we stumbled across this
design that holds the bike by the BB bolts and the front wheel. Interesting idea.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Belt Drive anyone? This system ran a belt back to a Nexxus hub. The belt was actually more of a Harley
belt then one of the ones I am looking at using but it may work nonetheless.
|
|
|
|
We also believe in Road Bikes, so far as they are created by God. Kestrel has been in the art of laying
carbon fiber for years. They introduced the new 300EMS and SCi frames with a non-woven finish and a
clear color coat over the top. At 2.4lbs, I can only imagine what this beauty could do!
|
 |
|
|
Nate changed his mind and opted for this as his new ride.
|
|
|
A picture of a picture. This is Joshua Bender dropping 55 feet. Yes, the man is NUTS!
|
|
 |
|
Race Face is introducing their new spline pattern that interfaces with the New Standard set up by american
manufacturers to get around Shimano's patented spline. All in all, it looks pretty dang cool and should
be quite stiff if it is anywhere near the rigidity of the TRUVATIVE setup. They also had their cranks,
chainrings and bash rings on display.
|
|
|
|
Marzocchi's new toys. 5" travel inverted single crown forks. Can anyone say, SUSPENDERS?
|
|
|
|
|
This is Sportracks solution to big fat, fatty fat tires. Seems to work alright but all in all, it seems
a little cheap and toddery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manitou's new inverted fork on a Schwinn.
|
|
|
|
|
Don't you hate it when you have this incredible idea and when you go to the trade show, you see it on
someone else's display? Here is my wheel hanger bike rack ... by Yakima.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have you ever just been riding down the street and tell yourself, you know, if I just had a jet pack
strapped to my bike with two thin tubular arms, I could pass this Lamborghini up ahead of me. Well,
look no further my friend. You will have to be careful of the exhaust gases as they may light any dried
weeds within a 100 foot radius.
|
|
|
|
Me checking out the new Polar heart rate monitor.
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
20.5lb full suspension bike anyone? Note the extra comfortable saddle.
|
|
|
Metallic fenders? As if we hardcore bikers need fenders.
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
How about a Schwinn Armageddon with 4" of travel? Ludicrous!
|
|
|
The man behind the real Armageddon and the new Appocolypse. Jan Karpel and I next to the new green
color available at his booth.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
This dude claims to have invented downhilling and is also claiming to have his tire all original ...
funny thing is, it is an Onza Porcupine rehashed for 24x3.
|
|
|
Intense dual suspension tandem.
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Bernie Rohloff, me and his wife. He sat with me for an hour and explained to me the ins and outs of
the hub. Very incredible German!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sram's hybrid, three speed hub, electronic motor assist.
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Copycats. KIDDING! These guys take full suspension linkage bikes and make them better as well as manufacturing
their own BROOKLYN frame. The rising rate on these frames was scary! The fork felt alright but for
8" and 12 lbs there are much better forks!
|
|
|
At the end of the day you're another day older!
|
|
 |
|
