New Products and reviews from BIke Mag

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Shiny-Happy Cable Routing
by John Peters
VITALS

Nokon Brake Cable Housing


Cost: $66
Phone: [phone]
Web site: www.nokonusa.com





So you want disc brakes. You love the feel and performance of hydraulic models, but you would prefer the ease of setup and maintenance, and the lower cost, offered by cable actuated systems. Fear not -- there is a product that helps bridge the gap. The Nokon cable system uses a Teflon liner surrounded by aluminum shell segments to replace your traditional brake housing. Like lockout on a shock, Nokon's cables eliminate the performance-robbing compression associated with traditional brake-cable housing, while retaining the flexibility to conquer the same tricky routing that standard cable housing does.



The difference when squeezing the lever is dramatic. Full-suspension bikes will benefit the most, but all riders will have improved modulation and stopping power. You actually lose some weight as well. It may be hard to believe, but the Nokon system is lighter than traditional cable housing. As for the elements, the aluminum is corrosion resistant and the Teflon liner protects the cable from any gunk that might find its way through the cracks.




The biggest drawback to the system is installation. A careful reading of the instructions is a must, and it will take you considerably longer than standard setups. The only other annoyance was that, due to the nature of the Nokon housing, it sometimes falls into odd positions and stays there. Most notable is the small bit from the last cable stop to the disc caliper. It can get stuck arching out to the side of the frame and won't snap back to the normal upward arch like standard housing. So when you crash, check cable position before resuming your ride.

At the end of the day the question is, should you spend the $66 plus another $30 for the two extension kits ($15 each) normally required for disc application? Yes -- the investment is one that pays off and delivers on its promises.

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TESTED: Bike Guard Motion Capture Remote Bike Alarm

Arm Your Bike--or Your Booze
By Jackie Baker

What: Bike Guard Motion Capture Remote Bike Alarm Where: www.bikeguardlocks.com How Much: $60

Only a crotch-to-stem impact rivals the feeling that strikes when you discover that your ride is MIA. Earlier this summer several friends’ downhill and dual slalom rides were stolen from outside their condo. The bikes were locked with a cable, but the thieves cut through it and hit the jackpot. There were plenty of people within earshot but, as it was 4:00 am the night before a race, everyone was passed out. Perhaps, if one or more of the bikes had been outfitted with a Bike Guard Motion Capture Alarm, tragedy could have been averted—maybe.


the Bike Guard is a wireless motion sensor that’s completely independent from any type of lock. As far as I can tell, a small rubber-coated wire integrated into the underside of the sensor unit detects the motion, there are no lasers or eyes or anything cool like that. If someone attempts to make off with your ride, a 110-decibel siren sounds, hopefully drawing attention to the villain.

That’s the theory. I put three AAA batteries into the Bike Guard and mounted it up. The instructions recommend securing the motion sensor under the saddle, so it’s hidden from view but able to function.

It’s important to properly mount the sensor, but the Guard’s directions are vague. For instance, there is no explanation of which side of the motion-sensing device should face downward—a detail that would have trimmed at least three minutes off the 19-minute initial set-up time, which included a brief attempt at translating the French directions before discovering the English page.

The Guard worked as advertised. Once set up, it sounded every time the bike moved. But the delays between activation and the sounding of the alarm were inconsistent. Once, after thinking I’d deactivated the system (using the included remote similar to a key fob used for a car alarm), I tried to move my bike and it sounded immediately, causing me to hit the deck. Later, I’d taken four or five walking steps with my bike before the alarm went off.

The Bike Guard responds best to sudden jerky movements, as if a thief were quickly trying to abscond with the bike. A patient criminal could pick up a machine outfitted with the Bike Guard and ride away without activating the siren.

The sensor is water-resistant but it’s also fairly bulky, making it less than ideal for everyday trail rides. However, it would work well on a commuter that you leave locked outside for most of the day. I do not suggest using the Guard without a cable lock. Though the alarm sound is ear piercing, thieves could cut off the sensor or simply pedal away long before the alarm kicks in.

After an hour of trying to get the Guard to consistently sound, I decided there are more useful applications for this device—liquor security, food security, and scaring the shite out of your roommates. Using duct tape or the included zip-ties, simply attach the Bike Guard to your favorite bottle of booze or snack food. You’ll know the moment your roomy goes in for a nip off your Beam. I also suggest taping it to the inside of his car door if you’re looking for an early-morning chuckle.

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Tested: Crank Brothers m17 multi-tool

Because Stuff Breaks
By Vernon Felton

WHAT: Crank Brothers m17 Multi-Tool WHERE: crankbrothers.com HOW MUCH: $25

shite happens. I don’t know who coined that phrase, but it’s a truism that comes to life on many of my rides. Nine-speed chains snap more than their 8-speed ancestors, low-spoke count wheels seem to snatch at sticks, rotors warp at the weirdest moments and many of the things that you thought were tight seem to wobble loose of their own accord. That’s why I’m a fan of multi-tools in general and the m17 in particular.

Crank Brothers outfits the m17 with just about everything you could ask for: a full complement of allen wrenches (from a miniscule 2-millimeter wrench to a mighty 8-millimeter model), both flathead and Philips screwdrivers, 8 and 10-millimeter open wrenches, a chain breaker, numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 spoke wrenches, and, best of all, a t-25 torx wrench to help snug up all those loose rotor bolts that you forgot to Loc-Tite.

The m17 features a 6061-t6 aluminum frame and 6051 high tensile steel tools (with the exception of the chainbreaker, which is stainless steel). At 168 grams, it’s not the lightest tool available, but then again, this is a much more complete tool than most. I’ve used the m17 out on the trail more times than I think my Karma demands and it’s saved me many a walk back to the trailhead.

What could be improved? I do wish the 8-millimeter allen wrench was a bit longer (it’s short length makes properly seating the wrench and giving it a good torque a bit of a challenge), but that’s really my only complaint to date. Crank Brothers has created one of the most user-friendly multi-tools on the market: at twenty-five bucks, the m17 is also one of the more reasonably priced models available.

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On Our Radar: Oakley Radar Lock Shoes
By Vernon Felton


WHAT: Oakley Radar Lock Shoes WHERE: oakley.com HOW MUCH: $95

Note to Reader: This is our second installment of “On Our Radar” (the web equivalent of BIKE Magazine’s Fresh Produce). In short, On Our Radar is a medium that allows us to profile promising stuff that just rolled in with the UPS guy. When we’ve actually had the chance to thrash on the product for a few months or more, then we’ll feature it again as a tested item. Having said that….

Oakley’s Radar Lock shoes are deceptive little buggers. To the untrained eye, they may appear to be representatives of the simple “big black shoes” favored by America’s mall-roving youth. While the Radar Locks give a nod to contemporary fashion, there’s also a quite a bit of mountain biking-specific technology built into them. For starters, you can run them with both flat pedals (for the bmx-trained or stunt-oriented folks) or clipless pedals (for the long-distance pedalers).

There’s also a lot going on with the soles. The vulcanized, rubber outsoles are grippy enough to provide traction on flat pedals, rock and other hard surfaces, yet the compound is firm enough to resist wear. Likewise, the soles are stiff enough to provide pedaling efficiency, with just enough flex to make hike-a-bikes manageable. If that sounds a little vague, here are some cultural reference points: the Radar Locks won’t wrap around your pedal with every downstroke like a pair of floppy Chuck Taylors, and they won’t slip and slide around like a pair of ballet slippers every time you have to push your bike up some hideously steep section of trail.

Other niceties include a rubberized toe cap (resists wear), “memory foam” (to help the shoes keep their shape over time), and heavy padding in the ankle and tongue for extra support and a comfortable fit.
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Gear: IRC Trailbear 26x2.25 Tires
by Jim Fitzgerald
VITALS

IRC Trailbear 26x2.25 Tires

Cost: $40
Weight: 670 grams
Contact: www.irctire.com

If Goldilocks had broken into the Three Mountain Biker Bears' house and decided to swipe their bikes instead of eating all their food and passing out on the bed, this is what she would have said...if each of the bears' bikes had IRC Trailbear tires:

XC Bear: "These tires are too fat!"
DH Bear: "These tires are too thin!"
Average Trail Rider Bear: "These tires are just right -- I think I'll steal this one!"

And the thieving little btch would be right on the money. I figure I have about 100 pounds on your average Goldilocks, and the Trailbear tires didn't feel spindly or squirrelly when the going got rough -- not DH rough, but the type of rough that demands more than a lightweight XC tire usually can deliver.

The Trailbears have medium-height tread knobs that grip on climbs without feeling sluggish, and the profile of the tire has just the right amount of roundness to make it hold a solid line through sharp corners. The directional tread pattern is similar to the arrow style of the old IRC Missile and throws the mud fairly well, but performs best in loose, loamy dirt.
img461.imageshack.us/my.php?image=irc300pa2.jpg

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Air Conditioning for Your Hands
By Vernon Felton

WHAT: Dakine Ventilator Gloves WHERE: www.dakine.com HOW MUCH: $35


A glove should be a simple product, right? I mean, it’s just supposed to cover your hand, soak up sweat and snot, stop you’re hands from going numb, add some grip to your controls, occasionally be used to wipe mud from face or fork stanchion, and maybe protect your hand from errant branches and crash landings. Hmm…I guess that’s actually a pretty long list for a simple product. Well, Dakine’s Ventilator serves most of these functions quite well.

The Ventilator, as the name implies, is more of a light-duty, cross-country kind of glove—heavy emphasis on being airy, comfy and the like. I think of it as particularly well suited to hot summer days. The top of the glove is made from a stretchy, mesh material that breathes exceptionally well and lends a second skin-feel to the gloves. The undersides of the fingers also feature numerous holes which, I imagine, helps with the whole ventilation process.

Other noteworthy features include the requisite silicone grippy texturing on the first two fingers so that your grip on your brake levers stays nice and, uh, grippy when things get soggy. There’s a bit of padding in the palm, compression molded wrist cuff and knuckles (on the first two fingers), a terry cloth coating on the thumb (to aid in mucous and perspiration wiping), and dual, Velcro wrist closures which help you fine tune the fit.


Here's that sharp bit of material that can chafe your wrist--just tighten the dual, velcro closures equally and it's not a problem.

I’ve been running the Ventilators for about two months now—not an exceptionally long time, to be sure, but they’ve been getting daily commuting and trail riding, lots of mud-soaking and more trips to the washing machine than is probably good for any garment. So far, so good. The seams are holding up just fine and the mesh isn’t tearing a bit (I was initially kind of worried about that, but the mesh uppers are surprisingly durable). The palms are wearing a bit more than I’d like to see this quickly in a product test, but that’s the only thing close to a complaint that I’ve got.

I should also mention the fit—it’s excellent, but it took me a couple rides to dial it in. That sounds sort of brain dead, I admit, because how hard is it to wear a pair of gloves properly? Not too hard, but with the dual closures, I found that you want to run both straps equally tight (otherwise you can get a bit of chafing and pinching from the bottom end of the strap (check out the photo to see what I’m talking about).

I’ve walked away impressed by the Ventilators—they’re surprisingly durable for a glove this breatheable.

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Adidas AdiStar XC Race
By Dain Zaffke


WHAT: Adidas AdiStar XC Race HOW MUCH: $210 WHERE: www.adidas.com/cycling



Adidas has, it seems, traditionally had a love/hate relationship with cycling. At times the three-stripers have trotted out truly great cycling kicks. At other times, they’ve introduced some not-so-great shoes. For 2005 it appears that a team of bike-fanatic designers created the lineup, judging by the $210, AdiStar XC Race.

Like most high-end mountain bike shoes, they sport lightweight yet super-stiff carbon fiber soles, ratcheting upper buckles and synthetic leather uppers. However, design departs from tradition with the AdiStar’s two lower Velcro straps. To achieve precise fit adjustments without being hindered by Velcro’s typical “memory,” the straps utilize fishing-line like cords.

What? Fishing-line like cords sound too frail for shoes destined to snag brush and kick rocks for hours on end? Well, six months later, the aramid fiber cords are intact and the straps are full length. In fact, the cord system has worked surprisingly well and the straps held tight in every condition but snow.

If I had to describe the fit of the AdiStars in one word, it would be “narrow.” The shoe’s slim fit grasped my skinny feet comfortably most of the time, but on long rides the toe section seemed cramped. The super-snug fit wasn’t entirely bad.

On race-level shoes like these, the tight nature adds to the feeling of maximum efficiency. Between the fit and the carbon fiber soles, the AdiStars gave the impression of feet-glued-to-the-pedals power transfer. Except, in this case, the soles are much more rigid and tough than any bare foot could ever be.

If you’re looking for comfortable, multi-use, budget shoes, forget about it. But if you’re narrow-footed and looking for speed, slip on a pair of the AdiStars. The stitching, sole lugs, and unique closure system all withstood a full season of thrashing without a hint of wear, and as an added bonus, they’re about as stiff as any shoe on the market.

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Gear: Performance Clear Rain Jacket



If you want a clear rainjacket, and don't want to get this particular one made for a very large mail order house, then trot on down to your local bike shop and buy one of the bazillion different brands of this very same thing on the market. They should cost somewhere between $10 and $30. But, if you pay 30 bucks for one, you're probably getting a little hosed in the deal.

But, more importantly, why? Why should you buy a clear rain jacket?

Lots of reasons. First and foremost, they are one fo the few truly waterproof rainjackets out there. Forget about all those wonderfibre miracle coats that supposedly breathe AND remain waterproof. These little beauties are made from good old fashioned PVC, the be-all and end-all of waterproof materials. Notice I didn't say "fabric", opting instead to use the word "material". That's because PVC isn't technically a fabric. It is a sheet of plastic. Thus, it is waterproof. And, therefore, not very breathable.

Second, they are transparent. Dunno why this is a selling point, but it is.

Third, they can be rolled up really small and kept in pockets.

Fourth, they cost so little that it's hard to get worked up when your puppy chews off one of the arms, or when you accidentally leave it draped over a radiator and it melts. Try keeping your cool when a three hunderd dollar Mountain Hardwear jacket dies like that.

Fifth, they are like little terrariums. Put one on at the top of a climb and feel yourself instantly heat up in your personal greenhouse, even as you rocket downhill. Feel the envy wafting off your tooth chattering riding companions.

And finally, they are cool. In a Euro style, road geek, Blade Runner kind of way. And that, my friends, is really what it's all about. Right?
* Right.

$9.99 (on sale in latest catalog!)
[phone]
www.performancebike.com

[arcireyes]

are these available locally?

[Jan Atienza]

P6800.00 at Newton's, used it for malling with cleats

vincent said:

Adidas AdiStar XC Race
By Dain Zaffke


WHAT: Adidas AdiStar XC Race HOW MUCH: $210 WHERE: www.adidas.com/cycling



Adidas has, it seems, traditionally had a love/hate relationship with cycling. At times the three-stripers have trotted out truly great cycling kicks. At other times, they’ve introduced some not-so-great shoes. For 2005 it appears that a team of bike-fanatic designers created the lineup, judging by the $210, AdiStar XC Race.

Like most high-end mountain bike shoes, they sport lightweight yet super-stiff carbon fiber soles, ratcheting upper buckles and synthetic leather uppers. However, design departs from tradition with the AdiStar’s two lower Velcro straps. To achieve precise fit adjustments without being hindered by Velcro’s typical “memory,” the straps utilize fishing-line like cords.

What? Fishing-line like cords sound too frail for shoes destined to snag brush and kick rocks for hours on end? Well, six months later, the aramid fiber cords are intact and the straps are full length. In fact, the cord system has worked surprisingly well and the straps held tight in every condition but snow.

If I had to describe the fit of the AdiStars in one word, it would be “narrow.” The shoe’s slim fit grasped my skinny feet comfortably most of the time, but on long rides the toe section seemed cramped. The super-snug fit wasn’t entirely bad.

On race-level shoes like these, the tight nature adds to the feeling of maximum efficiency. Between the fit and the carbon fiber soles, the AdiStars gave the impression of feet-glued-to-the-pedals power transfer. Except, in this case, the soles are much more rigid and tough than any bare foot could ever be.

If you’re looking for comfortable, multi-use, budget shoes, forget about it. But if you’re narrow-footed and looking for speed, slip on a pair of the AdiStars. The stitching, sole lugs, and unique closure system all withstood a full season of thrashing without a hint of wear, and as an added bonus, they’re about as stiff as any shoe on the market.

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sir arci i think some of these products are already available here na but not sure kaya i called my cousin in new jersey pabili ako hehehe (Brake cable housing)

my intentions of posting this product just for FYI po and was hoping it will all be available locally