News
Some interesting things have happened over the years as suspension designers have tried to thread the needle between their designs and patented suspension platforms. Tweaking pivot points here or extending rocker arms here then moving the pivot point just so can make the difference between paying up to Specialized (Horst Link) or Dave Wiegle (DW-Link) or not paying any royalties at all.
The most prevalent of these copycats comes with the Horst Link design, a patent originally owned by Horst Leitner, but subsequently sold to Specialized. Filed in 1994, the Horst Link is still considered as one of the best overall suspension designs on the market. It’s often copied–sometimes too closely, which has been...
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We are getting close to Interbike and that means that all the manufacturers are starting to release more information on their upcoming products. I got a great preview of the Fox/Shimano 15QR system and actually have my 2009 Fox Vanilla 32 RLC mounted up and nearly ready for its first ride. I’ve also seen tons of other great new bikes and products come my way over the past month or so.
But, this one is bound to be one of the most amazing new products of the season… the Truvativ HammerSchmidt bike transmission. Aimed at providing dual-ring function in a single-ring design, the HammerSchmidt will change the game when it comes to shifting....
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For those of you who don’t know, Outdoor Retailer is the largest tradeshow for outdoor manufacturers to showcase their wares. It happens twice a year with the Summer Market in August and the Winter Market in January. The best part… it happens right here in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace.
I’ve got a full plate of appointments from all the major manufacturers and will be posting about the latest gear for next Spring. Last year brought some nuggets like the MSR HyperFlow water filter, new MSR tents, and new glasses and goggles from ...
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As the mega cycling sites continue their online dominance, what is your Local Bike Shop (LBS) to do? Many have Web sites, but most don’t have the manpower or technical savvy to have a full-fledged online storefront with in-house fulfillment. Inventory management and logistics can be daunting, so your LBS typically keeps plodding along selling locally. Some are successful and others struggle.
Ritchey Design recognizes the plight of the LBS and wants to foster more support of their local dealers (the...
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Yeah, I’m smack dab in the middle of one of the most epic mountain biking seasons ever. The trails here in Utah are outstanding and I just can’t seem to get my fill of that little brown ribbon in the woods. However, I just got word of the release of the trailer for MSP’s new film, “CLAIM, The Greatest Ski Movie… EVER!”
While the title seems a bit outlandish, it just may be the greatest ski movie ever… who knows. I honestly haven’t been to an MSP film in years… well, with us promoting the TGR films here in SLC for the past 10 years, I haven’t had any reason to hit the MSP...
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I just received an email with some information on Adventure Cycling’s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Considering the snowpack in the Rockies this year, I don’t know how they are going to do it, but it looks like tons of fun (and pain) nonetheless. The route is crazy and the mileage is insane!
You can follow the progress on the Tour Divide Blog. These guys are in for a trip of a lifetime.
Here’s the skinny:
Think you could do it? Race in less than 25 days from Canada to Mexico along the spine of the Rockies on a mountain bike? Solo? Carrying all your own supplies and gear? Facing snow-packed passes, unnervingly large...
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The guys at Backcountry.com have gone too far this time. I had heard rumblings that this day would arrive. As I was out on a solo road ride this morning taking in the excellent spring riding conditions on the Mirror Lake Highway, it felt good to be in the saddle again on this familiar strip of black. Things felt in sync, normal, just like yesterday did. Then I arrived at the office and in my inbox was the bombshell - Chainlove.com is live!
In the words of Andrew Bird and his catchy song “Opposite Day”: Today was supposed to be just another day…
What...
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I’ve been a big fan of Intense Cycles for a long time. The love affair dates back to 2001 when I rode the long-retired Intense Uzzi SLX at the Interbike Outdoor Demo. That bike displayed advanced climbing and descending characteristics for its day. There’s no doubt that it goes down as one of the pioneers in the 6-inch travel trailbike world.
Then, in 2005, I rode the first version of the Intense 6.6 trailbike. Utilizing the heralded VPP suspension design, the 6.6 showed me what could be done with the VPP design in a real-world trailbike. I’m talking something that you’d want to pedal uphill all day, then unleash...
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If you’re like me you’ve managed to pick up a few Nalgene water bottles over the years. The first ones were nothing fancy, made from a milk jug looking plastic that was tougher than nails. If you dropped it off a 50′ cliff, no big deal. But we “needed” something flashier.
I remember when I saw the first colored Nalgene bottles, in red, pink, blue, and a rainbow of others colors. I even remember being given one of the old style non-colored types at an event and feeling somewhat slighted that I wasn’t lucky enough to get a “cool” one. Yes, shallow thoughts but today, I’m feeling rather lucky to have...
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We are all well aware of the 1996 climbing season on the top of the world, Mt. Everest. John Krakauer’s book, Into Thin Air, a cheesy made-for-TV movie, articles and news reports abound on what happened that fateful climbing season where so many parties got into some hairy situations–partly because of their own errors in judgment and partly because of the sheer unpredictability of Mt. Everest.
The full program is available online along with many other interactive maps, stories and discussion groups. David Breashears brings both first-hand experience (he’s climbed Everest 5 times) and amazing film making expertise.
The full program is available online at PBS.org....
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A
foot of April flake just buried the 'Bird, the Crack House is warming
up and the Rollercoaster's drying out. Epic spring lines are calling
and you better be dialed. From bike helmets to top-shelf bike parts, Arc'teryx shells to Marmot sleeping bags, Mountain Hardwear tents, Patagonia footwear, The North Face backpacks and The North Face fleece, Backcountry.com is the outdoor gear dealer who's always holding when your addiction hits. Whether you ski sweet corn, get filthy rad on a snowboard, camp and climb in Moab, or burn it up on two wheels, there's no better place to feed your habit than Backcountry.com.