Strengths: Well designed Cheap (relatively) Well sealed Truly fit and forget
Weaknesses: Bloody wank Head Doctor (grrrrr)!
Overall: I've had this on my Cotic for over a year now and having just stripped and rebuilt the bike with a new fork, I thought "hmm, never had to touch that headset - best review it." so here I am.
Smooth as a frozen lake, good value compared to other top end sets (King for instance) any colour you want and completely maintenance free. Everything you want in a headset.
One moan, the Head Doctor is a pig to get fitted. Once it bites it works really well, but is difficult to get in to the steerer and fiddly to get fixed in position. That is unless there is a knack to it that I don't know! Still losing a mark for it though.
Strengths: Light Rolls well Grips better than you'd expect Predictable
Weaknesses: Expensive Thin sidewalls with exposed threads Scary on the front
Overall: As a rear tyre this is an incredible feat of engineering. It looks like a semi slick, weighs the same as a semi slick, rolls like one but grips as well as any other tyre I've used. I can only assume the compound is pretty soft (does wear pretty quick) and the low profile tread doesn't clog at all.
The weight is clearly achieved by having low profile tread and thin sidewalls, the latter being a potential problem in rocky areas or to pinch flat prone riders, but I haven't knacked one yet.
They come up a bit small - I run a 2.4" and it's nearer 2.2" - but that's probably because there aren't any large knobbles on it.
Don't run on the front in anything other than dry dry dry trails that are very dry and not loose. It won't carve or grip if there is anything other than baked hard trails or hardpack.
Strengths: Light for the size 'Proper' 2.2" carcass goes on and comes off easy decent wear characteristics Cheap for a folding tyre
Weaknesses: Clogs a bit in sticky mud Rumble rumble rumble......
Overall: I got this tyre off a mate in August last year and have ridden it in most conditions since. TBH I love it as it grips well in most conditions other than deep thick mud, sheds well, is light and is well chunky.
Particularly good in rocky areas but would probably clog up and weigh a ton in wet clay/limestone style trails.
Strengths: Stiff Plush Reliable Adjustable Light for the travel and features Quality of construction
Weaknesses: Tendency to dive and pack down on repeated big hits Lock-out lever moves the compression dial Paint chips easily Doesn't give 125mm on max travel (nearer 117mm)
Overall: This is a good fork. No in fact it's a great fork. I suppose that my 'weaknesses' could be classed as nit picking IF the fork was £400. At nearer £600 I expect little foibles like that to be sorted.
The packing down issue happens with most forks that don't have complex platform damping arrangments so listing that as a weakness is perhaps wrong of me, however you can have the fork PUSH'd by TFTuned (for even more money) which helps cure the problem so clearly, it's a design error.
I'd recommend this fork but I want a new one that gives the claimed travel and has more sophisticated damping.
Strengths: Waterproof, very breathable, light, tough, no pointless features, good style.
[Update 16/10/06] Waterproof, very breathable, light, tough, no pointless features, good style.
Weaknesses: Only the price I suppose and it's not as expensive as some Gore products.
[Update 16/10/06] Only the price I suppose and it's not as expensive as some Gore products.
Overall: After much research I decided to get one of these jackets as the main contention I have with waterproofs is breathability. Jackets I've had in the past have seriously cooked me in my own sweat when tanking it hard.
Theory is that eVENT fabric breathes quicker than other fabrics as you don't need to have moisture condensing on the inside of the fabric before it transfers moisture, it actually 'breathes' properly in vapour form.
I've had 3 rides in this jacket since I bought it, all in varying degrees of wet from pissing down to fine mist and all in quite warm temperatures (12 - 15 degrees). I've been riding my winter SS too for extra heat build up so ideal testing conditions for what I wanted. I can't fault it so far. It has a good cut , is very comfy and does breathe very VERY well. Totally waterproof (so far) and no features that aren't needed.
I've even had a slight off where I scuffed the jacket on a dry stone wall and it survived without any damage.
I'd recommend this jacket to anyone as I think it's ideal for MTBing in the wet. It's a very singular purpose but that's what makes it so good. I'll wait to see if it lives up to it's 3 season claims but I can't see why it wouldn't.
[Update 16/10/06] After much research I decided to get one of these jackets as the main contention I have with waterproofs is breathability. Jackets I've had in the past have seriously cooked me in my own sweat when tanking it hard.
Theory is that eVENT fabric breathes quicker than other fabrics as you don't need to have moisture condensing on the inside of the fabric before it transfers moisture, it actually 'breathes' properly in vapour form.
I've had 3 rides in this jacket since I bought it, all in varying degrees of wet from pissing down to fine mist and all in quite warm temperatures (12 - 15 degrees). I've been riding my winter SS too for extra heat build up so ideal testing conditions for what I wanted. I can't fault it so far. It has a good cut , is very comfy and does breathe very VERY well. Totally waterproof (so far) and no features that aren't needed.
I've even had a slight off where I scuffed the jacket on a dry stone wall and it survived without any damage.
I'd recommend this jacket to anyone as I think it's ideal for MTBing in the wet. It's a very singular purpose but that's what makes it so good. I'll wait to see if it lives up to it's 3 season claims but I can't see why it wouldn't.
EDIT: Just realised that I'm at the 1 year anniversary of this jacket. I can confirm that the 3 season claims are founded and I've even worn it straight over a base layer on a wet but quite warm day in August and it was great.
Strengths: Don't slip Easy to take off/swap Long lasting Comfy (if you wear gloves)
Weaknesses: File pattern won't suit everyone Not much cushioning
Overall: Great grips if a tad pricey with the lock-ons but well worth it IMO. I can't believe people are whinging about the length etc. If you run 25" or more riser bars or flat bars there really isn't and issue. Also, if you are so ham fisted that you screw up the bolts then you are a chimp and that isn't a product fault - it's you.
I always wear gloves but forgot them once and riding without them took skin off my palms - they don't call it a file pattern for nothing.
It's pretty tough rubber son isn't great for reducing trail vibration but that doesn't bother me.
I love these grips and think most trail riders will too.
Overall: This is a nice piece of kit and worthy of any bike. At £35 I reckon it's good value for the quality of design and manufacture.
There isn't much you can say about a stem but I've had one for 18 months and never thought about changing it. That's about the best endorsement I can give it.
Strengths: Nice shape Easton reputation and guarantee Competitive weight available with different heights Dirt f*@?ing cheap! (£20 on most web shops)
Weaknesses: Plain looking (if that's a weakness for you)
Overall: I bought these because I was on a budget and like Easton kit. Having ridden them for over a year now, and bought a second set for my SS, I can't think of a reason to buy anything else.
They are on the wide side of XC/Trail bars at 27" but I like that and they can be trimmed if needs be.
Tough finish, understated but classy looks, great manufacturer reputation. Can anyone convince me to spend more than £20 on a pair of bars?
