Strengths: I currently have these rims strapped to Hope hubs and they make for a very strong XC/AM wheelset. After a couple of years riding I've only had to break the spoke key out once for a general truing and at no point have they ever gone woefully out of shape. Admittedly, they only get used for XC work and the odd trail centre jaunt but have never been used for jumping, downhilling etc. although I'm sure they'd be capable of it. I tend to use a narrow (1.9) tyre to compliment these rims and have never had any issues with using this size and overall it makes for a fast rolling wheel.
Weaknesses: UST wheels have never taken off in the way we all promised. Many a magazine and website review touted them as being 'the next big thing' with the promise of puncture free riding and phenomenal grip being able to run the tyres at low pressures. Being able to do this is of no concern when you ride XC and, instead, I had my eye on the light weight tubeless rims/tyres would bring but in all honesty, there is barely a noticable difference between these and a standard rim with a tube. The real minus point with these (and it is a major weakness) is the applicating of a tyre. Got 4 hours to spare? Have a pop at trying to get a tyre on! What an absolute bloody nightmare. On some occasions it can take a matter of minutes to get the tyre on the rim, seated and inflated and other times, using the same brand/size tyre, it has taken me hours of using soapy water for lubrication, tyre levers, teeth and anger and end up achieving nothing but drawing blood from my hands. I'd rather push pins through my eyelids than put a tyre on these rims.
Overall: UST rims are certainly not the way forward in MTB'ing. Fitting a tyre reduces grown men to tears and it is no lighter than using a standard rim with a tube. I'll be getting rid of these as soon as I can afford it and I WILL NOT be getting more UST rims. Bring back the humble tube! Oh, and pray you never get a puncture...
Strengths: I bought these forks when they were first released in 2005 and haven't looked back. They have been strapped to three different cross country frames (so far) and have complimented all three magnificently. The 100mm travel is more than enough for the XC riding and all day jaunts in the hills and the various settings available cater for all tastes. The operation is silky-smooth with the forks capable of taking the buzz out of everything from a fire road to the bigger hits of singletrack with ease. The build quality is excellent and the wiper seals have put up with months of filthy abuse with no signs of any scoring or scratches on the stanctions. There is no detectable flex in the forks and they seem to be 'dive free' when jumping on the front brake, the sign of a quality fork.
Weaknesses: The f100 RLT's were expensive three years ago and unfortunately the price seems to be creeping up. You can get a decent bike for the same price as these forks. My main complaint with the forks is the servicability for the budding home bike mechanic. The instructions on the website make it sound simple and straightforward but after an issue with the rebound, I spent four hours in the shed and achieved nothing more than having a collection of fork internals lying on the floor smattered with blood and tears. I learnt my lesson and sent them off to fox who repaired and serviced them (whilst, no doubt, laughing at my ham-fisted stupidity) where they were returned to me working as well as they did on day one.
Overall: Still one of the best forks on the market for function and adjustability but they're expensive and if you're not confident in the field don't attempt to repair or service them. Leave it to the experts.
Strengths: I've owned and used this Polar HRM for some time now and I've given it some abuse since day one. It's lightweight, wireless and easy to set up; another 'fit and forget' bike component thats easy to operate . The buttons are well intergrated into the design and are simple to press even with big gloves shrouding the fingers. It offers every conceivable function you will ever need...
Weaknesses: ...and a load which the average rider will never use. Unless you are a cyclist truely obsessed with your sport and spend all your time (when you aren't out on your bike) counting calories, nanoseconds and the current exchange rate in Yen, then a lot of the functions are wasted. As it offers so/too much, I've found I can trawl through a plethora of different files/settings/options just to find the simplest of data such as max speed, etc. Secondly, and most importantly, this computer hates the cold. If you leave it in the shed overnight when the temperatures are sub-zero, it takes a little bit of reviving come the following morning. It seems to absorb moisture with ease causing it to make concerning electronic crackling noises but both problems are solved by taking it off the bike and inside where its warmer.
Overall: You'll never complain that it doesn't offer enough in the way of functions but it can be frustrating wading through all the options to find the piece of info your after. The battery lasts a good while and the display is big and clear; offers everything you could want.
Strengths: Its usually good for the latest bikes and products but the reviews (or reviewers) are rarely excitable. Most of the articles are good and informative with tests which are beneficial to the average consumer.
Weaknesses: They tend to be a bit picky when it comes to assessing the latest goods and fail to see that nothing is perfect. If someone invented an indestructable 4lb mountain bike which took the world by storm and only cost £20, they'd still only give it a 6 out of 10. Some of the articles are odd. Fly fishing and MTB'ing combined? Running out of ideas MBR?
Overall: Its one of the top two, up there with What MTB but falls short due to its phlegmatic attitudes and 'arty' layout. The writing can be a bit flowery but the reviews are nothing but honest.
'I'D RATHER THROW THE EQUIVALENT MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN'
Strengths: Its keeping someone in a job.
Weaknesses: Enjoy riding around the local play park with other like minded, long haired soap-dodgers? This is the magazine for you. Pages and pages of jobless oiks riding cheap, heavy rubbish around the local multi-story car park jumping over inanimate objects and breaking other peoples property. And limbs.
Overall: If you want a magazine which actively encourages being a knob and gives the public an excuse to hate cyclists, this is the magazine. Oh, and not a mountain in sight.
Strengths: I've spent the last few years trying different frames to suit my needs and have finally settled on the 'Dale Scalpel. For those of you like me not into the all- mountain riding and prefer fast XC as apposed to catching sick air or massive drop-offs, this bike is perfect. The scalpel seems to fit into a catagory all of its own between hardtail and full suspension with the advantages of both. The scalpel frame is super stiff with the minimum of pivots and linkages and the simple design of the flexing carbon chainstays works superbly. I initially had reservations about hammering the carbon rear end with my 13st frame but these fears, I soon learnt, were unfounded as it copes with abuse with ease. With the pro-pedal switched on it'll climb like a mountain goat with a crack pipe and goes downward just as quickly as those with massive travel rear ends. The 67mm of travel is just enough to take the edge off the terrain without losing the feel for the ground below your back wheel. I must confess to purchasing just the frame and I've been able to build up my dream bike with all the components I like and none of the usual $h!t£ Cannondale love to adourn their bikes with and most end up replacing.
Weaknesses: Two issues really. Like all Cannondale bikes or components, it's pricey. If you look at the top end or team replica bikes you'll be parting with the best part of £5K which, to most people including myself, is a lot of cash. In recent articles I've read Cannondale have stated that they intend to bring down the price of their steeds but in the same breath have revealed their new Scalpel which is well over that £5000 mark and their all-singing, all-dancing full carbon Scalpel pushing £6000. Should anyone really have to sell their car or vital organs to afford a bike? Secondly, its weighty. I have the 'large' frame and even with some lightweight components bolted to it she still comes in at a shade over 26lb. Not lardy, but for this amount of cash I'd have liked it well below 25lb.
Overall: The 'Dale Scalpel is the Marmite of the MTB world. You either love it or hate it and I, for one, love it. This is a seriously fast bike which feels very much at home on the fast singletracks and fireroads. It'll match the best of them in competition and can easily cope with a full day epic in the hills. An excellent all rounder with an unrivalled pedigree, its just a shame about the price.
Strengths: I have the 2007 Gel Flow version of this saddle and find it very comfortable for anything from a fast blast around the block or an epic in the borders of my native Northumberland. The gel inserts mould to the shape of your posterior after a few rides and the shape of the dropped nose and shaped rear mean that moving around on the saddle is made easy eliminating that annoying shorts-snagging habit that blight other perches. It's lightweight and well made as you'd expect and the leather cover seems hard wearing.
Weaknesses: While not a weakness as such, saddles are a very personal piece of kit and what is suitable for one rider may not be for another. Everyone is a different shape and size but this, and every other saddle, will have come from a production line or from the same mould and such, this might not be the one for you. Many reviewers say to try before you buy but with all those different saddles out there, this is extremely difficult.
Overall: As a saddle is one of only three contact points you have with your bike, it pays to get it right as your derierre is the more sensitive of the three. With this saddle I seem to have found the one I'm happy to sit on for hours of cycling and with it's build quality lightweight I'm happy to pay the price.
Strengths: These new XTR cranks are a vast improvement on the last M960 versions, the M960's weren't bad but they had their fair share of flaws. These 2007 versions have dispensed of the chainrings made of chocolate and butter with an infusion of titanium and carbon to improve strength and longevity. The finish on both the drive and non-drive crank arms have been improved and having used these for a few months now, they are showing no signs of being scrubbed off. They seem very stiff when powering down on the pedals with no annoying creak that can plague lesser chainsets. Fitting is trouble free if done properly (see below) and can easily be done by any aspiring home mechanic. There are a few space filling, fiddly plastic parts which seem to have been an afterthough rather than any beneficial design feature but all serve their purposes.
Weaknesses: For the love of god, get your bottom bracket refaced before fitting these granks. Unfortunately, I didn't and subsequently destroyed three XTR bearing cup sets, much to the delight of my bank account. While not a fault of the chainset, it doesn't bode well having to constantly remove and fit the chainset and I ultimately rounded the big alloy bolt on the non-drive side. Do yourself (and your wallet) a favour, don't swap these around if you have more than one bike as I found they don't like being dismantled too often. There are parts of these cranks that are made of soft alloy and are easily damaged by ham-fisted oafs such as myself. Fit them and forget about them.
Overall: The best chainset the 'Big S' has produced for a long time. It's light, stiff, strong and trouble free if you take your time fitting it. It isn't a ground breaking technological advance in cycling but you aren't going to get much better for all round, all day XC'ing.
Strengths: They're one of those bike components that make you think "I wish I'd thought of that...". I've been using the Egg Beaters since their first outing many moons ago and have never looked back. They have the obvious advantages such as weight (or lack of it) and the mud clearance matched by no other pedals. There's a definitive 'clunk' when you step in and you're held securely by the foot. Releasing is easy and becomes second-nature after a few rides with enough float to keep those with knee trouble from complaining. It's such a simple design with very few mechanical parts which makes home servicing a breeze. These SL versions feel a lot stronger and lighter than their cheaper bretheren; the materials used seem to be far superior.
Weaknesses: Bearing longevity can be an issue. It seems that it can be hit-and-miss when buying these pedals and when you take them apart and examine the bearing races you can see why. The bearings are very small and it makes you wonder how they take so much grief given their size. Along with the bars, pedals are the main contact point on any bike and the bearings should be up to the task. Ceramic bearings, anyone?
Overall: Lightweight, simplistic in design and a price-point for all pockets (£300+ for pedals?). I'll stick with them but please, Crank Bros, remedy the 'pot luck' bearing issue.
Strengths: I have used a few different brands of disc brakes including Magura and Hope, but I've found myself gravitating towards AVID after the years of reliable service they've given me. I started with the 2005 versions but have recently moved on to the 2007 incarnations, mainly to keep my bike up to date. Both versions are excellent and will provide oodles of stopping power when it's needed. I wouldn't use them for any serious Alpine style/MegaAvanlanche downhilling but for XC riding and racing they're all you'll ever need. My 160mm versions (front and back) have been trouble free from the moment I've strapped them to the bike and they take very little maintenance; change the pads now and then, give them a bleed every so often and they'll reward you with years of loyal service.
Weaknesses: Changing the hose length isn't as easy as AVID make it out to be in their 'simple to follow' instructions. Dismantling the brake is easy and relatively mess-free, rebuilding it with the new parts I found to be fiddly and awkward. Once the hose has been shortened, winding the new hosebarb into the plastic inner-pipe was a real pain in the @r$£ as the tube just twisted and eventually snapped. This meant I had to shorten the hose and attempt it again. And again. Then I finally gave up. Very frustrating.
Overall: After only a couple of rides to bed in there's more than enough power and modulation for all kinds of riding. The brakes are light, asthetically pleasing and are easy to bleed (although the bleed kit is pricey for what is ultimately a couple of syringes and a tiny bottle of oil). HIghly recommended.
