Strengths: Adjustable travel, plush, disc only, travel adjustable by home mechanic, easy to fine tune cos it's air sprung.
Weaknesses: It wobbles when at rest cos that's how it's made.Price?
Overall: Reliable as hell compared to the Fox shocks. No problems after ten months of Derbyshire.It clunks and feels like the headset is loose when it's stood still, but that disappears when you get the fork working. Apparently it's due to the film of oil between the fork inner and outer. Tracks very well, flex and flutter free. Takes a 203mm disc happily. Makes you better than you are.Price is steep, but others are as expensive, and it IS a quality item. 4 for reliability cos it's only ten months old. 4 for value cos it is expensive. 5 for performance cos I'm honest.
Strengths: Egg beaters with a platform. Nuff said.
Weaknesses: None.
Overall: I used Egg beaters, as well as Time, Shimano etc etc etc. I loved the Beaters, see my review, but occasionally wanted a platform. Here it is. Huge hint: forget your feelings for that nice Mr Bush, go to EvilBay and buy from America; £45 for brand new Mallet Ms.
Strengths: Superior to V brakes, most of the advantages of hydro discs.
Weaknesses: Bit heavier than hydros,(?) don't self adjust, not consistent pad / rotor placement
Overall: At full price, not worth the hassle: get a Mini. At a discounted price, great brakes. I use a SD Ti lever, and provided you keep things clean and check the pad adjustment, AND CUT THE CABLE TO THE CORRECT LENGTH these are fine for general XC riding. Don't use them in the French Alps cos they don't stop you. Ratings are for a full price brake.
Weaknesses: Slightly harder to clip in than a Shimano.
Overall: As easy to get out of, and easier to keep clean than any Shimano pedal. Used mine for over a year, no problems; they don't even creak. Bought mine from Ebay, brand new from a USA dealer, £45. I've tried flats, toe-clips, Shimano and Time in addition to the Eggs. The Time and Eggs are ahead on float, which becomes more important as you get to my age, and almost match on ease of use. As for wear, there is no comparison; I still have lots of life left in the Eggs cleats. To top it off, the Eggs don't clog, regardless of conditions.
Overall: I got through two sets of Shimano hubs in one year. Same bike, same trails, Hope hubs, still going strong. Kind of offsets the difference in price.
Strengths: It's Kona, it's steel, it's disc specific, it fits a cyclocross or hybrid bike, it goes where it's pointed. Get the idea?
Weaknesses: Bit heavy?
Overall: Bought as part of a spec for a 700c commuter / tourer with discs. Used for a year in all weathers, and all types of terrain. The only thing it didn't like was the French Alps, when it was subjected to serious singletrack abuse. Still strong, still true and flex free, still unscratched despite Frog mountains. Recently replaced with a Pace RC31 cos I wanted a Pace RC31. Could have saved myself the money - the only difference is in the weight.
Strengths: It's a Kona. 700c wheels, triple road chainset, Ultegra cassette and f/mech, XT rear mech, disc brakes, flat bars & Rapidfires,rack, carbon seatpost and bars, DB cro-mo fork...................
Weaknesses: Finding a rack to fit disc brakes. It's not steel. I'm terrified some swine will nick it.
Overall: There's not a lot of places I want to go that I can't reach on this. Commute, tour, race( sort of, but then I'm 45)cycle trails, singletrack. Absolutely brilliant. Also it's a Kona. Bought as a frame, specced as I wanted, cost me about 900 quid, which is the same price as the full bike. Problem is not spending too much time or money on it. Did I mention it's a Kona?
