Ergon PC2 Pedal Review

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Jeff Moser

As part of the Ergon Commuter Team, I’ve had the opportunity to ride the Ergon PC2 pedals. The PC2s are Ergon’s ergonomic pedals, combining the convenience of a flat pedal with the efficiency and power of a clipless pedal. While I often commute to work using clipless pedals, I only do so because I’ll be using my bike at lunch for mountain biking on the local trails. For commuting and riding around town though, I much prefer wearing my regular shoes, and flat pedals allow me to use whatever shoes I happen to be wearing that particular day.

Ergon PC2 L(arge) Pedals

Here’s how Ergon describes the PC2 pedals:

A more efficient pedal. Ergon introduces the first flat pedal (or Contour Pedal as we call it) to provide an ergonomic and positive connection between bike and user. The first pedal designed with biomechanics and correct foot position in mind. Advantages are increased power transfer, more control and fewer hot spots and knee complaints. The Ergon PC2 is the first non SPD-type pedal constructed with the ergonomic biomechanical demands of the user as a priority.

Grip Tape pedal surface

Design and Ergonomics

Obviously a lot of thought went into designing the PC2 pedals, not only on how they would function, but the materials they’d be built from as well.

Instead of using a jagged metal cage or studs to keep your shoes from slipping on the pedals, the PC2s use grip tape. Where your shoe meets the pedal, the surface is covered with a rugged anti-slip material made of 3M SafetyWalk. Ergon claims the surface allows for the strong hold of your shoes in all weather conditions, but I’m not certain how they’ll function in the snow. With winter fast approaching, we should find out soon.

The PC2 pedals are equipped with large-area integral reflectors made in co-operation with Busch&Müller in Germany. Reflectors in motion, like on the pedals and wheels, are more visible at night than when mounted in stationary locations.

The PC2 pedals are also equipped with exclusively developed, ultra flat and maintenance free polymer journal bearings made by Igus in Germany. Maintenance free sounds great to me, and I’m eager to see how they hold up over a wet winter.

The pedal body is made of weight optimized high performance composite synthetics. This construction was made in close co-operation with German injection molding specialist Magura.

Old bear trap style pedals = bloody shins

The concave surface of the pedals follows the natural contour of your feet. Look at the bottom of your shoes, and you’ll notice they’re not completely flat. They curve up slightly at the ball of the foot. Your shoe naturally rests on the PC2 pedal with the ball of your foot over the axle of the pedal. This is the best position to transfer power to the pedals, and where conventional flat pedals differ. The ball of your foot tends to be more in front of the axle with regular flat pedals. You get less power transfer this way, and also the potential for knee discomfort.

To compensate for the different foot position, the pedal platform is quite long for full support. This not only increases efficiency, but spreads the weight load over a bigger surface (much like the line of Ergon Grips). Additionally, there are inner stops on the pedals that your shoes rest against. This further helps line up your feet, and keeps your shoes from rubbing on the cranks while pedaling.

The surface of the pedal slopes downward at 6° from the crank to the outer edge of the pedal. This follows the orientation of the forefoot and matches direction of the power that is brought to the pedal. If you sit on the edge of a table and dangle your legs off the end, you’ll notice that the outer edges of your feet hang a bit lower than the insides. These pedals take this natural foot position into consideration. I have a pair of Specialized cycling shoes that use this same design principle, and I find them to be very comfortable.

The inner stop of the pedal is nearly flush against the cranks. Minimal Q-factor, basically bringing your feet closer to the center of the bike, is said to optimize the position of the legs for more power and comfort.

Long and contoured surface

The Test

OK, enough with all the fancy design talk. How do the PC2s actually ride? I’ve tried them on 2 different bikes, using 4 different pairs of shoes. Here’s what I found.

I first installed the PC2s on my On One Inbred single speed. It’s setup as a mountain bike, and it’s also the bike I currently have my Ergon grips installed on. The PC2s replaced a set of cheap plastic BMX style pedals. The first thing I noticed was that my feet went right where they were supposed to be, the contours of my shoes matching up with the contours of the pedals. This placed the ball of my foot right over the pedal axle for maximum power. On the old BMX pedals, it took more care to find the right spot, and often the left and right feet weren’t doing the same thing.

Only my widest shoes would sometimes momentarily catch on the pedal’s inner stop, taking me just a second to adjust my foot over in about the same time it takes to clip into a clipless pedal. All the other shoes I tested, which included hiking boots, sport sandals, and sneakers, were a bit narrower, and dropped right into place on the pedal without any interference or delay. My only real complaint is that the over-sized pedals didn’t quite match the appearance of the rest of the bike. The On One is very minimalistic, including the skinny steel tubing of the frame. It had the look of big pedals on a little bike. Nitpicking.

The second installation was on my long Kona Ute utility bike. This bike came with some narrow bear trap style pedals that have always given me problems. Not only did my feet always feel like they were never lined up properly on the narrow platform, the jagged edges of the pedal were responsible for many a bloody shin. The bike is heavy and long, and my legs often got scraped by the pedals, most often when I was just standing over the bike or moving the bike into a parking spot.

Since the Kona Ute is heavy to begin with, and even heavier loaded with cargo, maximum power to the pedals is really important to get the bike moving. The larger surface area on the PC2 spreads the load out over a wide portion of the foot for great power transfer. Stiff soled shoes are just as comfortable as flexible shoes on the big platform. I use this bike year-round, so it’ll be nice to not worry about what shoes I’m wearing. Sandals or hiking boots, I’ll be ready to roll.

So while on the first test bike I felt like the PC2s were a nice enhancement, the Ergon pedals feel like a significant upgrade on my utility bike. This is where I plan to keep them. The PC2 pedals really transform the way the Ute rides, and the long platforms don’t look at all out of place on the long bike. The smoother surface of the PC2 should also keep the skin on my legs where it belongs.

Bottom Line

The Ergon PC2s are a good blend of comfort, convenience, and efficiency, with attention to detail, construction, and materials.

Compliments the Kona Ute

Installation

Since the pedal body mounts flush against the crank arm, there is no way to use a standard pedal wrench for installation. Instead, an 8mm allen wrench is used at the end of the pedal axle. Clean the threads, apply a small amount of grease to the threads, install the pedals by hand to prevent cross-threading, and then finish off with the wrench. The PC2s come with an extensive manual that includes full installation details and other tips. Don’t forget that the left pedal has reverse threads, i.e. turning the axle counter-clockwise tightens it.

PC2 Pedals and sneakers

More Specifications:

Available in small and large (tested here)
Small (max.EU42 / UK7.5 / US8.5)
Large (min. EU 43 / UK 8 / US 9)
Material: Superlight GFK Composite
Intended Use: Touring, Commuting, General Riding
Maintenance free polymer bearing
PC2-L – 506 grams per set
PC2-S – 444 grams per set
Ergon Website: http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/home

Disclaimer: This product was given to BikeCarson.com at no charge for test and review as part of the Ergon Commuter Team campaign. We were not paid or bribed to do this review, and will provide our honest and personal views throughout the entire process.

Night Riding

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Jeff Moser

A friend of mine was recently returning from an evening ride he was pulled over by the cops for not having the proper rear lighting. When he explained that he had been up mountain biking in Ash Canyon, and that his tail light had bounced off the mounting bracket, they cop eyed him suspiciously and said, “Don’t you think it’s a little late to be up there riding a bike?”

Bar Mounted Light

As kids, our parents gave us permission to go out on the bike “as long as we were back before dark”. Today, many people cut rides short, leave social events early, and scramble to get home when the sun starts going down. Far too many people enjoy the downtown social life using their cars to get home when they shouldn’t be. But cycling is still possible after dark. For the price of a tank of gas, you can buy some decent bicycle lights and keep bicycling year round, day or night. Lights can extend the hours of available mountain biking too. This is important to many riders, now that the sun is setting so early.

Helmet Mounted Light

I suspect a lot of people don’t know that riding your bike at night can be a lot of fun. Whether you’re pedaling through the dark woods, along a moonlit mountain singletrack, or cruising city streets beneath the neon lights, riding at night is an all new cycling experience. A feeling of floating rather than rolling. Less to look at and far fewer distractions. Many of your usual visual cues are not visible, and you may forget where you are momentarily if you let your mind drift. Your other senses are heightened. You might really feel the wind in your face, or notice just how loud a creek is for the first time. The trail you ride everyday may seem very unfamiliar at night, giving that same old trails new life. It can even be a little spooky at times.

A nice change to the same old trail

High-end lighting technology has come a long way. Thanks to LED lights, batteries are a lot more compact than they used to be, are quickly recharged, and have long burn times. Batteries are now small and light enough to be clipped onto your stem, bars, helmet, or other convenient location. Some batteries are even contained within the light, removing the need for a separate mount.

How much light you need is based on what type of riding you’ll be doing. A cheap $15 light might produce just enough light to alert motorists of your presence, but not provide you much illumination to light up the road. This may be ok if you plan to slowly cruise the city streets, but you can quickly overrun your lights if you pick up the pace. A light system costing a few hundred bucks will light up your world, and will allow you to ride at the same speed you might during full daylight. Lights of this caliber would be a good choice for racing or negotiating technical terrain.

Watching the full moon rise

My current headlight is somewhere in between. It’s a 110 lumen MiNewt from Nite Rider. For around $100, I got the light, rechargeable battery (can also be charged with a USB outlet), mounts for different sized handlebars, and a helmet mount. It’s more than enough light for riding around town at full speed, and provides me with enough light to enjoy the few night time mountain bike rides I do each year. It mounts/un-mounts easily with no tools, and fits in my pocket if I want to take it off once I reach my destination.

Night riding is fun for all!

Bar Mount vs. Helmet Mount

Some lights come with mounting hardware that allow you to mount the light to the handlebars or the helmet. Mounting a light on the handlebars shines light where your bike is headed. A light on the helmet shines light where you’re looking. Handlebar mounted lights are convenient and adequate for most urban riding, but many mountain bikers prefer running both. Riding technical trails at speed requires that you see what’s in front of your bike, but also what’s coming up around the next turn. When doing a fast turn in the daylight, we look through the turn and use our peripheral vision to see what is directly in front of us. Running two lights allows you to do this when it’s dark. The helmet light is also nice for peering into the bushes and making sure that twig you just heard snap isn’t a mountain lion or some other large, purely imagined, carnivorous mammal.

Planet Bike Superflash

Taillights and Other Lights

Taillights are much more affordable than headlights, since their main purpose is just to make you be seen. I went with a Planet Bike Superflash for around $26. It’s a bit more expensive than some of the other taillights, but it’s very bright. It’s a good choice for all season visibility, and has worked good even during snow storms. Some companies make little lights that can mount pretty much anywhere on the bike. You can get creative with these; for example, you might stick some on your seat tube to help increase visibility from the sides.

Be seen at night. Don’t be a bike ninja!

Some Tips for Night Riding

Check the forecast before you leave, and be aware of what the temperatures will be after the sun goes down. It can cool down quickly after nightfall. Wind vests, arm warmers, and headbands don’t take up much room in your pack, and keep you comfortable if you need them.
It’s still a good idea to have eye protection after dark. Get some clear lenses, or wear your eyeglasses. I don’t see very good after dark without my eyeglasses, so I prefer better vision at the expense of a little wind protection.
You don’t need a taillight for off-road riding, and sometimes they can bounce off the mount if you do take them off-road. I keep one in my pack though for the ride home. Once I return to the city streets, I just clip it on.
If you’re wearing a light on your helmet, cover it or turn it off when you look at people to talk to them. It’s easy to forget the light is up there, and your riding buddies don’t appreciate being blinded.
Don’t leave your expensive lights on your bike when it’s unattended on the bike rack. You could easily lose your investment and have to ride home in the dark.

Do you have any night riding tips to share? What lights are you using?

WTB Bronson 29″ Review – First Impressions

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Jeff Moser

Being a tire junkie, a fan of Wilderness Trail Bikes products, and limping along on tires that had knobs almost worn down to the casing, I was really excited to receive the all-new WTB Bronson 29″ tires for test and review. I first saw the Bronsons at the 2010 Interbike trade show, and even talked to the legendary Mark Weir himself about the new tires. He seemed genuinely excited about them, so I knew if they worked good for him, they’d almost certainly be fantastic for me.

WTB Bronson 29×2.2 – Out of the Box

The Bronsons are named after tough guy/action hero Charles Bronson. This is quite a hefty reputation to live up to. Will the Bronsons make Chuck proud? I’ve only had the new Bronsons out for a few rides on the same trails, but I do have some data and first impressions of these tires that I’d like to share with you.

Mounted up and ready to ride

SETUP

Before I mounted the tires, I put them on the scale. The WTB site has them at 700 grams, and my tires weighed in at 705 and 720 grams. This is pretty close to advertised, and also a surprising weight for such a large, aggressive tire. I mounted the Bronsons to a set of Sun Ringle Black Flag Pro 29er rims, using Stan’s NoTubes sealant to make them tubeless. These Bronsons are not specified by WTB for tubeless use, but they sealed up easily and are holding air just fine. Starting tire pressure was 25psi in the front, 30psi in the rear.

On the trail

ON THE TRAIL

Here’s how WTB describes the Bronson on their Website:

This widely spaced linked tread tire takes charge in a broad range of conditions from dry hard pack to mud. The Bronson’s ramped center knobs roll fast while square-edged side blocks bite tenaciously at lean angles. An open tread pattern makes quick work of muck as low rotational weights keep you rolling faster.

Since the Bronsons have been mounted, I’ve ridden asphalt, soft over hard pack dirt roads, and different flavors of singletrack including soft sand, wet sand, packed clay, and a shale/powdery clay mix. In a nutshell, the looser and nastier the conditions, the more you notice the capabilities of the Bronsons. The tall knobbies really dig into the dry, soft summer trails. Climbing has been fantastic, the tall flexible knobbies grab ahold of everything when it starts to get rocky and loose. It gives you extra confidence when you know the tires will always grip with no wasted energy from a slipping wheel. Cornering traction on the sandy trails has also been phenomenal due to the progressively aggressive side knobs on the Bronsons. The more you lean, the more they bite.

The ramped center knobs and knob spacing of the Bronsons allow the tires to roll fairly smooth on hard pack, including asphalt. Corning on the asphalt though feels a little sketchy when leaned over, as you can feel a little flex from those tall side knobs. While they might not be the best tires for putting in the miles on the asphalt, they do pretty well on the loose over hard pack that you find on dirt roads and double track.

We had a series of rainstorms recently, and I was lucky enough to get in some singletrack while the trails were still wet. The Bronsons were sticking to the wet sand like crazy, and I had an amazing ride that day. I have a feeling these tires will really start to shine when the late Fall/Winter conditions arrive.

Ready for the descent

WEIGHT

I dropped around a half a pound of rotating mass when I switched from my previous tire setup (WTB Weirwolf LT 2.55 front, WTB Wolverine 2.2 rear). At just over 700 grams, the Bronsons feel light and zippy for such a big tire, and I wouldn’t have a problem suggesting them for front or rear use. You could certainly go lighter for a rear tire, but running tubeless, the weight doesn’t seem to bog me down and I’m really enjoying the extra climbing traction.

COMPARISONS

I had a lot of time and many miles on WTB’s Wolverine tires. The Bronsons certainly have a different personality. Bronson casing width/tread width in mm is 52/56. The Wolverine’s is 54/52. While the Wolverine gets its width from its larger casing, the Bronson gets it from the knobbies. The Bronsons aren’t as plush as the larger volume Wolverine, so I’ve aired down a couple PSI to compensate. I’m still experimenting with pressure to find the sweet spot. The shorter knobs of the Wolverine are less flexy, and therefore hook up a little better on the hard pack. This is especially noticeable on asphalt. The Wolverines also roll smoother. The Bronsons are definitely lighter though, and it’s enough of a difference that you can feel it. Tire profiles also differ on these two tires, the Bronson being a bit more round, the Wolverine more square. This slightly changes the lean angle performance between the two tires, the degree you have to lean the bike over to engage the side knobs, and also the air pressure settings required to flatten the tire out for maximum ground contact.

I’ve found that I like the characteristics of both the Bronsons and the Wolverines depending on what I’m doing. I think a hot setup, though, might be a Wolverine up front for a little extra plushness (I run a rigid fork), with the lightness and extra traction of the Bronson in the rear. I’ll probably try this setup down the road after I get the Bronsons out for many more test rides.

Bronson Footprint

SPECS:

Size: 2.2″ x 29″, 52/56 (casing width/tread width in mm)
Weight: 705, 720 grams (published weight: 700g)
Construction: RACE (folding aramid bead, lightweight casing)

This is by no means the final review though. The Bronsons and I are still getting to know each other, and I know I’m not using them to their full potential yet; for example, each turn I do, I think I could’ve leaned the bike over way further than I did. I’m eager to get the Bronsons out on a wide variety of trails, and also see how the perform in the snow, ice, mud, and muck of the winter that awaits us. At this time though, it’s safe to say that Charles Bronson himself would be honored to run these tires on his bike.

Hooking up good in the corners with the Bronsons

More info on the WTB website: http://www.wtb.com/products/tires/29er/bronson29er/

Disclaimer as required by the FTC: This product was given to BikeCarson.com at no charge for test and review. We were not paid or bribed to do this review, and will provide our honest and personal views throughout the entire process.

Ergon GR2 Grip Review

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Jeff Moser

According to their website, Ergon is a bicycle accessory company whose aim is to develop products that offer the best ergonomics for cyclists, which combine the best scientific principles with the practicality of real world usage. Ergon has a fairly extensive line of grips, offering different grip materials, and a variety of different bar ends (including the absence of them). For this test, I chose the smaller GR2-Small for my average sized hands, and also for the subtle bar ends.

Ergon GR2-S

SPECIAL FEATURES AND DESIGN

Effective pain prevention for hand and wrist
Ergonomically correct hand position and optimal pressure distribution
Independently adjustable bar end and grip angle
Available in Small and Large

If you’ve been riding bikes long enough, the Ergons may remind you of the Oakley 3 grips from the 1980s BMX days. Like the old Oakleys, the grip gets wider towards the outer edge, and there is a special area for your fingers to grip. Unlike the simple rubber BMX grips though, the Ergons are made up of different materials throughout the grip, bolt on securely to the bars, and include a bar end.

Ergonomically correct hand position and optimal pressure distribution

INSTALLATION

Installing the GR2s was my first experience with lock-on grips. I’m used to muscling on standard grips, using just enough rubbing alcohol to allow the grip to slip onto the handlebars. The GR2s simply slide right on though without any effort. The trick though is to make sure the grip is all the way on before tightening the one bolt that not only locks the grip to the bar, but also sets the angle of the bar end. Getting the angle right on the grip and the bar end took some careful eyeballing and test riding to find the perfect setting. Once set though, they’re locked in. I didn’t have to readjust the grips once in the test period.

FUNCTION AND COMFORT

Immediately after getting the grips mounted, I pedaled a few feet then wheelied up a couple stairs. The grips “moved”, and I had a brief moment of panic that I hadn’t tightened the bolts enough. It turned out only to be the flex of the “wing” of the grip. It didn’t take long to get used to the flex though, and I started appreciating the extra shock absorption that the wing offers. Additionally, there’s a recessed area on the bottom of the grip where your fingers tuck nicely in. The whole grip really feels good in your hand. Almost like it was made just for you.

I’ve really enjoyed riding around the city with the Ergon GR2 grips, even getting a little excited that I would be riding the bike that had these grips installed. You can definitely feel the pressure from the grip evenly distributed across the palm of your hand, and the flex from the grip adds additional shock absorption. Look at the palms of your hands, and you’ll see that a grip of this shape makes a lot of sense. These aspects are further appreciated when carrying a heavy load on your back. I even got the GR2s out on the Bike Polo court for a few games. In Bike Polo, you need to ride most of the game with one hand, since the mallet is in the other hand. This experience really showcased the comfort of the grip, since all my upper body weight was focused on that one point.

I’m a big fan of alternate bend bars, those with a lot more back-sweep than standard, but the bar ends on the GR2s give me the hand position I’m looking for when I need it. The bar ends are also subtle, unlike the big horns from previous decades. The bar ends come in handy when you need some extra sprinting or climbing leverage, or simply want to switch up your hand position.

Running the GR2s made my 27″ wide bars look and feel even wider. It feels like I could take an inch off the bars, especially when out on the bar ends.

Out on the Trail

PROBLEMS

Eager for my wife to try them, I mounted the GR2s on her Stumpjumper for an upcoming mountain bike ride up at Lake Tahoe. The right grip went on fine, but for some reason, I just couldn’t get the left grip mounted properly. The bar end seemed to be locked in place, but the grip twisted under pressure. I started over to make sure I hadn’t screwed something up, but the problem still existed. It felt like I was pushing the bolt beyond where I should, but I kept tightening anyway. Finally the bolt snapped, rendering the grip useless. This hadn’t happened on the bars I had been using, and after asking around to other Ergon users, nobody else reported similar problems. Perhaps I just had the wrong grip/bar combo. I’m going to see what I can do about getting a replacement part, because I really feel the grips deserve a 2nd chance. And maybe next time I’ll use a torque wrench.

OTHER NOTES

As a safety precaution, Ergon says these grips are not suitable for the use with carbon handlebars. While the grips are friendly to the human hand, there is a lot of pressure at this one bolt on the handlebar.
Due to the bar ends, the GR2 grips are designed for handlebars with little sweep, so if you like radically bent bars, they won’t work.
While the grips slide on easy, it does take some patience to get them setup just right when compared to a standard rubber grip.

Tubes versus Tubeless

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Jeff Moser

Most mountain bikers these days are familiar with tubeless tires. If you’re not running them yourself, you’ve seen the ads in magazines, or have buddies that have made the switch. What a lot of people don’t know though, is why they’d want to go tubeless in the first place. What’s in it for them? I’ve been using tubeless tires for a few years now, so I’ll give you some of the pros and cons of converting.

Tu-be or not Tu-be

Tubeless Tire Benefits

Traction

One reason to go tubeless is for the traction benefits. Since there is no tube to pinch flat, you can safely run lower pressures to flatten out the tire for more contact with the ground. Additionally, without the tube in there, the tire seems to feel a bit more supple than with a tube at the same pressure. It’s a subtle feeling, but one you notice.

Rotating Mass Reduction

Depending on how you setup your wheels, you can shed grams of rotating mass. The best way is to start off with rims that are tubeless ready. These rims are designed to be leak proof, so you can get away with just running lightweight tubeless rim tape. With the addition of just 2 or 3 scoops of sealant, a valve stem with a rubber gasket on the inside, you have a wheel that is noticeably lighter and more responsive. If you plan to convert non-tubeless ready rims, your results will vary. You may have to run a special rubber rim strip to get the proper seal. These rim strips are basically a trimmed down tube; a valve stem connected to a rubber strip that goes over the spoke holes (in addition to sealing tape that covers the spoke holes beneath the strip). You’ll still end up with a wheel that is a little lighter, but not as much as with the preferred method.

Flat Protection

Flat protection is another area where your results may vary. If you watch the video on the Stan’s Notubes website, you’ll believe that you’ll never have to worry about flats again. They run over beds of nails and stab the tires brutally, and each time the holes instantly seal. The tire itself makes a huge difference on flat protection though. I’ve had good luck getting pretty much any tire to seal properly on my rim and hold air. When it comes to flat protection though, I’ve had different experiences. I’ve pulled goatheads out of one tire and watched it instantly seal. On another tire, I pulled a small desert peach spine out when I got home from a ride, and sealant proceeded to geyser out all over the living room. The tire casing was probably just too thin on this lightweight tire, and there wasn’t enough rubber to close the hole back up.

Out on the trail, I’ve probably seen just as many tubeless tire flats as tubed tire flats. We don’t usually ride near thorns, but there are some sharp rocks that will tear a sidewall. Tubeless tires don’t seal up when they get a sidewall tear. This means you still should carry a tube with you. If you get a tubeless flat out on the trail, you have to pull out the valve stem or rim strip to install the tube.

Which tires do you use for use for going tubeless?

UST (Universal System Tubeless) – UST Tires are specifically designed to be tubeless. They have a thicker casing, and are able to seal good and withstand punctures. The downside is that they are a lot heavier, so you will not realize the weight savings.

TCS (Wilderness Trail Bike’s Tubeless Compatible System) – WTB has recently introduced a TCS line of tires. They weigh somewhere in between a standard tire and a UST tire, giving the rider a tire that will probably seal better without a lot of excess weight.

Standard – Most people I know, myself included, have just used standard mountain bike tires. Some claim that wire bead tires seal up better, but I’ve had no problems with folding beads either. As I mentioned above, your flat protection may vary. Not all standard tires will seal up though, so this may be an area you have to experiment with.

Some cons of going tubeless

While your bike will handle great with tubeless tires, there are some things to consider before making the jump.

Cost: A quart of Stan’s Notubes sealant runs about $20. I recently did four 29er wheels and had just enough sealant. Unfortunately, the last tire would not seal. It was old, and the bead seemed to have too much gap on the wheel. Most of the sealant was wasted during the attempt. Sometimes you get an instant seal and you think you have the process down. Other times you can’t figure out what the problem is, and you end up with sealant all over the garage floor (don’t attempt in your living room!). Also, the sealant (the Stan’s I’ve used), only lasts about 3 months before you need to refresh your tires. They’ll still hold air, but flat protection is pretty much gone since the sealant is dried up. If you have multiple bikes, you may want to just convert your main ride to tubeless, and just use tubes in the other bikes.

Variety of tires – If you’re someone who likes to experiment with a lot of different tires, it will be probably be too much of a pain and cost prohibitive to frequently change your tubeless tires. When going tubeless, it’s best to find a set of tires you like and go with them.

You need an air compressor – I was able to once install a tubeless tire with a hand pump, but I think I just got lucky. Using an air compressor to quickly blast the bead into the hooks of the rim is usually what is required. If you don’t own a compressor, you’ll have to rely on a buddy that has one if you need to put on a new tire. Don’t forget to purchase a Presta to Schrader converter for your valve stem when you go to use the compressor. These converters are usually up on the counter at your local bike shop. Hand pumps work fine though once the tire has been installed; the compressor is only needed for installation or if the tire bead seal has been broken.

Messy – As I mentioned above, you will probably at some time get sealant all over the garage floor during installation. Also, when it’s time to add sealant or change tires, you need to scrape and brush all the old hardened sealant out of the tires to reduce build up.

Compatibility – Not all rims and tires will work. You may have to purchase additional rims and/or tires.

Skill – Installing a tubeless tire is harder than installing a tubed tire. Once you get the method down for installing a tubeless tire, it isn’t too hard, but it doesn’t always go easy. After a few installations though, you’ll start to figure out some tricks to help the process along. I recommend doing the installation with an experienced friend the first time.

I hope this post has answered some of your questions about going tubeless. If you decide to give it a try, I think you’ll like it. Have you already gone tubeless? What have your experiences been? Has anyone used a different sealant than Stan’s Notubes? How did that work?

Niner YAWYD Top Cap Review

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Jeff Moser

A lot of people like bikes. A lot of people like beer. And there’s a subset of these two groups that really like both. For this group, Niner Bikes has made available the YAWYD (You Are What You Drink) Top Cap.

YAWYD Top Cap replaces existing top cap

The Niner YAWYD Top Cap replaces your existing top cap so that you can snap your favorite beer bottle cap over the built in lip to customize your ride. Installation is simple. Just remove your existing steering tube cap, and bolt on the YAWYD. The YAWYD has a specially shaped top that is similar to the top of a beer bottle. Carefully remove a bottle cap off your favorite brew, and just snap it on to the top cap. If it doesn’t snap tight, use a pair of needle nose pliers to snug the bottle cap’s crimped edges around the top cap. Niner suggests you ride your bike a bit to make sure the headset is snug before covering up the bolt with the bottle cap.

Choose your favorite bottle cap to customize your ride

While the YAWYD Top Cap adds flair to your bike, it is not directly performance enhancing. The YAWYD may have some indirect benefits though. It can serve as a visual reminder of the cold brew that is waiting for you at the end of the trail, and this may be just enough to keep you going when the legs are trying to tell you they can do no more.

More info at: http://www.ninerbikes.com/topcap

Cavery Cab

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Jeff Moser

After starting a family, it can be difficult to keep riding like you did before the baby arrived. It’s not always easy or affordable to find a babysitter, and so you often find you and your spouse taking turns out on the trails. Local riders Cullen and Melissa Jones were determined to keep riding after the birth of their son though, so they designed and built the Cavery Cab, a single wheeled, off-road bike trailer. The trailer went through a few prototypes, until finally the Cab got the Cavery seal of approval. The latest design works great over smooth singletrack, even over uneven terrain.

Think a Cavery Cab would work good for your family? Cullen will build you one! Here are some details on the Cavery Cab from their website:

The Cavery Cab is a single wheel bike trailer serving as the ultimate mountain bike trailer for families. It was inspired by the birth of our son Cavery. We realized that we needed special gear to help us continue enjoying our favorite trails as a couple- and now as a family. Encouraged by our son’s total love of all things outdoors and with wheels, we set out to find a trailer that would allow us to bring him with us on our bike rides. Unable to find a trailer that met our criteria, we resolved to make one. After testing various designs, we finally have the single track trailer with features we all want- safe, smooth, comfortable, and fun!

The trailer works using a single-wheel design and attaches to the seat post of a rider’s bike, allowing you to ride single track trails. It is fitted with a rear suspension shock giving a smooth ride over uneven terrain. The trailer attaches to seat posts of 31.6 mm and 27.2 mm diameter using the appropriate adapter sleeves. A child of up to 40 pounds rides in a Graco or Cosco Convertible Car Seats which can be clipped to secure points on the Cavery Cab frame.

Cullen made and tested several prototypes of the single-wheel suspension kid trailer until he found the right combination of features that gave the smoothest ride on all types of terrain for …both rider and trailer. The Cavery Cab has allowed us to share many special moments together outside and off road. As we ride the trails, we continue to meet riders who would like a Cavery Cab either for taking along kids or gear where ordinary bike trailers can’t go. If you would like one, just let us know! Happy Trail Riding!

For more info, photos, video, and pricing:

Official Website: http://www.caverycab.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/CaveryCab

Photos courtesy of CaveryCab.com

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Bicycle News, Culture, and Lifestyle in Carson City, Nevada

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