Fyxation Mesa MP pedalsFyxation may be better know for their lineup of urban gear, but their new Mesa MP pedal is said to also be ready for the mountain. They are designed around an impact grade nylon body that measures 18mm tall at its thickest point, and with a 100mm long by 94mm wide platform. Eight hex head pins per side work to hold your feet in place, with the six on the leading and trailing edges threading into replaceable nuts on the opposite side. This arrangement means that the pins and nuts are both replaceable if the worst should happen, but also that they are much sturdier than if they simply threaded into the nylon body itself. They spin on a two sealed bearings at the outer end and a DU bushing up against the crankarm, and use a cro-moly axle that can be threaded into the crankarm with either a pedal wrench or 8mm hex key. The Mesa MP pedals weigh 351 grams for the set and retail for $59.95 USD.
www.fyxation.com |
| The Mesa MP retails for a reasonable $59.95 USD, but needs some tweaking before we give them full marks. |
 | While many people warned us that the Mesa MP's nylon bodies wouldn't last long, they shrugged off rock strikes without any major damage. We got up off the ground from one major hit in particular expecting to find a shattered, or at least cracked, pedal body, only to discover that the impact didn't cause anything beyond some minor cosmetic damage. Score one for the Mesa MP pedals. The pins also refused to be ripped out, even though they were dragged over rocks on numerous occasions. While the nylon bodies proved to be able to brush off rock impacts, we did have one issue that seems to be down to the choice in material. An aluminum cap threads into the end of the nylon body, butting up against a spacer that acts as the shoulder for the outer race of the sealed bearing to ride on. The layout doesn't hold the body onto the axle, the pedal axle nut performs that job, but it does prevent the body from shifting in and out on the axle. And that is exactly what started to happen to our left Mesa MP pedal when the aluminum cap decided to push out of the threads in the nylon body during a ride. The pedal body can't come off of the axle, but the 3 - 4 mm of play in the body is very unnerving. They also don't provide nearly as much grip as some other pedals on the market. This is partly down to their use of flat topped hex screws - we far prefer open top set screws that have more biting edges and a smaller, but possibly less sturdy, diameter - but also because of the body shape itself. Looking at the outer edge reveals a bulge along its entire width directly over the axle (it sits at 18mm tall compared to 16mm tall at the leading and trailing edges), no doubt to allow room for the DU bushing and sealed bearings. Unfortunately, this bulge removes any concave that would otherwise be present on the body, greatly reducing that confidence inspiring grippy feel that is oh-so important. Fyxation could have compensated by spec'ing the Mesa MP with taller pins on its leading and trailing edges, therefore building in an amount of 'fake' concave with the pins themselves (this is something that you can do by purchasing inexpensive longer screws from your local hardware store). As they are, the Mesa MP pedals are not quite grippy enough for us, even with sticky soled shoes, and we'd like to see a solution to the end cap issue as well before we can recommend them. That is a shame because they are otherwise very competitive when it comes to weight and price. - Mike Levy |
POC Trabec Race MIPS helmetWith extended protection at the back of the head and an anti-roadie sort of look to it, POC's Trabec Race MIPS helmet fits into the growing ''trail rider'' category of gear for riders who may be looking for a more casual appearance. Its skateboard helmet shape and simple graphics belie the amount of technology present, though, mainly POC's Multi-directional Impact Protection System (
or MIPS). MIPS consists of a helmet shell and liner that are separated by a low friction layer that, POC says, allows a small amount of rotation of the shell relative to the liner when subject to an off-angle impact. This is said to show a significant reduction in forces transfered to the brain in such circumstances. An Aramid fiber layer is also employed to protect the helmet from being pierced, and its multi-postion visor can be adjusted to suit anyone's needs. You'll find sixteen vents in total, as well as a ratcheting band that features three different height postions on the helmet shell. It is slightly heavier than some other options, sitting at 375 grams for our M/L test helmet. The Trabec Race MIPS is available in XS–S, M–L and XL–XXL sizes, and either a mostly white/black or mostly black/white color combination. MSRP $200 USD.
www.pocsports.com |
| Comfortable and offering plenty of protection, the POC Trabec Race MIPS is a great helmet for anyone who doesn't ride in desert heat. |
| There is a fair bit of technology in Trabec Race MIPS helmet, but all that doesn't matter if the helmet isn't comfortable enough for you to want wear it. And while fit is always going to be a subjective point - what works for one may not work for another - the black and white helmet seems to be tailor made to our average sized heads here at Pinkbike. There are no hard spots that feel as if they need more padding, and the ratcheting band at the rear of the helmet provides even pressure without any awkward feeling load points. The Trabec helmet feels so comfortable, in fact, that it lacks that foreign feel that a new helmet sometimes has: it was nearly invisible from the get-go. It also stays level on the head over rough terrain without requiring the adjustable band to be done up overly tight, and the visor is flexible enough that we don't see it cracking anytime soon. That's the good, but what about the bad? The Trabec doesn't feel noticeable hotter on warm days compared to a lid with more vents, likely do to the sheer size of the openings on it, but we did find that there was a buildup of sweat that would be captured by the uninterrupted band of padding at the front of the helmet. While this could be considered a good thing - it did seem to act as a big sweatband - it would all of a sudden release the captured perspiration without warning, letting it come down and into our eyes. Doing back-to-back rides between the Trabec Race MIPS and another helmet revealed that this wasn't an issue with the other helmet's smaller, split padding up front. Is this a deal breaker? Not unless you live and ride in constant heat, we'd say. POC's Trabec Race MIPS is incredibly comfortable on our heads, and offers far more protection than a standard XC lid, both points that make it a great option for riders who don't ride in blazing heat year round. - Mike Levy |
Bontrager Rhythm Pro Carbon barOur Bontrager Bontrager Rhythm Pro Carbon riser bar is built using Trek's OCLV construction to a massive 820mm/32.3'' width (
they also offer a 750mm option that will suit more riders), making it one of the widest bars currently available. While that will clearly be too much for many riders, there are likely riders out there who will take the required time to get used to the gigantic width, and those who don't can simply cut them down. Their 9° bend and 4° upsweep is very close to the common 9 x 5 numbers that many bars use, but it's where Bontrager puts the bend, much further out from the stem clamp area than others, that makes the Rhythm Pro Carbon bar look a bit different at first glance. Clamp size is a standard 31.8mm, and the bar features a low, 15mm of rise. Bontrager claims a weight of 265 grams for the bar, but we weighed ours in at a lighter 242 grams, which is a competitive figure given how wide it is. MSRP $169.99 USD.
www.bontrager.com |
| Is wider better? Bontrager's Rhythm Pro Carbon bar lets you find out for yourself. |
| So, what does a 820mm wide handlebar feel like? A bit odd, even after doing our best to get used to it. Our trails are not overly tight, and we could actually get away with using the bar uncut, but the extra width seemed to have an adverse effect on how the bike handled. Our hands were unnaturally spread out and it felt as though it actually kept us from applying enough steering input when required - the old adage of wider bars slowing down a bike's steering taken to the maximum. That's not to say that there won't be riders out there who get used to and prefer the stock 820mm width, but we feel confident in saying that most will cut them down, which is exactly what we did, trimming them to 780mm/30.7''. Think of the 820mm wide Bontrager Rhythm Pro Carbon bar as being designed to be trimmed to whatever width you'd prefer, even if that number is still wider than anything else available, and you'll start to see why they make sense. If you don't see yourself needing anything over 750mm, the skinnier option that can also be trimmed down, will better suit you. The bar's finish has stood up very well, not looking like it has been in use for months on end, and its centering and angle gradients make it easy to consistently find the position that we prefer. Flex was a non-issue, even when at full width, and despite the somewhat odd shape when viewed from above, they actually put your hands very close to where they would be with any other bar. Much like other size dependent components, the 820mm wide Bontrager Rhythm Pro Carbon bar won't be for everyone, but it does give riders the option of discovering their ideal width for themselves. You might just surprise yourself. - Mike Levy |
