Check Out - May

May 4, 2015

by Paul Aston

Wisecracker Twinduro Bottle Opener

• 1-1/8" Headset Spacer
• Material: 6/4 Titanium
• Finish: Bead Blast Finish
• Stack Height: 1.8mm
• Weight: 22 g
• Price: $28 USD
• WiseCracker LTD

From the Manufacturer:

Double your drinking pleasure with the Twinduro and open two bottles at the same time. It neatly fits as a headset spacer under your handlebars and can be installed in just 5 minutes. This opener has no coating, just the natural titanium colour, and features the Twinduro script.

Zefal Z Box

• Waterproof
• Compact and practical
• Fits in bottle cage
• Adjustable compartment, can be divided into two parts for a better storage
• Material: Polypropylene
• Height: 250 mm
• Weight: 130g
• Capacity: 0,8 L / 26 oz
• Price: / € 8,90
• Zefal

From the Manufacturer:

Large capacity tool holder, the Z Box L responds to your needs thanks to the two available compartments. It is waterproof to keep your belongings dry.

High Five Race Pack

• State-of-the-art nutrition for a 4-hour endurance event
• Award winning EnergySource Sports Drink
• Race proven EnergyGel and IsoGel
• Provides a scientific dose of caffeine
• Step-by-step nutrition guide for your sport, distance and bodyweight
• Price: $23.49 USD
• High Five

From the Manufacturer:

High5 Event & Race Pack contains enough award-winning products for a 4-hour Cycle/MTB/Triathlon event, including EnergyGel, IsoGel, EnergySource and Protein Recovery. It will demonstrate what can be achieved using the latest generation of nutrition products and a scientific nutrition strategy for your sport, distance and bodyweight. It contains an assortment of best selling flavours.

Bliss ARG Comp Knee Pad

• Pre-shaped, flexible, super shock absorbing Armourgel® knee & shin pad
• Ergonomic cut for a perfect fit
• Flatlock stitching
• Additional EVA padding at the sides and above the knee
• Adjustable elastic strap on upper and lower leg
• Siliconprint inside upper leg opening for additional hold
• Comfortable lycra-material
• Kevlar® at knee area
• Mesh fabric at hollow of knee
• Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
• CE EN-1621-2:2012 K+L certified

• Price: $129.90 USD
• Bliss Camp

From the Manufacturer:

The Bliss ARG Vertical Extended Knee Pads are designed for the new styles of mountain riding these days. We took the benefits of our Cross Country/All Mountain Minimalist Knee Pads and added a pre shaped Level 2 certified 3D cap with the maximum protection where it's necessary. Simultaneously, we tried to keep them as light as possible. The knee pads are made out of super light Lycra, a mesh fabric at the hollow of knee, flat lock stitching, an ergonomic cut for a perfect fit, a compression strap at the top and silicon dots on the inside. To round this package out, the whole knee area is boosted with Kevlar. For us it's important to provide you with protection at it's best, so the knee pad is certified with CE EN-1621-2:2012 K.

One Industries Sector Glove

• Hicom mesh and ribbed spandex chassis construction
• Single layered Clarino palm, Direct inject finger design
• Micro fibre thumb panel wipe
• Lycra finger gussets
• Adjustable TPR hook and loop wrist closure system
• Tacky silicone finger print
• 40% Synthetic Leather, 35% Nylon, 15% Leather, 10% PVC Rubber
• Colours: Red, Gray or Black
• Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
• Price: $35.99 USD
• One Industries

From the Manufacturer:

The Sector Glover in Red is a bomb proof glove that will give you great protection while pushing hard through the track or fighting the brush while trail riding.

Skratch Labs Hydration Mix

• Match Green Tea + Lemons, Pineapples, Apple and Cinnamon, Lemons and Limes, Oranges, Raspberries,
• Resealable Bag contains ~20 16oz (500mL) servings
• Price: $19.50 USD
• Skratch Labsl

From the Manufacturer:

This is an all natural sports drink. It replaces both the fluid and electrolytes you lose in your sweat while providing just enough calories to help fuel your working muscles. Flavoured with only real fruit and containing no artificial colours or preservatives, our drink mix won't upset your stomach, leave a bad taste in your mouth, or challenge your IQ with tongue twisting chem-lab ingredients. It just works better. Maybe that's why, for years, top athletes have been secretly replacing their sponsors' products with drink mix made from Skratch. You Sweat. We Hydrate.

Hostile Bicycles DM Stem

• UK Design
• CNC machined, Billet 6061 T6 aluminum
• Grade 5 Titanium bolts (machined taper heads)
• 45mm or 50mm reach
• 31.8mm bar diameter
• 65mm bar clamp width
• Compatible with FOX 40 (2009 onwards), All Rock Shox BoXXer, Marzocchi (2009 onwards)
• Colour: Black
• Weight: 107.5g (Including bolts)
• Price: €90.15 / $96.10 USD
• Hostile Bicycles

From the Manufacturer:

With so many direct-mount stems on the market, Hostile wanted to develop a simple, ground up solution that would set our stem apart from the competition. Developed and extensively tested over the past year, the innovative two part design removes any un-required bolts and material resulting in a stem that weighs in at 107.5 grams, making it one of the lightest direct-mount stems on the market and maintaining a high level of strength and rigidity that matches any other stem on the market

Check-Out is an article that gives you a glimpse at items under $200 that have crossed the desks here at Pinkbike that we've not had a chance to review yet, but feel that you may want to take a look at.

MENTIONS: @blissprotection

Posted In:
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72 Comments

148 1

captain-sandbag (May 4, 2015 at 15:31)

Sometimes I slip while climbing and bash me knee on my stem. In those moments, all I can think is "wouldn't it be great if there was something sticking out of here to cut me?". Now, for only $28, I can have that. Wonderful.

33 0

HpSauce (May 4, 2015 at 18:00)

Plus, you can stop and double fist beers at some point during your ride so you will be even more likely to slip and bash your knee.

slovenian6474 (May 4, 2015 at 19:01)

I thought the beers were for after the knee bash?

pinnityafairy (May 4, 2015 at 19:20)

My thoughts exactly!

Satn69 (May 4, 2015 at 20:59)

Bring cans of bear. Fall on your Enduro pack. Break the bottles and glass in your back. Right Dr Evil

zepper (May 4, 2015 at 21:11)

@tinfoil ...it looks like Bliss might have a product you need to go with your twinduro cap popper.

excavator666 (May 5, 2015 at 4:30)

@tinfoil ...also handy for those pesky occasions when you have just too many fingers.

This is possibly the most retarded, trendy, hipster, redundant product yet -_-

slovenian6474 (May 5, 2015 at 5:09)

@Satn69 huh huh, this is a can of bear
thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/grizzly-bear-digging-trash-can-7973872.jpg

madmax650 (May 5, 2015 at 8:59)

How the hell are you riding a bike then when you're climbing?

PAmtbiker (May 6, 2015 at 17:17)

@tinfoil it should just come with the knee pads shown below it...

82 1

BigballmcCall (May 4, 2015 at 15:04)

Already have twin bottle openers on my bike. Called SPD pedals.

36 0

jmusuperman (May 4, 2015 at 15:06)

Wouldn't that be quadruple? Two openers per pedal?

15 0

jrocksdh (May 4, 2015 at 15:16)

And @28 spokes!

BrightBulbPhoto (May 4, 2015 at 16:40)

What ? You guys don't use your teeth?

36 1

getschwiftyclub (May 4, 2015 at 16:52)

I've used my teeth before. 1st bottle worked great, 2nd bottle...just don't use your teeth.

rivercitycycles (May 4, 2015 at 17:10)

The Wisecracker Twinduro Bottle Opener looks like it would do a number on your knees or other body parts during a crash

5 10

RedBurn (May 4, 2015 at 17:25) (Below Threshold)

you (in general) must be really c*nt today to use your teeth: your teeth enamel leaves your mouth and don't come back

mnorris122 (May 4, 2015 at 17:32)

I dont get people who have bottle openers on their bikes. Like, are you carrying class bottles in your pack while riding, to be consumed while riding? At best your beer will be foamy, and at worst you'll fall onto a hard glass object in your backpack.

devanish (May 4, 2015 at 17:39)

I have a 2004 Santa Cruz Heckler with a built in bottle opener on rear triagle, as mentioned in the original brochure, still comes in handy.

19 0

preach (May 4, 2015 at 17:52)

Sometimes on the whole beer craze my thought is "man-up... Bourbon has a twist top."

10 31

chasehiggins (May 4, 2015 at 18:51) (Below Threshold)

Anybody else think its bad there promoting drinking and riding?

SunSetter (May 4, 2015 at 19:23)

drinking and riding maybe, but riding and drinking definitely no, it's not bad

ryanmill (May 4, 2015 at 20:40)

Don't forget how well the rotors can open bottles as well!

Bullitproof (May 5, 2015 at 14:40)

@chasehiggins Denfinatley. such a terrible idea. you should never know the excruciating pain of a few beers after a long ride

shredwhatevs (May 5, 2015 at 19:12)

How about a growler sized bottle cage?

jpwilbur9 (May 5, 2015 at 23:21)

growlercage.com

getschwiftyclub (May 6, 2015 at 1:50)

I just moved within 5 miles of a great brewery, I may NEED a growlercage

51 2

norcal77 (May 4, 2015 at 15:37)

What could I possibly put in that Zegal z box That would need to stay dry and possibly be separated from other belongings.....cough

Lurch420 (May 4, 2015 at 16:26)

hot box?

getschwiftyclub (May 4, 2015 at 16:29)

@norcal77 Brilliant! Comment made me laugh.

14 0

Zimmer68 (May 4, 2015 at 18:11)

Zeed is Wegal in some places you know!

norcal77 (May 4, 2015 at 18:41)

You mean "the weed.....is in my Zegal". it's not legal everywhere though. So if it isn't legal...bring it in your Zegal.

47 0

murrdogg (May 4, 2015 at 20:17)

you know what else is waterproof and fits in a water bottle holder? a water bottle.

Satn69 (May 4, 2015 at 21:00)

Vaporizer yeah!

bholton (May 4, 2015 at 22:19)

@murrdogg - made me laugh! Loud. I have a few waterproof water bottles too!

pancakeflatted (May 4, 2015 at 23:42)

second on the vape. Then your waterbottle holder is for the water bottle, you can put a nard guard on your stem, and whether the zeed is wegal won't matter cos you'll be vaping and no need for the Zegal.

47 1

RedBurn (May 4, 2015 at 15:16)

hahaha 28$ for a beer opener joke right ? it s not even carbon

18 0

DoubleD92 (May 4, 2015 at 17:55)

it's titanium bro come on

10 0

kungfupanda (May 4, 2015 at 22:48)

I hear it's 27.5+ and Enduro approved... You should be so lucky to only pay $28!

21 0

preach (May 4, 2015 at 16:20)

I was hoping for a $189 Fox t Shirt...

Just me?

pancakeflatted (May 4, 2015 at 23:43)

I have one for you. Half price.

18 0

whitebirdfeathers (May 4, 2015 at 15:14)

$73.49 for enough gels and drink mix for a four hour endurance event? That's ludicrous!

buczu83 (May 4, 2015 at 15:22)

Just got exactly the same pack for 10£ in local outdoor shop in Scotland

19 1

bogey (May 4, 2015 at 17:52)

For $73 I expect to see a syringe and a vial of performance enhancing somethingorother!

paulhaysom (May 4, 2015 at 22:18)

@whitebirdfeathers price amended, rrp is actually $23.49 - bit more reasonable!

14 1

pierceklinke (May 4, 2015 at 15:39)

How about some more components that are actually vital to making a bike function properly like brakes or drivetrains or suspension products instead of this $28 bottle opener crap

27 2

groghunter (May 4, 2015 at 17:43)

Beer is vital to making my bike function properly.

13 8

gabriel-mission9 (May 4, 2015 at 15:56)

I designed a stem like that Hostile Bicycles stem a while back in a sketch book. Then I realised it had a HUGE design flaw. Like so huge that actually making one would be dangerous and irresponsible. It is impossible to effectively clamp the stem to the top crown of the bike. Your handlebars become a structural part of the stem, which they were not designed to be. This would seriously worry me if combined with carbon bars. I'd be fairly unhappy to run it on an ali bar tbh. This is frankly a horrible design. It can be fixed relatively easily however, with 1 small modification

gabriel-mission9 (May 4, 2015 at 15:57)

Oh for fucks sake, they've made it adjustable reach as well. That things a bloody death trap.

20 0

MortifiedPenguin (May 4, 2015 at 21:54)

*grabs popcorn and waits for armchair engineer battle*

ridewhenever (May 5, 2015 at 5:38)

I'm not sure the bars are a structural element, when both halves are bolted onto the crown. It looks like a v poor rip off of the Thomson dm stem

gabriel-mission9 (May 5, 2015 at 9:54)

they are a structural part of the stem. The rear two direct mount bolts are used to clamp the stem to the crown, just like normal. The front two direct mount bolts however are used to close the stem clamp around the bars. The bars then push down on the lower part of the stem. It is this pressure exerted by the bars onto the stem that holds the stem clamped against the top crown. If your bars were to deform at all, your stem would suddenly become loose on the crown. The other side of the coin to this is that every time your stem tries to twist or flex at all, the amount of pressure on the bars goes up. If you torque your bars to the recommended 5nm, then every time you exert any pressure on the bars, you exceed the 5nm torque rating and risk damaging the bars. This also exerts a huge pressure on the excessively long clamp bolts, and the very small direct mount threads in the crown. None of these parts were designed to take the forces this stem exerts. I'll say it again. This stem is an awful design, and should not be sold as anything more than a decoration.

phobospwns (May 5, 2015 at 10:56)

If your bars are deforming... you've got bigger problems than how things are bolted together...

gabriel-mission9 (May 5, 2015 at 11:02)

This stem is far more likely to deform your bars. Thats exactly the problem. That and snap the two front clamp bolts, twist your crown and rip out all its threads.

IntenseM61979 (May 5, 2015 at 13:18)

There are several other DM stems currently on the market that use a very similar system including the 77 Designz direct mount stem and the Mortop DMS-43. Both of these stems have received rave reviews from the mountain bike press. Unless you can back your comments up with engineering principals and fatigue analysis comments like "dangerous and irresponsible" aren't helpful to anyone.

davidamos (May 5, 2015 at 14:46)

It’s shame to see this negative feedback. We have developed this direct mount stem over the last few years and the final design has been tested on the trails all year round with well over 500 hours of riding and destructive lab testing. There has been no sign of fatigue and we certainly haven’t had any of the stems or bars fail regardless of what handle bar has been used.

As a responsible manufacturer we take every precaution to prove our designs. As an additional measure, the Hostile Direct Mount Stem is currently being independently bench mark tested against some of the leading direct mount stems on the market to get comparative failure rates. We expect the results in 1 weeks’ time.

MortifiedPenguin (May 5, 2015 at 14:49)

*pops another bag of popcorn and continues watching*

gabriel-mission9 (May 5, 2015 at 17:02)

There has been no sign of fatigue even after destructive lab testing?
In this destructive testing was it almost always the two forward bolts that failed? And was the stem mounted to a big steel block or an actual aluminium top crown?
Do you know how Sram feel about using the mounts on their crown in this manner? Will they warranty a crown that has failed in some way while the front two stem mounts are improperly torqued?

gabriel-mission9 (May 6, 2015 at 8:01)

lets have a bit of that popcorn? @MortifiedPenguin

phobospwns (May 6, 2015 at 10:31)

There's a HUGE flaw with the popcorn you're eating! If any of the kernels deform while in your throat, it could be disastrous! It's a bit irresponsible eating it!

gabriel-mission9 (May 7, 2015 at 2:03)

Good thing I'm not trying to sell it to an unsuspecting public then eh? Certainly not advertising it as "as safe as any similar product on the market" or "tested to destrucion with no sign of fatigue whatsoever"

That would be irresponsible

phobospwns (May 7, 2015 at 4:58)

phew!

gabriel-mission9 (May 8, 2015 at 6:24)

Anyone got any tumbleweed?

FaastEddie (May 5, 2015 at 21:28)

Ugliest knee pads ever! Look like fricken clown shoe stupid. Rock that with that new Troy Lee clown gear!

Trust me, it sucks to say that because I like Troy lee quality, but those new prints are wack as F#CK!!!

Greeley (May 4, 2015 at 15:20)

@whitebirdfeathers-I was thinking the same, high five for not buying this product and saving $80..

sunshine80 (May 4, 2015 at 18:07)

Most of the time i wish i had money for cool new bike stuff.....mmmm not so much tday.

dangmtb (May 4, 2015 at 19:47)

mmmmm, Skratch Labs

Below threshold threads are hidden

RedBurn (May 4, 2015 at 15:19)

do you see e real difference when you take "energy products" like here ? Isn't it considered as doping if you take that ?

24 0

captain-sandbag (May 4, 2015 at 15:34)

I do notice quite an improvement when I "dope" with electrolytes. I find I die of dehydration roughly 10000000% less. As for these products, I have no idea if they work better than water and a good diet, but they are tasty.

johannensc (May 4, 2015 at 17:45)

I used Skratch labs energy powder in my bottle fo my most recent XC race. I was having trouble walking around due to how much energy I had used and how much I had over worked my muscles. But that happens normally after every race wether or not I use some special drink or not. What caught my attention was that in the morning my legs didn't hurt. I could stand up and sit down like normal the whole day. I still didn't have full power back in my legs but they weren't hurting from cramping. This shit really works.

bkm303 (May 4, 2015 at 19:32)

They make a huge difference when you're really pushing it for a long time. For you average trail ride there's really no point. But for racing, going for all-day marathon type rides, long distance running events, etc I notice a huge difference. Helps relieve cramps during the event (if you didn't hydrate well enough the day before, for example) and like johanensc says, they're awesome for recovery.

Kainerm (May 5, 2015 at 3:17)

Also, if you've pushed it just a bit too far, it'll get you back on the power for a _short_ while. It's basically dextrose with some color and flavor. Downside of that stuff - if you run out, you hit rock bottom. I remember once running out of energy bars during a course preview (didn't eat enough that morning), I had serious trouble simply rolling back down a perfectly smooth fire road. Used to "eat" that stuff during races back in the days, but for normal riding I prefer normal nutrition. If I run low nowadays, I try to get my hands on some high sugar content such as a bottle of coke, plus something greasy - sausages, fries, whatever.