Check Out: Storage Solutions, a Comfortable Cockpit & Lightweight Yet Aggressive Tires
A lot of gear comes across our desks here at Pinkbike. Check Out is an occasional round-up of items our editors have gotten their hands on recently. Sometimes it's products we're doing long-term tests on, other times it's stuff we're stoked on but don't have time to fully review. And once in a while it's crazy shit someone sent us unsolicited and we're having a laugh.
100% Aircraft S3 Sunglasses
Features
• Multiple colour & lens options
• Interchangeable lenses with clear lens included
• $185 USD
• Interchangeable lenses with clear lens included
• $185 USD
 | 100% made quite a splash a couple of years ago with their angular and bold Speedcraft sunglasses. Well, now the S2 and S3 versions keep a lot of what made that sunglass so great, while also potentially toning it down slightly when it comes to aesthetics. Now they’re merely “loud”, without any capitalisation. I like the look of them, and they do seem to be noticeably more ergonomic than the previous generation. They not only provide a slightly gentler fit around the ear but also feel a lot lighter on your face. A few grams here or there won’t make you ride any faster, but to say it doesn’t impact comfort would be untrue. The light feel of the S3's is a huge factor in their comfort and is one reason why I like riding them so much. The 11% light transmission blue mirrored lens is okay for patchy light but, to be honest, on anything other than burnout-summer days I’m happy with the clear and the predictability that comes with it. As you can imagine, pretty much any imaginable colour configuration is available, as well as a new photochromic lens. Each set of glasses comes with two lenses - the original mirrored one and a spare clear one. The case comes with a spare slot should you ever buy an extra lens. The grippy legs not only mean they don’t have to fit so tightly to your face to stay on but also help in securing the glasses in your helmet. These seem noticeably more secure and rattle less than the previous iteration. |
OneUp Carbon Handlebar & Stem
Features
• 800mm Wide / 35mm Dia Bars
• Sweep 8° Back 5° Up Bars
• $139.50 & $79.50 USD
• 35 and 50mm Stem options
• 0° rise Stem
• Cuting and control alignment marks
• 0° rise Stem
• oneupcomponents.com
| How we measure handlebars isn’t as simple as you might think. Not only does something like a high amount of bar rise mean that you can run the same bar height without eating into your frame reach, but there are also other factors that can muddy the water. The way we measure sweep is in relation to where the taper ends. This means that two bars that on paper have the same dimensions can put your hands in a different position or your wrists at a different angle. Handlebars are one of the few areas of the bike that I’m more conservative about. When it comes to frames, I love the weird and sometimes whacky geometry dimensions people will come up with. However, with bars I’m very much a bread-and-butter kind of guy. I like the shape I know and love and don’t have too much interest in exploring outside that. Going between bikes a lot, I needed a bar that had dimensions I liked that I could take from bike to bike, so I decided to go for these bars from OneUp. Yes, it’s carbon and yes OneUp make assurances of fatigue reduction. These claims may well hold water, and I definitely didn’t find them to be uncomfortable, but without back-to-back testing and isolating some parameters it’s hard to say exactly. One thing, however, I really enjoyed was the shape. These bars put my hands exactly where they want to be. The considerable 35mm rise and 0° rise stem also give me set up options aplenty. Something I also like that perhaps is a benefit OneUp didn’t intend is the flat part of the bar, which I believe is there to help balance the properties of stiffness and flex, is an excellent place to rest my thumbs when I climb with the palm of my hands on my levers. Having that flatter section almost feels like a nook to nestle my inner digit onto for a bit more purchase. In regards to the stem, what can I say? It’s stiff enough and, at 173g, light enough also. It looks clean and I think it represents good value. Again, I’m a little old school and find super-short stems can often struggle to deliver the feeling I’m after, so I chose the 50mm version, but there is a 35mm option too. These bars have already been between multiple bikes and brake setups are fairing well. There is some small scarring to the alignment marks but, to be honest, I would have experienced far worse by now with some other models. All in all, I’m very happy to use this setup as a control when testing. |
Pinner Pro ATC
Features
• Aggressive tire developed for World Cup racing, but in lighter ATC casing
• DTC dual tread rubber compound with the softer compound on side knobs
• $79.95
• DTC dual tread rubber compound with the softer compound on side knobs
• $79.95
| As anyone who knows me will attest, if you bumped into me in the last six months the chances are I’ve chewed your ear off about tire inserts. During my two part insert group test they made a complete believer out of me. I’ve since altered what I look for in a tire slightly to not only get the most performance but to do so in conjunction with an insert. The insert I use, the Rimpact Pro, is lightweight at around 160g. So, instead of going for heavier casings I’ve started seeking out sub-kilo tires for the sole intention of having their blind spot covered by the insert. So far, I’ve been really enjoying this and feel that, for me and my riding, it’s the best compromise. I’ve just come off a set of Vittoria Martello 2.4” Trail casing tires and was curious for my next tire to be something that also wasn’t made by Maxxis, which is a brand I’ve frequently used over the entirety of the time I’ve been riding. I chose the ATC Pinner for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I don’t care about rolling speed, I just want something that offers a lot of grip. Secondly, I quite like to run the same model front and rear so I can just rotate them as needed. And, finally, there was something about the Pinner that I’ve always found very interesting and wondered further whether that would help it be an excellent playmate candidate for my inserts. The tread pattern doesn’t feature centre and side knobs that are offset from one another. Offsetting them is a good way to protect the rim and is something that I often look for before taking the enlightened path of the insert illuminati. Having them in rows, such as with the Pinner or maybe even some Specialized tires can give you huge quantities of braking traction as well as a very predictable feeling when going between the centre and side knobs. When riding the Pinner one thing is very obvious - this tire is brilliant at transferring between the centre and edge knobs and is wonderfully consistent. It's not a dissimilar feeling to riding a shaped GS ski that's narrow underfoot, where going from edge to edge feels both immediate and controlled. Rolling speed is perfectly adequate for a tire this aggressive and it’s been a great tire to have on the currently dry and blown out trails of Squamish over summer. The ATC casing uses a more simple dual tread compound configuration, where the side knobs are softer than the centre, instead of the dual-layer that you might find on Kenda’s downhill tires. The difference being that on the AGC gravity casing, the knobs have a harder rubber at the base of the knob and softer towards the top. I would be very curious to try the ATC casing with the layered compound. All in all, it’s a good tire. Since autumnal conditions have started to roll through, I’ve actually really started to enjoy this tire on your downcountry bikes. It’s light enough and the added security of an insert helps lighten the reliance on your damper to handle compression spikes. There have been multiple times where I’ve bottomed out front and rear and been very happy to have that security and the added 160g per insert seems ever more reasonable. All in all I’ve really enjoyed riding the Pinner Pro. I would love to try the ATC casing in a slightly softer compound, though. It feels very predictable, is confidence-inspiring, yet doesn’t feel as soft or quite as tacky as some other brands. |
Race Face Stash Quick Rip 1.5L Bag
Features
• 1.5L bag with external storage
• Wide and supported belt
• $57.00 USD
• Wide and supported belt
• $57.00 USD
| The Race Face Stash hip pack aims to offer a genuine alternative to the bulky and cumbersome hip backs that you may have seen. It’s sleek, it’s light and it’s very comfortable. It almost feels like the pockets you would find on a road jersey. It might not be able to take a bladder but that’s actually one of the reasons I like it. It can carry a bottle, or not - the stretchy water bottle carrier also handles a waterproof jacket very well. All in all, I like it for its versatility. It can take a bottle, enough tools and, on particularly hot days, your knee pads strapped to the lower part of the pack. I know this might look a little kooky but on 1000m+ climbs in sweltering heat it doesn’t seem like a bad option, and that’s not even factoring in a pad like the Roam where you don’t have to remove your shoes. All in all, it makes a lot of sense to me. The bag seems to be able to house all I need when riding. One side is dedicated for tools, keys and my mask. The other side is for Oreos and raisin bread. Funnily enough, each slice is accepted with mere millimeters to spare by the zip. I don’t take this as a coincidence. In these rainy weeks, I’ve found one bottle to be enough so have stuff a rain jacket in the back and my gloves in the external mesh. However, it did occur to me that on high-elevation backcountry rides next summer this will be a great place to store bear spray. All in all, it feels like a SWAT setup for those that have neither a Specialized or a dremel and an afternoon free. I’ve got to say, I’m a big fan. |
Race Face Roam Knee Pads
Features
• Easy on-off pads
• Plenty of protection for rowdy riding
• $129.00 USD
• Plenty of protection for rowdy riding
• $129.00 USD
| For some reason that I can’t quite explain, as bikes have got more capable and the trails I ride have got steeper, rougher and more technical, I’ve gone through the motions of running lighter and thinner knee pads. I wouldn’t say I’m going slower and although modern bikes may add some elements of security and reduce the risk of crashing, the fact that I’m riding rougher and faster trails means that when it does go wrong it can do so disastrously. To buck this trend I’ve started running some Roam knee pads. Not only are they suitably burly with a skid plate but they also feature D3O padding. The fit is secure and robust. I don’t worry that this pad will move or be agitated under heavy load. There is mesh on the back of the pad to help breathability but the main feature that might have you interested is the way you can remove the pad without having to slide it off over your foot. This sounds small and rather inconsequential but it is pretty useful - especially when you want to take them off on particularly hot days. |
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Mine are prescription, which is great, but I only got them as my health insurance covers them. Would be squinting through €10 plastic ones otherwise!
I end up not using glasses when I have cheap ones... because the scratch, fog like crazy, are uncomfortable and the vision through them is sometimes shit. My ryders stay on my face for the whole ride and I barely notice them so I get the protection I'm after.
So, in my experience, yes... worth every penny.
PS. Don't let your wife use them or you'll have to buy another set.
I've never understood how/why society tolerates such absurd pricing for eyewear. Oakley's and other glasses represent MAYBE $3-5 in materials and manufacturing costs, and are sold to us for $150-250. It's preposterous. A healthy portion of that margin is then used to create elaborate marketing presence to convince folks to spend that much on their products. These companies are essentially marketing organizations, that happen to transact sunglasses to keep the machine running.
Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.
$20 "POC Aspire": bit.ly/3F31QJb
I can't think of any reason to pay ~$200 for a pair of riding glasses. I'll get 10 pairs of a spot-on, functional knock-off for the same price. Thanks
So, you know, just like a 10-15x markup, not a 30x markup. Entirely reasonable.
www.amazon.com/Oversized-Polarized-Sunglasses-Mirrored-sunglasses/dp/B08YYNV7GL/ref=asc_df_B08YYNV7GL/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=507755842776&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=872100510452791445&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9023821&hvtargid=pla-1244152497256&psc=1
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-Cycling-Glasses-Sports-Goggles-Dazzling-Windproof-Outdoor-Goggles-3-lenses-/353639886618?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0
Look for the frames that match those dimensions. Purchase a pair WITH prescription for $50.00-$60.00 Any tint you want....
I'm another one who wears contacts so basically have to wear some form of eye protection. If I don't my eyes dry out super easily at speed. That said, my glasses and goggles have all saved me from no end of mud splatter, branch hits and flies so I can't imagine riding without them. I've had rides cut short by people who steadfastly refused to wear eye protection getting mud in their eyes that meant they had to stop and rinse their eyes out - just doesn't seem worth the risk and discomfort to me.
I've found running an insert has allowed me to create a wheel set-up that is actually lighter than when I didn't use inserts. Prior to inserts I used heavier duty rims and a doubledown casing up front and DH in the rear. I am also enjoying the supple grip and feel from the EXO+ casing that you don't get out of a stiff and muted burly casing like DD or DH.
The one downside is that you still have to watch out for sidewall cuts... my local has a ton of steep gnarly chunky rock, but it's not very sharp, I've never really had to deal with very many sidewall cuts... so depending on your local terrain, your needs will vary.
I ride EXO or analog from other brands, with no inserts on heavy duty rims - so far so good, no inserts, however would like to go lighter road
The only other tire failure I have had, in the last 10 years, was internally tearing a Conti Protection Apex casing or maybe project... can't remember, it was the toughest casing they sold in the mountain king 2. It was torn enough that the wobble in the tire would rub the chainstay hard. I've seen maxxis tires do the same, but never experienced it myself. Never had a problem with my Maxxis, Vittoria, Kenda or Mitas tires that I have run during that same period, other than the very rare flat.
Pros
- Compact and light
- Slim profile keeps stuff close to the body
- Water bottle in center for good weight distribution (don't notice it much when riding)
- Enough room for a cell phone, tools, keys, tube/CO2, even a small mini-pump
- Hanging gear straps can be stowed out of the way when not carrying pads
- Comfy, wide stretchy waist band
- Cool RF logos keep mom from borrowing it for mall walks
Cons
- Water bottle in center makes it slightly difficult to reach, impossible to put back unless a contortionist
- Tall water bottles wag a bit when full on large hits
- Waist band elastic will probably stretch out in 4-5 years?
www.revzilla.com/dirt-bike/fox-racing-titan-race-kneeshin-guards?sku_id=904261
It's hilarious how expensive MTB stuff is when MX stuff offers better prices for technology that's been out for a long time.
Does it not eat into frame reach though? There's been a few interesting discussions elsewhere about this that have raised the point that running higher rise bars reduces frame reach just as much as running more stem stackers to put your grips at the same height. From what I understand, that means running higher rise bars does preserve the total horizontal distance between bottom bracket and grips, but it does so by shifting some of that distance from frame reach to effective stem length: the grips are further in front of the steering axis. That is, in terms of handling, higher rise bars will do the same thing as adding stem stackers and a longer stem. What's important is the relationship in space between your grips, the steering axis, and the bb. How that relationship is constructed---what combination of bars, stem, and stackers---doesn't matter in terms of handling.
So a taller riser bar does (largely) move the bars vertically, but the horizontal distance from grips to BB is then comprised of less frame reach and more effective stem length, right?
EXO, or EXO+ strength casing with some DH rubber would be a perfect winter wet weather tire on the front and maybe even the back, if you are okay with some quicker wear.
A longer stem with no other change raises your bars/grips while increasing effective reach. Just using taller bars raises your bar/grip height and is not changing your reach or effective reach.
Now I agree that you can combine spacers with a longer stem and "may" be able to get taller grips without any effect on reach. But it depends on HTA, stem lengths, spacers used and the amount of extra steerer tube you have to adjust with.
But the first change is no more a "virtual stem" then the second method is a "virtual high rise bar"?
I do concede that most mountain bikers probably do have a slight roll even when they are trying to set them up level which does effect reach slightly. So if your bar roll has a slight increase in reach with your bars at 20mm and you retain that same roll at 40mm you would slightly increase your slightly increased reach!
I already conceded that most of us do have a little roll. And I said that roll angle if retained on a taller bar would SLIGHTLY increase whatever reach change you already started with. But it's very small AND...
yet again... the roll is independent of the rise. So the taller bar is not changing the reach, it's how they are installed. They don't jump on your bike and install themselves... They don't know what HTA or stem they are going to be installed with, so by themselves they are not adding anything but RISE...
You may also be able to create that same change with spacers and a longer stem. But that requires that you have enough steerer tube to play with and you may or may not be able to replicate exactly the same change as you can with a higher bar. You can't magically get around those geometrical facts either? (OK admittedly you could get a custom stem and put your 20mm bars exactly where 40mm riser bars would be! But why would you do that?
But the end result would be the same change in steering axis. So I don't get what your arguing about. Spacers and a longer stem don't do something better then a taller bar? A taller bar may not do anything better then spacers and a longer stem but save a little weight?
But no "myth" to bust here that I'm seeing??
Measure your effective reach, install a taller rise bar and adjust the roll so you have the same effective reach you started with... BAM! Myth busted...
I'd actually say he's supporting my point that roll is independent of rise because he's showing you how to adjust the bar roll right here...?
He makes good points on set up, but the ONLY way you'd end up with too much roll with taller bars is if you were running too much roll on the shorter bars and trying to match it.
There are 61 degree HTA's out there. If a person HAD to match that angle with the rise angle of their bar then their actual grip angle would be pointed to the ground...
AND ALSO... can I point out that Gwin has been helping various brands decide how much reach and stack goes into the bikes he's been riding the last 10+ years. So if there is anyone on the planet that shouldn't have any issues with Bike Fit your looking at em...
Kenda/Vitoria/Michelin/WTB all others weight over 1 kg within non DH casing
And Henry has a interesting pair already, everything looks like a Spire through them
www.tredz.co.uk/.Endura-SingleTrack-Lite-Knee-Pads-II_221841.htm?sku=715833&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIguv86qun8wIVAWHmCh1O6guBEAQYAiABEgL5j_D_BwE
Where else am I going to put them?