My good friend and new riding buddy Nate gave me a giant tub of Powder Lemon Lime Accelerade. He said it makes him puke so he pawned it off on me, one who is always willing to try new sports drinks. I mixed up a batch in the kitchen to give it a shot. Now I understand why Nate gave it away so easily. Not only is there a gag reflex in the aftertaste, but when I gave some to my neighbor who happened to be over, he said immediately…
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Review: Squirt Dry Chain Lube
I picked up a sample of Squirt chain lube at Interbike after a nice conversation with Larry Grossman, the marketing guy there. His spiel was good, he named names of racers using the wax lube like Ned Overend and Travis Brown and I knew I wanted to give it a spin. Right out of the bottle Squirt smells great, and by “great” I mean doesn’t smell at all. Although the smell of classic petroleum based chain lube is a nostalgic smell I’ve grown to love over the years, not smelling…
Read MoreReview: SockGuy Socks
I scored a pair of SockGuy EliteTech no show socks at Interbike this year. Thanks to Ken at the SockGuy booth. SockGuy is one of the most recognized brands in the sport sock business. I didn’t start wearing official bike socks on rides until Interbike last year when I picked up a pair of SockGuy Garmin socks at the Garmin Booth. Before then, I didn’t think special socks for riding was really necessary. It was probably that I didn’t want to shell out ten bucks for one pair of socks…
Read MoreStans NoTubes Tubeless Sealant
I made the switch over to Stan’s from Bontrager Super Juice nearly 8 months ago, when I put on a brand new Maxxis Larsen TT rear tire. I also cleaned out my Specialized Roll X front tire and filled it with Stan’s. Still no flats, no bead burps, and I’ve been off the beaten path exploring primitive cactus infested rock strewn singletrack. I have refueled each tire once. What I really like about Stan’s is that I rarely have to pump my tires before rides. Pressure stays right where I…
Read MoreSpecialized Demo at McDowell Mountains
A couple Saturdays ago I headed out to the McDowell competitive loops for the Specialized demo day. It was a beautiful morning to be out riding expensive bikes. Garth was there with his crew setting riders up with the top of the line 2008 bikes. I started the morning off with a bagel and a side order of Enduro SL. I’d been on the 2008 S-Works Enduro SL once before, but only for a few minutes. This time I got to spend a few miles on the Enduro. The terrain…
Read MoreReview: WTB Pure V Race
From WTB Pure V I first sat on a WTB Pure V Race saddle while demoing the Nomad at Interbike. The seat felt like I was sitting on a couch. It was the most comfortable saddle I had ever sat upon. I knew then and there I had to have it. My buddy and I both ordered the Pure V Race when we got back from Interbike and we’ve been riding in lazy-boy comfort ever since. I’m a light rider, at 150 lbs, so the chromo rails suit me fine.…
Read MoreReview: 2008 Trek Fuel EX9
This bike is my baby. I own the 2006 edition of the Fuel EX9. The new features of the 2008 model – the Active Braking Pivot (ABP), Full Floater, and EVO Link – offer a huge step-up in performance. My 2006 EX9 is a medium size 17.5 inch, but I demoed the new 18.5 size because it’s all they had available (Trek was a popular booth both days at Interbike.) This new size is perfect for me. The geometry has changed quite a bit since 2006. I only got a…
Read MoreReview: Santa Cruz Nomad
I got the most saddle time on the Santa Cruz Nomad. I didn’t want to let the bike go, so I kept on riding… and as soon as I turned it back in I felt instant regret. The guy who was waiting for it was sure was happy though. On the Nomad we wandered up to the less ridden XC trails at the top of Bootleg. I gave the Nomad a shake on Skyline, Boy Scout, the East Leg and Girl Scout. Taking the shuttle up was almost as fun…
Read MoreReview: Titus El Guapo
My first demo at Bootleg Canyon was on the Titus El Guapo. As an XC rider, hopping on a 6 inch travel bike felt like sitting on a freeride. But as soon as I start pedaling uphill it felt like I was riding XC. The geometry and I got along perfect. I’m 5’11†and rode the medium frame. I spun the El Guapo around the XC loops a couple of times and got a few good climbs in along with plenty of jumps and drops. With so many riders out…
Read MoreReview: Rocky Mountain Slayer SXC70
This was by far my favorite bike that I demo’ed at Interbike. The 2008 model hasn’t been updated on their website but I don’t think there are too many differences between this year and last years models. I had no problems adjusting to the feel or geometry of this bike. It was just like butter. The more I rode it the more I loved it and I truly did not want to return the bike or test ride any others. The bike climbed smooth and even though it is not…
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