Shimano Zee Brake Review

I have been contemplating putting some stronger brakes on my Mach 6 for a while now. I am a 200+ pound rider and I didn't feel like the power I was getting from my XT brakes was cutting it.

I have ridden with XT brakes on my last two bikes and they were great most of the time. What I started to notice though was they got a little soft after long/fast decents. I don't think this was as much the brakes fault as is the fact that I am an aggressive heavier than average rider. Another thing that I noticed about the XT brakes that some people love but I don't is the quick "grab". When I hit my brakes the initial bite was immediate and strong, but I noticed I had to squeeze harder and harder until I was getting forearm fatigue to get additional power out of them.

So I decided it was time to upgrade, I did some research, talked to friends, looked at pictures, you know how it is, really got myself all worked up with "new brake envy"...I looked into a few different option. On the high end of things were the Magura M7's and Shimano Saints, middle ground were the Shimano Zee's and SRAM RSC's as well as some Hopes and Formulas.

After deciding there was now way in hell I was going to spend $700 plus the M7's and Saints were quickly eliminated. So I started looking a little deeper into Zee's and RSC's. The Zee's from what I can tell and feel are identical to the Saints with the exceptions of the gold accents and tool-less adjusting reach. But lets be honest, how often are you adjusting reach?? In most cases I have adjusted my reach once and then never messed with it again so the tool-less "feature" was useless to me. As for the gold accents....well the color honestly isn't what the "upgrade" is. The hose fittings are a little longer, because when bombing downhill some hardcore riders were getting this to pinch on the first Saints so Shimano made it longer and made it anodized gold. Again, a great feature for pro downhill riders but not so much me.

I have ridden bikes with Saint brakes and they were amazing, but let me be honest, the Zee's feel the exact same and are half the price. As for the RSC's I have heard great things but my local bike shop showed me that more R, RS and RSC brakes get turned in for warranty than any other brand in the area, that was enough for me to take them off the list.

So onto my Zee's, I had them installed on my bike and the next day went out and bombed some fire roads to get them set in. After my 3rd or 4th decent a switch was flipped and these brakes came to LIFE! Chip your teach on the stem type of power. What I love about them is that I feel more in control of the power, I can start slow and get more aggressive and thats what the brakes do, unlike the XT's with that hard initial hit. It took me a few close calls to remember that I didnt have to slam into these brakes. The four ceramic pistons really do a great job here.

So for around $300 I feel that I got the most bang for my buck. I highly recommend these brakes for anyone looking for more power, riding downhill on a budget or who weighs more than the average rider.

Five Ten Kestrel Lace Review

I purchased the Kestrel Lace from Five Ten right when they became available in February of 2016. I have been a little hesitant of laced mountain bike shoes. But I loved the way these shoes looked and I heard they were going to be about 15% less stiff than the original kestrel shoes. I do some walking when our riding and a super stiff shoe makes the fact that you are hiking instead of riding that much worse.

I have been using Shimano M200's great shoe but super stiff and I was actually experiencing some foot pain, I am not sure if its just the fact they were getting some miles on them or if I was over tightening them....They have a boa type and ratchet type closure system.

The Kestrel lace on the other hand are just that, classic lace up shoes...Out of the box I was was pleased with the appearance. When I tried to flex the sole I was extremely surprised how stiff they felt in hand, so I immediately put them on and was shocked at how stiff they were, and these are 15% less than the original boa type kestrel's? WOW. I have heard that Five Tens are super stiff and let me tell you, if this shoe which is supposed to be a little less stiff is any representation of then you will not be disappointed.

I think what I like about them most is that I can get them to the perfect fit, it always seemed that my ratchet type shoes were either to tight or to loose, and my boa type were the same, I couldn't get them perfect.

When I picked these shoes up we were experiencing some very needed wet weather here in Marin County and I put these shoes to the test right away, they never claimed to be waterproof and they weren't, but they did dry out quickly and were not super uncomfortable when wet.

All in all these are the best shoes I have every purchased when it comes to the clippless shoe game. I highly recommend them.

Link to Five Ten:
http://www.fiveten.com/us/kestrel-lace-onix-yellow

Goggle Review: Smith Fuel V.2 Sweat X M

When I purchased my Smith Forefront Helmet (see earlier review on it) I also bought some Smith Fuel V.2 goggles. I actually have a lot of experience when it comes to goggles, mostly at work. I am in the military and we wear goggles a lot when on our small boats and firing large weapons. We use ESS and Oakley mostly. Both ESS and Oakley have above standard ballistic ratings but when it comes to the important things.....looks, comfort they are not as cool...Okay lets be honest goggles are not going to win you any fashion contest but they do come in handy when you are in dusty, wet, or just plane fast riding environments.

Smith offers three different goggle options in their "off-road" category, the V.2's from what I can tell are the nicest of the three. Again like their helmets Smith hits a home run when it comes to options, with 10 different frame/strap color options there is something for everyone. All of the V.2's come with the red mirror lens as well as a clear lens and soft bag. If anyone didn't know mirrored lens are a foundation in Enduroing....just kidding, kind of.

So, these goggles not only look cool, as cool as goggles can look that is but function very well. As I stated before I have used goggles for a long time and one of the biggest downfalls I run into is fogging up. At work I use this military grade anti-fog liquid, works wonders but it wears off quick. So far my V.2's have been pretty good, I sweat A LOT when riding so when stopped for an extended amount of time my goggles did get a little fogged up but once I started moving they were crystal clear within a few seconds which tells me they have great ventilation, something ballistic rated goggles defiantly lack.

As for comfort these are very padded and easily adjusted to fit any helmet. I also liked that the strap has a lot off "sticky" surface, just incase you have a helmet that doesn't have a goggle retention system.

These goggles according to the Smith website MSRP for $70.00 I am sure if you look around you can find them a little cheaper.

Here is a link to the Smith Fuel V.2 goggles:

http://www.smithoptics.com/us/Root/Men%27s/Goggles/Off-Road/Fuel-V-2-Sweat-X-M/p/FX1DXXS16

If you have any question or comments please reply in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you all have to say.

Smith Forefront Helmet Review

I am trying to get a little more active with my reviews so please comment if you have any questions, I really want to help spread the word about mountain biking products, good and bad.

 I bought the Smith Forefront right around Christmas last year. My wife was more excited about it than me because my old helmet was a smelly mess...

So when researching helmets I came across TONS of review and TONS of information, I decided that MIPS was defiantly something that I wanted. Just to fill in the blanks a little here I coach youth tackle football, as you can imagine I have had a lot of training in regards to concussions and head/neck injuries.

Like everything I did a quick google search and found this on bhsi.org

"A Swedish company called Multi-directional Impact Protection System - MIPS - has revived and patented the slip plane concept, using two layers in the helmet to help the head rotate slightly on impact. The hope is to reduce the rotational component of an impact, thought to be a prime brain injury mechanism and related to concussion."

I highly recommend everyone do a little research when buying. 

Anyways, I am a little old school when it comes to all of this as well, whether it is football, mountain biking, snowboarding, baseball or soccer there is an inherent risk of injury when you participate. Technology can only do so much, someone knowing their limits and proper technique is just as important as their protection. For example you wouldn't see me put a full face helmet on and run a pro downhill track blind just because I am on a downhill bike with downhill protection, the likelihood of me getting hurt is much higher and the equipment can only do so much.

So onto the Smith Forefront. A helmet that is $200+ (with MIPS) will scare a lot people away, even the non-MIPS is around $130-$150, but considering that a helmet could be the difference between life and death I would consider not worrying about price as much as function and protective qualities.

I personally have not wrecked hard with my Smith Forefront so I can not give you first hand experience on its protection but there are a lot of reviews out there that can answer that exact questions.

Here is what I do know about it, as in my other reviews I will try to give you pro's and con's. First pro, it looks badass, lets be honest who wants to look like a top heaving egg head when out riding their bike? Not me...Smith has done it right when it comes to looks and different color options. Next thing I noticed is its weight, this is a light helmet! I honestly forget its even on my head after a while, I have had helmets that after about 3-4 hours in the saddle are very noticeable, not the Forefront. I think another pro is its easy adjustability, a quick turn of the knob will tighten or loosen the helmet to its perfect fit. I also like that the helmet came with extra interior replacement pads, a goggle strap retention device and has a built in light or Go Pro adapter, I think the actual adapter is sold separately.

Okay so the light talk brings me to my first con...Part of this helmets great protection technology is a honeycomb interior, what this means, even though it looks cool and is pretty breathable is that you can not use a standard "strap" mount for a light. I actually just use my old helmet when riding at night, but if I wanted to I could purchase the light mount from Smith, I personally think this should come with the helmet, I did just spend upwards of $200....Second con,  and this one is probably going to be different for everyone, I sweat A LOT when riding, this helmet is better than some, the interior pads are comfortable and well placed but they are very small and it doesn't take long for them to start dripping, and there is nothing I hate more than my glasses getting sweat and dirt mixing causing me to lose vision when I am on the trail. Again that is most likely a problem some people won't have.

So all in all I am happy with my helmet.  If you are looking for a high quality light wight helmet with great technology this is the helmet for you. Please ask questions in the comment section if you have any.

Pro's:
Weight
Technology
Looks
Goggle Retention

Con's:
Price
Small pads
Light mounting difficulty
Have to pay for light and camera mounts separately

Here is a link to the Smith Website. Lots of great information!

http://www.smithoptics.com/us/Root/Men%27s/Helmets/Cycle/Forefront/p/HB16-FOMDMDMIPS/sizeVariants

Xpedo Baldwin Pedal Review

I have been using my Xpedo Baldwin pedals for almost 3 years now. I feel that with this amount of time I can give an in-depth review. A little about this pedal first, from the quick google searches I have completed it appears Xpedo is owned by Wellgo, most likely lots of pedals can be tracked back to Wellgo but from what I can tell Xpedo is their "higher end" pedals. I can not actually find anything on the box or in the enclosed literature that says "Wellgo" but when google searched the dark corners of the internet do mention the two companies being one in the same.


Okay whatever, let me assure you these are not shitty pedals. Back to some basic specs, the Xpedo Baldwin was built for the Enduro craze, as their website states this pedal will
"bridge the gap between demands of XC racer to the enduro rider".


The pedal comes in a few different colors, and two different spindle materials; Titanium and Cromoly. Ti weighing in at a whopping 292 grams (180lb weight limit) and the CrMo tipping the scales at 332 grams. Baldwins body is made of 6061 CNC Aluminum, It has 3 cartridge type bearings and I will get into that later, they are very easy to rebuild and maintain.

These pedals have been on three different bikes and they have seen some abuse, rock strikes, mud, rain, snow, lack of cleaning/maintaining on a regular basis. They lasted about 2 years before needing an overhaul. I ordered the bearing kit from Xpedo for around $20 with shipping and watched a youtube video (link below). Very easy if you have some very basic tools and minimal mechanical knowledge.

These pedals are a lot tougher than they look, and they are pretty light for a platform style pedal. I use regular SPD cleats with them and have no issues. Like most SPD style pedals they perform great, gets a little harder to get into if your cleat is full of mud but I think that is normal, only pedal I have ever used that performs great in mud is the Crank Brothers Eggbeaters.

The pedals have an adjustable tension system, I have mine set at the lightest setting (easiest to get out of). They with the standard 6 degree float cleats.


All in all these are hands down the best pedals I have ever ridden, durability is very important to me and these have exceeded my expectations. Again very easy to rebuild as well.


Price: (Amazon, CrMo) $94.22. WOW! I honestly cant think of  a better clipless pedal and to cost less than $100...Crazy.


Rebuild Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGsyuHKT_yI


Product Weblink:
http://www.xpedo.com/products/pedals/mtb/140/baldwin
  
Here are a few pictures of mine, remember they are three years old.

STRAVA: Love or Hate?

Here in Marin County a lot of people think of STRAVA as the reincarnation of the devil. Not kidding. I even find myself hating on the social app for tracking rides and runs. Most recently I even stopped using if for a few weeks, I was really frustrated with all the extra patrols on perfectly good mountain bike trails and in my mind blamed STRAVA.

A little history about Marin County, most likely you already know but just incase. Here in the birthplace of mountain biking there are very few "legal" mountain bike trails anymore. Most singletrack is closed to bikes, there is some great spots; China Camp, Camp Tamarancho and few others but in large mountain bikes are supposed to only use and enjoy big, wide,  did I mention steep and boring fire roads. 

What this has done is forced many riders to become trail ninja's, dirt pirates, poachers or in the words of the many equestrians CRIMINALS. Since STRAVA hit the scene many people think that mountain bikers have become so focused on Personal Records (PR's), King of the Mountain (KOM's, male) and Queen of the Mountain (QOM's, female) they forgot to stop and enjoy the trails and other people using them. STRAVA segments are reportedly being used in public hearings and trail use meetings to show that mountain bikers are in fact using illegal trails and are going way to fast on the trails that are bike legal. 

But I ask, is this STRAVA's fault? Is it a horrible app that has caused more damage than good? It seems to defiantly be putting bullets in the oppositions gun. Lets look at some of the Pro's vs. Cons. On a personal level STRAVA has motivated my dad, who lives 4 states away to ride and gives us a social media to compare our rides over and keep in touch on a daily basis, not a huge deal with every other social media site, cell phones and emails but still it is an excellent way for distant friends and relatives to keep in touch and motivate each other. Another great aspect of STRAVA is the ability to track you own rides, milage, hours, bike maintenance, trails you name it, all in one convenient spot. So, onto some of the Con's. It makes every ride a race for some people, with that said a majority of the strava "racers" are going to ride like assholes most of the time anyways. But in some ways I am sure strava is like giving steroids to a bodybuilder. Another con is that fact that anyone with a log in and can see where people are riding, if you are "friends" you can see times and location. This is becoming a huge deal in the fight for trail access.

I am sure we could go on and on and debate till the wee hours of the morning about STRAVA but I personally think we need to place the "hate" where it belongs, and that isn't on STRAVA. Be upset with your local county administrators, your elected government officials, the "anti-bike" citizens, don't be upset with a social riding app.

I highly recommend anyone that reads this look into there local trail advocacy groups, donate money, go out to trail maintenance day, help give a good name to cyclists.

Push Elevensix Review: Updated

Okay, I have at least a dozen rides on my Elevensix now. I will do my best to give a quality review here. 

First off, I decided to look at the Elevensix because I was unhappy with the tune-ability of my Fox Float X, don't get me wrong, the Float X is an amazing shock but it's hard to get that super plush and small bump compliance feel when you are a 200+ pound rider. My last bike was a Knolly Chilcotin, I had a CC DB Air and it was better than the Float X for me so I always felt the Float X was a down grade. I looked at getting another DB Air but when all was said and done I was still going to have to run high air pressure adjust HS/LS compression endlessly, so it was a really hard justification, spend $700 for a slight upgrade?? This is where the Elevensix comes into the picture, a big price tag but to me it is a big enough upgrade to make it worth it.  

So a little about my experience buying the shock. I can't say enough for the guys at Push. When I called to order my shock we had a long discussion about every aspect of my riding; where I ride, how I ride, how much I weigh, what my current set up is and the pro's/con's of my set up. 

I guess my stats are important for the review as well. I ride a Medium Pivot Mach 6. With all my gear; helmet, full camelback, spare tube, multi-tool etc.. I tip the scale at 218. I live in Marin County and ride as much singletrack as possible. I also take trips to Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming and Utah yearly. I am not a bike park type of guy so there are no shuttles, I have to climb to get the reward. I am not a fast climber but I can grind it out when needed. Most of my days involve between 2000-3500 of climbing. I like technical downhills/trails. I am not hitting huge gaps or jumps very often, I do hit the occasional drop. I enjoy rock gardens, baby heads, that fast chundery type stuff. 

So after our conversation my shock was shipped with valve 1 set up similar to the "trail" mode on my Float X and valve 2 was set for more downhill, plush feel. I also had the 475lb spring installed.

Once installed on my bike (which was super easy), I went to familiar local trails that I know like the back of my hand. I really tried to ride them hard and pin-it in the fast rough section, the elevensix was amazing, I could immediately feel a difference when it came to that fast small bump compliance, it felt like my bike was stuck to the ground and yet when I would come out of a rough section my teeth weren't chipped from chattering. I then went on one of my favorite rides that involves about 2500 feet of tight technical singletrack climbing. I was extremely surprised by the elevensix. The extra weight wasn't noticed, I really do think my bike handled the technical climbs better. At first I chocked it up to "placebo effect", new shock and all, but after a few more climbs I was able to compare some of my previous times and I was improving. But back to the fun stuff, going down, the elevensix likes it fast and rough...lol, I have never felt more confident on my bike when pinning it through rough terrain. 

Since getting my shock I have actually seen two others while out riding and it's instant brakes and "HEY NICE SHOCK!", it's like owning a jeep, I think we need to come up with a special wave...okay maybe not, but seriously the two guys I ran into were just as stoked as me and had very similar experiences.

I am not a pro, but I am an avid rider and have a lot of experience on different bikes and suspension set ups. I highly recommend the elevensix for those who like to go downhill fast. I think its a perfect shock for that heavier guy that cant get his mass produced shock tuned perfect, at least that was my reasoning, I am sure the smaller guys will love it as well. If you are a cross country rider who enjoys that climb more than anything else the elevensix is obviously not the right shock for you. I think the fact that this is a coil over shock people assume its purely downhill, I just want to share that it really isn't, it is a great trail/all-mountain/enduro shock. 

Everything I have stated is pretty much already known so I guess this "review" just adds onto the others that have said the same thing. All in all it's a huge investment, it will be something that many will have a hard time justifying, it took me 4 months to make up my mind and save and scrape together the money, I defiantly had sticker shock and some buyers remorse when I saw my bank account the day after buying it but that went away after my first ride. If anyone has any question please feel free to PM me.