Go Clipless

7 seriously great 24-inch kids mountain bikes

If you're a serious rider, you'll likely want your kids to be too. There just is nothing better than being out on the trail watching your son or daughter conquer those obstacles and gain the strength and confidence to one day out do you on the trail. But they won't ever be able to do it on that piece of crap from the big box store you skimped on last year.

Yeah, I'm talking about that bouncy spring laden, bling covered, hideously overweight POS. Go ahead. Pick it up. It's heavier than your bike, right? How will you ever expect your 8 - 12 year old child to have fun on the trail when they constantly end up walking lugging that monstrosity up the hill.

It's time to invest a little in a bike that's worthy of the dirt. One that inspires confidence and will be a joy to ride. One that may even be worth racing in the junior circuit. Yes, I said invest. So back away from that new Chris King headset, shun the DT Swiss spokes, and don't even think about that new Brooks saddle, it's time for you to check your own riding wants at the door while you jump start your child toward a lifetime of mountain biking.

Trek MT 240

Trek is known for it's racing pedigree and this bike is no exception. The MT 240 is well spec'ed for a kids bike and has a fairly aggressive cross-country geometry. It also includes a crank that allows two different pedal positions. In theory this allows you to get more life out of your investment. My son (age 8) is already too tall for the 'short' pedal position, however. My guess is that if the child needs the shorter pedal position they are probably not ready for a 24-inch bike. Component highlights: Shimano Alivio rear dérailleur, tunable 50 mm front suspension fork. MSRP - $430.

Specialized Hotrock A1

The Hotrock is one hot looking bike. It has a fairly aggressive race-style geometry and comes in 2 frame sizes; 11 and 13 inches. For 2008, Specialized has added a lockout on the front fork. While your child will likely want the suspension when not on the trail for bouncing up and down sidewalks, the lockout will work out nicely for long rides on the bike path with the family. A nice touch. Component highlights: Aggressive knobby 1.8 inch tires, front-fork with lockout for 2008. MSRP - $360.

Kona Hula

Kona's takes kids mountain biking seriously, with a full range of bikes in many styles ranging from, freeride, bmx, and road. The Hula is Kona's cross-country racer and is built with the legendary toughness that the company is known for. Unlike most of the other bikes available for kids, this bike comes with Rapidfire shifters in place of the grip shifters. Component highlights: Rapidfire shifters. MSRP - $325.

Gary Fisher Opie 24

Like the Trek MT 240, this Fisher is well spec'ed. It has a better performing rear dérailleur, Shimano Alivio, than most in this round up and is peppered with Bontrager parts throughout. The Opie 24 is new for 2008 and features an oversize aluminum frames and the multiple pedal position crank found on the Trek. Component highlights: Shimano Alivio rear derailleur. MSRP - $420.

Giant STP 225

This bike from Giant is intended to do it all for kids. Street, jumping, and trail riding. It has a mixed component set from a variety of manufacturers, no doubt to keep the price relatively low. If you're kid is not going to be in any races and you want a quality all-round bike for him or her at a reasonable price, this could be the one. Component highlights: Kenda K-rad 2.125 inch tires. MSRP - $350.

Carver Mini

Here's a wild idea. Why not buy a bike with a frame that can accept both 24 and 26 inch tires? The Carver Mini will do just that and claims to be far lighter than other kids bikes out there. The mini can be purchased as a frame only, frame and fork combo, or full build. Prices range from $399 for just the frame to $1399 with a Marzocchi Fondo fork and cross-country disc build.

Scott Scale JR 24

Weighing in at about 27.5 pounds the Scale is one of the lighter bikes in this group. Scott is known for light high quality racing bikes and the Scale JR 24 is no exception. Similarly spec'ed as the Trek and Gary Fisher bikes you can expect a comparable price, though I found a 2007 on line for only $350 (a steal if you ask me). Component highlights: Shimano Alivio rear dérailleur. MSRP - Approximately $430 for 2008.

Cannondale's rigid Lefty fork

Do we really need a rigid lefty fork? I thought the whole idea of the Lefty was the weight savings, increased torsional stiffness, and reduced stiction. None of those benefits will be seen on a rigid version of the fork. Ok, maybe there will be some weight reduction, but it will probably be negligible, right?

Well, take a look at the Lefty on the full bike. The new Cannondale Bad Boy Street bike. Now you can see the reason. It's clean, sleek, and minimal. Nothing extra on this clutter-free masterpiece.

Now if I only lived in the city and had a real purpose for this thing.

(More Cannodale goodness at Eurobike via BikeMagic)

Crank Brothers is at it again, going to give Chris King a run for the money

I'll tell you what. Crank Brothers is fast becoming the premier high-end bike component manufacturer out there. Give them a few more years and I think you'll find every major bike part or accessory has been reinvented by this crew of design mavens.

For 2008 they've announced several new products, including wheels, headsets, a new single speed crank, and a seat post.

While none of the new designs are as game-changing as their pedals were when first introduced, they are aesthetically beautiful. Only time will tell if they can hold up to day to day abuse.

Headsets

About time someone give Chris King a run for the money. I've never understood the fascination with headsets, but here you go Chris, some genuine design competition.

Single Speed Cranks

Now these are downright gorgeous. Clean looking and very minimalist modern. Kind of like my Ikea kitchen, but with more fit and finish. Would go nicely on my Monocog 29er, but cost almost as much as the bike at approximately $300.

Wheels

Now I've seen this hub and spoke design done before, but it sure does look clean, doesn't it? The only trouble for me is that there are just two colors, Cobalt Blue and Opium Red. I prefer a more subdued wheel and let my riding do the talking (yeah right), but that's just me.

Seat Post

It's not clear to me if Crank Brothers bought the Speedball seat post line from Maverick or simply licensed the design, but they do plan to continue development of this innovative seat post that let's you lower and raise the post depending on the terrain. Shrewd move on Crank Brothers part, after all there are only so many innovations that can come to the seat post.

So let's see...the Crank Brothers lineup now consists of the following; pedals, cranks, bottom brackets, wheels, headsets, and seat post, not to mention accessories like pumps, hand tools, and cleats. So what's next? Skewers and hubs sold separately, handlebars (maybe buy the design of one of those crazy Mary, H, or Jones bars)...what am I missing?

(Via Cyclelicious)

Testrider.com while promising, launches prematurely

I get a ton of press releases in my inbox daily. Most of them silly, but a few catch my eye. The other day I received a press release from TestRider.com a new site that will provide video reviews of bikes and accessories from experts and let users rate and decide.

Sounds cool, so I checked it out. The site was featuring a video review of the new 2008 S-Works Transition Time Trial bike. While the review was well produced and the reviewer seemed credible, it felt more like an infomercial than a review. I don't want to be overly harsh here since reviews are difficult to do well and nobody does them perfectly, but I would like to provide a bit of constructive criticism since I'd like to see this site do well in the future.

Why should we care?

Quite simply, it's time the bike review evolves into three dimensions and breaks beyond the 2-d world of the printed page in a magazine, the gratuitous "sneak-peek" bike porn photos found on blogs, and the sometimes hit-or-miss reviews of MTBR.com. Yes. Testrider.com is on to something with their professional quality video reviews and user ratings, but they need to hold back their launch until they do most of the following:

1) Give us all sides in your reviews; pros and cons, not just the pros. Of the four reviews currently on the site, there were no critical words about any of the products. The reviewer seemed to give the new Sram Rival road gruppo a perfect 10. What will the higher-end Sram Force group get, an 11? Give us the con side too and a basis for comparison.

2) Change that proprietary video viewer out for one that's shareable. For one thing, it's too small and there aren't enough user options. But the main thing is that it must be shareable if you want it to become viral. Better yet, post it on YouTube and embed their viewer on your site. People will find your site through YouTube and spread the word for you.

3) Each review should have it's own page with the video embedded and written specifications as well. How about some links to where you can buy it? This could even mean additional revenue to TestRider.com if it uses affiliates.

4) Allow users to submit video reviews as well. It looks like user reviews are planned for the site, but I would recommend that they be more than just user ratings for products you review. Maybe hold contests for users to submit their own video reviews and you'll get more content faster and a more highly engaged user base.

Ok...there you have it. My four-step plan to help TestRider.com take the bike review to the next level. I'm sure a lot of hard work went in to the four reviews that have been completed already, but you need to temper the excitement and take a deep breath. This press release was a bit premature. Maybe implement a few of the suggestions here (and possibly in the comments) and hit the streets strong in a couple of weeks. I think it will be welcome.

2008 Specialized Stumpjumper - new design

Singletrack Magazine's got some great shots of the all new 2008 Specialized Stumpjumper. This classic full suspension bike lives on with yet another redesign. Many say it has borrowed from the Enduro design, but most noticeable is the new proprietary suspension design. Last year Specialized began producing it's own suspension components and I must say they do look like they have a very low-profile and therefore low-weight (I'm assuming).

Oh, it's carbon, has 120mm of travel, weighs just 23.2 pounds, and costs a million dollars, but it's a sweet looking bike.

2008 Kona Bikes preview

I'm officially declaring Kona part of the big four five bike manufacturers. That's right, their lineup of bikes is every bit as comprehensive as Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, and Giant. Sure we don't see their road bikes in the Tour de France - yet - but, Kona attacked the market from another angle.

Clearly most well known for their big hit bikes, Kona has really rounded out it's lineup in recent years. They've also shown that they can react to trends quite quickly as they were an early adopter of the 29'er and have fixies, cruisers, and commuter bikes - all very hot right now - in their quiver.

The Dirt Rag blog's got the goods on all that is new for Kona in 2008. Most notably for this 29'er cross-country aficionado is the expanded line of 29-inch wheeled bikes. Says Dirt Rag, "they now offer 4 models; one singlespeed, two hardtails, and a new 2.5” travel dually."

The Hei Hei 29 (pictured above) looks fast and is intended to be a lightweight cross-country dual-suspension bike. It's made from the same lightweight Scandium as the 26-inch Hei Hei and looks worthy of the race course.

Good stuff from Kona. Just need some more retailers to carry their stuff (at least here on the east coast) and they should see excellent growth for years to come.

Woodstock 707 review at Blue Collar Mountain Biking

I'm a man with caviar dreams on a blue collar budget...actually, not totally true, but I thought it sounded Robin Leach-esque. What I mean to say is that I've been doing some moonlighting over at Blue Collar Mountain Biking, helping out with a bike review. I've been knocking around on a Woodstock 707 full-suspension bike and recording my thoughts for the audience over there. It's a multi-part review and I just posted part two the other day.

For those that don't know, the Woodstock Bikes can only be bought online. So I am reviewing the bike and exploring the value proposition of buying a bike online versus your local bike shop. Additional posts will follow as this is a long-term review, but you should check out the first two parts now:

1. Part one - Woodstock 707 preview
2. Part two - Woodstock 707 value proposition

Giant introduces new 2008 Giant Trance X, still no 29ers

It's getting to be that time of year again when bike manufacturers start wooing the press with their latest secret projects straight from the lab. Somehow Singletrack Magazine always seems to be on top of these things.

So the big news from Giant in 2008 is that they filled a hole in their lineup of mountain bikes. Yup, looks like the most exciting thing we can expect next year is the new Giant Trance X. The Trance X is a "trail" bike with 5 inches of travel and sits between the original Trance (with 4.2 inches of travel) and the "all-mountain" Giant Reign.

Now don't get me wrong. This looks like a nice bike. It's got the Maestro suspension design that Giant introduced a few years ago to much fanfare and many favorable reviews, and the reviewer at Singletrack seemed to have a blast riding it.

But I've got to wonder if this is the best Giant can do?

A few years ago Giant made a gutsy move and canceled their contract with Performance Bike. They did this - so the analysis goes - to get out of the low-end compete on price cycling game and move up market. A good move for the long term, I'd say. They began innovating again and the Maestro suspension was an excellent demonstration of such innovation.

One big question remains, however.

Giant, do you have any plans for a 29er lineup? It is simply hard to believe that despite the major bike media's desire to suppress the enthusiasm for this segment of the market, Giant is content to grow their revenue with a business as usual strategy. They must believe that their competitors Cannondale, Trek, and (now even) Specialized are making a strategic blunder adding 29ers to the lineup.

So here are my questions for the readers...

Am I crazy to think that to be a major player in the bike business a 29er lineup is required?

Where do you think Giant stands on the continuum of major players in the bike manufacturing biz?

If you believe, like me, that without a 29er strategy they are on the way out, who will take their place near the top? Kona? Santa Cruz?

Update July 3, 2007: The Dirt Rag blog's got more details on the 2008 Giant lineup for those that are interested.

Chrome Milo - urban cycling shoes that don't suck

Gonna get me a pair of these new urban cycling shoes from Chrome. Yeah...yeah...I know, I live in the suburbs, but their so fucking cool and I'm a new-economy-urban-sport wannabe anyway. Besides, they're a perfect match to my Chrome Backbone messenger pack.

Chrome manufactures the shoes in small batches and will only have 330 pairs each of the canvas and suede versions. Here's Chrome on the inspiration behind the new Milo:

We made these shoes for all the people working in bike shops, coffee joints, and record stores – people who bike around the city and then work on their feet all day. Like most of our designs, the Milo allows riders to transition from the street to the bar without looking like a spandex bike dork. There’s a lot more to come, this is just the beginning.

Last year Chrome moved beyond bags to add apparel to their lineup and it sounds like they will be continuing in this vain based on their declaration that this is just the beginning. A good thing too...it's high time the cycling world move beyond the team kit look.

(Via PinkBike)

TeamSnap makes it easy to manage your club cycling team

There is no bigger pain in the ass then managing the logistics of a league or club sports team. Schedules, announcements, fund raising, and general communication amongst team members ends up as a million emails in your inbox and no one central place to go for the latest information. Inevitably, lines get crossed.

Enter TeamSnap, a new web-based service to help manage the logistics behind any club or league sports team. While, it is clearly aimed at the little league set, I can definitely see its application for cycling teams. The service covers most everything with features to help manage:

• rosters
• schedules
• messages
• payment or dues
• statistics
• photo albums

There's no doubt in my mind that with a front-end blog to communicate to the public (ie. your team's adoring fans) and a password protected management site like this on the back-end will make for one hell of an efficient team - if not a successful one.

If anyone tries it, let me know. I'd love to see how your team is using it. Meanwhile, you can bet I'll be using TeamSnap for my kids soccer teams. What a mess that is...snacks, money for trophys, end of season party...just think, this may put the "team mom" out of a job.

(Via 37signals)