Go Clipless

New addition to the coolest cycling t-shirt list

If you've been around for a while than you know how I'm a sucker for the Cycling T. This despite the fact that I actually own very few. In fact, my wife owns more than I do and she rarely cycles - thanks Flirtees (which reminds me...we actually did a photo shoot with K-girl showing off her Flirtees shirt - I'll post up soon). Is it me, or are most of the best cycling t-shirts made for women?

Anyway, it's been a while since I've added a new entry to the Coolest Cycling T-Shirts list, but then not just any shirt company will make the list. Vital Industries (found via The Piton) is an eclectic company that sells a mixture of items, only a few of which revolve around cycling, including wallets, photography, and t-shirts. Vital describes it's style as "full of energy, life...and an aesthetic attitude that is at once urban and rural." You can buy their shirts and other products on Etsy.

I like the cycling t's in their collection because of the unique placement of the artwork on the shirt. Although, I must say that this one in the men's collection is a bit bottom heavy.

Ok, now back away from the screen...you're liable to put an eye out.

The coolest cycling t-shirts.
More of the coolest cycling t-shirts.

Princeton Tec Switchback LED Headlights: First Look

I got bitten by the LED (Light Emitting Diode) bug about a year ago when I was looking for a light for commuting. Even at that time, it was clear to me that LEDs were the future of night-time riding. Now there is a whole new generation of high-power LEDs on the scene that have really lit up the whole market for night-time mountain biking.

Until recently, LED technology had not advanced enough to meet the demands of off-road riding; they simply weren't bright enough. Nonetheless, they were perfect for night-time commuting - just bright enough, small, and cheap. Now there is a new generation of LED that fits the bill - the 3 watt regulated Luxeon LED. Given that companies focused on commuting lighting products have been using LED technology for years, they are poised to enter a whole new market with this new more powerful technology. Last year we saw Cateye enter into the off-road lighting space in a serious way and in 2007 enter Princeton Tec.

Princeton Tec, with it's new Switchback series of lights, is poised to make some serious in-roads in the off-road market. They sent me the all new Switchback 1 to review and, although I've yet to take it off-road, the features and design are quite impressive. It couldn't be better timing either, as this year I have started to do some night riding and have been in the market for a new light.

During the next few weeks I'll review the Princeton Tec Switchback and also, write some about lighting and night riding. I'll be pairing the Switchback 1 along with a Cateye Tripleshot. I may also be able to get my hands on the Nightrider miNewt and really give it a full comparison review. I can tell you now that I like the form factor of the Switchback a whole lot better, but the real test will be how they perform on the trail.

Ok, I'll give you the specifications, but first some of my own observations of the design and utility of the light:

The packaging was reminiscent of that of an Apple iPod. It was beautifully resting in a bed of foam with clear and concise labeling. While packaging says nothing about the performance of a light, it does tell me that Princeton Tec is serious about this line of lights and feels it is important to their corporate success. Good news for mountain bikers as more options usually means better products and better prices.

The light and battery are lightweight and tiny. Take a look at this photo I took with the light next to a standard shot glass for comparison (uh oh, I hear Mr. Belvedere calling).

One thing's for sure, there will be no loose cabling with this light. Cables attach to the light and battery with a very secure locking screw cap. It's intuitive and strong. Plus, if you pair the light with either the Switchback 2 or the Switchback 3 all of the lights and batteries will be swappable.

Now, here's the English language version of the specifications:

Intense 5.5 29er - raising the bar

Intense is wasting no time pushing the envelope on the big-wheeled platform. Hot on the heels of the Intense Spider 29, which made it's debut at Interbike '06, Intense is already working on the 29er version of it's popular all-mountain "5.5" model bike.

Intense is sharing information about the bike as it is designed through the popular MTBR.com forums. Smart move as it allows them to get real time feedback from riders and make adjustments before it rolls out this upcoming Spring.

The bike will sport the White Brothers Fluid 130mm fork and will have 5.75 inches of rear travel. A medium sized frame weighs in at a svelte 28 pounds.

Here are some of the preliminary specs:

• White Bros. Fluid 130 mm fork
• XTR hubs with 20 mm front axle
• 180 mm front rotor, 160 mm rear
• 71.5 Head Angle
• 73 Seat angle
• 18.25 inch chainstay
• 13.25 inch BB height
• 5.75 inches of rear wheel travel

There's some chatter on the boards about the steepness of the head angle for a bike that is meant to bomb down hills. I swear, some people are writing about the handling of this bike as though they have already ridden it. It's obvious some of these people have not yet read Guitar Ted's tutorial on head angle and fork trail.

Anyway, I'd love to get a ride on this baby, though I'm not sure my riding style would do it justice.

Here are two threads from MTBR with more info on the bike:

• Original announcement
• Update with pictures

MTBR.com's 29er full suspension shootout

Heading into Interbike this past September it was clear to me that full suspension 29ers were hitting the market in force. I focused my efforts at the Outdoor Demo testing all of the full suspension 29ers available. After having ridden these bikes it was obvious to me that 29ers would have a bright future for cross-country and all-mountain riders.

The bikes are so new, however, that there have been few true reviews since. Now the editors at MTBR.com have done their own full suspension shootout. MTBR's editor and six local riders rode the same eight bikes on the same trail and noted their impressions. Here's what they rode:

• Lenz Sport Leviathan
• Ellsworth Evolve
• Intense Spider 29
• Titus Racer X 29er
• Astrix Monk
• Van Dessel Jersey Devil FS
• Ventana El Rey
• Niner R.I.P. 9

Although, some of the riders had little to no experience on a 29er they were unanimous in their praise for the big wheel. It was interesting for me to compare their impressions of the bikes with my own. Of the bikes they tested I have previewed the Ellsworth Evolve, Intense Spider 29, Titus Racer X 29, and the Niner R.I.P. 9. I was glad to see that many of their impressions matched mine.

MTBR.com 29er Full Suspension Shootout

Go Clipless 29er Full Suspension Roundup

The Mudbunnies' pretty and strong mountain bike calendar

No, this is not more men in the cycling industry exploiting women for their own gain. These are not the Neanderthals that don't understand that cycling needs to have a broader appeal beyond it's male dominated roots.

These are the Mudbunnies.

A group of more than 60 women in British Columbia that encourage each other to get out and ride and improve their skills. The group is trying to raise money to develop a racing team and to help the North Shore Mountain Biking Association (NSMBA).

Check out their calendar.

Tell me the Mudbunnies aren't both pretty and strong.

More of the coolest cycling t-shirts

With the upcoming holiday shopping season upon us, it's time to update the coolest cycling t-shirt list. After all, t-shirts make the perfect gift. They're personal, inexpensive, and there is no shortage of unique designs available. So here are a few new shirt makers you may want to check out this holiday season, and don't forget to check out the full list.

First up, Flirtees. Hailing from Canada, Flirtees has some really fun designs for the woman cyclist in your life, maintaining a balance between pretty and strong - a phrase found on a few of the shirts. The illustrations are top notch and printed on high quality cotton t-shirts in vibrant colors. I asked Kgirl (my wife) to pick her favorites. She chose "Dirt Flirt," "I need to work on my tan lines," and the pink version of "Pretty and strong." Coming soon, "Girls ride too," a birds eye view of the handlebars made to look like fallopian tubes...you see...there's that balance again. (U.S. readers, don't let the prices fool you they're listed in Canadian dollars).

If classic road racing is up your alley, it's essence is captured in the designs made by Art by Opsal. More than just t-shirts, Art by Opsal designs posters, jerseys, and even cycling inspired polo shirts. Artist Brian Opsal starts by designing posters in a "turn-of-the-century, letterpress style" which layers colors creating a distinctive effect. Many of these original designs make it to the T's. The shirts tend toward a slim fit, but if you've got the body for them you'll be the hippest one in the brew pub.

Evomo designs apparel that captures the guts and the glory of that which is mountain biking. No riding apparel here (except the Evomo team jersey), the clothing is designed for riders when they are off the bike just "doing their thing." With names like "Hurl," "Blood donor," and "Balls out," these designs capture the emotional and physical aspects of the sport. Designs can be found on T's, thermals, and hoodys and are available for men, women, and even kids. The detail on these shirts is incredible. Just check out the stitching and 3D appliqué on the long sleeve "Splatter."

Twin Six was included in my original post on cool cycling T's, but they have really hit the scene strong this past year and have some new designs along with an expanded women's line. The company is most well known for it's distinctive jerseys, with it's t-shirt line carrying a more understated simplicity. Twin Six designs exude a retro, yet modern, hipster style. I love how designers Ryan Carlson and Brent Gale describe their motivation as a reaction to the "unwilling billboards, moving color explosions and unfortunate cartoon characterizations" of so many of the uninspired designs in the cycling industry. Twin Six can take a cliche and turn it into a classic.

There you have it...some of the greatest new t-shirt and apparel companies in cycling raising the bar for others to follow.

Oh, what's that you say? You want to know what happened to the Go Clipless T's we debuted at Interbike? Well, we're tweaking the design a bit so you'll have to wait until after the holidays. Perfect timing, right? ;-)

Loeka's cool new mountain bike clothing for women

Flattering but not flaunting, is how I'd describe Loeka's mountain bike apparel for women. The company started just over a year ago after a friend of Coreena, the founder, told her to stop bitching about the state of women's bike clothing and do something about it. She set out to correct the following complaints:

• Why doesn't anything for girls fit properly?
• Why doesn't anybody make something sexy for us girls to wear?
• Why do you guys have all the cool clothes?
• All the ladies clothes don't fit over my armour?  And the ones that do are ugly!
• Why are the ladies shorts so dam short? They don't cover my legs!  What good are they?
• No, I will not stop bitching.
• Why can't I have shorts that I can wear after riding?
• This really sucks; I don't want to look like a guy.  I'M A GIRL!!!

The designs are simple, and yes, it's not just menswear in sheep's clothing (or how ever, that saying goes). For example, a little extra length is added to the back of the jerseys as an anti-coinslot measure (sorry guys!).

Anyway, it's my wife's birthday in a couple of weeks...I think I may buy her the hoodie.

Bike or Die! Mobile Video Game

As a frequent business traveler and Palm Treo user/addict, I am always looking for some mind-numbing game to pass the time while waiting for the plane to board, standing in the airport security line, or shuckin' and jivin' in the 'people mover' at Dulles Airport (will they ever finish that monorail?). So when a friend of mine 'beamed' me a copy of Bike or Die (you can pick it up at Handango) I figured I'd give it a whirl and kill two birds with one stone...Solitaire and Monopoly are getting tired.

When I first saw the graphics, I thought "oh no, I'm wasting precious RAM on a game circa Odyssey2 (between Atari, but not quite Colecovision)." But despite, the cheesy stick figure graphics this game can be quite addicting.

The idea behind Bike or Die is deceptively simple, yet the game play most definitely is not. Simply maneuver your bike over all obstacles and capture the flags to move on to the next level. But maneuvering over the obstacles isn't as easy as it looks. When I first tried the game I though that it was mountain biking so I attempted to move quickly through the level. This just caused me to crash into and off of nearly all of the obstacles. Once I realized that this was about trials riding and not mountain biking I eased off the gas a bit and began to use a little finesse. Ahhh...success at last.

Now, to be sure, some of the moves defy the laws of physics, but there is a tutorial that walks you through the gameplay. Most of the moves can be conducted with the rocking switch on your Palm or Treo device, but you will need your other hand to press the buttons to change directions. The game also comes with a freely downloadable module that allows you to design your own levels. Evidently there is quite a cult following developing around the game as there is even an online hall of fame where you can compete with other players and post recordings of your best runs through the various levels.

So if your like me and need a diversion from the frustrations of business travel or you finish your copy of Dirt Rag in just two or three visits to the bathroom, Bike or Die may be just the game for you.

The coolest cycling t-shirts

A fellow Washington, D.C. area blogger posted a great round up of some of the hippest t-shirt retailers on the Net (via DC Blogs). The whole t-shirt phenomenon is just amazing. It reminds me a bit of the blogging phenomenon. You know, once the cost of posting web content became free everyone suddenly became a writer. Well, with the advent of sites like CafePress and Zazzle anyone can design a t-shirt these days.

It got me thinking about sites I have seen over the years that have had some of the coolest cycling related t-shirts. So I went culling through my bookmarks and found some of the links I have collected. There are some pretty cool t-shirt designs in this collection, but I am sure there must be more and maybe better out there.

Nonetheless, I will present you with my list. If you know of any cool cycling t-shirt sites out there let us know. Or just let us know your favorites. And here they are (in no particular order):

Fortyninesixteen: Perhaps one of my favorites. A very urban messenger like style that exudes cool.

Laek House: One or two designs that are destined to be classics.

Twin Six: Makes a few cool T's in addition to their jerseys and other cycling gear.

Microcosm Publishing: A publishing company that makes a few rebellion oriented cycling T's.

Verge Sport: Has a few cycling cartoon images available on shirts.

CafePress: Some interesting designs on ho-hum apparel. Do a search on different keywords.

Zazzle: Same as CafePress.

Added the following on November 21, 2006:

Flirtees: Pretty and strong T's for women. Very cute!

Art by Opsal: Racing classics represented on skinny T's.

Evomo: Emotional and raw designs for apres riding.

P.S. The image above is of a Laek House designed T called Boy vs. Door. Image from NYVelocity.com.

The power of the Incredibell

I got tired of shouting "on your left" to all the dog walkers, runners, etc. along my commuting route, so I picked up an Incredibell. Now I've got the power. People stand up and take notice. It's a bit like having a siren. Move over you Ipod-wearing, no paying attention, slow-ass dog-walkin...ok...you've got every right to be on the path too.

The Incredibell is great because I don't actually have to engage with the other path users. I just flick that bell and they seem to straighten up...move over...and are ready for the Gman to pass. When I would yell "on your left" they would get spooked all Jamie Lee Curtis Halloween style and actually move left...right in my way. They would always seem annoyed too. Now I give them a quick "TING" (I think that's how it sounds) and a "thanks" as I pass. Everyone seems happier.

Another advantage is that I can be proactive with the bell. On blind corners I can ting that little thing in anticipation of walkers just around the bend. Shouting to oneself when no one is around just feels stupid.

I went for a mountain bike ride last night and missed the Incredibell. It might serve a different purpose for the trail. I could ting that thing to warn those behind that something is coming like another rider, an unusual obstacle, or horse shit (the worst of all possible obstacles.) There was no doubt that other riders on the trail knew I was coming. The spring on my suspension was squeaking like Hugh Hefner's bed on a Saturday night (is he still alive?). I've got to get better with the wrench.

Yesterday we were supposed to go to the Snow Patrol concert, but the singer got laryngitis and had to postpone. I think I'm going to upgrade my rating on the new album to four stars. While there are no real break out hits as with the preceding album, the whole album is very listenable and has character...just give it a chance.