May. 6, 2008
A first look: Shimano's new Saint group
When it comes to downhill and freeride components, there is a real need to make them tougher. Manufacturers want parts to last longer and stand up to greater abuse, but the riders using them often take durability for granted and strive for something ...
May. 6, 2008
Technical Q and A with Lennard Zinn: On bearings and brakesDear Lennard,I want to replace the Raceface X-type road bottom bracket on my Giant TCR C1 road bike.
I want to replace it with one that is smoother running, likely one with ceramic bearings. Will any Shimano compatible ceramic bearing bottom ...
Apr. 29, 2008
Tech Report with Lennard Zinn - More big things
In last week’s column, I mentioned suspension as a likely Next Big Thing in road bikes. I also promised another prediction this week. This one I think is coming, but it’s going to take ...
Apr. 28, 2008
Still new: the last Sea Otter tech gallery
This year’s Sea Otter was better than ever with regards to new product roll-outs.
There was too much to see during the short four days I was in Monterey, but we caught the vast majority in the hottest new stuff category.
I’ll cover the ...
Apr. 26, 2008
Morning-of thoughts on — and cassettes for — Georgia’s decisive climb
At the Tour de Georgia, mechanics spent the night before Saturday’s decisive Brasstown Bald stage switching cassettes on wheels. In place of 10-speed units with a 21, 23 or 25 as the lowest gear, riders’ rear wheels for today have 26, 27 and ...
Apr. 24, 2008
Team time trial tech
Stage 4's team time trial featured a short, hilly, twisty course. Although race officials banned the use of time trial bikes, disc wheels and aero helmets, equipment choice was still a factor.
The teams used their standard road bikes, though ...
Apr. 23, 2008
Tour de Georgia: We take a look at the race leader's bike
Highroad’s Greg Henderson went pretty quick to win Wednesday’s stage 3 sprint — 81.3 kph to be exact; that’s more than 50 mph. We were able to take a look at the maximum values on Hendy’s SRM after the stage. Assuming he was putting out ...
Apr. 23, 2008
How a little creative mechanics lets Matt Wilson ride with a broken wrist.
J.J. Haedo isn’t the only rider toughing it out at this year’s Tour of Georgia.
Team Type 1’s Matt Wilson, too, has a broken wrist and is racing in a soft cast. While pain isn’t too much of a problem, the cast on his right hand and wrist ...
Apr. 23, 2008
Sea Otter Tech: Magura, Ridley, Rotor and Lezyne
Sea Otter is over, but this year’s expo was bigger than ever and the overflow of what we saw there can and will go on for the rest of the week. In this edition we’ll look at brakes from Magura, Ridley frames, Rotor cranks and accessories from ...
Apr. 23, 2008
SRAM introduces 2009 road parts improvements at Sea Otter
SRAM trickles down its technologies rather quickly. It was two years ago that the company launched its road line at the Sea Otter Classic.
That initial introduction included both the Force and Rival groups. Early last fall at the Eurobike ...
Apr. 22, 2008
J.J. Haedo's race winning Cervelo
You don’t need to tell J.J. Haedo to harden up — he’s tough enough; he’s racing in Georgia with a broken wrist. He’s got a little extra tape on his bars to soften the ride as well as on his wrist as a brace, but that’s it. He’s a tough ...
Apr. 22, 2008
Tech Report with Lennard Zinn - What's the next big thing?
People constantly ask me, “What do you see as the next big innovation coming with road bikes?”
Their eyes tend to glaze over if I reply with any of the incremental improvements that every bike show or exhibition, like last week’s Sea ...
