I have recently jumped on a 2011 Pivot with SRAM XX groupset and been on enough rides now to warrant a review. If you check out the SRAM site linked here you can get all the tech talk.
First of all the XX groupset looks sweet! Very clean, no over the top colours or logoing, polished alloy and lots of it is always a winner.
The first thing I noticed is how ‘light’ the shifting felt with minimal effort or sweep of the thumb. This can be attributed to the 1:1 ratio EA (Exact Actuation, love a good acronym) technology. Which basically means for 1 unit of cable movement you get 1 unit of derailleur movement. This also meant that halfway through the 6 hour when I started to get cable stretch, on the fly adjustments were easier with the barrel adjuster at the shifters. While Shimano is very very smooth the Sram felt a little more ‘positive’ as it went into gear without being clunking.
This is my first time on 2x10 and I think the days of triple chainrings are very numbered. The wide ratios on the rear meant I never felt lacking in gears and on the front I felt like I was shifting less between chainrings because of it. Chainsuck seems to be less also but ask me again in a couple of months.
The brakes are mint. I felt in control and able to feather the brakes when needed without them grabbing and my wheels disappearing from under me. Adjustability is good with variable lever position and pad contact point.
With the double chainrings up front my legs felt nice and close with good power transfer. For those of you (like me) who scuff their cranks up with their shoes, the scuff point seems to be 1-2 inches higher than on regular cranks so use lots of protective skin.
Having come off the Fox fork which is great, but has a lock out that seizes up all the time, the XX hydraulic fork lock out rules! It is a no-hassles push button unit, the only thing being that you push the button in/on to make the fork active and release it to activate the lock out….In my head it is the other way round….If you know what I mean…In any case it doesn’t take long to figure it out.
So overall 10/10 thumbs up. The test will be now to see what the longevity is like.
Another little release fromn the product peeps at Cannondale. I can definately vouch for the comfort to aero position ratio of the Slice. Feels like you can stay down on the tri bars for longer.
Simple, functional and unobtrusive. In our opinion that’s how anything that attaches to your bike should be and for anyone who has looked down with dismay at the large gouge taken out of their paint after dropping a chain, these little critters fit the bill.
Made from alloy they come in 4 anodised colour options shown above and at a whopping 6g you won’t have to worry about falling down the list on the weight weenies leader board.
They mount to the front derailleur and hang down to stop the chain slipping over and damaging your chain stay or bb. A very simple item that avoids a lot of potential damage. RRP is $45
Our resident womens uber cyclist Claire Aubrey has been smashing up the womens road scene this seaon (and the shop ride!), She recently jumped on a pair of Reynolds MV32 Tubs. This is what she has to say about them!
Usually I’m not the best at noticing changes to my bike, much to my husband’s disbelief. For example by the time I noticed my steering was a bit dodgy on the mountain bike, I’d sheered part of the headset in half…
However, we recently bought a pair of Reynolds 32mm carbon tubular wheels and not only did I notice the difference compared to my normal Shimano Dura Aces, I felt like cheering every time I went to accelerate on a climb! That’s right, as a result of these wheels I can put ‘accelerate’ and ‘climb’ in the one sentence! And despite the crazy cross winds during the races I’ve ridden them in so far, the handling has been great.
I would leave it at that and just tell you to buy some but I understand you may want slightly more information… The reasons these wheels are so responsive and handle beautifully are:
The set weighs just 1040g and apparently is the lightest wheelset available that doesn’t require a UCI-certified mechanic for servicing (mind you, I reckon Jonesy could pass that test any day if he wanted);
With this new Ultralight technology, they are said to “maintain the stiffness and durability of rims that are 30% deeper but achieve the desired weight loss”;
No matter how windy it gets, you don’t need to make a swap decision on race day because, hey, at 32mm, you barely notice the wind; and finally
If you eat a bit too much over Christmas, don’t worry! Apparently there is virtually no rider weight limit. I’m not exactly sure what the ‘virtually’ means but I’d say that most of us have nothing to be concerned about.
So what am I doing this winter? Keeping an eye on the race calendar so that I can ride these wheels as much as possible!
If you notice in our shop Arundel are the only cages we stock. Simple, clean, functional and good looking…much like ourselves!
The Sideloader and OtherSideloader are a carbon cage that caters for smaller or compact frames that struggle to fit a water bottle in the conventional way. As the name suggests bidons enter and leave from…err…..well…..the side.
The cage firmly grips the bidon and used with the bolts provided doesn’t scratch up your bottle.
Both lefties and righties are looked after and 3 colours options are available. We currently have red and silver trim in stock.
Northwave Mtb shoes in my experience are built to last. The Aerator model I have been using for nearly 2 years are still going strong although they have now been superseded by the Razer as the ‘top-of-the-wazza’ model. When going to carbon soled shoes the first thing you notice is the stiffness which in turn generates direct power transfer, the next thing you notice is the pain your feet start to feel after a few hours in the saddle. This is normal when going to a carbon sole from a plastic sole. Your feet adapt within a few rides so don’t be put off.
The leather upper is well ventilated with plenty of meshing to keep your feet cool. Double stitching over heavy wear areas help to keep the shoes intact. Mine only started to come apart after dragging the toe over a rock quite badly. However the tear hasn’t worsened a year on.
The SBS ratchet plus 2 strap retention system works well to keep your foot firmly in place to provide a solid platform from which to work around. The looser the foot the more likely-hood of knee issues. As far as the ratchet system goes, you can get replacement buckles through Orbea Australia but we haven’t had any significant issues with them.
Northwave are a notoriously wide shoe so they don’t generally suit people with a narrower foot. Anything wide though and they are perfect.
The price points now have come right down with the Razer having an rrp of $230.
Sometimes I wish we could really trash a product, but another one of the perks about having this place is we only get stuff in we actually like and can get excited about. So trashing will be left for another day.
Lezyne is another one of those brands that have got ‘it’ right. Well thought out, well presented and functional to boot.
Lezyne floor pumps come in both high pressure, high volume and travel models. We have had the CNC Floor Drive as the workshop pump for over 2 years and it is still going strong.
The barrel and piston are precisely machined and fitted maximising air volume and reducing leakage. For me the best feature of the pump is the aluminium Flip-Thread Chuck that threads directly onto either presta or schrader valves. Due to the O ring seals and the secure connection you don’t lose any air out the sides as is normal on most pumps and the gauge is over sized and easy to read for blind people such as myself.
Lezyne offer seal replacement kits and chucks for their pumps however, as mentioned, we have had a workshop pump for over 2 years and as you can imagine that thing gets a workout!
Aesthetically the pumps are sleek and simple, the wooden handle gives it a classic look and the polished alloy is always a winner. They come in a few different models including travel and tubeless specific varieties along with a full polished cnc’d version, steel and alloy models.
The Sugoi H.O.V. glove has been developed for riders who want the ultimate road racing glove. The H.O.V. glove uses full gain leather to produce very soft yet durable gloves.
Unlike some gloves the H.O.V. gives a rider the confidence and feel of riding bare handed, but with the protection and comfort of the highest quality glove money can buy. The gloves also offer high breathability, sweat absorption and water repellency as well as the addition of a perforated flock PU Nose wipe.
The Sugoi H.O.V. glove matches this high grade leather with quality construction and should last many seasons if looked after
Carefully finished with double stitching in key wear points, the gloves have road-specific pads with extra reinforcement around the thumb and forefinger for those hours riding on the hoods. At 2mm, the pads are slim and comfortable with vented leather on the palm and the back. But they offer unrivalled cushioning through the Vcontrol vibration dampening palm pads. The H.O.V. gloves are finished with durable stitching around all seams and edges. They are fastened at the cuff with a Velcro strap.
These leather gloves look and feel beautiful and they get better with age. Buy them slightly tight and they will stretch to the shape of your hands for a perfect fit.
Post 2 crashes photo. Held up ok, no holes, just some splits in the stitching.
