June 2011
1 post
SRAM XX Groupset
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...
May 2011
3 posts
Cannondale Slice
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.
2011 Cannondale Scalpel.
Just a little promo vid on the Scalpel….watch it all and you will discover that it is actually made with love not Hammertime Hi-mod Carbon fibre! ;)
Token Chain Drop Catcher
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...
April 2011
3 posts
Reynolds MV32 UL Wheelset
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...
Arundel Sideloader & OtherSideloader Cages
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...
Northwave Carbon MTB Shoes
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 The Aerator model I have been using for nearly 2 years are still going strong although they have now been superseded by the Razer as the ‘top-of-the-wazza’ model.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...
March 2011
2 posts
Cannondale in the press lately.
Jeckyll Carbon-1 is in store now! It also appeared in the new issue of AMB.
CAAD-10 is Australian Cyclist. Along with this on ROAD BIKE REVIEW.
Lezyne Floor Pumps
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,...
February 2011
1 post
Sugoi H.O.V. Gloves
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...
January 2011
1 post
Cannondale SuperSix
One off the joys of having a bike shop, other than the glamorous lifestyle is getting to ride new bikes on a fairly regular basis. That being said I have just come off riding a CAAD-9 for about a year have jumped on a SuperSix Carbon bike.
This bike originally was the SuperSix-3 spec but was stripped and rebuilt with 3T Pro finishing kit, SRAM Force Groupo, Prologo Saddle and Demo SRAM S30...
November 2010
1 post
JETBLACK Light Weight Rotor
Whilst recently fitting some flash new red brake lines to my new Pivot Mach 4 Jonesy told me he had thrown a pair of Jetblack’s new lightweight rotors on the bike and asked me to see how I thought they performed.
I was initially quite sceptical thinking “how much weight can you really save on a set of rotors?” however when you start to look into the (confusing) world of...
October 2010
1 post
Pivot Mach 5.
We have just added a 2010 Pivot Mach 5 to our demo fleet and I have been riding it over the last 2 weeks.
These bikes have been getting rave reviews from all the sites and mags for a while now and all I can say is that they certainly live up to expectations.
The biggest factor that makes these bikes so good is the DW linkage. It’s a big claim to say it eliminates ‘bob’ but it...
August 2010
3 posts
Sugoi Helium Vest
This time of year can be very frustrating for us bike riders! Near arctic temperatures early in the morning with a rapid temperature increase when the sun comes up. The Sugoi Helium is a perfect partner on days like this. It effectively blocks the wind and keeps your core warm, and at sub 80 grams will go unnoticed in a jersey pocket when no longer required. Available in Black, White and Hi-Viz...
Look Keo 2 Max
The Keo-2 Max have been upgraded with a new wider stainless steel cleat support to give more foot stability and better durability. The Keo-2 uses the same cleat as the Keo which is available in 9, 4.5 and 0 degree float. The teflon inserts on the cleats allow for a very smooth action and great feedback tells you if you’re in or out. Lightweight carbon injected body provides great ground...
SRAM Force Groupset
Having spent a lot of time on SRAM’s flagship ‘Red’ groupset, I was excited about jumping on the 2nd tier Force group. On first inspection it is difficult to tell where the money has been saved. Visually very similar with carbon cranks and brake levers. Force looks every bit as racy as it’s big brother, braking is every bit as good, lever ergonomics are identical and the...
May 2010
3 posts
A Bit of Amsterdam on the Bike Paths of Perth
I’m not one for making over-the-top statements, but this bike has honestly changed my life. I cannot count the number of times I’ve bemoaned having to bring a change of clothes to the pub / cafe / party because I don’t want to hang out in my cycling shoes, shorts, etc. (a problem a lot of guys won’t appreciate but I can guarantee other girls will understand!). This is...
Charge Chopstick Seatpost
The Charge Chopstick Seatpost is a really good looking, functional post. From an adjustment point of view the clamp system is easy to use, the side access allen bolt means no fiddling under the seat and multitools getting wedged against the post. Probably not what you would put on your light weight race machine but certainly nice on a winter bike or steel sunday bike. Colour choices as seen...
Knog Boomer Front and Rear Lights
It’s a sad day when the knee warmers come back out, the gortex is dusted off and you wonder if the batteries in your lights still work!
Lights are a ‘must have’, it’s just plain dangerous to ride on the roads without them whether it’s the daily commute down the cycle path or an early morning training ride.
What I like about the Knog Boomer (and all of their...
January 2010
3 posts
Arundel Mandible Cage
While perusing the latest photos of our local boys Cam and Trav Meyers complete domination of the national road and time trial, I noticed that they and the entire Garmin Transitions team use Arundel bidon cages. The Arundel Mandible has been the cage of choice here at Bespoke since day one. It is not your run of the mill cookie cutter cage. The most striking aspect of the Mandible is how...
Fizik Antares Saddle
The newest offering from Fizik is rather interesting in that it combines the best attributes of Fiziks two most popular saddles, the Arione and the Aliante. It has a fairly flat shape across the back and a reasonably wide nose. Fizik have also trimmed down the sides and done away with the wing-flex system they have used in the past. I have found the shape comfortable in almost all situations....
BB30 The Low Down
Being that we stock Cannondale the amount of times that “BB30” comes gushing from our mouths is on the rise….along with the returned puzzled looks.
Thought I’d take a moment to try and explain this magical thing of which we speak.
BB30 isn’t new, Cannondale has been doing it for a while now. It’s basically an oversized bottom bracket shell that removes the...
November 2009
2 posts
Met Estro Helmet
This is my personal favourite, the Met Estro looks good, plenty of vents (20), good padding and a secure retention system to firmly keep the helmet in place. Aggressive and stylish enough to mix it up on a bunch ride or attend your weekend race without the exorbitant price tag ($210.00) We stock 3 colours, Red/White, Black/White and White/Silver
Charge Griffin
Charge have added yet another smoking bike to their collection, The Griffin. A limited edition run of 500 world-wide with only 40 arriving in Australia. Charge enlisted the help of UK fashion label Griffin Studios to come up with the styling of the bike which features mis-matched wheels, sealed alloy Straw Bar, funky paint scheme and a numbered plaque mounted on the top tube. The Griffin comes...
October 2009
1 post
2010 Cannondale CAAD9-1
After not including a high spec CAAD9 bike in their range for 2009, Cannondale have come to their senses and introduced the CAAD9-1 for 2010. I haven’t ridden an alloy frame for god knows how long and was pretty excited to jump on this novel, new, material that doesn’t come from the moon (as we all know that is where cosmic fibre hails from) and holly jesus is it stiff! The CAAD9-1...
September 2009
2 posts
Torq Bars, Gels & Powders
Bars and Gels that you can actually stomach!! Who would have thunk it!! It is never easy trying to eat an energy bar while riding and the gels can get pretty sickly but the Torq stuff is easy to break down and they have put some actual thought into the flavours. Apart from tasting good they do work. The gels get you through a cramp or low spot while the bars give you an extended release of...
Bib Knicks
Jonesy and myself try and sell things that we would use ourselves and when it comes to bib knicks we have lucked out. I am currently using both the Sugoi RS Bibs and Giordana Tenax Bibs and I have to say they both rock! We use the RS Bibs for our shop kit, the material feels lighter than the Giordanas but both have super comfortable chamois. Where Giordana have it over Sugoi is that they bring a...
July 2009
1 post
NiteRider MiNewt X2 Lights
I have had my X2’s for nearly 2 years using them for both commuting and off-road riding in all conditions and they haven’t missed a beat. For someone like myself who has poor night vision they throw out 150 lumens which is enough to hit up trails at night with confidence. Being both compact and robust they can take a fall (of which i have had many!) and as they use ‘O’...
June 2009
4 posts
DeFeet Gloves, Socks and Shoe Covers
I always know winter has arrived when I pull my DeFeet Slipstream shoe covers and DuraGloves out of the drawer. While not a full on thermal glove for arctic temps and freezing rain, the tight knit weave is perfect for those chilly 5-8 degree mornings. The gloves have a nicely textured rubber palm for grip and the shoe covers allow a certain degree of customization with cleat fitting. Very...
Bike Ribbon Wafer Bar Tape
Just saying ‘wafer’ (in a french accent) is cool. A textured tape that provides excellent grip on gloved or ungloved hands. It provides adequate shock absorption and long term durability. What I like most about it is the way it wraps, it is very easy to achieve a professional looking finish that makes your bike feel brand new.
Rock 'n' Roll Gold
The Packet says “The King of Lubes” and I’m inclined to agree. Comes in 3 flavours, Dry, Extreme and Gold (as reviewed). Rock ‘n’ Roll acts as a lube and cleaner, I don’t know how it works but it does. If you follow the instructions it will keep your chain gleaming, smooth and quiet.
Continental GP-4000's
Hands down the most versatile tyre I have used to date. Fast enough to race on, tough enough to train on, superb grip and road feel as well. They adopt the Henry Ford school of tyre colour… what ever you want as long it’s black, which is a shame. Having said that they occasionally bring out limited colour runs and we currently have some in white. Otherwise a tyre that I can’t...
May 2009
5 posts
Road To Roubaix DVD
Ladies, if you want a good laugh, put on the log fire, pour a glass of vino tinto, slot this in the player and sit back to watch the husband/bf reduced to a weepy mess by the end of 71 mins of Roubaix wonderfulness culminating in Stewie’s ‘07 win.
Road to Roubaix takes a slightly different look at the ‘Queen of the Classics’ focusing not just on the riding but the...
Brooks Saddles and Saddlebags
Brooks is the epitome of quality and class when is comes to bicycle parts and accessories. Renowned for being exceptionally comfortable after the initial breaking in period their saddles are the ultimate touch to your tourer, single speed or fixie.
Saddles can be colour co-ordinated to match with fine leather bar tape and saddle bag.
One may find themselves inspired to give royal waves...
GT Zaskar Carbon Team
With every ride I love this bike more and more!
From day one it has been a pleasure to ride. The Zaskar tracks superbly and feels rooted to the trail, almost feeling weighted to the ground in the same way a boat has a keel to keep it upright. I feel very confident in throwing the bike from side to side through tight single track or descending. The front wheel rarely disappears beneath you and...
Emporelli Carbon Bidon Cages
Despite them sounding distinctly italian ze Gemans at Emporelli have come up with something special when talking carbon bidon cages. Superbly crafted and rediculously light at 15 grams these cages have an understated ‘bling factor’.
The branding is visible without being garish nor do they look like something that has fallen from the latest NASA mission.
They grasp bidons firmly and...
Shiny Object Inflator by Portland Design Works
After the weekend bash out on the trail I felt compelled to review the Shiny Object by Portland Design Works. Using co2 inflators has become pretty stock standard but so is never getting quite enough pressure out of them and they usually need a top-up with a hand-pump.
These inflator heads are very well designed using a pressure dial that regulates how fast the co2 is released not to mention...
April 2009
1 post
The Ride Journal
This is quite possibly the coolest bicycle publication ever. Intelligently put together with a who’s who of cycling list of contributing writers from current and former world champs, Chris Hoy and Johnny T, to music producer and part owner of Brooklyn Machine Works, Pharrell Williams, Fashion icon and cycling enthusiast Paul Smith and just your every day Joe who loves cycling.
From tales...
March 2009
2 posts
Cannondale Slice Review
While we don’t intend on solely rely on the reviews we find in magazine and online bike sites this review from Tour magazine was worth a mention. Tour magazine’s test of the Slice
February 2009
Germany’s Tour magazine has recently become the benchmark independent tester – the one with tests that every bike manufacturer loves to win.
The editors and the magazine are widely respected...
Reviews are go!
Ready to start dishing the dirt