9 Products I (Mostly) Loved In 2020: Mike Levy
This year, Pinkbike's editors decided to take a page from the CyclingTips playbook and put together a few “Some Stuff I Loved” lists of our own. Think of it as a more personalized version of the Pinkbike Awards, a place to recognize the bikes and equipment that left a lasting impression on us over the last 12 months.
While Mike Kazimer's list will probably have all sorts of boring things on it like tube straps, funny looking shoes (what time is the space-ball game, @Mikekazimer?), and platform pedals, my 2020 best-of list is a bit more eclectic... For better or worse.
The Grim Donut
This year, it's the Grim Donut that's right at the top of my list. You know when someone comes up with an idea that sounds too good to be true and then that's exactly what happens? Me too, but that's actually not what happened this time, which was a surprise to all of us involved.
When we started the Donut project, the plan was to make a tongue-in-cheek video poking fun at the idea that if long, low, and slack is good, then surely longer, lower, and more slacker must be more good, right? So why not just jump ahead a decade and skip all the humming and hawing? To underline how serious this undertaking was, we came up with a foolproof way to figure out the geometry we'd obviously be using in 2030; we looked at the difference in geo between 2010 and 2020, then just applied that to today's numbers! I thought this was supposed to be difficult...
![The Grim Donut]()
Our joke of an enduro bike popped out with a 57-degree head angle, 83-degree seat angle, 500mm of reach (ugh, way too conservative), and a bottom bracket height that tried to kill me every few minutes. Did it work? Of course not; it rode like total shit everywhere I wasn't pointing straight down while off the brakes with my eyes closed. But then Yoann Barelli got on it and, well, the Donut sure worked okay for him - he set his quickest-ever time down our test track! The right amount of stupid? Maybe. Honestly, I thought he'd either be comically slower on the Donut or walk out of the forest with it in two pieces.
What's next? Who knows, but it won't happen anytime soon.
Price: TBA?
More information: Video: We Went to Taiwan & Made a Bike from the Future - The Grim Donut
![photo]()
The Mini
This one's also a no-brainer: It can't be all bikes all the time and when it's not, it's cars. I picked up my blue Mini a few years ago and it's been in various states of fun since then, with it now sporting a modern Honda engine in place of the original A-series, welded-in roll cage, upgraded suspension all around, and this not-so-quiet voice that's constantly saying, ''Let's go to the twisties!''
Like a lot of you, one of the many reasons I love mountain biking is that I don't think about much else besides riding while I'm doing it, and that's the exact same thing I like about my otherwise useless little car. I can head out for 30-minutes and only think about rev-matching, how amazing those last few corners (were despite my crappy line), and maybe what the hell was that scary noise? It's also a relatively unfamiliar thing to me, having not grown up completely immersed in car culture as I was with cycling. That means I'm always learning something, be it behind the wheel, with some wrenches in my hands, or hours deep researching something I probably shouldn't buy but definitely will buy.
Next up: Some lessons on the track and maybe a black wrap so it's a bit more discreet. Oh yeah, it sounds like an angry chainsaw with a megaphone, which I loved at first but now I (predictably) find it to be a bit much. Same goes for the can't-miss-it blue paint job that needs to be covered; it's a much better strategy to blend in.
Price: Who cares?
More information: Steveston Motor Co
![photo]()
The BMC URS Gravel Bike
While mountain bikes have filled all of my days (both spare and paid) for the last few decades, there was a time before that when all I did was spend endless hours exploring pavement and gravel on my road bike. I didn't own much cycling clothing that wasn't skin tight, and the quill stem on my blue and silver Lemond Zurich was slammed as low as it'd go. While that was twenty-something years ago now, that curly-bar mindset from my teenage years won't ever disappear; I'll always love (ish) training, being fit (ish), and long, hard climbs.
Thankfully, the curly-bar riding these days is way more fun than when I was aboard my old Zurich and Giant TCR road bikes with 23mmm wide tires inflated to 120 PSI. What were even doing back then?
![photo]()
![photo]()
Earlier this year, both Pinkbike and CycingTips converged on Sedona, Arizona, for a semi-joint Field Test; we were evaluating mountain bikes, of course, and they were on gravel bikes. That's where I first saw the BMC URS Three, a very blue, $4,299 USD machine based on a carbon frame that looks like it's from the future - here's Dave Rome's review on CyclingTips. The least expensive URS gets the same frame as the fancy version, including the Pro-Flex-ish 'MTT' elastomer softtail rear-end that's said to supply 10mm of squish. That's not a new idea by any means, nor is it meant to be rear-suspension, but rather just to take some edge off choppy gravel roads, especially when you're six hours deep into some soul-searching death march.
Another reason I've gelled with Big Blue is that BMC has combined a longer reach number with a shorter than usual stem (for a gravel bike) to move the rider's center of gravity farther behind the front axle. Sound familiar? That means that I don't feel like I'm about to get tossed out the front door as often, and it makes for a much more confident ride.
![photo]()
One thing I see many riders do, especially around here, is to try to turn their gravel bike into a shitty mountain bike by using huge tires and a dropper post... I have a mountain bike that I can crash for that, so why do it on my curly-bar rig? Instead, I plan on keeping the BMC in speedy-ish gravel mode. Has anyone seen my white bib shorts around here?
Price: $4,299 USD
More information: www.bmc-switzerland.com
![photo]()
The Roval Control SL Team Issue Wheelset
I know they're not inexpensive, and they surely don't make much sense for the large majority of us, but damn, Roval's 1,283-gram Control SL Team Issue wheels have blown my mind since they arrived last April. I mean, not only are they impossibly light, but they're also 29mm wide internally rather than some piddly size to save more grams, and they've been nothing but faultless for the last months of abuse on terrain and bikes that are probably a bit rowdier than they were made for. Not only have they been reliable, the 4mm wide rim beads have surely saved me from wrecking a tire or two by being too wide (and therefore dull) to slice through a casing when I run straight into some rock I should have seen but didn't.
![photo]()
![photo]()
The price makes them ultra-chic and completely unneeded in any way whatsoever, but there's no feeling like a super lightweight wheelset, especially if they're also reliable and compatible with wide trail bike tires as the Rovals are. A luxury item, for sure, but impressive nonetheless.
Price: $2,650 USD
More information: www.specialized.com
![Structure Cycleworks SCW 1]()
The Crazy Looking Structure SCW 1
I bet that fancy telescoping fork on the front of your bike works really, really well. How often do you find yourself saying, ''There's gotta be a better way to do this whole front suspension thing?'' Me neither, but there are definitely some clever folks out there who've been thinking about precisely that. Case in point: Structure's wild-looking SCW 1, a full-on production mountain bike that integrates an anti-dive linkage fork (with increasing trail) into its front triangle, all made using carbon fiber.
![Structure Cycleworks SCW 1]()
![Structure Cycleworks SCW 1]()
Because the SCW 1's fork requires such long linkage arms and provides a whopping 7-degrees of head angle change when the fork and shock are both bottomed, Structure needed the real estate that only their own frame could provide. In other words, no, it probably couldn't be made to look less strange. The carbon contraption seems to be half praying mantis, half mountain bike... And it works exactly like they say it does. The funky linkage practically eliminates small impacts in a way that made me think it was drastically under-sprung, but it wasn't. It stands high in its travel like it was over-sprung, but it wasn't.
The most notable advantage, however, is how the bike's handling feels like it remains constant regardless of where the fork is in its travel. More control means more speed, which might be enough for some of us to look past the bike's, er, odd appearance.
![Structure Cycleworks SCW 1 Photo by Max Barron]()
The SCW 1's proprietary front-end was impressive, but its 27.5" wheels (#294lyfe), chunky weight, odd looks, and high-end price tag mean that's it'll likely always be sold in relatively small numbers. Regardless, throw a leg over one if you get a chance - it might not be for you, but you'll be glad someone is thinking differently. While we're here, shoutout to Moorhuhn, AcotFive, Pole (I'm still dreaming of a 120mm Stamina), and anyone else out there doing something different and not obvious.
Price: $6,995 - $9,250.00 USD
More information: www.structure.bike
![photo]()
Topeak Shuttle Digital Pressure Gauge
Tire pressure is the single most important thing that you're not checking often enough, especially as it has a massive effect on your bike's performance, and even more so now that most of us are running quite low pressures. Let's say, just as an example, that your weight, tire, and terrain mean that 25 psi would be an ideal pressure. So you usually prefer it at 25 psi, but now let's say that you don't ride your bike for a few days... Can you actually just go for another ride without checking it? I hope not, because you could have a very different experience if your tires have lost as little as just a few psi, let alone way more. The heavier the rider, or if they're relatively lightweight tires, the more the pressure differential will matter; it's especially important if you're using low-volume rubber with flexible sidewalls.
Am I crazy? Maybe a little, but there hasn't been a single ride over the last decade or more where I haven't checked or adjusted my tire pressure before heading out. To do that, I use Topeak's $65 USD Shuttle Digital (there's an analog version as well) gauge. This little guy has a rotating head, air bleed button, a valve lock to help hold it on, and you can even connect your pump (which I never do) for an inline system. I keep one in my gear bag that comes with me on road trips, another in the car, another in the Jeep, one by the front door, one in my shop, and one in the washroom.
Price: $65 USD
More information: www.topeak.com
![photo]()
The Hans Dampf Tire
Yeah, I know your WT Minions are really, really good. And yeah, I know the Assegai is stickier than hot glue. But I also know that when it comes to trail bikes, you might be better served choosing something that offers a more fitting balance of weight, rolling speed, and traction. I'd also argue that putting too much tire on a bike is one way to ruin its character; picture 1,300-gram rubber on your 120mm bike that never sees worthy terrain or speed to make the most of your tractor tires. Congrats, your bike is not only slower pretty much everywhere, but also more difficult to get off the ground. There are exceptions (reliability, of course), but it's kinda like how you don't want to over-tire your sports car. Or like how putting 2.0" cross-country tires on your downhill bike would end badly.
![photo]()
![photo]()
Aaaaaanyway, my go-to 29" tire for doing all the things on my trail bike is Schwalbe's Hans Dampf, preferably in a 2.35" width (because that's all you need) and in the softest compound. I'm always thinking about versatility, especially when it comes to tires, and Hans gives me the right mix of weight, rolling speed, and traction for where I ride. I can put on a set in the middle of a torrentially wet spring season and not be let down, or I can run them through the summer as a mid-weight all 'rounder. The casing is also versatile enough for me to run low psi when it's slow and slippery, or up too high without them feeling terrible. There are better tires when it's muddy, or if you're going mach-enduro over pointy rocks, or if you only care about descending, but that's not how I think.
Thing is, tires have to be the component that gets in our head the most; I've had riders much slower than myself ask how I'm even still alive, meanwhile they haven't checked the pressure in their bald-ass whatevers for six months. The cons list is short, but there's no getting around the fact that I tend to slice 'em more often than those Maxxis tires I joke about. And both brand's tires cost too much. Also, not being more of a specialist tire means they're not the best at anything.
Price: $89 USD
More information: www.schwalbetires.com
![photo]()
Smith's Attack Max Glasses and Forefront 2 Helmet
Okay, a disclaimer here: Smith sponsors the Field Tests and supplies us with helmets and glasses, including the ones I'm about to gush about. But if I lost my Forefront 2 and Attack Max glasses tomorrow, I'd head down to Corsa, my local shop here in Squamish, to buy them.
To be honest, while I'd rather not wear glasses at all, I'd also prefer to not lose an eye. While I'm not hot on the name - is it supposed to be inspiring? - these are one of the few glasses that don't make me feel like either a total jackass named Chad (sorry Chad) or someone who exclusively drinks tiny, expensive coffees and wants you to know it. Instead, I just look like a dorky cyclist wearing functional, dorky glasses. I'm cool with that because of the functional part; they barely ever fog and quickly clear if they do, it takes seconds to swap lenses, and the adjustable fit is, umm adjustable.
![photo]()
![photo]()
There are lighter and windier helmets than the Forefront 2, but as long as I'm not in the middle of a cross-country race on a hot day, I'm probably wearing a black and green Forefront with MIPS. First and foremost, it's comfy and provides more protection than the visor-less lid race lid @brianpark prefers me not to wear to photoshoots (''It looks like a bird on your head.'') He's not wrong. Speaking of that, I like that the Forefront doesn't look like a typical bike helmet, with more edges than curves and that strange 'Koroyd' stuff in the vents. Downsides: That's over $500 USD on a helmet and glasses when there are plenty of more economical choices out there that are just as effective.
Price: $259 USD (Attack Max), $230 USD (Forefront 2)
More information: www.smithoptics.com
![photo]()
The Race's Podcasts
Much like everyone else out there, we started our own podcast this year and it's been fun seeing it grow, so I'm going to shout-out one of my personal favorites. One of my preferred things to do is an early morning Monday walk after a Grand Prix weekend, rain or shine, because that's when I listen to The Race's (confusing website name, I know) post-race podcast. There are a bunch of different F1 podcasts out there (including F1's own that records three times each event) that all offer some sort of insight, but it's hard to beat the boots-on-the-ground coverage from Mark Hughes and the rest of their team. I've been following F1 since my early teens and haven't missed a race in over twenty years, and I devour any and all English-speaking coverage that I can find, but there are still times when I'm thinking, ''Wait, what in the F-duct just happened?'' The crew at The Race always sorts it out without further confusing me, though, which isn't an easy feat.
They also do a great job of non-race podcasts covering tech, rules, politics, and anything else going on, as well as also doing the tech-focused Gary Anderson Show and retro-minded Bring Back V10s podcasts. If you're an F1 fan new or old, you'll enjoy The Race's podcasts.
Price: $0 USD
More information: www.the-race.com
While Mike Kazimer's list will probably have all sorts of boring things on it like tube straps, funny looking shoes (what time is the space-ball game, @Mikekazimer?), and platform pedals, my 2020 best-of list is a bit more eclectic... For better or worse.
The Grim Donut
This year, it's the Grim Donut that's right at the top of my list. You know when someone comes up with an idea that sounds too good to be true and then that's exactly what happens? Me too, but that's actually not what happened this time, which was a surprise to all of us involved.
When we started the Donut project, the plan was to make a tongue-in-cheek video poking fun at the idea that if long, low, and slack is good, then surely longer, lower, and more slacker must be more good, right? So why not just jump ahead a decade and skip all the humming and hawing? To underline how serious this undertaking was, we came up with a foolproof way to figure out the geometry we'd obviously be using in 2030; we looked at the difference in geo between 2010 and 2020, then just applied that to today's numbers! I thought this was supposed to be difficult...
The right amount of stupid, or is a little more needed for the next Donut prototype?
Our joke of an enduro bike popped out with a 57-degree head angle, 83-degree seat angle, 500mm of reach (ugh, way too conservative), and a bottom bracket height that tried to kill me every few minutes. Did it work? Of course not; it rode like total shit everywhere I wasn't pointing straight down while off the brakes with my eyes closed. But then Yoann Barelli got on it and, well, the Donut sure worked okay for him - he set his quickest-ever time down our test track! The right amount of stupid? Maybe. Honestly, I thought he'd either be comically slower on the Donut or walk out of the forest with it in two pieces.
What's next? Who knows, but it won't happen anytime soon.
Price: TBA?
More information: Video: We Went to Taiwan & Made a Bike from the Future - The Grim Donut
What does the Mini have in common with the Donut? Both are clearly the right amount of stupid.
The Mini
This one's also a no-brainer: It can't be all bikes all the time and when it's not, it's cars. I picked up my blue Mini a few years ago and it's been in various states of fun since then, with it now sporting a modern Honda engine in place of the original A-series, welded-in roll cage, upgraded suspension all around, and this not-so-quiet voice that's constantly saying, ''Let's go to the twisties!''
Like a lot of you, one of the many reasons I love mountain biking is that I don't think about much else besides riding while I'm doing it, and that's the exact same thing I like about my otherwise useless little car. I can head out for 30-minutes and only think about rev-matching, how amazing those last few corners (were despite my crappy line), and maybe what the hell was that scary noise? It's also a relatively unfamiliar thing to me, having not grown up completely immersed in car culture as I was with cycling. That means I'm always learning something, be it behind the wheel, with some wrenches in my hands, or hours deep researching something I probably shouldn't buy but definitely will buy.
Next up: Some lessons on the track and maybe a black wrap so it's a bit more discreet. Oh yeah, it sounds like an angry chainsaw with a megaphone, which I loved at first but now I (predictably) find it to be a bit much. Same goes for the can't-miss-it blue paint job that needs to be covered; it's a much better strategy to blend in.
Price: Who cares?
More information: Steveston Motor Co
The URS hooligan road bike takes me on all sorts of fun adventures that I wouldn't bother with on a mountain bike.
The BMC URS Gravel Bike
While mountain bikes have filled all of my days (both spare and paid) for the last few decades, there was a time before that when all I did was spend endless hours exploring pavement and gravel on my road bike. I didn't own much cycling clothing that wasn't skin tight, and the quill stem on my blue and silver Lemond Zurich was slammed as low as it'd go. While that was twenty-something years ago now, that curly-bar mindset from my teenage years won't ever disappear; I'll always love (ish) training, being fit (ish), and long, hard climbs.
Thankfully, the curly-bar riding these days is way more fun than when I was aboard my old Zurich and Giant TCR road bikes with 23mmm wide tires inflated to 120 PSI. What were even doing back then?
The little bumper is said to provide 10mm of squish. It ain't suspension, but it works.
I've been liking Vittoria's Terreno Wet tire for my mixed-use adventures.
Earlier this year, both Pinkbike and CycingTips converged on Sedona, Arizona, for a semi-joint Field Test; we were evaluating mountain bikes, of course, and they were on gravel bikes. That's where I first saw the BMC URS Three, a very blue, $4,299 USD machine based on a carbon frame that looks like it's from the future - here's Dave Rome's review on CyclingTips. The least expensive URS gets the same frame as the fancy version, including the Pro-Flex-ish 'MTT' elastomer softtail rear-end that's said to supply 10mm of squish. That's not a new idea by any means, nor is it meant to be rear-suspension, but rather just to take some edge off choppy gravel roads, especially when you're six hours deep into some soul-searching death march.
Another reason I've gelled with Big Blue is that BMC has combined a longer reach number with a shorter than usual stem (for a gravel bike) to move the rider's center of gravity farther behind the front axle. Sound familiar? That means that I don't feel like I'm about to get tossed out the front door as often, and it makes for a much more confident ride.
The SRAM AXS/eTap drivetrain combo was bolted on for the single-ring wide range (no front derailleur allowed), and the wireless system makes for an ultra-clean look on the BMC that also hides the brake hoses quite well.
One thing I see many riders do, especially around here, is to try to turn their gravel bike into a shitty mountain bike by using huge tires and a dropper post... I have a mountain bike that I can crash for that, so why do it on my curly-bar rig? Instead, I plan on keeping the BMC in speedy-ish gravel mode. Has anyone seen my white bib shorts around here?
Price: $4,299 USD
More information: www.bmc-switzerland.com
They cost a lot, but a 1,283-gram wheelset with rims that have a 29mm internal width? Yes, please.
The Roval Control SL Team Issue Wheelset
I know they're not inexpensive, and they surely don't make much sense for the large majority of us, but damn, Roval's 1,283-gram Control SL Team Issue wheels have blown my mind since they arrived last April. I mean, not only are they impossibly light, but they're also 29mm wide internally rather than some piddly size to save more grams, and they've been nothing but faultless for the last months of abuse on terrain and bikes that are probably a bit rowdier than they were made for. Not only have they been reliable, the 4mm wide rim beads have surely saved me from wrecking a tire or two by being too wide (and therefore dull) to slice through a casing when I run straight into some rock I should have seen but didn't.
DT Swiss hubs and crazy light rims.
The price makes them ultra-chic and completely unneeded in any way whatsoever, but there's no feeling like a super lightweight wheelset, especially if they're also reliable and compatible with wide trail bike tires as the Rovals are. A luxury item, for sure, but impressive nonetheless.
Price: $2,650 USD
More information: www.specialized.com
Structure's SCW 1 obviously won't be for most of us, but it was a highlight of 2020 for me.
The Crazy Looking Structure SCW 1
I bet that fancy telescoping fork on the front of your bike works really, really well. How often do you find yourself saying, ''There's gotta be a better way to do this whole front suspension thing?'' Me neither, but there are definitely some clever folks out there who've been thinking about precisely that. Case in point: Structure's wild-looking SCW 1, a full-on production mountain bike that integrates an anti-dive linkage fork (with increasing trail) into its front triangle, all made using carbon fiber.
The linkage arms are mounted in offset inserts to allow for adjustable anti-dive.
Because the SCW 1's fork requires such long linkage arms and provides a whopping 7-degrees of head angle change when the fork and shock are both bottomed, Structure needed the real estate that only their own frame could provide. In other words, no, it probably couldn't be made to look less strange. The carbon contraption seems to be half praying mantis, half mountain bike... And it works exactly like they say it does. The funky linkage practically eliminates small impacts in a way that made me think it was drastically under-sprung, but it wasn't. It stands high in its travel like it was over-sprung, but it wasn't.
The most notable advantage, however, is how the bike's handling feels like it remains constant regardless of where the fork is in its travel. More control means more speed, which might be enough for some of us to look past the bike's, er, odd appearance.
The SCW 1 was far from perfect, but the performance of the fork proved to me that there are other ways to get the job done.
The SCW 1's proprietary front-end was impressive, but its 27.5" wheels (#294lyfe), chunky weight, odd looks, and high-end price tag mean that's it'll likely always be sold in relatively small numbers. Regardless, throw a leg over one if you get a chance - it might not be for you, but you'll be glad someone is thinking differently. While we're here, shoutout to Moorhuhn, AcotFive, Pole (I'm still dreaming of a 120mm Stamina), and anyone else out there doing something different and not obvious.
Price: $6,995 - $9,250.00 USD
More information: www.structure.bike
If I ride a bike, I use one of these pressure gauges first.
Topeak Shuttle Digital Pressure Gauge
Tire pressure is the single most important thing that you're not checking often enough, especially as it has a massive effect on your bike's performance, and even more so now that most of us are running quite low pressures. Let's say, just as an example, that your weight, tire, and terrain mean that 25 psi would be an ideal pressure. So you usually prefer it at 25 psi, but now let's say that you don't ride your bike for a few days... Can you actually just go for another ride without checking it? I hope not, because you could have a very different experience if your tires have lost as little as just a few psi, let alone way more. The heavier the rider, or if they're relatively lightweight tires, the more the pressure differential will matter; it's especially important if you're using low-volume rubber with flexible sidewalls.
Am I crazy? Maybe a little, but there hasn't been a single ride over the last decade or more where I haven't checked or adjusted my tire pressure before heading out. To do that, I use Topeak's $65 USD Shuttle Digital (there's an analog version as well) gauge. This little guy has a rotating head, air bleed button, a valve lock to help hold it on, and you can even connect your pump (which I never do) for an inline system. I keep one in my gear bag that comes with me on road trips, another in the car, another in the Jeep, one by the front door, one in my shop, and one in the washroom.
Price: $65 USD
More information: www.topeak.com
My favorite Hans Dampf fact: It's impossible to put on backward.
The Hans Dampf Tire
Yeah, I know your WT Minions are really, really good. And yeah, I know the Assegai is stickier than hot glue. But I also know that when it comes to trail bikes, you might be better served choosing something that offers a more fitting balance of weight, rolling speed, and traction. I'd also argue that putting too much tire on a bike is one way to ruin its character; picture 1,300-gram rubber on your 120mm bike that never sees worthy terrain or speed to make the most of your tractor tires. Congrats, your bike is not only slower pretty much everywhere, but also more difficult to get off the ground. There are exceptions (reliability, of course), but it's kinda like how you don't want to over-tire your sports car. Or like how putting 2.0" cross-country tires on your downhill bike would end badly.
This is about a fifth of my tire collection, not including the twenty I just gave away, and I still prefer Hans.
Aaaaaanyway, my go-to 29" tire for doing all the things on my trail bike is Schwalbe's Hans Dampf, preferably in a 2.35" width (because that's all you need) and in the softest compound. I'm always thinking about versatility, especially when it comes to tires, and Hans gives me the right mix of weight, rolling speed, and traction for where I ride. I can put on a set in the middle of a torrentially wet spring season and not be let down, or I can run them through the summer as a mid-weight all 'rounder. The casing is also versatile enough for me to run low psi when it's slow and slippery, or up too high without them feeling terrible. There are better tires when it's muddy, or if you're going mach-enduro over pointy rocks, or if you only care about descending, but that's not how I think.
Thing is, tires have to be the component that gets in our head the most; I've had riders much slower than myself ask how I'm even still alive, meanwhile they haven't checked the pressure in their bald-ass whatevers for six months. The cons list is short, but there's no getting around the fact that I tend to slice 'em more often than those Maxxis tires I joke about. And both brand's tires cost too much. Also, not being more of a specialist tire means they're not the best at anything.
Price: $89 USD
More information: www.schwalbetires.com
The Forefront 2 with its green Koroyd inserts.
Smith's Attack Max Glasses and Forefront 2 Helmet
Okay, a disclaimer here: Smith sponsors the Field Tests and supplies us with helmets and glasses, including the ones I'm about to gush about. But if I lost my Forefront 2 and Attack Max glasses tomorrow, I'd head down to Corsa, my local shop here in Squamish, to buy them.
To be honest, while I'd rather not wear glasses at all, I'd also prefer to not lose an eye. While I'm not hot on the name - is it supposed to be inspiring? - these are one of the few glasses that don't make me feel like either a total jackass named Chad (sorry Chad) or someone who exclusively drinks tiny, expensive coffees and wants you to know it. Instead, I just look like a dorky cyclist wearing functional, dorky glasses. I'm cool with that because of the functional part; they barely ever fog and quickly clear if they do, it takes seconds to swap lenses, and the adjustable fit is, umm adjustable.
The Attack Max.
They're not broken! The arms and nose piece pop off in seconds for when you need a different lens.
There are lighter and windier helmets than the Forefront 2, but as long as I'm not in the middle of a cross-country race on a hot day, I'm probably wearing a black and green Forefront with MIPS. First and foremost, it's comfy and provides more protection than the visor-less lid race lid @brianpark prefers me not to wear to photoshoots (''It looks like a bird on your head.'') He's not wrong. Speaking of that, I like that the Forefront doesn't look like a typical bike helmet, with more edges than curves and that strange 'Koroyd' stuff in the vents. Downsides: That's over $500 USD on a helmet and glasses when there are plenty of more economical choices out there that are just as effective.
Price: $259 USD (Attack Max), $230 USD (Forefront 2)
More information: www.smithoptics.com
F1 fans new and old will love The Race's podcasts.
The Race's Podcasts
Much like everyone else out there, we started our own podcast this year and it's been fun seeing it grow, so I'm going to shout-out one of my personal favorites. One of my preferred things to do is an early morning Monday walk after a Grand Prix weekend, rain or shine, because that's when I listen to The Race's (confusing website name, I know) post-race podcast. There are a bunch of different F1 podcasts out there (including F1's own that records three times each event) that all offer some sort of insight, but it's hard to beat the boots-on-the-ground coverage from Mark Hughes and the rest of their team. I've been following F1 since my early teens and haven't missed a race in over twenty years, and I devour any and all English-speaking coverage that I can find, but there are still times when I'm thinking, ''Wait, what in the F-duct just happened?'' The crew at The Race always sorts it out without further confusing me, though, which isn't an easy feat.
They also do a great job of non-race podcasts covering tech, rules, politics, and anything else going on, as well as also doing the tech-focused Gary Anderson Show and retro-minded Bring Back V10s podcasts. If you're an F1 fan new or old, you'll enjoy The Race's podcasts.
Price: $0 USD
More information: www.the-race.com
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youtu.be/tgrLCIuHhLw?t=248
You guys clearly don't watch enough of Sam Pilgrim's Youtube channel...
...should we go tireless? I'm sure Halo won't mind.
One of my favourite things lately has been the PB podcasts tbh...waiting for a Forefront 2...you should try the Smith Wildcat’s...look so much cooler!
That’s hysterical !! ????????????
Also the "Pinker" (TM) term
Curling Camp = IR?
He realised quickly that he was in danger of a 3rd degree nipple chaffing, so he reached for the saddle bag on his road, sorry, gravel bike. He grabbed his faithful chamois cream and slathered it all over his torso...he was able to wriggle free but as he writhed he kicked the grim donut off its work stand, it fell on his head which was protected only by a smith helmet.
The last thing he saw as he blacked out was his mini, slowly rusting in the corner of his garage as all mini’s must. The car seemed to laugh at him for his childish belief in permanence, “all will decay, all will perish” it seemed to say...
“ one in the washroom. ”
Super Gravity?
Super Trail?
Super donut? (soon to be released...)
BTW, your mini is spectacular, please leave it blue as it beg to be seen so
“You can credit my ability to go mach-enduro in the gnar in part to the nimbility of my bike. But mostly because I run Hans Dampfs”
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That's a whole bunch of our impetus at Structure. that bike starts at a 66º and ends at a 58º
Interestingly enough we did a demo day at Coast Gravity Park and had a guy swap his Shiny V10 for a few laps. (keeping in mind we're 153mm of travel fr and rr) and he came back believing he bottomed out the front, but never felt it. The lower crown path coming up and back makes it more like170mm by the end of the travel. It's a unique experience. If you're ever in Texas or Cali we've got demos there!
Dave - Structure Marketing guy
Daniel Ricciardo too
I remember sitting in the cold rain for 4 hours at the F1 on Montreal when Jenson Button went from last to first (on the last lap). The sound of the NA engines was truly otherworldly.
But yes, Jenson's win in 2011 was possibly the most best F1 race I've ever watched. I can still see that Red Bull spinning just a few corners from the finish line! I'm a big Jenson fan for how he is in mixed conditions.
Sure, it's not a DHF or Assegai, but you can still get down proper downhill stuff, just not as aggressively.
Key point is it is a trail tyre. So if you ride mixed, undulating terrain it is perfect.
Schwalbes have been absolutely durable for me as well (Snakeskin models).
Your mention of the Structure SCW 1 compelled me to look at their website because I found the all black bike you showed here to kind of mute the uniqueness of this rig. Low and behold the SCW1 is actually available in a whole host of colors and graphic arrangments that are IMO way better than the murdered out version you showed here. I was also surprised by the range of pricing on that rig...there are some fairly reasonable and competitive prices listed for it and then there is of course of the $10,000 version.
The bike Mike rode was our prototype that the Production model was based on. Pretty much identical with some tiny tweaks that don't really effect the performance or ride.If you ever get the chance let's get you out on it for a demo ride. You can see what @mikelevy saw in us.
Stoked to have this honor.
Dave - Structure's Marketing guy.
Just wanted to chime in about the little green straws (or black in my case as I’m running the matte gravy lid) actually work and have saved my skull on two occasions. Sure, it’s a dorky setup, but I’m not really Karen about the looks. We can’t all be cool like @mikelevy
Stay well everyone.
I fought this same battle with an EJ25 Subie swap in my 1990 Vanagon and this did the trick without hurting performance & now the only time I hear the banshee wail is around 6500 RPM and the rev limiter bump.
That puts them right in line with DHF 2.5 exo + ... or a dissector/assegai combo
And 100g heavier than the e-13 TRS trail tire, which I’ve been really happy with on my Tallboy v4 lately.
New NN soft is bang on for greasy N Shore winters. Just tested them in snow and went really well. They don't harden up in cold like Maxxis.
Anecdotally: had the Magic Mary 27.5x2.6" of the previous version (Addix Soft Apex), weighting in at just over 1000 g and measured a true 2.6" (on a 34 mm IW rim). The new "SuperTrail" 27.5x2.6" came in at 1217 g AND measures much narrower when inflated at around 2.5" on the same 34 mm IW rim. The thread pattern is also reworked: the old 2.6 looked like they had just magnified a 2.35" with bigger knobs and bigger spacing between the knobs, whereas the new one looks more like a 2.35" but perhaps with more knobs. All in all, I like the new version better.
And one warning, if you plan to use Super Trail with Cush Core, better buy two of those green dildos, a sixpack of beer and get away of places where you could hang a rope
The new 2020 Schwalbe tyres are boat-anchors. The lightest 29er Magic Mary was measured at ~1300g, about the same as a DD Assegai and more than the previous Super Gravity Mary. Then there are two even heavier versions.....
Its fine to make a tough+heavy version, but making three extra heavy ones and zero light and grippy tires is just silly.
I personally wouldn't consider any sub 1kg tire for my rides. Everything below either bounces or squirms under my riding.
You might not have liked the MM Snakeskin, but a lot of people did. Do you also consider Exo Maxxis Minions the worst thing ever? Their sidewalls are no better than Magic Mary Snakeskin if you actually compare them side by side.
Sticking with the A-Series though, putting a Stage 1 head, inlet and exhaust with machined billet brake calipers and a short shift gearstick. Roll on the summer!
@mikelevy How do you find the Hans Dampf for reliability? I rode one up front for the last year here and did enjoy it, but it bled fluid from the sidewalls like a stuck pig so I was always worried it was going to let me down (but never did). Switched to a Der Baron which I also think is great for here.
(I of course cover up all the sidewall logos with black shoe polish so I am not questioned for not riding Maxxis).
Oh, the magnets also rust until the arms will no longer come off.
BUT - straight pull spokes are evil, straight from the devil himself. Full stop!
I tried to replace a broken spoke in Saalbach Hinterglemm. That's not exactly nomansland in mtb-world. And I couldn't get one in ANY shop!!!
So there can't be anything good about a wheelset that contains them.
Yes, I get tempted again from time to time too. That is just how it is with your Ex. BUT then I go back in my memory to that day and remember there was a reason to break up.
Levy - wake up. That day will come. And not all of us have that 2nd choice waiting for us. ;-)
a little feature maybe..wink wink
In my mind (maybe just my upbringing) cars and bikes are a natural progression.. whether you bike first and then drive/tinker/build a rad ride, or the other way around, it's all very similar in execution and overall satisfaction when you do a new mod or finish the next project. There's great satisfaction in building your own car project.
I'm not talking about driving an appliance either... strictly unrealistic, fun, maybe noisy, little twisty rockets
But yeah, the cages are a wonderful thing, looking at the stuff rally drivers walk away from is insane. Then there's this shunt at 300 kph down in the bottom of Fuchsröhre that Toto Wolff (team principal of the wee small F1 team that is Mercedes) more or less walked away from 11 years ago. He needed some mending, but still.
www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/30063600/the-stupidest-thing-ever-done-story-toto-wolff-lap-record-huge-crash-nurburgring
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOQ_6TM_3Ac
But yeah, even wonderful cages don't help much if you smash your head against one :/
I think a wrap with an old skool racing twist would be ideal for yours. Black and gold John player special would look the biz.....
And you steer with your right foot and butt, providing you run a LSD, so the wheel is there more or less just to have something to hold on to.
If you think it's loud - ever try running the A-series with a straight cut box, dropgears and diff? The last proper Minis ran a stupid final drive to get noise levels down to the demands of the EU at motorway speeds - and that's probably the only option.
Spot on with the Mini experience & comparison to MTB!
But ya, best amazon cheapeez list
Anyone recommend decent eye protection glasses that cost less than $100?
stay in school kids!
What is this, 1962 ?
also, let's be honest, 99% of the comments on PB are a waste of time. But here we all are and here you are making money from it. So exactly how much of a waste of time is it, really? so I guess what I am saying is....you're welcome.
I have a heavily tuned one. Loving it..!!
He's Canadian but... well... you know.
Me? I'm just pleased Perez put him in his place and then got a Redbull seat.
I mean... we're okay with burn it with fire.... But the Aztek!! Ouuuucchhh...
Although we admit that our wheels are 27.5 and not 29ers... the Azteks stock 13"ers were waaaayyy to small.
Dave
Marketing guy at Structure.
We've got a proto Mullet right now for more descent oriented racing... starts at a 63º and hits 54º under full compression... I've had it out on the trail and it enables INSANE line choices.
As far as custom valved coil, possibly... not with the current setup. But because everything is on standard 30mm bearings instead of bushings and seals and there's little to no effect of lateral torsion on the suspension action, you'd be stunned how smooth the DVO Topaz feels.
That being said, we want to make sure our future appeals to every rider's custom choices. Except esthetics... you just gotta get used to it there.
LOL