This bag can fit your 29er...

Scicon are one of the official sponsors of the Mongolia Bike Challenge and provided me with their Aerocomfort to try with the 29er Orbea Alma I raced on at the MBC. Packing the 29er took alot longer than packing a standard road bike but I am happy to report that it can be done and the bag is even more stable than the road bike. Perhaps it is the added weight; the combined weight was just over 18kgs without any extra stuff packed into the bag. After I packed some clothing, tools and bike gear, it was slightly overweight at 23kgs, but the check-in agent did not bother to charge excess fees.

I came up with some outlined steps needed to pack the 29er effectively into the Scicon Aerocomfort bag:

1. First put the chain into the big chain ring
2. Remove both wheels, deflate the tire pressure, and squeeze them into the padded side pouches. It takes a bit of doing, but you can zip the pouches completely closed.
3. Mount the 29er frame onto the Scicon internal rack – make sure the suspension forks are fastened securely and the rear derailluer guard in place
4. You will need to push the sliding section of the rack all the way forward to its maximum outreach – the length of the 29er is considerably longer than the road bike!
5. Once you have the bike secured to the rack, you’ll need to remove the handlebars and turn them side ways to tape onto the forks.
6. The stem will need to be rotated so that it is pointing back at the seat post (make sure you re-tighten so it does not move during transit)
7. You can leave the saddle and seat post intact
8. The pedals can also stay on the bike
9. It would be advisable to use some bubble wrap for some extra protection. Make sure that the handlebars are bubble wrapped and secured onto the frame/forks.
10. You can add a few extra items such as clothing or shoes into the bag before zipping closed. When I flew to Mongolia, the bag weighed in at around 23 kilos and just escaped extra baggage handling fees. If you are flying within Asia or on most international flights, the bike bag travels for free. If you are in North America, it is a challenge to escape baggage charges. But sometimes you still get lucky, depending on the airline you choose to travel with.
11. Extra tip:  If your rear derailluer looks like it is going to be vulnerable, you can always unscrew it and place in the middle for peace of mind. I now do this with my road bike, but the mountain bike seems to be fine to leave on.

Despite the extra trouble to pack the 29er, the Scicon bag worked like a charm. I was able to wheel it hassle free through the airport to check-in and baggage handlers seem to treat it with more respect and the bag often comes out separately and waiting for you upright.  I have not had any damage happen to the 29er in the four times I have used the bag for mountain bike races (two for Mongolia).

Photo: Themacfeed.com

Over the last six months or so I have been using Osprey’s Flapjack bag quite a bit and thought now would be a good time to write a review on the bag. Firstly, I would like point out that while Osprey has sponsored me with some of their gear, I don’t accept or do product reviews on product I don’t like and this is a genuine review.  The Flap Jack is a bag that has now become an essential part of my travelling arsenal and it has been an extremely versatile bag.

Osprey is a cool company that started back in 1974 with the owner/founder Mike Pfotenhauer the man behind every Osprey bag design and manufacturing process. There is an interesting read on Osprey’s history on their official website and to celebrate their 35th Anniversary in 2009, they launched their All-Mighty Guarantee which means that you can return your Osprey pack for any reason and it will get fixed or replaced! So, if you decide to purchase an Osprey Pack, you can feel confident that you are buying a very good product. Recently, Osprey has been launching their product line-up in China through Wild Rampage.  This brand introduction to China has really caught on as throngs of outdoor Chinese enthusiasts are buying Osprey for their hiking expeditions as well as biking trips. It is quickly becoming a popular brand among the discerning Chinese.

Given I travel a lot to compete in bike races as well as attending some events as a journalist (like the recent Tour de Ajerbaijan and the President’s Tour of Iran. You can view my photo galleries on Racing in Iran on  Velonews), I need a good sturdy backpack that will house my 13inch MacBook Pro and my Nikon D90 still leaving room to pack more things. It has become a trusty companion to my travels and it is also quite waterproof especially with the addition of the draw-string closure over the main compartment.  I have managed to cram a lot of items inside this bag as well as carry-on a regular roller bag without comment from the check-in counter. If you are wanting a more detailed review of the Osprey, The Mac Feed does a very good job. For women, Osprey has the Flap Jill which has become my wife’s favorite bag. She uses it for her everyday commute on the bike and it is the best bag she has ever owned.  The next trip my Flap Jack is going on is the Mongolia Bike Challenge!

Key Features of the Flap Jack

• The roomy padded laptop sleeve that can fit up to 15 inch laptops
• Drawcord top for weather protection
• Reflective materials for safety
• Headphone cord routers
• Flap cover that allows you to extend your carrying capacity
• Ribbed shoulder straps and back padding
• For those that like to personalize, the bag comes with multiple strap colors for you to mix and match.
• A spot to put your flashing rear light when you are out at night riding
• Well thought out pack organization

Osprey designed the Flap Jack to be part commuter bag and part backpack while retaining their overall image of the outdoors style.  This is a medium sized pack that is perfect for your everyday commute or carry-on bag when flying.

What I liked about the Flap Jack

• When fully loaded, it still felt comfortable to wear. The ribbed back panel made for a nice snug fit. It takes the weight off your shoulders.
• The Flap-top panel added a lot to the bag’s versatility. I could have a full bag, but still fit in my helmet and close the flap over the top.
• The smart streamlined look of the bag
• The lap-top pouch – you don’t need to buy another one as this is nicely padded and has soft material. It is also designed in a way when you place the bag on the ground, the lap-top will not jolt with the hard surface.

What I did not like about the Flap Jack

• The side pocket was too small and not too useful
• The absence of a sleeve pocket above the Osprey logo on the Flap for storage of passport and flight information
• Items hidden below the laptop sleeve base Main compartment sometimes

Suggestions for Improvement

• Increase the capacity of the side pocket. As it is it barely fits one bottle inside.
• Add a mesh pouch on the side – this would allow you to stash a water bottle for easy access,
• Add a sleeve pocket on the Flap for storage of small items like keys, passport, flight information for quick access.
• Add more Velcro for the middle compartment for ease of closure

Bottom Line

Its a bag that I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a new bag, whether they are commuting or travelling on airlines. I like the fact that it is like a commuter bag but with backpack benefits. It is perfect for the road warrior with their laptops and this bag can handle a lot of punishment and still emerge looking like new.  I think you’ll like this cool backpack!

RT Cranks on display at the Taipei Bike Show

Disclosure: First Components is one of my sponsors, however this is a balanced review

“Overall, I was pleased with the power transfer of these First RT cranks. They performed exceptionally well while training and racing”

First Components’ 950g RT crankset (including the ceramic bottom bracket) performs just as well as the Ultegra SL (my former crankset) but it retails for less than $200US, making for a nicer price point for those riders on a budget but still want quality and performance.

First Components are well known for manufacturing quality head-sets and bottom-brackets, and have just started in the last couple of years to produce cranksets for road bikes. It appears First Components are doing well with their new foray, this year launching another two new cranksets – CT compact crankset and the ET triple-crankset in addition to their 2009 RT crankset series. This product review is focused on evaluating the First RT Crankset.

Taipei Bike Show display

First Components believe that their cranksets are of the same grade as the Shimano Ultegra cranksets. The weight is only marginally heavier at 820g (30g heavier than Shimano) or including the ceramic bottom bracket they weigh in at 950g.  The RT Cranks use the same Hollowglide technology (a hollow, wide profile outer chain ring that helps save weight and improves stiffness for efficient power transfer and improved shifting).

I got the RT Cranks and ceramic bottom bracket in the post was pleasantly surprised that I could install the cranks and bottom bracket on my own without outside help.  I am not too mechanically inclined, but I do have the right tools (from Super B) to install the simple two-piece crank set!  It did not take me long to make the installation following the directions on the box and I was ready to ride!

Installation of the ceramic bottom bracket was easy

Features:

• 53/39 Standard chain ring set (but you can choose from others such as 50/34 or 55/42
  
• B.B. axle integrated crankset
• 950g including ceramic bottom bracket
• 172.5mm
• 7050 alloy crankarms
• 100% CNC 7075 alloy chainrings
• Flexibility on color scheme – currently available in black/red combination
  

First Components on their website say:

“Strength: Take statistics of hardness, electrical conductivity and crystal as the standard to reinforce the strength on integrated forging 7050 crankarm and imported european aluminum 7075 100% CNC chainrings for highest performance.”

“Smoothness: With six points index shifting up design of the chainring will provide faster, smoother and precise shifting transfer of your bike.”

“Speed: Unique design of lower pressure angle that reduces the load of chainrings, making transmission smoother, increasing chain longitivity and the enlargement of the width of the bottom curve for adapting changes of different chain distance and increasing transmission efficiency by 15%.

Elegant classical looking design...

Marketing slogan: CLASSIC, GRACEFUL, PERFECT. FIRST Components is proud of being a leading bicycle parts manufacturer in Taiwan.  With more than 25 years experiences in head parts and bottom bracket parts, the well-known “FIRST” brand provides not only superior quality and efficiency but also competitive prices and prompt delivery.

RIDE

While testing the new cranks on my Orbea Opal road bike over several months,  I noticed that the paint-work rubbed off in places but apart from this minor issue the cranks passed my testing quite comprehensively. As a sprinter with high power, I can place a heavy load on my cranks to propel the bike forward so stiffness for me was paramount. I found that the First Components RT Cranks were extremely stiff and responded well to my sprinting. I had mostly only used the Orbea Opal during training rides, so I decided to see how it would perform under a race situation in a local Shanghai race. I was impressed. My one minute power for that race was the highest this year at 670 watts and during some intermediate sprints I was generating a peak of over 1,400watts and averaging close to 1200 watts for 20seconds.  I did not notice any unusual flex in the cranks while putting out the big power numbers, it was all concentrated in propelling my bicycle forward in the most efficient way possible.

You can see the paint wear after usage...

I found that these cranks climbed very well, without any noticeable flex and the pedal threading is very good. The crank-set is compatible with most 9-10 speed chains and during my several months training using this crank-set, I did notice improved and faster shifting. I also felt the shifting also put less load on the chain which lives up to First Components claim of improving transmission efficiency by 15%.

FINAL VERDICT

As a sprinter that demands reliable equipment and minimal flex, I found that the RT Cranks exceeded my expectations in terms of performance and value for money.  I also noticed that the chain ring bolts never need adjusting and there was none of the annoying squeaking noises.  The ceramic bottom bracket ran smoothly and the cranks spin more freely than my Shimano Ultegra’s.  Once First Components solve the issue of paint wearing off, the crank-sets will be great for both racing and training. Bottom-line, I feel these cranks and chain-rings are very smooth to ride on, however they do not have the same “image” that is associated with other brand-names such as Campagnolo or Shimano (the two Giants in the industry). I do believe that with persistence and continued innovation in terms of aesthetics – will go along way to selling these cranks. First Components do have the function in place and perhaps could try to lower the weight so that they are on par with the lightest cranks in the market.

Please note, that my website will provide product reviews from time to time. This is to support my sponsors that have supported me. So thanks for reading. I’ll be heading to Taiwan on Thursday for the Tour de Formosa – which I will participate in representing New Zealand. There will be other Deaf Cyclists from all over the world to compete in the seven day race that circumnavigates the island. I will be bringing you the action via my website as well as on the cyclingnewsasia website.

Duro Tire Testing

Using the Slicksters 120TPI in a wet hill-climb race

Tires are one of the most important parts of our ride experience, in terms of control and durability on all types of road surfaces. When you think about tires for your road bike: Michelin, Victoria, Continential, Schwalbe, and Kenda are the five major brands that may spring to mind. However, Duro is still a very little known company with their impressive tire line-up for both road and mountain bike riding. They are a Taiwanese company and till now they have largely manufactured as OEM and only have recently began marketing themselves as a stand alone branded product: Duro Tires.

I had been a big supporter of Michelin tires due to their handling characteristics but I found that they cut a little too easy and I usually wore through a Michelin Pro III within two months of solid riding. Despite being an excellent race tire, they just wore out a little too fast for my liking and were also quite expensive being over $60US a piece! So, I became a test rider for Duro Tires, trying out their new and proven line-up of tires.

More wet conditions...

Not long after moving to Taiwan, I met some representatives of the Duro company while attending the Taichung Bike Week and immediately was impressed with their new product yet to be launched: one of the world’s lightest tires yet very durable and long lasting. I wanted to test such tires out to see if they would live up to their claim. Duro was also introducing TruShine to their road tire line-up, so that riders riding at night would be even more safer with the enhanced visibility. It would also be a great novelty appeal at night criterium races as they flash by for the spectators. At the Taipei Bike Show, Duro launched their awesome looking line-up of street ‘fixie’ tires with bright neon like colors and catchy names such as Lime-o-Rita, Vanilla Rage, Fuzz Buster, Trouble Bubble, Red Draggin and more!  The new Fixie Pops are designed specifically for skidding.  Duro’s promotional slogan says “They’re Skidalicious!!”

The new 'Fixie' tires on display...

Recently Duro has also become Reynolds Cycling’s Spin it up program for 2010 which shows that big companies believe in Duro’s quality standards. All demo wheel-sets are being equipped with Duro Tires throughout the US.

Duro has already launched one of the world’s lightest tires on the market: the Slicksters.  They are now available for consumers to purchase at retail outlets.  This is a testing review of Duro’s Tires and it is an honest appraisal. The tires were supplied by Duro directly for testing.  They passed my rough treatment over a six month period and have emerged as my tires of choice.

Duro Tires display at the Taipei Show earlier this year

Tire Reviews

NEW: Duro Slickster Forcefield Y- 120TPI and 190grams

These tires were used on my training wheels and put on early in February of this year. Since, at the time of installing them, they had not yet passed safety standards, I was not allowed to use them in racing but to test them out earnestly during training. The biggest issue I confronted with these tires was that the beading was so tight that I had major difficulty getting them onto the rim. I just hoped that they lived up to their claim of being extremely puncture resistent. Within the first ride on them, I had punctured! It was a wet cold Taipei morning and my hands were numb as I struggled to get it off the rim and discovered that I had perhaps created the first “self puncturing” tire! The cause of the puncture was actually due to rim tape being squished over. To solve the issue at the time, I used a tube patch to cover the exposed part on the rim and ever-since I have not had any issues with flat tires. I did puncture once and that was a nightmare to get the tire on and off, even with good tire levers. However, once back on I did not have to contend with any more punctures and it is still going strong now with negligible wear. This means, I have been using this tire for almost seven months and they have gone through rough treatment on all kinds of roads in both Taiwan and China. They also hold up extremely well on gravel roads and I have no problem recommending them for both training and racing usage. Their handling and grip feel as good as any leading tire brand I have used previously, if not better. Once Duro has the tire fit issue ironed out, these Slickster Forcefields are going to be excellent all-round tires that will seldom get punctures.

NEW: Duro Slickster – 150TPI and 180grams

This is one extremely lightweight tire tipping the scales at a mere 180grams. I had both tires put onto my HED Jet 60 race wheels whilst in Thailand on the way to take part in the Tour of Luzon (Philippines). I initially did two days of solid riding in and around Bangkok and the tires proved to be excellent on all terrain surfaces and handled well. The Tour of Luzon was held at the beginning of March over a 10 day period. We encountered every kind of road imaginable, at times the course was raced over extremely rough surfaces almost resembling mountain bike trails. There were plenty of potholes and un-even surfaces to deal with during the 10-day race. The tires emerged without puncturing or even sustaining nicks and slices. They rolled and cornered well. I felt confident on them while racing. There was one un-explained incident, though, and that was at the end of the epic stage eight. It was a scorching hot day and I had just completed a 160km stage. The bike was propped up, resting with the wheel in direct sunlight when there was this loud “gunshot”, so loud that it caused everyone to jump. The tire had a blow-out. It could have been to do with the heat and high air pressure.  The tire was sent to Taiwan for inspection.

The other tire is still going good today. Still rolling smoothly and very little wear is evident. The obvious wear is the logos have faded on both Slickster versions. But the surface still has lots of life for riding on. This is after six months of solid usage and swapping between different wheel-sets I have for training and racing. These tires closely resemble the Michelin Pro 3′s in terms of look and performance but have already lasted 3-4 times longer.

OLD: Duro Stingers

These are promoted as all-purpose racing and training tires. They are suitable for all conditions and the 127 TPI ensures a fast roll rate at 120 PSI. I was also very impressed with these tires and their durability. They do look a little ‘fat’ and have some good tread, but they roll very well. I have even used them in a few races and they have handled well and seem to be quick over all kinds of surfaces. They are hard wearing and I have seldom punctured, however the puncture rate is higher than the Slickster Forcefields (having only punctured twice on the Slickster Forcefields). The Duro Stingers have been mostly used on my rear wheel and as a result have worn out a little quicker. After five months of solid training and racing usage, I had to discard one tire recently as a small hole had formed and the inner tube was starting to push through it. It was also getting worn on the side-walls and thus definitely needed replacing. I replaced with an identical Duro Stinger and believe that this is my training tire of choice. I can ride anywhere without worrying too much about getting punctures. They are hard wearing and handle exceptionally well in wet conditions with their treads. They are relatively smooth on the top which means that for road racing they would roll quickly and efficiently; and grip the surface as you corner.

If you are looking for new tires and want to try a new brand, I would recommend trying out Duro; they are as good as any of the leading brands, if not better. With over 60 years industry experience and manufacturing tires for the OEM market, they certainly know what it takes to become a market leader for their own brand.

Adrenalin pumping downhill ride!

I have just gotten back from our big trip around China that included Chengdu, Macau, Hong Kong and Nanjing – was too busy on the road to have time to write up-dates to my website, but now that I am back home in Hangzhou you will see some stories published about the cycling in each of the cities coming out in the near future. I had the opportunity to go to Nanjing to test out the new 2011 XTR Dyna-Sys components for an action packed two days at China’s First Botanical Garden. Shimano flew me up from Macau to participate as a test rider with several other media representatives. I have written an introduction report that can be found here and over the next couple of days keep an eye on the  www.cyclingnewsasia.com website for further reports that include a detailed report on the Rider Tuned Technology that is available for mountain bike racers and enthusiasts in 2011.

I am talking with Hayashi Katsuhiro from Shimano about the benefits of Dyna-Sys

When I arrived in Nanjing, Shimano very generously provided us with a Shimano duffel bag (perfect for race days!) filled with a complete cycling kit! I was out-fitted with the custom heat mouldable Shimano M310 carbon shoes – they felt amazing throughout the 2-days of riding. We were also given a bunch of other cool products to use for the test riding including a very lightweight OGK Mastro helmet, Shimano eyewear – the new S70R, full finger OGK gloves (KG-15), and the Shimano XTR bib shorts paired with the mountain biking specific jersey.  At some point, I will write some reviews on the product that we were given.

The highlight of the 2-days was being able to test out the awesome new drive-train system on awesome bikes such as the dual suspension Giant Anthem XC bike and the Yeti Trail bike. I also had a couple of the Shimano technical guys accompany me on the rides explaining the equipment benefits and differences over the old XTR nine-speed set-up. I can’t wait to get my own mountain bike again equipped with Dyna-Sys and do some more mountain bike racing here in China.

Whizzing by on the single-track

Thanks to Shimano for putting on a very professional test riding camp, a first for Shimano here in China as they attempt to build their market share in the Land of the Red Flag as mountain biking becomes increasingly popular among the Chinese.

]]> http://danielcarruthers.com/2010/08/22/shimano-xtr-dyna-sys-testing/feed/ 1 http://danielcarruthers.com/2010/07/13/use-of-video-for-indoor-workouts/ http://danielcarruthers.com/2010/07/13/use-of-video-for-indoor-workouts/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:07:19 +0000 Bikedan http://danielcarruthers.com/?p=433 Tip: Use a cycling DVD with a clear workout purpose

Usage of Rollers Provide for Good Spin and Balance Practice

Sometimes I just don’t want to head out into the Chinese traffic and train, so I often find myself training on rollers at least 2-3 times a week. Usually no more than 60 minutes at a time. There is an old saying that 60 mins on the rollers is worth at least 90 mins of riding on the road. However, those outdoor rides are still very important to do.

I had the opportunity to try out one of the Sufferfest videos – The Revolver: which is an extremely intense workout and should not be attempted by the weak-minded! You need determination to finish all 16 intervals contained within the video.  If you doubt your condition, you might want to ask your doctor before completing this workout.

I did my workout on my Cycleop Aluminium Rollers – which is probably not ideal for high power output, but it served to get my cadence very high and my heart rate hitting 170 + by the end of each 1min interval. They are great for working on efficient spinning technique and balance.  If you want to get the highest power you are capable of, then it is recommended to either get a resistance adapter for the rollers or use a trainer/stationary bicycle.

The Revolver DVD contains officially licensed UCI track racing (Track World Cup in Manchester), cyclocross (World Cup in Hoogerheide and Koksijde) and road racing (Road World Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland). This makes it an exciting workout and you feel the extra urge to sprint with the World Champions!

Before the Sufferfest or ultimate torture begins, you are warming up for six or seven minutes, beginning with the group ride through the Portala Valley in the US. You up the tempo when it hits the 250m velodrome and the last couple of laps complete your first interval. The crack of the gun spurs you into action!

This is how your power profile should look like after completing the workout

The only respite is the one minute recoveries that show mountain downhill footage and then you are straight back into the suffering with the other World Class riders! This has to be one of the better DVD’s for an indoor cycling workout, it has very clear instructions on what to do and has prompts on screen and countdown so that  you know exactly what you are doing. The alt-rock/electronic music also motivates you to perform to your best.

If you are doing the intervals to the best of your ability, then you will notice them getting progressively harder the more you do. Your breathing will also become ragged and uncontrollable, and those short recoveries is just enough to get it the lactic acid out of your legs and resume control of your breathing!

For those riders who incorporate power into their training, you will see that your ability to sustain the wattage in the latter stages of your workout increasingly difficult. It is common to see a decline in the power while your heart rate continues to shoot through the roof. If you don’t feel completely shattered at the end, please do another five to ten intervals! I give this DVD my recommendation.

Visit http://www.thesufferfest.com/ for more information on how to download their videos.

I like to use Training Peaks for keeping track of my workouts and uploading the power files. If you have got an online training diary, I would recommend checking out what Training Peaks have to offer. It is free for the basic level but if you want to upload your data, you need to pay a small monthly subscription fee. There is a free full-version trial that you can try out before deciding if you like it or not.

Warming up on the Rollers for the Deaflympics 32km ITT

Edge Composites is a company that specializes in making top-end Carbon products for both road and mountain bikes. The Fly V Australian Professional Cycling Team use their products extensively.

When I competed in a Salt Lake City Pro 1,2 criterium on the final day of Tour of Utah, I won two primes and one of them was a nice set of Carbon handle-bars supplied by Edge Composites!

These are the same bars that Ace sprinter, Ben Kersten used in his sprint win at the 2009 USPRO Criterium Championships in rainy conditions. Prior using these bars, he was skeptical: “When I was given these bars to use, I thought they would not be up to the task as they seemed to be too light. However, after using them I was surprised they delivered exceptional performance and are extremely stiff and responsive – perfect for me!” he said. 

These great looking bars tip the scales at a mere 200 grams, making them one of the lightest bars in the market. One unique feature is they have built-in end plugs that prevent bar tape from unraveling and you will never lose handle-bar caps ever again!

The bars are also designed to an “optimal diameter that guarantees a great physiological fit to promote a natural holding position, anywhere on the bar… functionality is also taken to another level with recesses that allow clean cable routing”

After the Edge Bars were installed on my Orbea Opal, I instantly noticed a major difference to the handling of my bike on the next training ride. I was impressed. I felt like my acceleration stepped up several notches with these super stiff and responsive carbon bars. I also noticed less road vibration and my hands did not fatigue as quickly. When you ride in the drops, you feel an instant stability and have that urge to get out of the saddle to sprint! When in the drops, you can position your hands wherever you want them and still be comfortable.  I felt superior handling and comfort when cornering in my first local criterium race at Salt Lake City.  During long training rides, the bars helped keep me feeling fresher for longer. When doing out-of-saddle climbing and intervals, it felt like my transfer of energy from the upper body to propel the bike forward was effortless.

When trying to find a fault about these bars, I found none. Except for the price tag, which is a pricey $367 USD. But, this is perhaps worth it for the ride quality and pleasure you will get out of these Edge Carbon Bars.

My previous posting was geared to educating others about the issue of numbness associated with cycling. It also provided several top tips on how to help alleviate the issue, which one of the tips stated saddle choice was an important one for all cyclists. This posting is a review of one of my sponsor products – Selle SMP

A 2005 study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that SMP saddles have a new geometrical conception for maintain the vascular perfusion of the genital-perineal region. The study stated:

“The true innovation brought about by the SMP saddle is its capacity of interfering scarcely on the blood perfusion of the penis…. It is the geometry of this saddle, by redistributing the body weight onto the buttocks, prevents the squashing of the neurovascular structures that run medially to the ischial tuberosities. Furthermore, the depression in the rear part prevents the coccyx from touching the saddle, thus preventing repercussions caused by the un-evenness of the ground that may affect the spine”

The study showed that the SMP saddle was the “most efficient in protecting the blood perfusion of the penis compared to one of the saddles most frequently used by professional cyclists”

When I first saw the Selle SMP Strike saddle, I was doubtful that it would comfortable enough to do long training rides on, let alone do road and criterium racing due to its peculiar shape and hardness. I was also skeptical that the saddle would eliminate my numbness issues I frequently get during longer or easy training rides. I was pleasantly surprised. As mentioned in my previous posting, racers are less affected by blood flow issues. The same is true for me as I seldom experienced numbness during racing events; it was just during training that my issue emerged. The Selle SMP saddle seemed like it might be the saddle that could solve my problems.

I was supplied with a nice looking Strike Composite saddle that is shown here in the picture and had this mounted in conjunction with a bike-fit and raced on during the US racing season and when I represented New Zealand at the Deaflympics. I was amazed at how snug it felt during my first race. When I was on the rivet, I was able to slide forward into a position that is more conducive to power riding. SMP claim that the beak of the saddle nose is “designed to supply a flat base for efforts when sitting for long climbs that have to be faced and as a help in downhill slopes, offering greater thigh control of the bicycle”. When you actually try this saddle out, you will realize that the claims by Selle SMP have a very solid foundation with their award-winning design and function.

The Strike Composite saddle has no padding, only has thin leather covering, and one would think this would add to the discomfort. However my experience with this saddle, provided it is fitted correctly, is that it is very comfortable. Since my conversion to SMP, I have not experienced any numbness during training due to the central channel of the saddle. This area is big enough to slide your whole hand through. The rationale behind this is that it “prevents crushing of the anus, prostate, vanae pudendae, deep dorsal vein and artery of the penis, scrotum and testicles in men, and the labia majora and minora and the clitoris, in women”. You can investigate for yourself and see the difference if you are still searching for that perfect saddle for long rides and racing.

Based on the research in the field and the product innovation of SMP, they have come out with a cutting edge saddle that will amaze anyone who has not yet tried it. There are other saddle manufacturers that do well, such as the Specialized Body Geometry saddles, but they do not compare to the quality and performance of SMP. Provided the SMP saddle is fitted correctly, you should eliminate problems with numbness and enjoy your long rides. In fact, I just completed a seven hour ride today on the Composite saddle and was comfortable the whole time although my legs were feeling quite shattered by the end of my epic ride. ]]> http://danielcarruthers.com/2009/10/09/selle-smp-composite-saddle-does-it-live-up-to-its-claims/feed/ 0 http://danielcarruthers.com/2009/05/12/hansatons-new-invention/ http://danielcarruthers.com/2009/05/12/hansatons-new-invention/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 22:03:00 +0000 Bikedan http://danielcarruthers.com/?p=25 I just received my new hearing aids in the post today from Germany! They look so small – the battery case takes up half the hearing aid and the receiver is in the tubing and custom-made mould. I am pretty excited about trying this new state of the art hearing aid that has already won some design awards and setting the standard for innovation and excellence. This hearing aid comes with blue-tooth technology and this means I can listen to the MP3 player, mobile phones, TVs without wires. Best of all, the hearing aid is the smallest I have ever owned and is likely to be very discreet. Once I get my hearing aid set up and using daily, I will post a product review about it.

New: VELVET X-mini:

the first choice for design and function.

First class technology with a sophisticated appearance provided by the smallest design housing from HANSATON.

Naturally good hearing is a valuable gift – and HANSATON is now able to provide a unique, technological version:

velvet X-Mini is the new HANSATON external receiver system with technology that impresses on an international scale. Its tiny, sophisticated mini casing coated in stylish two-colour special paint is also convincing.

1. Tiny housing thanks to state-of-the-art technology and outsourcing of the receiver.
2. Selection of different receivers for individual hearing requirements.
3. Easily pliable, transparent cable: pleasant and almost invisible. – Modern openness: natural sound enjoyment without closed ears.
4. For simple handling: right/left marking and on/off function with the battery insert.
5. Environmentally friendly: designed for notably low energy use and, therefore, reduced battery consumption.

First choice for form and function – velvet X-Mini is made for people with a distinctive flair for design and high technical standards. The perfected Natural Sound that imitates natural hearing and the further developed Situation Optimizer that ensures greater clarity of sound and improved understanding of speech are just two of its highlights.

From the outset, you can enjoy an excellent hearing sensation and first-rate comfort – by choosing velvet X-Mini you have decided on a first-class hearing experience.

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