On-One Pickenflick

Alright, now that I have had time to adjust position and put in some miles, I am ready to lift the curtain and reveal my new cyclocross bike, my primary race rig for the 2014 season. After spending much of last season adjusting to the BARON, I  finally decided it just wasn't the right fit for my racing needs. It was a beautiful and lightweight steel racing machine, but something about the geometry and position compared to my Independent Fabrication Planet X made for never really feeling quite right. At the end of the season I knew I would be looking for a new race machine to pilot for 2014 (and hopefully to an even better season).

As many cyclocross racers know, last year was a big revolution in the CX world as the UCI and bike manufacturers finally embraced disc brakes in a big way, and the results on disc-equipped bikes kept rolling in. I have been riding a winter/commuter with cable-driven Avid BB7 brakes for a few years, so I knew about the benefits and downsides of the systems: improved braking performance under all weather conditions, more clearance for fenders (or mud!), as well as issues like increased weight and brake noise due to the pad tolerances. The weight issue was originally a deal-breaker for me, since I (like many racers) didn't see a need for the increased brake strength. After the news of many adventurous disc-adopters having braking issues at the 2012/13 US nationals, I figured it would definitely be a few years before I would try to race on a disc setup. This all started to change right before (and during) race season in 2013. Shimano and SRAM were both launching hydraulic systems for CX use (modifying the successful systems they offer to the mountain bike crowds to work with drop-bars and road shifters). These systems would cut weight from a full-length cable-driven system and offer better modulation and rotor-pad clearance. With these changes, racers were noticing that they could brake later, and as such be faster around the course than a lighter canti-equipped bike.

Back to my bike hunt, I was now thinking that disc brakes might be an option. I began by looking into the common bikes, but after all my experience with steel bikes, I knew that I preferred that ride-quality to the harsher efficiency that I experienced with aluminum frames. Carbon bikes are definitely the best way to get a lightweight machine, and I started looking in this route. After some research and reading of reviews, I became interested in the On-One Dirty-Disco - a no-fuss frame from a company that has been doing the direct-to-customer deal for a number of years. On-One is part of the Planet-X family and distributed in the US out of Portland (something nice to know as it means they are close if I need anything). As I did more research on the bikes, I came across the blog of a Mr Alan Dorrington (CrossJunkie) who races for Planet-X/On-One over in England. Reading the blog, I came across the prototype titanium bike that On-One was developing. Immediately I became intrigued in this bike, the Pickenflick. It seemed to check all the boxes for a bike that would excel in the racing conditions we face out here in the Pacific Northwest (mud!). It features a lightweight titanium frame, massive clearance, and shaped tubing to aid in power-delivery as well as portaging.

Now that I was thoroughly interested, I began searching for more information on this machine. Due to the relatively small production run and recency of its release, there was surprisingly little online about the bike. After pouring over the CrossJunkie blog more, I reached out the the folks at Planet-X USA for more information. Brandon, their head of customer service, was great to deal with and we began discussing a custom Di2 bike they had built up for SeaOtter earlier this year. I met Brandon when they came up for the Evergreen Bike Alliance event at Duthie Hill. We talked more about the company, racing, and their line-up (which also includes Titus Titanium bikes) We hadn't finalized everything on the Pickenflick, so I couldn't ride away with it that day, however it arrived nicely boxed up just a few days later (see my earlier teaser post to see the awesome packing job).

I have now done some sizing adjustments and a few little trail rides around my house to get the bike fitted out and sort out any other quirks. While I haven't had a chance to put it through any all-out racing experience, I have laid out some power to get a feel for how the Pickenflick will handle the racing this Fall/Winter. Needless to say, I am very happy with everything. The massive chainstays transfer the power without any needless flex, though the chainstay/seatstays still absorb some of the bumps just as you expect from a steel or titanium bike. The head-tube is sculpted beautifully to handle the custom full-carbon tapered fork (which has plenty of clearance for any kind of mud I can throw at it). The top-tube is nicely ovalized to reduce pressure on your shoulder during portage (nicely tested with a few series of stairs I run up on my CX training route). The down-tube is also sculpted to enhance front-end stiffness and aid in pick-up, much like Specialized does on their Crux bikes.

The bike offers bottle mounts for 2 bottles (good for longer training rides), however it is aimed at race performance and so it skips add-ons like fender and rack mounts (who wants those on a race bike anyhow!). On-One designed the bike around a mountain bike 2x crankset, however the 36/46 on my bike fits without issue (so there is no reason to be alarmed by that notice). Mr. Dorrington said he uses the lower gearing for some of the longer trail-race events that are held in England, but some users might be interested in that gear spread to give the bike a double-duty use as a light mountain bike. Enough of me rambling on, lets check out the bike:

 Close-up of the welds (all done by hand) and the sculpted head-tube and down-tube junction.

 Clearance to spare in the rear and clean routing for the hydraulic lines.

 Sculpted head-tube and the massive clearance on the full-carbon fork.

 Good clearance around the chainstays and stiffening bridge.

 Rear brake mount and support truss to aid in braking performance of the rear end.

 Slick cable routing on the front fork keeps the lines out of harm's way.

The Shimano R785 brake/shifter features a taller body, roughly the same size as the Dura-Ace 7800 shifters (although with better ergonomics).

 Now I just need to keep riding this machine and enjoying it. The R785 Di2 Ultegra system is great (I enjoyed Di2 so much in the past that I have both of my road bikes running the 10-speed version, and so far the new 11-speed is equally amazing) and offers precision shifting without the worry about missing the timing or shifting under load. The system is coupled to Shimano's 160mm ice-tech rotors, which have proven to brake smoothly and reliably in the face of all the conditions I have put them through so far (and due to the hydraulic system, no ting-ting of rotor contact on the pads under hard sprinting or climbing). My bike is rolling on a set of DT Swiss 29er wheels, and though they are a tad overbuilt for CX racing, they are very stiff and responsive, allowing quick acceleration and steering response. I plan to put more miles on this machine quickly and should have a nice follow-up before CX season, but right now I see no reason to not grab one of these immediately if you are looking for a new race machine for the years ahead.

More Spy+ Optics

Last year we were fortunate to have SPY optics as a team sponsor (I may have been responsible for setting up the deal) and I continue to love and wear their products even though I am now buying them retail. Like many cyclists, my intro to performance sunglasses came from Oakley. While I enjoyed my Oakley glasses, I always thought they were very expensive - something that becomes apparent when you end up with scratched lenses from road debris and need to order replacements. So, when SPY launched their performance line, I was intrigued. The initial models (the Alpha and Quanta) offered lightweight models with a respectable price and great color options. With lenses that are easy to replace (both in ease of install and the dent in your wallet), they were an excellent addition to the market. SPY then released the Screw, offering the same great qualities of the earlier models with the full shield lens that many racers prefer. Working with some of the SPY team, we outfit my team with great glasses for the 2013 season.

As a follow-up from my review of the great Screw sunglasses, I was excited to finally get my hands on the newer, super-light Daft sunglasses. Going from a standard full-frame shield glass like on the Screw, the Daft moves to the ultra-light setup of just attaching arms to the shield itself, removing the frame from the lens to reduce weight. The Daft model also features a larger shield (similar to what is now offered on the Screw-Over model) to improve sight lines, and looks amazing.

 I have now been wearing the Daft sunglasses for about 4 months and through a variety of races (from rainy and long road races to fast and hot criteriums). I can definitely say that the weight reduction is nice (not that the other SPY glasses were heavy, these are just SUPER light) and the ventilation is great (no fog up yet!). Unlike what I have heard about some lens-only shield glasses, I have been able to wear these in humid, wet races while wearing a cap and have no fogging or glasses-cap contact.

 The Daft come in either a white or black frame (for now) and both models come with 2 lenses (the white model comes with a very slick green/blue mirror lens as well as a yellow lens for those wet or dark races). I am sure that SPY will continue to add colors to the lineup as they have done with the other models as well, so if you are looking for something a bit brighter, just wait. I absolutely love these glasses and look forward to racing cyclocross with them as well (I am sure the coverage will be great for keeping mud out of my eyes too). If you are in the market for some performance shades for cycling (or other sports), definitely check out the Daft.

As a cyclist, I often find myself wearing my racing glasses off the bike as well. My girlfriend finally had enough of me looking silly (race glasses don't go well with nicer clothes), so I picked up a set of the SPY Helm glasses last summer. These glasses offer a classic wayfarer-style look and fit, have SPY's high-quality lenses, and let me enjoy clear vision on any outing.

So, in continuing my review of products I enjoy, I highly recommend SPY Optic glasses, and hopefully will have an opportunity to work with them again in the future.

SPY Optic Screw Sunglass Review

Over the last year I have trained and also raced road, criteriums, and Cyclocross using SPY's Screw sunglasses. During this time, they have become my favorite cycling glasses and I have purchased a few sets as well as gotten my friends riding in them as well.

SPY offers a variety of models in their newer Performance lineup, and we are actually sponsored by them this year (something I pushed for after my experience with them last year). The Screw is the flagship shield model but shares many of the fit characteristics with the other models too. If shields are your thing, they offer the Alpha with individual lenses and the Quanta with full frames as well.
In addition to the great fit, all 3 models are crazy lightweight, something you really notice if you come from Oakley glasses like I did. The Screw are almost 1/2 the weight of the comparable Oakley sunglasses, and that is definitely something you will notice at the end of a long day in the saddle!

Rubber grips on the nose and the end of the arms provide a solid hold, and the venting on the arms and lenses keep your eyes happy and lenses fog-free. To make things even better, the arms fit into helmets quite well, so you can tuck them in without trouble.
I am interested to try the new Daft model, but that will be another day.
Get yours at a local bike shop, or order direct from http://www.spyoptic.com/collection/performance
With all these great features, I can see how SPY continues to grow their Pro roster with former National Champ Matthew Busche, current National Cross Champ Jonathan Page, Dave Zabriskie, Nicole Duke and more!

Solo Miles with the R5

For the last few weeks I have been riding my Cervelo R5 for training (the S5 is still the designated race bike) and enjoying the change of pace. As with any time you switch between two high-end bikes, there are features you like/dislike about both. The R5 is incredibly light - even with my heavy training wheelset the bike is just a hair over 16lbs. This weight makes the bike very quick to respond to inputs and climb well. The first weekend I had it together I did a 4 hour ride and hit a variety of climbs to do over a vertical mile of climbing - a climbing workout for sure.

Fast forward to this weekend - I did a 5 hour ride of training. Since the plan was for distance, I was planning to mix up some routes. I started by riding out to Mercer Island and doing a lap of the Island before heading out toward Sammamish. From there I rode down into the Carnation valley and out to Snoqualmie Falls. A small loop at the top and then heading back down to Carnation and up to Sammamish again. This once again resulted in over a mile of vertical climbing - a domain that the R5 responds well to.

As a bike, the R5 is a great machine - I can see why most of the Garmin-Sharp team has been riding these this year. It is light, very stiff and responsive, yet it still carries a lot of the road-smoothing capabilities of the R3 it evolved from. Compared to the S5, it is lighter and a bit more comfortable over the rough stuff. These features do come with trade-offs though. Due to the wider tubes, the R5 is lighter and stiffer, but less aerodynamic and definitely less quick in the wind. The small seat-stays and reduced chain-stays make for a comfortably ride, but reduce the power-transfer. This means that when you launch a sprint, the rear-end is more likely to lift and skip a bit rather than just lay power to the ground. The R5 also has a stiffer front-end due to a wider headset and beefy fork, helping with stability and responsiveness at speed.

You can definitely see why Tyler Farrar and the Garmin-Sharp riders love this responsive and lightweight machine.

MadFiber - part 1

Some of you may remember that I was lucky enough to ride on MadFiber's carbon hoops back in December for the Washington State CX Championships. I am very happy to say that I was able to get another set for a longer test and I just picked them up the other day.

My visit began with a quick tour of their facilities, over by Seattle landmark Gasworks Park. Amongst the various work stations, you could not only see each step of the assembly process, but also a visual lineage of the revolutionary wheel. It is very interesting to see the original wheel, #001, which looks like the result of a Spinery Rev-X and a Mavic Cosmic Carbone. You can truly see that they were trying to do something new, and the jump to the first production units made the dream a reality. Since then, the MadFiber wheel has evolved into a more polished and well-developed product. Where the originals were using White Industries hub internals, the current version have custom-built internals, along with numerous other changes to increase performance.
After the tour, the MadFiber staff began to get a set of wheels together for me to take home - luckily I received a set of the uber-light tubular model - perfect for some cross and road experiences. In addition to the wheels (packed into that great double-wheel bag shown above), MadFiber also sends you this little goodie bag:

These skewers are very light - what you might expect when you are playing with a set of wheels that comes in around 1085g (actual weight of my set will be in part 2). The skewers are a titanium shaft with lightweight aluminum caps and a carbon fiber arm on the lever. You also get a set of MadFiber valve extenders and a spacer for the 11spd cassette free-body to adapt it to use 10spd. You also get a set of the MadFiber cork-composite brake pads.

The pads are designed specifically for the carbon brake track on the MadFiber wheels, and are built to provide a consistent brake feel during use (avoiding the pulsing that many carbon wheels are prone to create). Since my only experience with the wheels at the moment was during a cross race, I will have more on the actual stopping quality of the pads in the next post.

One thing that I kept reading online while researching the wheels is that people were not happy with the finish of the hubs. The fronts look pretty finished to me - smooth lines and an even surface. The rear is a little trickier, due to the complex shape -

Here you do end up with a small amount of unevenness in the carbon, but nothing distracting or even extremely noticeable - unless you are purposely examining them.

Another thing that comes up is that people aren't fond of the large and bold graphics. MadFiber has started offering specialty decals to help win over these customers, although they also pointed out that the graphics are just vinyl stickers - and are easy to remove if you want a stealthy look.
Overall, the finish on the wheels is very high, part of the benefit of low-production wheels - they have the time to carefully inspect each wheel and ensure it meets their demands. Areas like the valve-stem hole are carefully finished and blend into the wheel. The tubular bed is equally impressive and is part of the strength of the wheels. Now it is time to brake out some glue and get some tires on these wheels. Check back for part 2!

California Dreaming

Just returned from a brief holiday trip down in the Los Angeles area, and was lucky to borrow a S&S travel bike for the trip. This nice titanium machine was built by Davidson bicycles, a fixture in the Seattle area. Lightweight and strong, titanium is a great choice for a travel bike, ready for anything you might run into, and ready for years of service.

The great part of the S&S design is that these bikes are full-size and ride like a standard bike, while breaking down into a plastic case that is standard luggage size (no oversize charges or random surcharges here). Once you arrive at your final destination you simply reassemble, and within a hour you are ready to hit the road.

The Davidson looked and rode great, and this model has already seen more than 4 years of good use. I had never ridden a titanium frame before, but this beautiful machine was a perfect first example. Fine, even welds and a clean brushed finish drew a few looks on my rides, and the beefy tubes created an excellent ride. I have heard plenty of talk about titanium running soft after years of hard use, but from my brief experience, I noticed nothing to give that impression. I put the bike through only about 200 miles and about 15,000 feet of climbing, but it felt stiff and ready for each climb I approached. Multiple trips into the mountains around Santa Clarita were solid tests, and I also accompanied some friends on a hilly trip through some great spots in LA.
I hope to get some more ride time on this great bike in the future, but was definitely pleased with the performance this time. Some great ride reviews shortly!