Instead of griping about my last race, which did not go well, I decided
to give my unsolicited opinion on a few products that may or may not
have been on your radar (or shopping list).
If there is one
thing I enjoy almost as much as riding my bike, it is forgoing on
groceries so I can buy new shiny parts to test out. Perhaps one day
these companies will let me test their products for free (hint hint),
but for now I rely on the ever-so-stable credit system to stay on top
of the trends in the industry. I am not sponsored by any of these
companies, these are all personal views. These components have had
ample testing time in both race and standard riding situations, and I
have a reputation of being a very picky (or maybe just grumpy) when it
comes to parts. The trails around here in central PA beat up bikes
pretty darn good, so my stuff has to work, and work well. So here we
go...
The GOOD:
I
originally started looking at double cranksets for two reasons. First,
I detested having a little ring that I never used. There had to be a
better set-up that would allow greater use of the cassette in both
usable rings. Second, I developed hip problems which (after much
tinkering) was caused by the wide q-factor of the XT crankset I was
running. However, there are only a few options available for double
cranksets: the expensive FSA, the insanely expensive and not yet
available SRAM XX, and the Middleburn. Due to the fact that FSA is
still altering their BCD from year to year, and the fact that I could
not justify the price of the cranks even at shop cost, I opted for the
cheaper option.
The Middleburn's came with a lifetime guarantee
on the ranks as long as you did not use them for dirt jumping or trials
(they make a model designed for those modalities though). Also, at just
about $265.00 (shipping included), they were a very reasonably priced
crankset in relation to most higher end components. You have the option
of running the cranks as either ISIS or square taper. I opted for ISIS
and slapped them on a new Crank Brothers BB. The cranks were
impressively stiff. They did not shift quite as well as the Shimano XT
rings, but that really is my only gripe with them. The Middleburns did
come in a fair deal lighter than the XTs, but I don't remember the
exact numbers. The cranks have a much small q-factor, which means a
narrower stance (alleviated my hip problems). Set up correctly, you can
get to all the gears in the cassette without rubbing on the front
derailleur cage. Also, if you wanted to switch off to a SS drivetrain,
you can do so easily by removing the lockring and little ring, which
acts as the spider for both rings, and replacing it with their SS
ring/spider. You can also purchase different spiders which will allow
you to run other chainrings (even XTR). I also really liked the alloy
they used for the crankarms, which held up nicely even after a number
of good rock bashes. All in all, These cranks feel solid, and are
definitely competitive with more expensive cranksets.
If you
think external BBs and triple cranksets are overrated, these are
definitely worth giving a try. I purchased my crankset from MTB Tandems in GA, and they were at my door within three days.
The BAD and the LIME GREEN:
There
are many pro and amateur riders who swear by these grips, so I will
make the comment that grips must be similar to saddles in the fact that
their comfort varies from individual to individual. The idea behind the
ERGON grips is to diffuse pressure placed on the ulnar nerve through
greater surface area. The reduced pressure should reduce the incidence
of cyclist or ulnar's palsy (or the pain in your hands after long
rides). However, in my case the grips caused more problems than they
solved. I ended up with pain in the hands much sooner in rides, and the
shape felt inhibiting to my control of the handlebars, particularly
during descents. They also limited my ability to switch braking fingers
(brake lever adjustments failed to solve this problem).
I do
have a handlebar which has 12 degrees of sweep. This large sweep may
contribute to why the grips caused problems, and a more standard bar
may put the grips in a better position that would alleviate the
problems. However, I prefer my set-up as is, and would rather maintain
my control over the bike. As a result, I have reverted back to my
original grip selection: OURY.
Cheap,
simple, good cushion, and they are available in some pretty kickin'
colors to match any scheme (you know, if you are a rider in a plaid
team kit who is picky about matching things sometimes...).
The ERGONs did not work for me, but I do urge you to give them a try to make your own decision.
I was going to review some shoes too, but I am getting a little lazy. Perhaps another day...
Feel
free to contact me if you have any specific questions about these
components, or anything else... I tend to have more opinions then I
need. And I hope these reviews gave you something to think about as you
consider upgrades (like XX... if you can even get it. And on that
point, 10spd? Really?).
