Shimano’s entry into the 12-speed road drivetrain category came a bit later than their competition, but they made up for it with stellar performance and long-term durability.

I’ve been riding the group for nearly two years and it continues to provide flawless shifting, smooth operation, and quiet rolling. Even the wheels, which never seem to get as much attention, are great. Here’s my long-term review…

Setup & Install Notes

I installed the Ultegra group on a Pursuit Allroad, an excellent bike that made my 2022 Editor’s Choice list. Everything went as it should with one catch that’s important to note if you’re installing it yourself, and this includes shop folks… make sure to use the correct spacers on the BB spindle.

Before you read the next five paragraphs, know that I’m not knocking anyone. This is a simple mistake that anyone can make, and it caused a lot of head-scratching grief. Shimano installed the group in their SoCal HQ and commented about how front shifting seemed off. The front derailleur couldn’t move the chain far enough down to reliably shift onto the small chainring.

So they sent it back to Pursuit thinking that it was a frame tolerance issue. Carl Strong, co-founder of Pursuit and amazing frame builder, checked, re-checked, and confirmed the frame was exactly to spec.

Even so, he heated and molded a small divot into the downtube to add clearance for the front derailleur’s cage pivot, and that helped, but didn’t entirely fix it.

I received the bike and had the local Shimano rep visit to replace the front derailleur, thinking maybe that was the issue, and then re-check everything. The new part was identical to the original, and that wasn’t the problem.

Turns out, we needed a 1-2mm (I forget which, exactly) spacer on the crank spindle on the driveside to push the chainrings out. That tiny amount of additional offset solved the problem. It’s something so simple, with no other warning signs to suggest it, that it eluded Shimano, Pursuit, and myself until we just tried it on a whim.

The point? Try the simple stuff first, and try to think of other solutions. Once the spacer was installed, shifting was perfect and has been for the 18+ months I’ve been riding the bike.

The front derailleur comes with a small wire guide that gives it a 90º angle while also protecting it from bending too sharply. This also keeps it from looping so wide it rubs your rear tire. It’s tiny and best installed with your rear wheel off the bike, trust me.

Shimano has easy guides for setting chain length…

…and rear derailleur B-tension settings. The guide is plastic-free, which is nice, too.

A small light is color-coded during setup so it’s easy to know if you’re in setup mode. It changes to blue while charging, then turns off when the battery is full.

One of the biggest upgrades to the new Di2 12-speed is the ability to customize the shifting patterns, turn on Synchro Shift, and other features directly from their e-Tube app. Here’s a good video showing how to set it so you can put the rear derailleur into adjustment mode remotely from the shifters, allowing micro-adjusts while riding (not that you should need them, but it’s still cool).

Ultegra R8100 Ride Review

The nutshell version is this: I’ve ridden the new Dura-Ace 12-speed Di2 also, and Shimano’s Ultegra group performs every bit as well, but for a lot less money and only a few extra grams. If you’re building a bike or upgrading, it’s a great choice not only amongst Shimano’s drivetrains but a great choice in general.

Shifting is as quick as ever, to me feeling slightly faster than SRAM. It’s also very quiet, and feels smooth and effortless, even for an electronic group.

If you haven’t watched this video yet, please do, there’s a lot more to it than just speed…it also slightly overshifts every cog to ensure the chain gets where it needs to go, then trims back. It’s really cool!

The front shifting is powerful and direct, as I expected. I’ve also owned Dura-Ace Di2 and GRX Di2 11-speed groups, and the new 12-speed front shifting seems slightly smoother.

SIDEBAR: I can’t review this group without talking about Shimano’s 11-speed crankarm recall. The 12-speed cranks are made using the same hollow forged and bonded construction, so I asked Shimano what changed with these new ones to prevent them from having the same problem. Their response was:

“Shimano has made numerous changes, improvements, and enhancements in response to the market information we received. This is standard practice at Shimano.“

…which is about what I expected. I’d love a more technical explanation, but they’re very secretive about their processes. I got a look at that process during my factory tour for the XTR launch if you’d like to see it. FWIW, they’re not the only brand using this construction method, and I haven’t had any problems with these (or my prior DA) cranks.

The rear derailleur is interesting. There’s no clutch or spring damping for the pulley cage, and the spring tension is very light. I applaud having derailleurs that can cover everything from road to rough gravel, but I also appreciate a part that’s purpose built to excel at one thing. I believe this is what allows Shimano’s shifting to feel so light and fast, which is especially noticeable on their mechanical groups.

This is allows the chain to bounce, but not how you might think. As the two action shots (and dust) suggest, a lot of my road rides end up on stretches of gravel, sometimes with lots of stutter bumps and potholes. Despite these mini adventures, I never noticed that lack of chain management and never dropped a chain.

Where I notice it is when I backpedal quickly, particularly in the small chainring. I do this to adjust crankarm position for a corner, or shuffle around on my saddle. A quick, exaggerated backpedal often yanks the pulley cage forward, creating a big swoop of chain slack, followed by a rapid retraction. It feels weird, a little disconcerting, and is diminished by increasing B-screw tension.

I considered shortening the chain slightly, but the setup is dialed according to spec and a shorter chain would likely cause issues getting into the largest cogs from the big chainring (I know, you don’t have to say it, but we all do it). Ultimately, it hasn’t affected performance, but I wanted to mention it.

Hood shapes are great, with nice ridges on top for grip. The pronounced bump at the front is reassuring on spirited climbs, and finger clearance is adequate when braking from the hoods.

The larger shift paddles are easy to use, and the differing textures make them easy to identify even with full finger gloves. The wireless design is nice, decluttering the cockpit, and shifting is as fast as ever…I couldn’t tell any difference between reaction speed from prior wired versions.

The charging port is on the rear derailleur, which is a big upgrade from the tiny junction port and having to wire it somewhere. It’s still a single wire to charge the group, which is convenient, though you’ll need to put your bike near an outlet.

SIDEBAR: Shimano often sends review groups with a full PRO cockpit, and their PRO PLT Ergo Carbon Handlebar deserves a shout-out. It has an exceptionally good shape. The flattened tops get deeper at the corners where my hands often rest, creating a huge platform for my palms. It’s stiffer than most carbon bars I’ve ridden, so it transmits a bit more vibration, but I plan on swapping to a gel-backed bar tape to mitigate that because its ergonomics are worth keeping.

The PLT stem is also great, with surprisingly good torsional stiffness for its girth and faceplate width. Both are reasonably light and a perfect example of Shimano’s understated excellence.

When Shimano first introduced their road disc brakes, they made it clear they were powerful and cool enough to run 140mm rotors, while others were suggesting 160mm as a minimum.

For me, I went with 160m in the front, 140mm in the rear. It’s a good mix, and I like the extra modulation the larger rotor provides. Shimano’s brakes are smooth, with the right amount of bite from their Servo Wave lever leading into well-controlled progression.

Perhaps the least talked about part of the group are the Ultegra WH-R8170-C50-TL wheels, and I blame Shimano. They simply don’t hype them enough, but they’re really good. They’re aero without making a bunch of aero claims, and Ultegra shares the same rim profile as the Dura-Ace wheels.

They roll very smoothly thanks to cup-and-cone bearings. The 21mm internal width rims held everything from 28mm to 36mm-ish tires with easy tubeless setup. And they’re reasonably light (628g front, 872g rear, 1500g total) for the C50 model (50mm deep rims, also available in 36mm and 60mm depths).

The hubs have a gray anodizing to match the rest of the group and come with a standard HG freehub body.

For high performance road riding, Ultegra Di2 12-speed leaves nothing to be desired. Shifting is precise and fast. Hood and lever ergonomics are great. It’s light, and the understated dark gray ano looks great on any bike, perhaps even better than the glossy black of Dura-Ace.

It even works well on “alt roads”, and the rims held up to low tire pressures on gravel roads, too. If you’re in the market for top-tier performance without the top-tier price, Ultegra R8100 delivers.

Read our launch coverage here for all of the tech details on this and Dura-Ace.

Bike.Shimano.com

The post Review: Shimano Ultegra R8100 12-Speed Road Group appeared first on Bikerumor.

I’ll just jump right in. So, I’ve been riding Shimano’s new group, the XT LinkGlide, for almost a year. After logging a few hundred dirt miles on the group, I’ve been mostly impressed. I’ve purposely done some hard shifting while under load on techy climbs. I’ve run it relentlessly, and unnecessarily I might add, up and down the cassette for long periods while riding.

So far it’s taken the abuse with aplomb. Not to mention that you can get the cassette, chain, derailleur, and shifter for the price of some of the cassettes that are on the market right now. So super big kudos to Shimano for that.

I’ve been a Shimano user for quite some time. And it’s kind of the camp that I’ve hunkered down in since buying my first real mountain bike back in late 1988, early 1990. What sold me on that bike way back then, was the fact that it utilized the brand new XT ST-M091 Rapid Fire “push-push” 7-speed shifters.

Up to that point in my riding, I had not experienced such precise and mindless shifting. That’s a pretty bold statement, I know. But it was friction thumb shifters for me up until then. And, after the rapid-fire shifters, I never looked back.

Hold On…

I just wanted to say, before we do actually jump into it, that I’m not getting super in the weeds for this review. I know it’s easy to do with drivetrain components, but I’m going to resist this and keep this review top-level. That way your eyes won’t glaze over. You can get all techy-tech from our original tech post if you want.

But for this review, I’ll cover how good it looks, what new tech it has, what it weighs, how easy it was to install and adjust on my mountain bike, and what I thought of its performance. And maybe a few anecdotes and opinions along the way. Who knows, we’ll see what kind o’ time we have.

No big whoop… let’s get on with it.

Shimano XT LinkGlide

Back in March 2023, when I was looking to build up my Rivendell Gus Boots Willsen, Shimano had reached out and asked if I wanted to review their new XT LinkGlide group. If you read my stuff, you know I’m not always pumped to try something, just because it’s the “latest-greatest”. So, originally I thought, “Naw, I’m good, thanks! I’ll just use my existing m8000 XT shifter, cassette, and rear derailleur”.

But I reconsidered when they told me who the LinkGlide was intended for, how it was supposed to perform, how much it cost, and how it was different. So, I said yes…I even told them what bike I intended to use it on, and they were on board.

The Cassette is Where the Tech is

Built to fit a standard HG cassette body, the LinkGlide cassettes are designed to be extremely robust and durable. They boast teeth that are shaped differently than the HyperGlide teeth, are way thicker, and have “2-way shifting guides”. Shimano says that the cassettes are 3 times more durable than their HyperGlide equivalent. As you can see in the above pictures, the XT M8000 cassette’s teeth (photo on the right) are much thinner.

They are marketing LinkGlide as optimal for both high-torque shifting applications (e-bike users) and “less than perfect” shifting (newer cyclists). As mentioned before, the different shaped and taller shift ramps differ from the HG cassette. These ramps allow a completely different shift point. In theory, these ramps will offer a smoother shift while shifting under load.

The LinkGlide system is not supposed to suffer from, what Shimano calls, “shift shock” while shifting. You know the feeling…where the chain “drops” onto the cassette during a shift like you get sometimes with the HyperGlide system. I found this to be true… most of the time… more on that later.

XT LinkGlide Installation

The XT LinkGlide was installed on my Gus easily enough. I was just using the shifter, cassette, and rear derailleur. There’s not a LinkGlide crankset. Not sure if there ever will be. One of the cool things about the XT LinkGlide is that you don’t need a specific chain to run the group like you do with HyperGlide. LinkGlide will work with any Shimano or aftermarket chain.

They sent the group to me with the Dura-Ace/XTR chain, so that’s what I used. I actually had to reach out to get another chain because my Gus’s chainstays are so beautifully long.

The understated matte and gloss black color that adorns the XT LinkGlide was a pleasant surprise. Usually, or at least historically, Shimano’s more entry-level components have always looked well… entry-level. But, not so with with this group. It’s very handsome and looks high-end.

When I picked up the LinkGlide cassette box, it had some notable heft. If you’re used to smaller cassettes with the larger cogs made from aluminum, this could feel fairly heavy. So, I weighed it against a Shimano Deore CS-M6100 10-51t 12-speed cassette. The two cassettes aren’t compatible, but both cassettes have full steel cogs with an aluminum spider to reduce weight. The lower tier 12-speed Deore cassette has another gear, more range, and is still lighter, but only by 31g. I found the new 11-50t LinkGlide cassette to be 626g compared to the Deore cassette’s 595g.

Two Different Cassettes

That being said, the LinkGlide cassette that Shimano sent me is the LG700-11. This cassette is the best match for the XT LinkGlide series, but according to Shimano, “is a non-series cassette that lives outside of the branded families, it is the best pairing for the XT LinkGlide”.

The LinkGlide shifter comes with a traditional clamp, like mine, or the I-Spec with its ergo adjustability. After installing the components, I ran the housing and cables. The rear derailleur was easy to set up. I just set the high and low stops and then set the cable and it shifted perfectly.

The derailleur doesn’t have a barrel adjuster, but the shifter does. This made it easy to adjust the “stretch” out of the cable after the first few rides. Other than my unique situation of combining two chains on my bike, the installation was easy.

How Did it Perform?

Overall I didn’t mind the way the XT LinkGlide shifted. It was a slower shift than that of the XT HyperGlide. And, that may have led to the occasional feeling that the shifting felt cumbersome. And speaking frankly, it took some getting used to.

Another small learning curve was the LinkGlide shifter. The shifter allows you to throw a two-gear jump up the cassette with one push. But, limits you to a single push/pull to come back down the cassette.

I’ve been riding the 11-speed XT M8000 stuff exclusively on every mountain bike I’ve owned since 2017. As most of you probably know, the M8000 shifter can throw three gears up the cassette in one long push. And can throw two gears back down the cassette in a quick “double-click” push.

So using the new LinkGlide shifter took a little getting used to as well. I had to adjust how I approached a few specific sections on two of my favorite rides because of it. And I’ll tell you, even after I got used to it, and have ridden hundreds of miles on it, I still prefer the way standard XT shifts over this.

In Conclusion

Overall, the XT 11-speed LinkGlide system seems to be very tough. And after hundreds of miles of use and purposeful abuse, it never missed a gear shift. I did, however, “suffer” from the occasional “shift shock” or “pedal shock” that Shimano says the LinkGlide eliminates.

It really wasn’t a big deal if you’ve been riding the HyperGlide stuff, cause it happens all of the time with that system. And maybe it would be eliminated if I was using this system on an eBike.

I never did quite get used to it, nor did I love how slow the LinkGlide shifted. Look, I know I’m not racing or anything, but I do like my bike stuff to work exceptionally well. And I’ve really gotten spoiled by the shifting of my current XT HyperGlide stuff. I am a non-transitional human, and I love my M8000. Sue me.

However, if you don’t have that high-end reference point, new riders will find the shifting more than adequate. Excellent even, if the comparison is other inexpensive groups that come on entry-level bikes.

If you have an eBike, don’t need 12 speeds, and you’re shifting under large amounts of torque, then the XT LinkGlide is your group. If you are ok trading weight savings for durability? Then the XT LinkGlide is your group. The sheer durability of the LinkGlide cassette will save you money on chains and cassettes in the long run. If I owned an eBike, I would run the XT 11-speed LinkGlide system, and it would be fine with me.

It’s easy on the wallet as well. At Jenson USA, as of the writing of this article, the prices are as follows:

• XT LinkGlide Rear Derailleur: $122
• XT LinkGlide Shifter: $67
• LinkGlide LG500 Chain: $23
• LinkGlide LG700 11-speed Cassette (as tested): $130

That’s only $342 before applicable tax and shipping for the group. That includes the cassette that was tested, a LinkGlide chain, the XT LinkGlide derailleur, and the XT LinkGlide shifter. That is a great deal.

A Different Take on XT LinkGlide (From Zach’s POV)

Along with Ron, I also got an XT LinkGlide kit to check out. Originally, I had planned to use it on a fat bike. My thought was that winter road salt, sea salt, and all the mud and grit are notoriously difficult on fat bike drivetrains, and something that was more durable and less expensive would be a great option.

But… I also had some lighter Shimano 12-speed Deore/XT parts available for the build, and my inner weight weenie got the best of me. That left me with an XT LinkGlide group to put on something else.

Then it hit me. My Raleigh Redux commuter came with a 9-speed drivetrain that was in need of an update. Given that LinkGlide is designed to work well with ebikes, it seemed like a perfect match… only the hybrid gearing up front made it a little interesting.

Like Ron, I also needed a longer chain to make the big cassette work with the large chainring. However, I found out that Shimano offers an E-MTB chain, the CN-E8000-11. This chain is 138 links instead of 116, and was long enough for me without having to use two chains. I also had to remove one side of the chain guide plate around the chainring and shift the chainring over using chainring spacers to create a chainline that would work with the rear cassette. These changes weren’t due to anything related to LinkGlide, but rather me trying to run a wide range MTB drivetrain on a hybrid e-bike with a big chainring.

In the end, it all worked surprisingly well and I was left with a drivetrain that had much more range. Like Ron, I found the shifting to be different, but I didn’t have any problem getting used to it. It’s a very positive feel to the shifter and lacks some of the finesse that you’ll find at the higher end. With that said, it works great, especially when hammering through the gears on an ebike.

Prior to the LinkGlide install, I’ve actually broken more chains on this Raleigh than my other bikes combined. So the fact that the LinkGlide drivetrain is still operating flawlessly, is impressive. Because of that, I’d have no reservations about recommending this group to anyone looking for a durable drivetrain on a budget.

Bike.Shimano.com

The post Shimano’s Affordable XT LinkGlide 11-Speed Drivetrain is Solid & Dependable appeared first on Bikerumor.

We already got a sneak peek at Old Man Mountain’s new carry-anything Axle Pack back at the MADE show last fall – giving any fork more accessory mounts. But now they are available to buy. And we’ve strapped a couple onto a Mastodon fat bike fork to carry more and take our winter adventures further…

Old Man Mountain Axle Pack bolt-on fork accessory mounts

Two-position 3-pack mounts that fit any fork, no eyelets needed.

The Old Man Mountain (OMM) Axle Pack easily bolts directly to the end of your axle (requiring OMM’s own thru-axle Fit Kit ). That means they are strong and have nowhere to slide down or spin around your fork legs as you ride. The direct mount also means they get rated for a full 10kg in total 5kg/11lb per side. More than the 3-4.5kg per side that eyelet mounting is able to deliver.

The super-secure off-road-rated setup is relatively light, and gives you 4 mounting bolts to get that weight low. Two position options for a 3-pack Anything cage OR the ability to install two separate 2-bolt mounts. For ex. a regular water bottle cage up top, and a tool cage down below.

What you carry is really up to your imagination. I’ve bolted a couple up to a Manitou Mastodon fork with a couple of cages. And strapped on a tent & sleeping bag. Or a couple of 1l Nalgene bottles. The most I’ve attached so far has been about 1.6kg per side. So, I’ll have to get more creative with packing to push up close to that 10kg weight limit.

Anyone have any ideas what I should carry in the snow?

Tech details & Actual weights

The core of the Old Man Mountain Axle Pack are the two brackets that extend up the side of each fork leg. CNC-machined from 6061 aluminum in Taiwan. They then mount directly to a custom thru-axle made in the US by The Robert Axle Project with threads to bolt onto from either end. Up top, a pair of plastic fork Pucks get strapped around your fork leg with “ultra-strong” UV-stable Panduit zip-ties, providing a set of upper eyelets to attach the brackets.

All that, and an Old Man Mountain Axle Pack setup adds 265g to my fork, including all steel mounting hardware and the 3-pack bolts. OMM claims a weight of just 73g per side, which is just a single bracket without all the necessary hardware and special axle. Still, 265g is likely as light as other clamp-on mounting solutions. And the axle mounting is rock solid, with huge carrying capacity.

Figuring in a complete weigh-in… A couple of titanium King Manything Cages would be 68g a piece. Or a pair of the adjustable length aluminum Apidura Cargo Cages at 85g a piece. My Old Man Mountain 25″ Voile straps weigh 28g a piece.

All in my setup with 4 straps & one of each cage totals 531g, less than the weight of the water in my smallest bottles.

Easy mounting & setup

Installing the Old Man Mountain Axle Pack was pretty much as easy as replacing any bolt-on thru-axle. Then bolting on a 3-pack mount Anything Cage. With that said, between the Axle Pack & Fit Kit – it came with 12 bolts of 3 different sizes, 6 washer/spacers of 3 different sizes, a couple of Axle Pack brackets, 8 heavy-duty Panduit zip-ties, and a replacement axle.

What it didn’t include were installation instructions, just a couple of QR codes that link to the OMM support page. Part of the adventure of testing things before they officially launch… Of course, I ignored those QR thingamabobbers, and plowed ahead.

Of note, the Axle Pack instructions are now online (here) – even though persinally, I still prefer the trial-and-error method.

Sure, I switched up a couple of the longer bolts/spacers from top to bottom, at first. But it all fit and worked pretty well.

Then, I realized that installing the longer bolts and the spacer up top between the bracket & plastic fork Puck better aligns everything. So, I sorted that out before my next ride. It’s all steel bolts and sturdy aluminum brackets, and I’m hauling much less than the max weight. So, it wasn’t a big deal.

But, correcting my install mistake meant I could drop the King Manything Cage to the lower position and get the 1kg weight of my 1L Nalgene bottle a bit lower.

So, I would recommend looking at the install photos on the Old Man Mountain Axle Pack product page. Or this double Nalgene photo – here only – to get it right on the first try.

Unlike me.

Old Man Mountain Axle Pack – Pricing, options & availability

The new Old Man Mountain Axle Pack is available starting today and ready to ship for $60 for the 2-leg mount kit. They also come with a lifetime warranty for use on- or off-road.

To install it on your bike you will need an OMM front Fit Kit with its custom The Robert Axle Project thru-axle. Our Fit Kit for a Manitou Mastodon fatbike fork sells for $82 or $80 for our Fox 36 kit. Old Man Mountain also makes classic quick-release kits, but the new Axle Pack was only designed to use with thru-axles and their special Robert axles.

Old Man Mountain says the new Axle Pack makes any bike a bikepacking bike. Whether it has a carbon, aluminum, steel, or suspension fork. It’s already helping us load up some fat bikes for bigger winter adventures!

Axle Packs and Fit Kits to fit virtually any fork in existence are available now, direct from Old Man Mountain.

OldManMountain.com

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Over the past few years, we’ve seen fat bike tire options melting away faster than the snowpack. But now, some good news – WTB has just introduced their first-ever fat bike tire. Packed with WTB DNA, the all-new Bailiff looks like it could be a great option for those looking for an aggressive fat bike tire.

This may be WTB’s first fat bike tire, but they’re quick to point to their four decades of tire design and hundreds of hours of testing in places like Vermont that went into the creation of the Bailiff. Offered only in 27.5 x 4.5″, we’re told that there are currently no plans to offer the tire in a 26″ size.

Built around a TCS Light High Grip 120 tpi casing, the Bailiff focuses on providing a supple feel when aired down to fat bike pressures. The tire also gets a snow-specific tire compound that is intended to stay pliable in extreme cold to maintain traction. That TCS casing also means the tire is fully tubeless compatible with tire sealant. In case you’re wondering, the WTB tire sealant is optimized for temperatures down to 15F° / -9.4°C.

Tread Pattern

The tread pattern itself features closely spaced center knobs to minimize rolling resistance, but there are still plenty of working edges to bite when you need traction to slow down. The knobs are fairly tall compared to some lighter fat bike tires and are widely spaced to dig in both soft and hard snow, mud, sand, etc.

When fitted to a 77mm internal width rim, the tire has a nicely rounded profile.

Offered in studded or studless versions, each tire has 312 stud pockets which are compatible with Terrene, 45NRTH, and other popular tire studs. WTB also has a stud placement guide to help you plan out your stud placement if you don’t want to utilize all 312 pockets. The WTB studded version uses carbide studs with a 2mm-wide tip.

WTB Fat Bike Tire Actual Weight

These are big, meaty tires. As such, they’re hefty at 1617g for the studless version. The studded version comes in at 1693g. That’s in-line with other tires of this size that have aggressive tread and aren’t terribly undersized, though.

First Impressions

I’ve had these tires for a few weeks now, and here we are in January. Still no snow. It looks like we’re in for a brief Arctic blast next week, so hopefully I can finally get out on these tires and the Otso Voytek 2 in the snow (or at least frozen trails).

I can tell you that while the tires were tight to get onto my Whisky No. 9 80w wheels, the tires seated up tubeless without issue. The rubber on the bead felt particularly grippy, so I applied some Schwalbe Easy Fit to the bead which made it much easier to fit the tire to the rim.

Once seated and inflated to 12psi, the tires measured an actual 4.3″ wide on the rims with a 77mm internal width. Upon measuring them the next day, they had already expanded to 4.4″, measured at the widest point of the tread blocks. So while a little undersized out of the package, it seems like these might expand to the full 4.5″ width with some time.

About that Packaging

Fat bike tires are big, obviously. Some brands package them in large cardboard boxes. Others zip tie them to cardboard or plastic sleeves. At one point, Maxxis was even putting them in reusable drawstring bags. But of all the fat bike tire packages I’ve opened, the WTB Bailiff is the best yet.

When you go to unwrap a Bailiff, you’ll find a reusable 25″ cargo strap and a small label made from recycled cardboard that is further recyclable. I’ve been meaning to buy some longer cargo straps for a while now – but now I have some thanks to the packaging of these tires. I can’t tell you the difference in quality between these straps and something like a genuine Voile Strap, but these will definitely come in handy. Use them to cinch down a spare fat bike tube for your ride. Or maybe strap an extra layer to your bike.

Kudos to WTB for coming up with a design that reduces the amount of packaging headed to a landfill while being actually useful.

WTB Fat Bike Tire Pricing & Availability

Starting today, the Bailiff is available in North America for $134.95 per tire. The studded Bailiff will sell for $279.95 and is also available in North America. European availability won’t come until March.

The post WTB’s First Fat Bike Tire, the Bailiff has the Best Packaging You Could Ask For appeared first on Bikerumor.

We’ve seen the world’s best wearing the Kask Elemento this season. That includes everyone from mountain bike champions like Tom Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, to the entire INEOS Grenadiers squad on the road. The helmet bears all the style and pedigree of a new do-it-all lid for the masses (that can afford it).

Kask Elemento helmet – What is it?

For those new to the Elemento, you can check out our tech piece here. But what sets the Elemento apart from the crowd (besides the slippery new shape) is a new Fluid Carbon 12 composite technopolymer and 3D-printed padding.

The padding is super lightweight, ventilated, and easily conforms to different head shapes. The material of the Fluid Carbon 12 shell is said to absorb the impact and then can distribute that force more evenly across the helmet. Kask also claims that the Fluid Carbon allows for less EPS foam inside the helmet which improves ventilation while making for a smaller helmet overall for increased aerodynamics. Further, it may increase crash safety by providing a low friction surface between the helmet and whatever it hits (like the road).

The outer shell wraps all they way around the helmet’s underside, which gives the internal foam protection against caustic sweat and dents.

How’s the fit of the Kask Elemento?

I wear a size medium in the Kask Protone (and most helmets) and the Elemento in a size medium (52-58cm) fit like a glove, er..helmet. The updated Kask Octofit+ works very well. With thick or thin gloves, the adjustment dial is easy to use on the fly. The retention system cradles the base of the skull and has a sliding (slightly indexed) height adjustment.

The height adjustment for the Octofit+ has a slight index but doesn’t lock in place like some helmets. This floating height adjustment requires a dial-in before every ride, which is good if you wear a helmet liner or thick cap for winter. For those who like the “set it and forget it” style fit, the Elemento requires some pre-ride fiddling.

The new 3D padding and generous foam padding give the Elemento a great fit out of the box. The 3D padding on the top of the head has a slightly different feel from traditional foam but is very open to airflow in comparison.

Tech Specs KASK Elemento

• Sizes: SM (50 – 56), MED (52 – 58)*, LRG (59 – 62) *tested
• Weight: 260 grams (size M)
• Colors: Classic Black or White, New metallic finishes: Beetle Green, Oxford Blue (pictured), Red, and Silver.
• Price: USD $400, EUR 375€, GBP £335.

Ride Impressions

I used the Elemento nearly exclusively since its launch. I’ve taken it through XC, gravel, road, and cyclocross races.

Nearly all of my ride impressions with the Kask Elemento have been positive. The way the Elemento can go from a crit to a cross-country mountain bike race is fantastic. It’s a do-it-all helmet; there is no questioning that.

In the heat, the Elemento is breezy; the air flows right through. The ports in the front of the helmet are set up right on the money for cooling and airflow. The helmet’s light weight adds to this sensation, giving the Elemento an excellent on-bike feel.

After I hit the four-month riding mark, I noticed the front padding (non-3D) lost most of its sweat retention and padding. Kask offers replacement padding for the Elemento for an extra $30. The 3D padding kept its shape perfectly but started to peel away slightly on the narrow sections of the top.

The ports could be better for all sunglasses, though, and I found that even my KOO glasses had difficulty staying in place when docked. The glasses fit okay, but the lack of a gripper or rubber grommet on the vent allows them to slide, and a look down could cost you your shades.

Padding and sunglass holding aside, my Elemento took a beating this season—lots of travel and baking heat. Then, muddy cyclocross races with a shouldered bike knocking into my head when I ran. With all this, the Elemento still looks nearly as good as the day I received it. The shell shows no signs of denting, and the shine returns quickly with some polish.

Final Thoughts – Kask Elemento

The Kask Elemento is an excellent performance helmet, but the $400 price tag is a tough pill to swallow. Yes, there are some padding issues, but those are a quick fix with glue and a new pad kit. But should you have to replace the pads on a helmet that quickly? It’s up to the end user and what they deem the most important. The helmet’s overall race performance and comfort are amongst my top favorites.

I recommend the Kask Elemento for riders looking for a top-of-the-line helmet for all their race efforts. If you have an aero road helmet, cross country helmet, gravel helmet (whatever that is), and trade those for one Elemento, the price should be worth it.

For more information and to purchase the Kask Elemento, check out Kask.com

The post Kask Elemento Helmet Review: Is 3D-Printed Padding worth the $400 Price Tag? appeared first on Bikerumor.

I’m lucky to live in an area with delightfully steep and rough terrain. Because of that, long-travel bikes like Trek’s Slash are right up my alley. The 2024 Slash’s generation 6 frame is ready to get rowdy with a new high-pivot suspension linkage and 170mm travel. The bike simply plows through rough terrain, but remains impressively capable of getting itself back uphill for more laps.

The short story is I have nothing negative to say about Trek’s transition to the high-pivot suspension linkage. The new Slash is buttery smooth, yet offers a surprisingly poppy ride and still climbs as aggressively as their ABP bikes. The Slash is not the lightest bike, but that’s kinda fair since it’s such a beast.

2024 Trek Slash: Key Specs

For full details on the new Slash lineup, check out my launch article from September.  Before we get into the ride review, here are a few key specs and features of the 2024 Slash.

Most models of the Slash, including the 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type model I tested, come with full carbon frames. There are two aluminum complete models and an alloy frameset in the lineup. Of course, the biggest update for the Slash is the high-pivot linkage. The Slash now offers 170mm rear travel and all models come with 170mm forks.

Another interesting change for the new Slash is that they all come stock with a mixed-wheel setup (except small frames, which run dual 27.5” wheels). Frame sizes medium and up can run a 29” rear wheel, but you must buy the geo-correcting shock mounts from Trek. You’ll also have to remove the rear fender, as it doesn’t leave enough clearance for the 29” rear wheel.

The Slash boasts very slack and adjustable head tube angles, which can be altered by adding Trek’s angle adjust headset cups. Trek also incorporated their leverage rate chip into the shock mounts, offering ‘less’ and ‘more’ progressive settings. The Slash does not have Trek’s mino link anymore, as the other adjustments offer plenty of opportunity for fine tuning. Trek also decided to do away with their Knock Block headset.

A nice finishing touch for the carbon-framed Slash is Trek’s new ‘Carbon Armor’ frame protection. Before they’re painted, Trek wraps the frames with an impact-resistant film.

The Slash 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type (size M/L) weighs 35.76 lbs with pedals. Considering this is a beastly 170mm travel bike, and has extra hardware for its high pivot linkage, I guess I couldn’t hope for much better. I have to say though, with a full carbon frame, carbon rims and a lightweight carbon bar/stem combo, I was a bit surprised to see this high-end model come in over 35lbs.

Geometry/Fit:

At 5’10” and riding a M/L frame, I’m very happy with the Slash’s geometry. For this article, I’ll discuss the geo of my test bike, which has neutral headset cups and its stock mixed-wheel setup. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a compatible 29” rear wheel on hand to test.

So you know, the geometry remains very similar if you install a 29” rear wheel. Aside from the chainstay length growing by 6mm, there are very minor differences in certain angles and measurements. Check out Trek’s website to see all the different geo charts.

My test bike’s head tube angle is 63.3°, and I loved it. The slack steering angle tackles steep and rough terrain like a champ, but as I’ve found with slacker long-travel bikes it doesn’t hamper climbing ability by much. I’m not sure if I would go any slacker for trail riding, but if I set up a Slash for bike park shredding I’d be tempted to try the slacker headset cups. At 63.3° the Slash offers a ton of stability and feels great on steep downhills, yet the bike still doesn’t feel overly long or clumsy on tight switchbacks.

Helping get you uphill is a steep effective seat mast angle of 77.3°. With a lengthy reach of 468.1mm, that steep seat tube leans you into a well-balanced position over the bike. This is one of the longer bikes I’ve ridden, but I never felt like my arms were overextended.

With Trek’s size-specific chainstays, the M/L mixed-wheel Slash’s rear end measures 434.2mm. This middle-of-the-road length, especially with the 27.5” rear wheel, keeps the Slash pleasantly agile. Overall the bike feels long and very stable at speed, but the rear end simply whips around corners. I should note this is the first MX bike I’ve ridden, and I quickly understood why people like them. I’ve never been amazing at cornering, but I felt like I suddenly got better when I hopped on this bike!

Looking at the numbers, the Slash isn’t the lowest bike out there. The standover height is not particularly low at 766mm, and neither is the BB height of 351mm. Up front the stack height is 632.1mm. I don’t remember banging pedals or the 165mm cranks very much, so the BB height allows decent clearance on the trail. It’s higher than some competitors, but the Slash’s long wheelbase and slack steering still provide a very stable ride.

Climbing:

On my first ride with the Slash, I did notice the slightly sluggish roll of the 27.5” rear wheel. I had been riding niners for a few weeks before the Slash arrived, and I have to admit I felt the difference right away.

That said, I quickly forgot about the smaller rear wheel and adapted to the Slash’s ride. While I’ll never say it’s the best climber I’ve ridden, it does very well for how burly a bike it is. Shedding some weight and running 29” wheels would make it climb better, but that’s not what the Slash is all about. Trek describes this bike as ‘70% downhill, 30% uphill’ but I’d say it climbs a little better than that suggests. 

I’ve always found Trek’s ABP linkage to climb aggressively and powerfully, and the new high-pivot version doesn’t behave too differently. Trek tuned the new Slash’s anti-squat to be pretty close to their Top Fuel XC/trail bike, so your pedalling inputs won’t force you deep into the Slash’s lengthy travel.

Climbing singletrack with the shock in firm, I’d get about 50% travel. In open mode, the shock would dip a bit further but top out around 60-65%. I’ll take the slightly rougher ride and increased pedal support from the shock’s firm mode, because in either setting I had solid traction on any singletrack climb. In firm mode the Slash doesn’t erase small bumps; you still feel the trail below you with the shock resisting those low-speed impacts.

In open mode, the shock helps soften those small bumps and offers a more comfortable ride. Fortunately, there is little sacrifice in pedalling efficiency when the shock is left open, so riders looking for maximum traction can opt to climb this long-travel machine wide open with practically no penalty.  

With the rear shock left wide open, I tried some hard pedaling and sprinting on paved roads to see what the Slash’s high-pivot linkage would do. Sitting down and mashing the pedals as best I could, I could not get the bike beyond 40% travel (from 30% sag). Even standing up and sprinting, I only made it a bit further than 40%. It’s clear that Trek’s linkage handles pedaling forces very well. The bike was in its ‘more’ progressive position for this test, but I don’t think it would behave much differently in the ‘less’ setting so early in the travel.

It’s always nice when a bike has no unusual setup requirements. With the Slash, I pumped the shock up to body weight in psi, set rebound/compression to my usual ranges, and the bike was dialed. Right away I was getting full travel from the rear shock (with the leverage chip in ‘less’ position), which is sometimes an issue for my 145lbs self.

Descending:

I’ve always found Trek’s MTBs to be great at gobbling up bumps, but the high-pivot Slash is even better. I noticed it does particularly well at eating up mid-sized bumps, happily plowing through roots and rocks. The rearward axle path does a great job of numbing bigger hits and keeping the Slash feeling planted on rough trails. I found the bike cushions landings very well, especially on little jumps that send you right onto a rocky or rooty patch. 

It’s hard to pinpoint a weak spot in the Slash’s suspension. At higher speeds, the bike smooths out small bump chatter very well, and as noted above it rounds off medium and big hits nicely.

Furthermore, with all that squish when you want it, the Slash actually seems to pop off jumps a bit better than the 2019 Remedy I owned for several years. It also springs out of corners surprisingly well, as I’ve traditionally found Treks to be a better example of plowy than lively and poppy. It seems the big Slash has maintained an impressive degree of mid-stroke support.

Just looking at this frame, you’d probably expect it to be stiff and you’d be correct. Just like the previous generation Slash and Fuel EX I rode, I found the 2024 Slash’s frame offers a solid, commanding feel as you charge down rough trails.

For most of my rides, I had the leverage chip in its ‘less’ setting, but I flipped it to ‘more’ for my last few test laps. Interestingly, the ‘more’ setting doesn’t seem to increase bottom-out resistance by much; I hit full travel on a typical trail loop in the first ride in this setting.

What I found is the rear wheel does feel like it’s resisting bigger, sharper hits more. Under my lightweight self, the Slash felt a bit less plowy and the back wheel would bounce a bit more facing sharp impacts. The only time I got a good ‘thunk’ out of this bike’s rear end was while riding in the ‘more’ position. For me, there’s no question I’d keep the Slash in its ‘less’ setting. The biggest joy of this bike is how capably it sucks up rough terrain, and I’ll take all the squish it has to offer.

The Slash’s 27.5” rear wheel offers good clearance. I rode the steepest trail in my local network and didn’t hit my ass on the tire once (and I have on my personal 29er)! As mentioned above, the mullet setup also has an immediately noticeable benefit in the corners. After you initiate a turn, you then feel the back end hook in and bring you around quicker than a 29er would.

Chain Drop?

Some of you may have seen reports of the new Slash dropping chains. Apparently, some of the bikes were sent out with the lower chain guides incorrectly installed, and some riders had issues with chain drop. After many rides on my test bike, I got the notice from Trek and found out it was indeed not to spec… however I never dropped a chain.

By the time I got the info on how to correct the situation, winter had set in and my testing was pretty much done. I rode the bike two or three more times without even adjusting the chain guide, and still never once lost my chain.

To fix this issue Trek is making sure all Slashes will now be shipped out with the correct setup. They’ve also notified dealers on how to fix the issue, and as an extra precaution, they’re supplying upper idler pulleys with longer teeth to dealers at no charge. As of early 2024, anyone with a new Slash can go to their local shop and have the revised idler installed.

If you’re wondering about potentially increased drag with the high-pivot chain line, I can’t say I noticed anything measurable. Of course, this is a brand new bike; over time the upper pulley might produce extra drag if the bearing wears out, but with all new components the Slash pedalled like any other MTB.

Components:

A RockShox Zeb fork was the obvious choice for the burly new Slash. The 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type bike I rode gets the Ultimate model with a DebonAir spring and Charger 3 RC2 damper. The fork is stiff, offers great initial sensitivity, and sucks up bigger hits in class-leading fashion.

Out back, RockShox’s Vivid Ultimate rear shock performed great with very little fidgeting. The stock tune feels pretty linear which works well for a smaller guy like me, allowing full squish on nearly any descent. The shock’s firm mode resists low-speed impacts nicely, but doesn’t ride like you’re at near-lockout firmness.   

Overall I had great performance from the SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type drivetrain and dropper post. However, the dropper post suddenly stopped working in the middle of my third ride. Once I got home I simply paired up the post and control pod, and since then everything has worked perfectly. 

The 30t chainring and 10-52t cassette provide a vast gear range for trail riding, and shifting performance was basically flawless throughout my test. I unfortunately gave the T-Type X0 derailleur’s cage a good smash and a nasty bend, but didn’t notice right away because gear shifting was still fine! The derailleur will skip lightly when backpedaling but it still doesn’t derail at all, which is impressive.

Bontrager’s Line Pro 30 carbon wheels held up great through my test, showing no signs of damage or warpage. The Slash’s wheels come tubeless with a Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 29×2.5” front tire and a Team Issue SE5 27.5×2.5” rear tire. These tires offer a well-rounded tread that rolls fairly fast and provides good grip on all surfaces. 

Bontrager’s RSL carbon bar/stem combo is hard not to enjoy looking at! The rise is 27.5mm, stem length is 35mm, and the bars come stock at 820mm wide. The 7° backsweep and 6° upsweep is a bit more up and less back than most bars I’ve ridden, but I found them comfortable. I would have liked to ride the full width, but my bars had been cut to 795mm. I rode these bars uncut on the previous generation Slash and was surprised how much I liked them.

SRAM’s Code Silver 4-piston brakes with 200mm rotors had no shortage of power, reeling in this big bike with great modulation and more than ample bite force.

The 170mm dropper post on the M/L frame gets low and out of the way. I didn’t have any problems riding with the Bontrager Arvada saddle, but I find it a bit hard and not the most comfortable. 

The Slash’s rear fender seems to work fairly well. After a wet, snowy ride I still had mud spray all the way up the back of my jacket, but less than what I expected. I also noticed the back of the dropper post and under the saddle weren’t that dirty.

Trek’s Carbon Armor seems to help resist frame damage well. After close inspection, I could only find a few very minor knicks or scratches on the Slash. The down tube, BB shell and all the areas prone to rock strikes from the rear wheel remain basically unscathed. 

Frame Storage:

Trek’s in-frame storage was revised for the Slash, offering a larger door and an updated latch. The storage compartment is easy to open and close, and the included Bontrager BITS tool roll has spots for a CO2 canister, an inflator head, a multi-tool, and a tube (although it’ll have to be a thin one). Trek added ‘chunnels’ inside the Slash’s frame to keep your tool roll/cargo from snagging on your cables. They seemed to work well, I had no issues with anything snagging inside the frame.

Bontrager’s BITS steerer tube multi-tool is also included on all Slash 9.9 models – a nice finishing touch for these top-tier builds! 

The 2024 Trek Slash 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type retails for $9399. Frame color options are Daintree, Lichen Green (as tested), or Argent Drizzle.

trekbikes.com

The post The New Trek Slash 9.9 Plows As Expected, But Pedals and Pops Too! appeared first on Bikerumor.

You read that headline right. The Western Rattler Bar Tape by Camp and Go Slow… Is. The. Best. Bar. Tape. Ever.* And if I had my way, that would be the end of the review. But I should probably tell you more about this wonder tape, and make my case for it being the best tape out there. I just recently gave the tape an Editor’s Choice award for 2023.

Let’s go over a little history about Camp and Go Slow to begin our journey to the pot o’ gold that is the Western Rattler Bar tape.

Camp and Go Slow

Camp and Go Slow was started by two people on different ends of the US, Jarrod Bunk on the East Coast, and Casey Clark on the West Coast. It is now solely owned and operated by Casey. Originally they started with just stickers that were a wonderful bite on the Campagnolo logo.

The Camp and Go Slow take on the Campy logo sends an alternative message that is a juxtaposition of what the legendary Italian brand has historically meant in the cycling world. The message could be that the components that you use on your bicycle, shouldn’t define you as a cyclist. Or, at the very least, we should all try to “camp and go slow” occasionally.

When you look through the products that are offered on their site, you’ll see stuff that embodies the Camp and Go Slow ethos, like camp mugs, handlebar bags, a very handsome wool Henley, as well as patches, stickers, pins, and soft goods.

Western Rattler Bar Tape

Why do I think this tape is amazing? Is it because it’s the cheapest tape out there? No. Does it come with extra goodies? Well, yes and no. Is it super handsome? You betcha. But, let’s go ahead and dive in, and I’ll tell ya why.

Not the Cheapest, But Worth Every Penny

The Western Rattler bar tape is made in Taiwan and retails for $44. That price gets you two super long, 3300mm rolls. Those rolls come packaged in a handmade ripstop bag that’s made in Pennsylvania. Plus, you’re supporting a small business, so you can concentrate on making your bike look good and not wrestling with your conscience.

No Extra Stuff, But Do We Need Extras?

When you buy the tape, there is no finishing tape or bar end plugs included. But the USA-made bag that the tape comes in is of nice quality and can be used for many different things. Plus, who needs cheap finishing tape or cheap plastic bar end plugs? No one, that’s who. I would recommend using electrical tape and getting some of the Cardiff Silicone Rubber Handlebar Plugs to finish the job.

Handsome, Put a Value on That

The way I see it, most people like aesthetically pleasing things. I know I do. But, let’s touch on bicycles specifically. When my bike looks good, I feel good riding it. I think we all do. So, when I first saw this tape back in 2020, I wanted it for my Masi Randonneur as I thought it would look amazing. And it did. The Western Rattler Tape has “upped” the aesthetic game on every bike it’s been on… that’s worth something.

Specs:

• Includes 2x 3300mm rolls
• 28mm width
• 61g per roll
• Made from durable nylon blend
• 1.5mm foam backing
• Available in Western (brown) or Eastern (green) Rattler colors
• Bartape made in Taiwan
• Bag made in Pennsylvania

This Tape Could, Quite Possibly Last Forever

All of the above reasons to buy this tape are valid. But the real highlight of owning this bar tape is that it is comfortable, washable, and reusable. This means that it will, more than likely, last longer than any other tape you’ve had.

When I saw the tape on the internet, I honestly just bought it because I thought the colors on the bar would “pop” on the bike, accentuating the bike’s honey-colored leather saddle. After I received the tape and installed it, I had no idea that it would wear as long as it did.

Extra Tape and Keepin’ it Clean

When I first wrapped my bars, I rode the tape glove-free for the initial several hundred miles. I noticed that it was getting dark at the curve of the bars behind the hoods… most likely from my hand sweat and grime. I was pleased to find that it washed right off with simple soap and water when washing my bike.

I’ve unwrapped that first roll of Western Rattler tape many times. For example, to swap brake/shift levers a few times as well as a few bar swaps. It unwraps clean because it uses minimal adhesive, so it releases from the bar without tearing chunks of the tape’s backing.

The 3300mm length of the tape is a lot, I’ve wrapped a lit of different width bars up to 51cm, even some with really wide flats, and have always had extra tape. Just recently I used some of the extra to wrap the drive side chainstay on my Gus Boots Willsen, and it looks fantastic.

I find it holds its form because it’s not super stretchy, resulting in bar tape that can easily be reinstalled and reused. The “woven” texture feels great in the hands and extra grippy with gloves on. I find myself riding the Western Rattler mostly gloved nowadays.

In Closing

The Camp and Go Slow Western Rattler Bar tape is unique, as I haven’t seen anything out there that’s comparable. This tape, by far, is one of my favorite pieces of bike gear, ever. It needs zero attention once it’s installed, and looks amazing (on just about any bicycle). It supports a small business. It’s a high-quality product that seems to have a very, very long life span.

Would I recommend this bar tape to someone? You bet, without hesitation.

Do yourself a favor and go the the Camp and Go Slow website, and pick some up. Plus, check out all of the cool gear they offer… most of it would make for great stocking stuffers.

CampAndGoSlow.com

*According to Ron’s Opinion

The post Review: Camp and Go Slow’s Western Rattler Bar Tape is a Gift to Mankind appeared first on Bikerumor.

I know. I know that a few weeks ago I just did a review of a rooftop tent. But, I thought we could talk about the differences between the two different types of rooftop tents. The fold-out type that I already reviewed and the TopOak Overland Galaxy 1.0 which is a wedge type.

As I mentioned in the review of the Yakima SkyRise rooftop tent, we’ve had that same type of fold-out style tent on our previous Jeep. We had it for a long time and wanted to try something different. Specifically, we wanted to try a wedge-style tent on our new Jeep, but they’ve always been so cost-prohibitive. Until now.

TopOak Overland Galaxy 1.0 Rooftop Tent

I love a good bargain and let me tell you, the TopOak Overland Galaxy 1.0 rooftop tent that I’m reviewing is a total bargain. So I got one. I was a little weary of grabbing one because sometimes a price can be “too good to be true” and quality can be questionable. But, for this style tent with this type of price tag, I thought I would take the chance on it. So, far I’m glad I did.

It seems very close to being the same tent as a RoofNest Falcon Pro rooftop tent, but the TopOak Galaxy 1.0 retails for only $1,299, not $3,995. You could buy three Galaxy 1.0 tents for the price of one of the Falcon Pro tents.

The Galaxy 1.0 is a wedge-style rooftop tent, with a hard aluminum shell. It uses externally mounted, self-opening struts, and has three different mounting spots for the included telescoping ladder.

It also comes with an adjustable built-in LED light, a shoe bag that hangs outside the tent, and a boatload of inside storage pockets.

I like the storage that is on the inside of the roof. It has six suspended pockets that you can use, or you can pull it away from the ceiling and store clothes or something behind it.

It has two locking clamps at the opening. The locks are a little bit wonky and don’t seem super secure and it came with weird, large keys. It’s not the highest security, but it does the job.

The tent also has a unique feature where the front of the tent expands out to give you much more room inside the tent than a standard wedge-style tent. That “kick-out” section also has a removable rainfly and a built-in skylight, so you can stargaze while lying in the tent.

Shipping the Galaxy 1.0

Shipping the tent anywhere in the contiguous US will cost $299, and is said to arrive within 7 days. TopOak has a warehouse in Los Angeles, allowing for pick-up if you are local. I opted to get mine shipped, and it arrived in 2 days, through a freight company.

The freight company called me the day before it would arrive and gave me a 2-hour window for when I could expect it… and actually showed up at the front end of that window. That was nice.

When the tent is packed to ship, it’s big, and weighs roughly 220lbs, according to the freight guy. I was by myself the day it came, and he was kind enough to drop it in my driveway.

After inspecting the box, it didn’t have any sign of being handled roughly. TopOak says that every tent is insured, and to feel free to contact them if your tent shows up damaged. That was nice to know.

I started the unpacking and was pleased to see the tent sandwiched between two pieces of plywood, with dense foam placed between the wood and the aluminum hard shell. It was packed very well and arrived without a single scratch.

Installation

I needed to ask for help to lift this bad boy onto the Yakima Load Bars on our Jeep. The tent, by itself, with nothing in it, weighs 172lbs. Not crazy heavy when it comes to rooftop tents, but not light either. In comparison, the Yakima SkyRise HD Medium rooftop tent that I reviewed weighed 114lbs.

Make sure that the load bar/roof rack system on your vehicle has a dynamic weight capacity of at least 172lbs before you install this tent on your vehicle. The Yakima Rib Cage Rack System for the Jeep JL has a dynamic weight rating of 330 pounds, so that is plenty.

Once the tent was on the load bars, I easily slid it around to find the right spot to start installing it with the provided hardware. I will note that the tent only came with knobs to fasten the metal straps around the load bars. I opted to go to the hardware store and swap them for some good Nylock nuts.

Also, the steel straps seemed a little thin for my liking, so I will be swapping those at a later date for a thicker stainless steel version. But, for the most part, I am very pleased with how easy the tent was to attach to our loadbars.

Galaxy 1.0 First Impressions

After getting the tent mounted on our Jeep, I did some opening and closing practice runs. It is incredibly easy to set up and close down. I’m storing some sleeping bags (laid out flat), the included shoe bag and ladder, as well as some small pillows up in the tent when not in use.

With that stuff stored in it, the tent was a little bit harder to close, but still closed up just fine. This convenience is much easier to deal with when closing the wedge-type tent when compared to the fold-out type tent tent.

We’ve done around 600 miles with the Galaxy 1.0 on the roof, as well as a few offroad trails, and so far it’s felt solid and has been quiet. I didn’t notice the extra 60lbs on the roof while driving around with the tent. I didn’t think that would happen, I thought it would be noticeable.

Better MPGs

One of the most noticeable differences between the fold-out and the wedge-type of tents is road noise. The TopOak Galaxy 1.0 has a hard aluminum exterior shell that seems to glide through the wind. This makes it much quieter than the soft cover of the SkyRise HD Medium tent.

The Galaxy 1.0 sits much lower on top of the Jeep than the SkyRise did. At only 8″ tall when closed, the Galaxy 1.0 has a full 9″ lower profile than the SkyRise. Not only is the Galaxy 1.0 much quieter, but it’s also allowed me to gain back between 2 and 3 miles per gallon putting me very close to the factory gas mileage for the Jeep. That was surprising.

I’ve got a bunch of small desert trips planned for the tent in the next few months, along with a big multi-day Death Valley run and a huge run through North East Nevada and Virginia City.

These trips will put this tent to the test. I’m curious how well a $1300 tent will do while running some rough trails through an unforgiving desert landscape. Stay tuned here for the full review of the TopOak Galaxy 1.0.

TopOakOverland.com

The post First Look: The Galaxy 1.0 is an Affordable Aluminum Hardshell Rooftop Tent appeared first on Bikerumor.

At this point, REI is a name that is synonymous with outdoor adventures. However, when it comes to ebikes, it might not be a brand that comes to mind. Much less when it comes to eMTB. But their Co-Op bike brand has been releasing some interesting bikes over the past few years, so when they offered a chance to review their first-ever REI eMTB, I jumped at the chance.

Why? Mostly it was because I hadn’t ridden the latest generation of Bosch ebike motors with the smart system. But also because the REI Co-Op DRT e3.1 seemed like an impressive value – despite the name having too many letters and numbers. In my head, I just call it the ‘Dirty 3.1’.

Priced right at $5k for the complete bike, there aren’t many Bosch-equipped bikes with similar battery sizes and build levels at this price point. Going into the review I expected there would be a few low spots in the build, but in the end, the bike was far better than anticipated.

Bosch eBike System

At the heart of the DRT e3.1 is the Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive motor with the Smart System. The motor offers 85Nm of torque making this a ‘full power’ ebike. Officially, it’s a Class 1 with pedal assist up to 20 mph. You can still go more than 20mph, but at that point, it will be only under human power.

Along with the motor, the battery is a key component spec when shopping for ebikes. The DRT e3.1 doesn’t have the biggest battery, but the 625wh battery stashed in the downtube is adequate for all but the longest rides. We’re told that currently, the bike is not compatible with the Bosch range extender battery though, so keep that in mind. As Bosch explains it, the charging plug is compatible with the range extender, but REI has to certify that the water bottle bosses are strong enough to support the weight of the battery. It’s possible that it may be certified in the future, but is not at this time. The battery is easily swapped with the keyed frame lock though, so trail-side battery swaps are a possibility if you purchase a spare battery.

Flow App

Initially, the fact that this bike was equipped with the Bosch Smart System was a pleasant surprise. Smart System bikes are compatible with the Bosch Flow app which is quite good. At this point, you’d think every major player in the ebike motor space would have their app connectivity and features completely dialed, but you’d be wrong. The Bosch app works exactly as you’d expect though, and allows you to connect to the bike to see charging and battery status, estimated range, total mileage, and includes customization tools to change ride modes.

There are four customizable settings including the assistance level, how dynamic the assist is, the maximum speed (up to 20 mph), and the maximum torque. These tools can be used to make the bike feel more or less powerful, extend battery life, and even act as a sort of “traction control” to keep the rear wheel from spinning out in loose conditions. You can even use the app to record your rides and see your metrics like elevation, speed, cadence, and how much power you’re putting into the REI eMTB.

If you pay for the Flow+ subscription (or use the 12-month free trial), you gain access to the anti-theft features. That includes acoustic & visual alarms, movement alerts with in-app notifications and location tracking. I’m assuming you can make it so the bike can’t be turned on either, but I haven’t tried this myself to verify.

REI eMTB Stats by the Numbers

• E-Bike Classification – Class 1: pedal assist up to 20 mph
• Assist Modes – Eco, Sport, eMTB, and Turbo
• Motor – Bosch Performance Line CX, the smart system
• Motor Type – Mid-Drive
• Motor Torque (Nm) – 85 Newton meters
• Battery Capacity (Wh) – 625 watt hours
• Battery Removable – Yes
• Charging Time (completely drained) – 5h
• Rated Continous Power – 250W
• Maximum Power – 600W
• Smart Walk Mode – Yes

Assist Modes

When it comes to selecting the level of assist, you have four modes to choose from: Eco, Sport, eMTB, and Turbo. Since the DRT e3.1 only has an LED Remote, using the app will allow you to see how the expected range changes as you cycle through the modes. Of the 339 miles of mountain biking I’ve had on the DRT e3.1, 268 of those have been in eMTB mode. It’s by far my favorite setting, and the app claims it’s actually more efficient than Sport mode.

Unlike the other modes which stay within a linear support level, eMTB mode is a dynamic setting that will provide support from the lowest level of Tour (160% support) to the highest level of Turbo (340% support). That support or assist is provided based on direct input from the pedals utilizing the bike’s torque sensor. The best way to explain it is that while you’re soft-pedaling through a tight switchback, the assist level is kept low. But when you exit the switchback and you get on the pedals to muscle out of the corner, the assist ramps up immediately. The result is power when you need it, and battery savings when you don’t.

With the included Bosch 4A charger, the battery can be fully recharged in about 5 hours. The plug on the REI eMTB is very easy to use, and when not plugged in, the bike has a waterproof rubber cover that should be snapped into place. It’s also worth mentioning that the system is UL 2849 certified which means it complies with potential new laws like the recently passed Initiative 663-A in New York.

The Build

Most riders will likely pick their DRT e3.1 up from their local REI store. In that case, the bike will be fully built and ready for you to ride. For those who don’t live close enough to an REI, or would simply rather have it shipped to them for the $30 oversize shipping fee, you’ll get a bike that is mostly assembled – though you may still have to do some work with the included Park Tool multitool.

When my review sample showed up, there were a few things that needed attention right away. To start, the front brake caliper adapter was on upside down. The arrow should be pointing up, and it’s a simple fix of pulling the caliper, flipping the adapter, and bolting it back together.

I run the seat post pretty low, but the dropper post cable was far too long even if it was extended to the maximum height. This fix is a little more challenging and requires cable/housing cutters, but it’s still fairly easy.

After the first few rides, I noticed that no matter how much I tightened the headset, I couldn’t get it to stay tight. It turns out the steerer was just slightly too long, which there are two ways to fix – add another spacer, or cut down the steerer tube. I already had plenty of spacer stack, so I decided to cut the steerer and scooch down the starnut—perfect adjustment from then on.

Torque Those Lockrings

The last build issue didn’t present itself until I had ridden about 100 miles on the bike. During that ride, I looked down and thought “Huh, it looks like my chainring is crooked?”. The bike was still pedaling, but after I stopped to take a look I noticed that the chainring had come almost completely loose. The Bosch motor uses a spline for the chainring, and there is a locknut that threads down over the top of the ring to hold it in place.

It appears that the lockring had worked itself loose, possibly as a result of insufficient torque from the factory or lack of Loctite. After removing the crank arm, lock ring, and chain ring, I cleaned up the grease as best as I could and reinstalled the chainring. When I reinstalled the lockring, I added Loctite 243 which is a primerless version meant for situations where grease might be present. I torqued the lockring to the proper spec, and haven’t had an issue since.

As a result, I’d recommend having your shop check the lockring torque or do it yourself, and probably add some Loctite as well.

Except for the lockring issue, all of these issues are fairly common for any new bike. The better bike shops will have these all sorted out before a bike hits the showroom floor, but that’s not always the case. If you have an REI close by, it’s worth having them build the bike up to check for any issues, though the competent home mechanic shouldn’t have any problem here.

Sizing and Wheel Size

Depending on your frame size, you may be running 27.5 or 29″ wheels on the DRT e3.1. Both the XS and S frames come with 27.5 x 2.6″ wheels and tires, while the M-XL frame sizes come with 29 x 2.6″ wheels and tires. I was happy to see that the medium REI eMTB came with the bigger wheels and found that the 2.6″ tires were a great choice for the build.

Other than an under-inflated pinch flat, the Kenda Nevegal Pro 2 tires have been surprising. They’ve provided excellent traction in tricky fall conditions, even if it was a drier-than-average fall. They also seem to be impressively durable (the pinch flat happened after I forgot to air up after a few days), though that durability seems to come at the expense of cold-weather performance. If you plan on riding this bike in the winter, I’d recommend switching out to a true winter tire like the 45NRTH Wrathchild Trail.

REI eMTB Geometry

In terms of geometry, the e3.1 is fairly modern but with a conservative reach making it comfortable for beginners without alienating more experienced riders. The highlights include a 66º head tube angle and 77.4º seat tube angle with a 450mm reach and 441mm chainstays for a medium.

Rider Stats

• Rider Height – 5’8″
• Rider Weight – 159lb
• Rider Age – 38
• Size tested – Medium

Who Makes the REI eMTB?

The Co-Op DRT e3.1 feels like a high-quality bike, and the stickers on the box that suggest it came out of the Giant factory support that feeling. REI has not confirmed that Giant manufactures their eMTB, but the Giant Manufacturing Co. label with the serial number all but confirms it.

More Miles or Time on the Bike? Both!

When the DRT e3.1 arrived, it was heading into the fall riding season – my absolute favorite. But it’s also the point of the year where the toll of the year’s riding starts to catch up with me. I didn’t know it at the time, but having access to an eMTB meant that I would get in a lot more hours of riding this fall. Notice I said hours and not miles. It’s obvious that an ebike will probably allow you to ride more miles, but I found it increased the miles and hours. But for October & November combined, I rode 36h in 2021, 29h in 2022, and 60h this year.

Those aren’t all just ebike miles either. Despite sometimes putting in back-to-back-to-back big ebike days on our most demanding trails, I would still have the energy to go out and do gravel rides on a regular bike the next day.

So it’s obvious that having access to an eMTB means more trail time for me, but that isn’t model-specific. What about the DRT e3.1?

Solid Spec

Admittedly, when I was first checking out the e3.1, I somewhat expected it to be good but it would probably need some quick upgrades. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a bike that is very well-equipped right out of the box. After setting saddle height and adjusting the bar and controls to my liking, there wasn’t much left to do other than ride.

Well, technically, I also converted it to tubeless first as well. The REI eMTB comes stock with taped rims and tubeless Kenda Nevegal Pro 2 tires. Inside those tires, you’ll find standard inner tubes, so if you want to go tubeless you’ll need to add tubeless valves and tire sealant. Note that due to the sensor on the rear rim, you’ll need a longer valve stem. I added some of my favorite Fillmore valves, and some sealant, and the tires popped into place without any hassle at all.

Suspension

Running a proven Horst link setup with a RockShox Deluxe Select Plus RT rear shock, the 130mm of rear travel isn’t going to ‘wow’ experienced riders. But what it lacks in sophisticated suspension trickery, it makes up for in consistent, reliable performance. The same could be said for the RockShox Recon Silver RL Solo Air fork – there are many higher-end forks out there, but the ebike-rated Recon is up to the task.

We’ve also read comments on the internet that the SRAM SX Eagle 1×12 drivetrain wouldn’t be up to the task, but so far that appears completely unfounded. I’ve purposely tried to shift poorly to torture the drivetrain as much as possible and it still hasn’t missed a beat. That includes a handful of crashes as well. Is it going to be as robust as a new SRAM Transmission? Probably not, but again, the components are more than capable.

It’s worth mentioning that the frame does have a SRAM UDH making it Transmission-compatible for future upgrades.

Accessories

With a standard side-load water bottle cage, the frame has room for most mid-sized water bottles. There are also top tube mounts for additional storage, though I chose to mount a WTC B-RAD rolltop accessory bag under the top tube for my tools and spares.

Brakes

When it comes time to slow down a 55lb ebike, brakes are important. I was very happy to see the Tektro 4-piston hydraulic brakes with thicker 2.3mm rotors on this build as they have impressive power and modulation. If you’re an aggressive rider or on the heavier side I would suggest upgrading to a 200mm rotor on the front of the bike. The 180mm rotors front and back are adequate, but more front braking power could be useful in certain situations.

There was one upgrade I made to the bike, which was the result of needing to test out components more than the bike needing it. Swapping out the aluminum handlebar for the PNW Loam Carbon bar shown above did result in a slightly more comfortable ride up front.

With all the original components, the complete build wasn’t quite 55lb for a medium, coming in at 54.7lbs. If you go tubeless, you stand to drop almost 0.5lbs at 54.23lbs with a heavy sealant pour.

On the Trails

At this point, I’ve ridden the e3.1 on everything from jumpy flow trails to longer backcountry epics – it’s a bike that feels comfortable in a wide variety of terrain. With 130mm rear travel and 140mm travel up front, the bike is solidly in the Trail category. While there are better bikes for DH-focused riding, I’ve ridden all of our (fairly mellow) DH-specific trails locally just fine.

As mentioned, most of that riding has been in eMTB mode – it just feels the most natural and provides more than enough assistance in any situation without feeling like the bike is doing all the work.

Battery Life / Range

While riding in eMTB mode, on average I have been getting about 26-28 miles to a full charge which has been very close to the estimated range on the Flow app. When connected to the bike, the range estimate will change based on the assist mode, and it will change over time based on your use. I always found the estimated range to be optimistic by a few miles, but not by much. Most of my testing has been on technical trails with a lot of climbing, though not a lot of elevation. The rides where I got 26-28 miles on eMTB mode had about 2,500′ of elevation gain. On one of my rides with more elevation, I clocked 24 miles and 3,488′ of climbing, but didn’t have time to fully empty the battery.

When fully charged, the LED remote will show five blue bars. As you deplete the battery, those bars turn white and then disappear completely one by one. Once the battery level drops to 30%, the last two bars will turn orange. Keep riding, that second orange bar will disappear and then a single red bar will light up telling you that there’s 10% battery left. From this point, there are no more warnings – eventually, the motor will cut out when the battery dies, and that red bar will flash. At this point, hopefully, you don’t have far to ride because this is not a fun bike to pedal without any assist.

Phone as Display

If you want more system detail than the LED remote provides, you can also use the Flow app to turn your phone into a display screen mounted to your bars. In this mode, there are a lot of metrics that can be displayed including speed, battery percentage, remaining range, time of day, riding time, distance, etc.

While the Bosch Performance Line CX isn’t the quietest motor I’ve ridden, it is among the quieter full-power options. The bike is wonderfully quiet as well – no rattling cables or components to annoy you while rolling down the trail.

REI eMTB Pricing & Availability

The retail price of the Co-op Cycles DRT e3.1 is $4,999. If you’re a Co-op member though, you stand to get about $499.90 of that back as reward dollars. Those dollars have to be spent at REI, but there’s plenty of other bike stuff you can spend it on (including valve cores and sealant). If you’re not already a member, make sure to buy a $30 lifetime membership before purchasing the bike.

The bike includes one year of free adjustments and in-store assembly, but REI Co-op members also get an additional year of free adjustments (2 years total), free flat repair labor, and 20% off shop services.

Currently, the Co-op Cycles DRT e3.1 is available in all sizes, all in the Bamboo colorway pictured above.

Takeaway

Overall, the Co-Op DRT e3.1 delivers exactly what you want out of a full-power ebike. The aluminum frame provides a solid foundation for one of the best ebike systems on the market. At $5k, the e3.1 offers a large 625wh battery along with the Bosch Performance Line CX drive system without skimping on other components. You would never know that this was REI’s first attempt at an eMTB, and as a result, it further establishes the Co-op bike brand as a genuine brand to consider for your next bike.

rei.com

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If you read my pieces on the regular, you know that I’ve mentioned, more than once, that I prefer my cycling stuff to be subtly branded. San Francisco, California’s Ornot has the same preference when it comes to subtle branding. I mean, it’s in their slogan: “You could be a rolling billboard, Ornot”. I can get on board with that.

So, back in September, I wrote a news piece on Ornot’s new large handlebar bag. While writing the piece I read that the subtle branding isn’t just a catchy slogan, it’s part of the company’s overall goal: “to change the landscape by offering well-designed cycling clothing, with minimal branding, made right here in California, that doesn’t break your wallet”

The bags were handsome and had some cool features. I decided to call and get one of these bags in for review. They sent me two, a Black one for my Masi Incanto gravel bike, and one in the color Coyote, for my Rivendell Gus Boots Willsen.

Ornot Large Handlebar Bag

The Large Handlebar bag is a barrel-type handlebar bag that uses a stiff “frame sheet” that helps with structure and keeps the bag shape. It measures 13cm x 22cm, has a 3.1-liter capacity, and weighs in at 260 grams.

It has a couple of unique features that I dig, like the way it attaches to the h-bar, the three stretchy outside cargo pockets, the easy-to-get-to dedicated phone pocket, the easy-to-attach rear tether cord, and the internal zipper pocket with a stretchy cord that dawns a key clip at the end. I like that it is a good-sized bag, but doesn’t look “clunky” when it’s attached to the bike.

Using the Ornot Large Handlebar Bag

I wanted to do something a little different for this review. Being that I am reviewing a handlebar bag, I’ll talk about the bag’s unique features and how they’ve suited me personally for the last few months.

These features are identical on both of the bags that I have, so there’s no need to talk about how they performed on which bike… it’s a handlebar bag, it did great, no matter what bike I was using it on.

So, I’ll just just be touching on the bitchen features of the bag, like…

The Way It Attaches

The large handlebar bag uses two, 6-inch, included Voile Straps to attach it to the handlebars. The bag offers different strap slots allowing for width adjustment when attaching to the bars.

The spacing can allow the straps to be 4″ apart, up to 6″ apart. This enables you to find the right spot to fit your particular handlebar configuration. I find the Voile Straps much easier to deal with than long velcro straps. The straps have a much cleaner look as well.

The Stretchy Outside Cargo Pockets

There are three external, see-through cargo pockets on the Large Handlebar Bag. These pockets are easy to get to and are not tight against the body of the bag. This allows you to actually use them to hold things.

There are two pockets located side-by-side at the back of the bag. These are perfect for goodies you want quick access to frequently while riding. The rear pockets even slant down towards the outside of the bag, allowing for easier access with minimal handlebar interference.

There is also one large, side-loading pocket at the front of the bag. This one is great for less frequent, quick access, like storing your sunglasses or a larger snack for enjoyment off the bike.

Ornot Large Handlebar Bag’s Dedicated Phone Pocket

Probably my favorite feature of this bag is the dedicated side phone pocket. It is specifically a purpose-built pocket for your phone. It’s really easy to use and puts your phone right at your fingertips. Thus making it ready to be grabbed and used to capture the moment while on the fly. You don’t have to unzip anything or fiddle through a semi-full bag. You don’t even have to stop if you don’t want to.

It has an elastic cord that can be pulled over the top of the phone and hooked to the available hook while stored in the pocket. This will keep your phone in place when the going get’s rough. Keep the cord off for more of a quick-draw use of the phone, for those rides where the views just keep coming.

The Wrap-Around YKK Zipper

The wrap-around zipper that’s on this bag is so easy to zip and unzip. Plus it dips down on the left side of the top of the bag, offering a unique way to get easier access when the bag is fully zipped open. The zipper itself, has little to no resistance when zipping it open, allowing for easy one-handed operation while riding.

With the zipper open, it provides a big opening allowing you to squeeze just about anything you want in there. It was easy to slip my Sony a6000 in the bag for a recent photo shoot, even with my bigger lens on it.

The Rear Tether

The rear tether is very intuitive and easy to attach. It keeps the bag stable and in one spot, allowing for the easy use of the main zipper. The way it is designed aids with the ease of adjustment when attaching the bag to your bike. It also allows for really easy removal, making it perfect to remove and swap between bikes.

The Internal Pocket w/ Key Clip

Who doesn’t like to stay organized? Or better yet, who wants to be fishing through a full handlebar bag in search of your keys? The internal pocket is the ideal size for a small wallet, tools, a tire repair/plug kit, a few emergency Fig Newtons, as well as a place to put your tethered keys, making them easy to find when the bag is stuffed full.

Retail and My Final Thoughts

Retail: $86

Colors: EcoPak Black, EcoPak Coyote, and EcoPak White

Over the past few months, I’ve used these two bags for everything from holding my camera for photo shoots to carrying extra layers, like an extra flannel, and a jacket. I’ve used it a lot on night rides where I’ll start with normal gloves while keeping a pair of warm gloves for the ride back when it gets cold. I’ve used it for carrying my beer for our “beers at the dam” night rides.

I find the Ornot large Handlebar Bag to be large without looking bulky and cumbersome. It is light and can easily be kept on the bike even when not being utilized. That’s what I do, I keep them on my bike even when they are empty, You just never know when you may need to stop somewhere on the way to pick up a taco or two, hit the store, or find some cool road/trailside treasure… so yeah, they’re mounted 24/7.

In Conclusion with a Lil’ Water Stain

The build quality is top-notch and should last for quite some time. I did notice that after my first “beers at the dam” ride with the bag on my Gus, a water stain could be seen from the outside. I ran a 16oz Modelo wrapped in foil, and stuffed in a Ziplock with some ice in it. As a result, the bag got wet on the inside from the condensation on the Ziplock bag.

If the water stain on the outside of the bag would bother you if you owned one, you probably shouldn’t do the beer with the water and ice thing. I don’t mind it, it gives the bag a nice patina look.

I expect this bag to last a long time, and I would suggest it to anyone. The quality is top-notch, the company sports a branding ethos I can get behind, and the price is right.

Check out their other items at the link below.

OrnotBike.com

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