Equipment Archives - Page 19 of 55

Foot position on flat pedals?

September 30, 2011/3 Comments/in Ask Lee, Equipment, Tech tips/by leelikesbikes

Lee,

I have a question about foot positioning when using flat pedals. I recently read that with flats you need to have your feet centered over the pedals for better balance and power. I converted to flats two years ago but after years of using clipless I automatically have the balls of my feet centered over the pedal axles. I tried the recommended positioning during my nightly drill session and it just didn’t feel right. Should I change my phantom clipless pedal position, or am I just going to break something that’s already been fixed?

P.S. Any chance of a clinic in Hawaii?

Mahalo,

Keoni

Mark Weir on forks

September 28, 2011/9 Comments/in Tech tips/by leelikesbikes

I recently had a wide-ranging email conversation with our hero Mark Weir, and I thought I’d report the major findings:

The Eskar is dead, long live the Eskar

September 16, 2011/9 Comments/in Ask Lee, Equipment, Reviews/by leelikesbikes

Hi Lee,

I’ve been getting my cornering kung fu on, diligently following your bible of a book, and putting the Specy Butcher 2.3 SX to task. Things have really started to come together.

For todays ride I slapped an Eskar2 Control on the back to lighten things up, and I was amazed at how well that tire corners. Better than the Butcher, the Eskar rails. There are a series of turns that I use as a benchmark, and man on the second corner I could of sworn I was Curtis Keene on page 91 of your book. It was a blast.

I remember reading on your site that Specialized is ditching this tire for 2012. Is this true? And if yes is there anything that can be done to save it? The updated version of the Eskar with the higher side knobs is just about the best cornering tire I have ever used. I mean if it can make me feel like Curtis Keene, even for a split second, thats a tire that can perform miracles!

Max

Crossing it up

September 12, 2011/2 Comments/in Cyclocross, Equipment/by leelikesbikes

In Rome you do whatever the Romans do. In Boulder you ride cyclocross.

This weekend is a big CX race at Valmont Bike Park, so this morning …

My bike shop says I need a 110mm stem

July 16, 2011/8 Comments/in Ask Lee, Equipment/by leelikesbikes

Jaison, a tall skills client from NorCal, is looking for a new bike. He’s been riding a large Santa Cruz Superlight, which looked short to me. He wants an Ibis Mojo SL. His LBS wants him to buy a large frame (which they have in stock) and a 110mm stem. He asked me about that.

Stumpjumper EVO the ultimate trail weapon?

July 11, 2011/16 Comments/in Equipment, Skills/training/by leelikesbikes

I’ve been bouncing between my 140mm Stumpjumper and 160mm Enduro. The 150mm 2012 Stumpjumper EVO might be the ticket. Slack, low, light. Braaap!

Watch Curtis Keene and Brad Benedict wring ’em out.

Plus: Interview with Keene.

What should I look for in flat pedals?

June 29, 2011/2 Comments/in Equipment/by leelikesbikes

Lots of people have been asking this one. Let’s hope they Google this post before they send emails.

Is my stem stiff enough?

June 28, 2011/in Ask Lee, Equipment/by leelikesbikes

Hi Lee, given that I strive for the lightest possible touch on the bars, how is important is stem stiffness?

My bike is used for racing XC, and the stem, which I think was really designed for a road bike, is 90mm.

Christopher (a skills client in Marin)

Hardtail on Tunnel Trail?

June 26, 2011/in Ask Lee, Tech tips, Trail/by leelikesbikes

Lee,

Dunno who else to ask this question, if you’ve got a second, that’d be awesome.

I’m in Santa Barbara, CA on a family trip for the next week. I searched for the Tunnel Trail, since it’s the only one I’ve heard of and your site came up, like, 3rd on the search. Only got a 29er hard tail here (it lives at my parent’s house in Newport Beach). Was thinking of riding up Gibraltar road (since I guess that’s a pretty well known climb) and then down the trail. Will I die if I do this? I figure I can just be slow on the down. For comparison’s sake, I wouldn’t ride, say Keystone or Sol Vista with anything less than 6″ of travel (and DH tires for that matter), but I can’t think of anything on the Front Range that I couldn’t ride with a hardtail (including Left Hand OHV area — at least last time I rode it like 7 or 8 years ago)

Thanks,

Scott

Pump the trail bike or get a 20?

June 13, 2011/1 Comment/in Ask Lee, Equipment/by leelikesbikes

Dear Lee:
Love your stuff. The place I ride a lot just built a pump track, and after the snow melts it will be fully shred-able. Last year during building I had my Giant STP jump and pump bike stolen, and have not found it nor bought another one. I also own a 2009 Trek Fuel EX 8 with more all-mountain/freeride components (I am a smaller dude). Here is my question. This summer, I would love to be able to rip the pump track, and I am debating whether or not to buy a cheap BMX bike for around 250 to ride the pump track, or a shorter stem and bash gaurd to put on my Trek. I would make the shocks much stiffer on the Trek for pump riding. Should I save money and use my Trek, or bite the bullet and pay 250 for a BMX bike? Would a stiffer, shorter stemmed, low seat Trek Fuel EX 8 even work on a pump track? Thank you for your time.