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Mike’s Bike & Parts Reviews.

     Mike's Bike & Parts Reviews    
3-23-13

2013 Bontrager Aeolis 5 Clincher Wheelset

A product review by Adam Baker 

I was told to do a review on the new Bontrager aeolis five carbon clinchers, these wheels are by far the best wheels I have ever ridin I have had Reynolds's ,Mavic wheels and Zipp wheels they do not compare to the lateral stiffness and ride quality that the Bontrager Aeolis  wheels have. I am riding the Bontrager aelos five carbon clinchers and they by far have one of the quirkiest roll up speeds of any wheel. I would highly recommend these wheels to anyone..

 

 

1-17-13

Bontrager Race Lite Tubeless Ready Wheelset
A product review by Joe Stephenson

I purchased my new Bontrager Race Lite Tubeless Ready Wheelset in November after selling my previous set of road wheels. I was hesitant to buy a set of wheels from a brand that i had had issues with in the past however, after having problems with all of my other wheelsets i thought i would come back to a brand i am familiar with. I have always been very picky about the accessories that are on my bike. When i look for wheels i look for something that combines features from every possible catergory. I want a wheelset that is affordable, im not the guy that will throw down two thousand dollars on a wheelset just because it is light weight and aerodynamic. I also look at weight, stiffness, comfort and responsiveness and these wheels
were the perfect balance of all of my requirements. The wheels are fairly light, the same weight as a wheelset i paid almost a thousand dollars for five years ago, they are remarkably stiff and responsive through the corners and they are relatively inexpensive. I took a trip to Boone, N.C. in December and decided to test my new wheels on the tough climbs and descents
that the mountains could throw at me. I never lost confidence in the wheels and i had no issues at all with braking. These are fantastic wheels and i could not be happier. Also, above all else these wheels are TUBELESS COMPATIBLE! The wheels come with the correct rim strip all you need to add is a tubeless tire and a small bottle of sealant and you can run your tires
completely tubeless. I love these wheels and i hope everyone who purchases a set of Race Lite Tubeless wheels will love them
as much as i do.

Joe Stephenson
Product tester, Bikeaholic

Trek Domane 6 Ultegra Di2 2013

10-2-12

I just rode the MS Bike ride on the new Trek Domane with Shimano Ultegra Di2. This bike blew my mind and I can’t believe how much I loved it! Trek’s approach to reducing the shocks of the rough roads? The Domane’s IsoSpeed technology — it’s a decoupler system which separates the seat tube from the top tube, so the bone-shaking bumps of the road aren’t directly transferred to the rider’s body. The frame set felt better than some of the “high end” race frames I’ve ridden in the past. The other jaw dropping part of the bike was the Ultegra Di2 drivetrain. It was the best performing and most accurate drivetrain I have ever ridden! Everyone needs Di2! Please stop by and ask me more about the bike because I can’t stop talking about it!

12-3-11

Review by Adam Baker

(2012 Bontrager Race XL Carbon Road Shoes) First off they are very light, like really light. I also would like to say how much i like the adjust-ability of the shoes.. I have only riden them once so far and I will tell you they are the most comfortable out of the box road shoe I have ever put on. There is a trick, the buckle needs to be adjusted to your foot, the placement of the strap is very important if the strap is off it will apply pressure to the inside or outside of the foot. Also the sole has a arch support that can be heated (I would strongly recommend this) I did it when I got home and the shoe became 5x better....Best shoe I have ever had on my foot. And I have wore them all SIDI,Shimano,Diadora,Specialized and Nike.. I wear size 44 in all my other shoes and in these I wear a 43. So if you can before you buy try on a similar model shoe ( I tried on the RL version at the store). I like the shoes and I will be sending in more reviews for Mike..4 Stars for now will probably be a 5 soon though..

11-23-11

Lizard Skins' DSP bar tape is a grippy, rubbery bar tape that comes in two thickness options, and I tested the thicker 2.5mm roll.

The bar tape has an incredible feel and has proven really durable. The tape provides an excellent grip for those of us who do not wear gloves all the time, and it only gets better as your hands sweat. I rode in the Horriable Hundred and not once did my hands slip during the ride (forgot my gloves). Also it can be cleaned! So for those of us who prefer white bar tape that means you can go longer without having to change what was once “white” tape. The only down side is the tape is not cheap! FIVE STARS!!!!!  

1-23-2011

I just received a 2011 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 in a large frame size. The first visual impression is this is a BAD ASS BIKE! Also you can’t help to notice how low and long the top tube is! This is not my first Fuel EX but just like the other models I’ve ridden this bike just fits like a glove! Right out of the box the bike just feels right! On most bikes the first thing I change is the offset of the seatpost. This bike came with a zero offset post and that always drive me crazy why manufactures spec their bikes with that but so far I have to say the cockpit length is just about right! On the trail the bike is awesome! Tons of suspension adjustments and the bike handles great and very predictable on the trails.  So far the only things that stand out to me are the grips (slip all around the bar because of only one locking ring), The tires (I’m 205 and the bike comes stock with 2.1’s. I need bigger!) and I have to get use to the rear suspension being so active and actually working. I am use to bikes that are not so active so this is a “me thing”. I will keep everyone updated because I will ride the &%^# out of it!

11-21-10

I installed Garmin’s new Edge 500 computer on my bike for the Horrible Hundred ride and instantly fell in love with it! It was very easy to install and the unit gives you more info then you would ever want to know. The coolest feature is having the ability to customize the data that you want to see on the easy to read screen. The other awesome feature is the ability to upload your info after the ride and review all of the data. The only downside is they are not cheap ($250.00 for the basic unit $399.99 for the bundle) but its worth the price! Come by the store so I can show it to you on my bike! <:o:p>

10-7-10

This may be the most comfortable road seat on the market! Everyone that has ridden this seat loves it after the first day! It’s a high-performance road racing saddle designed for riders who prefer a slightly higher hand position; the Affinity RXL uses inForm Science of Comfort technology to deliver superior ergonomic support and proper blood flow. Loaded with top-of-the-line features like superlight Zone Density foam, hollow titanium rails, and a carbon fiber reinforced base, the Affinity RXL is available in three widths, each with its own Size Specific Curvature, so you can get the size that’s right for you. They even back it up with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee! I really liked this seat!

10-3-2010

This week I had two major bicycle events and logged 270 miles. One of the most important items in my gear bag is my bottle of Chamois Butt’r. It’s a skin lubricant and chamois cream that prevents the uncomfortable rubbing and chafing that most of us experience while ridding in the saddle. The product goes on easy and washes off your skin and shorts even easier! I give it 5 stars!

9-21-2010

I received this great feedback from Mr. Pennington on his Cannondale Touring 1:

Bought a Cannondale Touring 1 from you just about 1 year ago and thought you might like to know what I thought about it now that it has about 2500 miles on it. Short answer, great bike. Biggest tour so far was 350 miles fully loaded, front and rear panniers in the Red Rock area of <:st1:state w:st="on"><:st1:place w:st="on">Utah, lots of climbing. With 40 lbs of gear it rides like a BMW 7 series, not a wiggle or wobble just sits on the road. Had it up close to 50 MPH a couple of times with no problem. Weaknesses: not really geared for that trip, replaced the small chainring with a 24T and added a "jump stop" just for that trip, worked fine and a cheap fix at about $40. Going up from 6000 to 10500 ft into strong headwinds was very glad to have a lower gear. The brakes: Fairly weak brakes, cheap fix, Kool Stop mountain pads and a slightly shorter link wire on the rear, maybe $25. The saddle: oh man does my butt love that saddle. Have done up to 8 days in a row with 50+ miles per day and can still sit down comfortably when done. Headed for the Cycle North Carolina fall ride next week, 450 miles from <:st1:city w:st="on"><:st1:place w:st="on">Asheville to Ocean Isle with my Cannondale. I love this bike and would recommend to anyone. <:o:p>

Thanks<:o:p>

Rohe Pennington

 

9-13-2010

Now that all of the deep dish wheels require a longer valve to protrude past the faring the use of valve extenders are becoming more popular. I am currently testing Zipp 404’s and I am using their valve extenders. I have used extenders in the past that requires you to relocate the top of the valve and they have worked perfect with no problems. Zipp’s extender does not require this and is a lot simpler to install. The extender is made out of aluminum and is very well made. The complaint I have (and others) is that the floor pump head has a very hard time staying attached especially if the pump head has any wear from use.  I have experienced major leaking trying to pump by my self and have needed help from others. I am not liking these things at all! My opinion, buy the extenders that you relocate the valve. They work better and very easy to use once they are on!

9/7/2010                                                                                                  I just received my Cannondale SuperSix Ultimate Hi Mod Frame & fork and quickly assembled it. After getting a few rides under by belt on it you  notice how amazingly light the bike feels but laterally very stiff! While the bike is stiff laterally its not abusive and is very comfortable on long rides. 1st impression….I LOVE IT! Will keep you posted as more miles are added.