Tag: specialized

gear, reviews

How About Giving Your Fine-Self Some New Gear for the Holidays? Here are Four Ideas!

I don’t know about your family of course; our family, or families (my side and Mrs. CA Alps’ side) though, do the name-drawing-gift-exchange thing. That means list exchanges with your “gift-partner” in various forms and formats – some of us text ’em; some of us email ’em and some members of the family (pointing my virtual-finger at you bro) just don’t cooperate at all – no list provided.

YOURS truly keeps a perpetual wish-list going, with links for ease of shopping, so I can provide it at the drop of a helmet. It’s also a good way to keep track of things that I know I’ll likely have to buy for my fine-self; some of the things we bike riders need or want are just too expensive for those dispensation-dealing limits.

ALONG those lines I thought I’d provide you with a glimpse of some of the items I’ve spoiled myself with, a couple of which have really made big impacts on my riding.

Specialized’s Power Pro Saddles

AT up to $275 a pop they are pricey, and so I’ve had to pace myself budget-wise, but I think they are the best saddles around. Short-nosed, with an integrated saddle bag option, I’ve purchased one for each of my bikes, most recently the Power Arc Pro Elaston for my eMTB. I did a review of the saddle a couple years ago so you can get some more details in that post.

ABOUT two years later I am still just as impressed with these saddles as I was when I first docked my derriere onto one. More importantly, the saddle has made an impact on my riding: no more numbness or chaffing and a better position on the bike resulting in more comfort and power over the long run.

Giro’s Synthe MIPS II Helmet

HOW many helmets do you have? That’s a question that my bud ‘Toph recently posed. The answer? Five, all but one of which are Giros. Not all helmets fit all noggins the same, and mine, defined by my nephew as a big-hat head (he’s a supply officer for the U.S. Navy) prefers the bigger-bucketed Giros. I’ve got a lot of dome above the ears and so the deeper-dish helmets are what I need. I’ve gone through quite a few of these and am thankful that Giro has maintained (and improved on) the line for many years.

YES you need to replace your helmet regularly, so if you, like me, have a considerable cranium to insert into said helmet consider spending the ~$200 ducats and getting one of these bad boys.

Lake’s CX 400 Line of Shoes

MY big ol’ feet (50 euro size) are hard to fit. Before I discovered Lake’s CX402 (the 403 pictured above is the latest iteration of the line) I was a Sidi devotee. Years ago, when I had my first bike fit, I learned that I had my cleats too far forward and so my bike-fitter suggested Speedplay pedals because the Sidi line of shoes that I rode at the time did have a special plate that would allow for even more setback.

AFTER riding that set up for a few years, Josh, my gearhead at Competitive Cyclist, turned me on to Lake’s CX402 because it had a Speedplay (4-bolt) shoe. Bolting the cleat directly onto the shoe substantially reduced that stack height and made walking on the shoe much less wobbly.

COMBINE that with heat-moldability and those oh so supple kangaroo uppers and you’ve got a shoe that could change your cycling (and MTB) life, especially if you’ve got unique foot-size needs like moi. With an approximate $500 price point it’s not a choice that should be made lightly but if shoe issues have been challenging for you the Lake’s are definitely worth a try.

Garmin’s Varia RVR315 Rearview Radar

THIS little piece of equipment has made the most substantial impact on my riding this past year and it’s surprisingly inexpensive IMHO. The RVR315 goes for about $150. Garmin does produce other variations of this radar, including the newest, the RCT715, which has a light and a rearview camera, but even for this Inspector Gadget that’s one or two features too many.

BATTERY suck is another consideration. That light and camera could reduce battery life faster than the Manx Missle sprints in the TDF and on longer rides that would be no bueno.

NOW in the interest of full disclosure I didn’t buy this unit. My buddy Rich had an extra and browbeat me (nicely) into making a trade with him for it. He got a stunning Pedal Mafia vest (check out our shop) and I in turn picked up this little wonder.

IT interfaces with my Wahoo and other devices (e.g., Garmin head units and watches) and gives a visual cue as to the speed at which the vehicle, or vehicles, is/are approaching. It also beeps and provides both audio and visual all-clears. Additionally, you can set up vibration alerts.

I’VE tested it out now for quite some time and my neck is much happier. Sure, there are times I still feel the need to look around my shoulder but not nearly as often. I’ve learned to trust that radar; it’s made me even more relaxed on the road, and it picks up bikes too so if you’re racing you can “see” the competition coming.

PERFECT for riding here in the California Alps! I can see where it might be slightly aggravating when used in high-traffic areas, however, so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of making the radar-leap.

unrecognizable woman opening gift box near decorated christmas tree

THAT’S a wrap!

SO there you go…Butt, head, feet and air. Something for each of the important parts and a bit of tech. to help you keep those parts safe.

HAPPY Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Felice Navidad and Happy New Year. Feel free to spoil yourself whether you celebrate any or all of these holidays. You deserve it, right?

reviews

What’s a Good Saddle for Riding in the California Alps?

I am talking about this type of saddle:

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Not this type:

Although they are pretty nice, and do have some features that may translate well on the bike ;-).

As it turns out, here in Markleeville, and surrounds — we’ve got mountain cattle that graze in the meadows near town and just down the road in the Carson Valley you can get some of the best grass-fed beef around — you’re likely to see both saddle types!

Now I’m salivating a bit thinking about a nice rib-eye so let me get down to business on this gear review thing before a puddle forms.

Okay, okay..if you’re truly needing a saddle-saddle, here’s the link to Natural Horsemans Saddles (especially for you and your lovely wife, Chris). Okay, onward…

Fi’zi:k or Specialized?

Of course you’ve got many more choices than just those two (2) brands but this was the question I had to answer. I’ve been a loyal Fi’zi:k saddle user for many years. I really like the Aliante R3 Open (for snake – good back flexibility) and have the same saddle on both my Emonda and my Domane. Today however, I can say (er, write), “used to have the same saddle…”

I recently switched to the Specialized Power saddle and I’m really happy I did. Here’s why:

  1. There is a lot less pressure on my “taint,” especially when I’m in the drops.
  2. I get no numbness at all, even when riding on the trainer for long periods of time.
  3. When I sit back down after standing and pedaling, my butt feels like it’s docking on that friggin’ thing! Talk about a perfect fit…
  4. For descending (tons of up means lots of down) it’s a lot more comfortable in the drops and it just feels more natural.
  5. When climbing, or riding on flat roads, not having that standard nose length also works. I thought I might notice “no there, there” but not so; it just feels RIGHT.
  6. Did I tell you that it’s amazingly comfortable?

Here’s some specific details as to what I put on which bike, and the rides I’ve done.

Emonda = S-Works Power 143mm. Carbon Rails.

I did need to order oval ears for the seatmast because the rails on this saddle are oval, not round. Keep that in mind if you decide to get this, or a similar, model.

Red ears add a nice touch, especially on a red bike.

I first used it on March 29th and have done a total of four (4) rides, all outside, including a 1/2 century ride on April 2nd, adding up to about 128 miles. Again, no issues. No chafing, no numbness and oh so comfy in the drops.

Domane = Power Pro Elaston 143mm. Ti rails.

Didn’t snap a photo of this one…There were standard rails on this saddle so no need to change out the existing seatmast ears. I use the Domane on my trainer and as my gravel bike so I opted for a bit more padding for this saddle, and I read something recently (Velonews? Bicycling? Can’t remember…) that suggested the Elaston for gravel riding. Now I haven’t done a gravel ride with it yet but yesterday I road the Alpe d’Huez Finale on FulGaz (first ride on the Elaston). 1:43:02 total on the bike – mostly seated. Again, no issues and most importantly I didn’t notice that sore spot I used to hit on my right sit-bone when I went back to a seated position. You might say (I did say) the Pro’s wings made things much more bearable.

Integrated/Attachable Seat Pack

The Fi’zi:k Aliante does come with such a thing but it’s a pain in the arse to get on and off (in and out of?) the saddle: you’ve got to hold up the clip to slide it in the slot and sometimes I need a tool of some sort to do that. Same for out; kind of a hassle.

The Power also comes with a mount. Specialized calls it “SWAT compatible” and it’s much more user friendly than Fi’zi:k’s; just attach a bracket to the seat with the provided bolts and the pack itself (I went with the small Stormproof Seat Pack) then slides in and out of the bracket. A really good design!

The Verdict

I feel like I have to get some more miles in before I’m totally sold (had over 8000 miles on the R3 that was on the Domane) but in all my years of cycling and mountain biking, and recently, gravel riding, I’ve NEVER installed a saddle that didn’t need tweaking and that didn’t cause any minor problems early on. Until now, that is. Now I’ve got two (2) of ’em! So, even after a relatively short test period I would highly recommend the Power or Power Pro. If you haven’t gone short, you’ve got to check it out!

And, if you want to do a bit more research, here’s a couple more resources: First, a good post by Outdoor Gear Lab; I found it helpful and it touches on some of the finer points of this saddle that I didn’t. And here’s another from road.cc, again with some additional data that matta.

Let’s Kick Some Passes Asses!

So, whether it’s with a new saddle, an existing saddle, on a bike or on a horse. Or perhaps none of the above (maybe you’re a runner, or a hiker, or a snowshoer or a skier) let’s get out there! With the proper distancing, of course. And hand-washing. And masks if necessary. Whatever it takes, right?

Whenever and however you go, though, please be safe and stay healthy!