New Innovative, Cool, Crazy, or jsut plain Dumb Cycling Equipment (Only)

[rgmerk]

Jeez! Where do you live?!

Australia. Our road racing season runs through winter (the European summer).

And it can get cold occasionally, but it's a lot easier to rug up against the cold than it is to race on a 40 degree (Celsius) summer's day.

 

[winkybiker]

Australia. Our road racing season runs through winter (the European summer).

And it can get cold occasionally, but it's a lot easier to rug up against the cold than it is to race on a 40 degree (Celsius) summer's day.

I lived in Australia most of my life. Never found it cold enough to routinely have to wear stuff under my helmet, though. Some frosty mornings in the Hunter Valley, but by 10:00am it was usually glorious.

(Gotta hate those Aussie drivers, though.)

 

[Boeing]

Rode the SRAM XX1 and the Red Hydro disc last weekend out in CO both amazing.

Red hydro needs a few things worked out such as the paddle on the shifter is too wide IMHO. It can hit bars or fingers (if you hold hoods like that) at full compression. The tall hood cylinder ergo design was ok by me. a little more to hold if you ride CX in the hoods. I preferred it. possibly could tweak ergos a bit on it. but fix the throw on that lever or shorten the paddle.



I'm like the XX1 a lot and ordered a groupo. Kind of liked the grip shift because unit cleans up the cockpit a bit and it worked well. but ordered the thumbs because I am m ore creature of habit. 32/10 was more than enough on decline and diddnt spin out. tried my damnedest to throw a chain but it stuck.

 

[dsut4392]

Australia. Our road racing season runs through winter (the European summer).

And it can get cold occasionally, but it's a lot easier to rug up against the cold than it is to race on a 40 degree (Celsius) summer's day.

Cold enough to race with head warmer/beanie? I honestly can't picture that. Are you cold blooded, or just sitting in too much?
I live in one of the colder parts of Australia and rarely wear earwarmers/skullcap beyond 15 minutes of warmup on recreational winter night rides where temps are commonly in the low single digits. For a long fast descent sure I put them on again, but how often would you be coasting on a descent of more than a few minutes in a road race in Australia?

 

[ElChingon]

Rode the SRAM XX1 and the Red Hydro disc last weekend out in CO both amazing.

Pics? Come-onnnn

 

[Boeing]

Pics? Come-onnnn

No pics allowed of any of the stuff. even though XX1 is launched.



Interesting, All Zipp rims were laced to a high end independent mountain bike hub brand until Zipp gets theirs up to speed.

 

[winkybiker]

Cold enough to race with head warmer/beanie? I honestly can't picture that. Are you cold blooded, or just sitting in too much?
I live in one of the colder parts of Australia and rarely wear earwarmers/skullcap beyond 15 minutes of warmup on recreational winter night rides where temps are commonly in the low single digits. For a long fast descent sure I put them on again, but how often would you be coasting on a descent of more than a few minutes in a road race in Australia?

To be fair, he didn't say that he had to race in warm headgear, but just that his races were in the colder part of the year. Early morning winter training sessions can be cold in Australia, especially away from the coast. When I lived in the upper Hunter Valley, my morning winter commutes were colder and frostier (but drier) than my winter commute is here in Vancouver. Winter sure lasts longer here in Vancouver, though!

 

[kuoirad]

Shimano Di2? Pfaugh.

Campy EPS? Poserish.

Now *this* is the future:

Tiso 12-speed wireless shifting!

 

[dsut4392]

To be fair, he didn't say that he had to race in warm headgear, but just that his races were in the colder part of the year. Early morning winter training sessions can be cold in Australia, especially away from the coast. When I lived in the upper Hunter Valley, my morning winter commutes were colder and frostier (but drier) than my winter commute is here in Vancouver. Winter sure lasts longer here in Vancouver, though!

Strictly speaking that's true, but the initial post did say "Much of our racing season is conducted in conditions where the venting in existing helmets is such that you freeze your noggin without some kind of additional headgear (cap, ear warmers, maybe even a beanie on really bad days)." If the temperature while racing isn't the issue, why is it relevant that our winter is race season at all? Surely anyone who does early morning training rides will do so regardless of whether or not it's race season?

To bring this thread back on track, here's something (IMO) for the last category in the OP:
http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/12/11/boombotix-reveals-rex-ultraportable-speaker/

Made for the special kind of person that wants to share their taste in music with the rest of the world...to quote an Australian classic film, "FEEL THE SERENITY!"

 

[ElChingon]

To bring this thread back on track, here's something (IMO) for the last category in the OP:
http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/12/11/boombotix-reveals-rex-ultraportable-speaker/

Made for the special kind of person that wants to share their taste in music with the rest of the world...to quote an Australian classic film, "FEEL THE SERENITY!"

Ogh! Those like like the indie X-mas gift, it only needs a remote so you could turn it on at the right moment . Surprised the kickstarter goal was reached already! Guess we're going to see these on a ride very soon

 

[richwagmn]

Rode the SRAM XX1 and the Red Hydro disc last weekend out in CO both amazing.

Red hydro needs a few things worked out such as the paddle on the shifter is too wide IMHO. It can hit bars or fingers (if you hold hoods like that) at full compression. The tall hood cylinder ergo design was ok by me. a little more to hold if you ride CX in the hoods. I preferred it. possibly could tweak ergos a bit on it. but fix the throw on that lever or shorten the paddle.

how close are they to production of the hydro road levers?

 

[ElChingon]

Shimano Di2? Pfaugh.

Campy EPS? Poserish.

Now *this* is the future:

Tiso 12-speed wireless shifting!

Tiso has always made some cool looking components, but every time I've been close to buying it a friend is just at their wits end with it and selling it due to it not being as precise as Campy, etc.

Let us know if you try it, interested on anyone's results with it.

 

[ElChingon]

Its finally going to see the light of day, or what ever that phrase is:

The Cardboard Helmet:

Its going for £79.99 (US$129) via: http://www.velorution.com/abus-kranium-aks1-cardboard-helmet/

So who's going to be the first one on the block? Or are you waiting for the TT model

 

[Bustedknuckle]

how close are they to production of the hydro road levers?

Will be introduced at Interbike September 2012....

Doohh!!!

Interesting that the vast, vast majority of Euro cross riders(all?) still use cantis..no need for the instantaneous stop(slide) power plus the weight and complication in cross, particularly the really muddy conditions of late.

Got a few 'issues' with wet brakes and road..like boiling off the fluid in long descents. Enclosed reservoir(less cool), less fluid, smaller calipers, all problems not yet solved.

 

[ElChingon]

OK so not really new but a merge of two into a new product so it qualifies

Smart Cycling Helmet

Don't worry its not going to make decisions for you but what makes it smart is that it will incorporate the old fashioned HRM strap (the Bro) into the helmet using a device currently being used for pilots.

Its not quite a full fledged product just yet they need supporters and ditching the constantly forgotten HRM strap and merging it with another common biking contraption and another pro helmet factor (for the helmet lovers).

More info here:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/smart-the-world-s-first-smart-cycling-helmet

 

[dsut4392]

Got a few 'issues' with wet brakes and road..like boiling off the fluid in long descents. Enclosed reservoir(less cool), less fluid, smaller calipers, all problems not yet solved.

I don't understand these 'issues'. Why are people going to boil the fluid in hydro road brakes? I've had my MTB discs literally red hot glowing in the dark, and I can't think of a situation where I would be braking as long or as hard on my road bike.
Boiling the hydraulic fluid in the line hasn't ever been an issue. In 6 years on the same brakes I've only had to bleed them once - and that was due to operator error, squeezed the lever when there were no pads in the caliper and popped a piston out.
"Enclosed reservoir(less cool), less fluid, smaller calipers" are all just assumptions, there's no reason why any of those things need to be the case.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

I don't understand these 'issues'. Why are people going to boil the fluid in hydro road brakes? I've had my MTB discs literally red hot glowing in the dark, and I can't think of a situation where I would be braking as long or as hard on my road bike.
Boiling the hydraulic fluid in the line hasn't ever been an issue. In 6 years on the same brakes I've only had to bleed them once - and that was due to operator error, squeezed the lever when there were no pads in the caliper and popped a piston out.
"Enclosed reservoir(less cool), less fluid, smaller calipers" are all just assumptions, there's no reason why any of those things need to be the case.

MTB and the 'energy' involved is much different than what is encountered in a long, fast decent on a road bicycle. PLUS enclosed reservoir, PLUS smaller caliper, smaller rotor, less fluid.

NOT 'assumptions' but what the shimano and sram testers have found. When shimano test guys 'test' road hydros, they wear full body armor like downhill MTB guys, because more than once, all the brake go away and they have to crash to stop.

shimano has had Di2(lots of room in the lever) and wet discs for how long? Why do ya suppose wet road brakes haven't been introduced, if it's all so easy?

Besides, disc brakes on a normal enthusiast's bicycle is just plain dumb anyway. More expensive, More complicated, heavier, requiring major modifications to the frame and fork. An answer to a not asked question and completely ignores the 'whys' disc brakes are on MTBs. Ya know, wet, sloppy, chance to wack a wheel, type stuff.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Interesting that the vast, vast majority of Euro cross riders(all?) still use cantis..no need for the instantaneous stop(slide) power plus the weight and complication in cross, particularly the really muddy conditions of late.

Ask J-Pow, Berden, and Summerhill how they liked their hydro disks. For the majority of the season they were loving them.

How about Don Myrah? Reigning Masters National, and World Champ! Looks like he's got the "instantaneous stop(slide) power plus the weight and complication in cross, particularly the really muddy conditions of late" all under control to me. Wouldn't you think?

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

MTB and the 'energy' involved is much different than what is encountered in a long, fast decent on a road bicycle. PLUS enclosed reservoir, PLUS smaller caliper, smaller rotor, less fluid.

NOT 'assumptions' but what the shimano and sram testers have found. When shimano test guys 'test' road hydros, they wear full body armor like downhill MTB guys, because more than once, all the brake go away and they have to crash to stop.

shimano has had Di2(lots of room in the lever) and wet discs for how long? Why do ya suppose wet road brakes haven't been introduced, if it's all so easy?

Besides, disc brakes on a normal enthusiast's bicycle is just plain dumb anyway. More expensive, More complicated, heavier, requiring major modifications to the frame and fork. An answer to a not asked question and completely ignores the 'whys' disc brakes are on MTBs. Ya know, wet, sloppy, chance to wack a wheel, type stuff.

I talked to the Shimano guys recently at NAHBS about hydro disk, probably the same ones you did a while back and heard the same concerns about overheating. What you're not telling everybody here is that when a product goes out for prototyping the tester is pushing the product beyond normal operating conditions, otherwise how would they know what the weaknesses were. I bet I could get most rim brakes to fade out on carbon hoops, pop a tube, or melt a tubular off going down Vail pass on any given day if I dare tried to.

Once again the D-brake argument was lost right on this very forum over two years ago. What you've been telling us since then is that you're a devotee of Ned Ludd and think all road bikes should remain as they were in 1976.

 

[ElChingon]

Having an iPod/iPhone/iThing was considered too big, well now you can roll with your favorite book.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

 

[dsut4392]

So Thule really should be pronounced "TOOL" then

 

[Afrank]

Um...okay...can't make up my mind whether these are pointless or innovative.

 

[richwagmn]

Um...okay...can't make up my mind whether these are pointless or innovative.

I hate it when a sock gets scrunched up between a pair toes. Something like this looks like torture to me.