First Impressions: WolfTooth NarrowWide Chainring

Just fitted: WolfTooth NW chainring

I've never been a fan of chainguides: they rub, cause friction, can be noisy and are a bugger to set up so when an alternative to using one came to market I was excited to try it out! With the idea being pioneered by the revolutionary SRAM XX1 groupset and quickly reproduced by multiple manafactures it wasn't long before the "narrow wide" chain ring concept was popular and relatively widely used. With various brand producing different offerings I chose the WolfTooth NarrowWide chainring to test using a standard 104BCD and 34 teeth (what I've found to be the best set up for local riding) and promptly went out for a test ride!

On the bike: full view

The chainring was a doddle to fit and after removing the existing guide/ring combo and mounting the WolfTooth all that was left to do was remove a link from the chain and go for a blast! Initially I was impressed as the first climb gave me an opportunity to compare friction and shifting in comparison to the previous set up. The ring was noiseless when pedalling and shifted beautifully and without friction - no drawbacks there then but how would it fare on an actual trail? The ring was given a baptism of fire to say the least as I dropped into a brand new trail I'd never before seen which turned out to be fast, steep, fairly rough and choppy. As such my riding was not exactly smooth and there was a fair few moments that I'd have expected to drop a chain however I reached the bottom with chain in place and grinning ear to ear. On continuing my ride I found that I completely forgot about the lack of chain guide, something that only shows the security of the NarrowWide ring and I rounded the day off with no drops whatsoever despite actively attempting to make the chain drop on some trails by riding purposely messily. Overall initial impressions are very good and although nothing can yet be said for long term durability, the first ride out brought nothing but positives to the table: who needs a guide?!

The top of Pitch Hill, halfway through and no drops!

Cheers Vectiox for hooking me up with a NW ring to test!

http://www.vectiox.com/

Perspective

Over the last few weeks I've been taking a long look at mountain biking. I've evaluated what I wish to gain or get out of the sport, and what I am currently getting. Sadly, at the moment these are two different things. I currently ride mostly downhill and all mountain, good for technique but poor with regard to fitness and stamina. I have spent the majority of weekends over the last couple of years racing downhill also, going and practicing one line for a day, before 2 or 3 race runs, resulting in less than half an hours actual riding for the whole day. For me, those races were a laugh, the riding was top quality however there just wasn't enough of it!

As a direct result of this, I plan to still race downhill but to focus on enduro, as this is a way to encompass the competitive element into my riding, whilst still getting an entire day on the trail. For those less au fait with enduro racing, it essentially comprises of multiple (usually five) timed stages on flat or downhill trails roughly 5 minutes long. Much like a rally these stages are linked by longer, climbing stages which although not timed, do have a time limit. This means that you get multiple hours on the bike, rather than short minute long bursts! Compounding this is you can ride accompanied by other riders, giving a social element that just isn't present in downhill.

As you may have read (or seen on my Twitter feed) I have signed up to compete in the Megavalanche this year, in Alp d'Huez, which is one of the widest-recognised enduro races. It differs in format slightly to the UK enduros comprising of one long stage roughly an hour to an hour and a half and 30km in distance. This event is predominantly downhill however is interspersed with climbs to prevent it being one long downhill race. I am incredibly excited about this as the event gives a chance to ride incredible terrain, whilst rubbing shoulders with seasoned professionals such as Jerome Clementz and Dan Atherton. I expect this to be somewhat of a baptism of fire however ultimately rewarding (assuming I exit the race unscathed).

So, is downhill dead? Enduro the phoenix rising from the ashes? By no means, the UK downhill scene is flourishing more than ever with the recent crop of enduro events just adding to the vista of competitive mountain biking available in the country. Will I stop racing downhill in lieu of enduro? No, however I will be racing less of the former and just getting out and riding, to paraphrase a well known mountain biking publication.

Going tubeless

As far as changes to my bike go, it's all been rather manic! After writing off my previous 6 year old rim I decided to update my wheel/tyre system to something far lighter and a bit more up to date. Some online research and a few phone calls later and a lovely set of Hope Hoops were on their way to me: their uber-reliable Pro2 Evo hubs laced up to Stans No Tubes Flow Ex rims. I chose this wheelset as I wanted reliability and strength matched with relatively light weight (1880g), something this wheelset gave in spades. Whilst I was at it, I decided to refresh my tyre choice as well moving away from my trusty high rollers, instead fitting a set of Schwalbe Hans Dampfs. This is Schwalbes brand new all condition tyre, something I was excited to try out.

I decided to go tubeless at the same time, using the Hope/NoTubes conversion kit for the Flow rims. This is a fantastic piece of kit and proved laughably easy to set up. It was a case of sticking the tape firmly down in the rim bed (I left the original cloth rim tape on), fitting the valve stem and seating the tyre sans sealant and finally adding sealant and inflating. The whole procedure was trouble free and simple but that could well have been down to both the tyres and rims being brand new.

I am running the Hans Dampf tyres at roughly 30psi at the moment however I expect I will drop them down further but my initial impressions were very good! The first proper ride was at some local (ish) downhill trails where the conditions were muddy, chalky, wet and horrible! The tyres gripped well and slid predictably whilst staying composed on roots, everything I wanted from a tyre! I dropped pressures steadily throughout the day yet never experience burping. Having said that we stayed clear of the big jumps due to the conditions.

Overall both the wheels and the tyres are very good: they're reliable, strong, light and easy to set up tubeless.  If you're looking for a reliable and relatively lightweight wheelset for less than £350 then you can't go far wrong with the Hope Hoops for all mountain riding, but more XC orientated riders could get lighter if they are willing to sacrifice strength! A few months down the line I'll post up a long term review, to see what shape the components are in after some serious hammering!

Long term product review: Shimano Zee mech/shifter

Shimano's latest groupset, Zee, is aimed at the gravity/enduro market bringing an affordable, efficient and hard wearing 1x10speed drivetrain to the masses. Having written off both mechs and mech hangers using a widespread cassette with a long arm derailleur I jumped at the chance to do a long term test of the new shifting equipment.

There are two key qualities I look for when purchasing drivetrain components, namely functionality and long life. If a mech has incredible shifting action that means nothing to me if the first time it collides with a rock I have a long walk back to the car! In that respect the Zee parts have been faultless. Running a complete outer cable to prevent grime ruining the shifter seems to be working so far. I've been using the same cable (both inner and outer) since fitting way back in August of last year, meaning it's survived 7 months of riding including most of winter, not a regular occurrence! 

Still running sweet after a hammering at PORC

Since the setting up the gears with the wide range 11-36 cassette (Deore grade) they've remained maintenance free, somewhat of a rarity and a key reason why I love this set-up. A combination of work, studies and college mean what free time I have I want to enjoy riding my bike not fixing it. As a result the reliable and solid nature of the Zee gear more than makes up for the minimal weight increase over XT (12 grams for the derailleur) which can be saved elsewhere by having a smaller breakfast prior to riding!

The most anticipated feature for me was without doubt the Shadow+ rear mech essentially a clutch system designed to stiffen the cage to quieten down the bike. Although something you don't initially notice when riding the bike, the moment you hop aboard one without a clutch-mech fitted the difference is noticeable. It sounds as if you are riding with a bag of spanners dragging behind! 

Moving on to the shifter it is a well thought out desig, with comfortable ergonomics and a dimpled thumb release for extra grip with gloved hands. Although perhaps lacking the "snap" of a SRAM shifter, the gear change is both definite and smooth, with the multiple downshift being a handy feature when a climb sneaks up on you! 

Overall the both the mech and the shifter are well thought out and neatly executed however very much aimed at the gravity market and those wanting more than a double and bash at the front would want to look elsewhere. Shimano Zee is a bombproof, value for money alternative for those not wanting to shell out for Saint, keeping most of the features but not the hefty pricetag!

Film Review: Where The Trail Ends (original version)

Original version of review

The latest mountain bike film from Freeride Entertainment and Red Bull Media has landed: Where The Trail Ends. Spread across a variety of locations across the globe ranging from Canada to China, this movie certainly has the locations, but does it meet the hype?

Kurt Sorge sending a huge superman, credit Where The Trail Ends

Where The Trail Ends is very well shot, with stunning cinematography at all times, featuring some incredible riding. There are breathtaking and bone crunching moments in equal measure throughout, keeping the viewer entertained and involved, however some of the features on the culture of the country being filmed in can disenchant the watcher, if these segments were cut down upon I don't feel it would detract from the film as a whole, though these scenes played a key  part in the atmosphere of the film and should by no means be cut out completely.

Darren Berrecloth smashing a huge road gap, credit Where The Trail Ends

Overall if you love stunning scenery and incredible riding then Where The Trail Ends is definitely a film you should be putting on your watch list, however if you prefer tricks and slopestyle then give this one a miss, as it's pure, unadulterated freeride through and through, an absolute cracker!

Film review: Where The Trail Ends (re-edit)

Edited version based upon feedback from readers

Where The Trail Ends; a stunning mountain bike flick from Freeride Entertainment has landed, with locations across the world, from Canada to China, featuring mind-boggling riding coupled with breathtaking cinematography. With riders such as Berrecloth, Doerfling and Lacondeguy this movie is going to go off with a bang!

Kurt Sorge sending a superman, credit Where The Trail Ends

The riding is both breathtaking and bone crunching, keeping the audience captivated throughout, as stomach-flipping head cam shots are coupled with cinematic vistas shot by helicopter of incredible lines. At times the background of the culture can intrude upon the flow of the footage, however it breaks up the non-stop freeriding, a big plus for the less fervent viewer, acting as both a positive and a negative factor.

Darren Berrecloth smashing a huge road gap, credit Where The Trail Ends

Product Review: DMR Brendog Vault pedals

Pedals are one of the most important parts of a bike; the major contact point and the only way to drive the bike. As a result, pedal choice is absolutely key in the ride quality of your bike, so it's worth investing in a decent set. Pedals come in two varieties, flat and clips, with different people opting for different styles. Personally  I use flats as they better suit my riding style of "foot out, flat out". Over the past couple of years I've been using my tried and tested V12 pedals, but DMR have now updated them in the form of the DMR 'Brendog' Vaults and I couldn't resist giving them a go!

Pre-box opening, expectations were high

Initial impressions were very positive as I opened the box. They were nicely presented and well protected with a slip case with some info and a nice shot of Fairclough, capturing that understated, pure style he has on a bike. Once opened the box contained the pedals themselves (in separate compartments to avoid damage), some spare 'extra long DH/FR pins', a couple of spare standard pins and the spanner/allen key to fit both!

The pedals are very well built and have a large area on which to place your foot, something I found very handy on their virgin ride through some frankly horrible snow conditions. On one side of the pedal across the centre brace they are logo-ed 'Brendog' with the other bearing the brand name DMR Bikes, each finished in a classy gloss black typeface, however only time will tell how long the logos hold up. The rest of the pedal is finished in matte black which will hopefully prevent flaking of the paint, and Fairclough's twitter name, his signature and the motto S4P (sorry for partying) are printed on the inside edge of the pedal, viewable when seated upon the bike. Overall the pedal has top notch build quality, with a classy finish that will compliment most bikes. The Vaults come in at a claimed weight, and actual, of 410 grams, which is something of a rarity!

Pedals and box, impressive design and build

As far as fitting goes, the pedals were a doddle to fit, however the lack of labeling of left and right on the pedals may leave the less mechanically minded cyclists confused, however it's easy to work it out by orientating the logos, or just examining the threads. The actual fitment of the pedals was easy, just adding some grease and screwing them in, even the most cack-handed guys will have no trouble whatsoever!

I first got a chance to ride the pedals earlier today, on a short trail ride in some rather snowy conditions. Initial impressions were very pleasing, as I found the larger platform to give me significantly more support than I was used to, with the arrangement of pins being both comfortable and grippy, giving me immediate confidence to push my speed, even in the slippery conditions. When dabbing a foot in corners it was easy to get my foot back on the pedal in a comfortable position, and coupled with my rather battered 5:10 Freeriders I had no shortage of grip, more than can be said for my riding buddy who was slipping pedals left right and centre! On my current set up, the bike has a low bottom bracket, and as a result pedal strikes can often be an issue. Pleasingly the low profile design and tapered edges of the Vaults seems to have improved their rock dodging capabilities over the V12s, however a true test will be when I get to hit some rocky downhill tracks in a few weeks time, but I had no problems whatsoever on my initial ride!

Pedals on their own, works of engineering art

 Overall the Vault is a much needed upgrade over the traditional V12, which was beginning to look rather overweight and small in comparison to similarly priced pedals. The finish and build quality are spot on for the budget and the pedals are comfortable, grippy and confidence inspiring. At £109.99 RRP the DMR's are by no means cheap, but compared to offerings from Straitline, Twenty6, Kona and NukeProof the Vaults have more than proved they are value for money. If you are looking for a high end pedal, with high end features and a build to match then take a good, long look at these bad-boys, because they are well worthy of their namesake, the king of style.