In the chaos of a new generation,
one rider named Sam Hill has made a statement by winning the World
Championships and the World Cup overall in the same season, but more than
just race results his influence on the sport will run deep for many years.
With every top rider pushing harder and faster than ever before, The Law of
Fives captures each aspect of this incredible race season, but when the
clock has stopped running the hungry young guns keep pushing the limits just
for the camera, and in a last effort to understand Sam Hill's incredible
skill he is put to the test on the 1:04 Dirt Magazine private test track.
"The Law of Fives states simply
that: ALL THINGS HAPPEN IN FIVES, OR ARE DIVISIBLE BY OR ARE MULTIPLES OF
FIVE, OR ARE SOMEHOW DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY APPROPRIATE TO 5. The Law of
Fives is never wrong".
**** First off let us just say
that Sam Hill slays everyone. The footage from The Champery World Cup
in Switzerland is crazy. The course is a mess of mud and he rides it like it
is dry. The Vigo Spain Fourcross Course finally makes fourcross
something other then BMX on twenty six inch wheels. The Decoy
BMX Jam seems out of place on this DVD. Oh well I absolutely love all
forms of cycling so I can deal with the Jam messing with the flow of the DVD
since the riding is top notch. Watching the sections with Gee
Atherton this guy is could be the best if he can knock off Hill. The
World Champs in Fort William Scotland show just how good Fabien Barel is
when he focuses (he was injured just getting back from a triple fracture in
his right foot) for a race. I wish there was more coverage of this
particular race.
Once again Alex Rankin delivers a
great race video. Go buy it you won't be disappointed.
From Specialized.com - Built for riders looking for full-face protection
with full ventilation. It?s ideal for freeride, aggressive XC, or in any
conditions that benefit from the extended coverage of a full face
design. This one made with lightweight fiberglass. Available in lighter
carbon fiber version.
EPS foam with a fiberglass shell
New rear vertical adjustable PRO Fit 2 retention system keeps
helmet secure,
and is easy to adjust, even on the fly.
Inner mesh net to keep out bugs & debris.
Removable washable liner
CPSC-certified to the bicycle standard
Adjustable visor
Carrying bag
Now it is time for the review. I really like this helmet it feels
as light as some cross country helmets. It breathes really well,
yet is still hotter then a full on cross country helmet. This is
to be expected though. Many DH'ers and BMX'ers think that this
helmet as well as others like it are not appropriate to wear, because it
is not a full on MX helmet and has a less crash standard. This
issue is up for debate and is always in the back of my head. I am
not sure what the answer is, but I am sure it is better then wearing a
bucket helmet. The vents in the mouth area of the helmet are also
vented well to aid in breathing well. Another feature I like is
the removable liner. I think all helmets should have this feature
not just some of them. I believe this mainly from a hygiene stand
point. The carrying bag is a joke and really isn't a feature they
should advertise. The helmet also comes in a carbon model.
The problem with the carbon helmet is this. Is any helmet worth
$300.00 when you can get one for $120.00 that offers you a higher
protection rating. All in all I like this helmet and it saved my
head when I crashed in Whistler. So I guess it did it's job.
Would I recommend it. Yes (especially if you are not racing).
Is it for you? Who knows helmets are a personal choice, and
sometimes even though not a good reason to buy one a fashion choice.
So I would check it out and make the decision for yourself.
KENDA
NEVEGAL TIRE UPDATE: I love these tires but have switched to the
downhill casing on the rear wheel. To many flats on rocky terrain.
No problems with the front though. Some of this has to do with my
riding style. I would still recommend these tires. Just
choose the correct casing for your use.
- Downhill
version has 2 ply construction, wire bead and STICK-E Compound for
better grip
- Freeride / XC
version is single ply, folding bead, STICK-E Compound or DTC (Dual Tread
Compound)
Both
versions have tall Knobs designed to penetrate and hold on to loose
terrain
The Nevegal
comes in a variety of sizes from 1.95 to 2.70. Each size retains the
same tread design. I am currently running the 2.5 in a folding bead.
I am trying this because you can lose 760 grams (1.67 lbs) of weight
off your bike. I am also trying this because I usually don't have
problems with flatting. The Nevegal is a fast rolling tire with
a good feel to it. I feel that the corning is up there with the
current crop of the best downhill tires. The knobs seem to grip better
then the last tire I used ( Tioga White Tigers). The real test is when
I have to use them in real rocky terrain which I have not yet. From my
past experience on tires it should be fine but we will wait and see.
At this point I would recommend these tires to people. Especially
because the price on these are on the low end compared to some of the
competition.
Forged 1-piece AL-6061-T6 construction
Heat-treated patent-pending cromoly pedal thread inserts
Durable blast black anodized finish with laser logos
T6 chainrings with CNC details
Black anodized AL-7075-T6 chainrings
Rings are cold formed & CNC’d with new anti-chainsuck features
Smooth, ramped & pinned shifting
I got these
cranks about three months ago and they seem to be holding up fine.
They seem to be fairly flex free which is a good thing. They aren't as
pretty or bling as some cranks, but that is opinion and doesn't really
matter. I think compared to Shimano these cranks are consistently a
price versus performance leader. Some people have complained
about the longevity of the ISIS bottom brackets. I haven't had these
long enough to have issues with them. I have read other reviews
bitching about these cranks and quality issues. Another tester for
this site has had these cranks for around 8 or 9 months now and seems to
love them, and has had no problems at all. I got the cranks with the
aluminum bash ring. I would personally replace it with Truvativ's Or
E-Thirteens composite guard. I believe that these work better, yet
this is just an opinion. All in all I would recommend these cranks for
almost anyone.
Reviewed
by Rodman @ www.tribe503.com
Earthed
3 - Europa DVD
First thing I
have to say about this video is no mini bikes this time. Thank god.
The riding in this video is superb. The filming is good but nothing
new if you watched the first two. I personally enjoy these when they
come out each year. I am kind of growing bored with the freeride
videos, so this is a change of pace. I would rate this dvd probably
around a 7 out of 10 points. Why you may ask? I rate it this way
because it is good and shows the massive talents that the riders have, but
nothing is new. It is a great video to ad to your collection don't get
me wrong but it is nothing special. I am hoping
Roam the sequel to
The Collective
will bring something different. Until then this DVD will do quite
well.
Here is the
scene selection to give you a clue at where it was filmed and who's in it.
- Intro
- Soldeau: Andorra
- Vigo World Cup, Spain
- Hardtails Rule, England. Peaty kills it.
- Willingen World Cup, Germany. Wow.
- The Athertons, Wales. Yes, they rip.
- Schladming World Cup, Austria. Euro style.
- Alpe d'Huez Megavalanche. Sign us up!
- Nico Vink and Pish in Alpe d'Huez. Fun.
- Pila World Cup, Italy
- Chris Akrigg, England and Wales. SICK TRIALS RIDING. Hopping in trees,
manualling backwards ...
- Catalonia, Spain. Muy bien.
- Rheola National, Wales.
- Josh Bryceland and Cunny at Nannerch, Wales
- Livigno Worlds. Must ... train ... harder.
- Fabien Barel, France. Ripper.
- Fort William World Cup, Scotland
- Steve Peat and Marc Beaumont in Wharncliffe, England. Stupid fun.
Description of DAKINE Apex Pack w/100 oz Quick Disconnect - 1600cu in:
The DAKINE Apex is a one-of-a-kind pack built for the freeride mountain bike
crowd. Unique features like pocketing to accommodate a full-face helmet and
external straps to hold body armor set this pack apart. The DAKINE Apex
holds a 100 oz Flowlock hydration reservoir so you can get a drink without
fumbling for water bottles. If water bottles are your thing, there are 2
side mesh pockets for them. Drop-down organizer pockets keep gear where you
left it. A compression-molded back panel ensure rigidity so the Apex retains
its shape regardless of load size. Details like a fleece-lined sunglasses
pocket protect your glasses, while breathable Dri-Mesh shoulder straps
prevent irritation by moving moisture away from your skin.
Let me
first say that this pack is quality. Dakine has paid attention to detail.
The full face helmet pocket works fine if you use a bicycle helmet. If you
wear something like a FLY helmet (more motorcycle oriented) it is a tight fit.
The pockets for your tools are easily accessible as long as your helmet is not
in the helmet pocket. The shoulder straps are comfortable even with a
fairly heavy load. I find the sunglass pocket mostly useless for its
intended purpose (I am to afraid I will break them). It does work great
for my Canon Powershot S230 camera or iPod though. It also has plenty of
room to carry a winter jacket if you wish to carry that much jacket in your
pack. The only complaint I really have is that it can be a little hot to
wear in the summer because of its size.
For the
majority of the time I love this pack. I would recommend this pack to anyone who
wants a lot of room to carry things in their pack. Especially if you ride your
free-ride bike to the top of the hill. I would also recommend it to the
BMXer's I see riding to the skate park with their worldly belongs stuffed into a
back pack. Yet if I could do it over again I may go with the nomad.
It has the same features yet is a little bit smaller. It depends on your needs.
- Padded leather and
Ballistics Nylon
- Stealth S1 soles
- Raptor tongue, Lace
- Polyurethane midsole
*All prices in US dollars
Price:
$79.95
I have been using these for about 3 1/2
months and they seem to be working out fine. They grip the pedals
like crazy. The best place for traction is if you center the shoe on the
pedal. In this position you have to almost lift your foot off of the pedal
to move it around. It almost feels like SPD's. One draw back is you
better have your feet where you want them if you are racing BMX because it isn't
as easy to reposition them as say a pair of Vans. The shoes have ample
support (more then Vans) and padding. The style thing is personal (I
prefer a little more skate look). There is not a tongue in the shoe which
is a good feature so there is nothing to move around. Because of the
padding if you soak these shoes with water you will need to put them in front of
a heater vent. They take forever to dry out. All in all these shoes
work great, and I would recommend them to any downhiller, freerider, or BMXer
who wants to escape the confines of being locked to their pedals.
Caliper:
Spring tension adjustment - Automatic Caliper Adjustment (A.C.C.)
- Dual Pad Adjustment - Automatic pad angle adjustment via
floating plates -
Finish:
Black
Pads:
High performance ceramic
compound
Automatic Pad Angle Adjustment
If the disc mounting bosses on a fork or frame are
slightly out of tolerance , disc brake pads may not be completely parallel
to the rotor after the caliper is installed. This can result in the rotor
rubbing on the pads as it turns unless an excessive pad/rotor clearance
distance is used.
Both the Aquila and Io feature a unique method of automatically adjusting to
a misaligned caliper. The pads are held to floating plates which can adjust
up to 3 allowing the pads to remain
parallel to a misaligned caliper, and allowing for smaller pad / rotor
clearances
These brakes for the
price $49.99 per wheel work awesome. I was very worried when I bought
these because I was used to Hayes hydraulic brakes and was worried about the
Tektros performance. But since I got them at a substantially less price
from my sponsor I thought I would give them a try. They seem to modulate well
and have more then enough power to haul my bike down to a stop quickly. I
was told that they work best if you have at least an Shimano LX quality brake
lever. They are easy to setup and only took a short time to install on my
Intense Uzzi. They even come with cables and housing. If I
could do it over again knowing what I know now. Even with out a deal I
would still buy these brakes. They just seem to work. It is good to
know that you don't have to dump major coin to get a product that performs.
Second
generation magnesium pedals from Specialized have new, oversized, heat treated
Cr-Mo spindles and adjustable spin resistance.
Low profile
Magnesium pedal body
New oversized heat
treated Cr-Mo spindle features improved wrench flats and an 8mm Allen key axle
slot
Concave body for
superior grip
4-bearing design
includes 2 cartridge, 1 needle and 1 bushing
Adjustable spin
resistance with removable O-ring seals
Replaceable Allen
head bolt-style traction pins
Super durable
powder-coat finish
Weight: 17.5 oz /
pair
I have the first
generation mag 1pedal and they have held very well. So I thought would go
out and buy the Lo Pro mag 2. The first thing you notice is the Lo Pro
part of the name. These pedals are about half the thickness of the
original mag pedal. This profile gives you a very connected to the bike
kind of feel, since you are basically right on the pedal axle/spindle. The
adjustable spin resistance is a cool feature if you are into jumping tricks that
take your feet of the pedals. The replaceable pins are easy to get at.
My biggest gripe is the color. You either like it or hate it. Either
way you are stuck with it because it only comes in gold. The other issue I
have is they are already making a creaking noise. I have took them in and
checked them over and rebuilt them. The noise is still there. It
hasn't effected the performance, and to be fair I haven't heard of the creaking
from anyone else.
Sabot (noun)– pronounced sa bo - a lightweight sleeve, such
as a missile casing, placed around a projectile so that it can be fired from a
weapon with a high intensity at maximum speed.
T/T
CHAINSTAY
HEAD TUBE
SEAT TUBE
SEAT POST
B/B
21
14.5-16.0
74
72
27.2
EURO
HEADSET
HEAD TUBE
TOP TUBE
DOWN TUBE
B/B HT.
SEAT CLAMP
1 1/8"
4"
1 1/2"
2"
11.5"
31.8
TEST SCORE:
B+ Value:
the intense line of bmx frames are a very good value at 299$ each.
although, having the privelege of knowing the cost of production, i believe
that they should be slightly less expensive. not bad though for a mass
production frame.
A+ Weight: feather light! i was previously on a thin guage chromoly race
frame which is considered light by most standards. when i switched to the
intense i was blown away by the difference. then, in turn, my competition
was blown away by the difference it made in my acceleration. :)
A Frame design: solid. i like the brazed on brake cable guides. a welcome
functional design for "full housing cable routing. the buildup went butter
smooth. everything is consistent. great race geometry. the only negative
is the cheezzzzy plastic badge on the headtube thats made to look
metal....weak. a sticker would suffice. im not too fond of the top tube
bend in front of the seat tube but thats just personal taste. in know way
does that affect the well balanced ride.
A+ Jumping Ability: the light weight and balanced geometry of this frame
gives you a "along for the ride" feel in the air. all you really have to do
is point it towards the lip and launch. the bike does the rest. its easy to
nose into the landing and get a good push on the landing transition, not to
mention throw in some style. i mean that is what seperates you from the
other meatheads out there, right? this frame makes that personalization
effortless.
A+ Manualing: to me manualing is all about the chain stay length and
maybe bottom bracket height somewhat. with a proven BB height and my wheel
smack in the middle of the dropout manualing is spot on. great balance
point for charging through those long rhythms..... 2,3,4 or more rollers at
a time! its left to you and you skill how far you can take it.
A Cornering ability: hmmm, well. cornering in a race situation is my
weakness so it is hard for me to honestly grade a bike on cornering ability.
ive never been able to just rip a bike through a turn with reckless
abandon. although, based on what i can do, the sabot feels like it could
give me more if i knew how to take what it is giving.
A++ Sprinting: 2nd to none! stiff, light, beefy chainstays, good
balance......fast!
well, thats the SABOT from my P.O.V. you cant go wrong with this frame. if
going fast with style is what you want the INTENSE SABOT can take whatever
you can dish and then some. buy one. race one. win.
FRAME: Kinesium alloy main triangle and 7005 rear,
cartridge bearing pivots, fully-active 4-bar linkage
design, 125mm, Manitou Swinger Air SPV 4-way shock, replaceable derailleur
hanger,
international disc brake mount.
FORK:Manitou Minute 2:00, SPV, 130mm
adjustable travel with Infinite Travel
Geometry
Size
Medium
Stand Over
Height
14.13/359
Top Tube Length
22.52/572
Head Angle
68.5¾
Seat Angle
74¾
Wheel Base
43.58/1107
Chain Stay
Length
17.13/435
BB Height 26"
wheel
12.80/325
Bike Test Scoring:
A -
Value (Paid $1800.00, and it's laoded with components that are found on bikes
that cost a grand more.)
B - Weight (29.75lbs does not suck for a 5 inch travel - all mountain bike.)
B - Frame design (Good-ol'-familiar feel with the straight top tube, stiff in
corners, seems like the paint job could be clear coated better.)
B - Fork performance: Manitou Minute 2:00, SPV, 130mm (Very adjustable and
ain't no pogo, but could be stiffer -I like the Fox Vanilla RLC better.)
A -
Rear Suspension: Manitou Swinger Air SPV 4-way shock 125 mm (No bob at all and
it's all there on the drops)
A - Component selection (Mostly XT drive train, Avid 7's, great suspension
--One of the main reasons I bought the bike.)
A - Climbing performance (Climbs so good that it's got Dave F. concerned.)
A - Cornering ability (Lower bottom bracket makes the corners sweet.)
B - Descending prowess (Head tube angle is just right for moderately steep
hills, although could be raked more for the really steep stuff that this setup
can handle.)
IT
SAYS SO ON THE COVER OF THE DVD. THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS DVD IS THAT IT
IS ALL TRUE. THE MUSIC IF YOU ARE NOT A METAL FAN CAN GET ANNOYING,
BECAUSE IT NEVER LETS UP. BUT I LOVE METAL SO IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. THE SAME
CAN BE SAID FOR THE ACTION ON THIS DVD. IT IS RACING ACTION AT IT'S BEST.
THOR DOES A GOOD JOB AT THE EDIT AND FRAMING OF THIS VIDEO AND ITS SEQUENCES.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT BARELY HAS ANY FREERIDE FOOTAGE. WHICH IS A
GOOD THING. DON'T GET ME WRONG I LIKE FREERIDE VIDEOS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN
SO MANY LATELY THEY ARE BECOMING KIND OF BORING TO WATCH. I LIKE TO SEE SOME
RACING ONCE IN AWHILE. IT ALSO HAS SOME JIBBING IN IT. OH SORRY I
MEAN STREET RIDING. THOR WIXOM IS SUCH A DOUCHE BAG FOR STEALING THAT TERM
FROM SNOWBOARDING. IT ALSO HAS A COOL INTERVIEW WITH ERIC CARTER AFTER HIS
WIN AT THE WORLDS. YOU CAN TELL THIS DUDE REALLY LOVES HIS JOB AS
PROFESSIONAL BIKER. THE OTHER GOOD THING IS THAT PLUSH 2 IS A TWO SIDED
DISK. SIDE TWO HAS A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL PLUSH THAT CAME OUT IN 1997.
REMEMBER PLUSH WAS ORIGINALLY MADE TO PROMOTE THE NOW DEFUNCT PLUSH MAGAZINE.
A MAGAZINE THAT WAS WAY AHEAD OF IT'S TIME. THE MARKET NOW SUPPORTS
THREE MAGAZINES OF ITS KIND TODAY. DECLINE, FLOW & DIRT. ALL IN ALL
I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS VIDEO TO YOUR BIKE DVD COLLECTION.
INFO
ABOUT THE VIDEO FROM THOR WIXOM.
Video run time aprox.
70+ minutes
5 Races of the NORBA Series
4 Major Non-race Events
Rye Airfield Comp, Whistler Slopestyle,
Redbull Bike Battle, Redbull Rampage, and a Women's Race Section.
Riders Sections
Kirt Voreis, Shaums March, Aaron Chase, Kyle Strait, Cameron Mcaul, Duncan
Riffle, Eric Carter, and Chris Kovarik.
Additionally
Featuring
Interviews with Eric Carter and Matt Lanning, 30+ minutes of bonus raw
footage (cutting floor, crashes, and out-takes), and featuring Plush the
Video
YOU
CAN PURCHASE THE DVD @ THE
FAT TIRE FARM,
PORTLAND, OREGON or
Model and Size Top Tube Rear C/S BB Height HT Angle
Supercross EVO G6 Pro 20.5" 15.25" 11.75" 74.5º
Supercross EVO G6 Pro XL 21.25" 15.25" 11.75" 74.5º
Supercross EVO G6 Pro XXL 21.75" 15.25" 11.75" 74.5º
Value: B,
For me an A+ though
Weight: A,
A cpl. things need to be changed though
Frame Design: A, A great
stiff race frame
Jumping Ability: A,
but what do I really know about jumping? Manualing: A, now if i were only
an "A" manualer, or as DY say Coaster Wheelie
B.I.T.D. Cornering
ability: A
Sprinting:
A,
The only lacking part in DLMNW.com....
H
x V (pixels) ----- NTSC:
510 x 492
PAL: 500 x 582
The
Viosport helmet cam is an easy to use camera that plugs into your mini DV
recorder. It recorders from itself to your mini DV VCR function. It comes
with two mounting straps. One for vented mountain bike helmets and one for
motorcycle style helmets. You can also order a remote button for your
camcorder that turns the record function of your DV on and off. The only
draw back I see to the helmet cam is the length of the cord that goes from the
cam to the DV. It could be at least six inches longer to make it a little
more comfortable. Viosport even makes a backpack/hydration pack made just
for video cameras. If you want a different angle to video tape with I
would highly recommend the helmet cam.
TESTED BY
RODMAN @ TRIBE503.COM
SPECIALIZED
DEMO 9 MTB
www.specialized.com
FRAME: DEMO FSR
frame. Super low center of gravity and standover with sub-seatstay actuated
shock. Full cartridge bearing pivots, 9” of travel with full chainguide and
front derailleur compatibility. 150mm wide 12 or 15mm thru-axle rear, ISCG
mount, rear derailleyr protector. 26 and 24” wheel compatible with two geometry
settings, 16.7” chainstay length, forged and CNC’d OS HT, Super ORE TT/DT.
GEOMETRY
Size
Medium
Stand Over Height
772mm
Top
Tube Length
605mm
Head
Tube Length
120mm
Head
Angle
66.0/67.5°
Seat
Angle
63/64.5°
Wheel Base
1183mm
Chain Stay Length
428mm
BB
Height 26" wheel
371/390mm
BB
Height 24" wheel
374mm
TEST SCORE:
C - Value (it's a
downhill bike they are expensive.)
B - Weight: 46 pounds (middle of the road for downhill)
A - Frame design
A - Rear Suspension: Manitou Swinger 4-Way Coil, 9" travel
C - Climbing performance (A - for a downhill bike)
A - Cornering
ability (stiff rear end no flex)
A - Descending prowess
TESTED BY RODMAN @
TRIBE503.COM
RL
PRODUCTIONS/TWISTED CHI ENTERTAINMENT 2006. All rights reserved.
DEDICADO a DEUS
allowing the pads to remain
parallel to a misaligned caliper, and allowing for smaller pad / rotor
clearances
