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Identiti Persona

January 13, 2010

Identiti has announced that they have just finished the R&D on their groundbreaking new Fixed Gear Freestyle frame, the Persona. Trusted the world over in the 4X and Jump bike markets, they have injected this knowledge into a design that urban trick riders can count on.

Features:
BMX/MTB influenced, lightweight and strong 700c frame for the discriminating Fixed Gear Freestyler. While most frames currently available for Fixed riding were designed as Road products, they have used some of the stuff they have learned over the years to provide a strong but not excessively heavy frame that can handle today�s progressive riding.

Identiti tweaked the classic Fixie frame geometry to provide a little more space up front for bar spins etc, and a sloping top tube�to allow more room and manoeuvrability.
A downtube box gusset adds additional strength where it is needed most.
Revolutionary Taper-Lock self-tensioning wedge shaped dropouts, tension the chain as you tighten the axle bolts � no chain tugs needed. With the Taper-Lock system, your wheel can never pull forwards under pedal torque. Taper-Lock also means a minimalist, clean look.

At only $320 this thing seem like a steal, and it can fit 700 x 50c tires!

Missy Giove Goes Downhill In Life

January 8, 2010

Former professional downhill mountain biker, Missy Giove, has seemingly had her life go downhill too. At one point she was arguable the best downhill cyclist in the world, even when you take the men into consideration. Now she has been charged, and plead guilty to running a massive coast to coast drug ring. Apparently Missy was organizing marijuana shipments from California to New York. We are not talking small time stuff here, she was arrested last June after one of her couriers was arrested with 158kgs of marijuana. Missy will learn her fate in March 2010 but could face up to 40 years in prison.

Norco Partners With Team H&R Block

January 7, 2010

After the collpase of Team Symmetrics at the end of 2008, the Canadian road racing scene took a big hit. Norco had been providing bicycles to the racers, but without a large financial sponsor the team could not survive. This left a large gap in the Canadian road scene for 2009. A year later Norco has announced a partnership with Team H&R Block.

Norco Bicycles has come to an agreement to be the official Bicycle Sponsor for the 2010 Team H&R Block racing team. Effective immediately, Norco will be the exclusive provider of Road, Cyclocross and Time Trial framesets for Team H&R Block.
Norco Marketing Manager Peter Stace-Smith says "Norco is excited to have an Elite racing team on our new Road Carbon Platform and are looking forward to working with the team in proving and further developing the frames. Racing is an area that Norco bikes hold great potential to excel and the H&R Block racing team will be an asset in doing so."
The H&R block team has come off a great 2009 season and will move forward into 2010 with a focus on Espoir and U26 riders. Team H&R Block will be competing at racing events in BC, Alberta and the Western US as well as the Canadian National Championships. The 2010 race season will be a great opportunity for both Norco Bicycles and Team H&R Block on the road racing circuit.

More news on the 2010 Team H&R Block can be found at Team H&R Block or Norco

Schwalbe Ultremo R

January 6, 2010

Fast tires are nice. Skinny little things that have such high pressure and such low rolling resistance that they just make life on a bike so much faster. In 2009 Schwalbe introduced the Ultremo. This is there full on 700c race tire. I however am no racer. I like to go fast, but I am rarely seen in spandex and have never competed in a criterium in my life. So with all that being said I thought I would throw these tires at the city streets to see what they could handle. And on to my brakeless fixed gear they went.

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Is The E-Bike Dead? Unfortunately Not

January 5, 2010

For most true cyclist the thought of riding and motorized bicycle brings shivers to the spin. Do they really serve a purpose? I am sure they do, however not a purpose for me. I have ridden many different models of E-bike. Most of them only around the block, and sure they are fun, but more in the sense of moving without doing anything. I certainly can go faster on my bike while pedalling then I can on an E-bike. But still the market share of these bikes seems to grow.

The E-bike owner seems very similar to the recumbent bike owner. Extremely knowledgable to the point of excess. And for that reason I could never be one of these guys. I get too confused with watts, amps, ohms and all that other stuff. And when the battery dies, am I really supposed to pedal this 50lb bike home?

All this being said I am curious. What is life like with an E-bike. Since the E-bike market is certainly not dead I am sure the market will keep growing, and I want to feel this E-bike "freedom". Perhaps I need to bring one in to sample this summer. I fear my waist line growing, or my beer consumption going down. Either way I feel I lose. Hopefully this summer I can delve into this world a little more.

JBR Keirin Shirts

January 4, 2010

It seems as fixed gear bicycles grow in popularity, so to does track cycling. For some it is fashion, and other the world of Keirin racing is not only sport but honor. Okay, now I would love to say I follow track racing, but besides the odd race on the internet I don't seem to watch it much, so this is where the fashion side of things come in. JBR has come out with a couple of great new shirts that evoke the image of the Keirin.

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