Inside we take a look at some e-MTB products on display at Sea Otter from Bosch, Bulls, and Specialized.   The prevalence of Electric Mountain Bikes has increased at Sea Otter again this year. Many attendees were very interested in swinging a leg over these bikes from what we saw.   Bulls had a huge presence at Sea Otter this year and have many options for those looking for an eMTB. The two below were highlights of their massive booth. Many attendees swung their legs over a Bulls e-bike for the first time and we heard plenty of praise from exuberant test riders. The E-CORE EVO AM Di2 27.5+. The big Bulls bike that is most appealing is the E-Core EVO EN Di2 27.5. It is powered by Shimano’s new 250watt E-8000 eMTB motor and two 275WWH power packs. Having 750WH onboard is no small amount of battery juice. It boasts a big e-bike range of 90-100 miles. Check out the detailed shots below to see more on this 180mm travel enduro/downhill weapon. Bosch has been steadily improving their e-MTB technology and they released their KIOX system that looks quite impressive. They’ve partnered with a number of brands to utilize their motor and Kiox system. The Gorilla Glass, bluetooth connectivity, and full color-screen are impressive in person. With the Kiox on-board computer, you can keep track of the battery charge level, as well as your speed, heart rate and performance. Robust and small, the compact Kiox is the perfect training partner for ambitious riders. Cube had their Stereo Hybrid 160 (Action Team 500 27.5) in the Bosch booth. The 160mm bike is designed to offer an enduro suspended bike with the power of a Bosch CX drive system. Specialized’s Turbo Kenevo is a popular offering in the e-mtb space and they had an Ohlins dual crown fork bolted to one in their booth. Range anxiety is a thing with heavy e-bikes and Specialized has a Mission Control App to give you full control of your Turbo Kenevo to tune it to the proper level and assistance in the e-MTB to ensure your ride goes as planned.     See more of our 2019 Sea Otter coverage

Inside we take a look at some new products from TRP Brakes, Marzocchi, and Pivot Cycles.   TRP Brakes have been a staple for racers like Aaron Gwin for many years so you know they’ve got what it takes to compete with the bigger brands everyone is familiar with. At Sea Otter they brought out their full range of brakes and boy do they feel good.   The G-Spec DH brake is their main gravity brake that you will see on most of their World Cup gravity teams. It uses mineral oil, has a nice lever feel thanks to Aaron Gwin, detented adjustable reach adjuster, forged 4 piston caliper, sintered pads, and weighs in at 320g. Look for riders selecting to run bigger rotors this year on the World Cup circuit as the bigger 29″ wheels are carrying more weight and speed. The G-Spec DH caliper features four hybrid pistons (ceramic/steel) help to dissipate heat during long descents while providing power and modulation as needed. At $199 this is a hard brake to not consider if you’re looking for a World Cup gravity brake.   If you’re a bit more budget minded but still want similar benefits as their G-Spec DH brake, take a look at their Quadium brake. It’s delivered in flat black and isn’t quite as light but offers many of the same benefits at $149.99. Four hybrid pistons, forged caliper, ergonomic lever, 329g, and more.   Looking for a trail brake? TRP has you covered there as well. They have a G-Spec Trail SLC and a G-Spec Trail SL brake (312g). The SLC version offers a lighter Gwin designed carbon lever (292g). The G-Spec Trail gets the same finned caliper body as their downhill brake but different sized pistons(2x14mm, 2x16mm) to allow for improved modulation. The Aaron Gwin lever blade gets mounted to the lightweight trail lever body and offers both direct mount shifter options.     For E-MTBs riders may initially question brands coming up with specific e-branded products but many of these products actually are designed to handle the torque, power, or additional weight these bikes yield. TRP has a G-Spec E-MTB brake that features 4 pistons, robust forged/cnc caliper design, and a wider 2.3mm rotor to help aid in cooling these bikes. TRP uses a wider rotor on the E-Mtb brake versus their other brakes (2.3mm vs 1.8mm) and sintered Full Metallic Pads. Marzocchi has been delivering a lot of quality suspension product that often gets overlooked but is very compelling for many riders. They had a sweet looking Custom Candy Bomber 58 Tyler McCaul custom candy on display to highlight his video project called “Builder”. The Candy version will be available in a special edition release.   In addition to that the new Marzocchi CR shock offers a lot for its $329 price. It offers a quality ride with adjustable low speed compression and rebound in a wide range of shock sizes. Paired with the new Z1 or Z2 fork this offers a formidable package that is sure to have any ripper happy without breaking the bank. Check out more details and the impressive pricing on the Marzocchi range at https://shop.marzocchi.com/     Pivot Cycles had their prototype 29er Phoenix on display. Check out some of the detailed shots of it below. Their World Cup team will be racing on it this year so keep an eye out for it on the race course. Check out some of the detailed shots below of the bike to get an idea of what the production bike may offer when available.

It’s a well-known fact in the bike industry that if you call Yeti HQ around lunchtime you can expect to get voicemail. The Golden, Colorado-based company’s lunch rides have been running since 1999, and with Apex Park, Green Mountain and Matthew / Winters Park less than a three-mile pedal from its head office, how can you blame them. Yeti SB130 review Best mountain bike: how to choose the right one for you And with the employees having access to basically any component their hearts’ may desire, it’s no surprise their personal bikes are tailored to the terrain just outside their backdoor. If you’ve never ridden around Golden, it’s pretty techy, so to better suit the trails in the area quite a few of the Yeti staffers add a bit more travel and beefier brakes. And now the brand has decided to make the Lunch Ride spec available to the public. Yeti isn’t the first brand to offer a ‘staff spec’. Rocky Mountain has offered a similar ‘BC edition’ on many of its bikes for some time. The SB 130 LR comes with a 160mm Fox 36, complete with the Grip 2 damper instead of the stock 150mm, and an over-stroked 136mm Fox Factory DPX2 shock. Of course, a longer fork slackens the head angle, and the longer rear shock brings the bottom bracket up a touch to help with pedal strikes. The SB130 LR is built the way the Yeti staff customize their bikes The stoppers also get an upgrade, with the SB130 fitted with SRAM Code RSC brakes instead of the stock Shimano XT 2 Piston brakes, and the front rotor is upsized to 200mm for a bit of extra oomph. At the front, the bars are 20mm wider, measuring 800mm and are paired with a stumpy 40mm stem. Moving back, the small and medium size frames get an extra 25mm of Fox Transfer dropper, while the LR version comes with a 150mm post, and the large and XL frames go longer still spec’d with a 175mm version. Available now through the Yeti cycles website, the SB130 LR build is claimed to weigh 29.3lbs / 13.29kg in a size medium and will set you back $7,599 — $400 more than the X01 spec it’s based upon. For an extra $1,300, you can also upgrade the wheels from the stock DT Swiss M1700 to the carbon DT Swiss XMC 1200. International pricing and availability are to be announced.

This week’s best new bike gear Restrap offers practical luggage in a variety of sizes and configurations This dinky frame bag is perfect for portage This £30 inner tube makes a surprisingly compelling case for itself The Corky is one tidy little mirror Snapped shut, the Corky is quite unobtrusive Burgtec is offering a more affordable version of its Penthouse Mk4 pedal Pursu’s bars tick a lot of eco-friendly and health boxes The eeWings cranks are astonishingly lovely The Hirth joint is precisely machined The Ninja Pouch+ Road holds a single road inner tube Yep, that’s a tyre lever The Ninja Cage Z can be combined with a tidy multi-tool in a case The QuickClick mount accepts various accessories The Sonder Santiago is a rather handsome do-it-all machine Reynolds 631 is an evolution of the iconic 531, a durable steel that’s ideal for touring bikes Avid BB5s are a bit primitive by today’s standards, but they’ll still stop you Are you edgy enough for the Smith Trackstands? The Maya 2.0 includes Kali’s LDL impact absorption tech We hope this upsetting and unsettling image doesn’t sully a completely lovely seatpost It’s been a bouncy week at BikeRadar: we’ve got all hot and bothered about a brand new Specialized Roubaix with an adjustable Future Shock, we’ve discussed just how much suspension you need on your MTB, and Pinarello has brought out a full-suspension Dogma just in time for Paris-Roubaix. We’ve mused on the quiet delights of bikefishing, which is like bikepacking but with fish, while the UCI has started a turf war with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme over electric mountain bike racing. Read on for the latest bikes and gear to land at BR HQ. Sonder Santiago Rival 1 Mechanical The Sonder Santiago is a rather handsome do-it-all machine Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Practical is beautiful at BikeRadar, and this is certainly a handsome machine with the potential to be very versatile. The Santiago’s frame is Reynolds 631 steel and it’s bristling with bosses to bolt things to. Cable routing is fully external, the bottom bracket is threaded, and there’s room for 650bx47mm or 700cx37mm tyres. Reynolds 631 is an evolution of the iconic 531, a durable steel that’s ideal for touring bikes Matthew Allen / Immediate Media This build is no featherweight at a chunky 12kg (size medium) with SRAM Rival 1x shifting and Avid BB5 cable disc brakes, which aren’t exactly generous for the money. Avid BB5s are a bit primitive by today’s standards, but they’ll still stop you Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Nevertheless, it’s an appealing thing that looks perfect for touring, gravel or heavy-duty commuting. £1,299 Buy now from Alpkit Restrap bags Restrap offers practical luggage in a variety of sizes and configurations Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Leeds-based Restrap makes all sorts of ultra-practical bike luggage and this week the brand has sent us its small Rando Bag, small Frame Bag, and 8-litre Saddle Bag. This dinky frame bag is perfect for portage Matthew Allen / Immediate Media All are constructed from tough cordura fabrics and are handmade in the UK. Restrap offers all of its luggage in multiple size options, so if you’re on the hunt for bikepacking or commuting luggage then the chances are it’ll have something for your bike. Expect to see these particular bags gracing our Mildred’s Surly Bridge Club. Rando Bag (small): £130 Frame Bag (small): £40 Saddle Bag (8l): £95 Buy now from Restrap Holdsworth Gran Sport seatpost We hope this upsetting and unsettling image doesn’t sully a completely lovely seatpost Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Modern components can look very out of place on retro-styled builds, but this Holdsworth seatpost from Planet X looks the part completely. Available in 27.2mm only, it’s not light at 301g on our scales, but the finish is absolutely lovely and it’s particularly impressive given how cheap the post is. The head has a straightforward two-bolt clamp and there’s a polished black option that’s even cheaper. What’s not to like? £24.99 Buy now from Planet X Tubolito inner tubes This £30 inner tube makes a surprisingly compelling case for itself Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Premium inner tubes are a bit of a hard sell in the age of tubeless, but Tubolito’s curious looking tubes are interesting. We’ve actually covered them before, but they’re available in the UK now and we’ve got our hands on a few. It’s likely that most riders aren’t going to want to spend £30 per wheel to shave a few grams off their inner tubes, but these make a compelling case for themselves as emergency spares. This 29er tube, for instance, weighs just 80g, a good 140g or so less than a standard butyl tube. That’s a significant saving if you’re a weight-conscious XCer who needs a spare. Perhaps more importantly, the tubes are also tiny. This rolled 29×1.8–2.4in tube measures about 45mm in diameter, small enough that you could quite easily slip it in a pocket or hide it under your saddle. Despite the plasticky feel, Tubolito claims rolling resistance figures similar to those of latex tubes. The brand offers tubes in all the major sizes and even offers an extra-light spare-only version for some of its tubes called S-Tubo. The lightest S-Tubo road tube weighs a claimed 23g — madness! £29.99 / $35 Buy now from Tredz Topeak Ninja cages The Ninja Pouch+ Road holds a single road inner tube Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Topeak’s Ninja range includes all sorts of handy accessories that integrate with your bike in a variety of clever ways. The Ninja Pouch+ Road has a bag permanently attached to its base that’s big enough to take a standard road inner tube. Stealthy tyre levers clip to the sides of the cage and the whole assembly weighs 104g. Yep, that’s a tyre lever Matthew Allen / Immediate Media The Ninja Cage Z has a ‘QuickClick’ mount on its base which accepts various Topeak accessories including a tidy little multi-tool that sits snugly in a case. This particular combo weighs in at 175g. The Ninja Cage Z can be combined with a tidy multi-tool in a case Matthew Allen / Immediate Media The QuickClick mount accepts various accessories Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Ninja Pouch + Road: £19.99, Buy now from Wiggle Ninja Cage Z: £TBC Find out more at Topeak.com The Beam Corky drop bar mirror The Corky is one tidy little mirror Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Rear-view mirrors aren’t the sexiest of bike components, but some riders find them invaluable. There aren’t many options that integrate cleanly with drop bars, but the Corky is better than most. Snapped shut, the Corky is quite unobtrusive Matthew Allen / Immediate Media This little mirror replaces your bar-end plug and flips open to reveal a slightly convex mirror that’s about 30mm in diameter. It weighs 20g on our scales and a ball-joint lets you set its position precisely. It can be clipped shut when not in use. £21.99 / €24.99 Buy now from The Beam or Condor Cycles Kali Maya 2.0 MTB helmet The Maya 2.0 includes Kali’s LDL impact absorption tech Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Aimed at trail and enduro riders, the Kali Maya 2.0 bundles the features with a view to providing a safe, comfortable cover for your noggin. First up, protection. Helmet companies are keen to address the effects of low-G and rotational impacts using clever tech. MIPS is probably the most well-known system and Kali has its own called LDL — Low Density Layer. It’s a system of gel pads within the more usual in-moulded shell and EPS foam liner that can compress and deform in all directions, which in turn — Kali says — reduces forces by a significant amount. On the comfort front, there are all the features you’d expect including antimicrobial pads, 12 vents, a sliding buckle fit-adjust system and a visor. There’s also a bug liner because no-one wants to be riding down a mountain wondering if that bee that bounced into your helmet is actually about to start stinging your head. The Maya comes in three sizes, XS/S, S/M and L/XL, and of course a range of colours, including black, white, blue and an incredibly loud yellow. This S/M weighs 392g on our scales. £87.99 / $129.99 / AU$TBC Buy now from Amazon Cane Creek eeWings cranks The eeWings cranks are astonishingly lovely Matthew Allen / Immediate Media Prolonged exposure to bicycle bling means it’s hard to raise eyebrows with new components in the BR office, but these cranks from Cane Creek are pretty extraordinary. The eeWings are made almost entirely from titanium and are breathtakingly light — 403g including bolts but no chainring, to be precise, for the All-Road version shown here. (There’s also a slightly wider mountain bike version.) The Hirth joint is precisely machined Matthew Allen / Immediate Media They are exquisitely made, with gorgeous welds, lovely machined details and laser-etched graphics. The right-hand arm accepts three-bolt direct mount chainrings and joins to the spindle and left arm with an almost sensually satisfying Hirth joint, much like the one used on Campagnolo Ultra-Torque cranks. The spindle is 30mm in diameter and is BB386EVO standard (BB392EVO for mountain bikes), meaning it can be adapted to most bottom bracket shells. £999 / $999 Buy now from Tredz (UK) / Buy now from Jenson (USA) Burgtec Penthouse MK4 Composite pedals Burgtec is offering a more affordable version of its Penthouse Mk4 pedal Matthew Allen / Immediate Media The Penthouse MK4 pedals have been a staple of the Burgtec pedal offering for years now, but the brand wanted to develop a more affordable option. Enter the Penthouse MK4 Composite pedals. They look, well, pretty much exactly the same as the originals but are about half the price. Composed of a nylon and fibreglass body and a cromo axle, they have 16 replaceable pins each and weigh in at a very reasonable 375g a pair. To be fair, there are a few little differences: the composite pedals are slightly more concave and thicker, so they’re more likely to stand up to the tough treatment they’re designed for. They’re also serviceable, and for those environmentally minded riders out there (which should be all of us) the platform is also recyclable. They come in a range of colours from the beautiful Purple Rain pictured above to Race Red, Deep Blue, Iron Bro Orange, Kash Bronze, White and Electric Yellow £39.99 / $TBC / AU$TBC Buy now from Stif Cycles Pursu natural sports nutrition bars Pursu’s bars tick a lot of eco-friendly and health boxes Matthew Allen / Immediate Media There are a number of reasons you might choose these bars from Pursu: you prefer your sports nutrition to be made from recognisable ingredients, you’re vegan, you’re trying to avoid added sugar, or you’re fed up of sports nutrition product wrappers littering the ground. On that last point, if this bothers you, you aren’t likely to be the person leaving such things about but you’ll likely still be concerned about the plastic waste these things create. So the fact that Pursu bars have wrappers that are plastic-free and compostable is an extra win. The brand also donates 16p per box to Re-Cycle, a bike recycling charity that ships donated bikes from the UK to Africa. The bars themselves come in three flavours: sun-dried banana and cacao, sour cherry and almond and the more unusual beetroot and date with seeds and nuts (ideal for when you want something a bit earthier and less sweet). £28.50 per box of 16 Buy now from Pursu Smith Trackstand glasses Are you edgy enough for the Smith Trackstands? Matthew Allen / Immediate Media The nineties throwback trend for sunglasses continues with this vibrant pair of performance specs from Smith, though thankfully a little less in-your-face than others we’ve seen (Oakley, we’re looking at you). A neat and lightweight frame and lens combo, it comes packaged up in a nice protective storage box with a spare lens. In the case of this model, the ‘matte citron’ frame with Chromapop Contrast Rose lens, the spare set is the Chromapop Black, which is suited to bright light conditions. By the way, Chromapop is Smith’s name for its lens system, which is designed to increase definition and clarity. If you don’t want your glasses this loud (or want them even louder) then there are a range of different frame colours from a subdued matt black to a bright matt jade, which looks particularly and wonderfully lairy with the Chromapop Green Mirror lenses. £139 / €169 / $169 / AU$TBC Buy now from Chain Reaction Cycles

Enve M7 35mm Stem and Bar   Founded with a passion for all things cycling-related, Enve Composites has been focused on producing high-end carbon fiber components for road and mountain bikers alike. With most of their components being manufactured out of their Utah facility, Enve is one of a few companies still making products here in the United States. This last year Enve was busy releasing new wheelsets, and now they’ve released a 35mm handlebar and stem to keep up with the ever-shifting standards. We got a first glimpse of the new bar/stem combo at the 2018 Sea Otter and put plenty of miles on them through the summer and fall seasons. Tech info: The M7 is the first 35mm-compatible bar and stem that Enve has produced. With the introduction of the M7 line, Enve set their M6 lineup to be more purpose-built around cross-country riding and racing. Starting with the handlebars, Enve simplified the lineup of options, making it easier for riders to choose the right bar. All of the M7 handlebars come in a 35mm diameter with a standard 800mm width. The bars can be trimmed down to 780mm to suit riders’ varying width preferences. Enve didn’t design the M7 bar to be run any narrower, as they claim this would affect the ride quality of the bar. The M7 bar is available in 10-, 25- and 40mm rises, with an 8-degree sweep that is similar to other bars made for all-around trail riding. Each pair of handlebars comes with a sticker pack with various colors to match Enve’s wheel decals. The retail price on our 10mm-rise handlebars is $170. Finishing up the M7 line is Enve’s new 35mm stem that was designed to be paired with the handlebar. The M7 stem is available in three lengths—35- 50- and 65mm—with all having a zero-degree rise/drop. The stem has a complete carbon fiber design with an aluminum faceplate and titanium hardware to keep the overall weight down. Retail price on our 50mm stem is $280. On the trail: There is no denying just how good the quality and design of Enve products are, and when pulling the M7 bar and stem out of the box, we were once again reminded of this. The handlebars have a unique shape that slims down drastically from the center, more so than other 35mm bars we have ridden from other brands. Some riders may not be interested in color-matching their handlebars, but we thought the included sticker pack was a nice touch. With our bars trimmed down to 780mm, the weight came in at 242 grams with the 50mm stem at 92 grams. We used some carbon paste when installing the bars to the stem and torqued the faceplate down to the recommended 5.5 N/m. Once on our bike, the 8-degree sweep felt comfortable and gave the bars a worthy trail feel. Hitting the trail, the M7 bars were quite comfortable and didn’t feel harsh once we hit rough chatter and imperfections in the trail. After long rides our test riders didn’t feel any extra fatigue in their hands or forearms that other overly stiff bars can produce. Out of the saddle when climbing or pedaling hard, the bars offered a little bit of flex but didn’t feel like a half-cooked noodle. Compared to other bars and stems that we have ridden, the ride quality and stiffness of the M7 are quite a bit better, but there is also the price. This bar/stem combo will cost more than other options, but the quality and durability are noticeably better. Star Rating-★★★★☆ Hits High quality Color-matching decals are sweet Compliant feel over trail chatter Misses It’s expensive Limited stem lengths compared to other brands www.enve.com THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google. Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Subscribe Here For more subscription information contact (800) 767-0345 Got something on your mind? Let us know at hi-torque.com The post Product Test: Enve M7 35mm Stem and Bar appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

The Burley D’lite trailer has been in our test fleet over the past few months and we finally feel we are now at the place to talk real-world thoughts on the product. The first thing I noticed when I pulled the Burley D’Lite out of the box was how incredible light the double stroller was. It is the lightest double stroller we have tested and it has been quite noticeable on some larger hills and when I have been exhausted after a typical brutal sleep with two kids under three years old. The first thing I noticed when I pulled the Burley D’Lite out of the box was how incredible light the double stroller was. It is the lightest double stroller we have tested and it has been quite noticeable on some larger hills and when I have been exhausted after a typical brutal sleep with two kids under three years old. The next thing that I fell in love with was the seat belt harness system that Burley has developed. If you don’t have a lot of experience with trailers or putting kids into trailers you will need to channel you inner ninja unless you were blessed with angelic children. The Burley straps never tangle and are always in the right spot when you manage to wrestle the kids in. I really wish that kids car seat manufacturers could take a page from the Burley product manual and figure out how to get those straps to quit twisting. The suspension system is fully adjustable and does well with smoothing out the ride on pavement and light gravel roads. The trailer has lots of headroom for the kids and some pockets for you to store their stuff when you clean up after them. The front door attaches on a two latch system that works as intended and getting into the trailer to calm a crying kid with the soother that always seems to fall out is pretty easy. The rear hatch has impressive cargo space and you don’t have to have a degree in engineering to get to that over packed diaper bag and some extra outdoor play toys. All the materials from the floor to the ceiling of the trailer are easy to clean as the people at Burley know how messy kids can get on outdoor adventures. For a double trailer the D’lite is fairly narrow. They have bowed out the upper trailer and brought axle width of the trailer in to help with navigating. The upper bowed part is effective in giving the kids some extra breathing room. Furhter, the way Burley have tucked in the wheels is really well designed. As a Bike only trailer the Dlite is pretty hard to beat for a pathway and light off-road use. If you are not loading and unloading it out of a car all the time, the Burley D’lite would be one of our first picks for double stroller on the market. We found that the arm that attaches the trailer to the bike quite hard to remove to get the trailer into the car. It was super sicky at first but did get a little better over our 6 month test period, but it was always something I didn’t enjoy. Other than the arm, loading the trailer was a breeze, the wheels, trailer handle and collapsing of the trailer with super intuitive and easy. We used the cross country ski attachment for fat-biking this past winter. Attaching the skis was brainless and they worked well on groomed and hard packed snow.   As always, with any rear axle hitch mounted trailer we recommend the Robert Axle Project rear axle for your bike. They simply work and you don’t have to fart around to get the hitch nice and secure. All and all we thoroughly enjoyed the Burley D’lite trailer; the weight, incredible harness system- we are going to call it one of the best in the industry, and all the well thought out cycling centrist features makes this trailer a top pick for any Bike family looking to buy a double trailer. Where to purchase: MSRP: $669 US | Where to buy: Burley Amazon Backcountry   Specs: Riders: 1 or 2 Capacity (lb/kg): 100 / 45 Weight Including Towbar, Hitch, Flag (lb/kg): 28.4 / 12.9 Interior Seated Height (in/cm): 25.5 / 64.7 Interior Seat Width (in/cm): 22.5 / 57.2 Interior Shoulder Width (in/cm): 25.5 / 64.8 Seated Leg Room (in/cm): 21 / 53.3 Window UV Protection Rating: UPF 30 Cargo Space (in³/liters): 2900/47.5 Wheel Size (in/cm): 20 / 51 Handlebar Height (in/cm): 30-46 / 76.2-116.8 Size Open L x W x H (in): 33.25 x 31.25 x 38.25 Size Open L x W x H (cm): 84.5 x 79.4 x 97.2 Size Folded L x W x H (in): 37 x 31.25 x 14.25 Size Folded L x W x H (cm): 94 x 79.4 x 36.2   The post Burley D’lite Trailer Review appeared first on The Bike Dads.

Our good friends at Woom Bikes and Buddy Pegs Media and spearheading an awesome weekend in Austin Texas. If you are anywhere close, you should definitely go. There is also a sweet contest. read below to find out the finer details. The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend is a multi-day celebration of family bike riding that coincides with the legendary Austin Marathon. Bring your kiddos to enjoy family friendly group rides, woom bike demos, Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playdates (for children 6 and under), author readings, raffles, bicycle scavenger hunts, and more! Whether you are coming in for the Marathon and wanting to entertain your children while your loved one prepares for their run, or just looking for a fun way to connect as a family on bikes, our festival is for YOU! RESERVE YOUR SPOT FRIDAY 2/5/19 At The Palmer Events Center 10:30am – 12:30pm: Age specific family group rides along the Ann and Roy Butler Trail (exact times and routes TBD) Bike Scavenger Hunt 1-4pm: woom bike demos for children 2 – 10 years old Buddy Pegs Media fun and games, Bicycle Playdates and Bicycle Playground (kids 2-6 years old) Author readings and book signings Bike-centric arts and crafts SATURDAY 2/16/19 At The Palmer Events Center 10am – 5pm: woom bike demos (kids 2 – 10 years old) Buddy Pegs Media fun and games Bicycle Playdates and Bicycle Playground (kids 2-6 years old) Author readings and book signings Bicycle Scavenger Hunt Arts and crafts table 11:45am: 1st Annual Youth bicycle category in the Manzano Mile event 1 mile out and back ride from Riverside Drive Start/Finish Balance bike and pedal bike divisions SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17TH At The Austin Marathon Finish Line Festival (7th & Congress) Buddy Pegs Media Bicycle Playground (kids 2-6 years old) woom bike demos Bicycle games and prizes Christian Bezdeka and Marcus Ihlenfeld developed woom in Europe before Mathias Ihlenfeld (Marcus’ brother) launched the USA branch in Austin, TX. woom is a family business born from a love of bicycles and a desire to make children happy. What started as a search to create the perfect children’s bike developed into a goal: build bikes that inspire children and their parents. The Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playground was developed to give children 2-6 years old a safe place to develop skills, confidence, and a love of riding through life on two wheels. Experienced Buddy Pegs ride leaders will be on hand to guide paretns and children throughout the weekend. CRANK OUT THE MANZANO MILE Two Bicycle Divisions for kids! Saturday February 16th 11:45 Children on Pedal bikes (full mile) 11:55 Children on Balance Bikes (1/2 mile) The Manzano Mile is named for 2019 Austin Marathon Official Race Ambassador and 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano. Leo is a highly decorated track star, four-time USATF National Champion, seven-time Team USA member, two-time Olympian, and the first Olympic medalist for the USA in the 1500m since 1968. The Manzano Mile embodies Leo ’s passion for reaching out to the community, specifically to local youth, through health and fitness programs. REGISTER HERE FUEL UP AT THE KODIAK CAKES PANCAKE FEED! Saturday 10am – 12pm At the Manzano Mile Start/Finish Area Our friends at Kodiak Cakes will be on hand to make sure you and your little one are fueled up for the Manzano Mile and a day of adventure together on two wheels! These are the best, most protein pancakes you’ll ever smother in maple syrup! SHARE YOUR LOVE OF BIKING & VISIT AUSTIN The best way to explore downtown Austin with your family is from the seat of a bike! The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend is an amazing opportunity to meet other like-minded parents and watch your little ones develop the riding skills, self-confidence, and resilience they’ll carry with them for life. Click to Register CLICK TO REGISTER UPGRADE YOUR CHILD TO A VERY IMPORTANT PEDALER Each VIP package includes: Event T-shirt from Recover Brands (100% recycled) Special gifts from woom and Buddy Pegs Media Amazing coupons and promotional deals from our partners Priority admission to the Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playdates (optional) Priority start line “call-up” at the Manzano Mile Priority woom demo bikes Commemorative event poster $25/child GRAB YOUR VIP SPOT JOIN THE RIDE We would love to have your family join us at the 1st Annual Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend! Register for FREE or grab one of our limited VIP (very important pedalers) spots for that includes a limited edition event t-shirt, gifts from our supporting partners, priority spots in our Bicycle Playdates, and more! CLICK TO REGISTER GETTING THERE The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend is a perfect way to explore downtown Austin, TX as a family. All events are conveniently located located next to the Austin Marathon Health & Wellness Expo Friday and Saturday, and Sunday’s Finish Line Festival. THE PALMER EVENT CENTER If you are going to drive, we strongly encourage carpooling as traffic gets quite busy all around downtown race weekend. To book convenient and affordable parking, we recommend using SpotHero, the nation’s leading parking reservation app. To reserve your parking spot today, visit the Austin Marathon Expo SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. New to SpotHero? Download the SpotHero iPhone | Android app There are lots of bicycle racks on site so avoid the parking fees and ride your bike! There are also two Austin B-Cycle stations around the Palmer Events Center available. Visit CapMetro.org for information and schedules on Metro Bus and Metro Rail. THE FINISH LINE FESTIVAL Look for the woom and Buddy Pegs Media tents at 7th St & Congress Ave where we’ll have a Bicycle Playground and demo bikes for children 2-6 years old. Parking in the downtown area within walking distance of the start and finish lines is plentiful. There are numerous free and paid parking garages and surface lots as well as free on-street parking downtown. On-street metered spots are free of charge on Sundays. To book convenient, affordable, and stress-free parking in advance, use SpotHero to reserve your parking spot today. Visit the Austin Marathon SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. The post The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend appeared first on The Bike Dads.

A trail-a-bike with suspension Guest Poster: Jeffrey Jantos As I was suffering up another climb, chasing my 11-year-old while hauling my 4.5-year-old son as dead weight on the back of my mtb tandem, he asks “When can I pedal DAD???” Not. Soon. Enough. Tout Terrain’s Streamliner has been on my radar for several years now, and if you’ve been following The Bike Dads, you’ve probably seen reposts of Roger Essig ripping flow trails in Switzerland with one in tow. If you haven’t, find him on Instagram and watch a few of his videos—you’ll be inspired and you’ll want one bad. The Streamliner is a trail-a-bike with 9 speeds, a brake, and 6” of travel. It’s meant for real trail riding with kids ages 4-7. While not a cheap solution, it’s the only solution available that allows me to take at least 2, or even 3 of my kids (#MacRide) on trails I want to ride. It allows me to get a solid effort in for myself, and gives mom a break from at least half of the brood. Since I have 2 preschoolers, I knew I could maximize my use of the Streamliner because there’s almost always an argument over who gets to go on a ride with dad. My kids love bikes and have already spent countless hours out on the trails and on the road. I hardly even need to bribe them with mid-ride treats anymore! So, what does the Streamliner do well and what could be better thought out? The Great Any trail-a-bike capable of black diamond singletrack needs suspension, gears, and a well-designed universal joint and seatpost mount. The Streamliner scores very well here. Before I got into mtb tandems with my older son, we started on a trail-a-bike with no gears, no suspension, and a sloppy universal joint with a poorly fitting seatpost mount. Needless to say, the ride was less than ideal, and the Streamliner couldn’t be more different. The Streamliner’s suspension geometry is a high pivot design, which is well known to be the best for absorbing trail obstacles with its rearward moving wheel trajectory. This is especially important with such a small wheel. The air shock is easily adjustable, not overdamped, and has usable range within its adjustable rebound damper. On our first ride, I was initially taking it easy over rocks and roots. My son kept responding to my warnings about upcoming obstacles with “What bumps?” Very quickly, we were plowing through rock gardens with a simple command of “Level your pedals like daddy!!” I can still remember grinding up climbs pedaling a fixed-gear trail-a-bike when my 11-year-old was 6, and how incredible it felt every 3 pedal revolutions when his power stroke synched up with mine. The experience left me wishing he had gears. Enter the Streamliner which comes with a 36t front cog and an 11-36 spread in the rear. Because it’s on a 20” wheel, this gear ratio matches up to a 28×42 or a 33×50 low gear on a 27.5˝ wheel. Depending on your local terrain, fitness, length of climbs, and desired use, this gear ratio might work just fine for you. Personally, I plan to downsize the Streamliner to a 32t cog to better match the Streamliner’s low gear with my current fitness and the need to haul kids on hour-plus climbs. But WOW, the difference of hauling a preschooler as dead weight on the MacRide versus carrying his own weight on the Streamliner was like riding an e-bike for the first time. On our second ride, we went out with a group of older boys aged 10-13, and he motored along nearly weight-neutral on a 90-minute, 5-mile, 1000-foot climb. It was like he’d been pedaling for years, and it was PHENOMENAL. 5 miles from the bus and 1000 ft higher than the ocean Our old trail-a-bike had a sloppy universal joint and a seatpost clamp with poor tolerances that would rotate around the seatpost no matter how much I tightened it using the supplied plastic shims. This would result in the trail-a-bike leaning dangerously, and clunkiness in the joint when changing directions. The Streamliner’s universal joint is made with sealed cartridge bearings that are slop-free and rotate smoothly on both axes. You’ll specify your seatpost diameter when you order yours so that Tout Terrain can include a clamp that’s a precise fit. If you plan to use the Streamliner on multiple bikes with different seatpost sizes, you’ll want to order a separately-sized seatpost clamp. Either way, the Streamliner is firmly secured to your bike and it smoothly and quietly articulates when transitioning from corner to corner and up and over obstacles. Dropper-Post Compatibility So, the Streamliner has the fundamentals covered, but with its premium pricing, Tout Terrain needs to have every detail nailed, and there remains room for improvement. As far as I can tell, the current version of the Streamliner has been around since at least 2009. Bike design, geometry, and expectations have evolved tremendously in the past 10 years. It’s time for Tout Terrain to update the Streamliner to match these new realities. There was no such thing as a dropper post when the Streamliner was designed, so you mounted the clamp near the top of your fixed seatpost which provided you plenty of clearance for the boom tube over your 26” wheel. In contrast, on my 27.5” wheeled size-large frame there is just barely enough clearance to use the majority of travel and allow full articulation at the joint. With the industry trend towards shorter and steeper seat-tubes and 29” wheels, you’ll need to use a fixed seatpost. The same is true if you or mom rides a smaller sized frame. Tout Terrain should redesign the clamp and boom tube curvature to maximize the likeliness of dropper post and 29er wheel compatibility. Making installation easier for stealth-routed droppers would be an added bonus. My old-school set-up, circa 2015. Note the location of the pivot just in front of the rear axle. Tracking My old crappy trail-a-bike was easier to get around corners than my tandem, so I hoped the Streamliner would be similar or even an improvement. Unexpectedly, I found the Streamliner tracking farther than I would like to the inside of corners. Such handling isn’t a problem on wide open flow trails, but on tighter trails with sharper turns, it was difficult to keep my passenger from being drug through the brush, or worse, potentially clipping a handlebar on a tree. This lack of agility also made it more challenging to put the rear wheel where I wanted when threading rock gardens to keep the derailleur out of harms way. Considering the placement of the universal joint so close to the seatpost and the low and forward mounting position required by use of a dropper post, it makes sense that the Streamliner follows the center of the pilot bike versus the position of the rear wheel. Moving the pivot rearward so the Streamliner more closely follows the position of the rear wheel would help alleviate this issue, as well as decreasing the distance between the pilot’s rear wheel and the Streamliner’s splash guard to shorten the overall wheelbase. See the pivot location on the Burley Piccolo for an extreme example. I suspect there is a sweet spot somewhere in the middle. Size L frame with a 430mm seat tube shown with improved frame shape and pivot location Crank Length and Bottom Bracket Height The 135mm cranks Tout Terrain specs on the Streamliner are too long for 4-7 year old cyclists. Mounting the seatpost clamp to clear a dropper also lowers the bottom bracket from its ideal height, further increasing pedal strikes and chainring impacts. The chainring comes protected with a bash guard/chainguide, but that doesn’t change the fact that impacts are scary and potentially dangerous for both riders. The vast majority of 20˝ wheel bikes for 7-8 year olds use 110-120mm cranks. I replaced the 135’s with 115’s which vastly improved our pedal strike issues and the pedaling ergonomics for little legs. Given the target age range, the ideal set-up would be cranks with pedal holes drilled at 95 & 115 (similar to Trek’s dialed system) or single drilled around 105mm. Cockpit Ergonomics I trimmed the 600mm bars down to 500mm, which was as narrow as I could get them given the bend in the riser bar. I’ll probably swap them for a flat bar so I can get closer to 450mm—I’d prefer my children’s appendages be safely tucked behind me and as ergonomically correct as possible. The tiny clamp-on grips are cute, but thicker than what I use on my bikes. I tossed them, put a small strip of road bike cork tape on top of the bar, and wrapped it with cloth athletic tape to make it as easy as possible for little hands to hold on. For the same reason, all my children have always struggled to operate Gripshift. It’s just too big for them to get their hand around and reliably move in both directions, so I swapped to a trigger shifter I had in the parts bin. I miss having the numbers found on the grip shifter to tell them where to shift, but hopefully in the long run they develop a more intuitive understanding of shifting “harder or easier” to match my cadence and maximize their power output. This one barks orders to go faster but generally refuses to contribute to the effort. Derailleur Hanger & Rear Disc The derailleur is quite exposed so close to the ground. Given the tracking issues mentioned above I expect somewhat regular impacts with trail obstacles. I’ve already had to straighten the hanger once. Time will tell, but the lack of a replaceable derailleur hanger seems like an oversight to the design. Finally, a rear disc brake would be a nice addition, ensuring you won’t need to worry about keeping the wheel perfectly true to prevent brake drag when the reach on the lever is screwed all the way in to accommodate a child’s hands. Final Thoughts Tout Terrain has a GREAT chassis that makes riding rugged black diamond trail with children fun and possible. It makes multi-day (or week) off-pavement bike packing routes with your kids possible. It’s a great hall-pass extender and a much cheaper investment than a tandem. There’s nothing else even close to as capable on the market and given my circumstances, I fully expect to get 2-3 years of solid use from it. If this sounds like you and you live in the US, get a hold of Cycle Monkey (Tout Terrain has said they are no longer a dealer for 2019T) or contact Tout Terrain directly for your country’s distributor. That said, it’s time for Tout Terrain to update the Streamliner with greater consideration of current bike design and better thought out ergonomics specific to children. Doing so would make it easier to justify the premium product price tag. Proud Dad: The 5th grader hung with the 7th & 8th graders and team Streamliner kept them in view. The post Tout Terrain Streamliner Review appeared first on The Bike Dads.

The Burley D’lite trailer has been in our test fleet over the past few months and we finally feel we are now at the place to talk real-world thoughts on the product. The first thing I noticed when I pulled the Burley D’Lite out of the box was how incredible light the double stroller was. It is the lightest double stroller we have tested and it has been quite noticeable on some larger hills and when I have been exhausted after a typical brutal sleep with two kids under three years old. The first thing I noticed when I pulled the Burley D’Lite out of the box was how incredible light the double stroller was. It is the lightest double stroller we have tested and it has been quite noticeable on some larger hills and when I have been exhausted after a typical brutal sleep with two kids under three years old. The next thing that I fell in love with was the seat belt harness system that Burley has developed. If you don’t have a lot of experience with trailers or putting kids into trailers you will need to channel you inner ninja unless you were blessed with angelic children. The Burley straps never tangle and are always in the right spot when you manage to wrestle the kids in. I really wish that kids car seat manufacturers could take a page from the Burley product manual and figure out how to get those straps to quit twisting. The suspension system is fully adjustable and does well with smoothing out the ride on pavement and light gravel roads. The trailer has lots of headroom for the kids and some pockets for you to store their stuff when you clean up after them. The front door attaches on a two latch system that works as intended and getting into the trailer to calm a crying kid with the soother that always seems to fall out is pretty easy. The rear hatch has impressive cargo space and you don’t have to have a degree in engineering to get to that over packed diaper bag and some extra outdoor play toys. All the materials from the floor to the ceiling of the trailer are easy to clean as the people at Burley know how messy kids can get on outdoor adventures. For a double trailer the D’lite is fairly narrow. They have bowed out the upper trailer and brought axle width of the trailer in to help with navigating. The upper bowed part is effective in giving the kids some extra breathing room. Furhter, the way Burley have tucked in the wheels is really well designed. As a Bike only trailer the Dlite is pretty hard to beat for a pathway and light off-road use. If you are not loading and unloading it out of a car all the time, the Burley D’lite would be one of our first picks for double stroller on the market. We found that the arm that attaches the trailer to the bike quite hard to remove to get the trailer into the car. It was super sicky at first but did get a little better over our 6 month test period, but it was always something I didn’t enjoy. Other than the arm, loading the trailer was a breeze, the wheels, trailer handle and collapsing of the trailer with super intuitive and easy. We used the cross country ski attachment for fat-biking this past winter. Attaching the skis was brainless and they worked well on groomed and hard packed snow.   As always, with any rear axle hitch mounted trailer we recommend the Robert Axle Project rear axle for your bike. They simply work and you don’t have to fart around to get the hitch nice and secure. All and all we thoroughly enjoyed the Burley D’lite trailer; the weight, incredible harness system- we are going to call it one of the best in the industry, and all the well thought out cycling centrist features makes this trailer a top pick for any Bike family looking to buy a double trailer. Where to purchase: MSRP: $669 US | Where to buy: Burley Amazon Backcountry   Specs: Riders: 1 or 2 Capacity (lb/kg): 100 / 45 Weight Including Towbar, Hitch, Flag (lb/kg): 28.4 / 12.9 Interior Seated Height (in/cm): 25.5 / 64.7 Interior Seat Width (in/cm): 22.5 / 57.2 Interior Shoulder Width (in/cm): 25.5 / 64.8 Seated Leg Room (in/cm): 21 / 53.3 Window UV Protection Rating: UPF 30 Cargo Space (in³/liters): 2900/47.5 Wheel Size (in/cm): 20 / 51 Handlebar Height (in/cm): 30-46 / 76.2-116.8 Size Open L x W x H (in): 33.25 x 31.25 x 38.25 Size Open L x W x H (cm): 84.5 x 79.4 x 97.2 Size Folded L x W x H (in): 37 x 31.25 x 14.25 Size Folded L x W x H (cm): 94 x 79.4 x 36.2   The post Burley D’lite Trailer Review appeared first on The Bike Dads.

Our good friends at Woom Bikes and Buddy Pegs Media and spearheading an awesome weekend in Austin Texas. If you are anywhere close, you should definitely go. There is also a sweet contest. read below to find out the finer details. The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend is a multi-day celebration of family bike riding that coincides with the legendary Austin Marathon. Bring your kiddos to enjoy family friendly group rides, woom bike demos, Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playdates (for children 6 and under), author readings, raffles, bicycle scavenger hunts, and more! Whether you are coming in for the Marathon and wanting to entertain your children while your loved one prepares for their run, or just looking for a fun way to connect as a family on bikes, our festival is for YOU! RESERVE YOUR SPOT FRIDAY 2/5/19 At The Palmer Events Center 10:30am – 12:30pm: Age specific family group rides along the Ann and Roy Butler Trail (exact times and routes TBD) Bike Scavenger Hunt 1-4pm: woom bike demos for children 2 – 10 years old Buddy Pegs Media fun and games, Bicycle Playdates and Bicycle Playground (kids 2-6 years old) Author readings and book signings Bike-centric arts and crafts SATURDAY 2/16/19 At The Palmer Events Center 10am – 5pm: woom bike demos (kids 2 – 10 years old) Buddy Pegs Media fun and games Bicycle Playdates and Bicycle Playground (kids 2-6 years old) Author readings and book signings Bicycle Scavenger Hunt Arts and crafts table 11:45am: 1st Annual Youth bicycle category in the Manzano Mile event 1 mile out and back ride from Riverside Drive Start/Finish Balance bike and pedal bike divisions SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17TH At The Austin Marathon Finish Line Festival (7th & Congress) Buddy Pegs Media Bicycle Playground (kids 2-6 years old) woom bike demos Bicycle games and prizes Christian Bezdeka and Marcus Ihlenfeld developed woom in Europe before Mathias Ihlenfeld (Marcus’ brother) launched the USA branch in Austin, TX. woom is a family business born from a love of bicycles and a desire to make children happy. What started as a search to create the perfect children’s bike developed into a goal: build bikes that inspire children and their parents. The Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playground was developed to give children 2-6 years old a safe place to develop skills, confidence, and a love of riding through life on two wheels. Experienced Buddy Pegs ride leaders will be on hand to guide paretns and children throughout the weekend. CRANK OUT THE MANZANO MILE Two Bicycle Divisions for kids! Saturday February 16th 11:45 Children on Pedal bikes (full mile) 11:55 Children on Balance Bikes (1/2 mile) The Manzano Mile is named for 2019 Austin Marathon Official Race Ambassador and 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano. Leo is a highly decorated track star, four-time USATF National Champion, seven-time Team USA member, two-time Olympian, and the first Olympic medalist for the USA in the 1500m since 1968. The Manzano Mile embodies Leo ’s passion for reaching out to the community, specifically to local youth, through health and fitness programs. REGISTER HERE FUEL UP AT THE KODIAK CAKES PANCAKE FEED! Saturday 10am – 12pm At the Manzano Mile Start/Finish Area Our friends at Kodiak Cakes will be on hand to make sure you and your little one are fueled up for the Manzano Mile and a day of adventure together on two wheels! These are the best, most protein pancakes you’ll ever smother in maple syrup! SHARE YOUR LOVE OF BIKING & VISIT AUSTIN The best way to explore downtown Austin with your family is from the seat of a bike! The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend is an amazing opportunity to meet other like-minded parents and watch your little ones develop the riding skills, self-confidence, and resilience they’ll carry with them for life. Click to Register CLICK TO REGISTER UPGRADE YOUR CHILD TO A VERY IMPORTANT PEDALER Each VIP package includes: Event T-shirt from Recover Brands (100% recycled) Special gifts from woom and Buddy Pegs Media Amazing coupons and promotional deals from our partners Priority admission to the Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playdates (optional) Priority start line “call-up” at the Manzano Mile Priority woom demo bikes Commemorative event poster $25/child GRAB YOUR VIP SPOT JOIN THE RIDE We would love to have your family join us at the 1st Annual Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend! Register for FREE or grab one of our limited VIP (very important pedalers) spots for that includes a limited edition event t-shirt, gifts from our supporting partners, priority spots in our Bicycle Playdates, and more! CLICK TO REGISTER GETTING THERE The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend is a perfect way to explore downtown Austin, TX as a family. All events are conveniently located located next to the Austin Marathon Health & Wellness Expo Friday and Saturday, and Sunday’s Finish Line Festival. THE PALMER EVENT CENTER If you are going to drive, we strongly encourage carpooling as traffic gets quite busy all around downtown race weekend. To book convenient and affordable parking, we recommend using SpotHero, the nation’s leading parking reservation app. To reserve your parking spot today, visit the Austin Marathon Expo SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. New to SpotHero? Download the SpotHero iPhone | Android app There are lots of bicycle racks on site so avoid the parking fees and ride your bike! There are also two Austin B-Cycle stations around the Palmer Events Center available. Visit CapMetro.org for information and schedules on Metro Bus and Metro Rail. THE FINISH LINE FESTIVAL Look for the woom and Buddy Pegs Media tents at 7th St & Congress Ave where we’ll have a Bicycle Playground and demo bikes for children 2-6 years old. Parking in the downtown area within walking distance of the start and finish lines is plentiful. There are numerous free and paid parking garages and surface lots as well as free on-street parking downtown. On-street metered spots are free of charge on Sundays. To book convenient, affordable, and stress-free parking in advance, use SpotHero to reserve your parking spot today. Visit the Austin Marathon SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. The post The Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend appeared first on The Bike Dads.