When the new 15mm QR standard was introduced this summer by Fox Racing and Shimano, I was STOKED! Not because of all the marketing hype that typically surrounds such launches (remember the hype that surrounded the OnePointFive head tube?), but because this was something that I could believe in because it simply makes sense.

I’ve been riding 20mm thru-axles pretty much exclusively and am still weary of anything with a standard 9mm quick-release axle. Why? Well, think about how spindly those things are AND… think about when they were first introduced into the cycling world. Those things date back to 1930 when Tullio Campagnolo first introduced them to the sport. Yeah… you read that right, 1930!

At that time, this was revolutionary, but also at that time, mountain biking wasn’t even a glimmer in anyone’s eyes and suspension wasn’t commonplace until the late 1990’s.  So, to sum it up… a suspension fork has no business still using a standard 9mm quick release in my book. They simply lack the stiffness and burl to match the forces put on them by today’s suspension designs.

Fox Vanilla 32 RLC 15QR Fork – Quick Thoughts

I’ve been lucky enough to get ahold of a 2009 Fox Vanilla 32 RLC fork with the 15mm quick-release platform. After a few weeks of trouble acquiring the right hub (thank you Shimano for coming through), I was finally able to lace up my front wheel with the proper hub.  When you switch over, you’ll have to do the same, so be glad I’m blazing the trail for you.

The new Vanilla 32 sports 140mm travel via an open bath system. That means, this fork is drop-dead simple to set up and tweak.  There’s no air pressure valve to worry about, you just hop on and ride.

Overall stiffness is outstanding and noticeably superior to a standard 9mm dropout. I can definitely feel the fork tracking straight–thus providing even more confidence over rough terrain. At only 4.46 lbs for 5.5 inches of travel, this looks to be the lightest open bath suspension fork with this much travel on the market today.

Travel thus far seems smooth and consistent–I’ve forgotten just how smooth oil forks are. The only minor complaint is the inability to reduce travel on long climbs, lockouts are great, but travel reduction is that much better.

All the fork adjustments are noticeable and allow you to tune the fork with the flip of a switch or the turn of a dial–again, no shock pump needed.

Good

• Love the 15mm thru-axle… super stiff and super easy to use
• Very smooth travel… dare I say plush?
• Lateral stiffness
• Easy adjustments without shock pump
• Includes two springs to adjust pre-load compression

Bad

• 15mm hubs are hard to come by, but coming in stock quickly
• Your fork-mount bike rack will be obsolete

Look for a more detailed, long-term review of this fork on www.FeedTheHabit.com in the coming weeks.

Here are a few more specs on the 2009 Fox Vanilla 32 RLC 15QR Fork:

• Travel: 140mm (5.5 inches)
• Weight: 4.46 lbs (15QR)
• Adjustments: Low speed compression, lever-actuated lockout, lockout force adjust, coil spring preload and rebound
• Disc Brake: Post mount (Hooray!)
• Price: $675 MSRP

Buy Now: Search for Fox Vanilla 32 Forks

Setting up your home network used to be something you called your buddy from the IT help desk to do. Network storage appliances used to be configured by PhD’s. Apple has changed that.

I recently purchased the 1 TB Apple Time Capsule and like a lot of Apple’s products it does something so nicely you just forget (or choose to overlook) the short comings. Bottom line is that I think this device is well worth the money at $500 for 1 TB of storage.

I initially set this up with my Mac Mini on Leopard as the de facto Time Machine, but shortly realized that it was a waste of 1 terabyte (TB) of network storage capacity. I backup everything I have with a second hard drive and keep it outside the house anyway. I don’t need a back up system for the few files I actually keep on my desktop. Time Machine might be great for the conspiracy theorists who worry about the end of time and all that, but it just wasn’t for me. I found some articles in chat rooms describing how to partition the drive for network storage and the typical Time Machine usage, but I chose just to keep it all as storage and turn the backup feature off.

Below I break down the pros and cons but I just have to say this thing just works like a champ and couldn’t be easier to set up. My only real gripe, that I wish I had a way to address, is that I use this as my storage for all my music files. When it streams a song longer than say 4 minutes it falls into sleep mode and can sometimes delay the start of the next song or stop serving up its buffer all together. I wish I had a way with the Air Port Utility to change this sleep time duration but I don’t. This happens so infrequently that it doesn’t bother me that much. More importantly, I suspect this devise should last me a good four years and hold all the MP3s, digital video, and photos I can produce.

Pros:

• Great range (8o2.11N)
• Very reliable
• Simple
• Fast

Cons:

• Limited Flexibility
• Sometimes sleeps when streaming music via iTunes
• “I” personally don’t like Time Machine backup software

Santa Monica, CA – August 20, 2008 – Red Bull Rampage, the premier freeride mountain biking competition, held annually from 2001 to 2004, is blasting back onto the scene in 2008, bigger and badder than ever before. From October 2-5, Red Bull Rampage: The Evolution will draw the greatest riders in the world to a new venue just outside Virgin, Utah, offering the most challenging terrain mountain bike competition has ever seen.

MAKING HISTORY
As the new millennium arrived in 2000, a new breed of riders were pushing the frontiers of mountain biking, veering off the established groomed trails to forge first descents down unchartered mountains, similar to backcountry freeskiers. These riders were tackling steep lines and treacherous cliff drops, filming jaw-dropping video parts, and pushing the limits of the sport. With the birth of Red Bull Rampage in 2001, the event gave these pioneering riders a venue to prove that they were among the most skillful riders on the planet – not to mention some of the craziest. Red Bull Rampage immediately became the event that everyone clamored to be at all year; riders from all mountain bike disciplines hoped for an exclusive invite to the event, and the industry held its collective breath every October to see just how far Red Bull Rampage and the riders would push the sport.

After four inspiring and extremely successful years at the same venue, the long search began for a new, even more challenging piece of terrain. Event organizers scoured the globe from Turkey to China to Mexico and beyond to find the perfect location that could match the sport’s progression. Ironically, after years of searching, it was only 20 miles from the original Red Bull Rampage site that the most ideal land revealed itself – and called for the return of mountain biking’s biggest event. Red Bull Rampage: The Evolutio features all-new terrain with bigger man-made elements, and the possibilities are endless. Robbie Bourdon, who placed third at the 2001 event, knows that the stakes will be raised in 2008. “They’re going to bring slopestyle riding and big mountain riding together,” he says, “and it’s going to turn into the sickest contest ever.”

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
On a dangerous network of ridges near Zion National Park, riders will have free reign to navigate their descent between a designated starting area and a finish line more than 1,000 vertical feet below. Thursday and Friday are open practice days for the athletes, allowing them to scout their lines, size up the thirty-plus foot gaps and cliff drops, and practice their tricks. On Saturday, each of the 28 invited riders will take two runs; their best single-run scores will determine the top 14 who will advance to Sunday’s final. The 14 finalists will run two more descents on Sunday, with their best score determining the overall winner. In addition, the Utah Sports Commission will also present a Red Bull Rampage Best Trick award on Sunday.

PUSHING FORWARD
Competitors will be judged on style, amplitude, fluidity, and difficulty of line, and with a $25,000 prize purse up for grabs, playing it conservative is not a strategy option. Will past champs like Cedric Gracia (France) or Kyle Strait (USA) stand on the podium again, or will a dark horse emerge with new tricks or a gutsy line down the mountain that makes everyone re-think what is possible on a mountain bike? Regardless of who emerges on top, Red Bull Rampage: The Evolution will once again expand the frontiers of the sport.

ABOUT UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION
The Utah Sports Commission is a not-for-profit 501c3 charitable organization governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees consisting of statewide sports, business, community, and government leaders. The Sports Commission was created to foster national and international amateur and professional sports competitions to be held in the state of Utah, acting as a catalyst in unifying the states sports community and strengthening Utah’s presence in the global sports marketplace. The Sports Commission works closely with communities, sports entities, and organizations to provide event services ranging from the bid process, on-site logistics, volunteer coordination, sponsorships and promotional opportunities and other related services. For more information, visit www.utahsportscommission.com.

More Info: Visit RedBullRampage.com

While chains are widely recognized as the weakest link in bicycle drivetrain design, they aren’t going away anytime soon.  With the exception of the Rohloff rear hub and a few other quirky, but unusable designs, the standard front and rear derailleur setup has been around for years will little real changes over time.  Yeah, you’ve gotten carbon fiber and different actuation ratios, but the principle has always been the same.

Now, step back for a second and think about the last time you lost your chain or mis-shifted and it dropped right off your granny gear just before a killer climb.  Or, even worse… when you had a killer case of chain suck and it took you and three of your buddies just to pry the chain out from in between the granny gear and the bottom bracket shell.

I would venture to say that the front derailleur and chainrings are the weakest link in current mountain bike drivetrains and are prone to the most problems overall. I’m also a proponent of two chainrings up front because you don’t really need that large chainring unless you ride on the road–and who wants to do that? Not only that, but there are many frame designs that don’t lend themselves well to a proper front derailleur alignment and give me more headaches than smiles as I try to get them dialed in.

Introducing Truvativ HammerSchmidt

Well, the boys at Truvativ and SRAM have come up with a solution… the Truvativ HammerSchmidt integrated cranks and front transmission. This design eliminates the front derailleur from the mix and drops you down to a single chainring while still providing all the benefits of a 22/36 or 24/38 chainring duo.

Built inside the Truvativ HammerSchmidt transmission is a standard 1:1 ratio and a 1:1.6 ratio gearing system called OverDrive, which can be shifted on-the-fly at any time. No more slowing your cadence to shift… no more chain suck… no more losing your chain–just clean, crisp shifts every time and any time you want.

Truvativ HammerSchmidt is available in two flavors: All-mountain (based on Stylo cranksets) and Freeride (based on Holzfeller cranksets). MSRP for the HammerSchmidt AM system with X.9 shifter starts at $700 and HammerSchmidt FR starts at $762. Add about $60 for a X.0 shifter.

I’m looking forward to getting to know HammerSchmidt over the coming months. The only catch is that you must have a bike with ISCG (International-standard Chain Guide) 03 or 05 tabs.  Most long-travel trail bikes and freeride bikes all come with ISCG tabs, but it’s still going to be the biggest limitation here for starters.  I know I don’t currently have a single bike with ISCG tabs, but now I want one.

Going into Interbike, this will be on my shortlist, so look for more details in the coming months.

More Info: Visit MagicMechanics.com

I’m really warming up to 29er mountain bikes and the new Ellsworth Evolve 29er is one of the best on the market.  Ellsworth doesn’t mess around… they are one of the most high-end bike manufacturers on the market and their designs are proven and dependable. Every Ellsworth I’ve ridden has been a ton of fun and the all-new Evolve is no exception.

I received the Project Pink Ellsworth Evolve about 6 weeks ago and have been flogging it on the local singletrack ever since. Here’s what I like best about the Ellsworth Evolve:

• It handles and rides on par with the best 26ers on the market
• Climbing is super-efficient
• It feels like it has more than just 4-inches of travel
• The build quality is impeccable
• I love the pink color and the cause it supports
• It is made entirely in the USA

But, with such a high-end product, it does have it’s drawbacks like not being able to test ride one before buying and the MSRP is a bit steep for a frame-only at $2400.  However, if you’re looking for one of the best 29er trailbikes on the market, and you’ve got the coin, the Ellsworth Evolve will reward you with solid climbing and capable descending–all in a bump-smoothing 29-inch wheel package.

Another great thing about Ellsworth… they don’t go changing their framesets every year just to make a buck off their loyal customers. Their designs look essentially the same year after year with only minor tweaks in linkages. So, once you buy an Evolve, it’s not going to look outdated in a year or two.

Read my complete Ellsworth Evolve Review on FeedTheHabit.com.

Buy Now: Visit WrenchScience.com to Buy an Ellsworth Evolve

There have been a lot of attempts at providing better and better hydration options in recent years. But most of them have to do with refining the tried-and-true CamelBak style hydration pack. There’s a problem with this though, and that is that having a pack on your back in the middle of a race is suffocating. Sure, it’s probably fine for an early morning trail run. But in a race? Your back would be soaked before the first mile.

So if you want to stay hydrated during an endurance race, the only other option has been a fanny pack from MountainSmith or something that has slots for 2 bike-style water bottles. Those have their place, but in a competition you’ll be bouncing the hips on every step! And you’ll always be re-tightening the belt strap after every 10 steps.

Enter Fuel Belt — the real runner’s best option to stay hydrated during an endurance race. There are other similar approaches, such as the ones by Ultimate Direction and Amphipod, but the Fuel Belt is an excellent option for the serious runner.

First of all, the model of Fuel Belt I tried out is cut very trim —- no extra straps hanging off. It is made of high-durability elastic, reinforced with welded neoprene. This makes it a snug fit (which is good — because the less bounce the better). But beware — this means if you are usually a 32- or 33-inch waist jean like me, you’ll have a snug fit in the Medium. The Medium fits 30-33 pretty well, but not much larger than that. Go for the Large if you are 34-inches+.

Another thing that reduces flapping straps is the closure — which is simply a large & wide swath of VERY strong velcro. No snap buckle to pinch your middle over the top of a plastic buckle. The velcro is very comfortable, very secure, very lightweight and foolproof.

The model of Fuel Belt I used had two 8 oz. squirt bottles in the kidney area of the belt, and a single zip pouch (for either keys, blister kit, or a few envelopes of energy gel). This is a great setup, since the bottles don’t bounce on your frontside (there is a model with four 8 oz. bottles, including 2 in the front, for ultra-long endurance runs). Also, having a little spot for the keys saves you the swing-and-slap of having them in a front pocket of your shorts.

The design of the bottle itself is one of the key successes of the Fuel Belt, in my opinion. By flattening the dimensions of the bottle it makes it more ergonomic, and feels more like just part of your body — rather than an attachment. The other cool thing? I’ve found that those little 8 oz squeeze bottles are perfect for sliding into a laptop bag or even a ski jacket pocket. I love gear like this that can do double-duty for regular daily use, as well as performance utility for race or high-action situations. These little 8 oz. hydration bottles are great little flasks for energy drinks when you don’t want to wear a pack — though I wish there were a more secure closure for the nozzle for those kinds of uses.

As I ran with the Fuel Belt I really enjoyed having hydration right at hand without the sweat of a backpack or the bounce of a fanny pack. Ideal for a race. The only trouble I had was with replacing the bottles into the kidney area of the Fuel Belt. Since the elastic straps are quite secure around the bottle, it’s a little tough to fit the bottle back in while running at standard pace — I had to reduce my cadence a bit for a moment to get it slipped back in. Once or twice I had to reach back with both hands and use one hand to hold the elastics open while slipping the bottle back in with the other. However — whatever seconds you lose by lowering your cadence to replace the bottle will likely be regained tenfold by keeping yourself properly hydrated to keep attacking late into the race.

All told, the Fuel Belt is a great hydration option for runners. But that’s not all — Fuel Belt has also made some bottles and fuel gel boxes for cyclists and other pursuits as well (see my photos at right).

Check them out at FuelBelt.com.

BUY NOW: Click here to check out deals on other hydration packs.

With the commencement of Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 here in Salt Lake City, it’s time for the onslaught of the new and cool gear that will be coming out over the next six months. Most of the gear I’ll see will be introduced in Spring 2009, but some are or will be available this Fall.

Julbo sunglasses–long known as the defacto standard in glacier glasses–have been slowly entering the mainstream sunglass and goggle market. Frankly, I hadn’t seen their designs in years because I had nailed them as a mountaineer-only type of eyewear company.  Not so… their new lineup of cycling, running and ski goggles are solid.

I’m very stoked on Julbo’s Zebra Photochromic and Antifog lens technology. I’ve long been a promoter of lens-swapping technology because it makes sunglasses that much more versatile for all light conditions.  However, I think Julbo has come upon something better. The Zebra lenses transition from 40% Visual Light Transmission (VLT) to just over 6% VLT in a matter of 30 seconds.  That means, you can use the same pair of sunglasses or goggles in varying light conditions without worrying. It just may also eliminate the need for multiple lenses.

I took a look at a few new designs from Julbo and I was stoked on the following models:

Julbo Run Sunglasses

Awesome wraparound design provides excellent coverage and superior visibility. With sticky rubber in the right places, these glasses should stay put under fast downhills on the local singletrack. Available with the Zebra Photochromic lenses or polarized options.

Julbo Tracks Sunglasses

A lightweight, athletic sunglass that’s built for cycling, mountain biking and trail running. With built-in, adjustable lens vents, these will stay fog-free when things get hot and sweaty. Available in both Zebra Photochromic and 3-lens (polarized, hi contrast, clear), these are light and versatile.

Julbo Revolution Zebra Goggles

I’m a fog machine when it comes to ski goggles and these goggles intrigued me. With their single lens and Zebra Photochromic coating, I was told they performed just as well as the best designs at staying fog-free. I’ll likely get a pair this winter to flog backcountry skiing, but these goggles look hot and you can’t go wrong with the Zebra lenses.

Buy Now: Search GEAR.com for Julbo Sunglasses

Maybe it’s just me, but I think the 2009 Burton Custom X snowboard looks pretty sick. Especially the wide version, if you live & snowboard in the West (the Rockies, the Cascades, the Sierra Nevadas…..). Cheap snowboard gear it isn’t, but your ride is often worth the coin. But you can also buy cheap snowboard gear too — cheap snowboard gear definitely has its place, especially if you do lots of rail slides and rock jibs and go through a couple of different snowboards in a single season. But if you plan on snowboarding in bottomless powder or hitting huge gap jumps in Grizzly Gulch, the Burton Custom X wide may just be your snowboard of choice.

While other companies like Lib Tech are radicalizing snowboard design with banana boards like their Skate Banana snowboards (reverse camber and magna traction sidecut? sweeeeet…) Burton just keeps rocking what’s working.

The Burton Custom X snowboard takes what has been working for years with the hallowed Burton Custom snowboard and gives it a bit more width for those deeper days. Of course, if you ride park then you’ll want the traditional Custom X. But in the pow, there’s no better way to make the whole mountain a pow-filled terrain park than to get a bit more width under you.

This year Burton gave the Burton Custom X wide an ICS binding mounting system which will give you more options for your stance setup. And you can trust Burton, of course, to be making the board with their Dragonfly wood core and Vaporskin construction.

Other highlights of the Burton ‘08-’09 lineup collection (some of the sickest Burton gear out there — many of these are shown in the pics at right):

- Burton Apres Jacket
- Burton Hustla Pant
- Burton Entourage Jacket
- Burton Vent Pant
- Burton Cartel snowboard bindings
- Burton Freestyle snowboard bindings
- Burton Bullet snowboard – wide
- Burton Shaun White Cosmic Delight jacket
- Burton Shaun White Noble Gentleman’s jacket
- Burton Shaun White Bad Moon Rising jacket

Click here to check out the Burton Custom X Wide and the rest of the ‘08-’09 lineup.

Click here to check out more killer snowboard gear for cheap.

In preparation for our family vacation back to the homeland of Seattle, I started looking for gear that would make our lives easier. We already have two BOB Revolution jogging strollers (single and duallie), already got the Kelty FC 2.0 Kid Carrier… what else could we need?  Well, with three kids under three-years-old, strapping at least one of them down is always a plus.

I saw the Deuter KangaKid kid carrier backpack and thought that would be a great addition to our slew of kid-friendly outdoor gear. Not only is it a solid backpack by itself, it can transform into a capable kid carrier in a matter of minutes–perfect for those “just in case” trips along the Seattle waterfront when little legs get tired.

When the Deuter KangaKid arrived, I was instantly impressed with its style, fit and function.  It looked like a solid backpack with all the standard fare commonly found on Deuter’s lineup of backpacks. If you’re not familiar with Deuter, it’s because you live on the wrong side of the pond.  Deuter has been building backpacks for longer than almost everyone else on the market, but they have only recently (over the past 10 years) grown their presence in the States.

Deuter KangaKid Review

The Deuter KangaKid sports a comfortable suspension, shoulder straps and waist belt. I’ve found it to be very comfortable under the load of my 18-month old son for 2-3 hours at a time. He digs it and seems to be very comfortable hiking around town and on the trail.

Getting him in and out of it is fairly easy, but it requires something to set both he and the pack on, like the front seat of a car, a sturdy table or a bench.  It’s easy to get him buckled in and on my back with the weight distributed on my hips.

Hauling the kids around along the Seattle waterfront, this pack was the perfect choice. I felt I was able to carry all the essentials along with the most essential of them all… my son.

Without my son in the pack, it felt a little odd and the waistbelt sat a little higher than my hips.  I had to loosen everything back up to get it to sit right, but that should be expected when switching modes.

Good KangaKid

• Deuter quality and good looks
• Easy-to-use kid carrying system
• Very comfortable suspension design
• Lots of pockets and storage areas

Bad KangaKid

• Unweighted, the pack sits a little high on the waist
• 33 lb. carrying capacity… seems like they are being conservative
• No waistbelt adjustment straps to pull the pack in tighter
• Side straps cover the clamshell zippers

Overall, the Deuter KangaKid has been a great addition to our kid-friendly gear quiver. I love how comfortable it is and the flexibility of being able to strap a kid into it on-the-fly is awesome. The plentiful pockets keep everything organized. This might replace our Kelty for hiking trips with the kids as well… it’s so much easier to haul around.

Buy Now: Search for Deuter Kid Packs on GEAR.com

If you are a serious runner, you have definitely spotted Newton Running Shoes on some of your heroes. Heather Fuhr? Check. World Record holder Natascha Badman? Check. Ironman champions like Michellie Jones and Peter Reid? Yep, they are in them too.

So what is it about this shoe that has the athletes buzzing? Newton Running Shoes haven’t just come up with new springs and bouncy shock absorbers. They actually change the way your foot takes its step, making you less likely to incur injury. And even if you aren’t competitive, if you are just running to stay fit, staying injury-free is the best way to always be ready to exercise. I should know — I’m currently injured and I’m sitting here writing to you instead of getting out there being active. Nothing can turn tone into tubbiness like an injury that keeps you sedentary.

Did you know that a surprising percentage of runners will have to discontinue running this year because of running-related injuries? The guys at Newton Running Shoes know that —- I guarantee it. And some folks think their shoes could be a serious runner’s ticket to reducing running-related injury. Here is how Newton says their shoes are different:

When you run barefoot you naturally land on your forefoot. Newton Running shoes were developed to make your feet think they’re barefoot and increase your performance.

The sole of Newton mimics your own, allowing your foot to move freely and promote a forefoot impact.

Basically, when you run in regular shoes all of your weight lands squarely on the heel….pounding on it over and over. That’s a ton of impact, over and over. That’s a lot of punishment, over and over. Newton Running Shoes are supposed to have your forefoot hit first, which many say causes more than 50% rebound of energy.

So it’s no secret why many folks are checking them out:
1) Since you land on the forefoot, there’s may not be a need for big shock absorption under the heel;
2) Which means the shoe can be made lighter;
3) Which means you will likely conserve energy;
4) Which means you might feel like you can run more without as much risk of injury.

Check them out here: NewtonRunning.com

BUY NOW: Click here to see great deals on other running shoes, too.

Cheap gas. What could be better? Lots and lots of cheap gas. Unfortunately, that’s not what you often find lately — especially during the summer driving season. What’s worse, you can’t find cheap gas here in Utah at all — in fact, Nevada has lower gas prices than Utah right now. In fact, most of the US has cheap gas compared to Utah where the price is still upwards of $4.25 per gallon in many places.

But I recently picked up an Audi A6 Quattro, silver with a 3.2 liter engine. And I have been very pleased with one particular aspect of it: it doesn’t require premium gas. So cheap gas is no longer a pipe dream for someone who wants to drive a luxury all-wheel drive car. What’s more, its fuel economy is so good that it gets roughly the same gas mileage as a Subaru Outback wagon.

You know, I heard a quote (and I can’t remember the reference) that the automobile companies’ goal is to make the average guy dissatisfied with his existing car about every 1.5 years so that he’ll pick up a shiny new one with a cool new design. I guess I am definitely guilty of succumbing to their strategy sometimes, but this time around I think I’ve picked up a keeper: the Audi A6 Quattro.

I had been driving a Subaru Outback, but decided to be “sensible” and pick up a simple Ford Fusion sedan about 2 years ago when they first came out. But here’s the problem: In the winter I do dawn patrol backcountry ski tours at least once or twice a week in the morning before work. And on snowy days, I would take my wife’s ‘05 Toyota 4Runner. But I always felt awful leaving her with the Ford, because then she couldn’t really go anywhere that day — it was just front-wheel drive, and we live right at the bottom of the Cottonwood Canyons in Salt Lake (20 minutes from Snowbird). She would have plenty of snowy, hilly roads to maneuver. So my quest for a good all-wheel drive car began…

I went through a lot of choices: Another Subaru? A different wagon like the Volvo XC70? A BMW 325xi? And I even considered an AWD Ford Fusion. But frankly, none of them had the polish and powerful engine I was looking for at the price point I wanted to hit. Plus, many of the luxury brands required premium gas.

Then I came across the Audi A6 Quattro. It has a 3.2 liter engine, all-wheel drive, leather seats, built-in turn-by-turn navigation system, etc, etc, etc, etc……I couldn’t list all the options. But I found one at roughly the same price as an LL Bean Outback, which doesn’t even have all the high-end features of the Audi. Then the kicker — it didn’t need premium gas, it could take mid-grade gas just fine.

So here I had found it — an all-wheel drive car for my wife to drive on snowy days when I take the 4Runner, but at the right price, and it doesn’t require premium. Cheap gas was no longer totally out of the question — compared to the BMW and Volvo cars that all required premium.

I’ve been monitoring the mileage I get too, and even with driving it hard and in the city a lot I am getting just over 25 mpg. That’s not bad for an all-wheel drive luxury car with a 3.2 liter engine.

I know some will think that’s not such great mileage, and others will think it’s dumb to go for a luxury car. But for me it was the right combination of top end features, price, and practicality. I certainly think the Audi A6 Quattro is worth a test drive, especially if you live in the Rockies.