The Icebreaker SS Roto Zip Jersey is a bike jersey gone smell free. After a hot summer of testing here’s what I found. Oh yeah, Icebreaker kicked over the jersey for testing and review.

Icebreaker SS Roto Zip Jersey Features

• Material: GT 200 (200g/m2 merino wool, spandex)
• Active fit
• Eyelet Panels for venting
• 1 rear zippered pocket
• Half-length zipper
• Recommended Use: mountain biking
• Price: $119.95

Icebreaker SS Roto Zip Jersey Review

The Icebreaker SS Roto Zip Jersey is almost like the anti-bike jersey. It’s loose fitting bike and not flashy. With that said, it’s probably more at home on a mountain bike ride than a road ride. I wore mine mainly on my daily bike commute.

For mild to hot temps the Roto Zip is light and airy enough to keep you comfortable. The Merino wool fabric is light and comfortable on the skin. For extra venting Icebreaker included the half zip (which is also fantastic for showing off your hairy chest) and some eyelet fabric under the arms and at the top of the back panel for increased airflow.

Performance was good. It kept me cool, wicked the sweat away, and stayed smell free. My longest time between washes came in July when I went three weeks riding daily in the Roto. Three weeks of hot summer riding and the Roto was virtually smell free. It was like the Royal Gardens compared to the smell of your typical jersey after 20 minutes of riding.

A single pocket on the bottom right side is just the right size for a gel or bar or keys. I found the loose nature of the fit wasn’t good for putting your phone back there. It just bounced and tugged all over the place.

I like that the Roto isn’t flashy, it isn’t skin tight, and it performs exceptionally well.

The Good

• Light and airy
• Smell Free
• Loose fit

The Bad

• You won’t look like a road warrior in it (if your into that sort of thing)

Bottom Line:

Icebreaker SS Roto Zip Jersey is awesome for a commute or mountain bike jersey.

Buy Now: Pick up the Icebreaker SS Roto Zip Jersey

Upon arrival, the Mojo had a set of Crank Brothers Iodine wheels, a 2010 Fox 2010 32 TALAS fork and a complete SRAM X.9 group waiting in the garage to complete the build–solid parts to adorn this carbon beauty. I ended up with the clear black color frame (after waiting a few weeks for the Guiness Foam), which in the end looks to be the best choice in combination with the burnt orange wheels.

The complete build was performed by the crew at Timpanogos Cyclery in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Not only did they do a great job, but they turned it around in an afternoon in rockstar fashion. The mechanics were stoked to build up the Mojo and had the final weight waiting for me upon arrival… 26.5 lbs.! I knew it would be light, but not that light! I’m confident if I carbon this thing out, it would easily drop below 26 lbs.

My Mojo Custom Build

• 2010 Ibis Mojo (Size: Large – Color: Clear – Lopes Link)
• Rear Shock: 2010 Fox RP23 w/Boostvalve
• Front Shock: 2010 Fox 32 TALAS 150 RLC
• Wheelset: Crank Brothers Iodine
• Drivetrain/Shifting: SRAM X.9
• Cranks: Shimano SLX
• Brakes: Avid Elixir R (180 front / 160 rear)
• Tires: WTB Wolverine 2.2 F/R
• Stem: Syncros AM (60mm / 12deg)
• Seatpost: Ibis
• Bars: Ibis low riser
• Headset: Cane Creek IS3
• Saddle: WTB Rocket-V
• Pedals: Crank Brothers Candy SL

Video of Ibis Rider, Brian Lopes in Whistler

My Ibis Mojo Review

After looking through the included Owner’s Manual (yup, I actually read parts of it) for suggested rear sag settings, I settled on 15mm sag for my weight (175 lbs.) and riding style (everything, everywhere, all the time). That put me at 140 psi., which has turned out to be perfect for both XC and AM riding. The front fork took a little more fiddling to find the right air pressure, but in the end I’ve settled on 80 psi. For the first few rides, you may want to be sure and take a shock pump along as you fine-tune the suspension to your liking.

Above all, I keep coming back to the light weight of this bike as built. My goal was not to build the lightest bike, but this is by far the lightest all-mountain bike I’ve owned and it is absolutely amazing how much of a difference dropping a couple of pounds can make.

OK… once I got past the ooo’s and aahhh’s of the bike and its light weight, I was bent on finding its weak spots on the trail. I’ve now ridden the Mojo on a variety of nearby trails–from high-energy XC burn-fests to thousand-foot climbs and on down fast and technical descents. Nothing fazes this thing.

In all conditions, the DW-Link suspension provides super-efficient pedaling performance. Climbing traction is awesome in all conditions with the only weakness shown in the tire traction at times on steep, rocky pitches. The entire rear-end stays steady and smooth under occasional hard pedaling and digs in for fast power transfer throughout all types of steady climbs. The occasional standing climb does blow through the travel a bit more, but traction is maintained.

When pointing this bike downhill, the suspension really shines. I love how well it soaks up obstacles and adapts to varied terrain. Rock drops and jumps are no match for this bike as it launches with ease and lands with bottomless comfort. The suspension ramps up well with consistently smooth resistance–making the 5.5″ of travel feel like more. I’m sure the new 2010 Fox RP23 with Boost Valve that I’ve been riding improves the downhill performance over the 2009 model, but I didn’t have a 2009 model shock on this particular bike for a direct comparison. All I can tell you is the new 2010 RP23 is perfect on this bike.

I’ve found the 2010 Fox 32 TALAS 150 with 15QR to be the perfect fork for this bike. Without question, the adjustability of the TALAS system makes this bike even more versatile, but if you’re running short on cash and have to settle for a 140mm or 150mm fork without travel adjustment, you won’t be sacrificing much. At full 150mm travel mode, this bike climbs with minimal wander and descends with confidence. Dropping it to 130mm slightly reduces front-end wander and makes for a little speedier handling (excellent for XC-style romps).

I’ve had more fun on the Mojo than on any other bike I can recall to date. It’s versatility is really unmatched (adding an adjustable-travel fork adds to that) and its overall efficiency just screams to be ridden and ridden hard. I love pounding out XC terrain and flying through twisty singletrack one day and then pushing the limits of my lungs and the Mojo on high-altitude climbs the next day. It is a consistent and comfortable performer when gravity takes over and always seems to glide through all types of sketchy terrain.

The Good

• The most confidence-inspiring bike I’ve owned in a long time
• Amazingly-light and fast up and down
• Super stiff frame feels solid
• Very flickable
• Drop-dead sexy looks
• Smoothest-climbing bike with 5.5″ travel
• Climbs straight with 150mm fork–even without reducing travel
• Built-in seatpost QR is smooth to use
• No weight limit on the frame
• 2-year warranty
• Absorbs drops and soaks up rough terrain
• Hauls tail equally well in XC or rugged AM terrain

The Bad

• Difficulty in getting certain frame colors
• Location of single water bottle mount is a waste
• I have heard complaints about clearcoat chippage–just got to take care of it like a $5000 bike
• Some people just won’t believe carbon fiber can be this capable (their loss)

Buy Now: Visit Wrenchscience.com to Build an Ibis Mojo

In the hopper for review is the 2009 Kona Dawg Supreme trailbike. With 6-inches of rear travel provided by Kona’s well-proven 4-bar linkage design, the Dawg is a lightweight trailbike for the masses. Built Kona tough but not portly, the Scandium frame keeps things real by picking and choosing the weight loss strategy.

Built with a solid, trail-worthy parts spec, there’s no question that the Dawg Supreme will be able to throw down on the Wasatch Crest Trail with the best of them. And, since it’s a Kona, it’s got no-nonsense, solid performance built-in. Every Kona I’ve ridden has just plain worked and worked well.

Dawg Supreme Highlights:

• Race light scandium butted frame
• Magnesium rockers
• 6-inches of rear travel
• Mixture of Shimano XTR, XT and LX components
• Mavic Crossmax ST wheelset
• Fox RP23 rear and Fox Float RLC with 15QR
• MSRP: $4599

I’m looking forward to putting the Dawg through its paces over the coming months. After my first ride of the year in Utah’s Lambert Park, I’m definitely stoked on the Dawg. I’m thinking we’re gonna become good friends.

The full Kona Dawg Supreme review has now been posted on FeedTheHabit.com.

More Info: Visit Konaworld.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

I don’t have much time to tell you about my last bike ride — and frankly my shoulder is killing me right now, so I’ll spare you the gory details. But I do have a bunch of pics for you to enjoy of the Wasatch Crest Trail — arguably the most enjoyable trail in Utah — and I wanted to share them. That trail has a bit of everything you could want. But for me, it ended in a bit of carnage with a broken collarbone. More on that later…

The Wasatch Crest Trail goes along the top of the Wasatch range, with views to the East towards Park City and The Canyons Ski Resort. And to the West are views of the Cottonwood Canyons where Brighton, Solitude, Alta, and Snowbird are located.

Like I said, the Crest Trail has a bit of everything you could want. It has a big uphill portion called Puke Hill (coming from the Guardsman entrance from Big Cottonwood Canyon near Brighton and Solitude ski resorts). If you like a climb, this one is definitely good for building your lungs. It then has a bit of a jeep trail towards a weather station. Then a long, gorgeous ridge ride on soft red dirt. That is followed by a steep, rocky spine in the style of Moab (see the video here for a glimpse of jimmymack’s first time riding the spine). After that, it’s just a looooooong gorgeous downhill singletrack for many miles before you come out of Mill Creek Canyon.

I’ve attached a bunch of pics for you to enjoy. I went with two of my brothers-in-law, John Hollberg and Brad Alldredge. And I then ran into an old college friend, Adam Davis, at the trailhead. We all pretty much rode the whole way together, until my “incident.”

About halfway through the downhill into Mill Creek, after the spine, I was in a bit of an opening in the trees. I saw about 5 folks coming uphill on the trail towards me, so of course I tried to get over to give them the right of way. But I was going at a fair speed and my front tire hit a rut, throwing me over the handlebars. Yes, I tried to do the “Magnum PI-style” shoulder roll but it didn’t turn out as smoothly as I thought it would.

As I lay there, face-down in the dirt, I heard the guys who were on their way up the trail stopping and talking about the wreck. I had no desire to move, because I knew something would hurt. I finally got up and I could tell my shoulder was destroyed. I was in serious pain, and I just kept hearing the guys who were coming up the hill talking about “popping my shoulder back in for me like Die Hard” and stuff like that, but really I didn’t feel like talking much. Much less letting ANYONE touch my shoulder.

But I was still about 5 or 6 miles or more from the car, parked at the bottom of Mill Creek Canyon. So what could I do? I just gritted my teeth and rode down the rest of the downhill, in pain with each stump or rock that I rolled over.

You can see I eventually made it down to the car, in the picture where I’m holding up my right arm. The doctor said it was a broken collarbone, and maybe a bit of rotator cuff. Bummer. But it doesn’t look like surgery will be required. Sweet!

So I don’t hold this injury against the Wasatch Crest Trail. It’s still one of the best trails (if not THE best trail) in all of Utah. If you get a chance to ride it and not get hurt, it will become one of your favorites. Heck — even if you do get hurt, it could still turn out to be your favorite.

Cheers,
Brig

I resisted the 29-er revolution until last fall.  I’d seen 29-er fully rigid singlespeeds made from niche manufacturers for years–mostly embraced by the hippie fringe mountain bikers wanting to buck the norm. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that we saw 29-inch wheels popping up on mainstream manufacturers like Gary Fisher and Felt and on botique manufacturers such as Niner Bikes, Ellsworth, Turner and Ventana.

Like I said, I hadn’t ridden a 29-er until last fall at Interbike 2007′s Outdoor Demo at Bootleg Canyon, Nevada. My first lap on a 29-er was on a the Niner RIP 9–hardly a good place to start for a first-timer.  I say hardly a good place to start because the RIP 9 sets the bar extremely high as far as versatility and function.

I’ve currently got a Niner RIP 9 in for long-term testing and I continue to be impressed with how well it performs. Not only is it one of the finest 29-ers on the market, it just happens to be one of the best all-around mountain bikes on the market, period.

In addition to the Niner, I’ve also got an Ellsworth Evolve 29-er in for long-term testing. Once again, Ellsworth is proving how amazing their ICT suspension design is.  Efficient doesn’t even begin to describe how well the ICT suspension performs while climbing and descending.  The Evolve, like the RIP 9, is also one of the finest all-mountain bikes on the market today.

With each bike, you have to shell out a premium because they are only sold as framesets. The beauty of that is you get to build them up however you like, but the downside is that it ends up costing a bit more.

Lessons Learned from 29-er Mountain Bikes

Thus far, I’ve learned a few things about 29-ers in general. Here are a few observations:

1. Good 29-er designs will roll over everything and feel just as nimble as their 26-inch brethren. Make sure you find one with the lowest-possible center of gravity
2. 29-ers aren’t for beginning mountain bikers… you have to be a strong rider to take advantage of the larger wheel’s momentum both climbing and descending
3. While climbing, you have to stay ahead of the gear’s natural cadence, otherwise you can easily lose all momentum when avoiding small obstacles
4. You don’t need as much suspension because the 29-inch wheels simply smooth everything out

So, get out there and try a 29-er. They are a blast to ride and add another element of fun to the trails as you rally down your favorite singletrack. And, I think they will continue to evolve and be more and more common as options at your local bike shop.  Like I said above, I don’t believe they are great options for beginners, but if you’ve got strong legs and lungs, you can power up anything and carve down anything as well. 29-ers are here to stay.

Have you ridden a 29er? Do you own one? Share your transition story below.

One of the best true all-mountain bikes has been re-designed for the 2009 model year. Fresh off the heels of the new Santa Cruz Blur LT re-design, the Nomad sports many of the enhancements delivered on the Blur LT in a longer-travel package.

Not only has the suspension design been completely re-factored, the frameset went through refinements as well. The huge hump on the top-tube has been subdued, making the bike an even nicer-looking package overall.

A Few Details on the 2009 Santa Cruz Nomad:

• Rear travel reduced to 160 mm from 165 mm
• Built-in grease ports on lower linkage
• Revised linkages and ratios
• New rear triangle

More details will be forthcoming along with a quick ride review after Interbike 2008 this Fall.

More Info: Visit www.SantaCruzBikes.com

Up for the climb, down for the descent. Up for the climb, down for the descent. I just did that yesterday. Most of the time, I don’t have time to adjust the seat down when on a trail with lots of ups and downs. The result is an awkward seat position during hairy, technical descents.

“Dang! I wish I had dropped my seat down for this descent!” echoes through my mind. But, just when I think that, the trail either flattens out or starts climbing back up.

It’s trails like that for which adjustable-height posts were developed. the early versions were heavy and awkward to operate. They had too much mechanical guts to be serviceable for the long-term. And their weight didn’t make sense.

Enter the Crank Brothers Joplin Adjustable Seatpost

This little number is smartly-designed (as all Crank Brothers products are) and highly functional. With two options: 1) Lever-activated and 2) Remote-activated, the Crank Brothers Joplin seatpost offers 3 inches of adjustability on-the-fly. Not only will this benefit any all-mountain rider, but especially anyone riding an interrupted seat tube design. Available in the most common sizes (30.9 & 31.6) and weighing in at 461-534 grams, it’s a worthwhile upgrade and 200 grams of extra weight–unless you’re a weight weenie.

Here are a few more features of the Crank Brothers Joplin seatpost:

• Length: 382 mm
• Options: Under-seat lever (L model) or Remote lever (R model)
• Weight: 461 g (L model) or 534 g (R model)
• Adjustment Range: 3 inches
• Sizes: 30.9 and 31.6 mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: $250 (L model) or $285 (R model)

I’ve used the Maverick Speedball on a quick ride a few years back, but I have yet to get on the Crank Brothers Joplin seatpost. It looks like a great design and something that would be an awesome addition to any bike. If you (like me) find yourself wanting to raise and lower your seatpost all the time, take a look at the Crank Brothers Joplin.

Buy Now: Search our Bike Catalot for the Crank Brothers Joplin

Niner Bikes came on the scene a few years ago building nothing but 29-inch wheel mountain bikes. If you haven’t seen the latest crop of 29er bikes, then you must have been hiding under a rock over the past couple of seasons. What was once only a “fad” adopted by fringe mountain bikers and single-speeds is now becoming mainstream and even adopted by most major manufacturers.

But, some dedicated 29er companies, like Niner Bikes, are flourishing and there’s no wonder why. Niner Bikes are built with passion and experience. The founders have tons of experience and drive in the bike industry and have brought that to the table with their stellar lineup. The superstar of that lineup is definitely the Niner RIP 9 full-suspension 29-er mountain bike.

Unlike most 29ers, the RIP 9 boasts 4.5 inches of travel. This is well beyond what’s offered by most manufacturers. With a carefully designed rear triangle and CVA™ suspension design, the RIP 9 gives new meaning to the word plush as it plows over small bumps without flinching, then climbs and descends with the best all-mountain bikes on the market today.

Niner RIP 9 Quick Review

I had a chance to ride the Niner RIP 9 at Interbike last fall and all I can say is WOW! This bike has won accolades from most of the major publications and I add my approval to the mix as this is truly one of the finest mountain bikes on the market today. It climbs extremely well and descends with smoothness not found on other bikes in its class.

If you are considering a new bike and want something different and mind-blowing, consider getting a Niner RIP 9 frameset and building out the new bike of your dreams. 29ers are for real and Niner doesn’t mess around. These guys know their stuff and their bikes show it.

Read my full review of the Niner RIP 9 at FeedTheHabit.com.

Specs on the Niner RIP 9:

• 4.5 inches of travel
• CVA™ suspension design provides smooth ups and downs
• Sealed cartridge bearings at all pivots
• Sizes: 16, 18, 20 , 22
• Shock: Fox RP23
• Weight: 6.51 lbs
• MSRP: $1649

Buy Now: Buy a Niner RIP 9 at WrenchScience.com

I’ve long been a fan of Crank Brothers pedals. the Eggbeater design is far and away the simplest and most consistent clipless pedal platform I’ve used. Just look at the design… 4-sided entry with plenty of float and easily-cleaned design that sheds mud and dirt better than anything on the market.

On the market for a few years now, the Crank Brothers Candy C pedals provide that little extra platform for those “just in case” times when you can’t get completely clipped in. They aren’t as big and beefy as the larger and more DH-friendly Mallet or Acid pedal design, but they are perfect for all-around riding and even road riding.

After using the Crank Brothers Mallet C pedals for two seasons, I switched to the Candy’s because they are lighter and better for all-around riding. The design is small and light enough that I use them on both my mountain and road bikes. I like having the same type of platform regardless of the type of bike I’m riding, so these are a great crossover pedal. (more…)