Something up the sleeve

Shimano have just launched their site for the new XTR due out in October. And as everyone has been speculating there is a new double XTR....the one crank to rule them all!

Shimano are going to be offering XTR in two options a trail build with dyna-sys and triple crankset and a racer build.



However there are a couple of things I'm not liking. First is a propriety bolt pattern again. 88bcd x 4 bolt (SRAM is 120/80). Secondly this limits the minimum chainring size offered to 40x28. Now this crank is being marketed as a "racers" crank, but we all know that even a 28x36 is very tall gear. SRAM OTOH have their 26x39 and paired with a 36 gives a gearing range that almost equals a standard triple setup.

The crank has been designed with a narrower Q factor and tweakwd chainline to 48.8mm to get rid of the normal MTB stance feel.

The other thing I'm really sad about is that Shimano have abandoned their dual control system on the 2011 range. I am a real fan of this coming from a road background the braking and shifting is just natural and very "road like".

Everything else in the range has been re-jigged as well including calipers, cassette, chain, derailleurs, and wheels.

All up it looks as though this is going to give SRAM a good run for their money in terms of weight and performance. Also Shimano don't release new products until they are spot on so it should be good to go straight out of the box.

Interesting Ad

Interesting Ad from Merckx Bicycles....

I have been busy!

Haven't posted a write up in a couple of weeks, in fact just before the 8hr race at yellowmundi. This was a race I was looking forward to as it is part of the NSW enduro series for the year, so to DNF out due to busting my knee up, not once, but twice was really disappointing.
In fact I managed to crash in exactly the same spot both times two laps apart. The falls were slow speed through a rocky technical section. The first time hurt and it took me a couple of minutes to get myself together again and back on the bike, but the second time was a lot harder and my knee started swelling and ceasing up. By the time I nursed it through the remainder of the lap it was getting towards excurating so I didn't have any choice but to pull the pin.
By the time I got home it had swollen to the point where there was golfball size lump on the knee and very stiff getting out of the car (Sorry no pictures).

So this mean't a couple of days off the bike, and with it being a long weekend I decided to get productive around the house. I have been swearing to my wife for a while that I would tidy and organise my bike stuff in the garage into some sort of order so on the Monday that's what I did...and it took me most of the day. And here is the final results.

Official Product Shot- CAAD10

The Ghost

First unconfirmed sighting of the new Cannondale Caad 10.
This was rumored to be released this year as an update for the current Caad 9 which I am currently riding. I have been waiting with great antipation for this bike all year...bring it on! (Which means we will see it in October here in Aussie)

2011 XTR Crank

First pic's on the new crank. I'm not happy if this is all that's on offer for next year! Where is the double crankset???

The Married Life of a Cyclist

2011 XTR

Rumor is 300gms lighter than 2010.
There is a information embargo till June 30th so details are sketchy (no details on the crank yet).... to be honest I'm not feeling it, it just doesn't look like the XTR of old.

Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment

Well I was going to do my normal write up but given how epic this event turned out I really don't think power numbers are going to cut it.

Basically the day went like this, early start-> coffee & food-> drive to race. try and not get car bogged in farmers paddock nor parked in. Unload then try and find shelter for 15 minutes before the start.

Start race, hit out too hard, hit first single track then into a world of pain for the next 4.5hrs. Explode with not eating enough, about the 50k mark before entering Majura.
Pull the pin at the exit through Majura after struggling with no brakes (see last post for pictures)

And that was my day in a nut shell.

Couple of pictures below that do it more justice.