Shimano Deore XT 8100 Micro Spline Freehub

Up the rock I went. A steep 5 ft. face and round edge that transitioned to a gently sloped wheel’s length plateau. I made it. A quick pause and pedal kick to the opposite edge for a controlled, feel-good rear wheel drop and. . .a lost connection from crank to the rear wheel. Thud! Crack!. […]

Oury – Big. Waffle. Grips.

Many have have tried to duplicate the design. None of have succeeded. Oury’s big block waffle pattern has stood the test of time. In partnership with Lizard Skins, the lock-on clamps use a 3mm hex bolt to clamp onto the bar; preferable over the previous design of 2.5mm. Grips are 32mm in diameter and 127mm […]

Morton’s Neuroma and Shimano ME7 shoes

I’ve got a foot issue. My right foot. It’s called Morton’s Neuroma. It’s self diagnosed of course; but, I’m not wrong. Until recently, I rode with Shimano’s AM7 shoes and the nerves regularly flared up between my third and fourth toes. It was absolutely miserable. It felt like standing on a pebble and came with […]

Shimano Deore 12-Speed

Because buying bike parts is almost as fun as riding with them, I nearly immediately replaced the OEM SRAM drivetrain on a 2020 Santa Cruz Chameleon with Shimano’s budget friendly 12-speed option. After 250 miles and a few part pull-offs/put-ons for the heck of it, I’m left with a few questions. In particular, the definition […]

BIKND Jetpack V2

A position change at work has me traveling a lot. A couple of weeks into the new role and I quickly realized how much time I was spending off of the bike and would likely continue to. My bikes needed to be with me. After a few days unsure of what my bike bag/case requirements […]

Osprey Seral Waist Pack

I’m a CamelBak guy. Have been for nearly 20 years. Their packs work well. And their reservoirs. Oh those reservoirs! Reliable water flow. Countless over the bar crashes and not one fail. I’m a CamelBak guy. I crashed hard recently and the impossible happened. My 3 liter reservoir busted. I was 8 miles deep into […]