Bike Review Time.

I'm not sure it's fair to review a bike that was custom made for me because if I don't like it I really have no one to blame but myself since it was me that told Chris at Dekerf what to make. So the only way to start this review would be to say, "yup, brilliant bike, fits perfectly, handles like a dream, whoever designed it must me a genius." Those who have been in the store have seen this cross bike kicking around for a while, some have even drooled over it. And if a droplet of that drool were to happen to contact the frame it would have run quickly down the exceptional paint and launched off one of the silky smooth fillets that hold this frame together. Fillet brazing is a bit of a lost art, not many still perform this somewhat underappreciated method of connecting bicycle tubes together for any number of reasons including it's heavier, more time consuming, old fashioned, but few can deny it makes a much more eloquent bicycle frame.

I've had the privelege of riding some pretty spectacular bikes over the ten years or so I've been in this industry and while I've run through a relatively large number of road bikes and a good sized fist full of mountain bikes there have been relatively few cyclocross bikes in my collection which is odd as I always seem to have one, I always seem to ride it more than the other bikes, and I have always preached that if you were to have only one bike then a cross bike would be the "one" to have. I'm not sure why I've neglected to try more over the years.

This bike replaced an Independent Fabrications cross bike I had and sold in the spring. The IF was a really nice bike from a company that is known to produce some of the nicest cross bikes available so the Dekerf was going to be up against some pretty tough competition. I've always thought the test of any bike is in the details. While the IF was a georgeous bike and very well made it didn't have the little touches that the Dekerf possessed, like a custom made seat cluster lug with the seat binder bolt integrated into it (the IF used an aluminum collar) and the reinforced brake posts. And while IF is known for some pretty spectacular custom paint jobs I would suggest the quality of the paint Dekerf applies is ever so slightly better. When I asked them to paint this frame for me I picked a colour that I thought I would like and they painted it that colour. They stood back and looked at the frame and then called me and said, "this paint just isn't doing the fillets justice. It's nice but I think it would be a whole lot nicer if you went with the emerald green instead." I said "sure" and they stripped and repainted the bike at no extra charge. The metallic flake of the emerald green is the perfect choice for this bike too and I've not regretted changing the colour.



Anyway, like I said, it's probably not fair to judge the bike on how it rides as it was build as I asked them to build it so if I were to complain about anything it would be my fault. The build quality is subject to review though and it was perfect and the bike assembled with ease with no issues of clearance or component compatibility. Perfect finish, top notch craftsmanship, and ease of assembly, I think that's about all you could want from a frame.

Components though, yes, I did choose them as well but that doesn't mean I can't complain about them. The bike is essentially an Ultegra 10spd set up with the R700 compact cranks and Paul components brakes. I'm generally a Campagnolo kind of guy but for cross I don't like the idea of loosening up your grip on the brake lever body in order to shift which with Campagnolo to access the thumb lever you have to do from time to time. While generally that would be fine I tend to ride cross bikes like mountain bikes so the firm grip is nice in more technical conditions. Shimano's shifter system is good for this reason. What I didn't like though is how light the action of the shift levers is. Cross being one of those activities one generally takes up in the off season months when there might be snow on the up high mountain trails and it's a little cold to be packing in the miles on the road you'll more often than not be finding yourself wearing a considerable mitten of some sort in an effort(usually futile) to keep your fingers warm. This reduces the tactile interface with the shifters and I found it very difficult to perceive the shifts especially when that tiny "click" was competing with the vibrations of a gravelly path.

The other factor I found frustrating was the 10spd aspect of the current Shimano road groups (and Campagnolo I suppose though their gearing selection is limited regardless, but still they offer easier gearing than Shimano by 2 teeth). Previously when I cobbled together a cross bike with Shimano STI levers I made a point of going with 9spd levers so I could mix in a mountain bike drive train. Imagine a 34/34 tooth low gear combo and how appealing that would be to keep you on the bike on some of the steeper ascents. It's a very nice gear. With a 10spd cassette you're limited to a 27 tooth easy cog. While I will admit that for racing if you're looking for a gear easier than a 34/27 then you'd be better off running but some of us aren't racing and when we go for a bike ride we'd rather ride the bike than carry it. This isn't a dig against 10spd (or the new 11spd from Campagnolo for that matter) as I've been heard to utter that the "perfect" cassette would be an 11-25 range with an 18 tooth cog which would require a 12 speed cassette which is why I'm holding on to my 10spd Campagnolo for at least another two or three years before upgrading. I'm sure Shimano won't be far behind Campy in coming out with 11 speed drive trains which will force Campy to come out with the perfect 12 speeds in the not too distant future.

But I digress...

As I was saying, what bothers me about the 10spd drivetrains is its incompatibility with crossing over with the mountain bike stuff. I don't think Shimano necessarily needs to come out with 10spd mountain groupsets but how hard would it be for Shimano to come out with a 10spd cassette that covered the typical mountain bike range of gearing (11-34) and just ask that you use a mountain bike derailleur with their 10spd road shifters? This wouldn't be only for the cross riders but would be useful for Randonneurs and long distance tourers who already have the triple cranksets but still want a gear lower than 30/27 for the fully loaded mountain passes. If you look at the trailside picture I took above you'll see a pretty steep path. You can't see my cogset but I was in the easiest gear and I didn't stop to take a picture, I stopped because my cadence had slowly dropped to zero forcing me off the bike. It's hard to gauge steepness in a photograph but I am pointing the camera slightly upwards for better framing so it's even steeper than it looks. I think I could have made it up with a 34 tooth cog without too much difficulty. That would have been nice. If you're listening Shimano...

Don't try this at home...

I'm pretty certain that the bike attached to a steel rimmed 26 X 1 3/8" bolt on wheel couldn't be all that spectacular and yet it would seem that even it has fallen victim to an overzealous bike thief in Vancouver. Just a reminder that a good lock is a good start but knowing how to lock up your bike is also important if you want to completely find what you left lashed to the sidewalk when you return to it some minutes/hours later.

More prototypes from the streets

Some may remember the prototype handlebar I spotted in Toronto. Well, I usually keep my eyes peeled similar new and innovative items being tested in the mean streets of our cities and I wasn't disappointed tonight. Above you'll see a new version of the ever more popular integrated seat mast. It uses proprietary offset technology that I'm not familiar with but you'll notice the complete absence of a binder bolt or fastening device just like you would (err, wouldn't?) see on other bikes with integrated seat masts. If you'll notice the monster gap between the post and the frame you'll understand my amazement when I grasped the saddle and gave it a firm twist to see if it would move and it was indeed firmly fixed in place both vertically and laterally. I can't imagine what R & D secrets lie buried deep within this frame that this post could so steadfastly hold itself in place in this frame but I can imagine the envy other manufacturers with their binders and collars being quite jealous of the weight savings this bike has in it's apparent lack of seat post fixing hardware. It's enough to distract the viewer from noticing the inverted rear brakes which are also, undoubtedly, a prototype of some sort though I'm not sure what advantage it offers though I'm usually suspect of the advantages most of the new stuff purports to offer.

By the way, I've just gone over some of the price increases for the new Shimano DuraAce components. When going from nine speed to ten speed the cost of a set of STI levers went up about 30%. Going from 2008 ten speed to 2009 ten speed you'll see the price of an STI lever set go up another 25%, no pricing on the electronic stuff yet though. It's a good thing the markets suck these days so you won't feel so bad cashing in your stock options for a set of shift levers for your bike. On the Campagnolo side the new Record 11 speed ergo levers are actually priced lower than the Record 10 speed ergo levers. Of course there's Super Record now but that's another absurdity altogether.

The Twist

With all the modern and plastic stuff out now you sometimes forget about where it all started and the little things that went along with the classic stuff, like the twist you put into toe straps as you thread them through the pedals. Don't get me wrong, I'd take a set of clipless pedals any day over the old Traps and Straps configuration but still, it's nice to work on it sometimes.

Bike Envy

I have a number of friends that are lucky enough to follow behind me and pick up my "old" and "demo" bikes that always happen to be the right size and the right price for barely used one model year old stuff. I also have a number of friends that curse me for being a couple of inches taller than they are because they see this steady flow of luxurious and spectacular bikes flow through my hands from year to year and into the hands of some grateful customer who just paid way too little for a pretty spectacular bike. I've never really thought about this latter group much until last week when Michael from Dekerf came by with his 08 race bike asking me if I would mind putting it on the floor and selling it for him. Michael is about 3 or 4 inches taller than I am and for the first time I'm looking at a really nice bike for a really good price and it's just the wrong size for me and I wish I was taller or he was shorter.



The bike is a steel 29er hard tail and is pretty much a show piece for the company so it's got a whole slew of high end bits and pieces on it as well as a slightly unique classic panel paint job.




As someone who rides motorcycles from time to time I can appreciate the inherent advantages to an inverted suspension fork when it comes to structural and torsional rigidity. The Maverick fork on this bike is a good example of how the Halson inverted suspension technology of the early/mid 90's has been improved upon in the world of forks for bicycles.




And no group of photos of a Dekerf would be complete without a shot of the trademark seat stays.




A nice touch for this frame in particular is the inclusion of an eccentric bottom bracket so the bike can easily be converted to a single speed without all the hassles of horizontal dropouts and their incompatibilities with disc brakes and wheel/flat changes.



So why is he selling it? Michael is a lot like me. He's bought "the last bike he's ever going to buy" probably going on 20 times. This bike is no exception. There's lots of super high end cutting edge technology stuff on this bike like carbon bars, carbon levered brakes, fancy inverted forks, top of the line X-O shifters. There really is no reason for him to sell this bike except that next year he'll need to have room in his storage locker for "the last bike he's ever going to buy." In the mean time someone will get a smoking deal on the last bike they will likely ever buy, as long as they are a bit taller than me which would put you in the 6'3" range. If you're that person the bike's down here at the shop if you want to take a look at it. And I wish I was just a bit taller.

Salsa Fargo

I don't even know what to say about this bike. It's the most messed up thing I've seen in ages and there's no good reason for me to want one but, well, I want one. I'm sure I'll find some way to rationalize it like "it'll be good for towing the kid in the trailer" or "I've always wanted to explore the back roads and fire roads of BC, what better bike." It has mounts for six bottle cages on all but the smallest size which holds an astounding five. There's a rack to haul out your camping gear, food, crossbow, or keg. It's the Hummer of the bike world, but in a good way. Unfortunately the complete bikes won't be available until next spring but the frames are rumored to be showing up in about a month. Maybe the shop will have one built up as a demo bike before Christmas and it might just be my size. Funny how that happens...

Am I this old?

I wonder how old I am that all I ever do is complain about how bad things have gotten and how good they used to be. I will admit we are not always the best judges of ourselves but I would suggest I'm a reasonable mechanic, or by many standards, a pretty damned good mechanic. I will admit I don't use a torque wrench but I defend that with a story about how at the beginning of the first wave of lightweight crap for bikes flooding the market (think Deda Newton stem) I went out and bought a relatively expensive torque wrench and when it arrived at the shop all shiny and new in its own special little case I was quite excited to give it a go and proceeded to use a torque wrench for the first time on one of the delicate magnesium alloyed stems with little svelte titanium bolts only to have the bolt snap before reaching the recommended torque. To say the least I was disappointed. One manufacturer, Moots, put out a news bulletin to its dealers explaining why the torque spec of the stem wasn't necessarily in line with what the bar was capable of and the large number of snapped Easton bars is a good indicator of the truth in that statement. Understanding what Moots was talking about and my experience with the first snapped bolt in my experience as a bicycle mechanic as a direct result of using a torque wrench I adopted the "tight enough so that it holds but no tighter" philosophy of bolt tightening which brings us to today's entry.

Qualifier: I admit I didn't use a torque wrench to install this lockring and that I may be completely at fault for not following the manufacturers guidelines for installing a cassette on their product. There, I said it.

But I've installed a cassette or two in my time, perhaps even thousands but definitely hundreds. The picture above is of the freehub body on my own personal DT Swiss 240 rear hub. It has something like 3000kms on it. I have installed exactly one cassette on it exactly two times. The second time I installed the cassette the little lip that acts as a backstop for the cassette sheared off and binded up against the hub flanges. If you look closely you'll see where the lower lip of the freehub body is pulling away from the splined part and a wave in the rim at the edge of the freehub body where it has deformed due to its breaking. As per my qualifier I admit I didn't get out my torque wrench but it's not like I've never installed a cassette before. I suspect you'll see torque wrenches brandished by shop mechanics a vast minority of the time when it comes to properly installing cassettes. To say the least I wasn't impressed.

It's very disappointing when you do your research, cast reasonable budgets aside (the replacement freehub body for this hub costs more than some entire hubs) and make an effort to buy "the best" only to have performance expectations undermined by an inferior or substandard product. I think DT makes some very good rims but I stopped using their spokes a long time ago for very good reasons (which I see irony in because DT has always been first and foremost a spoke manufacturer in my mind.) And even though their rims have generally been pretty good there have been lots of complaints about cracked eyelets in their single eyelet R1.1 rim.

And then DT invests in Pace so they can branch out into the world of suspension. Again, I admit that my investment in the world of DT owned Pace suspension forks is limited to one example and for someone who values a significant sample size before drawing a conclusion of the "worth" of something I have to concede that perhaps my belief that the DT fork isn't very good may be unjustified. We put a DT fork on a bike and the client rode it once for about five hours and in that time the fork went from stiff and light and excellent to, well, light. It developed a noticeable and performance compromising amount of play in it in a very short time. While one doesn't expect high performance lightweight stuff to last a long time one might expect a fork that cost over a grand to last more than a couple of rides without a major overhaul.

Where is this long diatribe leading? I get lots of questions about why I don't carry Brand A or Brand B. The short answer is that if I don't think it's a good product then there's not a whole lot of reason for me to stock it. I keep trying the new stuff, bring stuff in that sounds good on paper or in the ad copy but if it leads to disappointing results then I really have no choice but to pass on it when ordering inventory for the store. There's a couple of DT products that might adorn the shelves of bicycles but you'll likely see less of it in the future. And if you don't see something on the shelves that you wanted don't be afraid to ask for it. If there's a good reason why we don't stock it we'll tell you about it. We'll do our best to refrain from base arguments like "it sucks" and take the time to explain to you why we don't stock some certain item and suggest what we think is a better alternative. Usually it's more affordable too. It's important to us that you're happy with what you spend your hard earned dollars on. Hopefully you can appreciate that.