components Archives - Page 5 of 10

SRAM Red Exogram Quarq Review

After managing to put paid to my third Cinqo power meter, Quarq went above and beyond the call of warranty service and upgraded me to a Red Exogram power meter to replace the problem child Cinqo. I detailed the warranty process in this post, so you can read about it in detail there. Suffice to say, Quarq was wonderful throughout the process and I feel confident recommending them and their power meter units to anyone.

As for the Red Exogram model, while it may look similar, in reality it is a radical departure from the (now discontinued) Cinqo model, both in terms of the power meter spider and the SRAM crank components themselves.

After the jump we'll take a look at the Exogram unit as a whole and as a sum of its parts.

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Tags: components, power, reviews, wrenching|

Choosing Cassette Gearing
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Choosing Cassette Gearing

components and wrenching, Wrenching and bike maintenance

Choosing Cassette Gearing

While we've already dealt with choosing crankset gearing, you may still be in the dark about choosing cassette gearing. Along with your crankset gearing, that cluster of cogs on your back wheel is what will determine if you're toddling happily up the next climb or walking (and cursing) on the way up.

So how do you assure that you're not plodding when you should be pedaling? What factors go into choosing a proper cassette to match your ability and terrain?

Let's look at how to choose the proper gearing for you.

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Tags: components, drivetrain, wrenching|

Lezyne Valve Extenders

[dc]S[/dc]ince the weather became nice enough to start using tubular wheels again, the eternal frustration with valve extenders has become yet again apparent. Adding to the frustration is the fact that I'm a devout user of the Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive pump (which screws on to both presta and schrader valve stems) and that just doesn't work with a non-threaded valve extender.

And let's face it…that old Park floor pump I have in the garage is a piece of junk at best.

Enter the machined aluminum, laser etched beauty that is the Lezyne alloy 70mm valve extender. With a presta threaded top on it, wrench flats to ensure proper torque on the stock valve and a little baggie (I do mean little, it almost requires tweezers to open and I have fairly thin fingers) full of o-rings to make a perfect airtight seal, these things are more than worth the fifteen bucks that I paid for them.

As well as looking awesome, they function extremely well (at least as well as a piece as simple as a valve extender can.) They threaded presta cap means you can use the awesome screw on Lezyne pump or you can use any standard pump you want, making life infinitely easier.

The biggest downside to these extenders is that they screw onto the top of the existing valve stem and merely provide a conduit for air to get from the pump head to the valve. I'd prefer if the extender actually moved the valve parts out to the end of the valve extender, much like the ENVE extenders do. The issue with these extenders is simply that in order to access the valve (to open or close it, or to remove it to spray in Stans or anything similar) you have to remove the valve extender, and it may still be impossible to access the valve stem anyway (otherwise you wouldn't be using extenders.) That aside, I've had no issues with them, especially as they relate to the Lezyne Floor Drive pump.

The only other thing one could wish for was stealth black with the sweet laser etched “Lezyne” logo on it. But the polished silver certainly looks the part.

$14.99

Lezyne.com

Tags: components, reviews, wrenching|

Counterfeit Cycling Retailers Shut Down

[dc]I[/dc]t's pretty well known that there's a large market of counterfeit cycling products, mostly coming out of China. What's been debated endlessly over internet forums and group rides are the merits of buying and using these counterfeit products, who it hurts, and if these products are really "OEM" (original equipment manufacturers) versions of the retail products you can purchase at your local bike shop. Opinions vary from the "sure, I'll try anything" to "you're as bad as a serial killer for purchasing these" and everything in between.

Most interestingly, there's been very little done about these counterfeits thus far. Sure, Ebay will occasionally take down a listing that's been reported enough times or a major manufacturer (Specialized and Pinarello jump to mind) will issue a release stating that their products are being copied and you should beware of the fraudsters. Until now, there hasn't been any active enforcement or shutting down of these Chinese retailers.

Until now, that is…

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Tags: components, internet, news|

Installing the SRAM Yaw Front Derailleur (Podcast #13)

By now the new SRAM Red group has been available for about a year (if you recall it was introduced last year and ridden to great success by Tom Boonen in the spring classics.) I've been using the shifters for a year now, and the front derailleur for only a few months less. However, there is still some confusion about how to install the front derailleur properly.

Installing the Yaw derailleur isn't vastly different than installing your garden variety front derailleur (which is really every other one on the market) but there are some subtle differences that vastly change the unit's function. Without taking these special steps into account, users may be significantly frustrated by the poor shifting performance and constant chain rub.

After the jump, we'll go step by step through the installation process.

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Tags: components, podcast, video, wrenching|