Product Reviews – Part II – All City Star BMX Grips

This review is long overdue. I received these grips from All-City in January 2010.

I often review something once it has served its purpose and has been completely used up/annihilated. With these grips, this wasn’t the case. I ended up cutting them off when I decided to strip down my MTB and clean every bolt/bearing/etc. This was in May 2012.

The grips are a dual durometer, with the white stars being a tougher rubber than the black. The black rubber is pretty gummy and kept its grip their entire lifetime. Roughly 18 months into using them, the soft durometer (black) rubber started edging away from the tougher inner rubber (white). This was a visible issue, but not a functional issue at all.

The grips were also very easy to clean up. I often would get them filthy looking after four or five rides, but a touch of water and soap on a rag would clean them off in less than 30 seconds. The little stars were still very white the day I cut them off.

Since these were a set of “BMX” grips, the donut flanges at the end were pretty big, but not enough to be in the way of my brakes.

The only thing I could complain about is the colors of the grips. I really wish the black had been reversed with the white, but this is just so it would better match my bike ~_~

These grips are pretty flashy and a cheap piece of bling to put on your bike. Even the bar-end side of them were in great condition when I removed them. You know how often during crashes or overall neglect for the bar ends result in a smushed or crappy looking edge? Not these guys. They last forever, and are as comfy as grips get.

They MSRP for around $10, so you should go out and pick up a pair for your bike! They come in several colors: http://allcitycycles.com/products/star_bmx_grips

Numeric Review: 4/5.

These would have gotten a perfect score if they would have come in a colorway that fit my bike better. YMMV.

***FCC Mandatory Warning – I did receive these for a discounted price, please be aware that I am showing no bias for them, regardless of the costs or benefits.

Product Review – Part 1 – RaceWareDirect Garmin Mount

Okay, now that academics are done for the summer, let’s get down to business. First product is a new accessory meant for the Garmin Edge series bike GPS units.

The mount is made by RaceWareDirect in the UK. A lot of people were getting finicky with how long garmin/quark were taking to create their mount, and a couple of companies have popped up to create an unofficial version.

I really liked the look of the PRO mount, so I looked around. K-Edge makes one for like $754,365, there’s a company named Barfly, and a few others on the market.

Raceware Direct is 3d printing their mounts, and it weighs less than 13 grams. If you are interested in a unique style to mount your garmin to your handlebars, Martyn at Raceware Direct is capable of making your ideas a reality.

The mount is very stable, places the garmin in a very nice place off of the handlebar and stem, and the clamp only takes about 10mm of space next to the stem.

I’ve had it for about three weeks now, and despise going back to the stem mount that was originally provided with the garmin when I ride my mountain bike. I can’t afford another one.

I also got a TT mount from Raceware Direct, and it is also of very high quality. It fits very snug and secure. This allows you to place the garmin wherever you want on your TT Bars.

I can’t exactly say this piece of equipment has made me ride faster or climb better, but it has made it easier to look at my garmin, and adjust angles and whatnot. If you want something like this, I would go with racewaredirect, because you are working with a small group of people, and they care whether or not you are enjoying your product! Will garmin ever email you and ask if you enjoy your products? I thought not.

Review Summary: 5/5 Stars.

Don’t Forget: June 2nd – WV RAVE

As iPlayOutside says:

“Please join the Habitat for Humanity of Nicholas and Webster Counties for their annual scenic bike tour along the Scenic Williams River, through the Monongahela National Forest‘s breathtaking views, and astounding climbs”

This ride is one of the best supported charity rides in the state. The scenery and climbs are out of this world, and everyone I encountered last year were all courteous, and were interested in riding, but also being able to take the time to say hi and get to know one another.

One of the best parts is the post-ride dinner:

Cookout-style dinner upon returning to Camp Caesar after ride. The cost of the Saturday dinner is included in the registration fee.

Be sure to finish the ride in good time to be getting the goodies first 🙂

I’ve posted a lot about the ride already, so here are some links:

https://wvcycling.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/wv-rave-2012-update/

https://wvcycling.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/wv-rave-2012-must-ride/

https://wvcycling.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/wv-rave-post-ride-report/

https://wvcycling.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/upcoming-event-wv-rave-bike-tour/

More info:

http://www.helpbuilditwv.org/rave—annual-bike-tour.html

If you would like to donate, without attending, please contact: Betsy Morris, Camp Caesar Director, at 304-226-3888 or email at campcaesar@frontiernet.net and send checks to: Humanity of Nicholas and Webster Counties PO Box 544 Summersville, WV 26651

A stop along the Highland Scenic Highway. This photo is of the parkway section between SR 39 and US 219 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

http://www.iplayoutside.com/Events/2012/06/13898.html

http://raceit.com/search/event.aspx?event=8abf2546-83fd-415e-aa5e-77b9a0d6e9af.aspx

http://www.visitwebsterwv.com/

http://www.active.com/cycling/cowen-wv/wv-rave-bike-tour-2012

Lewis County – Opinions?

I seem to write off Lewis County / Weston as a place I do not enjoy to ride. I’m not exactly sure as to how I came to this conclusion, but looking back on my Garmin/Strava course history, I have much regard for rides in this area.

The southern end of Lewis county has one of the nicest aquatic scenery in North-Central WV. Stonewall Jackon Lake, and Stonecoal Reserve lake have so many opportunities for swimming, boating, fishing, and just cruising around while enjoying the view. Like much of West Virginia, you’ll find a lot of farmland, or highly rural locations in Weston. ( http://app.strava.com/rides/5084552 ) In the north, you start running into rides that will bring you into nearing Clarksburg areas. ( http://app.strava.com/rides/6825136 ) Luckily there is I-79 running vertically through this area to use as a landmark for orientation.

While bikes aren’t permitted on I-79, the turnoff points often are opportunities to grab a bag of peanuts, or a gatorade if need be.

Lewis County also has beautifully “flat,” nearly valley-like terrain, surrounded by rolling hills.

Rt. 19 From Jane Lew to roughly Walkersville is dreamy, and I’d like to bet follows the rules of railroad grading, if that makes any sense to you.

Oil Creek Road from Roanoake to Burnsville is also another fun little stretch, but be warned, it isn’t the smoothest road out there.

From the Weston Walmart to Jane Lew, on Hacker’s Creek road is also another enjoyable route. This gives you the opportunity to see Jackson’s Mill, too!

The Girl really enjoys Life’s Run Road off of Hacker’s Creek. ( http://app.strava.com/activities/4308591 ) The terrain is fun, and has a touch of challenge, but the farm animals, scenery, and architecture gives many opportunities to catch your eyes.

This is our fun ride that we start off, and memorialize a local cyclist who tragically died: ( http://app.strava.com/activities/6815969 )

Random ride: ( http://app.strava.com/activities/4308591 )

There are also some pretty sweet climbs in the area:
Georgetown Road is a terrible climb either way:

http://app.strava.com/segments/1005582

http://app.strava.com/segments/1005601

Here are some nice climbs in the southern area:

http://app.strava.com/segments/1077238

http://app.strava.com/segments/1077321

Lastly, Linger Run… Ugh

http://app.strava.com/segments/1005602

http://app.strava.com/segments/1005604

Photos:

 

Genuine Innovations: Above and Beyond!

I contacted Genuine Innovations last week about my Ultraflate Plus CO2 inflator starting to fail due to the O-rings in the inflator being crushed a bit. This was causing about one out of every 3 of my CO2’s to prematurely release, and fail.
Here’s my email to them:

How did you hear about us: Bought one of your products from an IBD

Subject:  Gasket failures

Comments:  Dear GI, Love your products, and have been an evangelizing fan of your inflators for almost a decade. I still have this guy, (http://www.mcguckin.com/images/2203626.jpg) the Ultraflate Plus in the older colors. I’m wondering if you sell repair kits for the inflator, because any of your threadless co2 cartridges I use have… like… a 50% chance of success of not leaking. I’ve peeked into the puncturing area of the inflator, and the gasket next to the puncturing piece seems to have met its match. :sadface: This is a problem… I have a ton of your non-threaded canisters, since the 6-pk is several dollars cheaper than the threaded ones at my LBS, and everyone and their mother is still feeling the repercussions of this wonderful economic downturn. What can I do to fix my little inflator?

I was hoping they would send me an O-ring or two that I would niggle the old one out, and replace with a new one.

Here is there response:

FROM:    DJ Lopez
TO:    ———-@yahoo.com

Message flagged
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 11:23 AM

Good morning sir,

I will send you some o-rings to the address below,

Kind regards,

Dj Lopez – customer service
dj.lopez@innovationsaz.com
www.genuineinnovations.com
p.520-295-3936 ext 133 f.520-295-3938

2700 e. bilby road
Tucson AZ 85706
http://www.genuineinnovations.com/

Genuine Innovations , #1 In CO2 Inflator

Well… They did send me some O-rings…

Take a look:

To me, this kind of customer service really goes above the call of duty. I wasn’t expecting this kind of care at all.

Thanks Genuine Innovations!