gear shots january 2024
New Year, New Gear

Gear Shots: January 2024

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Esker The Approach Insole

By: Trevor Hansen

Andrew Major reviewed Esker The Approach insoles a couple of years ago. These natural plastic-free insoles are manufactured in Canada from Canadian wool, linen and natural rubber. I cut the insoles to fit my size 43 feet, installed them in my Specialized 2FO DH Flat shoes and rode them through snow, cold muddy puddles and all November and December Shore rides had to offer. After about 15 rides I can conclude that my feet are warmer with the Eskers, I do not notice the wet insoles as much as I do with the Specialized 2FO insoles and that my arch is happier on long rides than it is with the stock Spesh insoles.

Esker's design is based on the natural wool wicking moisture away; this then reduces odorous bacteria. In the name of science I slammed my nose up in them. So far after all the aforementioned rides my insole testers do not stink.

The question for riders is wouldja? Wouldja pay 70 bucks for an insole? High performance insoles are usually priced in 40 to 60 dollar range but they do not offer the wool benefits that the Eskers provide. Eskers give buyers free shipping and a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.Esker The Approach Insole 70 CAD / 54 USD

chester 34 and 31

34mm on top 31mm on bottom.

Race Face Chester Grips

By: Trevor Hansen

I am super picky about my grips. They need to have a narrow diameter of 30mm or 31mm, lock on is a must, and the rubber should be such that vibrations are damped so wrist and elbow pain is lessened. The Chester grip does all 3 of these musts (with a slight box cutter modification).

RaceFace claims that "a perforated core design allows more 20A Durometer rubber to sit between your hands and the bar. Concentrated thickness under the palm increases ride comfort and reduces fatigue." I am not sure about the perforated core design providing more rubber between my hands and bar (as RaceFace claims). What I do know is that the soft rubber, and the raised ridges give me a comfortable and confidence inspiring grip.

I measure the 31mm tester grips at ???mm including the recessed finger pad. I found the diameter worked well for the first few rides but I noticed that when my gloves and grips became wet I felt that the grips were just a bit too large for my paws...or more that I did not feel confident barrelling down rough DH trails; it felt like I might lose my grip. To alleviate this I sliced the raised ridges that were so meticulously designed and fabricated. The grips have worked perfectly since. Most grips I have used (OneUp, Specialized, Chromag,ODI) are 30 mm in diameter. If the Chesters were 30mm they would be great for my finger length.

My colleague, Matt Giuliani, is an early adopter of the N+1 bike quiver rule and a purveyor of all things bike. I gave him a set of 34mm Chesters to try on a couple of his bikes. He had this to say about them:

"They are squishy, soft, and I want them in my hands all the time; they make my face happy and my ride more flowy. I love the 34mm thickness for my big hands. They give a much more visceral sensation compared to my usual 30/31 mm grip size. The welcome levels of fatigue relief on my wrists and forearms were borderline sensual."

I did not try the grips without gloves other than rolling around the parking lot as it has been too cold for bare fingers since I got the grips. RF designed angled mushroom ribs on the grips which they say, "wick moisture away for glove-free grip goodness." I will have to check that out this summer.

The grips are priced well at 32 bucks. If you are comfortable with 31 mm diameter or the 34 mm I would recommend a pair of the Chesters.

Race Face Chester Grips 32 CAD / 27 USD

ODI SLX 160mm SOFT Push-On Grips

By - Andrew Major

I always like to get my bicycles a little something for Christmas to remind them that they're special. And, since the Banshee Enigma is living with me, and wearing all my Waltworks V2's parts, well I figured I'd treat it to something fresh. Most years I just go with generic consumables - a chain, chainring, tires, brake pads - but this year I came across the perfect gift.

At 160mm the ODI Soft X-Longneck (SLX) grips are exactly the right length to stretch from my bar end to brake levers. It's like they were molded for me. The soft compound, 31mm thickness, and collapsing-flagella-feel remind me of my long-time go-to the Swayze. For comparison's sake, gripped on the trail, the all-rubber-no-plastic push-on grips do tend to feel narrower than lock-on grips for the same outer measurement.

Unrelated to performance, ODI sells these grips in some very interesting colours. For example, the Mint Green would look fetching on quite a few bikes I've ridden. I 'settled' for Iridescent Purple since it was in stock.

ODI is currently out of stock on most colours, but these are available at bike shops and a plethora of online stores as well.

ODI Longneck SLX push-on grips - 20 CAD | 14 USD

ODI Longneck SLX Grips NSMB Andrew Major (2)

Glued & wired. The 'soft' rubber is key when buying ODI grips. Photo - Andrew Major

ODI Longneck SLX Grips NSMB Andrew Major (1)

Iridescent purple, looking fresh. The 160mm length is an exact fit. Photo - Andrew Major

Specialized 34.9-30.9 Seat Post Shim

By - Andrew Major

It's long, it's precise, it's really quite nice. Yes, it's a seat post shim. But so often it's the little details that make or break a bike build and that's especially true when you're trying mix-and-match standards.

In my case, I wanted to jump up just a bit from the stock 150mm travel post on the Devinci Chainsaw, but I didn't have any 34.9 O.D. droppers kicking around. On the other hand, this super smooth 175mm Manitou Jack (BikeYoke Revive) 30.9 O.D. dropper post was ready to go.

Specialized makes this lovely 34.9 O.D. / 30.9 I.D. shim that's precise and easy to manipulate with a solid upper flange that has a knurled shape to help get everything aligned during installation. It's a lot less frustrating when it comes to micro-adjusting saddle height than other shims I've used. I also appreciate that it's available at my local Specialized dealer for when I need to finish a project right now.

Specialized Seat Post Shim - 25 CAD | 19 USD

Specialized Seat Post Shim NSMB Andrew Major

No extra clamping force required, long insertion depth, knurled upper for easier saddle height micro-adjustment. Photo - Andrew Major

Specialized Seat Post Shim Manitou Jack Dropper NSMB Andrew Major (2)

I have room to run a longer dropper on the Devinci Chainsaw, but I'm perfectly happy with this 175mm Jack/Revive. Photo - Andrew Major

Bookman Volume 1500 Light

bookman volume 1500 3

The Bookman Volume 1500 is nice and small but the aluminum (vs. plastic) case, while sturdy, takes it up to 221g on my scale.

This light is actually aimed at urban and road riders it seems, but with its claimed 1500 lumens and sturdy aluminum case, I thought I would give it a try. The form is compact enough to mount on a helmet but at 221g it may be too heavy for many riders. I used it with the bar mount which has a simple pipe clamp mechanism mounted with a 3mm hex bolt. Once the mount is attached, the device twists onto a Garmin mount. I was a little worried first because it doesn't seem to require much force to remove the light from the mount but it didn't detach riding once and it even stayed straight. In the box you'll also find an attachment to fit a GoPro mount for helmets or mounts integrated into stems. The unit attaches to the GoPro mount using the Garmin interface but in this case it has a firmer fit.

bookman volume 1500 2

The unit attaches to a Garmin mount and also has a GoPro mount included. I used the bar mount exclusively. The unit could be used, with the GoPro mount, on a helmet but it's a little too heavy unless you wear a full face.

The highlight of this device is the hi-fi inspired knob, which Bookman calls the Power Wheel. That's also a hint about the inspiration for the Volume name. It's easy to use, even with winter gloves on, and the detentes (or haptics if you prefer) are easily felt. You can leave the power to the unit on and simply turn the knob counter-clockwise all the way for those moments when you'd rather not blast your riding buddies in the eyeballs. Unfortunately it doesn't go completely off with the knob, which would be a useful feature for those moments. Instead you'll likely need to remove heavy gloves and hit the recessed on off switch on top of the unit for 3 seconds.

An anomaly I discovered is that you can switch the unit off with the knob in any position but it won't turn it back on in the highest setting. The four indicator lights, which also show you how much power is off, will blink at you when this happens. Simply turn the knob back one or more clicks and it'll fire right up.

bookman volume 1500 4

The star of the show is the Hi-fi-style Power Wheel, which is actually just a knob with clear detentes that adjusts through four brightness settings. It's easily used with even relatively heavy gloves.

Another nice feature is the replaceable 21700 Li-Ion flat top battery with 4000 mAh capacity. These are similar to the 18650 Li-Ion batteries found in a Tesla but the 21700s are a little bigger. * You can find them on Amazon for about 25 CAD for a pair so you could easily have a spare in your pocket rather than carrying a spare light.

*Bookman uses 18650s in their smaller Volume 800 light.

Volume 1500 Features - (from Bookman)

  • Brightness - 1500 Lumen
  • Day Time Flash mode - Yes
  • Battery (included) - Custom 21700 Li-Ion
  • Battery capacity - 4000 mAh
  • Runtime Steady From - 3 to 34h
  • Fastening - Garmin compatible mount
  • Charging - USB-C
  • Water Resistane - Yes, IPX5
  • Size - 119x40x42 mm (incl. dial and mount)
  • Warranty - 2 years
  • Lock Mode - Yes
  • Chassis - Aluminium
  • Weight - 221g (as tested)
bookman volume 1500 5

Bookman uses a 21700 4000 mAh battery that is cheap and easy to swap out. The company claims a 3 hour run time on high, which seems accurate based on my experience. The unit uses a USB C plug

bookman volume 1500 1

This image doesn't offer any insight into how well the Volume 1500 lights the trail, but I found it very effective.

Out on the trail, I found the Bookman pretty darned good. The elliptical light pattern effectively illuminated a wide area and details were easy to see. The colour is cool enough to easily show contrast in dirt and organic material and the illumination overall was really good. Bookman says the light will go for three hours at full beam. I haven't run it dry yet but that seems accurate to me based on the four indicator lights during rides of around two hours. I didn't notice any degradation in beam intensity towards the end either.

The price isn't too bad compared to lights designed specifically for MTB use and the sturdy design, good beam, mounting options and glove friendly knob make this a good cross-over product.

Bookman Volume 1500 - 167 USD

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Comments

ackshunW
+7 Andrew Major mrbrett BarryW bighonzo ShawMac Dan jhtopilko

Those purple grips on the purple handlebar!! Fitting just so! Push-ons! NAHBS-worthy for sure. 

Thanks for the tip. Ever since the end of the cantilever era, I always run my brakes well inboard so my index finger lands right at the hook.  All that naked unused bar space is appalling! Always on the lookout for longer grips.

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AndrewMajor
0

Cheers!

It’s never bothered me until I saw that these grips fit PERFECTLY with no trimming. At first I thought I’d have to adjust the levers inboard a mm or two but… perfect.

With the Formula levers the Chromag Wax is pretty much perfect (uncut) so maybe I’m subconsciously getting there with both my bikes?

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Timer
+2 Andrew Major BarryW

I’m not entirely sure if I’m more impressed or perturbed by Andrew’s casual ways of writing about bikes as if they were girlfriends. 

Anyway, great looking grips! 

And a quick question for the push-on grip aficionados: Do you know of a good, medium thickness option that isn’t extra-long and is available in fire-engine red?

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AndrewMajor
+1 Timer

Chromag Wax?! Although as noted above it’s a bit more polarizing than the Longneck. It’s certainly thicker. Good price and good quality.

Impressed, be impressed. Hahaha.

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silverbansheebike
+1 Andrew Major

I caved and got these after hearing about them in your articles, and now run them on my rigid. They are amazing grips! Pretty thick, and I do prefer the feel of them without gloves over with gloves. Though they are a bit long, and since I don't need to be catching spinning bars, I cut them down by ~10mm each side. No hassle, really!

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rugbyred
+2 Andrew Major mrbrett
AndrewMajor
0

Fantastic classic. I want to love them so bad but they’re just big enough that my hands cramp a bit on long descents.

I recommend them all the time as push-on grips for folks looking for something with more girth.

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rugbyred
0

And they get grippier the older and more abused they are. Mine have some small tears in them and I refuse to replaced them as they are supper comfy. I have a back up set just in case.

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Tremeer023
+1 Andrew Major

I run these but in black: https://www.customriders.com/bike-parts/grips/sm-hoder-btm-grips-red__15438?currency=GBP&chosenAttribute=GRSM04RE&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI24G617HEgwMV1JJQBh25HQZ2EAQYCSABEgIQcPD_BwE

They are still quite long but I've set mine up like Andrew's with no gap.  It satisfies my ocd perfectly.

Reply

Ripbro
+1 Andrew Major

I received a pair of Swayze push on grips for Christmas this year. Im really looking forward to trying them out. I have tried the chromag wax, but didn’t find the unidirectional flagella to have enough grip. The longnecks look to have a similar design. I’m hoping the wave pattern on the Swayze will work better. Still hunting for my perfect grip and I hope the Swayze is the one.

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mrbrett
+1 Andrew Major

I keep seeing the word flagella being bandied about here - are you guys referring to the ridges on the grip? 

I agree, the Wax was also ok but not perfect in that sense.

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ackshunW
+4 Andrew Major Cr4w mrbrett BarryW

To be the mushroom pedant, I think it’s supposed to be “lamella.”

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AndrewMajor
0

Hahaha. Noted for future use as a grip-flagella synonym!

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AndrewMajor
+1 BarryW

Yes, the wavy fingers.

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AndrewMajor
+1 mrbrett

The Wax seems to be fairly polarizing?! I really like them on my bikes with suspension but prefer a thinner grip on the rigid for whatever reason.

My wife and Claire both were happy with (cut down) wax grips but both prefer the Longneck. 

Swayze is a fantastic grip. The difference between them and the Longneck is subtle but I do think they’ll more do what you’re looking for, flagella-wise. 

I’ve been a forever fan of the Renthal Super Tacky too but they changed the outside end to a sort of bulb that drives me crazy. So my last pair were short lived. Don’t fix what ain’t broke.

Reply

WalrusRider
+1 Andrew Major

What glue do you use on those push on grips?

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AndrewMajor
0

Clear spray paint and then I wire them. 

I think I first heard the clear spray paint thing from some old Moto-dude at Blue Mountain, pre-lock-ons when the grips on my bike were throttling? Either way it’s cheap and it works better than hairspray but without the removal issues of some glues I’ve tried.

Reply

XXX_er
+1 Andrew Major

the paint sounds good, I have never tried it 

but IME the problem with the brand of hair spray I used on a townie bike was the grip would slip when it got wet and grip again as it dried out and that residual product was still on the grip years later, I have since gone to using plain alcohol for  push on grips which completley dries out

but I like the double lock-ons most cuz the out side ring protects the end of my grip from tagging stuff/ tearing  and while riding on its side in the PU

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AndrewMajor
0

To each their own, but I find the big plastic inserts like the ones from ODI or the Chromag Wax ones do a pretty great job of protecting grips. Otherwise street BMX folks would need a new pair daily.

Reply

Jotegir
+1 Andrew Major

I use clear spray paint sans wire in the dry interior and it works a treat. The alcohol still comes out when it's time to take the grips off, however!

Reply

andrewbikeguide
+1 Andrew Major

I have Esker insoles in all my shoes/ boots (if I can get them to fit). 

In theory one can move them from shoe to shoe however I have found, as TH points out, that they sometimes need to be trimmed to get the perfect fit in some shoes and then they don't work as well in other shoes that are of a different shape.  So I have just added to my collection over the past three years. The only shoes I don't have them in are my Rapha Explore Powerweave shoes as they are stupidly low volume so I cannot fit the Eskers and my foot in them.

I am also deeply lazy and I have just decided that having a pair in all my shoes is just the price of having toasty warm (or pleasantly cool) comfortable feet all the time.

Reply

stinhambo
0 Andrew Major Glenn Bergevin

What does the Specialized seatpost shim weigh out of interest? Could be a good way to shave some weight off the bike as those 34.9 posts are much heavier than 30.9.

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AndrewMajor
0

That’s a question. I was installing it on the Chainsaw so certainly not counting grams. Specialized says it’s 102.5mm long but doesn’t list a weight.

I’ll try to remember to pull it out tonight and update.

Reply

ohio
0

I just used a shim off of amazon to go 34.9 to 31.6 and it was 20g. Swapping PNW Loam 170x34.9 to Oneup V2 180x31.6 netted me 110g savings. Pretty significant.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XV86WP7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

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craw
0

It's remarkable that Trevor found such a remarkable difference between the 31mm diameter of the new Chester versus the 30mm he was more used to. I think we've all surprised ourselves by the narrow distinctions we are able to recognize between products.

Reply

Ripbro
+1 Andrew Major

It is quite amazing that you can feel a difference of a few mm. I’ve never tried 30mm vs 31mm, but trying 31mm vs 34mm felt huge. 

Same goes for rim width, 30mm vs 35mm. I’ve haven’t had a chance to compare these either but some claim a difference.

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craw
0

I have big hands and only use the biggest possible grips and in my mind that's how they're divided: big enough and everything else. I used to use the big RF grips and OURYs but once I tried the Sensus Meaty Paws which eventually were replaced by the large SQLab 711 T&T grips which are so good they make me wonder if other grip manufacturers were ever really trying.

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mike-wallace
0

Re the Chesters which I ran for a few weeks.    I have been a diehard Chromag Squarewave grip guy for yrs.  The Squarewaves have a great feel and are super rugged with the double lock-on although they definitely wear out fairly quickly.  The 31mm Chesters are the same diameter as the Squarewaves so they felt great right away.  The soft end was great for not bruising the outside of my hand.

However, there is always a however, they added a full and exact 12mm to my bar length over the Chromags.  So to run the Chesters I would have had to cut my bars and I just couldnt do it without knowing for sure I was gonna stay with the Chesters.   So.  Back to the Squarewaves and lack of change in my life....

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