Introducing the NSMB Forum Testing Program: Ryders Shore Goggle

I'm not really eligible for the test but I will say that having tried various oakleys, nikes and jokelys; the Ryders Caliber glasses I use now are the best by a fair distance. No problems with misting, comfortable and don't cost a fortune. Will buy again.

I love this idea, glad to read reviews from "real world" folks, rather then folks that get new stuff all the time to just thrash. I think the reviews will likely be more 'real' this way!

That said, I have the Ryder Shore goggles already, so wouldn't seem appropriate to review them - I'd be a bit biased, wouldn't you think!?

Possibly. Feel free to throw your hat in the ring anyway. Or, when the review thread starts, you can also feel free to share your thoughts. We're quite confident this is going to be a popular initiative (our industry contacts agree) so there are going to be lots of opportunities to test gear in upcoming months. Active forum members and people participating in these threads are going to have a leg up on being selected.

I'm not really eligible for the test but I will say that having tried various oakleys, nikes and jokelys; the Ryders Caliber glasses I use now are the best by a fair distance. No problems with misting, comfortable and don't cost a fortune. Will buy again.

Why aren't you eligible? Unless you're a Ryders employee (unlikely since you said you bought your Calibers) then there's really not much to keep you from entering, unless you aren't planning to ride much throughout the winter.

I do most of my riding in an open face lid and I'm UK based, so I'm not the ideal test pilot for goggles.
I really just wanted to comment about ryders kit. So far I'm a big fan. More please!

Well, as we referenced in the initial post from the vid, skid lid and goggles can be done…provided you're into it. Oh, and don't let geography get in the way - we'll happily engage testers from the UK, Europe, NZ/Oz, wherever. Throw your hat in the ring, you never know.

1. What goggles do you currently use?
I currently ride with Smith goggles

2. Have you had experience with a Ryders Eyewear product?
I have owned a few pairs of Ryders sunglasses in the past.

3. How often do you wear sunglasses when you ride? How about goggles? (please be specific). If the answer is 'no' to either question, please explain why.
I don't wear sunglasses when I ride, but on ridiculously wet and muddy AM rides I have been known to use saftey glasses. I try to wear goggles at all times when I ride DH as I've had too many close calls with debris.

4. Have you seen our viral hit "Shit Mountain Bikers Say?" What do you think about people who wear goggles with a skid lid?
I have seen the hit video "Shit Mountain Bikers Say?" I have no problem with Goggles on a skid lid. I'll always promote saftey regardless of how nerdy it may look.

5. How often do you buy new goggles and/or lenses? How often do you buy new sunglasses for riding?
I have a few sets of goggles so I have not had to buy a replacement lense for a while. I do switch up my lenses in different riding conditions and light quality.

6. Gear Shots (example)
Continental Trail King 2.2

Tires, the only point of contact between the rider and the earth that we so eagerly try to tear up on our mountain bikes. Our constant quest for more speed, pinned corners, and control over all terrain makes our tire selection very important. As I have a few bikes on the go, I'm constantly looking for deals to keep the rubber tip top. Last season I was glued to the net in search of tires when my buddy Mark, concerned that I was starting to act a little like a character off of the latest house wives coupon cutting reality show, handed me a brand new set of Continental Trail Kings. My first thought was that Ford used Continental after the exploding Firestone fiasco, but I couldn't pass them up. I quickly negotiated a brand and amount of beer as a trade and headed home to lace the tires up. Enough with theatrics and on to the tech! I've been using the Trail Kings for a season now. I reside in the Sea to Sky corridor of BC, so I was able to abuse the tires year round, in all conditions, on every possible terrain. The Trail Kings I use are for a 26 inch wheel, are 2.2 inches wide, and are spec'd for All Mountain riding. They are made with Continental's Black Chilli Compound (go to http://www.contionline.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/general/innovation/blackchili_en.html to find out more about Black Chilli Compound). Black Chilli Compound is a combo of synthetic and natural rubber resulting in excellent grip, performance, and longevity. My first impression of these tires was that they had an aggressive lug pattern that felt "sticky" and that there was no front or rear specific tire, but rather a mounting direction for both. I was concerned that the tire might be slow and that the backwards mounting of the rear tire might cause the side wall to fail early. I was wrong. The tires rolled smooth and fast with great grip in mud, on rock, over roots, through dust, and down shale. It might sound too good to be true, but I have used so many brands of tires in the past, and none of were able to hold up to my performance standards. Another characteristic that stood out to me was the sizing. Most tires I've used in the past have been a light 2.1 or a bulky 2.35. The 2.2 sizing of the Trail King performed well and just the look of it ensued confidence in my riding. Longevity of my tires is just as important as the performance. I don't want a tire that works so well, but and then a few trail hours later, is missing lugs. The Trail Kings held up. They have been on my bike for a full year, granted I don't spin the AM too much in the summer but that doesn't change the fact that I've rode the tires a lot, and they show little wear. In fact some of the "hairs" from the manufacturing are still in place. As for the price, well it might seem a little high compared to other brands. Most shops carrying Continental will have the Trail King 2.2 for around $70. But the few extra dollars are well worth it considering the outstanding performance and the longevity of these tires. If you need rubber go and invest in the Trail Kings, they will increase your overall riding experience and leave you with a dirt eating smile after avery ride.

Thanks but there are people who would get far more use from some goggles than I would. Ill volunteer for a test where I may be able to give some useful input. Thanks though pete.

This is an awesome idea, I quite enjoy reading real world testing from non industry folks. I know it won't be great but I will give this a go.

1. What goggles do you currently use?

Oakley L-frame mx

2. Have you had experience with a Ryders Eyewear product?

Not personally but I have heard quite a bit about their products from folks on trail days and on this forum.

3. How often do you wear sunglasses when you ride? How about goggles? (please be specific). If the answer is 'no' to either question, please explain why.

I do not wear sunglasses while riding anymore due to having had a branch hit me in the face and caused them to shatter. I wear goggles only in the winter and only until they fog up then they come off for the rest of the ride.

4. Have you seen our viral hit "Shit Mountain Bikers Say?" What do you think about people who wear goggles with a skid lid?

I have indeed seen your smash hit "Shit Mountain Bikers Say." I have nothing bad to say about people who want to protect their eyes from mud, branches and other debris by wearing goggles with their helmet. It is a smart choice but certainly not for everyone.

5. How often do you buy new goggles and/or lenses? How often do you buy new sunglasses for riding?

Not often at all, I use my stuff until it is broken then I try to fix it. It usually does not end well. I don't use sunglasses for riding so the answer would be not at all.

6. Review time! I chose the Oakley L-frame mx goggles.

In the past couple of months I have been rudely reminded how much time I waste washing dirt out of my eyes after every ride and that I really needed a solution. After no thinking and no research I ended up with a set of Oakley L-Frame MX goggles based on the criteria that they had a clear lens and fit my budget of under fifty dollars.

The L-Frames are labeled as a motocross goggle and I can see why. The frame itself is a fairly sturdy plastic and is well built as per Oakley standards. The strap is nice and wide and has three silicon lines running down the center for a greater hold on a helmet. They have not slipped off yet. They also come with tear off nubs for those that are planning on roosting through a lot of mud and need tear offs. I did have a small issue with their placement though, as they seem to sit too far into the lens and it hinders peripheral vision.

Where I ran into the most issues with these goggles was the padding and poor ventilation. I could only get on average about two trails worth of riding before the moisture that accumulated in the padding became too much and caused bad fogging. It did not matter how fast I went they would not vent and clear. It would seem that this type of padding would be better left on snowboard/ski goggles.

Over all I would have to say that this is a fairly run of the mill goggle. They do what they are designed to do at their price range and it shows. Personally I would not buy these again but to someone who needs something quick they will get the job done and won't break easily.

Deadline extended to the end of this week - Sunday, December 9th. There are a few applications missing examples of people's Gear Shots style articles. Post 'em up! sleeper and jitenshakun, I'm looking at you two…

i won a set of these earlier this year, but as i never wear goggles on the shore (and have other tinted lens gogs for whistler duties), have never had an opportunity to use them. turns out these make a fine night (or low light) boarding goggle. good ventilation + double lens is effective at evading the vapors, and i like the fit of the relatively svelte frame. proper.

We have extended the deadline to Dec 16th to give a few people a bit more time to decide they'd like to throw their hat in the ring. We realize it's a busy time of year for many things other than riding, but these wet conditions also mean the mud and snow are flyin' - good chance to test some goggles.

Also, this program is not confined to people in our backyard, continent, or even our hemisphere. If you're down in South America or Oz/NZ, South Africa, etc - go right ahead and submit your application.

1. What goggles do you currently use?

Ryders Shore - 2011 model
Smith $25 "crap I forgot my goggles" Whistler bike park specials.

2. Have you had experience with a Ryders Eyewear product?

This should be evident from #1, above. Back in the day I also had experience with their Oakley-styled sweep frame with interchangeable lenses. They certainly made me look fast and coupled with a three pocket Sugoi jersey and a triple density chamois in my lycra panties, I was pretty much as dialed as the next guy.

3. How often do you wear sunglasses when you ride? How about goggles? (please be specific). If the answer is 'no' to either question, please explain why.

Sunglasses are not something I look upon with fondness… I seem sunglasses as an inherent human weakness to the sun and I refuse to show weakness. And mostly because I wear normal RX glasses when riding, as I can't be bothered with contacts and the Mrs. thinks I look hot with my RX setup. Why dissapoint?

However, I do wear clear-lensed goggles and contact lenses whenever I'm wearing the full-face for a few key reasons. First, style is more important than skill or performance to me. So, RX glasses look ridiculous with a full-face… it's the one time the Mrs. does not swoon over me when wearing glasses. Second, my RX glasses have curved arms (Oakley) and don't fit well under the full-face, unless I hope to embed them into my temples permanently. And finally, goggles and a fullface are like fat kids to a box of Smarties, or like Pamela Anderson to a plastic surgeon. It's just meant to be. The way the goggle strap caresses the angled helmet bridge, the way the articulating fins slip under the visor and allow proper positioning of the goggle, the way the curvature of the brow of the goggle slides under the helmet visor… it's all quite enticing even for those not enamoured with the way of the mountain bike.

4. Have you seen our viral hit "Shit Mountain Bikers Say?" What do you think about people who wear goggles with a skid lid?

I've seen your viral vid. I may have passed it on. It wasn't the best of times, it wasn't the worst of times. Goggles with a skid lid are acceptable only if the helmet is made by POC or Urge. Possible with a Fox Flux, so long as Fox is crossed out with a Sharpie, and POC is substituted instead.

5. How often do you buy new goggles and/or lenses? How often do you buy new sunglasses for riding?

I never buy sunglasses for riding. I have typically bought goggles anually given scratching and my propensity to either lose goggles or grind my face into the side of any number of trails off Mamquam Road in Squamish.

6. Gear Review

2010 Trek MT60 - 20" wheel model.

Component Specifications:
- Trek non-butted aluminum tubing likely remaining from the Wisconsin brewery industry
- Shimano Altus rear derailleur - necessary upgrade from stock SIS
- Shimano 6 speed twist shifter - necessary upgrade from stock TingShen Twisterz
- MEC alloy pedals - necessary upgrade from stock plastic death pedals
- Front Derailleuer - only gapers run front derailleurs on DH bikes
- Fork - Trek branded RST with 26.3mm travel and new ZERO damping system
- Tires - Panaracer Smoke clones

Climbing:

With a really compact geometry, but using genesis geometry, the Trek MX60 makes a nimble climber, despite it's 12-24 rear cluster and 30 tooth front ring. The compact stays and long(ish) toptube allows you to get the rear wheel hooking up in surprising situations, but still allows the body to stretch out and deliver power down to the thighs. The always-ready 69 degree head angle keeps the fork planted to the ground, so you're not wandering like Forest Gump after eating the chocolate. This bike wants to hammer and makes 20" wheels climb like 29" wheels.

Jumping:

Three words - No Pads Required. This thing is well balanced and solid in the air. There is no denying what Trek designers had in mind with this bike… it was meant to fly. Despite it's XC roots, a change in stem to 40mm, a new riser bar, fatter tires, a different seat, better pedals, and new grips that don't spin and this bike comes nearly dialed for being airborn. Go ahead, grab your fake dollar store Croc's (TM) and some cheap skid lid from your local WalMart and hit the dirt jumps, you'll be glad you did.

Steeps:

With the shortened stem and copious applications of Tri-Flow to the fork, the Trek MT60 is ready to tackle steep terrain. While not a point-and-shoot style of bike, the competent rider can navigate remarkable steeps and rock slabs with careful weight transfer to the rear wheel and rock solid composure. One need not fear lack of control, as the Dia-Compe V-brakes are there to scrub speed and maintain a constant pitchy squeel to keep you awake. If ever control was a concern, the stiffness of the frame to prevent brake post flex, and the quality of v-brakes versus canti's will give you all the control you need.

"Flow" Trails:

The MT60 was likely designed in an era prior to the evolution of so-called flow-trails. However, after a bit of time to adjust to the 75mm pedal clearance (really does limit the ability to rail bermed corners, but keeps centre of gravity shockingly low), one can navigate flow trails with moderate aplomb. If one manages to keep the pedals from slamming into terra-firma and ejecting you from the bike, the aforementioned short chainstains instantly deliver power from the berm into the requisite flow-style roller jump, leaving no shortage of 'pop' in this nimble frame. So what you give up in the corners may indeed be compensated for when you hit the mediocrity of A-Line styled trails. So it's pretty much flow, no-flow, flow, no-flow, flow. One point of reference is that we found we consistently had improved performance if we had our tongue out on all take-offs, but tongue in on all landings.

Summary:

Is the MT60 the all round dream bike? Well, it depends, and like most things in Canada, it's a compromise. Want a nimble back end? Check. Want a reasonable position for climbing? Check. Want a slack head angle for descending? Not so much. Want great pedal clearance? Not so much. Want a solid bike for all mountain performance with a little bit of half-lid and a little bit of big-lid, but can't be bothered with full suspension? Check.

The Trek MT60 is great value, assuming you have a considerable stock of replacement and upgrade parts in your garage. Other than the frame, you'll want to change out pretty much everything. BUT (and there's always a but), once you do this, you will have trouble finding a more versatile 20" wheeled bike out there. What makes this bike special is not the remarkably short travel fork or the advanced technology v-brakes. What makes this bike special is what it gives back to the rider. Most folks riding 20" wheeled bikes aren't able to have a drivers license, and the MT60 is a license to drive. It ellicits smiles, it provokes nonsense, it brings meaning to air-time. The MT60, in short, may not have come out of the bike box as the most well equipped set of tools, but with a few changes to 90% of the parts, the MT60 has become a solid addition to the bike stable and a permanent source of joy.

We give it two solid devil horns up:

Now stop throwing the dice on what 20" bike you want under your legs this summer and go Session one on a Trek MT60.

1. What goggles do you currently use?
Currently I rotate between Smith Fuel V.1 Max, Oakley Crowbars and Giro Score goggles. It depends on which are the clean when it is time to ride.

2. Have you had experience with a Ryders Eyewear product?
I had some Ryders sunglasses some years ago but I no longer use them as they are now a dated style.

3. How often do you wear sunglasses when you ride? How about goggles? (please be specific). If the answer is 'no' to either question, please explain why.

In the summer I wear goggles 70% of my rides and in the winter I wear clear glasses 80% of my rides.

4. Have you seen our viral hit "Shit Mountain Bikers Say?" What do you think about people who wear goggles with a skid lid?
Yes I have seen the video. It was damn funny. I think that people that wear goggles while wearing a skid lid do so because there don't seem to be many good options for them. They need eye protection (wind and dirt/mud) and goggles do the trick for races where every second counts. For regular trail rides I chuckle at people I see wearing goggles and skid lids but then again it might be a question of function over fashion.

5. How often do you buy new goggles and/or lenses? How often do you buy new sunglasses for riding?
New goggles or lenes every year. New sunglasses every year to 6 months.

6. Most importantly: Provide an example of a 'gear shots' style review: select any component (new or old, whether you own it or not) and provide a short review (~300 words), making sure to cover things like performance, design, value, durability, etc. Your gear shots review can be a combination of words, photos, and video.

Gear Shot Review: Race Face Flank d3o Knee Pads

The Flank pads are a soft shell knee pad that incorporate the d3o material for impact protection and have an extra extension down the shin for what Race Face calls "pedal bite" protection.

Compared to other knee pads on the market that employ d3o for impact protection these pads are a bit of an anomaly. The Flank pads don't just cover the knees, they also offer protection for your shins that extends approximately 6 inches down the shins and offer a fair bit of protection from pedal strikes and other errant objects your lower legs sometimes encounter when riding, all in a light weight package.

One thing to note is that these pads have sister pads called the Race Face Ambush that is essentially the same pad minus the pedal bite shin protection.

d3o Info
For those of you that aren't familiar with d3o, it is a gel like material that is soft and flexible in its relaxed state, but when it encounters an abrupt force such as an impact, the material instantly locks together to form a solid that absorbs the impact energy. The advantages of using d3o in body armor such as knee pads is flexibility and the comfort that it offers to the user. The pads can also be made less bulky than rigid hard shell armor and offer more freedom of movement.

Race Face has been in the protection market for many years and over time they have become a market leader and the standard to which many other pads are compared. In the past I've used Roach, 661 and Race Face leg pads and of all my leg pads, my Race Face Rally FRs are the only ones that have stood the test of time and offered the best protection. I pretty much retired those 6 year old Rally FRs as soon as I tried on the new Flank pads.

Pad Details
The Flank pads are formed around premium, 3mm thick, perforated neoprene with a cut out behind the knee. The neoprene has a thin terrycloth lining on all surfaces that contact the wearer's skin. Three straps are used to keep the pads in place to compliment the form fitting neoprene body. These three straps are thick elasticized straps that secure the pad with the ample use of velcro. On the ends of each strap is a custom rubber "Race Face" embossed grab tab.

The padding on the knee offers several layers of foam: first there is a hidden patella knee stabilization pad that aids to keep the pad in place while walking, riding and during crashes. The second layer of padding on the knee is the d3o material. The front of the main knee pad area is covered in black 600D abrasion resistant nylon that is embossed with the race face logo. Both the inside and outside of the knees are also protected by strategically placed triple density foam padding that is sewn into the neoprene body. Finally the shin extension down the front of the pad consists of a strip of padding on top of the neoprene body covered in 600D nylon. Below the shin extension the lower strap secures the pad to the rider.

I have used these pads for over two years and have through hell and back. Below are my thoughts on the pads.

The neoprene offers a comfortably snug fit and the many small perforations offer good ventilation and air flow, while the terrycloth lining provides an exceptionally premium level of comfort for the user. There were times where I needed to look down at my legs to see if I had remembered to put these pads on. The fit and shape of the pad is near perfect and the three straps offer a good range of adjustability to lock the pads in place.

When walking/pushing your bike up the hill, the pads flexibility was a welcomed feature making them very comfortable to walk in. While pedaling both up hill and downhill, the pads remain in place and never needed to be adjusted. Due to the well thought placement of the straps, there are no issues with strap rub.

The heavy abrasive, resistant nylon and impact resistance of the d30 within the pads was put to the test during several of my rides. I had no issues with the impacts and the Flank pads performed just as you'd like any other pad to perform when falling on dirt and rocks. I'd heard about d3o before receiving these pads and was a little hesitant to test them because I need to have confidence in my safety gear. After a few hammers to my knees in the garage and smacks with a hockey stick, I had more than enough confidence that these pads will save my knees from injury in a crash.

To put on the Flank pads the design of the neoprene body necessitate the removal of your shoes. The openings in the knee pads might fit a shoe, but you would end up drastically stretching the pad and also contaminating the inner surface of the the pad with dirt that will then be rubbing against your knee. Once you've slipped into the left or right specific pads, you simply adjust the three straps and you are good to go.

Not everything about the Flank pads was rosy.
There are a few issues with the pads that can be improved to further refine this pad. Firstly the stylish looking Race Face embossed pull tabs need to be slimmed down. They were added to these pads so that riders could easily adjust the pad with gloves on, which they do quite well. However the rubber is so thick and rigid that the rubber does not flex enough to keep the end of the tab in place on the Velcro of the knee pad. After riding a few minutes the tab pulls away and can rub on your clothing or other objects. Making the tabs thinner and out of a more pliable rubber would solve this issue. I am told that production models will feature a thinner profile pull tab that should remain affixed to the rest of the Velcro.

The second issue that caused me concern was the overall forward bulkiness of the pad which caused the pads to hit my shifters when I was pedaling and turning at the same time. The photo below shows how far the bars can be turned while pedaling. In reality this occurs on technical climbs and pedaling in twisty single-track. For those that are purely downhill, gravity focused, this is a very minor issue but I would however like to see a slight slimming of the forward bulk of the pad to reduce the knee to shifter/bar contact. Upon asking Race Face about this bulkiness, I was informed that it was brought up and would be changed for the production models that are about to hit shelves.

The soft, perforated neoprene seems to be susceptible to wear. On the back cut out of the knee I noticed stretching of the holes in the neoprene material on both knees and over a whole season this may turn into a bit of an issue. Also on the middle strap along the side of the knee there was fraying of the neoprene due to the strap rubbing the material while pedaling. The final spot that seems to have some accelerated wear is the top of the pad where the knee pad has a strip of soft trim. The material is far too soft and the simple rubbing of my shorts was fraying the pads. Over a full season the pads may look a little more worse for wear than they should. A different selection of more rugged wearing material on the neoprene and trim would likely keep these pads lasting longer and looking better over time.

The Race Face Flank pads offer a lot of features that many riders look for in knee pads. The fit, comfort, protection and function are executed with near perfection. The pads can be worn on long pedaling rides, short rips or DH rides with confidence in the protection and comfort for the rider. Due to the premium materials and design features they do come in at a slightly premium price, but that is soon forgotten once they are slipped on. The sizing range offered is S-XL and they come in the one color (slate) with an MSRP of US $125.00 and CAD $150.00 and are available from your local bike shop and online retailers.

You must be able to test the product and update your test findings on a regular basis - a minimum would be a few rides and at least one update every few weeks, but updates can include answering questions that other BB members have.

I ride every week rain, shine, sleet or snow and well as night ride. I have a riding journal where I note things about every one of my rides. Weekly updates with pictures and or video will not be a problem.

But totally understand if you won t accept it cause it's past cut off time :nono:

1. What goggles do you currently use? Ryders Shore goggles

2. Have you had experience with a Ryders Eyewear product? Yes, I have 2 pairs of their goggles as well as several pairs of their sunglasses (admittedly most of the sunnies were freebies, but I do like them and wear them

3. How often do you wear sunglasses when you ride? How about goggles? (please be specific). If the answer is no to either question, please explain why. I wear sunglasses or clear lens glasses 95% of the time when I ride (5% going to when I forget to bring them!) I mainly use goggles in the bike park, but have used them on a couple of shuttle runs because it was too dusty/wet out and I didn t have glasses.

4. Have you seen our viral hit "Shit Mountain Bikers Say?" What do you think about people who wear goggles with a skid lid? Seen it, thought it was pretty funny. Actually tried the goggle skid lid combo when I was in Nelson this year as a lark and found it was actually pretty efficient for keeping the dust out.

5. How often do you buy new goggles and/or lenses? How often do you buy new sunglasses for riding? In the past I buy goggles whenever I destroy the lenses, but I think with the Shore goggles I will actually just buy replacement lenses when I need them, as I have been pretty happy with them. Sunglasses, you can never have to many pairs of sunnies right? I tend to buy a couple of pairs a year, what can I say, I like how easy it is to change your look with a simple swap of the pair of sunnies you are wearing.

**6. Most importantly: Provide an example of a gear shots style review: select any component (new or old, whether you own it or not) and provide a short review (~300 words), making sure to cover things like performance, design, value, durability, etc. Your gear shots review can be a combination of words, photos, and video - just make sure you give us an idea of your ability to do the job. Things like spelling and grammar count, as well as the quality of the photos and video. They don t have to be bangers but take a bit of time and make your content compelling and informative.

You must be able to test the product and update your test findings on a regular basis - a minimum would be a few rides and at least one update every few weeks, but updates can include answering questions that other BB members have, or posting photos/video of the test product in action, or a few fresh words to describe how you re getting along with your review product. That is the minimum. Remember that we will consider your past review contributions when picking testers for future reviews. **I ride at least once a week during the winter and as many days as possible during the summer

BIKE REVIEW: Cannondale Trail Women s 3 [MSRP $1,000]

First Impression [HTML_REMOVED] specs
In November this year I returned to Australia for 10 days to visit my family, while I was there I decided to get my hands on a bike and explore the local trail network, after riding the Shore, and BC in general for the last 5 years I was definitely keen and interested to see what was on offer in my hometown of Broken Hill.

When I picked the bike up from the local bike store the first thing I noticed was the incredibly narrow handlebars, now keep in mind I am not a tall girl (5 4on a good day) The bike itself though looked slick, especially for the price. For a $1,000 I was happy to see it came with a set of Hydraulic disk brakes along with a Shimano Alivio spec d drive train. The majority of the remaining components on the bike are Cannondale branded, the FPD platform pedals the SL3 comes with never made it onto the bike as I had brought along my own pair of SPD s which were installed.

The SL 3 also comes spec d with a set of Schwalbe Rapid Robs; they looked like the perfect sort of tyre to pedal around in the Australian desert! Lastly I came to the fork, a RST Deuce with 100mm of travel; it has a lockout as well as a rebound adjust. I made sure to pick up a wider handlebar, a couple of spare tubes and some directions along with the bike then I was off to explore the trails and test out my new ride!

Specs
Frame: Trail SL, Optimized 6061 alloy, SAVE, 1.5" head tube
Fork: RST Deuce Coil, 100mm, coil/elastomer, lockout, rebound, 1.5"
Tyres: Schwalbe Rapid Rob, 2.1"

Riding
I should probably now point out that my usual ride is a carbon 29er with XT/XTR spec. After 20 minutes of bike setup I was ready to explore what the locals call the Golf course trails, and what a perfect playground to test out a new bike. The area was a combination of smooth flowy single track with some surprisingly technical climbs and somewhat technical descents.

My first ride started with a short rocky descent and the first thing I noticed was the fork. I felt like I had a pogo stick on the front of my bike, I adjusted the rebound and continued my ride. The terrain quickly changed into a climb, I found the bike to be like a little mountain goat, and I found the bike nimble and responsive and easy to manoeuvre around some tight techy corners.

The remainder of my 3 hour break in ride consisted of what was a fun and undulating trail network. Overall I was happy with the bike, I found that the gears shifted smoothly and relatively quietly, that the tyres were well suited for the environment and that the bike was nimble and responsive on both the ups and the downs. The brakes were a pleasant surprise; they were definitely an unknown for me so I am happy to report that they had good stopping power on the terrain I was riding.
Though I played with it throughout the ride, the fork however, was a constant concern for me on the downhill; I would either blow through all the travel or feel like I was riding with a pogo stick on the front of my bike.

I spent the next 6 days riding the bike, over a number of tracks and trails in the area, including a 40+ km epic in the red desert.

Conclusion
I had a lot of fun on this bike, and think it would make a great entry level hard tail bike. With an upgrade to slightly more confidence inspiring fork I would even be game enough to ride this bike on the Shore. I enjoyed the upright geometry of the seat tube which came in at 75% especially on the longer rides. The brakes never let me down and the drive train remained crisp and smooth though out my trip. Not a bad little bike with a MSRP of $1,000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYG8kwfnadM