pete@nsmb.com profile

I can see from the photos what you're referring to, but can assure you there is no pilling at all. What you see instead is just AJ's tack sharp photos showing a bit of wool texture.

You guys probably know this, but you'll reduce pilling by washing minimally and never putting your merino in the dryer. High abrasion areas are more susceptible, of course.

I'm 6'1, 195 and the L fits me well - not loose, not tight. I can't comment on a comparison to other Chromag tees since I don't own any, but I do have one of their jerseys in L and it also fits well.

Thanks for that - bad copy and paste last night. Numbers are fixed now.

All good, Brian, I wasn't interpreting your comment as criticism in any way ;)

Safe to say that one thing Canfield could do better is mar/comm. Perhaps they just need to play the game a little harder - but that's not really their style.

Thanks for the insight, Brian. I'm sure they'll refine their messaging, but what you read above is the result of what we got based on Cam's questions to Adam at Revel. If we test one of their bikes, it'll be a good chance to dig in a bit deeper.

Seems to be working fine for me, but I'm sure they're getting plenty of traffic today.

I think it's good to look at things from ground level, as well as from way up high, as you're advocating.

The thing that doesn't get taken into account with the macro view, however, is the work that goes into building and maintaining a trail, the hours spent on consultation, approvals, etc. I'm not saying you're ignoring those things, of course, but a lot of that work and time isn't understood by most riders.

I do know you're being a bit tongue in cheek about Curtis although there is a grain of truth there. He does provide the counterpoint though, which I'm mentioning for the benefit of others that may not be aware: Curtis and Dylan build everything they film, so it is fair to say the rules apply a bit differently to them.

Hi an,

This is not an advertorial. It is original content, written by our editor, Cam, who wrote it because he perceived real value in Ryan's teaching and wanted to pass that along to our readers - along with some of his own thoughts on the topic. If it were sponsored content, we would identify it as such. 

Ryan Leech has been a fixture as a Trials and MTB pro for more than 2 decades, and he has been a friend to NSMB and an inspiration to thousands in that time. Whomever you think is the 'real master' is up to you - we aren't looking to crown a single king.

Hope you got something out of the article, and that you come back soon to enjoy something else we publish. I think if you take a look around you'll notice that we heavily favour original content, and that we work pretty hard to avoid publishing content that reads like an advertorial.

Pete

Rachid, those are good points and possible storylines, but I think it's fair to say that this was already a comprehensive article with lots of great photos that did exactly what it was supposed to do - give the reader a tour of the Öhlins HQ in Sweden.

Posted by: craw

Posted by: pete@nsmb.com

Hey craw, the new XT Trail pedals seem to have a stiffer spring than the new XTR Trails. I noticed this recently while swapping between test bikes and using both sets of pedals (both new). I fired a question off to Shimano to find out if the XT Trails have a stiffer spring but haven't heard back yet. I love the XTRs and run 'em cranked all the way down and that's sufficient for me, whereas those XTs were too stiff and I hadn't even cranked them in all the way. Only slightly heavier, but cheaper = great option.

That's an ideal solution if it's true. My current pedals are XTR but I have zero issue using XT. Do you think this logic applies to DX pedals as well?

I haven't had a reply. Will ask again, and include DX. Also, keep your eyes open, the new Saint clipless pedal will be available soon - we're trying to get a pair asap for testing and spring tension is something we'll pay specific attention to.

Posted by: grambo

Posted by: tungsten

They offer frame only yet?

Nope, not part of their business model which depends on doing massive OEM parts orders with Shimano, e13, Fox, RockShox etc. Also why they don't offer customization options instead focusing on limited SKU's with high volumes.

Pete: have had NSMB whitelisted on uBlock, no issues with ads.

Thank you!

I use uBlock as well. But you guys are whitelisting your favourite MTB site(s), right? And if not, I'd love to hear directly if we've been running ad types that you find offensive. We try to keep a pretty clean reading environment around here, but some ads are necessary.

I had the same problem with RF Indy pads tearing, but that was before I knew this trick (applies to ALL slide-on knee pads): 

When you put them on or take them off your foot, rotate them so that they face backwards. This puts less stress on the stretchy material, and they'll slide on and off more easily. Whatever knee pads you run, they'll last longer.

Also, I don't know if you can find them in many places yet, but I can recommend the Sweet Protection Bear Suit knee pads. Nice to pedal in, stay in place, no chafe.

Hey craw, the new XT Trail pedals seem to have a stiffer spring than the new XTR Trails. I noticed this recently while swapping between test bikes and using both sets of pedals (both new). I fired a question off to Shimano to find out if the XT Trails have a stiffer spring but haven't heard back yet. I love the XTRs and run 'em cranked all the way down and that's sufficient for me, whereas those XTs were too stiff and I hadn't even cranked them in all the way. Only slightly heavier, but cheaper = great option.

Hi guys, with a nod to the local shops, I have unstuck thus thread. Niels figured it was helpful, and it is, but you're right, it's also a bit of an extra push to the online guys which is unfair in light of the fact that the Inside Line is a paid board used mostly by local shops. 

<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">We certainly advocate supporting your LBS whenever possible but also realize that the reality is that sometimes online pricing is impossible to resist. Poz's info is useful and naturally can remain as a reference - thanks for compiling it, Poz. </span>

I thought it would be a good time to revive this thread. Anyone got some new lights/discoveries to share? Any brands out there that you'd like us to look into as far as review units?

Hallowe'en special coming up soon! They released season 3 on Canada Day and also did a special for St Patrick's Day last year.

The Youtube clips are good for giving you an idea about the show, but it's so much better when you watch the episodes all the way through. Crave gives you a free trial month, so you can sign up and binge-watch Letterkenny, then decide later if you want to keep Crave.

Posted by: shoreboy

Having owned a Kuat, and currently using a OneUp and a NS Rack, I would stay away from the Kuat.  In my experience it wasnt nearly as well built as the OneUp.  Within one season it developed significant play in the arms that lock down the wheels, and generally felt 'loose' the entire time we had it.  The OneUp is a far superior product in my opinion.

I ran the original NV for a few years and while it developed a bit of play, I wasn't disappointed overall with the build quality and never worried about the hold it had on the bikes. I now have the new version, though, and it is certainly better. I'll be writing it up in a little while. For me, the OneUp is sturdy, but ugly (some people care about that, some don't) and doesn't have some of the functional advantages of the Kuat. NS racks are their own kettle of fish. Arrangement of bikes, ease of use, looks - lots of factors. I think NS racks look terrible on the back of some vehicle, but every style of rack has its trade-offs.

Posted by: bux-bux

A friend of mine did some business  with an unnamed Ebike company out of Whistler, the one with the batteries in the backpack. He did a full day on it and said he was shocked how fast and the amount of power on this thing has, Electric dirtbike was the description. They are all technically pedal assist, but they are full on motorized.

They are NOT 'all technically pedal assist' so let's just straighten that out. The Kranked bikes require you to wear a large battery on your back, which connects you to your bike (not nice) and the motor is operated by throttle. Pedelecs (aka pedal assist) which are the format of e-bike being introduced by most brands do not have a throttle, and the motor engages only when you pedal. There is a big difference in rider experience, and, most importantly, in the amount of torque delivered to the rear wheel. As much as you can argue that an e-bike is different than a mountain bike, a throttled bike is also different than a pedelec.