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I did a little blog write up today for my friends at One on One Bike Studio, thought some of you might want to check it..also note what the shop found out.
http://www.oneononebike.com/category/blog
Modest Moose
JR is always good for some product review/testing. Here's what he had to say this morning:
"Weight weenie I am not. In fact I would say I am a SUPER Clydesdale, or at least that's what a roadie might call me. So when it comes to cutting pounds or grams for the purpose of going faster and lighter, it's normally not my thing. ****, I just need to ride more eat less, right? One place I have noticed a difference in cut grams is rotational mass, i.e. making your damn wheels lighter. Last summer I rode Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires on my Santa Cruz Tallboy and after 5 weeks of riding Colorado and Cuyuna I had ripped the rear to pieces. I fitted some WTB WeirWolves, a trusted old friend and was stunned at much slower I felt.
So when Ben sent me an email from One on One about a new lighter tube from Surly for snow bikes I had him order me up a pair. Luck would have it I got a flat the day before they came in… Ha! Only time I can say luck and flat in the same sentence. Sorry, back at it… I call them "Franks" you know Surly is naming all the stuff like Marge and Daryl so Frank it is. They are a claimed weight savings of 120 grams per tube. I was not really expecting much, I mean 120 grams is not a lot, and when you're talking a big 22 inch snow bike would I even feel it? I happened to speak to a Surly employee the day before I put them on who thought the savings would be hard to notice. I fitted up the new tubes and headed over to Theo Wirth for a few laps. I was surprised before I even got out of the par 3 parking lot. I instantly felt the rolling to be less heavy. On the trail the bike rolled smoother and I was able to carry more speed, which allowed me to work through a fairly rutted trail. The bike does feel quicker and lighter, and when I say lighter it's more of a rolling feel than pick up the bike feel.
Over all if you're going to still ride with Surly tubes for your snow bike…don't waste your time on the first generation. Next tube to try out will be fitting 2.5 26 inch tubes in per the boys at Fatback. Look for that review once the trails dry out this spring.
JR"
Well if that isn't just the sweetest thing you've ever heard!?!? Look, we don't really believe in the weight and scale bs most of the time. As Geno likes to say, "It's all here and here." Imagine him pointing to the side of his head('fro) and then his chest/heart region. However, that being said, I do believe very strongly in the the effect of rotational mass on the way a bike handles. Physics can be your friend. Anyway, JRs note inspired me to do a little weigh-in. The QBP site claims weights of 570g and 450g for the standard and lightweight tubes respectively. No matter how you cut it, that's a lot of tube. I pulled the ones we have here out of the boxes and put 'em on the scale. I got weights of 490g and 360g, which are both significantly less, and a greater difference between the two than claimed. Trust me, that does make a difference. Sure it's a big bike, and not the lightest thing around, but more than a 1/2 pound of rotating tube? Just try to tell me that you can't notice that! And at only a few dollars apiece more, it's a steal in an industry where lighter components can sometimes cost upwards of 5-10 bucks per gram. bh
I had a real opportunity there to make some off-handed comment about drug smuggling, but decided not to. How's that for restraint?
http://www.oneononebike.com/category/blog
Modest Moose
JR is always good for some product review/testing. Here's what he had to say this morning:
"Weight weenie I am not. In fact I would say I am a SUPER Clydesdale, or at least that's what a roadie might call me. So when it comes to cutting pounds or grams for the purpose of going faster and lighter, it's normally not my thing. ****, I just need to ride more eat less, right? One place I have noticed a difference in cut grams is rotational mass, i.e. making your damn wheels lighter. Last summer I rode Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires on my Santa Cruz Tallboy and after 5 weeks of riding Colorado and Cuyuna I had ripped the rear to pieces. I fitted some WTB WeirWolves, a trusted old friend and was stunned at much slower I felt.
So when Ben sent me an email from One on One about a new lighter tube from Surly for snow bikes I had him order me up a pair. Luck would have it I got a flat the day before they came in… Ha! Only time I can say luck and flat in the same sentence. Sorry, back at it… I call them "Franks" you know Surly is naming all the stuff like Marge and Daryl so Frank it is. They are a claimed weight savings of 120 grams per tube. I was not really expecting much, I mean 120 grams is not a lot, and when you're talking a big 22 inch snow bike would I even feel it? I happened to speak to a Surly employee the day before I put them on who thought the savings would be hard to notice. I fitted up the new tubes and headed over to Theo Wirth for a few laps. I was surprised before I even got out of the par 3 parking lot. I instantly felt the rolling to be less heavy. On the trail the bike rolled smoother and I was able to carry more speed, which allowed me to work through a fairly rutted trail. The bike does feel quicker and lighter, and when I say lighter it's more of a rolling feel than pick up the bike feel.
Over all if you're going to still ride with Surly tubes for your snow bike…don't waste your time on the first generation. Next tube to try out will be fitting 2.5 26 inch tubes in per the boys at Fatback. Look for that review once the trails dry out this spring.
JR"
Well if that isn't just the sweetest thing you've ever heard!?!? Look, we don't really believe in the weight and scale bs most of the time. As Geno likes to say, "It's all here and here." Imagine him pointing to the side of his head('fro) and then his chest/heart region. However, that being said, I do believe very strongly in the the effect of rotational mass on the way a bike handles. Physics can be your friend. Anyway, JRs note inspired me to do a little weigh-in. The QBP site claims weights of 570g and 450g for the standard and lightweight tubes respectively. No matter how you cut it, that's a lot of tube. I pulled the ones we have here out of the boxes and put 'em on the scale. I got weights of 490g and 360g, which are both significantly less, and a greater difference between the two than claimed. Trust me, that does make a difference. Sure it's a big bike, and not the lightest thing around, but more than a 1/2 pound of rotating tube? Just try to tell me that you can't notice that! And at only a few dollars apiece more, it's a steal in an industry where lighter components can sometimes cost upwards of 5-10 bucks per gram. bh
I had a real opportunity there to make some off-handed comment about drug smuggling, but decided not to. How's that for restraint?
