So I got some rad product reviews lined up, I’ll be reviewing selle San Marco’s era dynamic protek, connex 11so chain with their super cool no tool link, Ryder’s eyewear photochromatic glasses, togs thumb over grip and a set of Michelin pro 4 endurance tires and tubes. So keep yours eyes peeled for those in my upcoming posts
Touring ad adventure bike were hot at seaotter this year, I was particularly impressed with this offering from KONA bikes, pretty much what you see is what you get, and for $1499.00 you get a lot including a Brooks b17 saddle, racks, fenders and mechanical disc breaks all on a bullet proof steel frame you have a serious touring bike!
Peddling up hill not your thing? Felt had there pedal assist touring/cargo bike on display and with up to 15 miles of climbing on one charge you have a pretty good range for when your legs get tired!
Jamis came out guns a blazin’ with their carbon touring adventure bike the renegade. With a price tag of $2300-$4100 they don’t skimp on the parts. The top end elite version features 11 speed ultegra with hydraulic disc breaks, ritchey bars stem and post this bike come in at 17.75lbs made to be loaded up like a mule like pictures with those nifty balckburn bags on my he frame bars and saddle
Niner didn’t forget about the touring/adventure people either, want ultegra Di2 and hydraulic disc breaks well miner can hook you up for about $5999.99.
I’ve really been digging these touring/adventure bikes they look really cool and can double as cross/gravel bikes in most cases. Well I’ve only stratched the surface of seaotter so look for more posts coming soon and I’ve also made an Instagram account for my blog as well come visit me there at fbt_cyclist I’ll be posting stuff there quite frequently as well as posting a variety of other bike related content!
wow thank you all so much, i have some cool stuff in store for the upcoming weeks, a lot of product reviews and some interviews as well. I’m stoked to be back and firing n all cylinders!
Thank you all again~FBTC
heres a few pics from seaotter to hold you over till my next post
It’s that time of year again, the seaotter took place last weekend up in Monterey for the 25th time. This year was the biggest yet with over 400 venders and over 1500 athletes and 6500 people camping this is the biggest cycling event on the west coast. The seaotter is one of my favorite events I go to each year and this year was no different, having upgraded from campsite H, pretty much a dirt lot with porta-potties to the deluxe campsite C which had full hookups for an rv along with nice showers and bathrooms which was greatly appreciated.
The venders pit area is where I usually start. A lot of my favorite bike company’s are displaying their new products, SRAM alone was debuting 2 new drivetrains, the affordable Gx 1×11 and the GR 1×11 road gravel adventure group, along with the new zipp aluminum disc wheel set that is marketed as a do it all wheel set they describe it as Tubeless-ready. Wide rim. The 30 Course Disc-brake is ready for everything.
SRAM also debuted their new affordable 1×11 and 2×11 mtb group the GX, said to be available for sale next month and shipping on 2016 bikes, this will be a game changer for SRAM at a price point of around $550 this will surly be a big hit
I’m not quite sold on the reverse rs-1 but if weight saving is what you’re into this one piece carbon steer tube and race crown might be worth looking in to, for me I’ll be sticking with a traditional fork
Shimano couldn’t let SRAM have all the fun, they also debuted at seaotter their new 1×11 deore xt which was turning heads, this could give SRAM’s Gx a run for their money
To keep all those new parts and wheels safe kryptonite had a cool new version of their classic messenger u lock with and integrated shackle for the front wheel along with locking rear axle, this is definitely on my wish list this year
Stopping by one of my favorite booths chris king had some of their r-45 hubs with cutaways to see the internal workings, i built a set of wheels with these hubs and can’t wait to put some miles on them. Chris king offers custom in house wheel building along with their hand made cielo road cross and race frames you can now build a whole bike using mostly chris king parts
I have a lot to share with you guys so keep your eyes peeled for part 2 of my seaotter recap along with reviews for esi’a new race grip and a cool new product designed to help climbing for mtb, and I’ll be putting some photochrmatic glasses to the test, so look for those reviews in the upcoming weeks
So I’ve been a little quiet lately, I took most of the fall and up until a few weeks ago I was in school doing my pre-reqs for nursing school, I already have a vocational nursing license so becoming an RN would be about another year or so of schooling.
So what have a been up to you ask?!? Well I’ve still been on my bike and got to participate in a few cool events this past few months. In November I got to ride side by side with Tour de France 4th place finisher Christian Vande Velde and team BMC rider Peter Stetina who finished 6th in the tour of California whic had a finishing stage 10min from my house!!!
Ian very fortunate to live in such a great area for cycling! Last weekend in Paso Robles ca, about 20 min from me, was the first l’eroica held in the United States there were about 100 pre 1987 bikes one of the oldest ones being from 1898 it had a giant 62 tooth front ring and wood rims, along with all the amazing bikes on display they also had a vintage ride of 30, 60 and 120 miles, the 120 miles course had almost 10k feet of climbing!!! That is way to much and with vintage 5/6 speed cassettes.
Along with all the fun I’ve been having on the road I also was fortunate enough to get a 2014 giant trance sx at a great price just in time for the seaotter that starts this tursday! I’ll be there checking out all the booths along with some sweet races! This is defiantly one of the highlights of my year! if any one plans on going I’ll be camping all weekend and your more than welcome to come by the camp site for a beer! Unfortunately I won’t be riding in the fondo this year due to a knee injury I got snowboarding back in early feb. the knee is doing better but I have only put about 25 miles on it at a time and I’m in sure how it would fare the full 55 of the coastal fondo at the seaotter.
So keep an eye out for more frequent updates to come along with more product reviews on their way!
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