Kask Mojito Helmet

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Kask Mojito Helmet

 

Kask is still a relative new comer on the helmet market, only starting in 2004, but when the Kask Mojito was worn by Bradley Wiggins in his 2012 Tour de France victory, and then again by Chris Froome when he won in 2013, the helmet became one of the most sought after in the world. And for good reason. The Mojito combines best-in-class technology and features with a distinctive Italian design that will stand out from the crowd. The body of the helmet is constructed using "In Mold" technology that joins the polystyrene liner to the outer polycarbonate shell, resulting in a stronger, more impact resistant helmet. Within that In Mold construction is Kask's patented MIT technology, which is a polycarbonate shell that completely covers the outer shell on the top, the back and on the base ring at the back to help the helmet keep it shape and further protect the head in the case of a fall. 25 large exterior vents help pull air into the helmet to keep your head cool, and the distinctive, innovative shape helps reduce wind drag. Two hits of reflective, hi visibility material on the back help keep you visible in low light conditions, for those days when the ride carries on longer than you thought.

Pads and Vents

The Mojito is as packed with comfort features on the inside as it is with safety features on the outside. The Eco Leather chin strap is made from a leatherette material that is very comfortable on the chin, and won't irritate your chin or neck if you have a few days of stubble going on. The Sanitized interior pads are treated with an antibacterial and antimicrobial Silver Ion Sanitized process to keep them feel, and smelling fresh. And speaking of pads, there are plenty of them, positioned 360 around the head to keep you comfortable and eliminate pressure points. Retention is handled by the Up & Down harness, which gives you the most precise and comfortable fit possible. The dual pivot design allows the back of the head to be cradled and the height perfectly adjusted--giving you the ideal fit every time you put on the helmet--even with a cap or winter hat.

Review: Reynols R six Wheelset

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When you need the ultimate in aerodynamic performance, the Reynolds R Six Clincher is a 66mm deep carbon fiber clincher wheel that helps you knife through the wind.

Carbon Fiber Clincher Wheel

Perfect for racing, triathlons, or time trials, the R Six is one of the best performing deep section carbon clinchers available. But as anyone who knows even a little about aerodynamics will tell you, there's more that goes into a fast wheel than just a deep profile. That's why Reynolds also engineered the Swirl Lip Generator (SLG) into the R Six. The SLG essentially helps to disrupt air turbulence coming off the rim, smoothing out airflow for an even faster ride.

Deep Rims

CTg ultra-light laminate construction, paired with the Reynolds Cryo Blue brake pads help improve the stopping performance of these wheels, and runs up to 53% cooler than standard rim-and-pad combos, and ensures smooth, predictable braking power.

Shimano Ultegra SPD SL 6700 Overview

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Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL Carbon Road Pedals 6700

Carbon Road Pedals

  • Super lightweight carbon SPD-SL road pedal for high performance road racing
  • Wide lightweight carbon body provides large shoe contact area to maximise power transfer and support whilst reducing weight
  • Low profile design increases road clearance for increased confidence when slicing through corners
  • 10.7 mm body height from axle centre to cleat contact surface
  • Large binding target allows quick engagement while wide cleats provides more efficient pedalling
  • Stainless steel pedal body plate for increased durability
  • Open design allows for easy access and cleat adjustment
  • Low maintenance sealed cartridge axle unit
  • Two types of shoe cleat are available - fixed, or 3 degrees of float in each direction
  • Weight: 260 grams per pair

J-Bend vs Straight Bike Wheel Spokes

Straight pull spokes were invented to eliminate weak point at the bend in a traditional spoke and to make wheel building faster. A drawback is that not all shops will carry straight pull spokes. They can also spin sometimes in the hub flange, which makes it difficult to get the spoke to a high tension or to loosen a frozen spoke nipple.

Bladed Straight Pull Spoke

If the spoke is bladed, you can easily stop the spoke from spinning in the hub by using a bladed spoke tool. A third drawback is that they are difficult to use when building custom wheels because there are no universal straight pull spoke calculators due to the differences in various straight pull hub designs. Lastly, the wheel builder only has one option when it comes to the spoke lacing pattern.

J Bend Spokes

A good wheel build with high quality j-bend spokes is just as durable as a wheel with straight pull spokes. These are recommended.

Review of Shimano's Dura Ace 7900 C50 Wheels

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Shimano Dura-Ace Wheel Sets are focused on speed. New rim profiles yield substantial weight savings while maintaining the aerodynamic shapes. Dura-Ace Wheels are race tested at the highest levels of professional cycling to ensure the highest possible levels of performance and quality.

Shimano Dura Ace 7900 C50

  • WH-7900 50 mm carbon wheel earns the Dura-Ace pedigree and is designed to complement its 10-speed groupset meeting pro road race criteria.
  • 50 mm deep carbon rim with alloy braking surface for improved aerodynamics and increased rigidity.
  • 20 rear stainless steel butted and bladed straight pull spokes with a 2 cross lacing pattern improve lateral and torsional (power transmission) rigidity.
  • Quick pawl engagement for instant power transfer (every 10 degrees).
  • Labyrinth double contact sealing - low-friction seals effectively shut out water, mud and dirt without affecting rotational smoothness.
  • Borozon treated bearing races - super mirror finish bearing races reduce friction and provide a more precise bearing action.
  • Cold forged and machined aluminium hub shell and oversized 7075 alloy axle combined with a titanium freewheel body all keep the wheel weight to a minimum.
  • Easy digital click bearing adjustment.
  • 8,9 and 10-speed compatible rear wheel.
  • 700C tubular compatible.
  • Supplied with Q/R skewer and wheel bag.
  • Weight: 915 grams.

New Aerodynamic Rims

Troubleshooting Squeaky Bike Brakes

Here is how to fix sqeaky bicycle brakes on your bike. If your bike squeaks when you stop, and it has rubber rim-pad brakes, here's how to stop the squeaking noise from happening. Squeaky brakes are easy to fix. To quiet squeaky bike brakes, first wash the rim and brake pads with something that isn't oily. Try plain water or rubbing alcohol.

Clean Rims with Water

If your bicycle brakes keep squeaking and making noise, try sanding down the brake pads a little bit with sandpaper, and then clean the bicycle brake pads to remove any sand from the sand paper.

Lightly Sandpaper Brake Pads

This should quiet your squeaky bicycle brakes. If your bike's brake still make a squeaking noise, try new brake pads. If new brake pads don't stop the squeaking, try rubbing the rim with steel wool to smooth it out. This is how to quiet squeaky bicycle brakes.

Review of Zipp 202 Firecrest Clincher Carbon Wheelset

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Zipp 202 Firecrest Wheel

One of the lightest, best handling, stiffest climbing wheels on the market, the Zipp 202 Firecrest Front Wheel is all about aiming higher. It retains the classic 32mm rim depth of its predecessor and now has a wider 25.4mm max rim width, thanks to its Firecrest profile. The Firecrest rim shape improves stability by moving the wheel's center of pressure to sit almost directly over the steering axis, where wind-induced steering torque has a minimal effect. It produces similar to better aerodynamics than most 46-66mm V-section rims, especially in the crosswinds, and rolls faster and handles better than classic road wheels. Zipp's exclusive resin improves heat dissipation, and when combined with their Platinum Pro EVO brake pads, provides unmatched braking power, even on harrowing descents. Oversized Zipp 88 hub increases torsional rigidity by 28% for more direct power transfer, uses larger precision Swiss steel bearings for increased durability, and features adjustable preload to increase bearing life and ride quality. The Zipp 202 Firecrest is the new aerodynamic weapon of climbers everywhere.

Oversized Hub

Shimano Ultegra PD-6800 Carbon Pedals

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Shimano Ultegra Pedals

With a brand new color scheme and high-end features that meet the demands of serious cyclists, the Shimano Ultegra PD-6800 Carbon Road Pedal is ready for competition. Carbon body construction offers low weight, rigidity and efficient power transfer. Stainless steel cover protects the carbon from abrasion and the wide contact area stabilizes the foot. It also has a low maintenance compact axle-bearing unit, fast and easy engagement, and adjustable release tension with indicator. One of the most used clipless pedals for high-performance road racing.

Carbon and Clipless

Mavic Cosmic Carbon Wheelset Review

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Mavic Cosmic Hub

Light, fast and stiff with famous Mavic durability, the Mavic Cosmic Carbone 40 C Wheelset is the world's first reliable carbon clincher and the most versatile, aerodynamic wheelset ever. 40mm 3K carbon rim is Wind Tunnel optimized and features aluminum inserts at the tire seat and spoke bed, plus there's foam between these aluminum sections to enhance structural support without a weight penalty. Everything is bonded together using a proprietary treatment, rather than glue, for enhanced strength. TgMax treatment is also applied to the rim for increased braking power and minimized heat buildup between the carbon surface and the brake pad. It's able to resist the highest abuse by the most brutal racers in the worst conditions. Double butted, bladed steel spokes with integrated nipples enhance speed, are easy to service and laced to carbon/alloy hubs with aero flanges. Mavic's Yksion Pro GripLink front tire provides excellent cornering grip, low rolling resistance and long life while the Yksion Pro PowerLink rear tire delivers speed and responsiveness. Lightweight FTS-L freehub body gives instant power transfer and super smooth QRM+ cartridge bearings are fully adjustable. With exceptional heat dissipation, braking and lightweight aerodynamics, the Cosmic Carbone 40 C wheelset is hard to beat.

Mavic Cosmic Spokes