As anyone who has a bike that they ride all winter has discovered, at least anyone for whom winter means rain and snow, grit does a number on the bike: Drivetrain, brakepads, and most expensively, rims. Now, this leads many of us hardy folk to tout the benefits of disc brakes in inclement weather; you get better and more reliable stopping power, and only need replace the pads a couple of times a year, and a rotor every few. BUT, where does that leave those who commute on a cross bike, road bike, or old MTB without disc tabs. Well I'll tell you. It leaves us wearing down our rims and rebuilding wheels every 4 or 5 years. Less if, like me, you ride a fairly light rim (Open Pro) and rarely (never) clean the thing like it deserves.
So, after wearing down the latest set of rims in less than 3 years, I thought it was time to make some forays into higher priced brake pads. The idea here was to find something that retained braking power even in the wet and grit, and was easier on the rim than the standard koolstop/shimano/generic v-brake cartridge. I had used an assortment of KoolStop pads, including the salmons, on previous mountain bikes, and decided to give those a try. My other option was the Swiss Stop yellow kings for v-brakes. I have the road version on a couple of other bikes, and have been impressed with their modulation and rim preserving qualities on alloy and carbon. I was interested to see if they would translate to a cantilever brake and bring sufficient power despite being so easy on the rims. They did.
First off, the cool stops have been great. They stop well, don't tend to shudder despite being a little softer and more grabby than a standard pad, and are practically free compared to the Swiss Stops (10-15 bucks, generally). I'm on my second pair in less than 2000 km, though I have already admitted to neglect when it comes to cleaning the rims and pads every once in a while. The Swiss Stops on the other hand are more like 60 bucks for 4, so about three times the price. But I love them. The power is there, they are even easier on the rims than the KoolStops, and they don't pick up grit and metal shavings any near as much as the Kools, which are already pretty good. I haven't had them long enough to determine whether they will last three times as long, which would justify the price (where that the only measure), but if they are anything like the pads I've used in a caliper brake, they are going to last a long, long time.
There may be some who can't stomach the price, but if you race, commute, or ride in the crap, I think the Yellow Kings are a pretty good investment, particularly if you ride rims you'd rather not replace as often. For the rest, KoolStop is the way to go, I'm going to say 70% of the performance at 30% of the price. That's value.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Gear Review! Rainwear for Vancouver: Sugoi, Gore, MEC, and Planet Bike
It's been pretty wet here now for about 3 months, and no one should be surprised. I know we talk about how crappy the weather is, but really we should talk about how normal it is. "Rainy out today, huh?"
"Yup, I'd say it's about usual."
"Yup."
"Well, see you later."
Talking about the weather being too rainy is like complaining that you can't believe you have to eat dinner again, you just did it yesterday. Guess what: it's going to rain a lot more in the next couple months. So, proper rain gear can make riding in the rain far more enjoyable. I'm here to tell you what worked for me, and what didn't.
First up, the Gore Countdown Glove. I bought these to replace my cheap Planet Bike "water resistant" gloves from MEC. I would have returned them, but I had them for over a year and figured I'd gotten my 25 bucks out of them. They're actually not bad for colder weather, but they soak up water like a sponge, and then take days to dry out, which makes them worse than useless on the left coast. Enter the Gore Countdown. Admittedly far more expensive (close to $100.00) that price thankfully comes with the benefits you'd expect. These are, so far, the only actually water proof cycling gloves I have owned. They also breath fantastically, making them appropriate for warmer temperatures than I expected. One caveat, the wrist closures are snug, and the gloves are quite fitted: If you intend to use them for colder weather (think below 5 C.) make sure you buy a size large enough that the gloves do not restrict circulation, as one user at least that I know of had this problem. Switching to the next size up seems to improve warmth.
Second up, rain jackets. I have three currently, the Sugoi Hydrolite, an old Campy shell, and the Gore Oxygen. All three have their charms. For un-laden riding (ie. no bag) in cold or moderately rainy weather, the Sugoi is my go-to jacket. It breaths fantastically, cuts out most of the wind, and is super light and compact. Highly recommended for higher intensity and shorter riding in cold to mildly rainy weather. The Gore jacket, while slightly more bulky, is more water resistant and wind proof. Where the Sugoi does eventually wet out in heavier downpours, the Gore will keep you dry, and is almost as breathable despite being made of a thicker fabric. This fabric also makes me feel better about commuting in this jacket with a pack on, something that the feel and thickness of the Sugoi jacket makes me avoid. Despite being slightly heavier, the Gore jacket does fit in a jersey pocket. The Campy jacket doesn't breath, leaks at the seams, and is at least as bulky as the Sugoi. I only use it when it's very cold or I think I might crash and tear it (cross or mountain riding). On the plus side, it is less than half the price of the Sugoi and about a quarter the price of the Gore. Over all, if I could only have one it would be the Gore, hands down.
On the lower half, I'm still rocking the MEC gear. It's cheap, it works okay, and it's cheap. I was thinking hard about the Gore tights, but they didn't have anything that fit as closely as the MEC Cyclone that seemed any more water resistant, and less than 3 times the price. The MEC Cyclone is not fantastic, it will eventually start to take on water, but it is sufficient. The day either MEC or Gore makes a seam taped tight with a hardshell face and a softshell back I'll buy it. MEC used to make one, but those days are gone....
And, lastly the booties. I've tried Campy and Sugoi winter booties, which are both constructed very similarly, and been satisfied. My feet get wet after an hour or so in both, faster in a downpour, but both are definitely better than nothing. I have yet to try the Gore Race Power booty, but based on my experience with their jackets and gloves, they seem the like way to go for wet weather.
So there it is, if there's water on the road or in the air, that's what I'm wearing. When I get the Gore booties, I'll get a review up. Until then, stay dry if you can, but keep riding no matter what.
"Yup, I'd say it's about usual."
"Yup."
"Well, see you later."
Talking about the weather being too rainy is like complaining that you can't believe you have to eat dinner again, you just did it yesterday. Guess what: it's going to rain a lot more in the next couple months. So, proper rain gear can make riding in the rain far more enjoyable. I'm here to tell you what worked for me, and what didn't.
First up, the Gore Countdown Glove. I bought these to replace my cheap Planet Bike "water resistant" gloves from MEC. I would have returned them, but I had them for over a year and figured I'd gotten my 25 bucks out of them. They're actually not bad for colder weather, but they soak up water like a sponge, and then take days to dry out, which makes them worse than useless on the left coast. Enter the Gore Countdown. Admittedly far more expensive (close to $100.00) that price thankfully comes with the benefits you'd expect. These are, so far, the only actually water proof cycling gloves I have owned. They also breath fantastically, making them appropriate for warmer temperatures than I expected. One caveat, the wrist closures are snug, and the gloves are quite fitted: If you intend to use them for colder weather (think below 5 C.) make sure you buy a size large enough that the gloves do not restrict circulation, as one user at least that I know of had this problem. Switching to the next size up seems to improve warmth.
Second up, rain jackets. I have three currently, the Sugoi Hydrolite, an old Campy shell, and the Gore Oxygen. All three have their charms. For un-laden riding (ie. no bag) in cold or moderately rainy weather, the Sugoi is my go-to jacket. It breaths fantastically, cuts out most of the wind, and is super light and compact. Highly recommended for higher intensity and shorter riding in cold to mildly rainy weather. The Gore jacket, while slightly more bulky, is more water resistant and wind proof. Where the Sugoi does eventually wet out in heavier downpours, the Gore will keep you dry, and is almost as breathable despite being made of a thicker fabric. This fabric also makes me feel better about commuting in this jacket with a pack on, something that the feel and thickness of the Sugoi jacket makes me avoid. Despite being slightly heavier, the Gore jacket does fit in a jersey pocket. The Campy jacket doesn't breath, leaks at the seams, and is at least as bulky as the Sugoi. I only use it when it's very cold or I think I might crash and tear it (cross or mountain riding). On the plus side, it is less than half the price of the Sugoi and about a quarter the price of the Gore. Over all, if I could only have one it would be the Gore, hands down.
On the lower half, I'm still rocking the MEC gear. It's cheap, it works okay, and it's cheap. I was thinking hard about the Gore tights, but they didn't have anything that fit as closely as the MEC Cyclone that seemed any more water resistant, and less than 3 times the price. The MEC Cyclone is not fantastic, it will eventually start to take on water, but it is sufficient. The day either MEC or Gore makes a seam taped tight with a hardshell face and a softshell back I'll buy it. MEC used to make one, but those days are gone....
And, lastly the booties. I've tried Campy and Sugoi winter booties, which are both constructed very similarly, and been satisfied. My feet get wet after an hour or so in both, faster in a downpour, but both are definitely better than nothing. I have yet to try the Gore Race Power booty, but based on my experience with their jackets and gloves, they seem the like way to go for wet weather.
So there it is, if there's water on the road or in the air, that's what I'm wearing. When I get the Gore booties, I'll get a review up. Until then, stay dry if you can, but keep riding no matter what.
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