2016 Fox Float X2 Test
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Fox announced the new Float X2 earlier this year. It was created to compete against the CCDB AIR, Vivid Air and the BOS Void rear shocks. These are all high volume air shocks offering high and low speed compression and rebound adjusters.
Extra Volume
Our Extra Volume (EVOL) air sleeve significantly reduces the force to initiate travel, providing added sensitivity and better small bump compliance. The progressiveness of the spring curve can be adjusted via air volume spacers, allowing riders to fine-tune the feel of the air spring.
Rod Valve System
Rod Valve System (RVS) provides a more seamless damping transition when absorbing small to large impacts, resulting in faster system response, more control, and less harshness.
Adjustemnts
- Low-speed compression
- High-speed compression
- Low-speed rebound
- High-speed rebound
- Air spring pressure
Sizes
- 7.875 x 2
- 7.875 x 2.25
- 8.5 x 2.5
- 8.75 x 2.75
- 9.5 x 3
- 10.5 x 3.5
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Kurtis D
Testing consisted of about two months of riding (approximately 150 miles) over various terrains. Refined suspension designs and new technology is continuing to blur the line between DH and aggressive trail/enduro riding. We expect that the majority of aftermarket buyers of this shock will be those that often times pedal to the top of their favorite downhill trail. As a result of this, the new 27.5 Santa Cruz Nomad was chosen as an appropriate bike to test the shock on. The Nomad is definitely gravity oriented, but it also has won a lot of praise for being a relatively good climber.
The Float X2 was first tested at Northstar California’s bike park. This allowed a variety of settings to be tested in a fairly short amount of time and get the shock dialed in rapidly. It also provided a good mix of trails which ranged from flowy jumps (Livewire) to rocky & rough trails (e.g. Boondocks) and everything in between. The next testing ground was trail riding in SoCal, which typically consists of an hour or so of climbing and a 5-10+ minute descent, then repeat until tired. Trails are a mix of rocks, berms, and braking bumps.
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The elephant in the room: this review couldn’t be written without acknowledging that Cane Creek’s Double Barrel Air (DBA and DBA CS) is a major reason we now have Fox rear shocks with external HSC, LSC, HSR, and LSR adjustments. The CC DBA and DBA CS are also the main air shock competitors to the Float X2. Therefore CC will have a brief mention/comparison in this review.
The first thing noticed with the Float X2 is that it likes to ride high in travel while still being extremely supple on the initial part of the shock stroke. To me, this is the biggest, but still not largest difference between the Double Barrel Air CS and the Float X2. The shocks are extremely similar, but the DBA feels a bit duller or less supportive in the mid-stroke. The DBA tends to squat more. I wouldn’t say that it’s a large difference, but there is a difference. Nor have I noticed a difference in my descent times between the two shocks.
For general trail riding the Float X2 worked very well. Once it was tuned there was no sensation of excessive pedal-bob. It also felt lively without being out of control. Long fireroad climbs were the only time I had a minor quibble with the X2. On long climbs I will occasionally look down at my rear shock and with the X2 I could see it go in and out just a little bit. The loss in power is probably not much but it would be nice to have some sort of climb switch or lockout. Yes, the compression and rebound could be adjusted to reduce this even further, but how many of us are going to remember to do this every time? I have a hard enough time just remembering to flip a climb switch.
Let’s talk about descending. That’s where the Float X2 really shines. There’s something about the X2 that makes it feel glued to the ground and this is especially noticeable at speed in chatter where other shocks can get a bit overwhelmed. Despite feeling glued, the X2 also feels lively. If you want to pop the bike over some rough terrain, the shock is more than willing to help, but it doesn’t mind staying on the ground through the bumps either. On long descents the Float X2 did get warm and almost hot on a lovely SoCal 100+ degree day. Despite this, no fading or loss of performance was noticed. All in all, the Float X2 is an exceptional shock and if a major part of your riding enjoyment comes from the descents then seriously consider this shock.
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Shock Settings From Closed
- HSC: 17
- LSC: 19 (trail); 21 (bike park)
- HSR: 15
- LSR: 19
- Spacers: 3 (trail); 4 (bike park)
- Sag: 25-28%
- PSI: 177
- Rider Weight: 175lbs
Conclusion
The Nomad that we tested the Fox Float X2 on has had a CCDB AIR CS and a Vivid Air on it in the last 8 months. The Fox held it's own and improved the overall ride of the Nomad on the descents. So far the Float X2 has been mounted on the bike for 4 months. We have had no issues with the shock. Fox seems to be pretty spot on in their suggestions for settings. These provided a good start point for our rider.
Overall the Fox Float X2 prvided us with an improved ride aboard our VPP driven Nomad. It helped the bike eat up the chunkier terrain better without hindering its pedalling platform. We hould have no problem suggesting the Float X2 to a friend. It seems to do the job it was designed for without much fussing needed.
Thomson Elite Covert Dropper Test
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Thomson has been around a long time. It is a name that is synonymous with high quality made in the USA bike bling. Most of us have used their standard posts for the best in strength to weight ratios. With the advent of dropper posts in the last 5 years Thomson took their time bringing a dropper to market. What they have is called the Elite Dropper and we are testing the Covert version which is for internal cable routing.
"The Elite Dropper uses side mount actuation so we can keep all the critical dimensions of the Thomson Elite cradle, bolt and clamp geometry. One piece forged inner post for strength and reliability, no joint to loosen and fail. Actuation is by cam so rider gets smooth, variable speed and height without resorting to a complicated, damage prone hydraulic actuator; no bleeding required. 27.2, 30.9 and 31.6 diameters available."
Features
- The Elite Covert Dropper fixes the cable at the bottom of the post both 30.9 and 31.6 diameters available.
- Return speed is damped in the last 15mm of upward travel to be gentle on your “seating” area!
- 5 inches/125mm of infinite travel.
- 5mm of setback.
- 592 grams including remote lever, housing and cable. Passes EN fatigue and strength test.
- The smallest most ergonomic remote lever available. Short throw for quick height changes.
- You can put your Thomson post back on now.
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"You want the increased control a dropper post gives you but you had to give up your Thomson post to have it. Not any longer, you can put your Thomson post back on the bike! Our cartridge based system is designed to have the longest service life in the industry. If repair is needed it is fast, affordable and simple. Every single component is the best available. Custom made Norglide bearing bushings, custom made Trelleborg O-Rings and seals, Thomson saddle clamps and fasteners, Motul Oil. This is the drop post good enough to be called a Thomson Elite.
Three new Droppers join the lineup in May of 2014. 30.9 and 31.6 Covert Dropper posts are built for bikes that utilize internal housing and cable routing for dropper posts. Housing and cable exits the bottom of the post and does not move when the post moves. 27.2 Elite Dropper features the external housing and cable installation and will let you re-build that aggressive hard tail you have been dreaming of."
Upon receiving the seatpost we where not shocked at all to find a beautiful piece that we mounted up fast with no issues. It was easy to set up and the trigger is very fast to engage the post and there is none of the slack you may be accustomed to using a KS or Rock Shox post. The Thomson Dropper currently only comes in a 125mm version but they are rumored to be working on a 150mm version right now. The post has infinite travel and has a damped 15mm of end travel to keep it easy on your underside.
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Thomson did a wonderful job with their dropper post. It is a snap to install, has a great build quality and works for long periods with little to no service. We have been running the Thomson Covert Dropper for four months now and have had zero issues. In fact there is still no play in the post at all. Most droppers start to wiggle after a week or when brand new. This is not an issue with the Thomson.The Elite Dropper didn't even need any cable adjustements! The post has an infinite adjustment and operates very smoothly the whole way through its travel.
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Conclusion
Overall we where very happy with the offering from Thomson. Their post is clean, simple, reliable, and made in the USA. The only issue we have is that it would be nice if the lever was a bit broader, it is a bit on the thin side. Also having a 150mm version will allow many more riders the ability to run a dropper from Thomson. There is not another dropper being made with the quality of The Thomson Elite series. Just put one next to any other dropper and you will see the difference.
The Elite Covert is a fantastic dropper post that we would highly reccomend to a friend. Dropper posts are still heavy and this is our only issue with this post. It is one of the heavier models on the market. One day soon we will have dropper posts that are below 400 grams. But for the current crop of dropper posts the Thomson is king both in durability and function.
Q&A With Thomson Components
1. Give us some background on Thomson and what drove you to begin making bicycle components?
Founder Ronnie Thomson was encouraged to make bicycle products by his daughter and accountant, both avid cyclists. In 1993, Ronnie’s daughter, a Carnegie Melon cycling team member, asked if she could bring a few friends to Georgia during the spring so they could ride in the warm weather. She showed up with ten friends. In between rides, they toured the factory, then making aerospace parts, and said, “Wow, they could manufacture bicycle parts here!”
The next year, 1994, two of her friends, Michael McGhee and Mark McJunkin, returned for a visit. While in Macon, they presented Ronnie with a written proposal to manufacture bike products. Following graduation that year, Ronnie hired them. Chris McGhee formerly worked with Gary Klein of Klien bikes, which sold out to Trek. Gary said the seat post was the forgotten component.
That same year, in the summer of 1994, Ronnie’s daughter set out to ride across America. She covered 120 miles per day, but she had to make seat adjustments to manage the painful ride she was experiencing. This, in turn, increased pressure on her knee, which caused an injury she could not overcome to finish the race. This experience gave impetus to design a brand new product. What we learned from the ride and Gary helped set the tone for the business plan and direction of the bike line. At this time, high quality bike components were an entirely new market.
Two years in development, the Thomson seat post was introduced at the 1996 Interbike show as a hot new patent pending cycling component, and continues to be a strong, reliable, and sought after product. Thomson maintains patents on the majority of its products. By 1997, the Thomson team was already developing their partner network and began selling internationally.
Brian Thomson returned to work at Thomson in 1998 after college and a short stint in the oil refinery business. Fresh from the Colorado school of Mines, he was given the responsibility to design additional seat post sizes.
After the initial success of the seat post, Thomson began thinking of how to build a better stem. In manufacturing, the tooling and machines must be in place before a product can be manufactured, and it can take as long to accomplish as the design of the product. The first Thomson Elite stem was introduced in 2001/2002. It is no longer in production because we made improvements and modifications that led to the X2 and X4 stems that followed in 2005/2006.
Thomson lost a great visionary and friend when Ronnie passed away in 2008. Brian stepped in as President. During this time we continued to pursue the patent for the collar that Ronnie began. Products are developed at Thomson when we detect that the industry does not meet a need. The collar was developed to provide excellent/even clamping without crushing the seat post.
Thomson experienced a rapid succession of new items beginning in 2012 with handle bars, dropper seat posts in 2013, and Covert and 27.2 droppers in 2014. Thomson realized the desire for riders to have a bike that fits and we introduced the Thomson titanium hard tail custom bike at Eurobike in 2014. And we have more products on the way. A third generation is being groomed in the business to continue the Thomson tradition of excellence. We want our customers to have the best ride of their lives.
2. The dropper post scene literally seemed to explode about 4-5 years ago. What did Thomson think at the time and why did you guys seem to take your time before creating a dropper of your own?
We wanted to be certain this technology was here to stay. Prior to the dropper no product in our catalog moved. This, coupled with the high rate of failure in the industry, pushed us to be confident in our product prior to etching THOMSON on the side.
3. Where there certain features you guys wanted to make sure to include in the Thomson Dropper?
Thomson wanted to produce a solid post that could be utilized by riders of varying disciplines. We made sure to accommodate frames with the option for internal cable routing as well as external and infinite adjustability within the range of the stroke as well as the saddle angle.
4. How long did it take to get the post from idea to reality?
About two years.
5. What would you say you where most concerned with when creating a post from scratch? (IE weight, reliability, function, Etc.)
Being a THOMSON, the post is held to high standards. Function and reliability were the critical issues the dropper market needed work on, so we addressed those issues. Aesthetics and minimal weight are secondary yet standard attributes to all THOMSON products.
7. How soon until we see a 150mm version of the Thomson Dropper?
We are hoping to have the 150mm available in time for spring.
8. What would you say the greatest three inventions for Mountain Biking have been in the last 20 years?
Disc Brakes, progressive suspension, and helmet technology/ safety gear in general...
9. Who is a better rider Ned Overend, or Eddy Merckx?
The single track guy in me tends to lean toward Overend, but where would the industry as a whole be without Merckx? They are both legends in their respective disciplines.
10. What do you think about all the standards that have flooded the MTB world over the past 4 years?
Just because something is deemed a standard does not necessarily make it so. I can think of several standards that have evolved over the years that do not necessarily provide any positive influence to the rider. Added standards often flood the market with options and make upgrading difficult on the end user.
11. Where do you see Mountain Biking ten years from now?
The advent of the eBike foreshadows the future of the sport in my opinion. I am not trying to sound prophetic, but I feel this is the biggest game changer, good or bad, the sport has seen since inception.
12. Any new products that Thomson may have on the horizon?
Thomson is working on several new dropper posts. A 100mm travel dropper will be available to consumers in November. We are working on a 150mm travel, and hope to release it in spring. Both the 100 and 150 will be available in 31.6 and 30.9 diameters with covert routing. The 100mm will be available in external routing as well. We are also working on our static line. In the works are carbon fiber seat posts and forged aluminum set back seat posts. The forged aluminum set back seat post will feature a 25 mm offset taking place in the cradle as opposed to having a formed body like our current set back line. We hope to have these products available to consumers within 6 months.
13. Will we see a weight reduction in dropper posts over the next 5 years?
I would think so, as that is the natural progression of bicycle technology. As cx and even road riders adopt this tech, the desire for a lighter weight post grows increasingly greater.
14. Anything you would like our readers to know about the Cover Dropper or Thomson in general?
Our new web site is set to go live November 1st. In the meantime we can be reached at bikes@lhthomson.com
Hope Tech 3 E4 Brake Test
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Hope Technology has been around for almost 40 years now. They began making their first disc brakes in the late 1980's. Over the years they have expanded their production to include hubs, stems, pedals, headsets, cranks, BB's, chainrings and a cassette is now in the works. They pride themselves with making all their parts in their home country of England.
Over the years we have owned many Hope products personally. Including Bulb and Big Un hubs, Mono 4, Moto V4 and and the newer Tech V4 brakes. All of their products worked well and their brakes in the past where nothing short of amazing. We decided to get a set of Hope Tech 3 E4 brakes to test out on the "enduro" bike and see how these machined works of art perform going "full enduro".
"Hope Technology began life in the late 1980’s as a subcontract machining business making tools and fixtures for the many local aerospace companies. In 1989 they began making disc brakes for the newly developed mountain bikes. Initially for the personal use of the owners Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp but they quickly realised these brakes could be sold as a product in their own right.
Since disc brakes were such a novel idea on a bicycle they decided to begin manufacturing other more common bicycle products, the first of these being a front hub. These began selling through retailers in the UK and interest was also shown in many countries around the world.
Over the subsequent years many more products were added to the range and in 2000 the decision was made to stop all subcontract work and concentrate purely on bicycle products.
Hope now manufactures almost every part for a bicycle including hubs, brakes, headset, stems, bottom brackets and lights. The only major part left to develop is the actual frame, which may be happening in the not too distant future. All parts are proudly manufactured in Hope’s Barnoldswick factory which is a true state of the art facility. They have almost 100 staff operating the factory 24-7, running the 55 CNC machines, anodising the individual components and hand assembling the finished parts. Manufacturing all products on site gives Hope total control on quality and delivery schedules.
Hope exports around 50% of its production to over 40 countries. They deal directly with retailers in the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium and The Netherlands (employing French and German speaking staff), then have distributors in many other countries. Their components have an excellent international reputation for both quality and reliability. They are generally fitted by enthusiasts looking to upgrade their bikes to the highest levels and are supplied through specialist retailers."
We received our Hope brakes a few days after ordering them. They are now based out of Texas show shipping to either end of the USA should happen in 3-4 days with standard shipping. We opted for a 203mm front and 183mm rear rotor. Another option you have with the Hope brakes it a floating rotor or non floating. We opted for floating and then discovered that the floating rotor would not clear the Evil Following frame on the back so we had to order a standard rotor for the back of our bike.
Hope ships their brakes in sturdy packaging. Each brake came in it's own box and had the corresponding rotor and brake adapter in each box. For those that have not seen these brakes in person that are literally a machined masterpiece. The detail on these brakes is out of this world. Having adjuster knobs on the lever to change pad contact and lever reach is very nice. Using the knobs on the Tech 3's gives you a positive click each time you make a turn. There is no vague guess work to do here! Also the range of adjustment is better than any other brake out there.
Hope Tech 3 E4 Features
- Rigid CNC'd one piece caliper
- E4 caliper uses 4x16mm phenolic pistons to give more usable power
- Tech 3 lever offers 5% more power compared to our previous lever
- Ergonomic lever design to fit around other handle bar items
- The Tech 3 lever is directly compatible with Shimano I-Spec shifters.
- Complete brake available in Black, Purple or Red
- Choose either standard or braided hose (braided hose is an extra cost)
Hope Tech 3 E4 Specifications
- Tech 3 lever offers genuine bite point and reach adjustment without tools
- Uses post mount, 9.74 caliper with adapters to suit all mount options
- CNC machined from 2014 T6 aluminium alloy
- Top entry pad fitting
- Shimano I Spec Shifters can be fitted directly to lever body. Separate Sram Direct Mount also available
- Black anodized for durability
- Available to fit 160, 183 and 203mm front and rear rotors
- Weight from: 266g (standard hose), 300g (braided hose)
We got the rotors mounted up and then put the brakes onto the frame and fork. Once done we did some tweaking to get the rotor to stop rubbing. Then it was a bit of break in time. The Levers on the Hope Tech 3 E4 are good size. You can use two fingers easily on them if needed but they produce tremendous bite and one finger braking is all you would typically need.
I will typically run my levers far out and have them be pretty spongy giving the brakes a bunch of modulation. Having used every major brake out there the Hope Brakes show their superiority over the other brands here by a pretty wide margin. You could literally have them hit the bars if you wanted before locking up.
Hope Tech 3 E4 Exploded Views
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Ian W
So with my rear brake set to be a tad more squishy than the front I set out for the hills. My first ride was a 12 mile loop on a lunch ride. The climb up is mellow and the downhill is in the mid four minute mark typically. It is a fast flowy trail with many turns and only a few rocks scattered across it. So basically the brakes where used going into corners and for the occasional hiker. Coming into the forst hard left that is rock filled I grabbed a fair bit of brake. I have used Hopes in the past but it has been about six months since I rode on them. The slow down was substantial and I had to let off the brakes earlier than I was sued to. First lesson was to brake a bit later. About half way down there are a few corners I have issues with one is steep and off camber but fast. On a good day I can go through no brakes but typically I drag them some. Running a Semi Slick on The Evil Following was gonna be a test of the rear brake and its modulation. I used the back a bit and it didn't break loose. This was great since I have used the same tire on two other bikes and the back end usually breaks free in this turn. The entire first run the brakes worked well and showed their ability to allow the rider to have complete control over the breaking point of their tires and the soil.
The next trail is just above the first and is much rockier for the first 300 yards or so. The climb was a bit longer but the descent is worth it. The start of the downhill has soccer ball sized rocks for about 100 yards that you go over at a good rate of speed. The trick here is to stay off the brakes and let the bike skip over and around the rocks. I used the Tech 3's a few times. Once out of the rock garden the speeds increase and you enter trees with turns carving their way down the hill. This twisty section is dry and many would consider the traction not very good. The Hope Brakes once again had plenty of power and I had no problems keeping the tires rolling and not locking them up! In the twisty stuff the Evil does a great job of offering copious amounts of traction and carrying speeds through turns. There is one turn near the bottom that is a very hard right this is where I will break the back loose to cut the turn the tires once leaned over and the rear brake grabbed hard seamlessly went from rolling to locked up and sliding.
Once we got the chance to head up to Northstar we loaded up and hit the road. Along with the Following we also brought a few Downhill bikes and another "Enduro" bike. Their lifts run fairly fast and we hopped on and headed for the jump filled trail Live Wire. This is a flow trail loaded with many tabletop jumps and corners for the 2 mile run. There are not many local trails that have jumps so it had been awhile since I jumped a bike at high rates of speed. I started off a bit timid and then began gaining more speed on the way down. The brakes worked perfect the entire time as I worked my way down the hill. My first run I used them a fair amount and there was no sign of heat issues. I weigh 215lbs and have had brakes start to loose power in the past from this.
The next trail was Flameout which is on the left side of the mountain. This is a chunkier trail that has a few jumps. The trail has a bit more loose dirt around the rocks so line choice here can be a bit more difficult. The Following did well in the chunkier stuff here. Having not ridden this trail before I had to come down from speeds to almost a crawl on a few parts. We also caught a few groups of riders we had to slow down for. The Hope Tech 3 E4 brakes worked very well at slowing the bike down in the dry and dusty conditions of Northstar!
Gypsy trail is on the right side of the hill. This is a mellower trail that has some rocks, jumps and wood features in it. This trail has more jumps and some wood features. I am not a huge wood fan so I slowed down some over these. Again the brakes has no issues and my semi slick tire only broke loose if I wanted it to.
Mineshaft is a trail that takes you from the halfway point back down to the lodge. It has some jumps a bunch of tall bermed corners and some rocks scattered here or there. This trail can literally be pumped the entire way down and you will be able to clear the jumps. The Following was moving through here it seems to be one of the best bikes I have ever ridden at pumping speed off features and terrain of the trail. Everyone on the hill uses this trail to get back down we caught 4 sets of riders on the way down some going very slow. The Hope Tech 3's worked wonderfully at slowing me down to go around other trail riders.
Conclusion
Overall the Hope Tech 3 E4 Brakes where incredible. There was nothing in their performance that could be or would need to be improved. The only issue would be weight of the brakes. They are about 100 grams heavier than some others. This could probably be shaved out of the brakes if they found it to be a serious issue. Keep in mind we ran braided lines which are a tad bit heavier as well.
The quality of these brakes is amazing. It is rare to find a company in the bike industry still manufacturing products in their home country. Hope has been in England for close to 40 years now. It is always nice to know you are buying a product from a company that is making stuff on their home soil. If you look at the price difference between the Hope Tech 3's and say a Shimano XTR there is no price difference between them. Also make sure you have the brake line lengths you will need and give them to Hope when you order the brakes.
It may be worth ordering a spare set of pads since not many shops carry Hope products on hand. That is the only negative we have found. Though the pads do last a long time our last Downhill bike had Hope brakes and we had it almost 1 year and never replaced the pads! Just something to think about. Many mechanics will tell you the Hope brake system is the easiest to bleed.
Hope knocked it out of the park with the Tech 3 E4 Brakes. There is nothing more we could ask for in a brake system. This is the 5th set of Hope Brakes I have used and all of them have been great. We would for sure recommend these to a friend. Their lever feel, modualtion, adjustability and build quality are unmatched.
Q & A With Hope Technologies
1. What was Hope's primary goal in creating and designing the Tech 3 brake system?
The Tech 3 master cylinder was going to replace the long going Tech and Tech Evo master cylinder. So the goal was to keep the first generation Tech master cylinder’s best assets, improve what could be improved for more reliability, shed some weight if possible and increase the generated brake line pressure to gain some braking power.
2. There are two versions of the Tech 3 can you explain the differences?
There are actually 3 versions. There is just one version of the Tech 3 master cylinder but three versions of calipers: X2 (XC caliper), E4 (“enduro” caliper) and V4 (DH caliper).
3. Was weight or braking power of more importance with the E4's?
Definitely power, even if it’s important to keep a close eye on overall weight, trying to have something super light at any cost often comes to the detriment of reliability and we are making things to last and be serviceable, not to snap at the first occasion.When it comes to braking, power is a vague thing, there is no much point having a mega powerful brake is you have no grip whatsoever… it’s a very fine balance between power and modulation.
4. What benefit will riders see between the braided lines and standard versions?
The braided hose will make the whole unit more robust. If you are often hanging the bike on the chairlift or stacking them at the back of the van, there is no danger of the hose being crushed, this is the heavy duty option. The standard version can’t take that much batter but it’s a lot lighter too. Performance wise, you won’t notice any difference. Although the braided hose has got a higher burst pressure than standard black hose, we are never going anywhere near these pressures in normal usage.
5. Any tips or tricks to getting a clean bleed with the Tech 3 brakes?
First of all, don’t bleed the brake for just any reason. If the brake feels soft, it’s more likely to be down to poor setup, checking caliper and perfect pad alignment should be done first. Most of our sponsored riders go the full season without a single brake bleed.If you need to bleed them, use some DOT4 or 5.1 and bleed them like you would do on a motorbike, no syringe or silly bleed kit required. We have a good video on the website showing how it’s done step by step: watch the video below.
6. You guys offer a floating and non-floating rotor what are the reasons for this?
We have been making a floating rotor option for over 10 years now. The original reason to make it was for its higher resistance to warping. Because the external braking surface can freely expand and contract radially, it is not affecting and loading the center carrier.They also have that “moto” look that most riders seem to like.
7. Hope has been around a very long time can you give us a brief overview of the company?
Hope was officially co-founded by Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp back in 1989. Both tool makers at Rolls Royce and also national level motorcycle trials riders, they would often be found making parts for their trials bikes or mountain bikes which they used for training.
As Ian and Simon started receiving requests to make parts for others’ bikes they decided there could be a gap in the market. The first product was a cable brake followed by a hub. It wasn’t until two years later, in 1991, that hubs and brakes were sold to the market.
Since the early ‘90’s the range of products we manufacture has expanded from one brake and hub to various versions of each, Cranks, finishing kits, headsets, bottom brackets and pedals. Although still based in Barnoldswick, UK, the company has grown significantly over the last 26 years, now employing over 140 people and selling to over 40 countries worldwide.
8. What do you think were the top 3 advancements in MTB technology in the last 20 years?
The generalization of full suspension and disc brakes was a big breakthrough, making the bike more controllable and safer!For the third one I would say the usage of carbon fiber parts and frames.
9. Climbs or descents?
Descents because they are much more fun… And even more enjoyable if you earn it with a bit of sweat when climbing.
10. Rocks or jumps?
Rocks… wheels are made to stay on the ground… and I can barely jump anyway !!!
11. What do you think the future holds for the industry as a whole?
We’ll see the integration of more and more electronic gizmos, like it or not… maybe eventually one single battery to run everything from it.
12. Would you rather have the skills of Nico or Ricky Carmichael in their primes?
Nico Vouilloz… even nowadays!
13. Is it hard for you guys to keep production in England and still keep you prices close to competitors that have moved production to Asia?
No because we are using the latest manufacturing machines and techniques which can keep manufacturing cost to minimum. Granted our costs may be slightly higher than some of our competitors who manufacture in Asia, however, we concentrate on efficiency to keep our costs low rather than cheap labour.
14. Any information you want the viewers to know about the Tech 3 brakes?
To get them if they want some “fit and forget” brakes, no hassle, no bleed every other ride and guarantee to find some spare parts for at least 5 years should you need them.
Thanks
This short video by Sam Needham shows you how to align and lubricate your Hope brake calipers.
Wir zeigen Dir wie unsere Bremszangen einfach zentralisiert und gefettet werden können
Hope Tech 3 E4 Owners Manual
EnduroGuard Test (RRP)
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RRP or Rapidracerproducts is based in the UK. Being based there means mud and lots of it. Having such sloppy conditions to ride under they are in need of fenders more than most. They saw some improvements that could be made to fenders on the market and created the Enduroguard.
"We are pleased to introduce our new ENDUROGUARD mudguard which is an awesome FRONT or REAR mudguard. As a FRONT mudguard it's amazing at stopping the mud and spray that’s thrown into your eyes from the back of the front wheel. Just snap off the round holes either side of the RRP logo and it becomes an effective REAR mudguard protecting your linkages and shock from getting hammered. We have also added a neat design feature of the “Seal Guard”, this enhanced bulge is specifically designed to give additional protection to your fork seals.
| AVAILABLE IN 2 SIZES: | |
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STANDARD
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for forks from 80mm to 120mm travel
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LARGE
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for forks from 130mm to 200mm travel
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STANDARD
This STANDARD size is small enough to look right on short travel forks found on 4X and Cross Country/trail bikes, the fork brace is also usually closer to the stanchion so we have moved the holes for a more appropriate fit for smaller travel forks.
LARGE
This LARGE size offers great protection and is big enough to fit the longer travel forks found on Gravity Enduro and Downhill bikes, the fork brace on these forks are typically further away from the stanchions so we have moved the holes accordingly for a better fit.
UNIQUE DESIGN FEATURES
1. USAGE
The ENDUROGUARDTM is designed as a FRONT or REAR mudguard and has been specifically adapted to do both jobs extremely well, the holes that are correct for fitting to the front forks do not work when using them to fit as a rear mudguard (unless the bike has a dropped rear brace), our snap off holes allows you to rotate the guard forward for better tyre clearance and protection. Clean with a hose or jet wash, no chemicals are needed and may degrade the print over time.
2. SEAL GUARDTM
This additional bulge has been added and refined to offer additional protection for your seals against the relentless attack from spray and mud without affecting the fit or aesthetics, you will be grateful for this feature on those extremely wet rides prolonging the life of your fork seals.
3. FRONT MUDGUARD
The 'T' shape clamping points are designed to wrap around the fork leg providing a better and neater fit. The front of the mudguard is designed to offer slightly increased protection without spoiling the look of the mudguard. The wider curve with flat rear end offers maximum protection and frame clearance compared to a simple symmetrical curve. The main holes for the STANDARD and the LARGE are located in slightly different places, this reflects the typical differences between fork braces on long and short travel forks.
4. REAR MUDGUARD
The holes for the fork brace aren't ideally located when using it as a REAR mudguard, so we built in 2 snap-off holes to allow you to rotate the guard forward and attach it to the brace between the rear stays (NB: The snap off holes are available on both the STANDARD and the LARGE sizes). This feature creates more mud/tyre clearance and a much better fit (although you can still use the main holes for the small number of bikes that have a dropped rear brace).
Choose either the STANDARD or LARGE size depending on what rear protection you want to achieve (STANDARD would be the default size recommendation).
5. GRAPHICS
Our product displays cool looking 2 tone screen printed graphics with our awesome Evil Eyes logo on the front to finish off the look nicely. The fork travel suitability for each size is printed on the side of the mudguard for ease of purchasing.
6. MATERIAL
We took a more expensive route opting for a custom thickness of polypropylene to meet our requirements, we felt the standard "off the shelf" options were either too thick (1.2mic) or too thin (0.8mic), our custom material sits squarely in-between. This allows us to offer the best of both worlds; the durability and quality feel that a thicker material gives, combined with the fit flexibility that a thinner material delivers.
7. ZIP TIES
All sizes and colours will come with our new custom bright white zip ties made to a custom length. WHY ON EARTH?.....well the bright white zip ties simply disappear on white forks but also offer a nice colour contrast on the other coloured forks. Whilst standard black and natural / opaque colours and lengths were available, these were dull and either not long enough for large forks, or too long for the packaging. We think they look great with the white graphics and let’s face it, every mountain biker has black zip ties so if you don’t agree then they’re easily replaced.
FITTING INSTRUCTIONS
FRONT
1) Remove the 4 zip ties supplied and insert them into all the holes as shown below
2) Bend and slide mudguard into position from the front
3) Loosely fasten up the top zip ties around the fork brace first then the legs
4) Centralise and then tighten up the top zip ties REAL tight so it won't move
5) Rotate the bottom zip ties until you get the desired angle and then tighten
6) Cut off any excess from the zip ties and rotate them out of the way
REAR
1) Remove the snap-off holes either side of RRP logo as highlighted in red below
2) Loosely attach the zip ties to the rear stays and brace
3) Align to give you the correct tyre clearance
4) Now do up all the zip ties REAL tight
INSTRUCTIONS STICKER
As with all adhesive backed stickers it’s advisable to warm the sticker with a hair dryer before removal to reduce the amount of adhesive left behind, use “sticky stuff” remover or soap and water to remove any remaining residue from the mudguard or zip ties.
STANDARD 23g (ex. zip ties)
LARGE 26g (ex. zip ties)
SRP £8.99
AVAILABLE COLOURS:
BLACK, WHITE, GREEN, RED, MAGENTA, BLACK/BLUE, BLACK/ORANGE
Our ENDUROGUARD is designed, manufactured, and packed in the United Kingdom
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The EnduroGuard went onto the fork easily. It provided great great protection from gravel, sand and flying mud. Overall the EnduroGuard was a bit thinner than a MarshGuard. It allowed it to conform better to varying fork arches. So far it has done a great job of keep the downtube of our bike clean and the fork seals free from dirt.
We used it on a BOS fork and on the back of The Evil Following. The fit was very snug on the Evil and it took some cutting and fitting for it to clear the rear. Having a thicker plastci would have made this task all but impossible so the thinner material showed its benefits here.
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RRP EnduroGuard Questions
1. How long has Rapid Race Products been running?
RRP was formed in 2007 some 8 years ago, whilst racing DH with my team riders I was always annoyed about zip tying a dirty inner tube to my brand new bike each year so I thought there must be a more professional solution, the NeoGuard was born!
2. What was you first product?
The classic NeoGuard was our first product, a piece of neoprene that stretches across the front forks to stop the spray from the back of the front wheel from hitting you in the eyes, this is still the preferred choice of many a mountain biker
3. What did you feel needed improving on the current fender options on the market?
- · With the EnduroGuard we felt the main competitors had got it wrong, the main issues were:
- · Material – we felt the thickness of the material on current options were either too thin or too thick
- · Seal protection – not enough protection for the fork seals with some offering none at all
- · Size – one size doesn’t fit all fork travel, 2 sizes were needed
- · Rear fitting – the existing options wouldn’t fit the rear unless it had a dropped rear brace
- · Graphics – other options were either were either black print on white or white print on black, we felt customers wanted more colour options and cooler graphics which others have later followed
4. Did you implement all the above into the EnduroGuard?
Yes, we addressed all of the issues which is why the EnduroGuard became an instant success, more detail below:
MATERIAL
We took a more expensive route opting for a custom thickness of polypropylene to meet our requirements, we felt the standard cheaper "off the shelf" options were either too thick or too thin, our custom material sits squarely in-between. This allows us to offer the best of both worlds; the durability and quality feel that a thicker material gives, combined with the fit flexibility that a thinner material delivers.
SEAL GUARDTM
This additional bulge is unique to RRP and has been added and refined to offer additional protection for the seals against the relentless attack from spray and mud without affecting the fit or aesthetics, you will be grateful for this feature on those extremely wet rides prolonging the life of your fork seals.
STANDARD
Our STANDARD size is small enough to look right on short travel forks found on 4X and Cross Country/trail bikes, the fork brace is usually closer to the stanchion so we have moved the holes for a more appropriate fit for smaller travel forks.
LARGE
Our LARGE size offers great protection and is big enough to fit the longer travel forks found on Gravity Enduro and Downhill bikes, the fork brace on these forks are typically further away from the stanchions so we have moved the holes accordingly for a better fit.
REAR MUDGUARD
The holes for the fork brace aren't ideally located when using it as a REAR mudguard, so we built-in 2 snap-off holes to allow you to rotate the guard forward and attach it to the brace between the rear stays. The snap-off holes are available on both the STANDARD and the LARGE sizes, this is a unique RRP feature that creates more mud/tyre clearance and a much better fit, although you can still use the main holes for the small number of bikes that have a dropped rear brace. On version 2 there are another 2 sets of snap-off holes to use when there isn’t a rear brace to attach to eg: Intense. You can choose either the STANDARD or LARGE size depending on what rear protection you want to achieve, STANDARD would be the default size recommendation.
GRAPHICS
Our product displays cool looking 2 tone screen printed graphics with our awesome Evil Eyes on the front to finish off the look nicely. The size and fork travel suitability for each size is written on the mudguard for ease of purchasing.
5. Any future plans for more products?
Way too many to mention but here’s a couple…
FATGUARD - We currently have the FatGuard in production which is a mudguard for Fat Bikes (see attached), this is designed to work on both the rigid and suspension fork options currently available and offers incredible protection
CX-GUARD – We currently have the CX-Guard in production which is a mudguard for Cylco-cross bikes, this can be used on both disc or canti-lever brake bikes, it stops the lower bearing from getting hammered and significantly reduces the spray and mud thrown into your face (see attached)
REARGUARD – We are currently working on a new RearGuard XL whilst refining the current standard RearGuard. Our standard will become the ‘road only’ option and will have only one Velcro strap making it much easier and quicker to fit. The new XL version being designed with be for MTB, CX (not race), and Commuters offering massive protection and a clean back, it’s also suitable as a WINTER mudguard on road bikes for those wanting their whole back to remain spotlessly dry and clean.
6. What is the difference between V1 and V2 of the EnduroGuard?
We made some small design changes from V1 to V2, the most notable are the Seal Guards were made a little larger and additional snap-off holes were added on the main arms to allow you to fit the mudguard to the rear of bikes with no rear brace at all eg: Intense (this gives two secure clamping points). We are currently working on a new version 3 due out later this year that has loads of changes, both sizes are larger and wider at the front and rear (to help cope better with the new breed of larger wheels), the seal guard has increased in size again for even more protection, we have designed in a new indent/relief section that allows the front end to flatten out giving even more protection, longer arms have been added for better fit around larger fork bushes, the graphics are changing and we’re getting rid of the coloured plastics in favour of coloured inks on black plastic (white plastic option will remain), our new coloured inks include: Red, Yellow, Blue, Cyan, Green, Orange along with a standard Black (example picture of v3 in red ink attached). Though most may not have thought there was anything wrong with the V2, we are continually looking at improving our design to give value for money and respond to the design changes in forks and wheel sizes
7. If you had to choose a trail would it be rock or jump filled?
Definitely rocks for me, I never looked pretty on the big jumps.
8. Do you prefer going up or going down?
DOWN DOWN DOWN all the way, up is for the skinny tin ribs……
9. Does the bike industry need anymore Hub, BB, or Headset standards?
Dear lord please stop the relentless standards! Some companies clearly need their heads bashing together as the differences can be so small it can only be intentional to undermine their competition, great for company sales but massively frustrating for both bike shops and customers. There should be an international law clearly defining what constitutes ‘STANDARD’ that all companies have to apply for, it would require manufacturers to seek agreement from a min number of other companies before submission, I mean……how can any company just decide it’s a new standard?
10. Who is the better bike rider Nico or Tomac?
Both are absolute legends for different reasons, but for me it’s Nico. His emotionless metronomic style impressed, there was no fuss or fanfare, he was just relentlessly fast and super consistent
11. What do you feel is the best invention for Mountain Bikes in the past 20 years?
It has to be disc brakes for me, that first time when you made the swop was incredible, I have no idea why the road market is taking so long to realise the benefits, have you ever tried braking in the wet on carbon rims (how is that legal?).
12. What will need to change to bring more sponsorship money into MTB racing?
I’m pretty positive about the sport, it’s going in the right direction and becoming widely known and understood. Cool videos and events along with as much TV as we can muster is the way forward to reach the masses, if you look at how cool DH is right now thanks to the action camera market and awesome tracks then I think greater sponsorship and events will only follow. The new rougher DH tracks that are appearing on the calendar are truly challenging the best elite riders in the world and their equipment and I believe this is the best thing that has happed to DH, we need to keep a close eye on safety though as riders must be protected from themselves.
On the flip side I think XC needs a bit of a sexier image and a re-vamp maybe in the type of tracks and race format, these guys murder themselves on the bike at a pace that’s hard to imagine holding but it’s not that interesting to watch. The courses are sometimes to blame, my absolute rule would be that the bike for which the event is intended MUST be the fastest bike option, some of the XC courses are so smooth and boring that the XC bikes have less and less travel and could sometimes be done quicker on a CX bike. Some races look like road racing off road, you must require a min of 100mm of travel front and rear because the course demands it to set a fast time, that would be my starting point.
13. Anything you want to let the readers know about or explain?
NB: Don’t worry what people or the industry tells you about wheel sizes, just choose the one that suits you and you like to ride, you don’t need to justify the purchase with facts and figures you only need a big smile……
RRP WEB PAGE: http://www.rapidracerproducts.com/
RRP FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RapidRacerProductscom/164956666850593
Overall the EnduroGuard proved to be a very easy to fit and forget product. We used it on the front fork of a YT Tuesday and also on the rear of an Evil Following. The Evil is a very snug fit between the 2.3 tire and the frame. Lucky for us the EnduroGuard is very easy to manipulate into tight spots. Having so many zip tie holes in the guard made it a snap to secure to a variety of different bikes. We would have no problem reccomending these to a friend.
EnduroGuard, MTB Fender, Mud Guard, RPR Bike Fender |
2015 Fox 36 Talas Fork Test
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Fox has been in the mountain bike suspension game for almost 15 years now. Their first fork was a longer travel AM variety it came out with 32mm legs and in doing so gave a glimpse of the future. Eventually Fox came out with the 36 and this fork helped to launch the single crown Freeride movement. Its 36mm fork legs where much larger than the common 32mm of the time. This allowed for a fork with better tracking and the ability to increase travel without bringing flex into the picture. From there they went into the Downhill market with the introduction of the 40. This fork was a breakthrough for larger riders out there. Their use of 40mm fork legs added a stiffness to their fork that no other brand could match at that weight.
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Eventually trail and AM forks gravitated towards Air springs to help with weight, adjustment and progession. Fox has used a number of different damper units over the years. The 2015 Fox 36 Talas features the Fit RC2 unit. Fox had some catching up to do with RockShox and manitou on the damper side of things. Many XC oriented riders thought the new Pike was the Holy Grail. Guess none of them had ever felt the suppelness of a Dorado or older generation 888 fork. Guess they think the parking lot stiction test is how you rate a forks performance. Once stuff starts moving faster and the bumps start hitting harder what really matter is action and the dampers ability to maintain control. Not to mention the forks abilty to to track over rough terrain and steer where it is pointed.
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"Fox had some very stiff competition recently in the suspension world (no pun intended). Not happy to concede its well-earned market share, the company has completely revamped its heavy-duty 36mm-stanchion lineup for 2015, and the 2015 FOX 36 TALAS 27.5 160 RC2 FIT Fork is a great example of its efforts.
The 36's chassis was the first area of scrutiny. The crown has been redesigned to be both lighter and lower, resulting in a shorter axle-to-crown measurements across the board, so that installing the fork means minimal — if any — alteration of the bike's front-end geometry, unlike when installing some other forks, including FOX's previous 36 series. The fork's lowers have been re-engineered to be lighter and stiffer, as well, resulting a chassis with greater rigidity, but weight figures that are very close to that of its smaller 34 series of forks. A newly formulated, higher-viscosity proprietary fork oil is now used, too.
Both the adjustable TALAS and the non-adjustable FLOAT air spring systems have also been revised. A reduced number of seals means that both operate more smoothly, but that's not all. TALAS springs have been retuned to ramp-up more toward full compression, making them more stable under big hits and extreme terrain, and thus friendly to more aggressive riders. The FLOAT forks now include volume-reducing spacers so that riders can fine-tune the system's ramp-up rate. The letters FIT designate that the fork is equipped with FOX Isolated Technology damper, which means that the fork's damper sits in an air-tight bladder, as opposed to a more common open bath system, which means that the damper resists debris contamination and thus remains smoother and more consistent between maintenance intervals.
TALAS, of course, is an acronym that denotes FOX's Travel Adjustable Linear Air Spring system, which means the fork's travel is adjustable per riding conditions. In the case of the 160mm fork you see here, travel can be reduced down to 120mm, lowering the front end of the bike to make for quicker handling and a more forward-leaning riding position, which helps enormously on the climbs or when you need to sprint. Finally, if you're wondering, the RC2 designation in the fork's title stands for Rebound and the two different Compression settings (high-speed and low-speed) you can adjust to dial the fork to your tastes.
The 2015 FOX 26 TALAS 27.5 160 RC2 FIT Fork is for use with 27.5-inch wheels only, comes only in the color Black, and has a 1.125-1.5-inch tapered steerer tube. The new front axle system is convertible between both 15mm and 20mm thru-axles with included parts."
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- Travel: 120 - 160 mm
- Stanchion Material: Kashima-coated aluminum
- Lower Material: Magnesium
- Wheel Size: 27.5 in
- Steer Tube Diameter: 1.125 - 1.5 in
- Stanchion Diameter: 36 mm
- Spring Type: Air
- Damper: FIT
- Adjustability: TALAS 2-position travel adjust
- Axle: 15 mm, 20 mm
- Brake Compatibility: Post Mount
- Recommended Use: Trail, All-Mountain, Freeride
- Manufacturer Warranty: 1 year
- Actual Weight: Black, 1.5T/20mm: 2,210g
Another major improvement they went after was a reduction in friction and to improve the RC2 damper tunes. The FIT RC2 damper is what Fox is using to fight back agains the other two major suspension players. They are at a disadvantage as far as stiction goes just by using larger diameter legs. Going with the RC2 and altering their seal configuration allowed Fox to at least equal the other two forks in the office test. Again that is mainly for those rides not pushing their equipment hard so high speed controls matters little to them. But luckily as it turns out the RC2 in the Fox 36 Talas does a wonderful job at controlling high speed chatter. The forks responds fast to changes in terrain and never seems to get overwhelmed. Its small bump sensativity is also very good going slow over small rocks. When FOX revalved the RC2 Damper they increased sensativity without effecting its mid range support.
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Conclusion
Ian W
The Fox 36 Talas did many things well. It allowed us to alter the bikes ride height and HA to match the adjustable rear travel on the bike. We found Fox's suggested air pressures to be pretty spot on. The chassis was stiff allowing the rider to point and shoot their way down the trail. It has very good low speed sensativity and all the parking lot testers out there will love the lack of stiction.
The adjustment knobs on the fork click as you turn them and each click is noticeable while riding. They still have the rebound on the lower leg sticking out. We didn't have any issues on the 36 with this but some people in the area have torn the rebound knob off of the 40 forks while riding rocky terrain. It would be nice if this could be made smaller at some point. The TALAS feature turned out to be very useful. The Megatrail has Trail and Gravity mode. Being able to drop the fork down to match the rear of the bike was a very nice feature. There seemed to be no change in the fork when running it at full travel or lowered.
Overall the Fox 36 TALAS performed brilliantly for us. We had it on the bike for a long while and it gave us no problems. There seemed to be no break in period needed. We just mounted it up and set the air pressure then went with Fox's suggested setting for HSC, LSC and rebound. We slightly altered these but not by much. This turned out to be an awesome fork and we would highly reccomend one to a friend.
2015 Fox Press Camp
2015 Fox TALAS 36, Fox 36 Talas, Fox 36 Test |
