Part 3: Accessorize - Fizik Antares saddle and KCNC quick releases
The next two were easy upgrades that actually saved a lot of weight.

Fizik Antares Saddle

• Cost: $199 MSRP
• Comfortable yet very light weight
• Natural Leather Seat Cover
• Made in Italy
• ICS bag compatible
• Weight: Claimed 175 grams. Actual: 177.

The Antares is the newest saddle from Fizik. It is positioned between the ultra-comfortable Aliante and the ultra-popular Airione. I love the Aliante but the Airione never quite fit me. The Antares’ real competitor is a minimalist saddle like the Selle Italia Flite which weighs an astounding 135 grams. However, I find the Flite extremely uncomfortable. The Antares weighs a little more but I found it to be surprisingly comfortable–even on 50 mile rides. Plus, at 177 grams, it saves 38 grams over the Aliante. You can read my in-depth review here.

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Easton hits a home run, first time at bat!

• EC90 Cranks: MSRP $699.00
• Ceramic Bearing Bottom Bracket: MSRP $199.00
• Crank: 170, 172.5, 175 arm length, 53×39 chainrings (compact coming soon)
• Crank weight: 574 grams including end cap
• Ceramic Bottom Bracket Weight: 102 grams. Total 676 grams
• 5 year warranty

Of all the upgrades, I was most excited about Easton’s new carbon cranks. I’ve been using 9-speed Dura Ace with FSA Superlight Cranks (543 grams with bolts) and the reliable and light Dura Ace Octalink bottom bracket (175 grams). The combined weight of 718 grams seemed hard to beat; most of the newer 10-speed crank/bb’s actually weigh more. But since I switched to 10-speed recently, I wanted a crankset that was optimized for the 10 cogs. Easton’s crank was the one that was lighter without being quite as cost-prohibitive as some of the competition. Better still, the EC90 crank and bottom bracket weigh a total of 676 grams, a savings of 32 grams.

How does it compare?
So how can you objectively measure the relative worth of these cranks without riding them? To try and quantify this, I looked at the weights and MSRPs of the latest high end standard sized cranks (the FSA K-force Light TI was not compared because it is only available in compact). I then gave 100 points to the lightest and 100 points to the least expensive with proportionate weighting to each. Each crank is then graded relative to the best in class.

In the end, it’s very clear that there is a huge price premium for ceramic bearings; the jury is still out if the maintenance is worth the claimed reduction in friction. However, and more importantly, along these two judging criteria, the EC90 with standard BB has the best overall score. With the ceramic BB, it comes in at 3rd.

Looking purely at $/gram, the EC90 with standard BB slips to 2nd with the Ceramic BB version still at 3rd.

Not a bad empirical showing for the EC90.

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Cervelo Diet - Ultimate Mods for the Ultimate Bike, the Cervelo R3 - By Twain Mein

I purchased a used Cervelo R3 frame from a poster in RoadBikeReview classifieds in March of 2008. Luckily, it was in mint condition and I got a great deal on a phenomenal frame & fork. The R3, though now 3 years old, is still one of the lightest available frames. The performance is amazing; the frame somehow combines incredible stiffness yet still has a buttery smooth ride. It does this by having massive down tube, chain stays, and bottom bracket. But it has very thin and compliant seat stays which help it to absorb shock. It is no exaggeration that this bike climbs like nothing else! It also descends incredibly well with a feeling of confidence I haven’t had in years. It feels as comfortable as an old steel frame yet climbs and accelerates like a super stiff aluminum one. It’s no wonder it’s won so many awards, including RoadBikeReview’s “Best of 2008” with an astounding 4.93 average rating. I freely admit that it doesn’t look drop dead “beautiful” but it is engineered for performance, sort of like a Porsche 911.

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Jamis Commuter 4 First Impressions by Richard Masoner

• TIG Welded 6061 aluminum frame and fork
• Shimano BR-M415 disc brakes with Tektro levers
• Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub with pulley tensioner
• Shimano R440 front dérailleur
• Jamis “Comfort” saddle
• 27.2 mm suspension seatpost
• 700 x 32 Kenda Kwest tires
• Sizes: 14.5″, 16.5″, 18.5″, 20.5″, 22″
• 30.5 lbs.
• MSRP: $835.00

All-weather commuters appreciate the utility of fenders and disc brakes on their bikes. While many road cyclists dig Levi Leipheimer’s custom 18 lb carbon rain bike with fenders, SRAM Red components, SRM and disc brakes, the low cost utility of the commuter features on the Jamis Commuter 4.0 bicycle is somewhat more accessible at only $835 retail.

Jamis started out selling basic beach cruiser and comfort bikes in 1979. They continue today designing bikes that are known for their value with a credo of no frills, quality parts and performance that continues today in their various road, mountain, and city bikes. All models of Jamis bikes are a frequent sight on my Silicon Valley bike commute, and the Commuter 4.0 is Jamis’s top of the line entry in the growing city bike category.

I’ll start with the bad news first: the only true downside of this bike is the bulbous comfort saddle. I think most people understand that saddle choice is highly personal, and I’m normally very flexible about the saddle that comes on the bike. The huge, amorphously oblong blob of a saddle on the Commuter 4.0, though, is truly awful. Changing that seat out for a basic WTB saddle I had laying around transformed the bike from something I dreaded into a truly pleasant bike to ride.

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Redline 2009 Conquest Pro Full Review - By Steve Cooper

• Frame: R6 Double Butted Alloy
• Fork: Carbon Fiber With Alloy Steerer.
• Sram Rival shifters and derailleurs
• FSA Gossamer 46×36t crankset
• Ritchey Pro wheel set with Hutchinson Bulldog tires
• Available in 7 sizes

Admit it. You’ve watched crazed cyclocross riders with drop bars and skinny tires plowing through puddles, scrambling up muddy hill sides and shouldering their dirt caked bikes over logo clad white barriers. Likely you’ve pondered what it would take to get out in the muck, all with a hunch that the filthier you got, the funner the time you’d have.

The obvious door into that day dream is to break down and buy a cross bike; but your frugal side smacks you upside the head and halts that dream dead in its tracks. Reality check. You talk yourself down, rationalizing that a decent cross bike is too expensive. And an affordable one is bound to be a string of disappointing compromises that you’ll outgrow as soon as CCX skills kick in.

Turns out, Redline has your wake up call. They’ve assembled a sophisticated spec that retires that rationale. The Pro doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to straddle, and if you truly outgrow it, it’s time to line up sponsors. The 2009 Conquest Pro is a solid cyclocross offering that gets you onto the dirt, helping dial in your skinny tire trail chops; and when you finally decide to take it to the races, just get a number and go.

Sure you’ll want to tweak it some. But the Conquest Pro is a great foundation, and since you’re not into it for deep coin, adding those few pieces along the way is as painless as upgrading can be.

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eecycle Works eebrake Pro Review - By Twain Mein

• Cost: $519 MSRP (without brake pads)
• Unique industrial design
• Exclusiveness; different
• Excellent performance
• Made in the USA
• Light weight: 162 grams (pair) without pads; 182 grams with Dura Ace pads
• Very easy to change out brake pads (for those that have alloy trainers and carbon racers)
• Adjustable reach to fit many bikes

This is a review of Craig Edward’s latest creation, the eebrake. Craig was originally known for his “Sweet Wings” cranks that came out during the early ’90’s. They were superlight cro-mo cranks that featured an integrated bottom bracket design that has since been copied (incidentally, he is also working on a new and lighter crank due later this year). In any case, his manufacturing and design talent can now be found in these stunning new brakes.

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Mixed Heritage

The Colnago CLX is a monocoque carbon frame made in Taiwan and comes from a factory with some of the most experienced craftsmen. It is billed as “Colnago quality, but not the typical Colnago price.” The CLX frame retails for about half of the premiere C50 model (lugged carbon, made in Italy).

When Colnago first announced that they would be making frames sourced from Taiwan, it was a great source of debate on several websites, even our own RoadBikeReview Colnago forum. As a long time Colnago fan and owner (my own personal road bike is a Master X Light in Mapei colors) I have to admit that I was a bit dissappointed to hear that my favorite brand was going to building bikes out of Asia. A big reason that I bought my Colnago in the first place, was because I wanted something steel, something Italian, and something that fit my style of riding. I am one of those riders that couldn’t bear the thought of putting Shimano parts on my Italian bike, even though I loved my Dura-Ace. So, I was a bit saddened when I first heard the news.

It’s been almost two years now since those first announcements came and many things have changed. The main thing that has changed for me, is the fact that I have had the chance to put several rides in on the CLX, and in doing so, have regained an appreciation for carbon bikes, for Colnago, and maybe even for cycling in general.

(for the record, the CLX I tested was a 48cm Ultegra SL equipped bike, in 2008 red paint scheme.)

First Impressions

As I pulled the CLX out of the box, the first thing that we all noticed was the (typically Colnago) beautiful paintwork. I know from first hand experience that Colnago paint is beautiful but not always the most durable. But the CLX had a very nice clearcoat finish that looked very durable. The black with red and white highlights was not my first choice (the yellow and black scheme was my first choice, but it was not available stateside and is currently no longer available), but I was not dissappointed in the red. The fit and finish were typical Colnago quality, so that put my mind at ease right away. On our office scale, the complete bike weighed 17.7 lbs without pedals. Not bad, but not as light as I was hoping for, for a carbon bike. But the CLX is not meant to be the lightest bike out there. I was more interested in how it would ride.

From the Manufacturer:

“After a fantastic introduction, CLX, Colnago’s entry level carbon fiber model is back for 2009. Ernesto Colnago created the CLX as an affordable, yet high performance Colnago with an innovative frame design. CLX has a monocoque front triangle, designed and created in Cambiago, Italy as a project of Colnago Lab.”

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS:

• External Reinforcing Ribs
  The CLX front triangle has two special external reinforcing ribs along the top and down tubes and bottom bracket and uses a variable carbon lay-up, where extra strength is in the head tube and bottom bracket to provide additional rigidity under stress.
• Arc Shaped Chain Stays
  CLX features distinctive, arc-shaped rear chain stays for better braking performance and comfort, and rear chain stays in Colnago’s distinctive leaf shape section.
• All New Monocoque Carbon Fork
  An all new monocoque 1” 1/8 CLX carbon fiber fork and Colnago AERO Carbon seat post that matches the aero section down also grace Colnago’s new CLX.

Next: Colors, Specs, and Geometry>>    |   How Does the CLX Ride?>>

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dznuts High Viscosity Chamois Cream Pro Review – By Alex Wheeler

• Smooth & creamy consistency
• Lasts a long, long time
• Plant derived all natural ingredients
• Tea tree oil – Powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal oil
• Evodia – An anti-inflammatory and wound healing agent from Chinese herbal medicine
• Masterwort - (Peucedanum Ostruthium) Found in the Swiss Alps, this herb was used by the ancient Greeks for its wound healing and calming properties. Its name means “Supreme Strength”
• MSRP: $22.00
• Color tested: Black box & tube/white cream
• Size tested: 4 fl oz/120mL tube

There are few things in cycling that are as personal and specific as chamois cream. Saddles and shoes can require lots of experimentation and testing until one finds what works best. Chamois cream, though, goes to a whole new level of involvement. It takes a strong leap of faith to slather your shorts with a cold, viscous cream and roll out for a few hours. Often this can be, shall we say, uncomfortable, if the cream happens to have a strong menthol ingredient. Obviously, the problem is that everyone’s senses are different. One rider might find one cream just perfect while another thinks that he or she has finally gotten the crabs. The point is, chamois creams vary a lot and what works for one might not work for another. With that being said, I present my review of dznuts high viscosity chamois cream.

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Women’s Deflect Vest Pro Review - By Karen Cooper

• Lightweight polyester material is wind and water resistant for protection from the elements
• Mesh back panel for additional breathability and light weight
• Relaxed waist construction allows jacket to drape naturally
• Reflective trim on the back for visibility
• MSRP: $60
• Size tested: medium

The Specialized Deflect Vest is the perfect lightweight vest to that packs easily in your jersey pocket for when you need extra warmth or protection from the elements. It’s wind and water resistant and has a mesh back panel for breathability.

This garment has since become my favorite vest and I get a lot of compliments from other female riders who like the shape and the color combo. The vest is form fitting with slim looking lines and a silicon gripper along the back waist to keep it in place and the stretchy fabric makes it easy to move around in. I also like that it doesn’t flap around in the wind and rolls up small when I need to take it off. There are no pockets on this vest but I found that the other features mentioned above outweigh the lack of pockets so I don’t miss them at all. The vest has reflective trim on the back for visibility but as with the other Specialized garments; I personally feel it could have a little more reflective trim, especially since the colors are so dark.

Pros:

• Lightweight & packable
• Form fit that doesn’t flap in the wind

Cons:

• No pockets
• Could use more reflective trim

Overall rating:
5 -hands down favorite vest

Value rating:
5

Specialized Women’s Eureka Element Jersey Pro Review - By Karen Cooper

• Winterweight FIELDSENSOR™ fabric provides more warmth for colder conditions with its moisture-transfer function
• Soft shell protective panels have a water resistant nylon/spandex outer layer
• Therminal stretch fabric on side panels for form fit
• Full-length external zipper construction is smooth against the body
• Zippered, reflective cuffs provide easy on-and-off
• External zippered security pocket on the back
• Reflective trims on the neck and back pocket provide additional visibility
• MSRP: $150
• Size tested: medium

The Eureka Element jersey is perfect for cold weather, super foggy and windy rides. This tester was impressed with the fit, being tailored for a women’s body, it’s contoured and form fitting with sleek lines and isn’t bulky. I found it to be very comfortable with the right amount of stretch thanks to the Therminal stretch fabric panels on the back and sides. The color combo is aesthetically pleasing with contemporary stitching details that give the jacket a hip look.

Specialized uses their FIELDSENSOR™ fabric to provide more warmth and moisture transfer keeping you warm, cozy and dry, even going up that intense climb while the Therminal Velocity Soft Shell Wind panels will help keep you dry on the outside with a water resistant outer layer, just in case you get caught in a light rain or ride in the fog.

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