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Bike Review - KHS Flagstaff 29" Full Suspension
By Winston Endall

Big wheels roll over stuff better. Full suspension helps in the rough stuff. So how does it work when you put them together? The KHS Flagstaff is a 29" wheeled full suspension bike for trail riding and endurance racing. KHS is known for having great valued bikes and they tend to get into new trends pretty quickly. The 29" wheeled mountain bikes are one of those trends they have gotten into and have done a good job. It started with a hard tail and then they added the Flagstaff.

With 3.5" of rear wheel travel, the Flagstaff is aimed at cross country riding but is burly enough for rougher trails. The stock build is a middle of the road mix of parts that are more aimed durability than light weight. If you want to make changes, especially to the wheels you can get it down into the 25 lb range but the bike comes stock around 30 lbs.

The frame is aluminum with a horst-link pivot with a rocker arm activated rear shock. This makes for a good pedaling design that when set-up correctly will put the power to the ground, without pedal induced bob. Because the 29" wheels tend to smooth out small bumps, you can set the suspension a little firmer for a faster machine without giving up any comfort. All the pivots have medium to large sealed cartridge bearings, increasing lateral stiffness and improving pivot durability. This adds a bit of weight but is worth it as the rear end of the frame won't flex excessively leading to ghost shifting and chain line issues. The Rockshox Reba fork and Monarch rear shock are a good match to the suspension design. Both are tune-able for various riding conditions. The Reba is my favorite 29" fork. It's easy to tune and they are super low maintenance. The weight of the fork is reasonable and the stiffness is good for most riders.

The geometry is balanced making for a quick handling bike that isn't twitchy. 29" are known for the stability that comes from bigger wheels and longer wheel base. The Flagstaff in confidence inspiring on technical terrain and steep downhills but is still an able climber. The biggest drawback ride wise is that it isn't a quick accelerating bike but part of that is the heavy stock wheels. A light set of race wheels and tires will go a long way towards improving that flaw. As it is the bike takes a little more effort to get up to speed but takes less effort to keep it there, especially on rooty terrain or loose uphills.

The complete bike is a good value the way it comes stock, with SRAM drivetrain, Hayes Stroker Ryde disc brakes and Truvativ finishing kit. With some upgrades this can go from a good trail bike to a fast endurance racing machine.

It's in you to become a better cyclist. Helping you get there is my goal. Equipment, riding skills, fitness and nutrition all have to be dialed in to reach your potential. To take your next step on that journey visit http://www.cyclecambridge.com

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Packing Your Mountain Bike to Take on Holiday
By Doug McDonald

So you're going on a mountain bike holiday? To the Alps, Spain or the Basque Country? Are you going to take your own bike or hire one when you get out there? Well, hiring sometimes seems like the easy option, but it can be very expensive, at up to €400 a week, and then there's the time it takes you to get used to a new bike which can put a damper on your first few days. Taking your own bike might seem like a hassle but it's not really that hard, especially if you follow the guide below.

I always totally over pack my bike. People laugh but I've never had a scratch on it. It takes a bit longer and you end up carrying a bit more weight but this is how I do it, you can always decide where you want to cut the corners when you're doing it yourself.

So, what you'll need:
1. A good quality bike bag, including wheel bags. I really recommend getting one with little wheels because you're bike's going to be heavy once it's all packed up!
2. Some pipe insulation, which you can get from B&Q or similar. It's a bit expensive but you can use it again and again.
3. Tape.
4. Some wood.

Step by Step:
1. Clean your bike and put it in a work stand. The workstand obviously isn't essential but it makes it so much easier. Cleaning your bike is a good time to inspect everything to make sure you're going to be sorted for your holiday. Do your brake pads need replaced? Is your BB and headset working nicely. No frame damage?

2. Remove your cranks. Remove your pedals, wrap in bubble wrap and put into your bike bag. Wrap your cranks and the axle in bubble wrap and put into your bike bag. Now is a good time to grease your BB and service your pedals!

3. Take your wheels off. Remove the QR's and put into your bike bag. Remove the discs, put each one in a poly bag and tape together for strength. I put the bolts in tinfoil and stuff into the centre of the discs. Put discs into bike bag and wheels into wheel bag.

4. Remove your rear brake caliper, save the bolts somewhere safe in your bike bag! You can either disconnect your rear mech and tape the cables to the frame or you can do what I've done and just disconnect it and we'll tape it somewhere safe later. Remove your mech hanger and put it somewhere safe.

5. Turn your front mech so it sits safely. If this can't be done remove it. You can draw round the outline of the mech with a non-permanent pen to make it easier to put back in the same place if you want!

6. Remove the front caliper. If you have a maxel like me then you can just put it in to stop the fork legs being squeezed together, make sure that the lever lines up with the fork leg to stop it being damaged. If you have a front QR then you'll need to cut a wooden spacer as for the rear dropouts and tape it in place.

7. Remove the handlebars leaving the stem on the steerer tube. We're going to tape these to the downtube later. I slacken all my clamps and this gives enough slack to do this. If you don't have enough slack to do this then you'll need to remove the clamps from the bars.

8. Use the pipe insulation to cover the frame and forks. You'll need to cut it to length and shape it to fit around the disc mounts etc. Tape the protection into place to stop it moving about.

9. Fix the handlebars to the downtube, outside the insulation. Make sure that the brake levers and shifters are in a position that ensures they're protected; if you're not sure take them off because a broken brake lever is going to be expensive!

10. Tape the front calliper in between the fork legs. Make sure that the tape isn't going to touch your disc pads. Put a spacer between your pads to stop them being compressed, some brakes come with spacers but a couple of 50p's taped together works for me!

11. Fit a spacer between the rear dropouts to prevent them being crushed. I use a section of wood which I cut to shape and tape in place. I'm going to drill a hole through it next time and use my QR's to keep it in place.

12. Add your pipe insulation to the rest of the bike. Tape the rear mech and brake calliper into the rear triangle so that they're protected. Remember to fit your pad spacers, I always forget.

13. My bike looks a bit like this at the moment! The dropouts are spaced, all the main bits of frame are covered, nothing sticks out to get caught and damaged and all the insulation is fixed in place.

14. Cover the rest of the bike in the bubblewrap. I've only shown the forks here but I wrap it all over the frame too so that it's totally enclosed. Now fit it into your bike bag. Make sure that it's all quite evenly spaced and that there's nothing sticking out too much that is likely to get damaged. The test for me is would I be prepared to throw it about and stand on it, because that's what the baggage handlers might do.

All that takes me about 45 minutes the first time and about 30 minutes on the way back. A beer helps.

Good luck. If anything does go wrong and you're travelling with a good bike company then they'll help you fix it when you get there. In fact a really good bike company should help you unpack your bikes, or at the least offer you a beer when you're doing it!

Written by Doug at Basque MTB, Mountain Bike Holidays in Spain, based in the Pyrenees, just outside San Sebastian. A copy of this article, with pictures, can be found on the site.

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Getting Ready For Spring Commuting
By Winston Endall

Commuting by bike is one of the best experiences as you get exercise, save money and don't get stuck in traffic. With Spring just around the corner, it's time to get your bike ready for the daily commute. With a little planning it becomes one of the easiest ways to get around.

As the snow melts and temperature creeps above freezing it's time to think about commuting to work on your bike. Commuting by bike doesn't take anything fancy. Functional is the order of the day so look at making the gear you already have adapt to the job.

To make the ride more comfortable in spring's varying weather conditions, here are some tips to improve your ride.

• Install fenders with the best coverage that will fit on your bike. If your bike has the room and mounting points, old school full wrap fenders with mud flaps provide the best protection.
• If you have a mountain bike, swap tires to a puncture resistant road tires for less rolling resistance and fewer flats.
• Install a rack and panniers, so you don't have the carry
• If you ride a road bike or hybrid swap your lighter tires for armoured tires for fewer flats.
• On wet days, nylon splash pants are a cheap way to keep dry and you can pull them on over your street clothes.
• Put a bright white light on the front of your bike and at least one read rear light on the back. As far as lights are concerned you can never have too much when riding at night.
• Wear bright colored clothing ideally with reflective patches to maximize visibility.
• Pre-plan your route along bike friendly routes.

And don't limit your riding just to work. If you need to make a trip within 3 km of home consider taking your bike. Trips to the grocery store, library and Blockbuster are quick and easy by bike. Every time you leave the car in the driveway you save money, reduce pollution and get in better shape.

It's in you to become a better cyclist. Helping you get there is my goal. Equipment, riding skills, fitness and nutrition all have to be dialed in to reach your potential. To take your next step on that journey visit http://www.cyclecambridge.com.

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Bike Review - Time Edge Racer Carbon Road Bike
By Winston Endall

Time has been making carbon fiber bicycles for a long time. In that time they have gotten really good. Known for their pro bikes that have seen so much success in the Classics, the Edge Racer is the result of trickle down technology. Many of the same features of the top end bikes such as the carbon molding, the self locking headset system and re-enforced fork were all first on the top models. The Edge Racer is second from the bottom of there line, but at $3000 for the frame and fork, it isn't an entry level bike by any means.

Unlike most companies that use pre-made carbon fabric, Time weaves carbon thread into seamless tubes for optimal strength and weight. This process necessitates lugged construction which give the bike the feel of an classic steel road bike. Unlike a steel bike, the Edge Racer is stiff at the bottom bracket and very light. Because the tubing diameter is smaller than a lot of bikes of the same weight, the tubes are thicker and therefore more resistant to impacts such as stone chips and

I've been riding the Edge Racer for about 8 months now. I have it built up with SRAM Rival components, Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels, FSA Kforce seatpost and Selle Italia SLR XC saddle. Built up this way it is 17.54 lbs with pedals. With carbon wheels and an upgrades to bars, cranks and stem, it would be under 16 pounds.

The Time Edge Racer is an all round road race bike that is at home in both crits and longer road races. The Edge Racer isn't as stiff as some over sized carbon frames but it's stiff enough that I don't notice any flex during sprints and hill climbs. What I do notice is how smooth the ride is while not limiting speed. The handling is fast without getting twitchy at speed. I've taken down hill corners at over 70 kph, and felt rock solid. This bike has taken dirt roads and rail trails, which are conditions most people would subject a bike like to, without an issue.

I've owned a number of road bikes over the years and find the Time Edge Racer to be among the best balanced. My riding can be a fast group ride on Wednesday and then a century on the weekend so I need a machine that can handle different demands well. If I was only racing, I would look for a more aerodynamic frame but for all round use the Time Edge Racer is hard to beat.

It's in you to become a better cyclist. Helping you get there is my goal. Equipment, riding skills, fitness and nutrition all have to be dialed in to reach your potential. To take your next step on that journey visit http://www.cyclecambridge.com.

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How to Find a New Bike - Easily, Quickly and For As Little Money As Possible
By Todd Reed

I'd like to say that finding a cheap bike is really easy. It is pretty easy but you will have to do some footwork as bikes do not jump out and leap into your waiting hands.

Here are a few strategies you can use to find a new bike on the cheap.

First off, you need to know what to look for before you buy. We want a functional bike in the right size for us. It can be a bit small or a bit large, but not so far off in either direction that the bike becomes unfun to ride, meaning our ability to control the bike is compromised by size considerations. Plus there's the ergonomic considerations of comfort and fit. If the bike doesn't fit, don't commit.

What are we looking for when we shop for bikes?

* Mechanical - everything works. Shifters, derailleurs, tires, gearing, joints, cabling

When I say everything works, notice I didn't say everything is tuned up or properly adjusted. One of the things to look for in a used bike is mechanicals that are in good shape but out of tune, or poorly adjusted. The seller, not knowing bikes, thinks a cable out of adjustment is a broken part, while we, knowing better, snap up the cheap bike, take it home and adjust the cable.

That's a long way of saying that in our used bike shopping spree, we are looking for bikes that are fundamentally sound but perhaps look a bit out of whack.

Fundamentally though, the bike should basically work completely.

Some things to look for that are going to cause you to repair them when you get home:

- cable housings that are split with cable showing through

- tires with splits or cracks in the sidewall

- spokes that are broken or missing altogether

- derailleurs that are jammed or malfunctioning

- missing parts that are not easy to locate and replace

- chain is rusty or inoperative

- bike feels creaky

- brakes are inoperative in some way

• Fit - the bike should feel easy to ride with no hunching of shoulders or stretching too far forward to reach the handlebars. You should be able to stand over the top tube with an inch or two clearance minimum. The seat should be extended until your leg is 96% extended on the maximum downstroke. If you are ratcheting the seat post upwards until the post has only an inch or two left, that is unsafe. You will have to replace the seatpost to get one that fits if you want to ride that bike.

Some places to look for bikes: thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales.

There's a LOT of bikes out there that need a new home. You could have one for as little as $20. A solid ride that will get you down the road in style. Give it a try.

Todd Reed is the Internet Marketing Manager for the Bike Friday webstore. Bike Friday is a manufacturer of high-performance, high quality handbuilt bikes for adventure cycling and travel or urban commuting. Check out our webstore at http://store.bikefriday.com

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How to Get the Most From Your Cycling Training - Tips to Optimise Your Out-of-Season Training
By Peter Flatman

What if you could change your route to work AND get in great shape at the same time? Are you lucky enough to be in a position to cycle to your place of employment? It can be a total chore on some days to have to traverse the same route and encounter the exact same obstacles every time.

During winter months in particular, the ride to work can be the only chance a number of us get to be back in the saddle, and we should try to maximise the benefit of it, in terms of both enjoyment and training possibilities. Learn how to put variation and productivity into the every day journey simply by trying some different techniques and creating a well-balanced exercise program within the ride.

Unless you are really lucky, your ride to and from your work will include traffic, junctions and crossings etc, and may end up being stop/start, fast/slow. Rather than looking at these red signals as a disadvantage or a set back to be passed at maximum speed, think differently, take advantage of the stop/starts as an opportunity to acquire extra cycling skills, like sprint starts (on green, not amber!) or track stands.

A first-rate well-rounded cycling training programme must at all times include elements addressing the high speed sprints plus the stamina necessary for the more prolonged stretches.

Very simply, your body demands and employs a range of resources for these 2 types of endeavour, and the best all round cyclists have evolved their bodies to produce optimum efficiency across the board.

Have you tried cadence training? Instead of making those quick gear changes, try spinning the pedals round ten per cent faster than normal before you slip into your next gear. Stay in the saddle and build and retain your stability while simultaneously increasing the cadence. This is a superb method of improving pedalling technique and just about all elements of your cycling performance. It is no happy accident that the leading riders utilise cadence training to keep in front of the pack.

Did you perhaps have fun with the game 'run a street lamp, walk a street lamp' when you were younger? As kids, whenever we had a long walk to do, we would start out at the very 1st street light, and run as fast as we possibly could to the next, then walk to the one after that... and then run the next, etc. As it turns out, and we did not grasp this back then, this is the base of Fartlek exercise - alternating fast and slow elements, using and building up both the aerobic and anaerobic functions. However, with the Fartlek method, the sprints and the recovery sections should ideally vary in length. Try this on your bike.

Absolutely key to all of this is personal and road safety. We cannot encourage you to undertake any of the above without you being totally aware of your safety and the existence and possible behaviour of the surrounding road users. Our motorist friend will not know why you keep flashing past them several times, only for him to have to pass you again almost immediately afterwards as you hit the slower phase... it could even annoy him. And we know from experience that this generally does not take very much!

So, enjoy your commute to and from work, enhance the training aspects, and arrive at the new cycling season at a new cycling performance peak and armed with some great new training techniques.

There are two trends right now that can help accelerate your cycling training levels beyond your previous expectations. For most of us, the use of a cycling computer which can monitor your heart rate and match it to a known route can make the difference between improvement and peak performance. A GPS enabled Cycling Computer can be bought for a very reasonable price online. For those of us who aspire to semi-pro levels and upwards, Power Meter Training is at the cutting edge of peak performance cycling training. Starting prices for Power Meters are very reasonable, but can reach dizzying heights with some high end kit. You should be aware of the pros and cons of all types of power meter before investing your hard earned cash

Peter Flatman is a former fitness coach and now a keen cyclist. Check out the Author's collected bits and pieces of cycling news and comment from across the web, including more training tips. Check out the top recommended Cycling Computer here and take the guess work out of your cycling training programme.

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How to Boost Your Cycling Training - A Guaranteed Method to Improve Your Cycling Performance
By Peter Flatman

What exactly is cadence? According to the dictionary it is 'Balanced, rhythmic flow, as of poetry or oratory'.Sounds great, but what has this to do with cycling training you may ask. Well basically, cadence is also the rate at which your pedals and (hopefully) your feet spin, and it is measured in revs per minute (rpm).

Precisely what makes this so important? The strain in your muscle groups while pedaling at a high cadence (greater pedal rpm) is lowered compared to when pedaling with a reduced cadence...presuming your road speed remains the same in both cases. The 'science bit' is a foundation for a complete and detailed article on its own, and we are not going to drill down into that here.

Chris Carmichael implemented high-cadence training programmes while coaching Lance Armstrong through his comeback from cancer. Lance was able to produce increased power outputs for a longer time when sustaining a higher pedal speed (cadence) in a lighter gear.

So how many revs can be described as high speed? Well there isn't any secret number. Start from where you are today and try to boost your cadence on the level and when climbing by 8-12% each 12 months. Fine, if you want some figures - everyday cyclists usually have a cadence of approximately 60rpm, while pros have a pedal velocity of 110-120rpm. There's not many cyclists who can maintain cadences higher than 120rpm on the flat.

All right, good so far, but how do I calculate my cadence? Well certainly the easiest way would be to count how many times your feet rotate in 60 seconds while observing the clock and carrying out the maths. However, the problem with this can be, that keeping track of pedal rotation plus the timing can distract one from the very reason you are measuring them i.e. maintaining the cadence, and as a result skew the exactness of the measurements and/or decrease your performance.

The better (and more costly) way would be to equip your bicycle with specialised kit that measures cadence and power outputs, namely a Power Meter system. This type of equipment can vary in quality and price, and again it is too complicated for this elementary article, but covered more than adequately elsewhere (see the links in the Author profile). Should you be undecided if high cadence cycling is for you, then you might like to try maintaining an increased pedal speed in the lighter gear (I do not mean less Lycra here!) prior to committing to any products. I should point out that if you're at all seriously into peak performance cycling, you ought to carefully check out the equipment out there. Coupled with the right training program, high cadence cycling is the way forward.

Clearly, pedaling 10% more quickly compared to normal will appear absurdly quick to begin with, but once you've got accustomed to it you'll find that your muscles are worked a lot less when you are 'spinning' at an increased cadence in an easier gear.

There are going to be occasions, specifically when tackling that really sharp climb and you are standing on the pedals, when your pedal velocity is going to be slow, this is usual. But considerable and measurable gains in your cycling performance can be attained by training to improve your cadence at 10 percent/per year. Try it, and let me know in 12 months how you got on

Peter Flatman is a former fitness coach and now a keen cyclist. Check out the Author's collected bits and pieces of cycling news and comment from across the web, including more training tips. Want to know more about the top recommended Cycling Computer and where to get the best deal? Don't get to the new season without giving yourself the best chance of success!

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Review - Time Atac Clipless Pedals
By Winston Endall

The Time Atac design has been around for a while now and while they keep upgrading them with new materials, the basic design has stayed the same because it works. Durable, easy to engage and very good in all weather conditions, the Atac pedals are a great option for mountain bikes, commuters and touring riders who want to be able walk when off the bike. While there are many variations of the pedals including the Roc and Z-control downhill pedal, the mechanism functions the same for all of them.

Time has an Atac style pedal that will fit most budgets. The least expensive, the Aluim, happens to also one of the most durable. The pedal body is aluminum rather than a composite plastic so they stand up to getting banged off rocks and crashes better. The Time mechanism uses two spring loaded bars to capture the cleat. Like most clipless pedals, a simple heal twist will release your foot when you want dismount. By swapping the cleats from shoe to shoe you can vary the release angle but most people do best with the cleats in the standard configuration. The cleats are adjustable fore and aft but not side to side. The pedal mechanism has 5 mm of side to side float so this tends not to be a problem as your foot will find where it needs to be.

The pedal has a very open architecture which means they clear mud and snow really well. Unlike the Shimano SPD style pedals there aren't areas for mud to clog them up. The only time I've ever had a problem clipping in is after walking in wet snow that gets packed up around the cleat. A couple of kicks clears out the cleat allowing easy engagement.

In the line up of Time Atac pedals the Z-control stands apart for mountain bike and downhill use. It has the same engagement mechanism but has a much larger platform to support the foot. I like the Z-control for use on my single speed mountain bike as the foot is supported better for long climbs out of the saddle. The platform is big enough that a quick spin in regular shoes is manageable.

As all the Time Atac pedals work the same it's hard to recommend going to the high end carbon fiber / titanium options unless you are racing at a very high level. The weight savings for the more expensive models isn't a good value for the cost.

For any use where you need a clipless pedal but want to be able to walk normally when off the bike, the Time Atac pedals are the best option. Easy to use, well priced and very tough.

It's in you to become a better cyclist. Helping you get there is my goal. Equipment, riding skills, fitness and nutrition all have to be dialed in to reach your potential. To take your next step on that journey visit http://www.cyclecambridge.com

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