Fusion Bike

Terkadang dalam berolahraga/berpetualang kita tidak/lupa memperhatikan hal yang sepele namun ternyata penting juga, salah satunya menggunakan/membawa personal identification gear.

Beberapa waktu yang lalu saya sempat mampir ke salah satu toko sepeda, disana saya lihat ada sepeda yang didekat handlebarnya digantungkan KTP pemilik sepeda tsb, menurut penjaga toko, pemilik sepeda tsb pernah pingsan dan tidak ada yang menolong, sehingga sekarang pemilik sepeda tsb menggantungkan KTP di handlebar sepedanya.

Saya langsung berpikir, untung selama ini saya menggunakan gelang id dari road-id.

Ada beberapa alternatif membawa/menggunakan personal identification gear seperti :

-          Membawa KTP/SIM/kartu nama

-          Menulis di secarik kertas ttg data diri

-          Menggunakan kalung tag spt tentara, dll

Salah satu personal identification gear yang saya gunakan adalah gelang dari Road-Id (bahkan anak-anak saya juga menggunakan gelang dari road-id pada saat pergi/ke sekolah).

Informasi lebih jelas mengenai Road-ID ini dpt dilihat di link banner website dibawah ini :

Dalam waktu 2 minggu barang akan sampai dari Amerika.

Informasi yang perlu di cantumkan di dalam id seperti :

Nama, alamat, no telp pihak/keluarga yg bisa dihubungi dan golongan darah.

Mudah-mudahan informasi ini dapat berguna dan jangan lupa memakai/membawa personal id selama berolahraga/berpetualang.

Cheers ,
Ufi

Pengalaman dari temen yg baru saja pesan Road-ID : http://udey.multiply.com/journal/item/24/THE_WRIST_ID

Contoh tampilan aplikasinya :

“Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” (Heywood HaleBroun)

Quote yang disebutkan di atas memberi definisi baru tentang olah raga. Bahwa sesungguhnya olah raga tidak selalu identik dengan kegiatan-kegiatan standar yang dapat membentuk tubuh Anda seperti fitness, renang, atau sepak bola. Sesungguhnya olah raga adalah kegiatan-kegiatan yang saat melakukannya Anda merasa puas dan bahagia, selain merasa bugar tentunya.

Sports reveal character. Karena itulah Anda tidak perlu bingung-bingung mencari olah raga apa yang tepat untuk tubuh Anda. Biarkan hati Anda berbicara, dan biarkan diri Anda mengikuti kesukaannya. Berikut ini adalah 10 olah raga impian versi Free! Magazine, yang mungkin dapat membantu hati Anda menentukan olah raga pilihannya. (momo)

1. SURFING
Bagaimana olah raga yang satu ini tidak menjadi olah raga impian? Menyaksikan surfer berlari-lari di atas ombak saja rasanya begitu menyenangkan, apalagi kalau suatu saat nanti kita dapat melakukannya sendiri dengan mahir. Olah raga yang satu ini diduga pertama kali dikenal di Hawai, dan kini bahkan sudah diakui sebagai salah satu budaya di sana. Olah raga yang satu ini pada awalnya lebih banyak digemari oleh kaum pria, namun sejak bertahun-tahun yang lalu kaum wanita juga mulai menyukainya. Kita yang tinggal di Jakarta tidak perlu jauh-jauh ke luar negeri untuk dapat menikmati atau mempelajari olah raga ini, karena Bali, Pelabuhan Ratu, Cimaja, dan Anyer nampaknya cukup ramah untuk mempraktekan olah raga ini. Oh ya, saat terjun ke dunia surfing, berarti Anda juga terjun ke dalam gaya hidup surfer!

2. GOLF
Kalau Anda masih berpikir kalau golf itu masih identik dengan orang tua, berarti Anda sudah tertinggal sekitar 10 tahun. Kini golf adalah olah raga yang ramah dan untuk semua orang! Pria dan wanita, tua dan muda. Selain identik dengan orang tua, dulu golf juga identik sebagai olah raga yang mahal dan konvensional. Tapi nyatanya sekarang golf datang menggebrak dengan image barunya sebagai olah raga yang hip, young, dan stylish! Salah satu hal yang menjadikan olah raga ini menjadi impian Free! ialah karena golf itu lebih dari sekedar olah raga. It’s a lifestyle. Untuk mengenal atau mempelajarinya, Anda harus menjalani gaya hidup layaknya para pemain golf handal.


3. MOUNTAIN BIKE
Mountain Bike atau lengkapnya Mountain Terrain Bike (MTB) adalah salah satu olah raga yang perkembangan paling cepat di Indonesia dalam lima tahun belakangan ini. Untuk menjelaskannya secara sederhana, Mountain Bike adalah sepeda gunung, di mana Anda harus melintasi segala medan di pegunungan. Olah raga ini dapat dilakukan sebagai race, namun tidak ada salahnya jika Anda ingin melakukannya dengan santai sambil menikmati pemandangan. Mountain bike itu enak banget, karena selain berolah raga kita juga bisa lebih sehat karena menghirup udara yang lebih segar, sekaligus refreshing sambil melihat pemandangan yang nggak bisa kita lihat di tengah kota. Bersepeda di pegunungan sambil menikmati pemandangan dan udara segar tentu membawa kenikmatan tersendiri.

4. SNOWBOARDING
Olah raga yang satu ini masuk dalam daftar olah raga impian Free! Magazine, karena untuk dapat mencobanya kita harus mengeluarkan uang cukup banyak dan pergi beribu-ribu mil ke negara lain yang bersalju. Sangat menyenangkan? Tentu. Namun Anda harus berusaha sekuat tenaga untuk berlatih agar dapat bergaya seperti atlet-atlet snowboarding yang sering Anda lihat di ESPN. Ingin segera mencobanya? Sabarlah menunggu sampai musim salju di Eropa datang di akhir tahun. Paling tidak Anda memiliki waktu beberapa bulan menabung sebelum pergi ke sana.

5. SKYDIVING
Kalau bungy jumping sudah membuat Anda takut, entah apa pendapat Anda tentang olah raga yang satu ini. Terjun bebas dari pesawat di atas ketinggian beribu-ribu kaki. Itulah skydiving. Saat Anda pertama kali mencobanya, Anda akan ditemani oleh seorang instruktur dan terjun secara tandem. Sebelum terbang, Anda tentu juga akan mendapatkan briefing terlebih dahulu tentang segala teknis yang diperlukan. Yang harus diperhatikan, berat badan Anda tidak boleh lebih dari 100 Kilogram, sedangkan untuk tinggi badan tidak masalah. Setelah mahir dan menguasai semua teknis yang ada, Anda pun dapat merasakan kepuasan menari-nari di udara.

6. ROCK CLIMBING
 Untuk mencoba rock climbing, Anda tentu harus memiliki dasar wall climbing yang baik. Dan jika Anda sudah cukup mahir dalam wall climbing, langsung saja mencoba tingkat berikutnya yaitu rock climbing atau rock crawling. Seperti namanya, di sini Anda harus menaklukan bebatuan-bebatuan untuk dapat mencapai bagian puncaknya. Jika Anda bingung dimana menemukan tempat sepeti ini, Anda dapat mencari biro atau komunitas rock climbing yang dengan senang hati dapat membantu Anda. Kalau Anda tidak memiliki segala perlengkapannya, tempat-tempat semacam ini biasanya menyediakan segala fasilitas yang mendukung untuk memanjat. Selain itu tempat-tempat semacam ini juga menyediakan sarana bagi Anda yang ingin belajar secara private dengan instruktur yang sangat berpengalaman. Kini Anda tahu bagaimana cara memulainya.


7. SCUBA DIVING
Olah raga yang termasuk dalam olah raga air ini sudah diminati oleh banyak orang. Bukan hanya berfungsi sebagai olah raga, melainkan juga untuk refreshing, karena scuba diving memungkinkan Anda untuk melihat keindahan pemandangan bawah laut yang tidak pernah Anda bayangkan sebelumnya. Mungkin selama ini Anda sudah bosan melihat pemandangan daratan yang itu-itu saja, karena itu tidak ada salahnya sesekali mencoba melihat pemandangan indah di dalam laut dengan berbagai hewan laut dan terumbu karang yang sangat cantik. Dengan menyelam, mungkin Anda akan lebih menghargai alam. Melakukan scuba secara beramai-ramai tentunya sangat menyenangkan, namun jika tidak ada teman Anda yang mahir, mungkin Anda dapat meminta instruktur untuk menemani Anda. Tempat terdekat dari Jakarta untuk melakukan olah raga ini ialah Kepulauan Seribu. Kalau mau lebih niat, Bali, Bunaken dan berbagai pulau lain di Indonesia menyimpan potensi alam bawah laut yang sangat menakjubkan!

8. BOXING
Semua orang tahu sang legenda Muhammad Ali, dan semua pria ingin menjadi seperti ia. Karena itulah semua pria pernah membayangkan seandainya diri mereka bisa boxing dan menjadi boxer ternama seperti Muhammad Ali. Boxing atau tinju merupakan perpaduan antara olah raga dengan martial art, di mana dua partisipan yang memiliki berat yang serupa atau seimbang saling berkelahi dengan menggunakan menggunakan tinju mereka. Pada dasarnya ada empat gaya boxing, di antaranya yaitu boxer, swarmer, slugger, dan boxer-puncher. Memang tidak mengorbankan wajah kita untuk ditinju orang lain, namun olah raga ini sangat berkelas dapat mendatangkan penghasilan yang lumayan jika Anda sudah menjadi boxer yang handal. Tapi untuk menikmati boxing, Anda tidak harus menjadi boxer sungguhan kok.

9. HORSE RACING
Jika Anda termasuk orang yang sangat menjaga kelas, horse racing merupakan salah satu olah raga yang dapat Anda pilih. Olah raga yang memiliki nick name ‘The Sport of Kings’ ini sudah dikenal sejak zaman Romawi dulu, dan sekarang termasuk salah satu olah raga yang cukup segmented dan seringkali identik dengan taruhan kelas tinggi. Olah raga horse racing atau balap kuda ini memiliki sepak terjang yang berbeda-beda di berbagai negara, seperti di Amerika Utara, Australia, atau berbagai negara Eropa seperti Italia, Irlandia, dan Inggris. Asia pun juga tidak mau kalah, misalnya India, Mongolia, Hong Kong, dan Jepang. Di Indonesia olah raga ini memang belum telalu umum, namun sangat memungkinkan jika Anda mau mencobanya segera.

10. AUTO RACING
Auto racing atau juga dikenal sebagai automobile racing, autosport, dan motorsport mungkin termasuk olah raga yang cukup umum dan paling dekat dengan kita. Namun olah raga-olah raga ini tetap menjadi impian karena nyatanya banyak orang yang bermimpi ingin menjadi pembalap. Mungkin Anda salah satu di antaranya. Racing pertama kali dikenal pada tahun 1894, dan sejak saat itu namanya terus melambung sehingga menjadi olah raga yang cukup umum dan digemari oleh banyak orang di seluruh dunia. Racing terdiri atas berbagai kategori, di antaranya single-seater racing, touring car racing, rallying, drag racing, sports car racing, off-road racing, dan kart racing.

Dari : The Free! Magazine’s

(from left, clockwise)

ROTATION DIRECTION
If the tire's tread pattern or even compound is designed to work while
rolling in a specific direction, the company will stamp their recommended
rotating direction. Follow their advice or your buddies will razz you if
they notice you've mounted the tire backwards. Some tires have bidirectional
tread so you don't need to worry.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Get the magnifying glass out. This can be in tiny type.

HOT PATCH
Normally, a rectangular, multicolored ID stencil that lists the tire model
and tire size. Other information can include the compound, casing
construction and bead type. The hot patch is located on the drive side of
the wheel (on bidirectional tires, the hot patch might be located on the
non-drive side or the tire maker will use a hot patch on both sides).

MOLD NUMBERS
The manufacturer's mold number doesn't mean anything to the rider. Factory
workers use this number to place the correct tires in the correct molds for
curing.

AIR PRESSURE RANGE
These are recommended minimum and maximum air pressures for the tire. This
tire should be used with at least 30 psi and no more than 50 psi. For those
readers enjoying MBA in a foreign country, the other numbers represent the
same thing (psi minimums and maximums) in bar's and kpa's.

TIRE SIZE (millimeters)
There are two numbers inside the parentheses. The first is the tread width
target in millimeters. The second is the metric diameter of the bead (all
26-inch tires will show the number 559).

TIRE SIZE (inches)
The first number is the tire diameter and the second is the tire's width. In
this case, it is a 26-inch tire that is 2.5 inches wide.

From http://www.mbaction.com

 

HOW TO RIDE THROUGH THE ROCKS

- R. Cunningham -

 

Some call them “baby heads,” because the largest rocks that a cross-country mountain bike can roll over for any distance are about the size of a toddler’s noggin. Most riders call them rock gardens and steer well clear of such things. There comes a time, however, when you’ll have to pedal over a patch of rocks—perhaps because you were traveling too fast to stop in time, or maybe because you’d like to ford a shallow creek bed without making a mess of your brand new shoes. Either way, you’ll find that, with a few tips and the ability to “flow with the changes,” you can ride over and around a very nasty section of baby heads and live to enjoy the experience.

Choose and commit: Choose your line well before you enter the rocks. Firm up your arms and upper body and pedal smoothly. Commit to your line.

 
Meet your new friend Mo.

Bouncing over rocks uses a lot of energy, so be prepared to ride into the baby heads with a little speed. Momentum is your friend, but don’t overdo it. Pedal into the rocks at about jogging speed. Choose a gear that is about midway through the cogset and in the granny chainring, or use the middle ring paired with the lowest cog.

 

Straight is great: Choose the straightest possible line that takes you over the smallest rocks. Look well ahead so you won’t fixate on a difficult section and fail.

 
“Get straight; move ahead.”

Pick the straightest possible line through the rock garden. Survey your options well before you reach the point of no return and then commit to your line. As you reach the rocks, fix your gaze at least ten feet ahead. Avoid fixating on any single boulder along the way. If you do, you will get sucked into the rock, smack it, and then stall. Pedal smoothly and in circles as if your legs were an electric motor.

The right way: When a sizeable rock looms in your path, hit it and roll up and over. Avoid abrupt changes in direction.

 
Adopt the “Icebreaker” position.

The key to blasting through boulders is to lower your body slightly and get centered between the wheels. Bend your elbows slightly and brace your arms and shoulders. Imagine that you are punching at the rocks ahead with your front wheel. There is no need for a lot of leg power. In fact, bursts of power will vector you off line and ruin your balance. Keep pedaling smoothly and effortlessly, eyes forward. Let the bike’s front suspension punch through the rocks.

 

The wrong way: Trying to ride around tricky sections risks losing your balance. Ride as straight as possible, but if you do get deflected off line, go with the flow—follow your bike until you are balanced again.

 
Walk the dog.

There is no way that your bike will stay on your chosen line. Rocks shift and roll under your tires and you must also wiggle around to keep your balance. Keep your Ice Breaker stance with your upper body, but let the bike find its own line. If your bike drifts off line, follow it like you are walking the dog. As long as you are maintaining a relatively straight path across the rocks, it doesn’t matter if you veer a yard to the left or right. Go with the flow, but always with conviction.

Too much is a bad thing: Hard charging through the boulders will usually end in disaster. If you don’t carom off line, your rear wheel will probably bounce high and cause your bike to nose into a boulder—it could hurt.

 
Believe in your bicycle.

Okay, you have chosen a good line, pedaled with conviction, followed your bike off line a couple of times and kept your eyes forward. Now you must pass the final test: the deal-breaker boulder. It always happens—a large rock, bigger than you imagine that your tires can roll over, looms directly in your path. Do you attempt to steer around it, or play it safe, hit the brakes and start walking? Neither. Attempting to round a corner in a rock garden will destroy your momentum. Believe in the capabilities of your bike. Keep pedaling and simply bash up and over the boulder. Any rock that meets your tire at or below the axle level can be safely rolled. Don’t even lift the front wheel, just bash and dash. Maintaining a straight line is your best survival tool in the boulders.

 

KEKENTALAN

Helmet Mount vs. Bar Mount (bike lights)

Gadgets

Shimano Rolls Out Simple Auto Transmission for Bicycles

Shimano, bicycle gearmaker to the stars, has made a three-speed automatic transmission for those who don't take biking quite so seriously. Shimano Coasting Components make a bike smart enough to shift its own gears, giving you a riding experience that doesn't require any attention or input.

Shimano is licensing the technology to bike makers such as Trek, Giant and Raleigh; pricing wasn't announced yet. – Charlie White

Shimano presents a new XTR rear derailleur RD-M972,
developed with the revolutionary "Shadow" technology
that was introduced recently in the new Deore XT
group. "Shadow" realizes an extra thin profile to
minimize the chance of getting hit by a rock. A tree
trunk. Or whatever else lies waiting on the trail.
Read more inside.

The Shadow derailleur is 11-18 mm smaller than a
conventional derailleur and it has a much thinner
profile than any other rear derailleur in the market.

Furthermore it features an increased vertical
stability to prevent hitting the chain stay in very
bumpy terrain. No need to worry about your derailleur when taking extremely technical trails at high speed.
Your derailleur will be steady and perform its tasks
flawlessly.

This XTR derailleur has a modern, technical appearance
characterized by a slightly redesigned "X"-shaped
outer plate and a full carbon cage that combines a
lightweight design with superior rigidity. The weight
has been reduced to 180 grams that makes it the
lightest derailleur in the Shimano range.

RD-M972 features a crispy shift feeling and the cable
routing has been shortened since less cable simply
means less friction for improved response. It will be
available in a short cage and a long cage version, in
Top-Normal design exclusively for a perfect set-up
with Shimano's popular Rapidfire Plus shifters.

Shimano will continue to offer the current Low-Normal and Top-Normal XTR rear derailleurs so more choice than ever since XTR is "Engineered for the way you ride"!

Availability in the market: September 2007

How to Choose Cycle Shoes The right cycling shoes will improve your cycling performance and comfort. When purchasing shoes, keep in mind that they must fit snugly for good heel retention and top performance. Consider your riding needs, pedals and price range and use this guide to make your buying decision easier.

Step 1: To Clip or Not to Clip

If you have a pedal system already, your decision is easy—choose shoes that fit your system. If you don't have one or you're thinking of changing your system, here's some information to keep in mind: Clipless Pedal System Consists of metal or plastic cleats in the sole of the shoe that attach to a binding on the pedal. There are different clipless systems, including Look®, SPD®, Time and Speedplay. Advantages—Offer superior foot-to-pedal energy transfer for efficient pedaling. It also allows you to pull on the upstroke for even more power. Disadvantages—Have a steep learning curve; difficult to get out of when learning to use them and when mountain biking. When choosing clipless shoes and pedals, keep in mind that different systems are not compatible with each other. Toe-Clip Pedal System Consists of a metal or plastic clip and/or an adjustable webbing strap. Advantages—Toe clips are relatively inexpensive and easy to get out of. They can be used with almost any type of shoe--even non-cycling shoes. Disadvantages—Offers less positive pedal engagement and allows the foot bend, losing critical foot-to-crank energy transfer. Also, the straps cause the pedal to hang upside down when not in use, making them difficult to get into.

Step 2: Determine your Riding Needs

Casual Biking—Does not require a specialized pedal system; choose recreational cycling shoes, which can be used with normal pedals. Mountain Biking—Choose a clipless system for performance or toe-clips to get off your bike easier. Clipless systems help you clear obstacles easier with bunnyhops and wheelies, but you will fall more often than with toe clips. Road Biking—Go clipless. They have the best power transfer. Plus, unlike mountain biking, you don't have to worry about getting in and out of them as frequently.

Step 3: Types of Shoes

Road Shoes Road shoes are designed to be snug and stiff to offer the best foot-to-pedal power transfer and performance. They are clunky to walk in because the cleat is not recessed. Mountain Biking Shoes These can be divided up into the following categories: Race—Have a stiff sole, snug fit and very aggressive tread pattern for top performance. Recreational—These shoes are flexible in the forefoot for comfortable walking but stiff from the heel to the ball of the foot to disperse pedal pressure and increase power transfer.

Step 4: Consider Features

Soles Look for a stiff sole—particularly in a road shoe—for optimum foot-to-pedal power transfer. Upper Road shoes are often made from synthetic leather for durability and easy care. Many mountain bike shoes and top-line road shoes are still made from leather. Closures Cycling shoes feature Velcro® closures, laces, buckles or a combination of each to achieve a snug and secure fit. Keep in mind that Velcro® closures and flaps can interfere with toe straps on toe-clip pedals. Tread pattern Particularly on mountain bike shoes, aggressive tread patterns help in scrambling up steep slopes that can't be biked.

On test: Scott Scale 10, May 14, 2006

All-pro carbon hardtail

The Scale 10 is Scott's off-road equivalent of the CR-1 road bike - a very light, stiff carbon fibre frame designed for one thing and one thing only: going fast. Cyclingnews MTB Editor Steve Medcroft has been giving the Scale 10 an extended test ride.

Scott Scale 10

In the age of bicycle specialization it sometimes feels like some bike formats receive more attention than others. An expanding selection of frame materials, advancements in component and wheel technology and reductions in frame and component weight have made the road bike a slim, powerful shell of what existed only ten years ago. In mountain biking, adaptation of suspension and braking technologies from other industries has upped the performance and dropped the weight of full-suspension off-road bikes so much that it seemed the traditional hardtail was about to be placed on the endangered-species list.

But riders (especially in the elite racing ranks) will tell you that for certain terrain and situations, there's nothing better than a light, stiff, snappy little hardtail to get you around the track so Scott USA, by listening to the needs of pros like Thomas Frischknecht and Walker Ferguson, and bringing every available technological advancement to bear, has stepped in to produce a proud family of racing hardtails; the Scale's.

Ritchey World Cup Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

Fox's 80mm Float fork Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

You can shave Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

SRAM's mid-sized cage Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

The Avid Juicy Carbon Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

Ritchey World Cup Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

A close look Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

Another place to save Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

A close look Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

Under the shifters Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

Selle Italia SLR XP Kevlar, Photo ©: Steve Medcroft

Eight is enough

The Racing Scale family has eight siblings. From the sub $1,000 aluminum Scale 70 with a Rock Shox J2 fork and Shimano Deore RapidFire to the $6,000 Scott Scale Carbon Limited made with CR1 HMF Technology and spec'd with a Rock Shox Reba and top-of-the-line Shimano XTR kit, there's a member for anyone. For our test, Scott sent us a Scale 10; the closest family member on the list to the Limited but with a slightly more affordable build.

The very fist impression the Scale makes is in how light it is. Out of the box and built, pedals and all, the bike weighs a scant 21.6 pounds and feels like nothing to lift onto a roof rack. Most of this weight savings is in the frame (985 grams). Made from the process and material that Scott used to create what they call the world's lightest production road bike (the CR1, which refers to Scott's Carbon for Racing frame tubing and construction process using their proprietary Ten-Tech Composite), the frame is a thing of beauty.

Scott spec'd a reasonably light wheel set for the Scale 10 as well; Mavic XM-819 rims (which, including the requisite FORE nipples, weighs just over 500g) over DT Swiss disc-compatible hubs and spokes and wrapped in Scott's UST tubeless OXYD 26 x 2 inch tires. Combine that low rotational weight with the super-light frame and you can feel the results of this careful design on the trail.

Over a three-month period, I was able to ride the Scale 10 more than a dozen times. It saw miles of super-technical, steep and rocky trails, sloppy days in and out of stream crossings and mud bogs, and hours of balls-out, swoopy singletrack.

As you might expect, the Scale banged around quite a bit on the super-rocky stuff but it held up surprisingly well in the worst of it as the vibration-dampening properties of carbon and the lower pressures I was able to run in the tubeless tires smoothed off the edges better than any hardtail I've ever ridden. And despite forcing it to handle conditions it wasn't designed for, I was impressed with how the bike performed everywhere else I took it.

Floats like a butterfly

I could summarize the best of these rides with the word ‘flow.' There were moments when the bike just dropped away and I just didn't seem to feel it any more. I could run at my own version of full throttle and could control the bike with the slightest of movements; like we were telepathically linked. This was quite refreshing. I so often feel like a lumbering, clumsy fool on especially technical trails. The Scale is a little like alcohol at a wedding, it smoothes the way and lets you release your inhibitions; encourages you to push, to drop the reins and run the bike out as fast as you can. Not a bad characteristic to have in a racing bike right?

I think the bike as much owes its exceptional performance to the build as it does to the compact profile and aggressive geometry of the frame (71-degree head tube, 73-degree seat tube and 600mm top tube on the size Large I rode). Fox's 80mm Float fork has just the perfect amount of give and take for racing speeds on cross-country trails. Scott's grippy tubeless tires left me effortlessly weaving around roots and rocks on the trails near my house and, at 32-pounds of pressure per tire, the OXYD tubeless tires left me enough give to drive across obstacles that would have pinch-flatted my tubed setup.

The Ritchey World Cup carbon seat post and bars, Selle Italia SLR XP Kevlar seat and Ritchey WCS stem are all plush touches and go a long way to keep the bike's weight down. And although the Avid Juicy Carbon disc brakes and rotors took a little dialing to silence a squeal of pain from the rear in heavy braking, I had no complaints about the stopping power and sensitivity of this 395-gram setup.

Trigger happy

SRAM's X.0 trigger shifters gave me confident and positive control of the gearing; the transition from climbing gears to descending gears was flawless and in those same three months, I didn't have to adjust either derailleur even once. The position of the levers can be adjusted to the rider's preference, are easy to operate and don't take a ton of tiring foot-pounds of pressure to work.

I did have one consistent problem with the X.0's though; the downshift trigger sits on the inside position under the bar. I ride with a loose grip and constantly (albeit inadvertently) tapped the downshift trigger with the knuckle of my forefinger. This was happening on both sides of the bike meaning I would randomly suffer jumps into harder gears when I hit the rear shifter by mistake and easy gears when I hit the front shifter by mistake.

Shifting the levers further from the grips left me stretching uncomfortably and although I tried to unlearn the hand position that was causing the mis-fire, I was still doing it once or twice a ride to the last day I had the bike.

To be fair, other riders I talked to had no problem with the same setup. I may just be patently incompatible with SRAM's trigger shifters. And because of all the positives of SRAM's shifting, I don't think I would toss them off the bike if I were buying it for myself. I would ask my dealer to swap the triggers out for SRAM's Twist Shifters instead.

The only other issue I had with the bike was its lack of a replaceable derailleur hanger. Back in winter, when I first received the Scale, I picked up a nasty stick on my virgin voyage and ripped the SRAM X.0 derailleur cage in half and bent the hanger so bad I had to cut the chain down and single-speed home. It was a rare and completely random accident; Scott said they had only seen such damage when the derailleur was misadjusted or the rider was negligent in their handling of the bike. The alloy hanger (which is bonded to the chainstay before paint and clear coat) was so far out of shape it could not be safely bent back into alignment.

At the time, Scott's solution to the problem was a self-installed (or dealer-installed) replacement hanger but Scott USA sent me a new frame (they even offered a super low-cost replacement frame if a customer found themselves in the same situation as I did) instead (thanks to the PedalShop in Ashburn, VA for swapping over the parts).

The good news about this issue for new Scale buyers is that it no longer exists! Scott USA spokesperson Adrian Montgomery says that although Scott engineers were adamant that the rigidity of a bonded derailleur hanger was necessary to handle the tight specifications of Shimano shifting and that the first U.S. bound shipment of carbon Scale's included non-replaceable derailleur hangers, engineers have since gone back to the drawing board and tested and approved a replaceable hanger for all shipments since about April of 2006. There is even a retro-fit available through Scott dealers if you own an older Scale and want to have the retrofit replaceable hanger kit installed by a trained professional.

Conclusion

Scott drew on every available advancement in bicycle technology to make the Scale 10 an ultra-competitive cross-country race machine. If you're comfortable with bike setup, need a hardtail in your arsenal and are serious about the performance of your bikes, Scott's decisions on frame material, design and component spec offers you a bike that is going to be comfortable on training rides but will make you truly happy when you push it in competition. It's a raw cross-country race bike that doesn't try to make the excuse that it is anything but. I'm sad the review is over; I'm going to cherish the last time I get to ride the Scale 10 before I have to send it back.

How to Fit a Bicycle

by Peter Jon White

Copyright 1989, 1998, 2001, 2007

Overview

Bicycle fitting is a subject most people find quite mysterious. Fitting systems with charts and graphs, computer software, measuring devices and "rules of thumb" make for a lot of confusion. But I believe it's really quite simple. Bicycle fit involves compromises. Compromises between comfort and performance, quick acceleration and handling stability, top speed and "taking in the scenery".

Your body's position on the bike affects how you ride. It affects how much power you can efficiently deliver to the pedals. It affects how comfortable you are on the bike. A position that is more comfortable may not allow you to put as much energy into moving the bike forward as a less comfortable position might. How do you decide where to position your body on the bike?

Ask yourself, "What do I want to do with my bike?", "Why am I riding?". A track sprinter is not the least bit concerned with how comfortable he is sitting on the bike. During the race, (which may last for less than a minute), he may only be seated for 5 or 10 seconds. A long distance tourist traveling coast to coast across the USA might spend 5 to 12 hours a day in the saddle, day after day. He is probably far more concerned with being comfortable and enjoying the scenery than with going as fast as he can.

This article relates only to traditional road and cross country mountain bicycles. I know next to nothing about recumbent bicycles and have absolutely no advice to offer regarding recumbent fitting. Nor have I any experience using "aero bars", which allow the rider to rest his forearms on the handlebars.

 

Let's get started

Your body contacts the bicycle in three areas; your hands, your seat, and your feet. The relative positions of feet, seat and hands determine your comfort and efficiency on the bike. There are several variables that determine these positions; crank length, distance from crank center or bottom bracket to saddle, saddle angle, seat tube angle and saddle offset, distance from saddle to handlebar, relative height of saddle and handlebar, handlebar width, and handlebar drop on road style handlebars. I'll discuss each of these variables.

 

Crank Length

Crank length determines the diameter of the circle that the pedals move in. The larger that circle is, the more flexion of your knee and thigh muscles will be needed to turn the cranks. Your thigh muscles cannot exert the same force throughout their range of motion. This is very easy to demonstrate. If you squat down so that your knees are fully bent and lift yourself up, say, five inches, it takes a good deal more effort than it would to squat down just five inches from standing straight and then lift yourself back up. At the full squat position, your muscles can't put out the same power as when your knees are just bent enough to drop you down five inches. So if you had to choose between a crank length that had your knees bending through their entire range of motion and a length that only required, say, 20 degrees of flexion at the knee, you would choose the shorter crank. That crank would have your muscles working through a more efficient range of motion. You would avoid having to flex your knees enough to bring you into an inefficient range of motion.

So how long should the cranks be? Well, that's a good question. I wish I had a good answer but I don't. It should be obvious that a 5' 2" rider would not want to use the same length crank arms as a 6' 7" rider unless they somehow managed to have the same leg length (highly unlikely). Some research has been done to determine the optimum percentage of leg length to crank length. I doubt that there is an optimum percentage that would apply to all people. One writer in a major magazine article quite a few years ago claimed that after considerable testing with many different riders, 18.5% of the distance from the top of the femur to the floor in bare feet should be the crank length. You can find the top of the femur pretty easily. It's 5" to 6" below your hip bone, and moves rearward when you raise your knee. After reading this I promptly changed from the industry standard 170mm cranks for road bikes to 175mm cranks. There was an immediate improvement in power and endurance. I began using this formula when recommending cranks to my customers. So far, I haven't gotten any complaints. But of course that doesn't mean my customers wouldn't be as happy or happier with some other length. And I must admit that I have never tried still longer cranks than 175mm for enough time to tell if I would be even happier with them.

The top of the femur measurement ignores differences in legs themselves. Differences in the proportion of calf length to thigh length should affect the optimum crank length. A rider with longer thighs and shorter calves would use a longer crank to get the same flexion at the knee as a rider with short thigh and long calf. Of two riders with the same body proportions, one might prefer to pedal at a faster cadence. That might favor a shorter crank length. And perhaps even two riders with identical skeletal proportions would find after testing that they required different crank lengths to achieve maximum performance due simply to differences in their muscles.

Trying different cranks to find the optimum length would be time consuming and expensive, but I believe it is the only way to determine the correct length for any individual, assuming there is a correct length. It would be nice to have a crank with many pedal threads at various lengths to test. But I know of no such thing being made and I lack the ability to make one! Of course, some riders with multiple bikes report being just as happy on one crank length as another. Go figure! So, for lack of a better system, I'm staying with the 18.5% guide for my customers until something better comes along. It hasn't failed yet.

In the United States, it has been difficult and expensive to obtain cranks shorter than 165mm or longer than 175mm. But a French company, Specialites TA has been making high quality cranks in lengths of 155mm through 185mm for many years. In order to offer my customers better fitting bicycles, I've decided to sell these cranks. See my web page; http://www.PeterWhiteCycles.com/carmina.asp for details.

Saddle Tilt

In order to fit a bicycle, you need a saddle you can sit ON. That may seem too obvious to even mention. But sadly, most bikes seem to be sold with saddles designed by people who have never ridden a bicycle. In order to ease the pain of using these implements of torture, people often angle the saddle with the nose down. This makes it impossible to sit ON the saddle. You tend to slide forward. You end up pushing against the handlebar just to keep yourself on the saddle. Get yourself a saddle you can sit on so that your pelvis is resting on a level surface. For most saddles that would put the nose of the saddle a bit higher than the rear. Women's saddles should be wider than men's since a woman's pelvis is wider. Many women's saddles now have a cutout or low density foam section in the center to take pressure off the pubic bone while allowing a level saddle position. The closer you can get to a level platform, the easier it will be to find the best fore-aft position of saddle and handlebar.

Saddle Height

Once the crank length is determined, (by whatever means), the saddle should be set at a nominal height. There is no objectively determined ideal saddle height for any rider based on leg length alone. Some riders naturally pedal toes down, while others have the foot in a more level position. For starters, sit on the saddle with one leg hanging free and your hips square, (not tilting to either side). Set the saddle high enough so that your other heel can just touch the pedal with your leg straight, and with the pedal at the bottom of the stroke, in line with the seat tube. For most people this results in a saddle height that leaves some bend in the knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke, when you're pedaling with the balls of your feet over the axle of the pedals. It also should prevent you from having to rock your hips through each crank rotation. This gets you close enough to your optimum saddle height that you can go through the rest of the fitting process and fine tune saddle height later. Any later saddle height adjustments shouldn't be enough to throw off the other adjustments other than handlebar height, which is easily changed.

The Fore-Aft Saddle Position

Now we get to what I think is the most important part of fitting a bicycle, the fore-aft position of the saddle. Once you get this right, everything else is easy. This position is determined more by how you intend to use your bike than by anything else. If you look at a typical bike, the saddle is behind the crank center, or bottom bracket. There's a frame tube (the seat tube) running from the cranks to the saddle, and it's at an angle. That angle partly determines the fore-aft position of the saddle relative to the cranks and pedals. That fore-aft position determines how your body is balanced on the bicycle. Your balance determines how comfortable you are, and how efficiently you can pedal the bike.

Stand up straight in front of a mirror and turn to the side. Look at yourself in the mirror. When standing straight your head, hands, seat and feet are all fairly close to being in line with each other. Now bend over at the waist. Notice that not only has your head moved to a position ahead of your feet, but your rear end has moved behind your feet. If this were not the case, you would fall forward. Your seat moves back when you bend at the waist to keep you in balance.

Your torso needs to be leaning forward for two reasons; power output and aerodynamics. With an upright torso, you can't use the gluteus muscles to good effect. Also, you can't effectively pull up on the handlebar from an upright position. An upright torso is also very poor aerodynamically. When cycling on level ground, the majority of your effort goes against wind resistance. The easier it is for your body to move through the air, the less work you'll have to do. With your torso closer to horizontal, you present less frontal surface to the air and don't have to work as hard to maintain a given speed.

Obviously, the most aerodynamically efficient position may not be the most pleasant position to be in for several hours on a cross country tour. So there's a tradeoff. As you move to a more horizontal position, the saddle needs to be positioned further to the rear to maintain your body's balance, just as your rear end moves to the rear as you bend over while standing. It so happens that racers are more inclined to use a horizontal torso position than tourers, and racers are more concerned with having the handlebars further forward to make climbing and sprinting out of the saddle more effective.

If a bicycle had the saddle directly over the cranks, you wouldn't be able to lean your body forward without supporting the weight of your torso with your arms. Because the saddle on a typical bicycle is behind the cranks, your seat is positioned behind your feet and your body can be in balance. Try this test. You'll need a friend to hold the bike up, or set it on a wind trainer. Sit on your bike with your hands on the handlebars and the crank arms horizontal. If you have a drop bar, hold the bar out on the brake hoods. Try taking your hands off the bar without moving your torso. If it's a strain to hold your torso in that same position, that's an indication of the work your arms are doing to hold you up.

For starters, I like to put the saddle in the forward most position that allows the rider to lift his hands off of the handlebar and maintain the torso position without strain. You should not feel like you're about to fall forward when you lift off the handlebar. If it makes no difference to your back muscles whether you have your hands on the bars or not, you know that you aren't using your arms to support your upper body. If you are, your arms and shoulders will surely get tired on a long ride. But this is a starting position. Remember that bicycle fit is a series of compromises.

So what's being compromised? Power. There's a limit to how far you can comfortably reach to the handlebar while seated. If the saddle is well back for balance, the handlebars will need to be back as well. But to get power to the pedals while out of the saddle, it helps to have the handlebars well forward of the cranks. Particularly when climbing out of the saddle, the best position tends to be had with a long forward reach to the bars. You can tell this is so by climbing a hill out of the saddle with your hands as far forward on the brake lever tops as you can hold them, then climbing the same hill with your hands as far to the rear as you can on the bars. Chances are you can climb faster with your hands further forward. So you need to find the best compromise between a comfortable seated position and reach to the handlebar, and a forward handlebar position for those times when you need to stand. Only an inch or two in handlebar placement fore-aft can make a big difference while climbing. That same inch or two in saddle position can mean the difference between a comfortable 50 mile ride and a stiff neck and sore shoulders!

As you move the saddle forward from that balanced position, you'll have more and more weight supported by your arms, but you'll be able to position the handlebars further forward for more power. The track sprinter has the frame built with a rather steep seat tube angle, which positions the saddle further forward from where the tourer would want it. But again, the track sprinter spends very little time in the saddle.

If you can't move your saddle forward enough or backward enough for the fit you want, don't despair. Different saddles position the rails further ahead than others, giving more or less saddle offset. Seatposts are available with the clamps in different positions relative to the centerline of the post.

So, how do YOU want to balance on YOUR bike? Do you want to emphasize speed and acceleration? Do you care mostly about comfort and enjoying the scenery? The answers to these questions determine how you position the saddle, not some computer program or someone's system of charts and graphs. How your best friend fits his bike should have no bearing on what you do even if he has exactly the same body proportions as you. YOU know why you ride a bike. Only YOU know what compromises you are willing to make in order to achieve your purposes on a bicycle.

You may have a bicycle for short fast rides, and another for long tours. Just as the two bikes will have different components so as to be well suited for their purposes, so might the fit be different. The rider hasn't changed. You are still you. But your purpose has changed. The light, fast bike for short rides will likely have a more forward and lower handlebar position than the tourer. And so the saddle may well be further forward too.

As you move the saddle forward or rearward, you are also changing the effective saddle height, relative to the cranks, since the saddle rails are usually not perpendicular to the seat tube. So be prepared to change the seat post extension as you adjust the fore-aft saddle position; lowering the saddle as you move it back to maintain the same leg extension, and raising it as you move the saddle forward.

What about knee over the pedal axle?

Most fitting "systems" specify that some part of your knee be directly over the pedal axle at some alignment of the crank, usually with the pedal forward and the crank horizontal. This is pure nonsense. Imagine two riders, almost identical, but one rider's knees are 1 inch lower than the other's. In other words, the thigh bones of one rider are 1 inch longer than the other, and his lower legs are 1 inch shorter. Everything else about these two riders is identical, including overall height, torso length, arm length and weight. If you position the saddle such that the knee is directly over the pedal axle, the rider with the shorter thighs must have his saddle a little under 1 inch further forward of the other rider. It would be exactly 1 inch if his thigh was horizontal at that pedal position, which it isn't likely to be.

But with the saddle positioned forward, the rider with shorter thighs now has more weight that must be supported by his arms, all because of this arbitrary rule about having your knee over the pedal axle. This makes no sense. What matters is your weight distribution fore and aft, and that's determined by the fore-aft position of the saddle relative to the cranks.

Handlebar Position

Next, where does the handlebar go? Just like the saddle, it all depends on what it is you're doing on a bike in the first place. The further forward the bar, the more power you will have standing and accelerating, the better the aerodynamics and high speed control. The lower the bar, the more you can pull up under hard acceleration and the better the aerodynamics. With the bar closer to you and/or higher, you can sit more upright and take in the view.

I like to use an adjustable stem that my customers can use for a few days to try different positions for a long enough time to be meaningful. But what about a starting point? For riders with drop bars, if you place your hands down in the drops at the forward most position, (the point that allows you to easily reach the brake levers), then bend your elbows enough that your forearms are horizontal, your elbow would be at a ninety degree angle for a good starting point. From there, try moving the bar in one half inch increments forward and back to find the best reach for you. Most people are quite comfortable just with the ninety degree elbow position. But that doesn't mean it's right for you. And of course this isn't a position you'd want to spend much time riding in, except on the occasional banzai descent down a mountain pass!

Racers generally end up with the handlebar height two to three inches below the saddle height, tourers will often like to have the bar at the same height as the saddle. Mountain bikers usually position the bar a couple of inches below the saddle. The important thing is to take enough time to find the best position for you. If that means setting up a touring bike with the handlebar four inches below the saddle height, so be it. I recommend the longest reach and lowest position you feel comfortable in, (with emphasis on comfortable).

 

Handlebar width (road & ATB) and drop for road style bars

A few brands of drop style bars come with a choice of how much lower the drop section of the bar is from the top. Unless you are a track sprinter or a criterium racer, you don't need the very deep drop bars. Most bars come in a selection of widths. Most people seem happiest with their hands positioned on the bar at about the same distance apart as the width of their shoulders, so that your arms are roughly parallel when reaching to the bar. When determining stem dimensions, try the different bar widths available, starting with one that's the same as your shoulder's width. Then see which works best for you.

 

Fine tune saddle height

As you get familiar with the way your bike feels with these changes, go back to the beginning and check your saddle height again. You should be able to pedal through the bottom of the stroke without completely straightening your knees, and without rocking your hips on the saddle. If either is the case, your saddle is too high. Straightening your knee during the pedal's rotation limits how fast you can smoothly rotate the pedals, and causes you to want to use a higher gear than that which would be most efficient. By limiting the extension of your legs you smooth out your pedaling and make higher RPMs possible. That's better for your muscles and joints. If the saddle is too low you'll quickly feel a burning sensation in your quadriceps or thigh muscles.

 

Stock frame sizing

So what does all this mean when it comes to picking a frame size down at your local bike shop? Stems and seat posts come in lots of different configurations. That means you can choose from several different frame sizes and still get the same good fit.

All other things being equal, a longer top tube will give you a bike with a longer wheelbase, less twitchy handing, better shock absorption, and require a shorter reach stem. Since the down tube, (which connects the bottom bracket with the head tube) will be longer, it can twist a bit more making the frame somewhat less stiff while accelerating, so there is a performance penalty.

A longer seat tube will allow for a higher handlebar position with the same stem and give more room for pumps and water bottles. It can also prevent you from getting as low a handlebar position as you may want. Most importantly though, the longer seat tube raises the top tube and decreases stand-over clearance, something you should give careful consideration to.

 

Methodology

Notice that in most of this there is no mention of measuring body parts. And nowhere do I have you dropping plumb lines from knees, positioning handlebars so they block views of front hubs, comparing the length of your forearm to the distance between the front of your saddle to your handlebar, etc. My methodology is quite different from what most people are doing in bike shops. The Fit Kit and other marketed fitting systems are based on the measurements of lots of different riders and their bikes. It assumes that the averages of those measurements are somehow going to result in a good fit for you.

But take the case of two riders; Rider A, and Rider B. Rider A has very little upper body muscle but very strong legs. Rider B is identical to Rider A but has been working out at Ralph's Gym and looks like a body builder. The fore aft position of the saddle will be slightly different for the two riders. The extra upper body mass of Rider B will require a slightly further back saddle position to give the same balance. But that doesn't necessarily mean that Rider B should have his saddle further back. He may prefer the more forward position. Only he knows what his preference is.

Take me for example. I started riding long distances in the mid 1970s. After much trial and error, I arrived at a bike fit that worked for me. I could ride a century without much fatigue. I still have a bike that's set up exactly like the racing style bike I rode back then. I haven't gotten any taller, or shorter. My arms haven't grown or shrunk. But my neck and back are a lot stiffer in 2001 than they were in 1975. The low handlebar position is still great while I'm climbing a hill, but on the flat after 60 miles my neck isn't as comfortable as it once was. A higher handlebar is called for now that I'm older.

Measuring my body wouldn't tell me that the handlebar needs to be higher. But I used to be comfortable in the drops, (the lower part of a road handlebar). Now, I can't see the road ahead of me if I'm in the drops.

Somewhere between the fit of the track racer's bike and the long distance tourer's bike is where most of us want to be. But each of us has to find that point for ourselves. Remember, there is only one expert when it comes to fitting your bike. Only you know how you feel on your bike. Only you know what compromises you are willing to make while riding. You're the expert!

By the way, for reasons that escape me, I frequently get email from folks who tell me that they read my fitting article, loved it, and have a question. They then tell me how long their arms, legs and torso are, proceed to inform me that some bike shop wants to sell them a particular bike, and want to know if I think the bike would fit them well. My reaction is to wonder whether I wrote the article clearly, or if they read it but didn't understand it, or if they just hadn't read it. I sometimes go back and reread my own article, assuring myself that yes indeed I did make my ideas clear, and for whatever reason the person just didn't get it. Oh well...

So I'll take this opportunity to rephrase myself. I don't know if a particular bike will be a good fit for you. Even if I knew every dimension of the bike, and every dimension of you, I couldn't tell you if it's a good fit or not. So please don't write asking me to tell you something that I can't possibly know. Reread the article.

If you need an authority figure to tell you how your bike should fit, then by all means go to some shop that offers the Fit Kit or some such thing, pay them whatever they charge, and do as they say. Some folks need to be told what to do. But I don't want to tell you what to