New Gear – Michelin Pro 4 Service Course Tyres and Shimano Ultegra 6700C Carbon Road Pedals

Michelin Pro 4 Service Course Tyres

So, after many years of faithful service from Vittoria Rubino Pros, I decided I once again wished to visit the land of Michelin tyres. I'd used and loved the Pro2s but then hadn't had much luck with the Pro3s – they seemed to cut up quite badly and puncture more readily, something that didn't go down well at their price point which I recall was quite steep.

Snagged myself some of the new Pro4 Service Course Tyres (still not cheap) - in red of course, one must ensure the synchronicity of the colour scheme – and away we went.

Fitted up fairly easily on my Campy Eurus 2-Way fit wheels – no levers required – and pumped up to 105psi front and 115 rear (they max out at 116psi recommended) they immediately announced their difference even prior to the first ride.

They have a decidedly different profile to the Rubinos, and most other tyres I suspect. Their profile would be best described as angular – in fact when first on the tyre and unridden, they have a very triangular shape: sidewalls slightly angled away from the rims, then an obvious straight-ish inward canting line into a sharpish circular peak. Once ridden, this triangle does round out somewhat, but after 400-odd km, they still retain a visible angled peak to them.

So, they look weird: how do they ride? Well, in a word, terrific - once you adjust to the decided rapid tip in on cornering that such a profile logically delivers. The rapidity of the tip in is very noticeable, especially the first time you lob into a corner and heel over at speed – the bike quickly transitions to laid over mode and sends a little shiver of caution through you: it does feel like the tyre is hinting at sliding away from under you. But it never does – once thru the transition period the tyre just sits nice and firm and I soon became very settled with it. I'd go so far as to say that cornering on the tyre is confidence inspiring: it rolls into the lean and then just hangs on and hangs on. If you've ridden some of the later motorcycle tyre shapes I think that the Pro4s behaviour will be quite familiar.

Haven't used it in the wet yet, but the tyre seems fairly sticky, and the solid feel in the dry on cornering should transfer to the wet I suspect.

No idea how they wear yet – frankly I'm not that concerned: grip and feel is more an issue to me than saving a few bucks.

Velonews online has a prelim. write up – hit them up for a look.

Velonews Michelin Pro4 prelim review

Shimano Ultegra 6700C Carbon Road Pedals

For some reason, I've never been one to experiment with pedals – I've always been a fan of SPD-L, especially the more recent platform size and shape, and never bought anything but Ultegra. I had been tempted by the Dura Ace Carbons pedals but their skyhigh price put me off.

So imagine my interest when the Ultegra Carbons came out – same wide platform, carbon, and far less expensive than the DAs. And then the best news of all – only 10 grams heavier per pedal than the DAs! Personally, that pretty much rules the DAs out of the equation for me and likely 99% of everyone else. So of course, me purchase them!

Aside from the aforementioned weight difference to DAs (the Ultegra Carbons are significanty lighter than their alloy equivalents – around 50 grams or 16% per pair) info indicates the Ultegra Carbons have a twin bearing system compared to the DA Carbon's triple set, and are made with short fiber carbon rather than long fibre. I'm assuming this translates to a stiffer pedal for DA, but with my meagre output it's not like I can test that theory!

So, wide platform, low weight, nice black look and reasonably priced I think – what more could you want? Oh, for info sake, install is by Allen key only.

There's a first look preview on Bike Rumour online – again, go have a peek if this is your thing!

Bike Rumour Ultegra Carbon Road Pedals preview

 
Ride Safe!

Oh my God – I forgot to do a Tour De France Write up!

Went through the agony of watching it (late nights and all), but never the chore of writing about it (here's the abridged version).

So, mucho congrats to Cadel Evans, first of my countrymen to ever pull on the maillot jaune on the podium on the Champs Elysees!

Félicitations monsieur Cadel!

Thoroughly enjoyed the race : all the drama, shenanigans, terror, incessant whining, petty drama, heroics, and sheer guts and determination.

Cadel won it how he usually rides: to the edge of his ability and digging deep. His style isn't for everyone, but I think it's his singular strength. In the past, he's definitely cracked big time on a crucial point, but this year he stayed strong and took his destiny into his own hands: a resolve which he's perhaps lacked in the past at Le Tour. A huge effort and an inspirational one.

Chapeau Cadel!

Apart from the win, my rider of the Tour: Thor Hushovd. His two stage wins were epic: he's really making a show of strength on long rolling stages his forte now, and the race is all the better for it.

Chapeau Thor!

Not sure about the teaming of Cadel and Thor on the same unit, but time will tell! Roll on BMC 2012!

Ride Safe!

A Deadly New Threat – Bombers on Bicycles

This from the only-in-America hotline.

Apparently the bike lanes of New York City are now a haven for terrorists bent on seeking out targets for their insane upcoming campaign of the blanket bombing of New York City. It has occurred to a CBS2 reporter – one Marcia Kramer – that the bike lanes springing up around NYC are the perfect delivery routes for terrorists intent on meeting out revenge on the infidels, and in particular the Israeli variants.

In Kramer's world, the bike lanes will become avenues of death, with militants, bent on reeking havoc on the very bedrock of democracy that is NYC, careening back and forth delivering payloads of hate, death and destruction on their two-wheeled conveyances of Satan. And all whilst inconveniencing the smooth and rapid flowing transit system that are the cars, taxis and buses of NYC, because of course, everyone knows that the myth of traffic congestion in NYC is the vile spewing of communists intent on demolishing the American way of life.

Clearly the continued construction and extension of these highways of hell, themselves a punch-in-the-gut to the ideal of a four-wheeled utopian symbol of democracy, is an open invitation to militants to pack their frame tubes full of whatever exploding shit they can get their hands on, slip into their most figure pleasing slinky lycra or the latest in hipster fashion, and rocket their two-wheeled IEDs down these avenues, unimpeded by rule of law or gridlock, delivering their mayhem to wherever the hell they like.

Sounds ideal, although I'm guessing that Kramer likely hasn't factored in the probability that, what with the chances of getting hooked by a car, doored, hit by a bottle thrown from a vehicle, flatting on the innumerable bits of sharp gutter rubbish, decked by a kamikaze pedestrian, nailed by a mutt running around on a leash, or even brained by a head on collision with a fellow terrorist 'salmoning' their way alongside said route, the success rate of this delivery system isn't going to be that spectacular.

Shit, methinks said terrorists will likely figure out pretty quickly that it's cheaper and more effective to buy a backpack, pay the cab fare to where they wanna go, and then complete the journey via a brisk and healthy 5 minute walk to their intended destination. They'll definitely arrive less sweaty and stressed out, and in one piece (just before they blow themselves into the exact opposite of that).

So, we salute you Marcia Kramer for revealing this latest threat presented by the scourge of cycling! Mind you, a little exercise needed there Marcia – your whale arse is showing. Maybe a little trundle along the bike lanes of NYC...?

Ride Safe!