Gear Shots

Gear Shots #43 - Trek, Giro & Crumpler

Date: 2008-08-08

2009 Trek Session 88
Words by Derek Timmerman, photos by Jerry Willows

The Trek Session 88 has been attracting a lot of attention in the media since it was released, largely because of the new rear suspension design. With an advertised out of the box weight of 38 pounds for an 8-and-8" travel big bike and a serious price tag, I want to know if the DH version of this bike can stand up over time in some of the worst conditions possible.  Is all the media buzz about this bike for real?  


The Session 88 DH - a sweet looking bike with an amazing spec. || Photo: Sterling Lorence

Here's the spec summary for the Session 88:

  • 38 lbs. for a large frame (with stock 2.5” Big Earl, double wall Kevlar tires and light tubes, 40 pounds with my preferred 2.5” Maxxis Minion, double wall, wire bead, 3C tires and FR tubes)
  • 203mm rear wheel travel via custom valved Fox DHX 5.0 w/ steel spring 
  • 203mm front travel via Fox 40 RC2, titanium spring
  • frame features: Active Braking Pivot, Full Floater, E2, EVO  (terms explained below)
  • Cane Creek  XX ZS internal headset for standard Fox 40
  • SRAM X.O 9 speed trigger shifter and small cage rear derailleur
  • ’09 Saint 170mm cranks, 38t ring
  • MRP G2 Chainguide
  • AVID Elixir CR brakes; 203mm front rotor, 185mm rear rotor
  • E2 tapered headtube
  • Big Earl platform pedals, seat post, saddle, stem, wheels (20mm front axle, standard 150mm rear hub with 12mm solid axle), riser bar and lock-on grips

The EVO rocker link reduces rocker linkage weight and increase frame torsional rigidity from previous Trek designs, while the Full Floater design is achived by mounting the shock to the EVO swingarm and an extension of the chainstay to maintain a more constant angle between the swingarm and shock. All of that is supposed to provide better small bump and mid-stroke performance, and increase the rear suspension progressiveness.


EVO linkage and full floater design are integral parts of the new frame. || Photo: Sterling Lorence

Active Braking Pivot, or ABP, is the big news from Trek.  and it's being incorporated into the company's new full suspension bikes. This design is achieved by a concentric pivot located around the rear axle, specifically a bearing in the seatstay riding on the spindle connected to the chainstay. That allows the chainstay and brake caliper to be independent of the rocker and swingarm, thereby isolating brake forces from the suspension action and (theoretically) eliminating brake jack.


The ABP link on the Session 88 - Trek's effort to find the holy grail of suspension. || Photo: Sterling Lorence

E2 technology is designed to increase single crown fork rigidity, save ~250 grams from a continuous 1.5” steer tube diameter system and reduce lower head tube ovalization over 1 1/8” designs. The 88 DH version uses a standard Fox 40 steerer tube with a continuous 1 1/8” diameter, while the FR version uses a graduated steer tube from 1.5” at the bottom to 1 1/8” at the upper headset race.

A portion of the buzz about this DH race bike is the out of the box weight. True, the suggested CDN$6,999.99 complete build price is steep, but if weight was the issue and price isn't, you could safely drop two to three pounds with a lighter seat post, seat, pedals and rear titanium spring.

Trek marketing says that the chain won’t drift over the cassette when the rear suspension is activated in rough, fast chop, or pedal bob while hammering, but we’ll see. I’m also very interested to find out how this light ~9 lb frame with steel coil shock, as well as the the frame’s bearings and pivots, will endure this summer. A couple of months of the hardest riding in B.C. will definitely put the Session 88 to the test.

Giro Convert Sunglasses
Words and photos by Dan Austin
Giro is well known for its road and mountain bike helmets. More recently, Giro has made inroads into the sports eyewear market with several lines of goggles and sunglasses. Luckily, I needed some sunglasses for my Moab trip so when I was asked to give the Convert model a try, I was happy to oblige.

The Convert on paper
The Convert model features some great patented frame and lens technology. First, the lenses are 8-base True Sight polycarbonate, which Giro says minimizes the visual distortion associated with wrapped lenses and provides a wider accurate field of vision. These lenses come in six different colours including a polarized option that is Zeiss certified to ensure high visual quality. Not a bad name to have associated with your sunglasses.


The Converts are one very sexy pair of glasses.

The frame technology is called Super Fit Engineering. It's based on “anatomical science combined with artisan craftsmanship,” resulting in a frame that fits my head comfortably and looks great. Part of this technology focuses on the fact that most riders wear their glasses with their helmet, so special attention was made to ensure they worked well together.  

The frames are available in five different colour options, and with eight frame/lens combinations to choose from you're likely to find one  you like.

The Convert in real life
The model issued to me had a white frame with grey lenses. Out of the box, the white frames seemed too flashy, but after getting comfortable with them I really liked the combination.  

I was leery sign up for a review of these glasses sight unseen because my track record for sunglasses fitting well AND looking good is poor at best. To my surprise, though, once I put the Converts on they were exceptionally comfortable and they looked great. Giro describes the look as “urban style meets trail inspired performance.” I would have to agree 100%. The frame has great lines that enhance its style while the silver Giro badge and vent opening at the temples help to break up the white a little. These glasses look good enough to wear downtown and they're at home on the trail to boot.


Vented for airflow, with the new Giro logo for added style.

Looks aren't everything, though; the Convert also delivered in the performance department. Riding in Moab doesn't offer much in the way of shade. The Converts performed like old pros in the demanding Moab sun, making long days in the sun effortless - for my eyes at least.

I found the lenses provided a very crisp and clear picture of the Moab vistas. The grey lenses are dark enough to shade you from the harsh desert sun but not so dark that they alter too much of your vision.    The frame and lenses provided excellent coverage from all angles, and the soft rubber non-slip nose and ear pieces helped keep the Converts in place even as I sweated out my third or fourth litre of water for the day.  


Gripper ear pads with a great little detail.

Even with all that sweat and heat I found that fogging was not an issue.  I think a combination of the dry Utah air and vents in the temple area of the frame worked well to keep these glasses fog free. I also found that even after a week of dusty riding, the polycarbonate lenses weren't scratched, which was nice to see.

The bottom line
Even though I wore the Converts all day for 10 days, I don't really remember wearing them at all - and that's a good sign. My vision was crisp and clear and I felt no uncomfortable pressure points behind the ears or on the bridge of my nose. They stayed in place and never fogged up even while sweat dripped down the lens. And most importantly, they looked sharp and I was reminded of that fact on many occasions. No one wants to look bad in sunglasses, right?  


The author, smiling because he's ripping in Moab and able to see what he's doing, thanks to the Converts.

I can say that these are likely the most comfortable pair of sunglasses I have ever used, and I am very impressed with their performance in all situations. With an MSRP of around $100, the Giro Convert is a slam dunk, no brainer, hands-down winner for me.

Crumpler Mahoubar pack
Words by Dan Austin, photos by Dan and Michelle Austin

The Crumpler bag company, started in Australia, has expanded its reach to the four corners of the globe to provide people anywhere with unique, stylish, and functional bags for cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

Crumpler's story is quite simple. In the mid '90s, a couple of ex-bike couriers who were unsatisfied with the poor quality of messenger bags available at that time got together with furniture maker and fellow bike messenger Stuart Crumpler to create “Crumpler”.  The complete line of Crumpler products includes messenger style bags, limited edition bags, backpacks, camera bags, laptop bags, handbags, and accessories for bags. You can check it all out on their web site - just give yourself a little time because unless you know exactly what you are after, browsing the multitude of products with their one-of-a-kind names will make your search take a little longer than you think.

From the close to 100 products that Crumpler offers, I chose the Mahoubar bag as the one that would be most likely to find itself on the backs of riders here in Canada.


The Mahoubar definitely doesn't look like your standard pack. || Photo: Michelle Austin

Technical specs
The Mahoubar is touted as being able to hold “three legal-size folders in style with plenty of pocket space to store accessories, tools, food and daily essentials." General dimensions are 22cm x 36cm x 57cm with a total volume of 25L. It is constructed with a water resistant 900 denier shell and & 300 denier rip stop lining. All the straps are nylon webbing with 1.5” webbing making up the waist band as well as connecting the shoulder straps to the base of the pack, and 1” webbing for the chest strap and pack closures.  


There are plenty of wide straps to keep the pack stable and close to your body. || Photo: Michelle Austin

The hardware elements include plastic quick release clips (1” and 1.5”), as well as heavy-duty self repairing zippers with large pulls on the three zippered pockets. The rest of the pockets are kept closed with a generous helping of high-quality hook-and-loop material. Oh, don't forget the strap keepers that help keep long loose straps from flapping around or, heaven forbid, getting caught up in the spokes.

External details include a main flap that covers the entire bag from top to bottom secured by two adjustable quick clips. The shoulder straps are wide - around 3” - lightly padded and adjustable, and are supported across the chest with a quick release chest strap. The final securing feature is a 1.5” quick release waist strap that is adjustable and removable, but unpadded. A flat back pad that provides a barrier between your hide and the sharp edges of your books or groceries. 


There are lots of unique storage opportunities with the Mahoubar... || Photo: Michelle Austin

The storage in this bag is seemingly endless.  If you like pockets, the Mahoubar has no less than seven, three inside including the main compartment, and four outside.  On the inside, the main compartment is 24L, that’s 6 milk jugs of volume – yeah, that’s quite a bit. One of the two inside pockets uses a hook-and-loop closure while the other is zippered. Trust me, there’s a bunch of space.

On the outside of the pack there are two large zippered pockets. There are also four accessory straps to clip whatever it is you need to clip onto the outside of your pack, two at the top on the side and two on the base of the shoulder straps.  As well, there are two smaller hook loop closure pockets at the base of each side, both of which are remarkably large once you get by the smallish opening. They are somewhere you could easily loose stuff for sure. 

What I liked about the Mahoubar
My immediate impression of the Mahoubar was – “hey, cool bag” but I have to admit, it's much larger than I expected. This, however, is my fault. I should have had a closer look at the dimensions before choosing a bag. Once I came to terms with the size, it was clear that the Mahoubar is not your typical cylindrical backpack you get at the local outdoor store: it has style. The bag is definitely inspired by the messenger bag style, with a large protective flap that covering the bag, shape specific pockets for “messenger” type cargo, and unique carrying capabilities are put to use in the design of this bag. I carried everything from map tubes to file folders and collapsible poles in the Mahoubar, and it handled all of them very well.

First and foremost, what I see is that the style of a Crumpler bag is definitely aimed at being different than your typical bag. There's very little in these bags that you could describe as regular, normal, or run of the mill. The shape of the bag, the badging, the curves of the straps, the detail of tucking clips away under flaps and throwing some kind of pocket anywhere you can shows that Crumpler isn’t afraid to try something different. The uniqueness of the design commonly elicits the question, “Hey, nice bag, where did you get it?”


Pockets, pouches and compartments everywhere. If you've got something to carry, you can likely stick it somewhere in this bag. || Photo: Dan Austin

What is immediately appreciable is the feel of quality. The bag is sturdy, and it's made of quality material that you know will stand the test of time. When it's on your back day in and day out, rain or shine, on your way to work, or as part of your work, you can expect that this bag will take a beating. The fastening equipment, the stitching and even the higher quality zipper tags show that durability is of utmost importance to Crumpler. Another mark of quality is the way every seem on this bag is finished. Each seam, whether on the inside or outside, is finished perfectly.

As I said, this bag is big. Once I got over the initial shock of how big it was I started to appreciate that available space. It has a cavernous main pack area that seems to be able to swallow up anything that will fit through the opening – which sounds a lot like my dog. The numerous pockets on the front, side and inside of the bag gives you lots of spots to put your stuff and there is almost always a pocket that is best suited to the task.

Although this bag is not designed as a hydration system and nowhere does Crumpler suggest this is what it is for. Whether they did it on purpose or not, though, there is one hook-and-loop closure pocket on the inside of the bag holds a 2 liter bladder almost too well. It does put the bladder on the outside of the bag rather than against your back, but you could make it work in that capacity if you liked.


The inside of the Mahoubar - a 3L hydration reservoir and a pair of size 10s don't take up much room. || Photo: Dan Austin
 
Finally, comfort. For a big bag, the Mahoubar can hold a lot of stuff. When it's loaded down, the Mahoubar’s wide shoulder straps and soft padded back help to take the edge of the load and makes carrying your stuff a little less of a burden. And while it's comfortable, I still wouldn’t recommend it for long treks in the Himalayas.

What I didn’t like about the Mahoubar
It’s BIG. I actually found this bag too big for my day to day needs. I guess that's a good lesson when you're shopping for a bag - consider the function and criteria for your bag before you make your choice.  For running around, doing errands, riding to work etc, this bag seems a bit large, but if you carry your clothes to work, plus some files and/or your laptop, the Mahoubar may be the ticket. It was a bit of overkill for me when I only had my lunch and a couple of smaller items to carry, but it was great as a carry on bag for short business trips.

For such a large bag, I found access to the main compartment a little constricted. Every time I went to pack it full of stuff, I felt myself wanting to open the top just a little more. I think a little elastic panel near the top would do wonders to keep that opening free and easy. 

There was no closure to the main compartment of the bag other than the flap. The flap does completely cover the top of the bag, but with no distinct closure to the main pack area, if you are not careful, you could loose small items out of the top.

I also found that wearing the bag when with a plain tee-shirt led to a bit of neck rash. The shoulder straps are nicely shaped and padded, but they come together at the top a little too close and as a result rub the sides of my neck. Tweaking the bag placement while you wear it minimizes this, but it's definitely concern for me. Wearing a collared jacket or shirt goes a long way to taking care of that issue. 


The wide straps are great for distributing the load, but they have a tendency to chafe. || Photo: Michelle Austin

Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend a ton of time wearing the Mahoubar while riding. My commute just isn't long enough to really put the bag through its paces in that respect. Overall, it was comfortable and functional but I did find that the straps did cut in on my neck to some degree when I was in a riding position.  Again, a shirt or jacket with a collar did a great job of protecting my neck but I could feel the strap pressing in on my neck.

The verdict
If you are looking for a stylish, larger day pack for commuting to work or running around, the Mahoubar is something you should consider. Its large size lends itself well to the after-work grocery shopper who needs to pick up a few things on the way home or the person who carries their fair share of stuff with them on their morning commute. If you're minimalist and don't carry much with you at any given time, the Mahoubar probably isn't the pack for you. That said, there are plenty of smaller Crumpler bags if you like the styling and features of the Mahoubar.

Expect to pay $135 for the Mahoubar north of the 49th. There are nine stores in B.C. that carry the Crumpler line, and tons more across Canada. Check the web site for details.

Side note
As mentioned before, Crumpler is not just about messenger bags. If you visit their website, you will be able to see all the bags they have developed for a multitude of uses, from laptop and camera bags to cell phone keepers. You'll also be exposed to a web experience like nothing else. If all else fails, press the red button then give the chain a pull. That should keep most people interested for a little while.

Wanna share your thoughts on all this cool gear? Head on over to the boards and start typing.

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