Gear Shots #46
Dakine, Topeak, Gravity
Date: 2008-12-05
Dakine Stromrider Glove
Words and photos by Pete Roggeman
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
New from Dakine, the Stormrider is a glove with a little insulation for warmth and a Gore-Tex liner to move vapour away and to the surface and keep your hands dry - unlike that time when you uttered the words "roommate switch."
It's that time of year. Bringing out your Gore-Tex is part of the winter riding routine, but thanks to Dakine, we now have a winter glove suited for riding on the Wet Coast.
The shell upper is a blend of polyester, neoprene and nylon, and the palm is clarino with a smattering of neoprene. There is a gore-tex liner and a bit of insulation, but not much of the latter, which works for us on the Shore since H20 is usually a bigger problem than cold temps.
Most seams are welded which is a good thing because these already feel a bit bulky when you pull them on - compared to normal riding gloves anyway. For perspective, if you compared them to a light duty ski glove you wouldn't think they were bulky, it's just something to get used to. Manual dexterity was not quite good enough to unscrew a tightly wound presta tube valve, but was good enough for fiddling with tools or straps as well as finicky safety-related tasks.
Cheech and Chong approved. Despite feeling a bit bulky at first, manual dexterity with the Stormrider was better than expected.
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
The Stormrider has slightly longer cuffs and a fairly standard velco closure. I would love to see a longer and tighter cuff - elasticized even - since on really rainy days the water comes in from your wrists. Otherwise they work as advertised - water does not get through the palms or top of the gloves, and I have used them on warm days and they never got sweaty or wet from the inside.
The Stormrider's cuff is slightly longer than their other gloves, but it could be a bit more snug and longer still. There's a nice big piece of terry cloth for those times when your sniffer needs a swiffer.
The index and middle fingers have silicone gripper on them which has worn away some but is holding up fairly well. I mentioned the bulky feel but articulation and finger fit is better than expected. The first few times you take them on and off the liner and outer gets hung up and you may have trouble finding a home for all of your fingers but once they 'pack in' a bit it sorts itself out.
Like a dog without a bone
A rider shreds the loam
Riders on the storm
If you're out there riding when the rain is falling and the wood is shiny wet, these gloves are for you. Cam 'the little princess' McRae has been known to carry two or even three pairs of gloves wih him when he rides so his hands stay dry but these gloves are all you need even on wet days. Water can get in through the wrists and that would be my one complaint; with a bit more of a winter-inspired cuff I think these would be perfect. I plan to get lots of use out of these gloves this winter.
Here's the Palm(ela) which reminds me that my girlfriend is going to kill me when she finds out I've been using her yoga mat as a background for these photos.
Canadian MSRP for the Storm Rider Glove is $75. Across the border they are US $65.
Topeak Mini 18 - what a tool
Words and photos by Pete Roggeman
Listen up jackasses. Too often this summer my ride flow (which is already elusive) has been disrupted by someone stopping me or the group I'm in to bum a tool or a tube. Whistler is the worst for this but it happens everywhere, especially where the trails are lift-accessed. I don't mind stopping to help, but I resent it when someone doesn't pack what they need to support themselves up in Garbanzo and then assume that just because I DID haul that stuff up there, that I should sacrifice my spare tube for them or stop my ride for 5 or 20 minutes so they can fix their steed. At the very least carry a tool and tube so you don't have to steal mine - if you're too cool for a pump then you can use all that hot air your ego produces to blow up your spare. Seriously, I've had it - your balls aren't that big that you can't fit a tool in that pocket, bro. And if you choose not to carry, then start hiking down like a big boy and maybe one of us prepared boy scouts will offer to help, but I can't stand seeing some guy who snaked a bunch of other people all day with a pathetic look on his face because he doesn't have a tool and he flatted on top of Freight Train or his stem is crooked. Suck it up and be prepared.
I've been waiting to write that for months.
Multi-tools are a dime a dozen these days, but some really are better than others. Like most tools, the Topeak Mini 18 has made me appreciate it more as I've gotten lots of chances to use it to fix bikes - sometimes even my own - all Spring, Summer and Fall.
Topeak's Mini 18 has every tool you need - even some you probably don't. They have all worked as promised and the package folds down into a low profile package of handy goodness. From left: bottle opener/14g spoke wrench & chain pin tool, 6mm hex, 5mm hex, tire lever, 2mmL hex for brake levers, 8mm/10mm hex, chain tool (front) with 4mm hex (to tighten main tool's fastener bolts) and 15g spoke wrench, T-25 Torx wrench, Philips screwdriver, Flat screwdriver, 4mm, 3mm, 2.5mm, 2mm. That was a lot of typing. That yoga mat sure works as a background, eh?
It has a forged and anodized alloy body, and most of the tools are forged from hardened steel, with a cast cromoly steel chain tool, steel bottle opener, and hard anodized tire lever. Note that none of the tools are stainless steel - hence the slight corrosion you see in the photos. To be fair, it's gotten wet a lot lately and didn't always dry properly in my Dakine pack, and the corrosion would come off easily with steel wool, but it also hasn't affected the tool's performance so it hasn't worried me.
Hex tools all get used all the time, and these ones are holding up well, but this baby also fixed a snapped chain in the Chilcotins, has trued road and mtb wheels, installed lots of pedals, tightened crank and brake rotor bolts and did help a tire off a rim once as well. The chain tool uses a 4mm hex to drive it, which is easy enough. The bottle opener works but let's face it, what kind of real man needs an opener to open a beer? I haven't ever made a tally but there are countless ways of opening a beer with various parts of your bike (some may void warranties) or whatever is in your pocketses. Hell, I've even seen Eamonn charm things off their owners that were way more impenetrable than a bottle cap - you just gotta work on your game.
Here's what you get with the Mini 18:
| Spoke Wrenches | 15g/14g |
|---|---|
| Tire Levers | Super Hard Anodized Aluminum |
| Tool Material | Hardened Steel |
| Torx Wrench | T25 |
| Weight | 185 g / 0.41 lb |
| Bag Material | Neoprene |
| Size (L x W x H) | 8.2 x 4.3 x 2 cm 3.2” x 1.7” x 0.8” |
| Screw Drivers | 1 Phillips/1 Flat |
| Allen Wrenches | 2/2-L/2.5/3/4(2 each) 5/6/8/10mm |
| Body | Forged Aluminum |
| Bottle Opener | Steel |
| Chain Pin Tool | Chain Pin Breaker |
| Chain Tool | Cast Cromoly Steel |
If I was to ask for anything else, it would be a blade although I often carry a knife with me on longer rides anyway so it's not a big omission. The newer Mini 18+ also includes a handy lilttle flat blade which is not a cutting implement but is intended to be used to pry your brake pads apart in case of accidental lever squeezes when changing a tire (we've all done it) which is a cool addition. The whole package folds up into a compact package and you can use the neoprene bag to protect other things that go in the same pocket - or to keep from drawing blood when you whip it at your toolless buddy's head. I haven't used the neoprene bag much (I don't mind drawing blood) but it's a nice addition.
The Topeak Mini 18 does everything you could ask of it and more - I think this is a kneeling Downward Dog.
Topeak has lots of great tools (check out the Ratchet Rocket!) but I do think the Mini 18(+) is one of the better ones for all around use. Buy one for yourself and stick one in the stocking of your buddy who owns three hydration packs but never uses them - I'll thank you next time I don't have to stop on the way down from Garbanzo.
The mini 18 is listed at $28 from REI down south and MSRP in Canada is $39.95.
Gravity DH Stem
Words and photos by Stuart Kernaghan
Gravity, the freeride / DH side of XC and road component maker Full Speed Ahead, has been spec'ing bikes for the likes of Ben Boyko, Darcy Turenne and Sam Hill lately, but they're also making parts for you mere mortals out there.
One of the newer bits is the Gravity DH stem, a solid block of forged and CNC'd aluminum that will keep your ride pointing down the trail or help you stick those big landings with purpose. The Gravity stem is a no-nonsense piece of harware that is forged and CNC’d from a big block of 6061/T6 aluminum.
The face plate angles up, cradling the handlebar. A matching top cap finishes the look.
Like other bike big stems, it uses a four-bolt face plate and two steerer clamping bolts. And as is the case with the Race Face D2 stem, the Gravity stem bucks the trend of a front-mounted face place. This time, it attaches on an angle, with the body of the stem cradling the handlebar.
The top opening of the stem is recessed, which allows you to run a totally flush top cap if you want. One possible issue you may run into if you’re planning to put spacers on top of the stem – not all of them are the same outer diameter, so they won’t necessarily fit into the recessed area on the top of the stem body.
This is not a light stem, but it has been machined to save weight where possible...
You’ve got a choice of 40mm and 55mm stems with a 10° rise in the 1 1/8 size and a 50mm option for OnePointFive steerer tubes. Stack height is 35mm, and weight is in line with other stems of this nature at 310g. It also comes with an etched Gravity top cap.
MSRP for the Gravity stem is US$80.
Do you have anything to add? Anything to ask? Anything to confess about riding toolless up in the Garbanzo Zone? Forgive me, Father...
Previous Gear Shots
- Gear Shots #60 - Norco, RaceFace & Chromag - We ride the '10 Norco Vixa, RaceFace's new Sixc carbon cranks and bar, and Chromag's seat collar QR.
- Rase Seatpost - What do John Holmes and this post have in common? The Black Mamba won't leave you asking for more...
- 2010 Trek Session 88 DH - To the Alpine! Connor Macleod kicks off a long term test with a trip to Brohm Ridge near Squamish...
- Gear Shots #60 - WTB, Race Face & Fox - WTB Stout tires, Race Face 3 Over 4 pants and Fox Launch Shorty knee pads
- Interbike Day 315 - It never ends...
- Gear Shots #58 - Sugoi RSX 3/4 jersey, Truvativ Stylo OCT crankset and Fox Launch knee/shin and elbow pads
- Gear Shots #57 - Mace Caliber Jersey & Gloves, Mace Task Shorts and Kali Durgana Helmet
- Vholdr Contour HD - Mounting Options - Mounting options for the Vholdr ContourHD
- Gear Shots #56 - VHoldr Contour HD POV vid camera, Kona CoilAir Supreme, and the Mace NOS Short
- Gear Shots #55 - Rocky Mountain Flatline Unlimited, Dakine Apex hydration pack and Whistler Mountain Biking guide book
- Gear Shots #53 - 2009 Norco Fluid LT2, Geax Booze Light tires and size XXL Dakine gloves
- Gear Shots #52 - We check out the Specialized Big Hit III, Manitou Dorado first rides, and the SKS Airchecker digital tire gauge
- Gear Shots #51 - 2009 Manitou Dorado fork, Fox 32 TALAS RLC 150 fork and the WTB LaserDisc Trail 15mm wheel / wheelset
- Gear Shots #50! - Some stuff to dream about while we wait for the snow to melt around here...
- Gear Shots #49 - Sugoi Majik shell jacket, Chromag Fubar OSX handlebar and Ranger stem, Point One Racing spacers and integrated stem
Stumble this!
Tweet this!
