Gear Shots #50!
Chromag, Dakine and Syncros
Date: 2009-01-20
Chromag Bike TRL frameset
Words and photos by Stuart Kernaghan
Ah, the noble hardtail. Many of us started riding the trails on one. I remember my first hardtail - a Giant ATX 880 with a rigid fork. XT components, cantilever brakes, and a wicked pink marble paintjob. Man, that bike was hot. At the time, anyway. It was the early '90s. Give me a break.
I rode hardtails for more than a decade, and got my ass handed to me riding the Shore on a Dekerf Generation with an 80mm fork. I did get a little better over time, and learned a thing or two about picking a line. That lasted for a few years until I got a used Santa Cruz Bullit in 2002. I've spent the last six years riding full suspension bikes, and really enjoyed the cushion factor. But things became predictable. I was getting soft, getting careless about picking lines. It was time to mix things up a bit. I needed to suffer a bit. It was time to get back on a hardtail.
Hardtails have been a staple of the DJ scene for years, and they're the bread and butter of the sub-$1,000 price point at bike stores. Some companies, like Norco, have been running a line of Shore-specific hardtails for years. But there's also a quiet market segment out there that has been slowly but steadily gaining momentum - the high-end hardtail. One company that has been carving out a spot for itself in that market is Whistler-based Chromag Bikes. I like the idea of riding local product, so after a few emails and a trip up the Sea-to-Sky highway, I had a Chromag TRL frame in my hands.
The Chromag TRL frameset, built up with a collection of all-mountain parts and desperately looking for snow-free trail.
Chromag makes steel hardtail frames, and frames only, for a diverse audience - dirt jumpers, lightweight trail riders and all-mountain enthusiasts. The frame I ended up with was the TRL (pronounced "trail"), which sits at the top of the heap as the most durable and abuse-worthy Chromag frame. I talked to Ian Ritz, the man behind the brand, about a lighter frame but he suggested that the TRL would be the best option in light of my size (6'4" / 220+ lbs.) and the kind of riding I do (a little Shore plus a moderate amount of technical British Columbia trail riding).
The TRL is a beefy hardtail constructed from straight gauge, aircraft grade 4130 chromoly steel. It's designed to work with a long-travel fork that offers somewhere between 5" and 7" of travel, with geometry that is much slacker than the hardtail I learned on. The size large frame has a 67° head tube angle and 70° with the 6" fork I chose. The top tube measures out at an even 24", while the seat stays are 16.5". The head tube itself is a rather stubby 4.5".
The TRL uses a two-piece machined seat tube with these special gussets to provide maximum standover while still allowing tall riders to run a long post.
The TRL frame has a number of special features, including CNC machined yokes for the chainstays that accommodate tires up to 2.7" wide, CNC machined drop outs, guides for full-length rear derailleur housing, gussetting on the top and down tubes, a two-piece machined seat tube with special gussets that make it possible to run a really long post, a machined head tube and an ISCG chain guide mount. A very nice finishing touch is the casted Chromag head tube badge.
Chromag frames, including this one, are handmade by Mike Truelove in Squamish. Painting is also done in Squamish. There are a few stock colours, but if you asked nicely, you might just be able to swing some sort of custom paintjob. This particular frame weighed in at a hair over 6.5 lbs.
Gusset on the top tube, gusset on the down tube and a machined head tube translate into a bike that is ready for battle.
I wanted to try the TRL in a number of different applications, so I built it up with an eye on durability and Shore riding. That meant a RockShox Lyrik fork, Race Face Atlas cranks, a SRAM X-O drivetrain, Avid Juicy brakes, Chromag bar / stem / saddle / post / seat post collar and a relatively heavy wheelset. The TRL topped the scales at 36 lbs. the first time I hit the trail, but I'm hoping to get that closer to the 30 lb. mark with a different fork and wheelset.
Rectangular chainstays for stiffness and CNC'd drop outs for weight savings plus coolness points. There's no replaceable dropout hanger, but you don't really need one on 1/4" steel.
So far, my experiences on the TRL have been good. There have been a few endos, but I'm enjoying being back on the hardtail. Sometimes I forget that the rear end isn't going to settle under me and I jump on a bit too enthusiastically, but then I start pedalling and the TRL moves forward. No squish, no sag, no wallow. It just goes. How cool is that? And it's also a lot of fun to ride downhill, especially with a set of 2.5" double ply tires that have about 30psi in them. But more on that in the full review.
MSRP for the TRL is $1,250, which isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for. There is usually a waiting list for the TRL framesets, if that tells you anything. Hit up your local Chromag dealer if you're in the market for a TRL of your own right now, or sit tight for the full review and make up your mind then. It will be out after the freakin' snow's gone. And if you like the idea of the TRL but want something a bit lighter, check out the Samurai - same deal, but the frame weighs 5.6 lbs.
Dakine Terminal Pack
Words and photos ~ Cam McRae
This is not bike-specific gear but I think it's something many of you might have a use for so I thought I'd share.
I'm not the most organized traveller but I am working at becoming more dialled. Having a place for everything is a start - which is why I'm so fond of the Dakine Terminal Pack. On the road I've usually got a couple of cameras, a laptop, GPS, iPod - too many gadgets basically. Each one has a charger and at least one cord to hook it up to my laptop. It makes for lots of bits and pieces but Dakine has anticipated this and built the Terminal for all your gizmos and their bits. There is also a deployable water bottle pocket to keep you hydrated and a sweet hidden pocket that's great for your travel docs. 
The Terminal Pack has a dedicated laptop pocket right next to your back. It works great - as long as you remember to close the zipper.
Your laptop can go in a pocket in a suspended pocket in the main compartment of the pack or in a dedicated zippered pocket that keeps it next to your body where the weight can be controlled best. The only tricky thing about this pocket is that you have to remember to zip it shut or you'll be crying the busted laptop blues. The bottom of the sleeve is padded and there is a gap between it and the bottom of the pack - but I still find that when I put my loaded Terminal down I feel the end of my computer hit first. It's well- protected but I'd prefer it to be designed so my beloved Macbook Pro would be suspended above the hard, bony ground.
When you need water just deploy the bottle pocket. When you don't need it it zips up clean and fresh. There is a second fleece-lined pocket behind the bottle holder.
There is a handy fleece lined sunglass stash pocket and another fleece pocket behind the water bottle pocket - for anything else you'd like to keep looking pretty. There are a total of 9 pockets, some of which have mesh pockets within. The organizer pocket for your phone and iPod has a diaphragm to allow your headphone cord to escape without leaving the zipper open. 
A home for my phone, iPod, writing instruments and whatever small items I'm packing.
It's not a huge pack, nor is the suspension system highly padded and technical, but it carries quite a large load comfortably. A friend of mine is heading off to Thailand shortly and he's taking a terminal as his luggage - and he's not packing much else.
Gotta love the ninja pocket. It looks like padding against yur back but zip it open and you have spaces for your travel docs, discs or anything else you'd like to stash safely.
One of the things I love about Dakine gear is how much thought and effort they put into their products to make them functional for you - and they seem to improve them every year. This is a styling pack that is wickedly useful.
The Terminal comes in black, blue, green and two plaids. This one is called Premier.
The Terminal holds 35 litres or 2100 cubic inches of your gear. Max laptop size is 38 x 29 x 4cm or 15 x 11.5 x 1.75". My 15" Macbook slides in with plenty of room to spare.
MSRP - CDN $90 US $85
For more info hit up dakine.com
Syncros FL Saddle
Words and photos ~ Cam McRae
Syncros has finally made a nice light saddle (effing light even - is that what FL stands for?). It's made for XC and Marathon riding but I'm going to see how it does on the Shore and in the Whistler Bike Park.
I've always liked Syncros saddles for their comfort and durablility but they've been a little hefty for my liking - until now. The FL saddle tips the Toledo a mere 260 grams. The minimalist shell breaks in nicely and becomes a comfy perch to prevent your naughty bits from coming in contact with your seatpost. It's contoured down the middle to keep you from going numb where you never want to go numb. The black rear panels are made of Aramid to resist scuffs and cuts. I haven't laid this one down yet so I can't tell you just how tough this stuff until I do. The rails are a Titanium alloy and they ruler markings so you can adjust your fore and aft accurately.
The B.C. Bike Race model will be given to race participants. The stock version will not be embossed like the one pictured above.
This particular model was made for participants of the B.C. Bike Race. It'll cost you seven days of sweat starting June 28th and your entry fee - and after that you may just want to hang it on the wall.
MSRP US $90
There it is - we've done 50 Gear Shots and presented over 150 products. This might be a good time to tell us what products you'd like to see, what you would rather not see. Let us know where we're nailing it, and where we're not, here...
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
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