05/16/2008

SRAM is a great example of a component manufacturer that is constantly refining and upgrading its products. The X.0 shifter was introduced in 2005 to considerable - and justifiable - hype. It worked extremely well, with a whole host of features designed to make shifting fast and crisp, but it was (and is) seriously expensive. Canadian MSRP is $320 for the shifters and $317.50 for the derailleur.

Riders who wanted to run SRAM but didn't want to pay for the carbon X.0 shifters and/or derailleur were forced to go to with X-9 or X-7 parts, which used an older generation of technology. Performance was all right, but it wasn't as good as the X.0 gear. Things changed for 2007, with the introduction of the new X.9 shifters and rear derailleur. These new shifters incorporated virtually all the technology of the X.0s at less than half of the price.

The X-9 rear derailleur with direct cable routing, mounted on a Santa Cruz Nomad

Specs for the rear derailleur are as follows: forged 6061 aluminum b-knuckle, composite cage, outside-facing limit screws, sealed bearing upper pulley, and SRAM's 1:1 actuation ratio. Weight is 212g for the short cage, 227g for the medium, and 230g for the long. Cost for the rear derailleur is CDN$117.50.

The biggest change for X-9 in 2007 is in the shifters, though. The 9s now get all the technology of the X.0 shifters, but at a more cost-conscious price level thanks to less exotic parts.

The new X-9 shifter, with adjustable mounting options - the clamp / Matchmaker has been removed for this shot

Features for the X-9 shifters include: Zero Loss Travel™, which eliminates slop on the lever and makes shifts largely instant, 2-step front shifting to equalize overall effort for shifts, 1:1 actuation ratio, adjustable clamp positions, and nine speeds. Like the X.0 triggers, the X-9 is Matchmaker compatible, so you can mate it cleanly with Avid brakes. Weight for the X-9s is 240g, which is only 15g heavier than the X.0 shifter. MSRP is US$128 / CDN$150.

The bottom of the X-9 - not quite as fancy as the X.0, but still very functional

The X-9s aren't intended to have the same bling factor of the X.0s, so there aren't quite as many features and the materials aren't quite as swank. Instead of the carbon fiber cover for the shifter, you get a composite cover. Also gone is the adjustable up-shift lever that can be positioned closer to, or further from, the rider. Other minor changes have also been made to the internal workings of the shifter - bearings and smaller functional parts are one step down in quality from the X.0. But they're still pretty damn good, as far as shifters go.

A pair of slightly older X.0 shifters to show the differences with the X-9s -
they're basically the same for '07, with the exception of a longer barrel adjuster

And compared to the last generation of X-9 shifters, they're a world apart. Shifting on the old model was slow, sloppy, and imprecise. I've been using the X-9 shifters and rear derailleur for a few months now, and I've been impressed with how they've performed. I put them on my bike about a month before my Kootenay oddyssey, beat on them relentlessly in wet and sloppy conditions, dry and dusty conditions, long descents and punishing climbs, loading it onto the shuttle van several times a day, flying from Vancouver to Calgary and back, and didn't have to adjust them once after I'd dealt with cable stretch.

The old X-9 shifter for the sake of comparison. My, how things have changed...

If I had to say something critical about the new X-9s, it would be that the shifting is a fraction less crisp than the X.0s. It's very difficult to tell, though. You might notice it if you went back and forth between the two shifters. I suspect that the higher-quality spring and bearings in the X.0 make just that little bit sharper. If you're coming from the old X-9 or X-7 shifters, though, you'll be blown away at how much better the shifting is with the new X-9.

The other big news from SRAM on the drivetrain side of things was the introduction of the X-9 low-mount front derailleur. A high-mount front derailleur was available before, but it didn't work well with many full suspension frames, including bikes from Giant, Specialized, and Santa Cruz.

The X-9 front derailleur mounted to a Giant Trance. Installation and set-up were simple thanks to the design.

This year marked the introduction of the low-mount derailleur. Specs are as follows: the derailleur uses a wide pivot design to minimize rub in just about any chain combination, and it's available in 34.9 or 31.8 mount for a variety of frame sizes. There are dedicated top or bottom pull options, and it's possible to run up to 48T with the derailleur. Weight is 154g, and pricing is US$49 / CDN$60.

The low-mount derailleur is a welcome addition for people who want to run a full SRAM drivetrain, as well as being a well-designed derailleur. One of the things I liked best is the cable clamp, circled in red. It's very easy to reach the clamp bolt with an Allen key while you're working on the drivetrain side of the bike, rather than having to find one on the non-drive side or tucked away between the the seatpost and the rear triangle.

At the end of the day, the new X-9 shifters and derailleur are a great option if you're looking for top-notch shifting - especially when you take into consideration the price difference between them and the X.0 shifters at CDN$320. I'm always a big fan of carbon, but the fact that you can buy the X-9 shifters and both derailleurs for virtually the same the price as the X.0 shifters and get performance that is damn close to boot is hard to ignore.

Combine the shifters with the X-9 front and rear derailleurs and you get a drivetrain package that works very well on everything from XC to freeride bikes, in conditions that range from challenging to downright ugly. If you've got the cash for X.0 and a lust for carbon, go for it but if you're on a slightly smaller budget, you won't be disappointed with the X-9 parts. Not by a long shot.

Hayes Stroker Trail disc brakes
Words and photos by Lee Lau

Hayes disc brakes were a staple on the Shore for a long time, but they fell out of favour as new options from Shimano and Avid made their way onto the market. Hayes lost its dominant position, and was forced to make major changes to its brakes to keep up with competitors. The El Caminos, introduced a few years ago, were the first drastically different brake from Hayes but it didn't put the company back on top so the development process continued. Earlier this year, the Stroker line of brakes was unveiled. I was asked to ride the Hayes Stroker brakes and give my initial impressions, so here they are.

According to Hayes, the brakes have these new features:

• a more compact and stronger master cylinder
• integrated reservoir and bladder
• redesigned more ergonomic levers
• aluminum adjuster lever to adjust brake lever feel
• insulated brake caliper
• largest brake pads (ed. note - this means you won't be able to re-use your old Hayes pads)
• adjustable brake hose routing via a rotating banjo bolt

There are three types of Stroker brakes: the Stroker Trail in the oh-so fashionable white colour; the Stroker Ryde, which is a lower-cost version without an external lever adjustment knob and apparently has smaller sized pads; and the Stroker Carbon, which is identical to the Stroker Trail except that it replaces the alloy lever of the Trail with a carbon lever.

Hayes Stroker Trail master cylinder and brake lever - excuse the scuff marks please, as I have been crash-testing them.

All the Hayes Stroker brakes come with rotors in the following sizes: 5" (140mm), 6" (160mm), 7" (180mm) and 8" (203mm) rotors. The rotors are all the standard six- bolt configuration.

Performance and comments
I have previously not been a big fan of Hayes. The Hayes Mags weren't a bad brake but their design was dated; compared to newer, improved brakes, they lacked power and had close to zero modulation. They were the poster boy for on-off "binary" brakes. A brute force, unsubtle approach to braking if you will.

The Hayes HFX-9s were admittedly lower-end OE spec brakes and barely adequate for freeride and downhill applications, having even less power and the same comparable stick-in-the-spokes modulation that seemed characteristic of Hayes. As for the disappointing next-generation El Camino brake, it had the Hayes characteristics of mediocre power and on-off modulation with the added feature of constant surprises at every lever actuation. One never knew what kind of braking feel you would get from second to second.

Hayes Stroker Trails in use on a Norco Six One - they held up fine on a 1300 metre descent fade free from sub-alpine to sea level || Photo: Sharon Bader

Set-up of the Stroker Trails was easy. The lever has a split clamp and it was easy to throw them on the handlebar and set the calipers up so that they wouldn't rub. The adjustability of the caliper brake hose is a nice touch. I note that the brakes are flippable. If you want to switch levers around to different sides of the handlebar, you can.

I've also used Magura Louise and Louise Freeride, Shimano XT and Avid Juicy 5 and Juicy 7 brakes. Much to my surprise, the Hayes Stroker Trails worked great. To expand on this comment, they have more power then other Hayes I have tried (comparable to Avid Juicy 5s and Magura Louise) but less power then say a Magura Louise Freeride. They also modulate well, in that lever actuation is no longer such a binary on-off event (comparable to say a Shimano XT but with less of the fine feel of a Magura). Moreover, the adjustment knob actually works. Lever reach can be adjusted and stays constant when the knob is turned.

The Stroker caliper, mounted with some assistance from the competition's adaptor

I tried the brakes on some North Vancouver trails and also had some longer runs in the Whistler bike park. Initial impressions were of some brake pump trail-riding but this appears to have been more my imagination then anything else, as brake pump and brake fade were non-existent on the longer bike park runs. As an additional data point, I did a continuous descent from 1500m to 200m and the brakes were also fade-free and pump-free on this wild and rather exciting run.

The brakes did not feel all that powerful in my first few rides, which occurred in dry conditions. One ride in the wet seemed to help the brake pads bed in and lack of power was no longer an issue. These brakes were used on a Norco Six One and seemed to have plenty of power for a light freeride bike and a 160lb. rider when coupled with 7" disc rotors.

Some additional comments:

• I didn't bleed the brakes as no bleed kit was shipped with the brakes, so I cannot offer any opinion as to how easy it is to maintain the Strokers. Note that the four bolts holding the cap on the master are of the Torx variety.
• Hayes has been notorious for relatively high prices for spare parts as required to repair their brakes. Will this change?
• I can offer no insight as to whether the master cylinder or the caliper of the Hayes Stroker is rebuildable.
• The master cylinder itself seems awfully exposed, protruding and perched as it is below the handlebar. Time will tell whether this is a relevant concern. I have my brake levers relatively loose so they can spin fairly freely if hit.
• If you loosen the adjustment bolt too much, you can let air into the lines. You won't let in much air but I didn't want to prolong this experiment without having a bleed kit.

For more information on the Strokers, check out the Hayes web site.

SixSixOne Strike helmet
Words and photos by Stuart Kernaghan

SixSixOne is a big name in the mountain bike world. Pads, footwear, and of course helmets for pros and Joes alike. There are four different full-face lids to choose from, with the Strike coming in one step above the lowest model. Is this price-point helmet capable of playing with the big boys?

In terms of spec, the helmet has everything you're looking for: molded polycarbonate shell, a D-ring chin strap with additional snap closure, 14 vents, adjustable visor, EPS foam inner liner, and CPSC certification. It's also a pretty sweet looking helmet. Colour selection includes white, black, and grey, with sizing ranging from XS to XL. Pricing is CDN$169.99 / US$99.99 (on the SixSixOne site).

The Strike has a very clean profile, great graphics, and lots of vent holes

I've been wearing a size medium Giro MadMax II for some time now, and when it was time to replace that lid, I tried the Strike. I was looking for a helmet with a lot of ventilation - I tend to get hot on the hill - and the Strike seemed to fit the bill.

After a few months of beating on the Strike, a couple of things became apparent. Some were good, while some weren't great. First, the good. The helmet is fairly well ventilated, and it was possible to feel air flow through it while I was descending. Protection was also good. I crashed in the middle of the summer, and ended up in hospital. There's a mark on the chinguard of the helmet from the impact, but my face and head didn't suffer any ill affects of the crash.

The snap on the chin strap was also helpful. It does away with the loose end that's usually flapping around. I also really liked the graphics and styling of the matte black helmet. It's moto, without being over the top.

The front and back of the Strike - more vents, and one big visor

Now, the not-so-good. The sizing on the Strike is a little strange. I was wearing a size large helmet, which was correct for the width and length of my head, but for some reason the helmet sat very low on my head. I wasn't able to wear goggles as I normally do because the helmet kept pushing them down. This only got more noticeable as the helmet packed out a bit, and I found that my ears were often being pulled down.

The visor on the Strike is also longer and more narrow than on some other helmets, and I found that I really needed to lift my head to look down the trail in certain situations. It wasn't a major issue, but was something I did notice.

Unlike some other helmets, the chinguard is padded all the way around and lined with cloth. Your chin shouldn't be on the guard anyway, so the extra padding won't be an issue, but the fabric over it means there's one more layer of material between your hot and heavy breath and the outside of the helmet. Not only will that make it harder for hot air to get out, it will also make it more difficult for cooler air to get in.

Lastly, the Strike isn't the lightest helmet on the market. That shouldn't come as a surprise, though. It's not meant to be, and the materials and price reflect that. If you want light, it's going to cost you more money.

Helmets are a very personal thing because of head shapes and sizes, and the best thing to do before buying one is to try on a few different makes and models. What looks good on the web may not fit well, and vice versa. The Strike wasn't the best helmet for my head, but it's a nice lid for the price and it has a number of attractive features. If it fits you and you're looking for a quality full-face helmet than won't break the bank, definitely check it out.