Search the Community

Hey hubbers. Looking to get my wife a new pair of mtb shoes and can grab a good deal on the new 2013 Specialized Motodiva Womens shoe. Anyone used them and can assist with review? Thanks! Scrumpy

If you had to choose any of the following bikes, which one would it be? I know that there are much more on the market, but lets try to narrow it down to these 2 for the discussion (to compare against others, start your own topic please ) The Scott comes in about 400g lighter (10.4kg, give or take a few grams) and sports SRAM XX and Shimano XTR brakes. The Specialized is specced more modestly with XO and Magura MT6. The Scott wheelset is 28h and the Specialized is 32h (probably a better wheelset). Price on both is similar. Scott has their CTD remote system that operates from the handlebar with the flick of a switch and Specialized relies on their Brain system to manage the suspension. Which one of the two (only these two) would you pick and why?

Hi Guys, oh yes and gals I know you good people are used to people who are superfit and do a gentle 100km ride after work, well unfortuneately this thread will be "slightly" different, I will hopefully track how I get fit, learn to ride etc etc etc on your forum. OK, I have bought a MTB and will now get on it and start getting fit and losing weight. The bike in question is a Specialized hard rock 26" with V Brakes, I know I know I should have bought a better bike, but will be happy to do so once I have dug my heals in and I know I will stick to this. Scary bit, I am around (or A round ) 138kg, 1.92 M so I need to lose somewhere in the region of 30kg. The Plan is to ride to get fit and enjoy MelkBos and surround, get a seat for the 16months old lady in my life (her mom/ my wife might take up MTB to if I hang on long enough ) and take her for Sunday rides etc. I travel a fair amount ( a few days a week and some late nights) but I plan to get three rides in a week at the least + the Saturday/Sunday ride with the little one. First ride (Wednesday Morning 5.30am) was roughly 4km and good fun along the beach road Tonight we try 6km derriere willing. Any advice, comments, snide remarks etc welcome

Hi Guys, I've just spent the better part of the morning reading every one of the 52 pages on the "Boast about your latest purchases here..." thread and it's motivated me to put my hankering for an Mtb into action. So if the Hubbers Brains Trust would be kind enough to help with some advice I'd be very grateful. Here goes... I am a very happy Specialized Roubiax owner, purchased two years ago after a 12 year lay-off owing to unhappy knees. I had a very good set-up which has been proven and allowed my dodgy knees to survive the rigours of the 94.7 amongst others. I now would love to ride offroad and am concerned about interfering with my road bike set-up. I would need to find a Mtb as close to my road set-up as possible. Also how would I transfer the cleat adjustments from road to mtb shoes. My question is : how do I go about finding a mtb with similar geometry, compatible to my road set-up, if that's at all possible? When I re-read this question it does seem like a bit of a weird ask - hope it makes sense? Thanks in advance. Rob

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?filter=lf#!/pages/West-Rand-Cycles/110178083263?notif_t=fbpage_admin Sounds GOOD to me..... !!! I'll be the one on the Epic !!!

The adaptation of the old Roman slogan is the only way to describe Max Knox from Specialized's performances at local mountain bike events: “I came, I rode, I conquered”. Despite all of his success Knox’s hunger to win is not fulfilled yet. He set himself one last goal for 2012. That is to win the Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge on 11 November. It has certainly been a season of firsts for the modest rider from Sabie. Knox won the South African marathon title for the first time. His overall victory in the MTN National MTB ultra-marathon series was also a first, as were his three victories in the series. Another definite highlight was finishing 18th at the UCI Marathon World Championship in Ornans, France. Kevin Evans (Nedbank360Life) is the only other South African to have finished in the top twenty at the World Championship. Knox was also fifth overall at the recent Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge. As far as the Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge is concerned Knox admits that it might be a case of a proverbial fool rushing in where angels fear to tread. “The route for the Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge has totally changed since the last time I raced it which means that I don’t really know what to expect. The only thing I am certain of is that I am going to have fun out there. It is however going to be my first race since taking a nice long break. So I am not sure how my body will hold up.” According to Knox winning the Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge is sure way to get some exposure for his sponsors. “I feel that it is a must do race for any professional rider". Knox said he has not yet made any final decision as to what his goals for next season will be. “Naturally I would like to defend my South African title and get some good results in the MTN National MTB Series but I would also like to start getting some good results in major stage races. Next year World Championship will definitely be a major goal. I now know what to expect." “The most important lesson I learnt is that you don’t just rock up at a World Championship and expect to do well. You have to give serious consideration about what equipment you are going to use. I cannot even begin to describe the racing conditions at Ornans as none of you will be able to comprehend what we had to go through. In South African racing it is possible to get good results using wrong equipment, but not on the ‘world stage’. “For example at the World Championship it was important to race with proper mud tyres that enabled you to ride most of the way, if you did not you ended up running.” For more information on the race visit www.cyclechallenge.co.za Click here to view the article

In the inaugural Ride Crater Cruise in 2004 he finished second and in 2006 and 2008 he went one better and won the race. The only blemish on his record was in 2010 when he missed a podium finish by a mere 8 seconds to finish fourth. This year's race will mark the return of the ‘prodigal son’ of South African mountain biking. Swanepoel missed most of this season’s MTN ultra-marathons because he was racing in the United States. He was certainly not there just to make up the numbers. He won three stages in the Breck Epic in Colorado and finished fourth in the gruelling Breckenridge 100-miler. Photo credit: Zoon Cronje Another highlight was when he finished second in the national ultra endurance Series Final at Fools Gold. The American mountain-biking legend, Jeremiah Bishop, was the only rider who was able to catch up with and pass the South African. Swanepoel mostly competed in 100-mile (160km) mountain-bike races. Each race lasted from seven to nine hours. According to him, 100-milers make for quite intense racing because they are usually contested on challenging single-track sections. The experience gained by Swanepoel while racing in the USA, will certainly count in his favour during the Ride Crater Cruise race. Apart from the high mileage that he has done, there is something else that might count in his favour. Max Knox (Specialized), Kevin Evans and David George (Nedbank360Life) and Nico Bell (Westvaal Columbia) all competed at the UCI World Marathon Championship in France on Sunday (7 October). Photo credit: Zoon Cronje They are four of the major role players in the series but they will probably only arrive back in South Africa during the week leading up to the event. Come race day they might still suffer from jet lag. According to Swanepoel the MTN Ride Crater Cruise is a totally unique race. “Offhand I cannot think of any international race that can be compared with the Ride Crater Cruise. It is a strange race in which you definitely need a bit of luck. Teamwork certainly also plays a major role, and so does endurance. “One place where the race can be won or lost is at the koppie, just after the last water point. Another is on the single-track section where you have to bounce over tufts of grass all the time.” For full results and more info visit www.advendurance.com Click here to view the article

I am investigating the posibility of either upgrading my current setup or purchasing a new bike. I have recently over the past year become very comfortable with my Specialized Camber Comp and would prefer to keep the bike but make some upgrades. I was hoping to gather some feedback, opinions and advice from the forum as to what should be upgraded and what it should be upgraded to. I am a big AM rider and like to keep it that way with the upgrading of my bike. REAR SHOCK: RockShox Ario RL, air spring, rebound adj. and LO, 200x51mm FORK: RockShox Recon Silver TK, TurnKey damper, Solo Air, alloy steerer, LO and reb adj., disc only, 120mm travel HEADSET: 1-1/8" upper and lower, Campy-style cartridge bearings for integrated alloy HT STEM: Specialized XC, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 31.8mm clamp, adjustable rise, S: 60mm, M: 75, L:90, XL:105mm HANDLEBARS: Specialized All-Mountain low-rise, 6061 butted alloy, 720mm wide, 8º backsweep, 6º upsweep, 31.8mm FRONT BRAKE: Tektro Draco, hydraulic disc, ceramic pad compound, Light Wave rotor S/M:180mm rotor, Others: 203mm rotor REAR BRAKE: Tektro Draco, hydraulic disc, ceramic pad compound, Light Wave rotor S/M:160mm rotor, Others: 180mm rotor BRAKE LEVERS: Tektro Draco hydraulic FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano SLX M660E, E-type for DMD, top-swing, bottom-pull REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano SLX Shadow M662, 9-speed, SGS long cage SHIFT LEVERS: Shimano Alivio M430, 9-speed, trigger CASSETTE: Shimano HG20 9-speed, 11-34t, CHAIN: KMC X-9, 9-speed, reusable Missing Link CRANKSET: Shimano Alivio, Octalink spline, 44/32/22, replaceable rings, S/M: 170mm Others: 175mm BOTTOM BRACKET: Shimano, Octalink spline, cartridge bearing, 73mm RIMS: Custom DT Swiss 445D, alloy disc, double-wall, pin joint, eyelets, 24mm, 28/32h FRONT HUB: Specialized Hi Lo disc, loose ball, machined disc, QR, 28h REAR HUB: Specialized Hi Lo disc, double-sealed cartridge bearing, QR, 32h SADDLE: Specialized Body Geometry Riva, 143mm width SEATPOST: 6061 alloy, 2-bolt micro adjust, setback head, 30.9mm, S/M:350mm, Others:400mm SEAT BINDER: 34.9mm clamp ID, 7050 hard anodized alloy collar w/ QR, black Thank you all in advance

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/03/3-30-2012specializedturbo.jpg

I know Specialized will be bringing in their bikes now but what a total disaster. No one knows when or what will be availible or if they will be dealers. Specialized head office say they are aware of the problems yet they do nothing. (Bit like RIM/Blackberry when it comes to communication) Whenever I look for a new bike Specialized has a problem with stock

Hi guys I'm planning on getting a 29er, and i'm specifically concerned about the geometry of the frame. Which bike make + model has the 'best' geometry, being fast, best handling (comfort is not the biggest concern). I'm looking at a 29er stumpjumper Specialized. What are thoughts on other bikes like Scott and merida.

Ok, so I decided to let go of my "old" frame and upgrade. Just want to upgrade the frame, so here is the few I have in mind. Which one will you choose? And why? I'm not going to put prices with - I just want your opinion without you looking at prices. Don't look at the specs on these bikes - it's for the frame only. Here goes: Scott Spark 30 (carbon) 2008/2009? Giant Anthem X (aluminium) 2011 Bianchi Caal 8000 (aluminium) not sure about year Sintesi 505 (aluminium) 2011 Specialized epic , but I can't find a small in my price range.... So, what do you think? Please help. Thanks!

The list of Elite riders for XC and DH...does not include Juniors or U23(I think) Going to be a cracker Cross Country Name (Team Name) Adam Craig (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Adelheid Morath (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Alban Lakata (TOPEAK ERGON RACING TEAM) Alrick Martin (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Andreas Kugler (MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM) Andri Frischknecht (SCOTT-SWISSPOWER MTB-Racing) Arnaud Grosjean (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Blaza Klemencic (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Burry Stander (SPECIALIZED RACING) Catharine Pendrel (LUNA PRO TEAM) Chengyuan Ren (SPECIALIZED RACING) Christoph Sauser (SPECIALIZED RACING) Dominic Zumstein (SCOTT-SWISSPOWER MTB-Racing) Elisabeth Brandau (CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM) Emil Lindgren (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Emily Batty (SUBARU-TREK) Eva Lechner (COLNAGO ARREGHINI SUDTIROL) Fabian Giger (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Florian Vogel (SCOTT-SWISSPOWER MTB-Racing) Francis Morin (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Georgia Gould (LUNA PRO TEAM) Gunn-Rita Dahle flesjaa (MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM) Hannes Genze (MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM) Heather Irmiger (SUBARU-TREK) Helene Marcouyre (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Henk Jaap Moorlag (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Inaki Lejarreta errasti (ORBEA) Irina Kalentieva (TOPEAK ERGON RACING TEAM) Jan Skarnitzl (RUBENA - BIRELL - SPECIALIZED CYCLING TEAM) Jaroslav Kulhavy (SPECIALIZED RACING) Jelmer Jubbega (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Jeremy Horgan-kobelski (SUBARU-TREK) Jiri Friedl (RUBENA - BIRELL - SPECIALIZED CYCLING TEAM) Jochen Kass (MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM) José Antonio Hermida ramos (MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM) Julie Bresset (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Julien Absalon (ORBEA) Karl Markt (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Karolina Kalasova (RUBENA - BIRELL - SPECIALIZED CYCLING TEAM) Katerina Nash (LUNA PRO TEAM) Katherine Compton (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Kathrin Stirnemann (CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM) Laura Metzler (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Lea Davison (SPECIALIZED RACING) Lene Byberg (SPECIALIZED RACING) Lukas Flückiger (TREK WORLD RACING) Manuel Fumic (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) Marcel Wildhaber (SCOTT-SWISSPOWER MTB-Racing) Marco Minnaard (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Marco Aurelio Fontana (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) Mariangela Cerati (COLNAGO ARREGHINI SUDTIROL) Martin Gujan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) Mathias Flückiger (TREK WORLD RACING) Maxime Marotte (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Michal Kanera (RUBENA - BIRELL - SPECIALIZED CYCLING TEAM) Michiel Van der heijden (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Nathalie Schneitter (COLNAGO ARREGHINI SUDTIROL) Niels Wubben (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Nino Schurter (SCOTT-SWISSPOWER MTB-Racing) Paul Van der ploeg (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Pierre Lebreton (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Ralph Naef (MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM) Robert Mennen (TOPEAK ERGON RACING TEAM) Roger Walder (SCOTT-SWISSPOWER MTB-Racing) Rosara Joseph (RABOBANK-GIANT OFFROAD TEAM) Ruben Ruzafa cueto (ORBEA) Russell Finsterwald (SUBARU-TREK) Sabine Spitz (CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM) Sabrina Enaux (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Samuel Schultz (SUBARU-TREK) Sébastien Hansen (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Simon Scheiber (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Steven Garcin (BH-SUNTOUR-PEISEY VALLANDRY) Tereza Hurikova (CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM) Thomas Litscher (FELT OETZTAL X-BIONIC TEAM) Todd Wells (SPECIALIZED RACING) Vivienne Meyer (COLNAGO ARREGHINI SUDTIROL) Willow Koerber (TREK WORLD RACING) Wolfram Kurschat (TOPEAK ERGON RACING TEAM) Downhill Name (Team Name) Aaron Gwin (TREK WORLD RACING) Adrian Weiss (SCOTT 11) Boris Tetzlaff (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Brendan Fairclough (MONSTER ENERGY / SPECIALIZED / MAD CATZ) Brook Macdonald (MS EVIL RACING) Cameron Cole (LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL) Chris Boice (YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) Dan Atherton (COMMENCAL) Eliot Jackson (YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) Emilie Siegenthaler (SCOTT 11) Emmeline Ragot (TEAM GR) Fabien Pedemanaud (SCOTT 11) Faustin Figaret (SC-INTENSE) Filip Polc (MS EVIL RACING) Fionn Griffiths (TEAM GR) Florent Payet (SC-INTENSE) Floriane Pugin (SCOTT 11) Freddy Hunziker (SCOTT 11) Gaetan Ruffin (RIDING ADDICTION COMMENCAL) Gee Atherton (COMMENCAL) Greg Minnaar (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE) Hannes Slavik (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Jared Graves (YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) Joanne Muoser (SC-INTENSE) Joey Schusler (YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) Joost Wichman (RSP 4 CROSS RACING TEAM) Joseph Smith (CHAIN REACTION CYCLES/NUKEPROOF) Josh Bryceland (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE) Joshua Button (SC-INTENSE) Jurg Meijer (RSP 4 CROSS RACING TEAM) Justin Leov (TREK WORLD RACING) Lars Peyer (SC-INTENSE) Lewis Buchanan (CHAIN REACTION CYCLES/NUKEPROOF) Loic Bruni (LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL) Lukas Mechura (CHAIN REACTION CYCLES/NUKEPROOF) Luke Strobel (MS EVIL RACING) Manuel Gruber (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Markus Pekoll (MS EVIL RACING) Mathias Haas (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Matthew Simmonds (CHAIN REACTION CYCLES/NUKEPROOF) Matti Lehikoinen (CHAIN REACTION CYCLES/NUKEPROOF) Michael Mechura (CHAIN REACTION CYCLES/NUKEPROOF) Michal Marosi (RSP 4 CROSS RACING TEAM) Mirco Weiss (SCOTT 11) Myriam Nicole (RIDING ADDICTION COMMENCAL) Neko Mulally (TREK WORLD RACING) Nick Beer (SCOTT 11) Nicolas Siedl (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Petra Bernhard (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Rachel Atherton (COMMENCAL) Ruaridh Cunningham (TEAM MAXXIS-ROCKY MOUNTAIN) Sabrina Jonnier (TEAM MAXXIS-ROCKY MOUNTAIN) Sam Flockhart (LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL) Samuel Blenkinsop (LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL) Samuel Hill (MONSTER ENERGY / SPECIALIZED / MAD CATZ) Shaun O'connor (YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) Steve Peat (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE) Thibaut Ruffin (RIDING ADDICTION COMMENCAL) Thomas Schmied (ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA) Tomas Slavik (RSP 4 CROSS RACING TEAM) Tracy Moseley (TREK WORLD RACING) Troy Brosnan (MONSTER ENERGY / SPECIALIZED / MAD CATZ) Tyler Immer (YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) Wyn Masters (MS EVIL RACING)

My new Specialized Stumpjumper HT 29er S-Works frameset! Building this baby with XTR 2 x 10 and Easton wheels. Rest of the components will also be selected from the top shelves!

WAs at the expo this evening, same old, same old as last year, parking a bugger as usual. Was looking forward to see the Specialized Stand, seeing that there is a big following of specialized in the Western Cape, but what a let down, 4 or 5 different frames and a few accessories. That's about it. They may as well stayed at "home" as in previous years. Chris Willemse on the other hand, what a great stand. Some awesome expo specials as well and in all, by far the best stand on the expo and great service to the public.Keep it up Chris and Team. Hope all have a great ride on Sunday, and may the force be with you!!!!

Took delivery of my brand new Specialized Tarmac SL3 S-Works (OSBB press fit) yesterday....so that makes me Specialized too. My ride is specced with a Sram Red BB30 group, FSA K-Force cockpit, Easton EC90SL carbon wheelset, a Specialized Toupe Team saddle and Schwalbe Ultremo R.1 tyres. My maiden spin was an awesome ride, could not believe what the stiffness and a kilogram weight difference from my previous bike makes. No need for a Power Balance Band with this ride!

What a wonderful place the Hub is. I joined about a month ago with the idea of selling my spare mtb. Immediately after placing the post I read al the warnings about scammers and how you should not trust anyone or part with your goods or cash until you have 100% confirmation. So I sold the mtb and started looking for a road bike on which I can do some training. Whilst still searching this whole story about the guy who got Hijacked in Cape Town, his Specialized stolen and him looking for a new bike came to light. Many believed him to be a scam artist and a whole debate followed. Somewhere in there was a comment like - never buy a bike in another province unless you see it for yourself. Then I found a bike posted by Chaunce in Johannesburg. Sounded like a real good deal. Everything I was looking for. Only problem - there was no way I would be able to go to Joburg to view. Got into contact with Chaunce, he phoned me, sent me pics of the bike, and a whole page of correspondence followed. End of story, I trusted a guy I have never met. Paid the full amount without seeing the bike. Waited a week and finally received my new machine on Friday. In perfect condition with all brand new parts. Spotless. Seems like there is still people you can trust in this day and age. Thanks Chaunce you are a real gentleman. I would recommend all fellow hubbers to support him. All that is left for me to do is ride the bike and learn the etiquette of the roadies.

Taking the mystery out of tyre testing and development Tucked inside a small industrial complex in Nastola, Finland, is the nondescript grey building of independent third-party tyre testing facility Wheel Energy. Using a battery of custom purpose-built machines, founders Petri Hankiola, Veijo Pulkkanen, and Marko Savolainen are addressing some of the common questions surrounding bicycle tyres and they're coming up with some interesting answers that no longer have to rely on word of mouth, tradition, or intuition for their veracity. Take these conclusions for example: Wider tyres roll faster than narrower ones: Many riders have argued for years that narrower tyres – especially on the road – are faster and more efficient than wider ones when in fact, the opposite is true. According to Wheel Energy, the key to reducing rolling resistance is minimising the energy lost to casing deformation, not minimising how much tread is in contact with the ground. All other factors being equal, wider casings exhibit less casing 'bulge' as a percentage of their cross-section and also have a shorter section of deflected sidewall. How big a difference are we talking about here? For an equivalent make and model of tyre, Wheel Energy claims the 25mm-wide size will measure five percent lower rolling resistance on average – the supposed average limit of human detection – than the more common 23mm-wide one. Unless you're a pure climber and solely focused on weight, the takeaway message here is that you'll go generally faster on wider rubber even if it's slightly heavier. Larger diameter wheels roll faster than smaller ones: Yep, 'tis now been confirmed in the lab – 29ers roll faster than 26ers. Wheel Energy says the effect here is similar to that of tyre width in that larger-diameter tyres exhibit less casing deflection and thus, less energy loss. In the case of 29ers, there's the additional factor of 29er's lower angle of attack for anything other than a perfectly smooth ground surface. The longer effective lever requires less energy to overcome whatever tyre bulge exists at the contact patch so more forward momentum is maintained. In addition, Wheel Energy's analyses of tyre contact patch have confirmed that 29" tyres don't have a bigger footprint than otherwise identical 26" ones. While the total area is the same, the shape of the patch is longer and narrower on 29ers, though. Higher thread counts aren't always better: According to Wheel Energy, higher thread count casings are generally lighter and suppler than tyres with lower thread counts since they absorb less rubber during the vulcanisation process (non-vulcanised tyres such as most high-end tubulars exhibit their own characteristics). However, they also suffer from decreased puncture resistance since the individual cords are thinner and easier to cut. Interestingly, Wheel Energy claims medium-count casings (around 60tpi) may offer the best all-around performance for everyday use. As compared to 120tpi casings, they can actually roll faster and are much more resistant to cuts while often carrying just a slight weight penalty. If cut resistance is highest of your list of priorities, 30tpi tyres are apparently the way to go but you can also expect them to be heavy and slow rolling. Puncture-resistant belts work but they're not created equal: Nylon, aramid, and other belts placed under the tread do help ward off flats but there are benefits and trade-offs to the various materials. Tougher ones like aramid are durable and highly cut- and puncture-resistant but their stiff nature also sucks up a lot of energy, thus contributing to rolling resistance. More flexible ones like nylon aren't as bulletproof but offer a better compromise if you still want to retain good performance. Tread pattern matters, even on the road: The importance of tread pattern is no surprise to the off-road world but common wisdom often says it's a non-factor on pavement where slick treads presumably would deliver the greatest surface contact with the ground and thus, the best grip. However, asphalt is far from a perfect – or even consistent – material. In those cases, certain tread designs can provide some measureable mechanical adhesion with the ground. Inner tubes matter: Think there's no point in that expensive lightweight tube? Think again if you're trying to go faster. According to Wheel Energy's data, latex tubes roll ten percent faster than common 0.6mm-thick butyl tubes though today's ultra-thin butyl models come admirably close. Just in case you're wondering, the claimed limit of human detection for rolling resistance is about five percent. How they do it Wheel Energy's constantly evolving collection of testing machines are no miracles of design innovation or elegance but the fact that they exist at all is noteworthy in that as far as we're aware, it's the only independent test facility of its type in the world. Currently, there are dedicated stations for rolling resistance, crown and sidewall puncture resistance, friction, and contact patch characterisation with additional apparatuses being designed and built as necessary. Each machine is fully custom-designed, built with computer-controlled hydraulic loading and fitted with industrial load cells for precise and accurate measurements. Rolling resistance tests are conducted on large-diameter drums with various types of surface treatments, friction tests are done with a wide range of ground types (asphalt, concrete, etc.), and puncture tests can be performed using interchangeable tip sizes and radii. Conditions are kept constant throughout to foster repeatability. Why it matters Tyre development can be a notoriously black art and with development cycles reportedly taking around a full calendar year for a single model, it's easy to lose an entyre model year if something goes awry. And once a mould is cut, it's more or less a done deal whether or not the tyre is actually any good. As such, companies such as Specialized, Trek, and Vittoria (and whoever else is willing to pay) now commission Wheel Energy to provide valuable data to aid the process. Specialized is especially open in how Wheel Energy's information has improved its range – and exposed the flaws. By Specialized's own admission, the company had been falling behind in recent years in the tyre market – where, ironically enough, it first got its start in the industry back in the late seventies. In particular, it even says its previous-generation S-Works Turbo road flagship was a whopping 25 percent slower than most of its competition... Ouch. That's supposedly all changed now. Thanks to data from Wheel Energy, Specialized tyre product manager Wolf vorm Walde claims the new model is now on-par with the rest of the high-end road tyre market in terms of rolling resistance. Among the changes are reduced rubber around the shoulder of the tread and reduced rubber thickness in the casing, both of which help minimise the amount of energy lost in casing deformation as the tyre rolls down the road. In the case of Specialized's revamped Roubaix clinchers, it was also found that sidewall puncture resistance could be improved without hampering rolling resistance by simply increasing the casing ply overlap in that area. Based on our initial test rides on a pair of pre-production samples, we'd say that data has been put to good use as they feel notably lively for tyres that aren't necessarily intended for racing – and perhaps even better than Specialized's previous-generation Turbos though we still need to put more testing time in before drawing any firm conclusions. If other Wheel Energy clients can make similar improvements in efficiency both in terms of tyre development and performance then ultimately we all stand to gain in terms of the quality of tyres on the market as well as the pace at which they improve – not bad for a little nondescript grey building in the middle of the woods in Finland. http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tech-feature-the-work-of-wheel-energy .

Spy pictures of one of the factory test bikes with the new prototype front suspension that Specialized is testing in secret and now a Gary Fisher look alike.