Crank with ProCycle June 2016

India’s only lifestyle bicycle magazine

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Volume 4 Issue 5 June 15th 2016

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UT Edge Launched Tokyo to Tokyo Cannondale 2016 Bikes

Official a n

INSIDE

Cycling Federation of India

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still

the best endurance bike

world’s #1 bicycle manufacturer

defy

wins 2016 road bike editor’s choice

Ride Life.

Ride Giant. bikes | Service | Gears

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MRP : RS. 55,700 onwards

2016

Endurance Frame Geometry, 8-11 speed drivetrain

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IN THIS ISSUE

Crank News Route

The Long road

04 Industry news......................................... 06 Race Report........................................... 08 CFI News...............................................

10 Tokyo to Tokyo.........................................12 Yogachakra Cyclothon..............................

CycTech

16 MIPS technology......................................18 Bike Feature........................................... 20 Shop Talk............................................... 25 Boys toys............................................... 26

Avoiding a quick release...........................

Coffee with Crank Bruce Taylor, Cyclist, Artist, Observer Extraordinaire............................

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Editor’s note The CRANK with ProCycle Team Managing Editor and Publisher Vikram K Limsay Invitee editor

Mr. Onkar Singh Bureau Head Joseph Anish

India North Bureau Ashish Sood

Marketing and Distribution Joseph Anish

anish@procycle.in, +91 97415 77884 Test Riders

Ajay Kamble Ritwik D Burman, Joseph Anish Issue contributors

HASTPA, Swati Chauhan, Daniel Doughty Bruce Taylor All rights reserved by

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Hello Readers, It is believed that one needs to put in the efforts to make things happen and that exactly is a life lesson you will learn from a bicycle. The performance of any bicycle, no matter how advanced, is always dependant on its rider. Cycling gives you many of life’s lessons and the only thing you need to do is to get out and ride to discover these lessons. Whether you ride for fun or for fitness or to get to work, cycling is guaranteed to give you perspective on a lot of things in life.

A word of advice to the many riders who are rather compulsive about their riding habits, when you try and encourage or initiate someone new into the habit, try and think like the first time you were getting on to the habit, try and think like them and you will truly inspire someone into the lovely and rewarding habit of cycling.

The racing season is fast picking up and is building up to the epitome of cycling, the Tour de France, while here at home, many youngsters are keen on picking up cycling as sport and are even displaying some serious dedication in the forms of both national and international accolades.

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With a whimsical guide to commuting on a bicycle, a ride across two countries to propagate the benefits of yoga, one man’s journey across the land of the rising sun, the latest in gear tech and much more, this is one packed issue for you to read on.

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Racing Along

CFI News

The Ultimate Uttarakhand Himalayan MTB Challenge 2016 Crank CFI Bureau

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Prize distribution ceremony

Winners were given bicycles

he Ultimate Uttarakhand Himalayan MTB Challenge was organized by Cycling Federation of India in association with Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of Uttarakhand from 8th to 16th of April’ 2016 from Nainital to Mussoorie, 650 Km. The event was flagged off at Nainital on 9th April 2016 with Elite riders setting off for a 6 stage MTB Cross Country Challenge event on the following route.

Nainital – Almora – Gwaldam – Rudraprayag – Tehri – Chinyalisaur – Mussoorie Riders from 7 countries participated this year. It was the second year that this race was being organized and having participants from USA, Canada , New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Nepal only brought a better level of competition to the race. Indian riders also took part in the race. The race was one of the toughest one organized in India as the Riders had to cover between 2000 to 8000 meters of climb in the Himalaya mountain crossing undulating landscape.

Nearly two thousand volunteers and officials extended their support for the successful conduct of the event. The entire team of Elite Commissaire from CFI successfully conducted the event as per rules & regulations of UCI. To scale up the events reach and magnitude, Rs. 10,00,000/-(Ten Lakh) worth of prize money was awarded to the National & International winners up to the first 10 position holders. The Honorable Krishna Kant Paul Governor of Uttarakhand gave away the prizes to the winner at a function organized at Dehradun on 16th April’ 2016.

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Category: International Rank Name 1.

Mr. Myagmarsuren Bassankhuu 2.

Mr. Thomas Turner 3.

Mr. Bayanjargal

Country Mongolia USA Mongolia

Category: National Rank Name 1.

Purna Bahadur Pradhan 2.

Kulwinder Ojla 3.

Ramesh Ale

State/Unit Indian Army Indian Army Indian Army

Riding the hills

CFI News

22nd Asian MTB Championship at Thailand Crank CFI Bureau

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he UCI approved Asian MTB Championship was held in Thailand between 6th and 8th May, 2016.

The championship has races in the categories of Downhill, Cross Country Eliminator and Croos Country. The races were held in the Chai Nat province on two separate hill tracks. Khao Phlong hosts the Downhill competition and Khao Khayai is where the Cross Country competitions were held.

Participants from 20 countries were competing at this continental level championship. For the first time ever, athletes of Indian Mountain Biking team took part in the Asian MTB Championship held at Bangkok, Thailand. Cycling Federation of India supported the athletes and is proud of their achievement at the championship.

The athletes that represented India are as follows.

race was won by Keerati Sukprasart of Thailand.

Mr. Purna Bahadur Pradhan placed 31st in the Cross Country category and Mr. K. Venkateswarlu Reddy placed 32nd while the race was won by Kohei Yamamoto of Japan.

Mr. Piyush Chavan placed 26th in the Downhill Category and Mr. Nilesh Dhumal placed 28th while the race was won by Kazuki Shimizu of Japan.

Cross Country Mr. K. Venkateswarlu Reddy - Indian Army Mr. Purna Bahadur Pradhan - Indian Army Downhill Mr. Nilesh Dhumal Mr. Piyush Chavan

- Karnataka - Maharashtra

This is the first time that Indian athletes have participated at a continental level and the step was taken to encourage Mountain biking in India as a sport.

The results of the championship are as follows.

Mr. Purna Bahadur Pradhan placed 28th in the Cross Country Eliminator and Mr. K. Venkateswarlu Reddy placed 29th while the

Asian MTB Championship

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Industry News

UT Bikes Ltd. launches new UT Edge series performance MTBs Crank India North Bureau

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T Bikes Ltd. launches UT Edge series of performance bicycles at Hero MTB Shimla 2016. These bicycles have been in the development stage for almost a year now and the testing of these bicycles that are aimed at being performance oriented MTBs has been happening in the real world environment of the Himalayas during the cross country races at the hands of a new breed of riders of the Hero Action Team trained by HASTPA, the organizers of the MTB Shimla and MTB Himalaya races. There could have been no better platform to launch the UT Edge than the biggest two day cross country race in the Himalayas, the MTB Shimla.

Launch of the new UT Edge series bicycles The UT Carbon ETX at the MTB Shimla

The UT Edge series was an amalgamation of parts when they started out at the prototyping stage. The feedback from the racers over time has brought in a lot of refinements of International standards like tapered head tubes and wider seat posts and uniform groupset across the bicycle. All the while keeping the cost effectiveness that inspires the Indian market in mind. The UT Edge’s flagship bike is the Carbon fibre 29er ETX. The riders from the Hero Action team rode this very bicycle and secured all three places at the podium while competing against some of the biggest names in mountain biking that were the steeds of the many international participants there. UT Edge Bike cross country machine features all the high tech wizardry that’s not the only nice to look at but is actually functional & fun to ride. Frames extremely durable & stiff . Geometry of the bikes gives you all the excitement without aches & pain, Shimano components mated with meticulously selected quality parts to ensure a revolutionary experience every time you ‘re in the saddle.

The other MTBs launched are ET1, ET2, ET3, HT4 V, a Hybrid EH1 and the elusive fixie Milano. Sr. Product Manager - UT Bikes Ltd., Pushpender Chaudhary who was spearheaded the launch mentioned that “This range has taken a lot of effort and research to develop keeping in mind the price conscious Indian consumer.

We are confident that the bikes will be received well and are proud that these products have found refinement in one of the toughest environments on the planet.”

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Milano Rs. 17500

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Race Report

Hero MTB Shimla 2016 Crank India North Bureau

Flag off

Negotiating Dowhills

T

he 5th Hero MTB Shimla Cross Country mountain biking race was held on 15th and 16th April, 2016. The race is organized by HASTPA (Himalayan Adventure Sports & Tourism Promotion Association) and is a race that is a precursor to the MTB Himalaya that is a longer more tougher race held annually. MTB Shimla is meant to give you a sneak peek into what might be in store of one who aspired to participate in the more tougher 9 day race.

The two day race covers a distance of 120kms taking the riders up to a maximum elevation of 2650M above sea level. The race is divided into 4 categories based on age and gender. Open Men Solo, Open Women Solo, Student and Open Master Solo each riding on the same tracks and timed separately. The race starts at Shimla and loops back to Shimla via Sadhupul, Dochi, Sadhupul, Janedhat, Koti, Chini Bungla and Kufri.

With winters fading, the sights around turn to quite a spectacle. The routes are well researched and extensively tried out by the Hero Action Team that HASTPA coaches. Many sections of the race are through secluded countryside and having tested and marking them becomes important from a safety perspective. The riders face temperatures of below 20 C to 28 C on a sunny day. The race covers some of the most pristine parts of the Shivalik Mountains also known as the lesser Himalayas or the foothills of the Himalayas. Travelling through Wildlife Sanctuaries, Himalayan countryside, streams and rivulets, the race covers some of the best terrain in India. Some stages are gut wrenching uphills, Speedy downhills, village back roads, beautiful meadows, thick vegetation, jeep tracks.

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Enjoying Single Tracks

Wilderness negotiation

Fixing Flats at Peace Akshit Gaur

MTB Shimla has been the platform for many famed riders to climb to their current state. Riders like Devendar Thakur, winner MTB Kerala, National MTB championship, Madaan Sandeep who has won many races at the National level came back to pay homage to their training grounds of the Himalayas. Akshit and Gaurish incepted into mountain biking from quite a young age of 13 or 14 have all now grown to the level of securing podium places at the MTB Shimla.

These riders were accompanied and challenged by many international riders, some of them returning for every edition from the first instalment of the race. The race this year saw 106 riders making it the largest participation even in this race.

Apart from the four individual categories that the racers had, there was also an additional title of Champion City. Where, for the first time cities were also competing against each other. Top three of all cities were given a cumulative time and the best time won it for that respective city. This title is a rolling trophy and is up for grabs every year. A total of nine city teams qualified by having a minimum of three participants representing the city. The title was bagged by the host city of Shimla by an average time of 5:10:50 and will be a difficult contestant to beat for the title next year. Interestingly, the maximum riders were from Delhi (25) and Gurgaon (20) whereas the host city had only 9 riders and their immediate neighbours had 5 riders representing them. This Champion City takes the competitive levels up by a notch in the field on national level mountain biking.

The King of Shivaliks, Devendar Thakur Š Luke CG

Open Women Solo |Sarah Appelt Dr. Mona Chopra Gurleen Kaur

Winners Open Men Solo

A total of over two lakh rupees was at stake as price money across various categories. There were also a lot of desirable sponsor giveaways from Julbo sunglasses, Salomon shoes, Suunto watches and Michelin tyres. The overall winners were the star riders of the Hero Action Team, mentored by the riders and staff at HASTPA. The race promises the perfect opportunity into the challenge that is the Himalayas and for someone who aspires to ride in the challenging MTB Himalayas, there can be no better feeler than the MTB Shimla.

Winners Open Women Solo

Open Masters Solo Johan Bentick Randhir Singh Saurabh Singh

7:03:41

5:39:04 5:53:00 6:09:11

Students Akshit Gaur 4:58:50 Gaurish 6:06:46 Akash Sherpa 6:40:03 Open Men Solo Devendar Thakur 4:44:08 Shiven 5:03:39 Madaan Sandeep 5:10:38

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Katmandu to Kanyakumari

The Long Road

Yogachakra Cyclothon Crank Bengaluru Bureau

H

appiness is important in everybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. And if you just think about it, it is not that difficult to include it into your life. Given the current urban lifestyles that many follow, happiness can be as simple as disconnecting from the humdrum. For most people a hobby brings happiness, for some others, spending time with their families.

However, it becomes really important to try and stay happy for without that all our efforts in life go in vain.

Engaging in relaxing activities like exercise, meditation and yoga play a vital role in calming the mind and body. And not taking the effort to calm your mind and body can lead to a lot of stress and even depression.

Dr Bharat Thakur, Renowned Himalayan Yogi and founder of Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga set out on a mission to propagate this very idea along with the solution for it, Yoga. His main aim was to take yoga to the rural India. To show how emissions can be reduced if people took to cycling as a way of life where ever possible. And to convey the message of peace and harmony in

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Dr. Bharat Thakur

very divisive times where people are very agitated world over.

To spread these messages, he chose to do it in a manner where it could be thoroughly assimilated and therefore cycled from Kathmandu to Kanyakumari. And in this journey he was joined by Mr. Raja Sekhar who is a Real Estate Developer, Managing Director of SLN Developers and PMS Developers, Mr. Ravi Seshadri: Yoga teacher and General Manager with Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga and Mr. Gaurav Balian: General Manager, BT Fresh Farms. Together they set out on a 5100kms ride on February 14, 2016 and concluded on 2 May, 2016.

The riders all being thorough Yoga practitioners did not see the need for any special training and were on their way within 48 hours of deciding to do this trip. They got their gear together with appropriate day and night riding clothing, lights, safety gear, spares and cycle computers to track our daily progress. The riders were doing something of this magnitude for the first time and ensured that they rode

only around a 100kms per day and would pay keen attention to what their bodies were telling them and take rest stops accordingly. To be sure on their first long distance ride, they included a support van with a cook, provision, tents, nutritional supplements, a physiotherapist, a cycle technician and a photographer.

With Lucknow cyclists at La Martiniere School, Lucknow

Spreading the Message CM of Karnataka flags off the convoy

Every city they visited welcomed them. Many presentations were given at schools, live demonstrations and the magic of Dr. Thakur’s message and motivation was spread to the audience everywhere. The talks revolved around the concept of To prove to oneself that with such busy lives we can still take out ‘me time’. And to show people at large that an individual can make a difference even to a huge problem such as global warming. A simple step of choosing cycling a way of life, has shown to reduce emissions by 30% according to recent study.

Cyclists were a large number of the participants at these talks and they shared many cycling tips for their journey. “Bharatji, who led the team ensured we did not ride in sickness and exhaustion and remained positive through teamwork and bonding. We joked a lot and mingled with people wherever we went. The soul curry was abundant. We were on a constant high. Bharatji is a great team builder, motivator and has an ability to connect with strangers and we all lived in this positive bubble and the ride turned out to be one of a lifetime- a happy one.”-Says Ravi Seshadri, one of the riders.

The convoy’s intentions gained much support from the authorities too and were welcomed and escorted at many of their stops. Dr. Thakur and his team intend to scale up this ride in the time to come and possibly traverse the European continent with their message of healthy living and that the power of change lies in each individual.

At Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur

“Bharatji, who led the team ensured we did not ride in sickness and exhaustion and remained positive through teamwork and bonding. We joked a lot and mingled with people wherever we went. The soul curry was abundant. We were on a constant high. Bharatji is a great team builder, motivator and has an ability to connect with strangers and we all lived in this positive bubble and the ride turned out to be one of a lifetimea happy one.”-Says Ravi Seshadri, one of the riders.

The convoy’s intentions gained much support from the authorities too and were welcomed and escorted at many of their stops. Dr. Thakur and his team intend to scale up this ride in the time to come and possibly traverse the European continent with their message of healthy living and that the power of change lies in each individual.

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Far From Home

Tokyo to Tokyo Daniel Doughty

The only arguments you are going to have are going to be with yourself! In which case you’re always inevitably both the winner and the loser!

J

apan has always captured the sense of wonderment of many people. From being the first nation that catches the rising sun to the rich history, heritage and the sometimes awkward social practises, Japan has much to offer.

33 year old Daniel Doughty thought just that to himself when he started out on his 11000kms journey across Japan starting in Tokyo heading north first to capture Hokkaido in the summer months and then south towards Okinawa, the country’s southern most limit before returning to Tokyo. Dan shares some of his experiences and how he got where he is right now, Hokkaido!

Rewind to around a decade ago, I’m staggering to climb a bus, well

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because I am 20 something and extremely drunk, I still can’t remember which it was. Much of my travels in my 20’s involved a back pack, a lot of drinking and actions based on pure whim.

I have now spent close to two months in Japan in an endeavour to ride across all the 47 prefectures, on a bicycle, alone! My journey to experience all of Japan started in 2007 when I first got here. Then in 2009 when I employed myself into the Japanese farming scene as a volunteer, putting in manual labour growing rice in exchange for food, shelter and a real slice of rural Japan. After I got back to my hometown of Cambridge, UK, I continued work for a nature conservation charity called the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). There I would carry out habitat and livestock management in order to help maintain ideal habitat for wildlife, predominantly birds. Work for the RSPB was seasonal and so at the

Bear Warning at Kuma

Highest point of road on the Bandai-Azuma skyline At the Northernmost Point in Japan

Narita San, Narita Hokkaido Boys

end of my summer contract it allowed me to begin preparations for my cycling trip to Japan and here I am with a one year Visa, a bicycle and a tent, doing what I was always dreaming of.

As a kid I rode around a BMX to crash it the first day and almost be emotionally and for sure be physically scarred. I had a desire to get out of the rut I was stuck in and my previous incomplete journeys to Japan kept calling to me.

My journey began by saving up a lot for the trip. Although my careful calculations indicated that being on a bicycle was the most economic option in an expensive country like Japan, I still needed to prepare a trust fund I did not have. My decision to travel to every one of the 47 prefectures of Japan was fuelled by the thought that no Englishman had done this before, making me the first and putting an end to my sub conscious telling me that I am no longer built to achieve greatness. To add to this, I was travelling solo. Because, sometimes the best company is one’s self, dictating your own pace and route means the only arguments you are going to have are going to be with yourself! In which case you’re always inevitably both the winner and the loser! Plus having grown up working

on remote farms and nature reserves solitude is something that comes as no oddity. Sometimes the solitude makes the adventure all the more real.

I saved for a year and the desire to be back in Japan kept me going. I did a few practise rides back home on my old MTB to know the nuances of bicycle touring. And know I did! I had to break my bank and get myself a vessel good enough for now and bought a Ridgeback tour. A £500 bicycle to keep me alive and moving. Having ridden it for this far in the trip I’m confident that I made the right choice and this bike can accompany for any other adventure I might want to have.

nights narrowed down to Manga cafes, Hostels, Couchsurfing and Camping. I like to think I’ve gone pro in the matter of pitching a tent. I have to stealth camp in cities and throw a tent up in the dark as not to draw attention to myself before arising early too creep away undetected. I think after unloading my rig I got it down to about 8 minutes to pitch it and be inside of it. But it never helps that I have a snapped tent pole that I have to duct tape back together most nights. Oh and my tent stinks of swamp. Rock ‘n’ roll!

Just before I left home, everyone was really supportive, a few people thought I was a bit mad and my mum was scared that I might get eaten by bears but as a whole I was encouraged. Or maybe most of them just wanted to see me get eaten by bears for a laugh. It would certainly be an interesting way to go. As I discovered, Japan as a whole is an incredibly safe country to travel in, it’s people friendly and accommodating and as whole the nation’s grizzly bears keep to themselves.

Being on a cycle limits the number of souvenirs you can pick up and for me, mental memories are the strongest souvenirs a traveller can have. The memories of my travelling experiences for me are just as rewarding as photographs, as long as I’ve got my mind I’ve got my memories. For now I trudge on, with a slight reminder that when this is over I’d have to get back to England in engage in being a slave to the wage but I will be lying in wait for my next big adventure wherever it may be. India? Kazakhstan? South America?

Rest assured my lust for cycle travel is as strong as ever.

Since this journey is based on low to no budget, I have my choices of spending my

#getoutandride, catch updates on Dan’s journey on https://tokyo-to-tokyo.com

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At Tour of Nilgiris

Profiled

T

here are many who persistently ask us about commuting on a bicycle in the Indian traffic especially in the metros. Every rider who commutes has his or her own formula and is eager to share it with the new comers as words of encouragement.

Bruce Taylor 49, was new to Bengaluru, having migrated from Australia for work in a software firm here, he cut the number of suitcases short to accommodate his beloved hardtail MTB. But when faced with the traffic and safety set up or lack of a set up, he hesitated to take up bicycle commute. He reserved much of his riding for the weekends with few likeminded neighbours. He found many trails around the city to help put his riding bug at ease.

But that wasn’t enough. He worked on the advice and support his neighbour offered and took up commuting and now rides a bamboo bicycle to work every day and has also got the dormant artist in him to create what can be called as a graphic guide to riding a bicycle in Bengaluru. He authored the “View from the Saddle. Tales of commuting in Bangalore.”

Bruce trained in design way before he stepped into the IT industry and he remembers his teens back in Australia when he would illustrate ink based comics, take photocopies of them and circulate them to the book stores around just to get the stories out of his mind on to paper and into other people’s lives.

Bruce’s house in suburban Bengaluru is also full of canvas paintings of the sights that bring the contrast between his life back in Australia and the vibrant and loud one he leads here in Bengaluru. He also keeps the arts alive in his children by encouraging them to use drawings and paintings for their homework and projects.

In fact, some of the illustrations in the book are coloured by his children using good old crayons.

Bruce Taylor Cyclist, Artist, Observer Extraordinaire Crank Bengaluru Bureau

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The book came from the fading of the whimsy with which he used to photograph everything that he saw when he first arrived here. Everything that symbolized India. Everything that caught his wonder.

Over a period of time he had lost that sense of wonder and he decided that it was unfair to the land he was living in and he opened up a lot more to observe.

Cycling on the streets helped him observe more and record them even more. But a digital photo did not seem to justify the sights and that is when ‘View from the Saddle’ was conceived. It took Bruce over a year to get the book together.

The memories and photographs were first put to paper using pencil and ink and then developed and coloured digitally. The layout was painstakingly set during the little free time he would find from work and family. The style of the artworks were kept more associable to the Indian viewer, resembling a lot of other Indian contemporaries

and with the evergreen watercolour type fills and many new textures that were digitally created by Bruce himself because evidently, many of the Indian textures are not readily available in Photoshop, the book is a delight guaranteeing a whole new thought at every page. Bruce has documented everyday happenstances and scenes like flower vendors, workers, technicians of different varieties all performing their work right there on the side of the street. Like they have no inhibition whatsoever. Being devoted to machines, he has carefully documented the various vehicles he sees and even presented their individual capabilities and specialities.

His Bamboo Daily Driver

A graphic novel style narration

The cover page in Kannada

Doing a Cameo in his book, Bruce Taylor’s adaptation of himself

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Ensure proper placement on the frame

BikeTech

Preventing a quick release

M

ost bicycle wheels are mounted to the frame using a quick release mechanism. As the name suggests it is for easy removal and fixing of wheels in emergency or competitive situations. The quick release has 6 parts, a long skewer with thread on one end and a clamp lever on the other, two conical springs, a bolt and a cam follower (a cam follower is not present in all designs). The order for assembly is as in the image. (small end of the conical springs facing inwards).

This guide helps you check if the quick release is installed properly on your bike after any kind of service. Especially fixing a flat from a highway or rural puncture shop. Following this guide you can ensure that the wheels are fitted safely on you bicycle.

Step 1: Place the axle bolt in the dropout (grooves) of the frame correctly. Check by spinning wheel before you tighten any bolts. If the wheel touches any frame part newly or if the wheel spins tighter than before, you should remove and reposition the wheel into the dropout again. It might be rubbing against the brake pads (disc or V-brake) Step 2: Hold the nut of the quick release tightly and spin the lever clockwise while holding it in the open position. You should turn it till you have it in a position where pushing to reveal the CLOSE

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Spin the tyre to watch for wobble

Correct CLOSE position

Lever position WRT fork

marking is only possible with a little effort from you. Not too lose, not too tight. A good rule of thumb to establish the correct tightness is to tighten it all the way and then loosen it back by a full to three quarter turn and trying to close it.

Note: Do not force the quick release shut.

The force from a single thumb finger should be able to close the lever. The marking saying close should always be visible when locked.

The CLOSE marking should be visible all times

Always have the levers on the non drive side of the bicycle. That is mostly how your manufacturer set it up. Maintain it.

Do not overlap the lever onto frame parts like the fork in the front or the seat and chain stays at the rear. It makes is harder slide your fingers in to open it the next time.

Crank Tip: If you do install it overlapping any of the above frame parts, slide a rag cloth through the gap and pull on the rag.

Lever position WRT frame

Use a rag to loosen the lever if its too tight

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Gear Tech

MIPS technology helmets from SCOTT Crank Tech Bureau

S

cott Sports India launches its first MIPS technology enabled helmet in India, the Arx PLUS road helmet. MIPS is the new generation of helmet technology. It is a global standard followed in the manufacturing of bicycle and motorcycle helmets alike.

MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. It is quite genius a technology. It derives its design philosophy from how the brain is naturally protected inside the skull. The human brain is suspended in a low friction cerebral fluid which allows it to slide within the skull during an impact. Helmets equipped with MIPS technology are intended to and able to protect your brain against the rotational shock caused by angled impacts by using a low friction layer that minimizes the rotational violence transferred to the brain.

ARX_Plus with MIPS

Essentially, it works like wearing two helmets.

One stays put on your head, the other is on top of the first helmet, they are attached to each other via flexible anchors that let both layers move around. At the point of impact the MIPS Low Friction Layer moves relative to the helmet, independent of impact direction, significantly reducing the rotational violence to the brain.

The Arx PLUS was a helmet waiting to happen.

With years of proprietary refinement in helmet technology, SCOTT has now integrated the MIPS technology into the helmet making their range of protective gear that much more safe and reliable.

The other technologies that you will find in a Scott helmet like the Optimized venting system, the polycarbonate in-mould construction, reflective design patterns and the MRAS2 adjustable fitment technology in the Arx PLUS. The Arx PLUS with MIPS technology is available in two colours yellow/black and red/black and it priced at around Rs. 8,100/- and makes for one of the most reliable and safe helmets for professional and enthusiast riders.

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Arx PLUS Red-Black Arx PLUS Yellow-Black

Bike Feature

0/500 4 Rs.

Cannondale Quick 5, 2016 aniSh

Anti Vibration Frame technology

T

he 2016 range from Cannondale has hit the shelves and we bring you two of their entry level bicycles, a hybrid and an MTB.

The hybrid in question is the fitness oriented commuter, Cannondale Quick 5. A serious visual upgrade form the last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s black and white gloss finished version, the quick 5 this year has a lot under its belt.

The matte paint scheme is a coming of age formula of combining dark colours with contrasting highlights for hybrids and Cannondale has caught up with that formula here. The frame sees many refinements like the stiffer front fork and the Cannondale SAVE technology optimized vibration absorbent rest of it.

Cannondale bicycles are known for their part choices and blending these parts right into the visual scheme of the bicycle and the Quick 5 has done it right starting from the smallest level. Even the crimps at the end of the control cables on this bicycle are black instead of a regular

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Better rigidity at the fork

C4 Parts

Commuter saddles

Schwalbe Spicer tires

Shimano Altus FD

10 Speed Shimano Altus

galvanized finish to keep with up the paint theme. The bike is laden with C4 parts and fitments that speak volumes about the entire bicycleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character. Even the saddleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover is made to blend with the race inspired paint scheme that adorns the hybrid.

Parts like the stem bolt, the pedals and the handle bar grips remind that this is a well engineered of course, but also a well thought out product. The rigid fork bicycle is meant to achieve serious speeds during your commute or training ritual. For the same reason, the rims are designed to accommodate tires thinner that the 35C

Race inspired paint themes

Schwalbe Spicer that are provided as the OE option. The groupset used are Shimano Altus across the front and the back. The front has a 3 speed SR Suntour Crank and the rear has an 8 Speed cassette mated to the new Shadow Altus RD. the bike looks quick is also expected to be quick just like its name suggests and has been proving in the past.

Crank gives the Cannondale Quick 5, 2016 an AHT (Average Head Turning) Factor of 8.5 out of 10.

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Bike Feature

/500 4 3 Rs.

Cannondale Catalyst 4 2016 aniSh

T

he Catalyst range of bicycles from Cannondale are meant for first time MTB users. They are available in 4 variant and the Catalyst 4 featured here is the base variant. The Catalyst model is meant to be fun while it guides its rider through the process of acquainting with an MTB. The Catalyst 4 is a very basic bicycle and is meant to be just that and of course an excellent stepping stone to greater MTBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to come in the timeline of a rider. A lot of new cyclists are buying a bicycle for the street but want to keep their options open and more importantly not break the bank while at it.

The Catalyst 4 is a perfect interpretation of all the above needs. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medium width handle bar keeps it nimble to handle within the streets and the while exploring some trails. The 27.5 inch wheel size is perfect for the rolling momentum offered during commute rides and also offers better control on the rougher terrains it goes through.

The Catalyst 4 is just an extremely sober trail bicycle. It has wider comfortable saddles, a modest 75mm suspension, a 7 speed Shimano Tourney shifter mated to a 7 Speed Megadrive freewheel (larger first gear for less effort) giving beginner riders a boost on their first few climbs. The

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Frame optimized to 27.5 inch wheels

Shimano Tourney

braking is mechanical cable controlled disc brakes giving you the effortless stopping power that is a true blue MTB feature. The brake sets are from JAK 7 which are not a popular sight on most MTBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in India.

No matter what you would want to compare this bicycle with, you cannot match the level of detailing this bicycle like any Cannondale carries. It has got thematic branding everywhere, at the pedals, the handle grips, stem and many more parts. And a superb greyscale paint scheme across the bicycle frame adds to the visual appeal. t is not in vain that Cannondale possess a certain position in terms of adding brand value to their products and first time cyclists are sure looking out for such value add-ons. The price of this bicycle might be a little steep but what you get in return is absolute effortless initiation into the MTB tribe on this bicycle.

Jak 7 Mechanical Disc Brakes

Crank gives the Cannondale Catalyst 4, 2016 an AHT (Average Head Turning) Factor of 8 out of 10.

Brand Details

SR Suntour 75mm Fork Grayscale frame theme

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SUBSCRIBE NOW!

1YEAR ` 720 12 ISSUES at 40% OFF the cover price DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP PLUS some surprise goodies along the way To subscribe, mail a cheque in favour of ‘PROCYCLE AND SPORTS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED’ to our corporate office (address below) along with your details or drop by one of the ProCycle showrooms (adresses below) and pay cash.

For queries, call Joseph Anish on +91 97415 77884 or email anish@procycle.in Showroom: l Indiranagar - #226, 1st Main Road, Service Road, Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560071.

Tel: +91 98802 16064 l Koramangala / HSR Layout - New #12, Old #75, Service Road, Jakkasandra Extension, Koramangala 1st Block, Near HSR 5th Sector, Bangalore - 560034 Tel: +91 80 2550 1967 l Sanjaynagar - #126, 80ft Road, RMV 2nd Stage, Ashwath Nagar, Bangalore - 560094 Corporate Office: Indiranagar - 226, 1st floor, 1st Main Road, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru - 560071. Tel: +91 80 41161902

Shop Talk

Cageless Bottle

O

ne of the first accessory that gets added onto our bicycles is a bottle cage. Fabric, a UK based cycling products manufacturer has created the cageless bottle system that eliminates the need for a bottle cage.

The system comprises of a specially designed bottle and two studs that replace the mounting bolts on the frame eyelets. And voila, a bottle that floats on top of your bicycle frame almost like it is magic. The bottles are still of the standard 600ml volume and stay on the frame with the same amount of security that a cage holds it with.

The product is the brain child of Rebecca Crowder, a product designer with no history in cycling. This might sound terrible at first but not being a cyclist enabled Rebecca to look at the brief without all the prejudice of a cycling enthusiasts. Looking at existing designs and those from the early 1900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Rebecca modernised and developed a bottle for multi use.

The challenge was to make the bottle squeezable and yet rigid enough to hold shape while mounted to the studs and bear shocks of all kinds. The product is an eye catcher for sure, but it is also revolutionarily utilitarian. It means lesser drag and more importantly a lot less weight for the competitive road or time trial rider and for the mountain biker it means being able to cram a regular sized bottle into the compact frame triangles that MTBs usually come in.

We at Crank completely approve of this genius product and are awaiting to see this being used in the pro pelotons soon.

Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Toys

IceToolz 97C3 Multi-17 Tool Set RS. 680/As far as compact tool kits go, we have seen many and featured them here, recommended them to you, used them, lost them and what not. If you are looking to replace your misplaced tool or are starting out with diy repairs and want something that can get you started, the Icetoolz Mighty 17 is what you need. Spanners, hex keys, a tyre lever and admirably even spoke wrenches, all this and the promising quality from Icetools, that and the super affordable price of Rs. 680 is what makes this one practically a steal.

IceToolz A111 VeloDuo Airpump Rs. 1,100/The VeloDuo is good news for riders looking for an affordable quality hand pump. It has a simple design which is sturdy too. Despite its price point, it does not feel plasticy. It can adapt to both Presta and Scrader valve and with ingenuity is also compatible to Dunlop valves when used in the Presta mode.

The telescopic action of the barrel makes sure that you are good to go in the least amount of time. The handle lock feature is also great for when the pump is stored either on the bicycle frame or in a backpack.

GET OUT & RIDE!

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