Photography by Matt Wikstrom

CTech November Product Picks

By Matt Wikstrom, CTech Editor - November 22, 2012

This month, we feature a selection of Tune parts that will lighten your bike, a Syntace seatpost to smooth your ride, BBB brake pads to slow you down, Swiftwick socks to fill your shoes, and Swisse food bars to provide energy and aid your recovery.

Swisse Active Food Bars

Anyone watching the Tour de France on SBS this year will have seen one or two commercials for Swisse. Forget about any association with Spartacus and the land of the bold white cross, Swisse is an Australian company that was founded about fifty years ago. The company manufactures an exhaustive range of vitamins and supplements and now they have released their Active range, a variety of sports nutrition products designed for the different phases of exercise, namely preparation, sustenance, and recovery. For preparation, Swisse offers amino acids and hydration formulas; sustenance is provided by high carbohydrate energy bars; and for recovery, there are high protein powders and food bars. The energy bars (clearly labelled with a bold ENERGY) are made out of oats and rice and come in two flavours, chocolate and mixed berry. The protein bars (labelled RECOVER) employ a blend of proteins including whey and come in three flavours: chocolate, choc-goji, and choc-coconut.

RRP: 60g Energy bar, $3; 30g Recover bar, $4; 60g Recover bar, $6.

For more information see the Swisse Active website.

CTech’s take:

“

Common retailers such as chemists and supermarkets carry stocks of Swisse products so you shouldn’t have any trouble tracking down Swisse Energy and Recover bars. The energy bars are very chewy and taste like regular muesli bars. The protein bars are chewy too and they are all coated in chocolate, which should appeal to most cyclists. My favourite flavour was choc-goji.

Tune Skewers and Seat Post Clamps

Tune make their products to appeal to the weight-weenie crowd, and they do this with single-minded dedication, literally carving each part down to its minimum. The company offers two seatpost clamps suitable for road bikes, the alloy Schraubwürger, which weighs 9g and comes in 10 colours, and the carbon fibre Würger Skyline, which weighs 4.5g. The Schraubwürger available in 4 diameters (30.0, 31.8, 34.9, and 38.0mm) and 10 colours; the Würger Skyline is made to measure, just provide your seat tube diameter. There are also two quick release skewers on offer, DC14 (Ti rear axle, alloy front axle, carbon levers) that weigh 34g, and U 20, which incorporates carbon into the axles and weighs just 23g. Both skewers are available in 10 colours.

RRP: Seat post clamps: Schraubwürger, $49.90; Würger Skyline, 4.5g/31.8mm, $96. Skewers: DC14 $119; U 20, $239.

For more information see Tune (in german) or the local distributor, Eighty One Spices. Podium Bike Parts carries the entire Tune range for online purchases.

CTech’s take:

“

Tune products are not designed for the mass-market, they are for weight-weenies that obsess over grams and attend to their bikes with extreme care. For such a crowd, the minimal Würger Skyline seatpost clamp delivers enough in weight savings to compensate for what it gives up with its less than robust design. The Schraubwürger clamp looks more robust, but both clamps are best suited to riders that have a high quality torque wrench and a gentle hand. The DC14 skewers work reasonably well, they close securely without much effort, and the skinny levers make it difficult to overtighten them. The minimal design of the cam provides just enough travel for the wheels to be removed but there is no slack to facilitate a quick wheel change. Once again, such a feature may frustrate regular bike riders but weight-weenies will revel in the triumph of the pragmatic design.

Tune Bottle Cages

Tune introduced the Wasserträger bottle cage a few years ago, a figure-eight loop of carbon that weighs 8g, then followed it up with the Wasserträger Skyline, where kevlar was used to reduce the final weight to 4.5g. Both cages require a conical bottle so that it won’t slip through the cage. For those that are less concerned about weight and want something more functional, there is the Wasserträger Universal, which looks like a conventional cage, weighs 21g, and can hold regular water bottles. All cages come with mounting bolts.

RRP: Wasserträger, $59.90; Wasserträger Skyline, $84.90 (incl. bottle); Wasserträger Universal, $84.90

For more information see Tune (in german) or the local distributor, Eighty One Spices. Podium Bike Parts carries the entire Tune range for online purchases.

CTech’s take:

“

The design of the Wasserträger cage looks like it was lifted from the pages of an interior design magazine. There is some elegance in the simplicity of the design however I had some trouble determining which of the loops was meant to sit on top. The loops differ in size and the larger one is meant to go on top, but it only became obvious after I had installed one of the cages upside down. Out on the road, the cages take a little time to get used to. They initially felt flimsy compared to my regular cages and I had trouble getting the bottle in and out of the cage. A few days later, I had mastered the necessary twisting action to release and return the bottle to the cage, however they would be a challenge to use while racing, especially in a criterium. In contrast, the Wasserträger Universal cage was a simple affair that was both easy to install and use out on the road.

Syntace P6 Seatpost

Syntace have been providing aftermarket stems, bars and seatposts for many years now. The German company places a premium on quality manufacturing and fulfilling a simple vision: to make parts that outlast the life of a bike. In 2006, the company started offering a 10-year warranty on its parts, where the only requirement is that owners must follow the installation instructions and adhere to the torque settings prescribed for each part. Their P6 seatpost is made from carbon and designed to flex under load, promising to provide a measure of shock absorption and dampening regardless of whether it is used on- or off-road. The P6 is a zero-offset seatpost that is available in 4 diameters (27.2, 30.9, 31.6 and 34.9mm), 2 lengths (300, 400, and/or 480mm, depending on the diameter), and one colour (glossed coated carbon).

RRP: $249

For more information, see Syntace or the local distributor, Eighty One Spices. Podium Bike Parts carries Syntace for online purchases.

CTech’s take:

“

A great seat post manages to achieve a perfect blend of form and function and Syntace’s P6 is a fine example of a great seatpost. On the functional side, seat angle and setback are quick and simple to adjust thanks to the two-bolt cradle for the saddle rails. The form too, appealed to me as the soft molded lines of the post provided a pleasing line for the eye to follow. I swapped the P6 for my regular alloy post, and the difference was immediately apparent, even on a smooth road. I’ve never been troubled by road vibration through my saddle, but riding the P6 post provided me with new, smoother-perhaps even plush-ride on a bike I thought I knew so well. I would have liked to have tested the 10 year warranty on this post but there were two obstacles: first, time was against me, and second, I needed more saddle setback than this particular P6 could provide.

BBB TechStop Brake Pad Inserts

BBB have a huge range of brake pads for road bikes, offering both complete shoes and cartridge inserts to suit Shimano/SRAM and Campagnolo brakesets. In addition, they manufacture pads for both aluminium and carbon rims. Amongst this range you will find TechStop pads that have a triple contour design that acts to remove water, improve braking and resist squealing. Techstop pads come in two colours, high performance blue pads that promise 30% more braking power, or a triple colour that “gives a nice look”. Both colours are sold in sets of four.

RRP: High performance blue Techstop pads, $16.95; triple colour TechStop pads, $15.95.

For more information, visit BBB.

CTech’s take:

“

I preferred the blue pads to the triple coloured pads-they had a softer feel under braking-and they offered a little more braking power too. Performance in the wet was good, but not outstanding, since they needed to clear some water off the rim before they started to slow it down. All told, these brake pads compare well with stock offerings from Shimano and Campagnolo, and indeed, I’d rate the blue BBB pads ahead of these. For those riders looking for better performance in the rain, I’d recommend Swissstop green pads but expect to pay at least twice as much for 2 pairs of these pads.

Swiftwick Socks

According to Swiftwick, the best thing you can do for your feet while cycling is to wear a pair of their compression the socks. Compression socks promise to do the same thing for your feet as compression garments will do for your muscles by improving circulation and extending endurance. The company offers their socks in seven lengths, starting with a zero length that stops at the ankle; the other lengths extend one, two, four, five, seven and twelve inches above the ankle. In addition, there are six models to choose from in a variety of subdued colour combinations. Swiftwick also does custom orders.

RRP: US$11.99-34.99, depending on the length of the sock.

For more information and to order some socks, go to Swiftwick.

CTech’s take:

“

I discovered Swiftwick while wandering through the exhibitions at Interbike this year. They were giving away a free tattoo to anybody willing to wear a Swiftwick logo for the rest of their lives; I settled for a couple pairs of socks instead. These socks have a firm fit, but they’re not uncomfortable. I like the subdued colour combinations and the choice of cuff lengths. I can’t explain why they’ve become my favourites, but I look forward to getting them back after they’ve been in the wash.

Tags: BBB, DC14, Schraubwürger, Swiftwick, Swisse, Syntace P6, Techstop, Tune, Wassertrager, Würger Skyline

Marcus Whitworth

I don’t want to be critical, but these reviews tell us almost nothing beyond what we could read in an online store. Take the brake pads for instance - how do they compare to other brake pads in the market? Are they better than stock Shimano/Campag pads, or are they the level of Swisstop? The sock review is worse still - all we know beyond the company spiel is that they have a firm fit, and you like the colour combo and cuff lengths. How do they compare, are they good value compared to other options around? Without seemingly much effort to elaborate on any of the products, or any critical evaluation, the post just whiffs of churned-out paid product endorsements (maybe they are?).
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  Thanks Marcus - I take that on board. We get heaps of products sent over but many don’t warrant a fully fledged feature review, but can be interesting nonetheless. This is more of a platform to showcase some of the new products out there. My hope is that owners of these particular products will chime in and give their thoughts since they’ll have used them for longer than we have.
  
  And I’ll answer your question 100% honestly - no product reviews are paid for. That presents a huge conflict of interest and if the feature reviews are to be taken seriously with credibility, we cannot have that.
  - Timo
    
    But you get the product for free and get to keep it after the “review” right?
    
    I don’t think this kind of “new product heads-up” is a bad thing, not every post has to be an in depth 15 page review on seat-post clamp bolts. I would like more pictures though.
    - http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
      
      Sometimes we send it back, sometimes they offer for us to keep it. Most of these things are so small that it’s quite insignificant and certainly wouldn’t alter Matt’s words on it.
    - jules
      
      if you’re looking for conflicts of interest, try motoring journalism..
- CTech
  
  I’ve updated my take on the BBB pads, I thought I had done it last night before it was posted but there you have it. As for the socks, my lab-testing equipment broke down before I could test elasticity and rebound…
  
  In all seriousness, I prepare these product reviews with the primary goal of providing all the information that a buyer would like in order to make their own decision about their value. My take is based on a week or two of use so I can’t offer an objective view on the value of the parts when I don’t know how well they’ll perform over time, but I can answer the question, does the part do what it is supposed to?
  
  Paid product endorsements? These posts are not paid at all, and the Australian industry is not so affluent as to provide us with anything other than a few parts for a couple of weeks. Yes, I get to keep some of the parts, some of them I have to return at my expense, and the rest go back at the expense of the distributor. But factor in my time, then you’ll see these posts are running at a significant loss, but that’s according to an accountant’s spreadsheet where the value of a passion indulged has no weight.
  
  I hope, Marcus, that in reading each of my takes you gain a little insight into the potential of each of the parts featured here but ultimately I can not provide the entirety of experience that comes with your own experimentation.
  - Pete
    
    “my lab-testing equipment broke down before I could test elasticity and rebound…”
    Classic. Lol.
  - Marcus Whitworth
    
    Cheers guys. The revised review is, I think, much more usefully informative. Perhaps when you want to highlight new products without giving a thorough review, you should just re-title it to ‘New Product Peek’ or similar, so it won’t create the expectation that a ‘Review’ might.
    
    Anyway, good points, and thanks for the response. Keep up the good work!
- Tim
  
  Hey Marcus.
  I’ve been riding Swiftwicks for a year. I paid for mine but will be reviewing them on VeloNomad.
  
  Here’s my take (briefly as I will be reviewing them elsewhere).
  
  As they’re compression socks (or at least marketed as such), they’re tighter than other socks.
  
  The sole is thicker than normal socks so you’ll want to consider that in relation for shoe size.
  
  The cuffs are much thicker than other socks, and a touch thicker than say Capos.
  
  They’re plenty stretchy to the extent they’ll cover a few sizes in terms of your foot, with one sock size.
  
  They wash well, they pill just a touch.
  
  They’re super comfy to wear around the house but too expensive to do so.
  
  I have 2″, 4″, 5″ and the 7″ for the airplane. I don’t wear the 5″s because I don’t wear BTS (Big Tall Socks) as it’s too warm where I live.
  
  They’re a bit warm for me, but I live near Byron (I’m actually looking at doing some with different materials under my own label).
  
  Aesthetically I like them, but if you have cankles (hi Clarky) or fat calves they’ll make em look fatter as they’re woven pretty thick.
  
  I’ve had some sample merino and also cotton/coolmax made for me for some OEM for VeloNomad, and I actually prefer them. The merino breathes better (it also rains a bucketload in summer here).
  
  It’s definitely worth checking them out - they’re not (as far as I know) available on Wiggle etc so buy them direct from SW (I did). They’re a cruisey bunch in Tennessee (I think it’s TN) and nice guys.
- TDB
  
  To be fair thouogh - they’re socks. They go on your feet, if the fit is right they’ll be comfortable. The key feature of these Swiftwick goodies seem to be that they are well ventilated, the only other consideration with a sock would be its longevity which is not something that you can really talk about with a new product.
  
  Also, the brake pads - I don’t know whether the article was updated post criticism but it looks detailed for a review on the bits of rubber that contact your rims.
  
  As to the paid endorsement stuff, getting to keep the gear is hardly a reason to praise it unnecessarily -you’ve already got it.
  Although, I must admit I am pretty envious of all the sweet gear that a reputable blog like this must score - I’m especially covetous of those Tune skewers… *drool*
Chris

I have used the three-colour BBB pads. They are pretty great pads for the price. Braking in the wet, as stated, is not bad but not good. Not an issue most of the time. The dry power and feel of them is great.

My two gripes:
1) While pushing one pad in the cartridge I managed to flex it a bit and it broke, quite easily, at the seam between two compounds. I was, however, able to get the two parts into the cartridge and never had an issue. Since this has to do with brakes I will at the disclaimer that I don’t recommend you do it.
2) The longevity is on par with most pads but I found that they reach a “breaking point” where the rate of wear starts increasing. I’m not sure if this is always the case but after having them on for a few months one ride in the rain had them wearing out noticeably in the throw of the lever during the length of the ride.

That said I promptly went out and bought a few more sets to replace the worn pads. The gripes don’t really detract from the day to day use. I wasn’t aware of the blue compound pads or I would have tried those out.
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  Thanks for the feedback Chris. Exactly the type of thing that enhances these posts.
- Tim
  
  Chris.
  Given Durace are 16.95 per set of 2, and Swisstop Greens (the ants pants, or, the bidnit/bizznittle) run toward 30, how do you rate the BBBs overall?
  
  I live in an area with a LOT of twisty 80km/h descents on rubbish NSW roads, so prime consideration is stopping power with just a dash of consideration for cost. Currently run Swisstops.
  
  (Obviously cables make a difference - I am using Yokies soon to be Gore).
  Tim
NY’er

Easy fellas. Whilst constructive criticism can be a good thing, just remember these guys are banging out these posts from the kitchen table around their real lives like going to work and raising families. I love the the Product Pick posts… A basic insight into some products that I wouldn’t otherwise necessarily be aware of. Keep ‘em coming.
- Notso Swift
  
  100% with you
  
  I for one would have never considered the BBB pads, until looking at this review. The Tune skewers however… well I already have those :)
  - http://twitter.com/rgmerk Robert Merkel
    
    Which ones? The Ti ones or the carbon ones?
    - Notso Swift
      
      Well they are Ti but they have carbon levers as trim and alloy adjusters and hinge
      I got them purely for aesthetics, as I am not a real weight weenie, though it it looks OK, works well and happens to be light it is a bonus
      - SP
        
        Can you elaborate on ‘works well’ please…. I thought some light weight skewers have issues with not getting enough clamping force due to the reduced camp action. Would they be suitable for every day use?
        
        Notso Swift
        
        They are on my race wheels so I don’t use them every day, the first time I rode them I stuffed up and the rear moved but now I have a technique that sets the tension perfect everytime.
        I should also say the bike these are on is stainless steel so the dropouts are very “Hard” and an alloy or carbon would have probably “bit” more preventing the movement I had.
        
        On the front this bike still has the Lawyer tabs and you have to unscrew them a fair way, but that is the same for just about every QR I have used on this bike (Reynolds KT hub and Campy record Hub)
        
        Realistically for us, if you are in a race and you need a wheel change it is over, if you are riding recreationally and you get a puncture it takes 5 minutes to fix, so 3 seconds more adjusting the leaver right is nothing.
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  Thanks NY’er.
- Garry
  
  Can’t agree. The site must generate some revenue to the extent it’s not a backyard operation any more.
  
  On the flip side, no one is paying for access so you have to expect to be hit with ads, advertorial or review-lite.
  - jules
    
    ads are find, but advertorials are shit, the implication is the reviewer is lying. there are a lot of publications which refuse to criticise products. having been loosely involved in motoring journalism previously, it’s amongst the worst of examples - badmouth a brand and no more free cars to drive around. which is why so many articles end with “it’s hard to pick a winner” etc. i wouldn’t want to read this blog or any other that went down that road.
  - http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
    
    It’s true that this blog has grown up, but the best piece of advice I got early on was to keep the editorial and advertising completely separate. This is why I hired Matt (well, he’s not getting paid, but anyway..) to do the reviews. He has no visibility into the advertising side of things and I let him write what he wants. It would be even better if I were able to purchase every piece of equipment for review, but unfortunately that’s not possible.
    - Andrew
      
      No one is forcing any one to buy anything here and I do not recall paying a subscription . It is a personal choice and one should go the next step if interested and get further facts. Lets face it the guys in bike shops are pushing stuff in some cases they know little about from personal experience ( cite a shop that flogged Zipp so hard that if you did not have them you were a loser, now have Enves and Hed and I imagine Zipps are noodles this week).
Tricky Dicky

For the Aussie summer ahead, as a suggestion can CTech recommend kit and accessories specifically for the (hopefully) hot weather ahead? eg. (1) a good value lightweight undershirt (2) the best sunscreen for riding in the sun (3) rehydration drinks? (4) sunglasses that won’t break the bank or scratch like butter etc etc. Any associated tips from CT would be great too - I just don’t know how those pros ride for 5 hours in 35-40 degrees in Spain and manage to avoid heat exhaustion.

Separately, I would love a side-by-side comparison on different chain lubes. It seems to be getting more and more expensive and comes in multiple varieties (dry, wet, wax etc).

And keep it coming - this is a nice little add-on to the main blog so don’t be discouraged by the cynics.
- Tim
  
  1. Craft mesh
  2. Just use Zinc on face, lips, ears, neck and upper arms.
  3. SIS. Avoid sugar right after ride (for many reasons)
  4. Jesus, man. Oakley.
Gangles

Wtf M.W, are you serious dude? Your post is embarrassing, maybe you should go for a ride and vent on the bike next time. You do a great job Wade I’m stoked with your blog, and many many others are too. Thanks for your time mate hey.
scano

Who remembers that great line from the movie Billy Madison “Ultimate Insult”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0
jules

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again - i blame reality television. everyone thinks they’re a judge of everyone else now.
scano

Personally, I get everything I will ever need out of these CTech Reviews.
1) What does it look like. 2) What does it do. 3) How much will it cost me.
Anything else is just noise.
- Tim
  
  No disrespect intended, but some people want more. Personally, I go to a lot of effort to include a lot of what might look like “noise” to you with my reviews e.g. www.velonomad.com/reviews/evoc-bike-travel-bag-review/
  - http://twitter.com/chrislenton Chris Lenton
    
    On this point, I actually purchased the Evoc bag based on the above velonomad.com review.
    
    I value a more comprehensive review of products, so I can feed all the info into my buying decision. “Buy it because it’s good” isn’t really enough. Scano - what about 4) What doesn’t it do? Let’s compare with IT - Anandtech, Tom’s Hardware etc etc do not provide 1 paragraph reviews.
  - tomness
    
    Your review was what finally influenced my decision to get the EVOC bag. It has been great so far. I have used it on a trip with the roadie to Europe and another trip with the MTB to Victoria.
    
    Thanks
- scano
  
  I also have the Tune Skewers. Here is my review.
  1) They look rad.
  2) They hold the wheels onto my bike.
  3) They cost a heap.
SP

Can any one with longer testing experience provide some feedback on the performance DC14 tune skewers please. I’m a self confessed weight weenie but the stuff still has to work. My question is, do they hold the wheel (especially rear) in place under race conditions? Thinking of putting them on my lightweight Reynolds tubs that I ride nearly all the time….. thanks
- M.M.
  
  I have been using them for a few years now and they hold the wheels just fine. Obviously you can’t expect the same clamping force as with a Dura Ace QR, but there is no sense in this comparison anyway. For such a lightweight skewer as they are, the clamping force is great and I have found absolutely sufficient and love them.
  - SP
    
    Thanks for your feedback MM. Their definitely on the christmas list! Cheers
Dan Williams

You can get those skewers in the UK for £20! Which is about $30AUS I believe. So a massive saving even with shipping.
Same weight and spec.Link here:http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WSPXTISTQR/planet_x_ti_stick_quick_release_with_carbon_levers
- M.M.
  
  Hi Dan, those AU$30.- are not the Tune skewers. The cheapest I can find them online are Euro80, and they seem to cost around 80-90Euro everywhere, so price is quite stable, and $AU price is deffinately not overpriced as is so often the case with many other boutique components available locally.
  
  The Planet-X gear is just one of many cheap Taiwan made knock-offs. If that is what you are after, then go ahead, buy KCNC, Planet-X, Token or whtever else there is out there. The original skewer of this type of design is the Tune skewer, they were the first to make this design and it was quickly copied by several other manufacturers - understandably. If you trust a no-name or Planet-X on a skewer that’s just fine. I personally would only use and trust the original, as you can be sure that alot of care has gone into making this product the best it can possibly be. Tune take pride in making the best in weight weenie components, and this one, has for me, proved to be no exception. Not only is it another 10g (!), (yes, although only 10g, that is huge for a 30-40g product!) lighter than most of the copies out there, but also, the cup for the excenter clamping mechanism has a special patented dry lubricating system using a molybdenum sulphide coating which means this surface, which on other skewers will wear out quickly and requiring regular greasing, does not need any lubricating. Pretty clever and underrated in my books! Pitty this was not pointed out in the review actually… ;-)
  - Dan Williams
    
    Yeah but its just a skewer. Its not going to fail, the ones that came with your bike/wheel are fine anyway and saving the weight of a bowl of Cheerios isn’t going to help anybody ever.
- M.M.
  
  Hi Dan, those AU$30.- are not the Tune skewers. The cheapest I can find them online are Euro80, and they seem to cost around 80-90Euro everywhere, so price is quite stable, and $AU price is deffinately not overpriced as is so often the case with many other boutique components available locally.
  
  The Planet-X gear is just one of many cheap Taiwan made knock-offs. If that is what you are after, then go ahead, buy KCNC, Planet-X, Token or whtever else there is out there. The original skewer of this type of design is the Tune skewer, they were the first to make this design and it was quickly copied by several other manufacturers - understandably. If you trust a no-name or Planet-X on a skewer that’s just fine. I personally would only use and trust the original, as you can be sure that alot of care has gone into making this product the best it can possibly be. Tune take pride in making the best in weight weenie components, and this one, has for me, proved to be no exception. Not only is it another 10g (!), (yes, although only 10g, that is huge for a 30-40g product!) lighter than most of the copies out there, but also, the cup for the excenter clamping mechanism has a special patented dry lubricating system using a molybdenum sulphide coating which means this surface, which on other skewers will wear out quickly and requiring regular greasing, does not need any lubricating. Pretty clever and underrated in my books! Pitty this was not pointed out in the review actually… ;-)
Steel

This may sound prejudicial and possibly misplaced on a cycling forum, but here goes: weight weenie gear - Lol. Why would anyone bother?
- Tim
  
  Maybe you’re 62kg and already training and it you have lots of money to spend and apparently small marginal gram shavings all add up.
  - scano
    
    Tim, do we know each other?
    - Tim
      
      I don’t know, do we? DM me on Twitter - @velonomad or @tim_marsh:twitter
      - scano
        
        your description of the 62kg rider burning money on small gains sounded a lot like me :)
- M.M.
  
  Well in component manufacturing you always assume a certain rider weight and riding conditions and use… obviously this will vary from one user to the next. So why should a rider that simply doesn’t need components suited to a 100Kg rider, be carrying excessive weight around withthem on every ride?
  
  Also, for a weight weenie like myself, it is the challenge of getting the bike down to a certain target weight, and every step towards this target weight provides a huge sense of satisfaction and achievement ;-) You may have different parameters affecting your choice, like cost, suitability for race, every day, or a certain rider weight … and seeing what is possible with in those parameters is a challenge every time … a challenge we enjoy.
- jules
  
  .. says the guy who bought C24s :)
  - http://twitter.com/jamescbdunn James Dunn
    
    Rotating weight is a big deal, so wheels with light rims like the C24s are great. Dead weight like skewers and bottle cages are another story. Just make a toilet stop before you ride and you’ll get the same benefit!
  - http://twitter.com/jamescbdunn James Dunn
    
    Rotating weight is a big deal, so wheels with light rims like the C24s are great. Dead weight like skewers and bottle cages are another story. Just make a toilet stop before you ride and you’ll get the same benefit!
- Anonymous
  
  I’m over 50, fat and slow but my current Ti bike has USE “Spinstix” weight weenie skewers because I find the design aspects intriguing and they work well.
  
  The bike I’m building now will weigh 9kg but until I had to remove the ISP so it will fit on a Qantas plane it was going to use a Tune “Cappy” mast topper again simply because it’s a wonderful design.
  
  Whilst the object of the exercise may be questionable, some extraordinary engineering goes into these products. The fact that Germany is the world headquarters of weight weenieism probably has some bearing there.
  - Steel
    
    I’m usually the one railing against the curmudgeonly, luddite types when it comes to things like technology, but I guess weight weenies seems to be too much of a compromise away from practicality and overall performance for my sensibilities. However, probably like any subculture, you really need to immerse yourself in it to understand it.
    
    Good luck gents, and keep shaving those grams.
Henderson

Swiftwick for the win! Best socks ever and I’m not even sure why. I wear the wool socks all year long and they are just amazing. I have had 2 pairs for about 1.5 years now and wash them at least once a week and they are still just as amazing as the day I bought them. I love those things dearly (but not enough for a free tattoo).
Pete

This is going to sound like a stupid question i’m sure but i’ll proceed with it anyway…

The blue BBB brake pads - Do they leave blue marks on the rims?

I always feel weird about blue bike parts… My first bike was a bmx that had blue tires, I used to leave massive blue skid marks down my driveway… Those were the days…
- jules
  
  unsure, but this could be a new fad. i want some that make sparks.
Kieran

I’ve used the Tune skewers for years now on all of my bikes - whether road, TT or cross. They look fantastic and I’ve never had one single problem with them. The Tune seatposts are also worth a look at if you like the style and the colour options.
- Kieran
  
  Although I ought to say that you need a degree in engineering or something to be able to work out how to adjust the saddle clamp on the seatpost. It still gets me scratching my head a year on now! Whilst I’m at it, their Kom-Vor + saddle (play on words, German for comfort is Komfort) defies all logic. http://www.tune.de/tune-produkte/komm-vor/
  
  How such a minimalistic saddle can be so comfortable is quite incredible. The carbon flex picks up so much of the road buzz, and so long as you’re wearing a good pair of shorts, that’s more than enough padding. Saddles are obviously a very individual choice - and so the form won’t be for everyone - but I spent many years with a numb backside (or worse!) before I finally settled on the Specialized Toupe saddle. I’ve got a couple of the Toupe’s on various bikes, but to be honest, I tend to switch the Tune saddle between bikes instead. This saddle is that good.
  - M.M.
    
    Hi Kieran,
    
    thanks for sharing, while we’re at it I thought I’d just add my experience with the Tune saddles too… I have the Speedneedle, Speedneedle marathon and had the Komm-Vor for a while too.
    
    The Difference between the Speedneedle and the Speedneedle Marathon is essentially just the width. I run the Speedneedle on the roadbike and the Speedneedle Marathon on the mountainbike. The narrower Speedneedle just seems to be the better width somehow for the position on the roadie, but for the MTB I find the wider marathon is the better choice for my behind. But in general the padding, shape and weight is super comfortable, and have replaced the Selle Italia SLR’s I used to have on every bike. The Speedneedle also seems to be very robust for off road use as it has survived several crashes. What I find a super bonus, is that if purchased through the Australian distributor, and the saddle is worn or broken for what ever reason, they can actually send them back to Tune and they will be repaired or re-covered as needed, I’ve had this done once, and that was the decission for me to stick with these saddles from now on, as I don’t need to replace it when the cover is worn or torn…
    
    The Komm-Vor I had, was also a great shape and much more comfortable than expected, but unfortunately it broke when I crashed with the mtb as the whole bike landed on the saddle, and I reverted back to the Speedneedle then.
    - Tom
      
      How similar is the Speedneedle to the SLR? Thinking of trying one the lightweight carbon saddles and my arse agrees with the SLR shape.
      - M.M.
        
        Hi Tom, how similar? That would be difficult to gauge. I loved the old old Flite titanium back in the day, and then switched to the SLR’s but never felt 100% on them, but still kept riding them as they were the best in weight/price/form, and while I had them I thought I’d give the Tune saddles a go. What I don’t like about the SLR is that it is so flat in the centre, so I get some pressur ethere… the speedneedle needs to be mounted (approx.) flat in the centre, so the back actually comes up slightly. Like this, your body weight is actually transferred by the sitting bones to the padded comfy part of the saddle which is slightly raised from the middle section where the saddle is not (and IMHO does not need it) padded.