Tech News – May 30, 2003

Edited by Paul Mirtschin

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Sauser's secret saddle

Not a secret now
Photo: © fi'zi:k

Round #1 of the XC World Cup in St. Wendel, Germany saw Siemens-Cannondale's Christophe Sauser race to the top podium atop the new fi'zi:k Gobi XC saddle. The unreleased Gobi uses the same Wing Flex technology as their new road saddle, the Arione, currently underneath Giro d'Italia maglia rosa leader, Saeco's Gilberto Simoni.

The new mountain bike saddle uses the patented Wing Flex and Tail Flex designs. Sauser was among fi'zi:k's select group of 40 professional and enthusiast riders involved in the saddle's design and development. Sauser has been riding the Gobi throughout his 2003 training and racing season.

Sauser said, "It's a perfect shape - especially at the rear lip. I have such good control especially in steep climbs because I don't have to worry about sliding off the saddle."

Wing Flex allows the legs more room to stretch and is claimed to maximize the power to pedal ratio. It is also claimed to improve ergonomics benefiting the muscles, as well as the blood circulation system, reducing pressure on both Alcock's channel and the pudendum nerve and artery. Tail flex is a flexible shock absorbing rear section of the saddle

The Gobi will arrive on the market in October. The introductory model with a carbon reinforced shell and titanium rails has a targeted weight of 230 grams and a $110 price tag. It will feature a new two-tone black cover design.

Sauser's new shock

Shocking
Photo: © DT Swiss

Christoph Sauser's Cannondale Scalpel was also sporting a new rear shock supplied by DT Swiss. The new SSD 210L shock features the same easy-to-use lockout, 40-point rebound and large air chamber diameter as other SSD 210L, packaged to fit the Scalpel's rear suspension.

The SSD 210L shock for the Scalpel will be available in June 2003.

DT Swiss has also announced that it will be making Hügi 240 hubs compatible with Shimano's Centre Lock disc brake mount. The new hubs come in at 136g (F) and 258g (R), 14g and 54g lighter than their XTR counterparts.

The Hugi 240s hubs feature the same stainless steel, quad-bearing system as standard Hugi 240 hubs. Shimano, Inc. licenses the Centre Lock rotor mounting system.

Rodriguez and First Endurance team up

First Endurance has announced that it will be teaming up with U.S. sprinter Fred Rodriguez for the 2003 racing season. Rodriguez, who races for the Division I Italian Sidermec, has recently won the second stage of the Tour of Rhodes, finished second in Italy's season opener; the GP Costa degli Etruschi, and won two stages in the Tour of Georgia last month.

Robert Kunz, Sr. VP of Research and Development at First Endurance says, "Having Fred Rodriguez involved with First Endurance is a big step for us. First Endurance has a new recovery product in development right now. Fred's input and feedback on prototypes will be invaluable moving forward."

Federal Court issues injunction against AD-II

A federal court has issued a permanent injunction against AD-II, prohibiting the sale of the company's twist shifters that were found to be in violation of an SRAM patent.

The ruling by the U.S District Court for the Northern District of Illinois last week follows the March 27, 2003 Order of the Court that found infringement of SRAM's patent and prohibited any future sales of the infringing products.

The order specified "AD-II and its officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys, and those persons or entities in active concert or participation therewith" to be permanently constrained from infringing on SRAM's patent "by making, having made, using, offering to sell, or selling in the United States, importing into the United States, or inducing or contributing to such making, using, offering to sell, selling or importing by others into or with respect to the United States, bicycle gear shifters found in this action to infringe".

Speedplay named official pedal of the U.S. Pro Cycling Tour

Speedplay has become the official pedal company of the U.S. Pro Cycling Tour, which consists of the Wachovia Cycling Series, the New York City Cycling Championships presented by BMC Software, and the San Francisco Grand Prix presented by BMC Software.

"The U.S. Pro Cycling Tour is the top pro series in the U.S. and we're excited to be a part of it," says Speedplay designer and CEO Richard Bryne. "We think Threshold Sports does a tremendous job of promoting cycling in the U.S., and we are happy to be able to join in their effort to raise the level of American bike racing."

Full suspension Playboy bunnies

Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles has announced that the Playboy X-Treme Team will compete on Ellsworth Isis bikes in all of its cycling-related competitions this year. The all-woman team competes in gruelling long-distance races worldwide, including the 24 Hours of Adrenalin events and Eco Challenge expedition adventures.

Playboy Playmate Danelle Folta formed the Playboy X-Treme Team in 1998. The squad, which has grown to include 25 Playmate athletes, competes in endurance and extreme racing events in order to fulfil its mission of promoting women's health and fitness.

"Ellsworth, like Playboy, represents the best in the market: fun and adventure, Ellsworth is a perfect fit for the Playboy X-Treme Team."

Suppliers for Ellsworth/Playboy X-Treme Team bikes include Maxxis International, SRAM, and Fox Racing Shox.

Curiak Sets New Kokopelli Record

Curiak's bike
Photo: © Airborne

Airborne sponsored ultra-distance off-road cyclist Mike Curiak recently completed the gruelling 146-mile Kokopelli mountain bike race with a new course record of 16.00.35, besting the previous record by three hours.

Near the high point of the course, on North Beaver Mesa, Curiak, aboard the Airborne B-29; a 29 inch wheeled titanium mountain bike, pulled ahead of the group by several minutes. Curiak recounted, "While rolling through Rabbit Valley I calculated and recalculated the approximate time I might finish. The prospect of 16 hours made me pretty excited. To take my mind off the finish, I kept running through the mental inventory that keeps me online through events like this:

Feet: sore; eat some Naproxen, Legs: cramping; pound water and eat a Tums, Knees: okay, Butt: a little raw; stand up! Stomach: running on empty; eat a gummy worm and a Cliff Bar, Hands: good, Eyes: need a few drops of Visine, Bike: perfect"

After the technical descent to Salt Creek, climbing up the Troy Built trail, and then pedalling out onto Lion's Loop for the home stretch, Curiak attacked the last 20 miles through a headwind and made the final push to finish at sixteen hours and 35 seconds.

"Exhausted, euphoric, and delirious, I hadn't even dismounted the bike before I started wondering where I could have saved 35 seconds along the way. Obsessed, with a capital O," Curiak exclaimed.

Photos

• Mike Curiak's Airborne B-29
• The fi’zi:k Gobi; as used by Christophe Sauser
• Another look at the fi’zi:k Gobi
• DT Swiss' SSD 210L; soon for the Scalpel