Mo' xtr.

Cycling dirt is not a bad way to while away a rainy sunday morning after an oversized, over-meaty brunch. It would be hard to miss the fact that the BC bike race has been going on recently. Having spent a little time riding in BC, this is a race i would seriously love to do. Not particularly to *compete*, more to experience the epic trails and epic hospitality. Now epic is an oft overused word, but it is entirely appropriate here...

A quick video of stage highlights.

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And some helmet cam action.

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The BC bike race also marked the end of the xtr embargo. Paul Thomasberg (spend a minute reading that mtb hall of fame entry, well worth it) and his rad mallet finger was there talking to Harlan Price about the features of the new kit. Paul was a hammer on the race scene several years ago and now heads the skunkworks team for shimano developing new groupsets, primarily xtr. He clearly demonstrates his technical savvy in this video. Harlan Price is an experienced and superfast endurance/stage race/super D rider and someone i respect greatly. He asks the insightful questions.

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One of the interesting explanations is of the dynasys system. A specifically orientated chain, with a close front ratio chainset and wider ratio block at the back (and hush now! an altered cable pull to shift ratio). The idea is to remove the sudden jumps when changing between the front rings - making the shift similar to one multi-release (2 cog) drop or gain at the rear. If you have ever used multi-release, the concept of having this extended to front shift jumps is great.

But, as mentioned before, it is the brakes that are the belle of the ball. September can't come soon enough.

Oh: and epic? overused?