[test] CrankBrothers 5050 Pedals

1-year test on a DH bike (Iron Horse Yakuza Kumicho)

Regarding the look, the 5050 have a quite seducing design. The bicolor concept that CrankBrothers imagined is a success. The brand has even declined the "colormixer" concept in an online customization tool.

But on tracks, those pedals are less convincing. First of all, you have the unpleasant feeling that the pedals are heavy. For sure, it's possible to find models that are about 100g lighter, but pedal weight shouldn't be the most important concern for a DH pilot. The fact is that contrary to other flat pedals models that are monobloc, the CrankBrothers 5050 are made of two main parts. It turns out that this conception is responsible for a kind of inertia, at the expense of dynamism. Quite embarrassing when it comes to riding... In addition, though the 9 pins on each pedal side, the adhesion is not so good. It's a shame... but the worst is just coming.

Actually, talking about freeride or dowhnhill also means vibrations. The point is that the pedal body and each plate are assembled with 2 little screws (meaning 4 screws on each pedal and 8 for the pair). As a direct consequence, under vibrations, I rapidly began to loose some of the screws. I thaught it was my fault because of a lack of maintenance so I tightened the remaining screws. But nothing changed and once again I lost other screws during next riding session, enough to force me to abandon the plates, making the pedals flawed. Quite irritating! So I put back my previous 20€ pedals and evretything became easier, with reliability and reactivity, kind of thing you can expect from this type of product.

As a conclusion, the CranckBrothers 5050 pedals suffer from a great innovative desing that is not adequate to extreme use. Simply unacceptable from an unafforable product.

Note : 9/20

Features

Intended use: DH/Freeride
Weight 558g per pair
Body anodized 6061-t6 aluminum
Plates anodized-t8 aluminum
Spindle forged scm435 chromoly steal
Pins 10mm set screws
Includes 2nd plate set, long pin kit
Price: 80€


Official Web Site
www.crankbrothers.com
Official 5050 product page

[Critical Analysis] The modern heroes

Extreme sports are not made for champion. Actually, in such sports it's interesting to look at the recent emergence of new personalities, who are clearly different from standards one. In downhill mountain bike in particular, it's significant to notice that Nicolas Vouilloz, who won 10 Downhill World champion titles is definitely not so popular than Cedric Gracia, who has never won any substantial title, but who's an icon in this extreme sport. The reason is obvious: of for sure Nicolas Vouilloz has been the most professional rider ever in his approach of the competition, using high-tech equipment, such as computerized data acquisition system similar to that used in Formula 1, to get the perfect bike tune. But in the end, he has been too serious and has never been a funny rider as Cedric Gracia is.

The point is that Cedric Gracia takes part in Freeride films and in a lot of major Freeride event. He's a well talented pilot who always appears relaxed and does not pay to much attention to the results. Most of the time, his first concern is to enjoy and to be the showman.

This phenomenon reveals the transformation that has operated in the sport during the "fun" years. Those alternative champions have become the new icons of the sports related communication. More and more fans of those sliding sports, even if they do not practice, try to look like these models. And of course, the best way to copy them is to take the easiest part: the look. Precisely, Cedric Gracia is one of the top athletes representing the Oakley brand, a major sponsor in extreme sports. So it clearly appears that extreme mountain bike rests on a deep counter-cultural dynamic that begun with fun sports like Surf, and continued with Snowboard and finally mountain bike.

This analysis is part of a sociological & marketing study I made on eXtreme MTB, released in September 07.

See also a sociological analysis of the new school trend.

[test] Giro Remedy Helmet

Official description…

The fiberglass-shelled Remedy offers the same level of protection, ventilation and attention to detail as its sibling, the Remedy CF, and manages it all at a nice price. It's perfect piece for long days at the bike park, dirt jump sessions, or cleaning sketchy epxosed lines, it's quickly become a top choice by riders all over the globe.

Test results after 1 year...

Well, I had no serious head crash over this last year so I will just tell you about the riding feeling! But when it comes to the safety, a Giro full face helmet should prevent you from a lot of pain... The first good point with this product is that you can hear and talk with people around you when wearing the helmet. Can be useful... Then, I've tried several helmet in my riding life and can assure you this one is really comfortable, especially regarding the price. It's no problem to wear it all day long, thanks to a great ventilation design. In addition, even if it's about 15% heavier than the Remedy CF (Carbon Fiber), you can easily forget it when riding. In the end, a good full face helmet that definitely worth the money!

Note : 16/20

Features

- Full face helmet with fibreglass shell that allows extreme rider the best protection at an affordable price
- Design and styling heavily inspired by Moto helmets
- EVA Lined Chin bar for added protection
- 14 large vents with deep internal channels allow unprecedented levels of ventilation for a full face helmet
- Rear vent is covered to add protection for the rider whilst allowing hot air to be drawn out quickly to avoid over heating
- Three position bolt on visor allows plenty of adjustment to suit the rider
- Lining can be removed for washing to increase hygiene and the helmet lifespan
- Weight: Approx 1050 grams
- Meets the CE EN1078 standard, and the ASTM 1592 standard for Downhill use
- Price - 149 €

www.giro.com

[test] Avid Code 5

Released in 2008, the Code 5 have enlarged the Avid brakes range for freeride and downhill, positioning as more affordable brakes than the Avid Code, known as a reference. A good point for riders who want to get reliable, progressive and powerful brakes at a reasonable price ...

Official description…

This is what happens when a Juicy falls in love with a Code and they have a kid. You get the tenacious four piston Code caliper with the proven performance of a Juicy-style lever, all in one brake system. This baby's been simplified to make it easy on the debit card and the Avid family values are still intact (Caliper Positioning System, Power Reserve Geometry, and drip-free bleeding).

Test results after 4 months...

Test made on Avid Code 5 in 203 mm Front / Rear (2008 model) on an Iron Horse downhill bike (Yakuza Kumicho)

Although the Code 5 are "cheaper" than the Code, quality and finishing remain excellent. Regarding the assembly, the ambidextrous desing for the levers is great and will especially satisfy motorcyclists. No adjustments are necessary, since the positioning of brakes pads is automatic.

Heading towards test field for a riding session. Actually, from the very firsts high speed brakes, the brakes appear to be really powerful. You could almost forget that you’ve new pads! This first good impression gets even stronger in normal use, once brake pads are operational. A real pleasure to use… The Code 5 are precise, respond to the finest touch and remain enduring even in the most demanding conditions, in mountains. Untill then, I was using the Hayes HFX-9 on my DH bike… Well, no comment! I’ve just discovered what braking meant.

Note : 17/20

Technical specs
Code 5 Facts
Intended use: All Mountain, Freeride, Downhill
Finish: Dead Moss Gray body/caliper and black lever
Special features: Four piston caliper, Tri-Align™ Caliper Positioning System™, Power Reserve Geometry™, Center-mount adjustable banjo, Ambidextrous, Split Clamp/Matchmaker™ compatible, Drip-free bleeding, Indexed reach adjustment
Rotor sizes: 160, 185, 203mm
Fluid DOT 4
Weight 447 g (160mm rotor, fixation Post Mount)
Average price: 280 € Rear/Front pair (vs. 400 € for the Code model)

Avid official site (Avid is part of the SRAM Group)

[video] Red Bull Rampage Evolution Highlights

Best Freeride Event Ever!


Released on Freecaster.tv

I Like it!

But why the hell Marzo is better than Fox, Manitou or Rock Shox?

I have an idea...

U got the point? ;-)

By the way, the brand offers great goodies on its website so just have a look at it!

Photo credit: wwww.marzocchi.com

[video] Take It To The Next Level

How Nike is doing Integrated Marketing Communication...
Discover more on nikefootball.

[Mood] So impatient to be back

Too many weeks I wasn't able to keep riding on my bike all day long... But things are gonna be a lot different in the next few days and dh-blog.com is gonna come back for real!
I'm so impatient to be back in DH...
;-)

to be continued...

[Critical Analysis] The Oakley unconventional marketing strategy

In a decade, Oakley glasses and surfwear have become very popular into the world of free sports. Actually, Oakley sunglasses are the most sold among surfers, snowboarders and mountain bikers. With their futuristic design, Oakley is the reference of sunglasses.

In the 90's, Oakley began to enter the sport market by handing out many pairs to the top athletes in order to make them become regular wearer of Oakley sunglasses. Contrary to the majority of the sponsors in sports and especially in the free sports, Oakley has developed a distinctive marketing approach. For instance, you will never see any formal advertisement in magazines about the brand. Actually, Oakley marcom strategy relies essentially on the use of influential athletes to promote the brand image and to make the consumer aware of the company's product performance. In addition, the Oakley's endorsements are obtained at little or no cost. Compared to the annual turnover of the company - $ 762 million in 2006 – Oakley spends less than $ 20 million towards its endorsers. Oakley also hired managers coming directly from the professional sports. In Europe, the man in charge of the follow-up of the athletes is Eric Minozzi, a former Bmx race World Champion.

When it comes to analyze the success of Oakley in the extreme mountain bike, several reasons can be highlighted. First of all, Oakley has always based its product strategy on the quality, associated with an innovative and futurist design. The price has never really been a constraint, and Oakley did not hesitate to choose the exclusive rights or luxury side. In the computer industry, Apple applied the same strategy and receives today the benefits of such strategic choices. So these long-term strategies are profitable in both cases. But this does not explain the specific success of Oakley in free sports and typically in the extreme MTB industry.


The fact is that Oakley was judiciously able to take a stand on growth segments, as extremes sports. Their recent boom played a direct role in the success of the “O” brand. Above all, Oakley used a really efficient marketing strategy, which combines influential athletes endorsement and a local strong involvement on specific events, as on Freeride contest in mountain bike for example (the strategy is the same in Snowboard, Ski, Skate or BMX...). As a result, the exposure of the brand is very high on young public. Especially in the mountain bike industry, the marketing strategy has been strongly efficient and today, Oakley does not even need to release advertisement in the mountain bike magazines. The thing is that Oakley is part of the background in the DH industry.

Internet is also a major communication vehicle in the brand’s communication policy and it is particularly relevant for a brand that targets a young public. In 2007, a new version of the official Web site, far more complex and successful was released. Colin Baden, President of Oakley Inc., stated:

"Our new Web site represents another major step in our strategy to integrate, improve, and expand Oakley brand-development."

In addition to the official website, Oakley develops a blog, the OakleyBuzz, that communicates on the performances or major event in which Oakley is involved. This type of communication through a blog is totally free for the company and works towards the buzz on the brand in the same time.

So Oakley strategy turns out to be well integrated in the different media vectors, made at a global level, at a low cost. This commercial success is the outcome of a very well thought marcom strategy. Key aspects of the strategy include athlete's endorsements and selective distribution through high-end retailers and specialty stores. According to the Oakley annual reports, these elements of Oakley's brand-building strategy work together to increase the perceived value of the company's products.

[video] NWD 8 Trailer

For those who wonder what is eXtreme Mountain Bike...
Official Site : www.nwdfilms.com - Freeeride Entertainment

[Critical Analysis] New School MTB

Following the example of the fun sports like snowboard, new school mountain bike is above all an underground sport. A French author, Alain Loret, has described the sociological fundamentals of this new kind of sport, known under the generic term of sliding sports, or free sports. He has analyzed the roots of the free sports and has highlighted that all the marketing strategies made by brand nowadays rely on the fun spirit.

According to Alain Loret, the free sports are directly related to sliding sports. However, he defines sliding sports from a socio-cultural point of view – sports associated with a kind of counterculture – and not from a technological point of view – sports instrumented to slide. As a consequence, according to him, skating does not belong to sliding sports, contrary to the mountain bike. This fundamental distinction is the result of the appearance of a new kind of modern sports values.

The world of the traditional sport is made of classifications, measurements, which allow distinguishing the first from the second, the record from the absence of record. It is made of figures, and takes places in a cultural system of numerical nature, that can be qualified as a “digital sporting culture”, as explains Alain Loret. On the other hand, the new forms of sports that have appeared since three decades include other dimensions like sensitivity and subjectivity.

Most of the alternative sports appeared after 1970 and still continue to develop today. They usually are in direct connection with the nature. Actually, they are always individual sports and they presuppose a kind of rebel attitude, a specific language and a look. This is what Alain Loret calls "The sliding generation" in his book. The point is that sliding sports cannot be reduced to an innovative repertory of techniques or to a simple physical activity. Actually, it has to be considered rather like a new configuration of values, behaviors and motivations that strongly differ from the traditional sports model. Sliding represents a real kind of sporting counter-culture, which is clearly different from the traditional sports that are basically built on federal organizational structures.

This analysis is part of a sociological & marketing study that I realised on eXtreme MTB. Released in spetember 07.

Contact

[portrait] Photographer

Lorence Sterling is THE photographer of alternative MTB. Coming from Vancouver (British Columbia), he's in charge of a lot of Ad' campaigns for wellknown brands like Race Face, Fox, Adidas, DaKine or even Oakley. His artwork also includes photo shooting in other sliding sports, even if he's especially famous in the MTB industry. Every top rider has already met Lorence Sterling at least once. This men particularly knowns how to bring out the natural landscapes where the riders are moving about, whatever the weather conditions or the radiance is. A reference... His web site need to be visited, with a quite sober design but a real attention payed to aesthetism. Just take a look…

Copyright photo : SL
3w.sterlinglorence.com

[Photos] Urban Pro Race

Who has ever said Paris wasn't a good place to ride ??? The first Urban Downhill race took place this summer at Montmartre, one of the Paris' top sites for tourists, just in front of the Sacré Coeur... Watch my photos on facebook.

Find me on Facebook as Romain Simonin...

[EN] www.dh-blog.com's coming soon...

The english version of www.dh-blog.com is under construction and will be available very soon.
Until then, you can contact me at contact@dh-blog.com.

Thank you for your comprehension.

Rom1