Aerozine Bottom Brackets

The Bottom Bracket is a fairly uninspiring but vitally important component on your bike.

Most of us, (including me in the past) when we need a new one go online and purchase the part that suits your particular groupset of choice.

The question is can your bottom bracket do more for your performance than you realise and at an affordable price?

The answer with Aerozine Ceramic BBs is without doubt YES and you have the added bonus of being able to personalise your bike with a choice of colours.

Now normally the mere mention of ceramic bearings makes your wallet groan and baulk at the prospect of separating with a 3 figure sum. Well that needn't be the case with the Aerozine ceramic bearing bottom brackets available from NRG4 Dealers. Lets be clear about one thing, ceramic bearings are significantly better than standard bearings and will help your performance, its not going to turn you into Chris Froome but every bit helps...... right.

Aerozine bottom brackets are available in Road & Mountain Bike versions and I am working closely with Aerozine right now through NRG4 to produce bottom brackets using washers that will fit both MTB & Road #clever. They come in 2 versions with standard bearings and ceramic bearings in a multitude of anodised colour options to bling up your bike to make it stand out from the crowd.

Since becoming a shareholder in Nrg4 I have said to many people that I believe the Aerozine brand is a hidden gem of the cycling industry, when people actually see the products the penny drops with the quality of the finish and craftsmanship shining through.

Aerozine Standard Steel Bearings have an RRP of £19.99.
Aerozine Ceramic Bearings have an RRP of a staggering £44.99.

Is it going to last as long as a Hope or Chris King Ceramic BB..... No but at this price you shouldnt expect it to. A Chris King ceramic BB can set you back as much as £195

If you maintain your bike well after wet dirty rides and dont just throw it in the garage then these BBs will give you lots of ceramic miles for your money. With all the anodised colours at your disposal you can also pimp your ride and make it totally unique to you. My Black Red Onix RH Pro has been fitted with Red Aerozine BB, QR titanium skewers, spacers and chainring bolts that really made a difference to the bling factor.

So if you want to make that little extra difference to your performance and the look of your bike then you wont go far wrong with these on your mountain or road bike.
You can find your nearest dealer here and if they dont have any in stock they will be able to order one for you and you can browse more of the excellent Aerozine Range here.

Thats it for now.

Ride Strong

Craig

Kali Phenom Road Helmet

In my previous life with Onix Bikes I was lucky enough to ride prototype bikes before they were launched and now at the helm of Nrg4 I get to try out all manner of new cycling products & components before they launch or become available to the public. Its a burden im willing to bear !

Nrg4 is constantly being contacted by brands who want to establish a place in the UK cycling market. When Kali Helmets, or Kali Protectives to give them there full name blipped on our radar I have to confess I didnt know much about them at all. On reflection the reason for this is that I am a keen roadie, up until now Kali have concentrated and built their considerable cycling reputation in the MTB and Downhill market.

I took a look at their website and they had a wide selection of high quality helmets in those 2 category's as well as some sweet bmx and kids offerings. The problem I had is that the one road version advertised was quite obviously just their top end MTB helmet with the peak removed and it didn't look like a road helmet.

So we contacted them voicing our concerns that the road market is exploding in the UK and that a more extensive range is required for us to consider the investment. The reply came back with a certain swagger "we have a new road range for 2014 and we will send you a sample". 5 days later a Kali Phenom road helmet landed on my desk and it changed EVERYTHING !

Kali Phenom Green And White

 The 1st impression that hits you when you see the Phenom is the sleek design and cool colour scheme, when you remove it from the box its the light weight, this is a feather weight weighing in at an astonishing 280g for the medium which puts it out there as one of the lightest helmets on the market, if not the lightest.
As a long head I have always had a problem with finding a lid that doesn't look like a huge mushroom on my head, my Giro Atmos obviously offers protection but it makes me look like a toadstool.
Upon wearing the Phenom for its 1st outing a quick look in the mirror was pleasantly greeted by a reflection bearing no fungi whatsoever.
The reason for the lack of fungi quality's and lightweight is explained by Kali's market leading Composite Fusion Plus carbon moulding which put in simple terms uses cones in the composition which allows for less structure being required to acquire the same strength and protection #clever.

Kali Composite Fusion Plus

I have been wearing the Kali Phenom for a number of weeks now and I can honestly say its the best most comfortable helmet I have ever worn, "You would say that" I hear you cry seeing as I am at the forefront of the business selling it in the UK. Well I am going to back that up with some facts. I have already mentioned that it is very light and aesthetically looked by far the sleekest and coolest helmet to ever sit upon my swede without a mushroom in sight.

Lightweight & Sleek Styling

The other major benefit I have found while wearing this helmet is what Kali call the Bumper Fit system which is unique. The area at the front of the helmet has a membrane that cushions and moulds to the shape of your head. We have all stopped at the cafe and seen your fellow rider with little red marks on their forehead where the helmet has rubbed slightly, these are called hotspots. With the Kali bumper fit system that is present on both road models the helmet adjusts to fit you and eliminates hot spots for extra comfort.Also included are supervents that give you great circulation to help keep you cool in the summer,a dial adjust system which allows you to adjust the fit with one hand which is another neat little feature,aero winter cover and bug liner.

Phenom Technology's

The Kali Phenom is going to be available in 4 different colour schemes from March 2014 and will retail for £149.99. I could continue to wax lyrical but some products just speak for themselves and you can just see the quality of the Phenom in the image gallery below.

Kali Phenom Black & Yellow

Kali Phenom Red & White

Kali Phenom Black & White

 If your budget cant quite stretch to the Kali Phenom then the new Kali Loka road helmet also offers fantastic quality and tech at a lower price point. It has 2 models that will be available in Black & Red from March 2014 and features composite fusion plus, bumper fit, dial adjust, aero winter cover and bug liner for £89.99

Kali Loka Red

Kali Loka Black

Loka Technology's

If you are thinking of treating yourself to a new road helmet for next season then I assure you these are worth waiting for as I believe they are going to be the best road helmets on the market for the money next year in the UK.

Thats it for now..

Ride Strong

Craig

Do You Ride By Feel Or By Numbers

I WROTE THIS POST IN EARLY AUGUST AND FORGOT TO POST IT.



Every rider is very different.

We all have different strengths, ability and goals.

I have been lucky enough to get some quality time in the saddle during July, More monthly miles than I have done in many a year. Most of these miles have been solo and I have been pushing myself with challenging rides climbing multiple fells or pushing it on the flat.

Even though I have suffered big time on these rides I have fallen back in love with riding my bike again and remembered why I started cycling in the 1st place.

While I have been cycling I have always rode on feel and I personally wouldn't have it any other way.

Velominati Rule 74 is very clear

We are in an age now where a plethora of information is at your finger tips to assist your riding.

Cadence, Watts, Heart Rate and many more.

They all have their place for sure but the question I have asked myself on recent rides is whether this actually enhances or detracts from your actual riding experience.

As mentioned above I prefer to ride on feel and always have. I do however own a Garmin Edge GPS cycle computer so im afraid its another velominati rule that I break on a regular basis. I have a heart rate monitor  and a cadence sensor but they're still brand new in the box.

The main credentials I use my Garmin for are

• Avg Speed
• Distance covered
• Heading (I like to find out which direction the headwind is early on in a ride)
• Gradient (Usually id rather not know)
• Time Of Day
• Time Of Ride
• Navigation when I have plotted a new route.

I love my garmin, I couldn't ride without it........ Or could I ??

My post ride ritual usually is

1. Put the bike away
2. Slump in a chair
3. Make a recovery drink
4. Drink recovery drink
5. Download ride to Strava & Garmin Connect
6. Shower
7. Pour over all the stats from my ride in great detail
8. Do whatever the wife tells me to do seeing as ive just spent 5hrs craigy time on the bike and try to be enthusiastic

So clearly post ride I love to study my stats. I have used Garmin Connect for years and recently I have been seduced by strava once I sussed out how to best use it constructively.

During July I have tried to leave my Garmin on the map screen as much as possible during my actual rides in an attempt to embrace the ride..As a result I have enjoyed the riding experience far more as a benefit.Also I have posted some of my best riding statistics for over 5 years during this period.

Why do I ride my bike?

Its certainly not to spend most of it staring at a little screen worrying about what heart rate zone im in or what my average speed is.

I ride my bike to be out in the fresh air, taking in all the sensations that hit my senses, to spend time with pals & to feel that utter freedom that riding your bike gives you.

From experience I know where my limits are, I know when to just try and stay below my lactic acid threshold, I don't need a heart rate monitor to tell me my rate is up I can feel it in my body,I know that little tingle I get in my finger tips telling me to eat about 30mins before a hunger knock.

Im not interested in racing so maybe I am just an Old Skool type rider in a more modern age.

Just try one ride without your computer or pop your garmin in your back pocket and you may realise what you have been missing out on.......... The Ride !

There are many many hours after the ride to study the statistics.

Cheers for now.

Ride Strong.

Craig

P.S Please feel free to subscribe to my blog by adding your email address in the box just under the TDF countdown clock.I am going to be really stepping it up now with regular posts and reviews on the way.

Veloviewer:- Strava Stats On Steroids

Recently I posted on my twitter page that if you are a strava user and you like breaking down your ride stats then you should be using veloviewer. It had an incredibly positive response as most strava users seemed to be unaware veloviewer even exists.   

Veloviewer is an external website that imports your strava data and displays your stats in a much more detailed way.

Its very easy to use, you just log in through your strava account on the veloviewer homepage then click on the update button to load your strava data and your straight into stat heaven.

All your activity's are listed with every stat you can think of.

You can see all your segment positions, detailed breakdowns of segments including gradient diagrams that is very cool.

You can find your strava rivals as well as many more cool stats to look at.

What is even more amazing is that Veloviewer is free to use but please make a donation as the guy responsible has obviously put a lot of work into the site for our benefit.

You can follow Veloviewer here on Twitter.

Take a look you wont regret it..

ENJOY!!

Ride Strong

Craig

Buying A Bike That Is Right For You

Many riders have a good understanding of bike geometry and if this is the case you will know all about what is written below.
If you don't then this blogpost might be of assistance the next time you are purchasing a bike or certainly if you are buying your 1st bike.

One of the many things that I learned while running the Onix brand is that buying a bike is a very considered purchase. So it should be, buying a high end carbon road bike is for most people one of the biggest investments they will ever make in a piece of leisure equipment.

With there being so many brands and types of bikes to choose from these days it can be very confusing to know what bike is right for you.

A lot of riders, particularly the younger generation just want to ride the bike they see their idols riding on the TV. Even as the previous owner of a niche brand I totally understand that, I sit here writing this from the perspective of previously being the owner of 3 Trek carbon bikes from 2003-2006 on the back of being brainwashed by the Lance Armstrong story.

Before I get into this in a little more detail, I would advise that you never buy a bike without having a BIKE FITTING session. If this is not offered as part of your purchase then I question whether the retailer really has your best interests at heart.

The first thing you need to get straight in the old grey matter is 
"What Type Of  Rider Are You"

The type of frame geometry that will suit someone who wants to do some racing against someone who just wants to ride sportives or do cafe runs are very different. All the brands do different  models with different geometry's so you can still stay loyal to the brand that you like.

So where do we start?

I have always felt that the biggest pointer towards what type of bike has been produced is the Head tube length. (See Below)

A smaller head tube leans towards a more racing machine and a larger head tube points towards more comfort and the sportive market. 

Why is This?

Its quite simple really a smaller head tube has a lower front end and gives the rider a lower more aero aggressive position. The taller head tube sits the rider up in a  higher position which is more comfortable for longer rides and easier on the spine.

A taller head tube is better for riders with back problems or the rider who is a little older and less supple than they used to be.

Another key element is the seat tube angle. 
The seat tube angle is between the chainstay and seat tube (See below)

On a more sportive orientated bike the seat tube angle will be larger. This softens the ride slightly thus adding a little more comfort. The machine aimed towards performance will have a steeper angle which stiffens the ride and has the riders weight more on top of the bike thus improving speed and performance.

These are just 2 parts of many explaining how geometry can effect the ride and characteristics of your bike. I believe these are 2 key components that you should take into consideration when buying a new steed to improve your chances that its going to be right for the type of riding you are going to be doing.

I realise that you may just go with the bike you have always dreamed of owning and that's fine as long as it fits properly.
All im saying is by giving it a bit of thought, the bike you ride can be totally fit for purpose and further increase your enjoyment of this fantastic sport.

Cheers for now
Ride Strong

Craig

My Bike

I suppose I am in quite a unique position because I ride round on a bike that I sourced, helped develop and designed the look of. 
I cant fully explain how it makes me feel when someone comments on how much they like my RH Pro whether it be actually on a ride or at one of my many cafe stops. #Pride
I get asked a lot about what specification I run so I thought I would go through it and explain why I went for the options I choose.

My Onix Black RH Pro

Frameset

Onix RH Pro

If I'm being honest I went for the RH Pro mainly because as the Owner and Founder of the brand at the time I had to be seen to be riding the top of the range machine. Both of the RH models came out of the testing programme with similar performance credentials. The RH Pro geometry however did suit me better with the smaller headtube getting me a bit lower at the front end. Also the chainstay flow bottom bracket layout provided a slightly stiffer ride and power transfer.

Chainstay Flow Bottom Bracket

Groupset

Shimano Ultegra Grey (Mechanical)

The 1st bike I ever bought was a Lemond Alpe D Huez that came with Shimano 105 on it, I've been a shimano rider ever since. If that bike had come with Campag or Sram I would probably still be using that brand today. I have always thought that Ultegra has a great spec for the money, its light, the shifting is precise and reliable. I have never thought that the massive jump in price for Dura Ace is worthwhile for a rider of my average talent. Its not like im going to go over Waddington Fell minutes faster is it, in fact I will go up at exactly the same speed probably. It will always be Ultegra for me and the Grey looks killer on the stealthy RH Pro design.

Ultegra Grey Groupset

Wheels

Shimano RS80 C24 carbon matrix

I have ridden many deep section wheels over the years from respected brands to prototypes. These were chosen almost entirely from a vanity point of view because they without doubt make your bike look the business. In time though and a few crosswind rides later experience tells you that as an all round wheel it doesn't make sense. I have used these shimano wheels for a long time and always used to send Onix test bikes to the magazines with RS80 hoops on. They are light, roll really well and are well equipped to cope with all those nasty pot holes.Getting spares is very easy if you need them and you can ride them in any weather conditions.

Shimano RS80 C24 Wheelset

Bars & Stem

FSA K Wing Carbon Bars/ FSA SL-K Stem

There is a little bit of vanity and performance involved in the choice here.

When I'm climbing I always like to have my hands on the top of the handlebars so the flat profile of the K Wing Bars are very comfy. They are also very light and I like the compact bend on the drops. Everyone knows your bar and stem have to match brand wise, its in the rules,right ??

The vanity comes in because the red on the bars and SL-K stem are a perfect match to the red on the frame ;-)

FSA Finishing Kit

Tyres

Continental GP4000s Clincher Tyres

Very early on in the Onix journey I was told to always send test bikes to the media with GP4000s tyres on. Just a great all round performance tyre with good grip and puncture resistance.

At the end of the day its great to tinker with your bike or treat yourself to a new one. I know from the Onix testing program in the past that some are definitely better than others but one thing will never change.

Its the person sat on it that will bring it to life with good form.

Cheers

Ride Strong !

Craig