Thursday 26 December 2013

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

Thursday 19 December 2013

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