Gear Break: Primal: Can’t beat the Classics, 100copies new bicycle art print #48 – Journey to Zen, Princeton CarbonWorks PEAK 4550 wheels, PRO introduces the next-generation Stealth saddle range including the innovative new Stealth curved shape, Festka roaring ahead with a stunning car-to-bike design scheme, Lezyne: Perfect Pressure – Anywhere, Anytime and ABUS: Lock It Up!
Primal: Can’t Beat The Classics
FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING ON ORDERS $75+!
100copies New Bicycle Art Print #48 – Journey To Zen
Sometimes, taking our bike out for a ride brings us on an inward journey. Almost like a form of Zen meditation, the noise fades, our mind clears, and all we are focused on is the path before us. The longer and further we go, the more we learn about ourselves and the nature of our mind.
In these uncertain times, cycling has helped many reduce stress and anxiety, and even regain a sense of clarity. There’s much to be gained, so keep calm, and keep riding.
This artwork is inspired by Japanese Zen gardens. Its fluid strokes are created with a bold rake brush to simulate the continuous lines or samon (砂紋) in the gravel, and represent the journey each rider takes.
Princeton CarbonWorks PEAK 4550
A New Milestone in Performance Cycling Wheels Exceptional Handling. Ultra Lightweight. King of the Mountain.
Princeton CarbonWorks announces their all new PEAK 4550, developed in conjunction with the top cyclists in the world; a lighter, stiffer, stronger, and more aerodynamic solution directly targeted at world tour and grand tour racing.
Available in every configuration, (tubular, tubeless ready clincher, rim and disk brake) the PEAK 4550 set weighs as little as 1071g in tubular rim brake guise, with standard tubeless ready clincher versions weighing 1297g for rim brake and 1348g for disc brake.
Development priorities were to create an all-around race ready wheel with exceptional aerodynamic characteristics and the strength and stiffness to transfer high wattages to the ground. The performance characteristics of grand tour riding are perhaps the most difficult to synthesize in a single wheelset. Riders need a wheelset that is light and responsive for the climbs. On the descents, they need predictable and sharp handing. In the valleys, the wheelset needs to be aerodynamic and impervious to crosswinds. And above all of that, the wheels need to hold up to thousands of kilometers of full gas racing.
PCW’s standard non-drilled tire bed facilitates a stiffer outer rim and transfers some material away from the tire bed to other critical areas in the wheel, helping to keep wheel weight low while maintaining high stiffness values.
A limited Launch Edition will be available starting June 26th; standard black graphics and custom options and hub choices will become available later in 2021.
PRO Introduces the Next-Generation Stealth Saddle Range Including the Innovative New Stealth Curved Shape
The redesigned Stealth and new Stealth Curved Saddle models deliver comfort and control for a broader range of rider.
PRO expands its widely popular Stealth Saddle range with the next generation of its signature Stealth Saddle as well as the introduction of the new Stealth Curved that is designed for riders who shift from left to right in their saddle while riding. With such variation in riding styles and saddle preferences, PRO now offers ten models in its Stealth range, all featuring the recognizable short and wide nose design with a trapezoid rear shape. Designed for putting more power through the pedals in a deep, aerodynamic fashion, the newly expanded Stealth range delivers comfort and control for even more riders.
Next-Generation Stealth Saddles
The new Stealth Team and Stealth Performance saddles have been re-engineered with a new base construction that offers a 12% larger anatomic area. This helps reduce pressure while retaining the same contact points and riding feel as the first-generation Stealth.
The anatomic area is reinforced with a triple bridge design that adds rigidity and gives the saddle its distinctive look. The whole package with carbon rails comes in at 161 grams which is a 7.5% (11g) reduction compared to the previous generation.
The Stealth Team Saddle features a carbon reinforced polymer bases with carbon rails while the Stealth Performance Saddle has stainless steel rails. Both models utilize PRO’s broad atomic fit and are available in 142mm and 152mm widths.
Stealth Curved Saddle
Delivering a new shape to the Stealth Saddle Range, the Stealth Curved features a slightly narrower nose than the classic design and a curved profile that offers riders more support to prevent excess side to side movement when pedaling. The Stealth Curved retains the Stealth’s signature short nose design that provides added comfort and fewer pressure points when in an aggressive riding position.
“In our pressure mapping studies with bikefitting.com, we saw a lot of professional and competitive riders who have a tendency to shift from left-to-right as they pedal,” explains Mark Kikkert, PRO Product Development Team Manager. “Whilst this is a fairly natural movement for some, it can also be less efficient for others. Our Griffon saddle is designed to compensate for that, but we also wanted that stability from a saddle that offers a more aerodynamic position. That’s why the Stealth Curved was created.”
The new Stealth Curved is available in two models. The high-end Stealth Curved Team Saddle features a carbon-reinforced polymer base and carbon rails and weighs in at 161 grams. The stainless-steel Stealth Curved Performance model shares the Team’s carbon-reinforced polymer base but is set on stainless-steel rails. It weighs just 43 grams more than the Team edition but offers a more robust build quality.
Both the PRO Stealth Curved Team and Stealth Curved Performance saddles come in 142mm and 152mm width versions. Each model features a wide, stub nose and a broad anatomic fit recess with PRO’s iconic triple bridge design to ensure that flexible riders can tilt from the pelvis into a deep, pursuit style, position.
Pricing:
Stealth Team and Stealth Curved Team: MSRP $220
Stealth Performance and Stealth Curved Performance: MSRP $180
Availability
The new PRO Stealth and Stealth Curved models will be available at retailers starting in July. Riders can visit the PRO Saddle Selector now to see if either of these Stealth shapes could be suited to their saddle upgrade or replacement needs: www.pro bikegear.com
Festka Roaring Ahead with a Stunning Car-To-Bike Design Scheme
The Czech high-end carbon bicycle frame producer Festka is renowned not only for its wound carbon tube technology, but also for its quality paintwork and original design schemes. The company’s highest level of design service has been recently rechristened as You by Festka to reflect the personal dimension of this category. Limited to only twelve slots per year, due to the extremely complex and demanding nature of projects undertaken, You by Festka offers a level of personalization that goes far beyond anything available elsewhere in the industry. This is where clients are encouraged to pull out all the stops and go for it. In reality this takes many forms.
“It’s amazing to see the range of clients who opt for You by Festka,” says Tom Hnida, the company’s art director. “There are people who just want the best money can buy and who leave everything up to our skills and creativity. Then there are clients who have an idea of what they would like and who are keen on participating in the whole process. Those are the most likely candidates for collabs with artists like those who designed the widely-publicized Festka Porcelain frame made in 2019.”
And then there are those rare individuals who know exactly what they want; people who want to be right in the centre of what’s going on. One such client is Antti Peltonen who recently approached Festka with a truly exceptional project. Antti is a lifelong fan of rally car racing. It was in his native Finland where, as a boy in the mid-80s, he fell in love with this motorsport discipline as a boy. That era was the heyday of the short-lived Group B in which the most powerful rally cars ever competed. “It was the roar of the five-cylinder Audi Quattro engines that left an indelible mark on my memory,” Antti reminisces. “As a seven-year-old kid I was blown away by the sheer insanity of how rally stars, such as Hannu Mikkola, Markku Alen, Timo Salonen and Henri Toivonen, drove.”
Already a happy owner of a Festka road bike, Antti was thinking of ordering the Rover, Festka’s revered gravel model, but was waiting for the right moment or some special inspiration. It eventually came when he learned about a compatriot who had built a replica of a Group B Audi Quattro wings’n’all. Antti remembered Festka’s claim that the Rover is the rally machine of the gravel segment and things started to click. However, as a Campagnolo lover, it wasn’t until the launch of its Ekar gravel groupset that he began to take the idea further. Having a background in graphic design, he prepared a very detailed mock-up of his idea for the design scheme. He didn’t leave anything to chance when devising it: “I used the exact HB Audi Team colors from the eighties. They form a very harmonious whole. Someone did a good job choosing them! A rally-car themed bike is nothing without its sponsor logos of course. I put the genuine ones on the drive side and some tongue-in-cheek, modified versions on the other. “Sora” means “gravel” in Finnish, SKF morphs into WTF, and so on. Nowadays most gravel bikes look the same – subtle earthy tones, matte finish, toned down graphics… So I wanted something different. Something not so serious and maybe a bit over the top. And definitely LOUD and FAST like an Audi S1 E2,” he says.
As you would expect from someone as particular as Antti, the components he chose for his Rover are also very well thought out. In addition to the aforementioned Campagnolo Ekar groupset, he opted for new carbon tubeless all-road Shamal wheels by the same manufacturer. “It felt like a perfect match for this build. Campagnolo also has a long history in motorsports, and they have been making wheels for race and sports cars for decades,” Antti explains the thinking behind his choice.
And the race car theme is further developed: “I wanted to capture that Group B spirit as much as possible,” Antti completes the picture. “The Audi S1 E2 was built mostly from German handmade carbon and Kevlar parts, so Schmolke was a natural choice for the bike’s cockpit. Their components are the icing on the cake for this project. Although super light, they’re still very robust and pretty comfortable. Especially the TLO – The Lightest One – seat post which, together with the Berk Composites Lupina saddle, adds to the bike’s overall comfort level. Michelin gravel tires 35-40mm were also a natural choice since Michelin was the tire sponsor of the Audi Rally Team.”
“There was no point in messing around with Antti’s design,” says Tom Hnida. “Our job was to put our skills to work and make sure the design comes out perfect. I’m very happy with the result,” he adds. Reactions to pictures of the bike on social media have been amazing. “One of the best car-to-bike schemes ever,” to borrow a comment from one of the online followers. We couldn’t agree more…
More info at:
Lezyne: Perfect Pressure – Anytime, Anytime
Amazingly accurate, built-in digital gauges make dialing in optimal pressure a cinch.
When every PSI counts, be sure to turn to our lineup of astonishingly-accurate digital hand pumps, featuring digital gauges accurate to within +/- 1.5%.
As tire pressure becomes more and more important with tubeless setups taking over both on dirt and pavement, our digital hand pumps enable you to quickly—and accurately—refill tires after repairing a flat, or simply top off or adjust your pressure for the next climb or descent, letting you ride easy knowing you can dial in your perfect pressure anywhere, anytime.
Featuring a proprietary built-in gauge designed and manufactured in-house at Lezyne, it allows our digital hand pumps to keep a form factor that closely mirrors their gauge-less counterparts, ensuring they pack up small to save space in your pack or jersey pocket while still delivering unmatched accuracy out on the trail or tarmac.
ABUS: Lock It Up
A World With More Bikes – Secure Yours
This summer there will be more bicycles in motion than any time in history. ABUS is German security, and one of the trusted names in the global lock landscape. Below you will find a selection of locks in stock and available both online through the big names, as well as your local IBD. From short-stop locks to heavy-duty chains, a little something for everyone.
Happy to send you a lock or two for review, or provide quotes from the brand on the state of stock and security. As we all leave the confines of shelter in place and start engaging with others and the world at large, it’s important to remember to Lock It Up!
Ultra 410 Combination:
The security of ABUS’ popular 410 Ultra u-lock is now available with a combination locking mechanism. This is attractive and easy to use at an accessible price point.
Ultra 410 Combination Spec:
The Steel-O-Chain 8808C:
The first 8 mm square chain from ABUS that brings massive security, versatility, and a ride-along feeling like none other.
Steel-O-Chain 8808C Spec:
Note: PezCyclingNews ask that you contact the manufacturers before using any products you see here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper / safe use, handling, maintenance and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limitations.
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