Ride strong all winter long with the best bikes, accessories, and apparel.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELEMENT 50: An XC Speedster The Element wants to go fast. The simple frame design and finely tuned four-inch suspension system are designed specifically for racing. You’re going to feel some bumps beneath you and probably get a little saddle sore—the rear suspension only really kicks in if you hit something big. It’s a trade-off in comfort that results in one of the most responsive cross country bikes on the market. You pedal, and the power is immediately transferred to the bike, resulting in lightning fast acceleration and no wasted energy. The Element 50 comes with a great suite of components for the price tag, including the Fox Float rear shock and Fox 32 front shock and a Race Face crank. $2,500; bikes.com
FISHER ROSCOE: The All Mountain Beast The Roscoe is big and burly, from the tubing to the massive 2.41 sized tires to the 6 inches of travel on the front and back. It’s meant to go big and take hits. The Roscoe can actually climb really well, but it comes alive on downhills, soaking up waterbar drops and rock gardens like a sponge, thanks in part to the Roscoe’s suspension system. The All Mountain Roscoe debuted in 2009 as the first Fisher bike to employ Trek’s ABP rear suspension, which keeps the rear suspension active while braking, giving you more control when you need it most. A few design tweaks like flattened tubing, a tapered head tube, and oversized axle improve the bike’s lateral stiffness and give it precision handling you don’t normally find on beefy bikes. $2,729; fisherbikes.com
CLOTHING + COMPONENTS 1. SRAM XX A double chainring and 10 speed cassette—two in the front, ten in the back—makes for a highly efficient 20 speed mountain bike (compared to the standard 27 speed). The new system increases shifting efficiency while decreasing weight. Lance rode the SRAM XX to a victory at Leadville this year. Be prepared to pay for this revolutionary technology: $430 crank set, $330 cassette, $265 rear derailleur, $119 front derailleur; sram.com
2. Lezyne Smart Wallet Loaded It’s small enough to fit into a cycling jersey or seat pack, but has dedicated pockets to keep all essential tools organized. Plus there’s a pocket for your cash and credit cards. Our tester liked the waterproof pocket that’s big enough for most cell phones. $39.99; lezyne.com
3. Mavic Creek Jacket This bike-specific rain shell is packed with impressive features, most notably the dual zippers on the back that expand the jacket so you can keep your pack dry during a thunderstorm. We tested the Creek on a ride when the sky turned black and the heavens poured and we’re happy to report the top half of our tester was bone dry. $430; mavic.com
4. Helly Hansen Trail Wizard Jersey Put it on at the beginning of the ride when you’re cold, and keep it on until the end of the ride when you’re sweating, because it breathes so well and wicks moisture so effectively. $55; hellyhansen.com
5. Dakine Amp 18L Pack This hydration pack is full of biker-specific features like a tube and pump sleeve, fleece- lined sunglass pocket, integrated rain cover, and exterior helmet carry. But of all the bells and whistles, our tester liked the click out Hydrapak reservoir the most. It allows you to easily separate the reservoir from the hose and pack, making refills at sinks and streams a piece of cake. $90; dakine.com
6. Zoic Opulent iPod Shorts Do you really need to change the song on your iPod mid-ride? Zoic put iPod controls on the outside of the Opulent’s right pocket, allowing you to skip songs, pause, and crank the volume with ease and safety. $120; zoic.com
7. Lake MX 140 You mountain bike all year, so you need a cold weather shoe. Lake’s new MX140 incorporates an eVent bootie, which makes it far more breathable than previous winter offerings, but still keeps Jack Frost off your digits. Our tester also liked the simplicity of the Boa lacing system. $189; lakecycling.com
EXPERT FAVORITES Eric Wever is an endurance biker who blogs about every single ride he takes. He’s also the mastermind behind the mountain bike sufferfests Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race, Double Dare, and The Most Horrible Thing Ever. What’s the one piece of gear he absolutely can not ride without? Time ATAC pedals: “You get a consistent clip in and release despite mud, dust, snow, or ice, with a positive and audible ‘CLACK’ when you clip in or out. Superior bearings too. And they last for years and years.” Time has made some updates to their ATAC pedal, but Wever is loyal to the original design. What does he do when he needs a fresh set of the discontinued pedals? “Ebay.” $169; timesport.fr
