opportunity

BikeRadar?first reported on Loopwheels last month, during coverage of the Bespoked Bristol show.?Since then, the spokeless suspension concept has thrived via a pledge on crowdsource funding website Kickstarter, smashing an initial ?40,000 target.

Loopwheels have clearly captured the imagination of many, and when we were invited to trial out the innovative carbon wheelset both on and off road we jumped at the opportunity.?The Loopwheels were installed on a Dahon folding bike, the very same bike you’d receieve if you pledge ?950 or more through the Kickstarter project.?

On road

Out on the road, the Loopwheels accelerate in a way that you’d expect from a regular 20in wheel. Despite stomping the pedals we were unable to determine any unusual feedback.?

While coasting or doing a trackstand, if you pump your bodyweight through both the pedals and bar you can feel the additional compliance the Loopwheels offer over spoked hoops. It’s not an easy sensation to describe but we’d say it’s not far from the sort of inherit flex a longboard or skateboard provides.

The rear Loopwheel on the Dahon test build

Potholes and gravel paths are smoothed out dramatically. Similarly, road buzz is dialled out to an unusual and satisfying level. We tried our best to upset the wheels both under high speed cornering and violent braking but lateral stifness was never an issue and the steerer/handlebar assembly of the Dahon test bike was flexing considerably before the wheels even got the chance to.

The only real negative we experienced was an occasional creaking from the Loopwheels, something that designer Sam Pearce is aware of and is currently addressing for production models.

Off road

We were also invited to trial freshly assembled Loopwheels on an off-road test mule. It was certainly a unique build – starting off life as a Cannondale Hooligan, it now runs a pair of Loopwheels, complete with a hydraulic disc at the rear and an 8-speed hub gear.

The front end of the off-road bike really was impressive, a combination of the travel offered by the Loopwheels and the use of Schwalbe’s Mow Joe BMX tyre resulted in predictable traction and a level of comfort that a 20in-wheeled rigid bike probably shouldn’t be able to provide.?

The Loopwheels off-road test mule

The rear end felt similar but not quite as confidence inspiring, occasionally feeling a little spikey. Designer Sam Pearce knew the exact issue – in order to make way for the 8-speed hub gear, a small amount of material had to be removed from the carbon limbs of the wheel, altering the spring rate and ride characteristics considerably.

Yet this first effort clearly demonstrated just how much extra capability Loopwheels can add to a rigid bike. We managed to ride red-graded mountain bike trails on a 20in urban bike at a respectable pace, while having fun to boot.

First impressions

In their current form, the Loopwheels are a useful and unique solution for those who want to add comfort and versatility to a compatible bike.?

Now is an exciting time for Sam and Gemma Pearce, the couple behind the Loopwheels project – the Kickstarter cash injection will ensure the tooling necessary to get the product on the market. Complete build Dahon folders equipped with Loopwheels will soon be available; expect a price of somewhere around the ?1,200 mark.

Meanwhile, development of Loopwheels in other sizes will also continue, with 26in and 29in versions already in the pipeline. If one thing’s for sure it’s that we haven’t heard the end of this story. Sam Pearce has succesfully reinvented the wheel!

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MADISON, WI (BRAIN) — With more than 2,600 votes recorded, a 5th grader from Missippippi won Saris Cycling Group’s third annual poster contest.

NORTH VANCOUVER, BC (BRAIN) — Giant Bicycle Canada is supporting Sprockids, a youth mountain biking skills and leadership training program. Doug Detwiller started Sprockids over two decades ago as a club of 50 elementary school children in Gibsons, British Columbia. Since then the program has gained international recognition and involved thousands of young lives in 19 countries.  “We are thrilled by the opportunity to partner with Doug and his Sprockids program

Thomson have been the industry standard for seatposts and stems?for what seems like forever, so the opportunity to ride their new Cross Country carbon bar was not one we wanted to miss.?

The geekery is that it’s made from Toray carbon fibre blended to provide a balance of strength and flex – this isn’t about ultimate strength or helium-like weight. An off-centre clamp allows a flat ride or, when reversed, an 8mm drop, which is ideal for 29ers.?

Weighing just 186g at the full 730mm (cut marks run to 40mm each side in 5mm increments) it’s hyped as an ‘all day’ bar, and with that in mind it was duly fitted to our everyday Whyte work bike.

It’s a demanding ask because this is the bike that gets to go where the whim of the location editor dictates. It changes daily, and swapping the setup is impractical – this bike has to cope with whatever the terrain demands, with no excuses for not having the right kit fitted.?

The Thomson has been in position for five weeks now and… We’ve barely noticed. That’s a good thing. When you consider the requirement has varied from tricky technical descending to open moorland climbs to playing on singletrack in the woods, it’s a very good thing indeed.?

To provide comfort and accuracy to a photographer whose pack weighs the same as?a small car is a big ask, yet the Thomson Cross Country carbon bar delivers with beautiful subtlety. Impressive.?

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

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BOSTON, MA (BRAIN) — BMC Switzerland is now sponsoring 2012 Paralympic Games competitor Steve Peace. Peace suffered a life-changing stroke in 2006, and since then has battled back to become one of the top para-cyclists in the world.  “Having the opportunity to work closely with such an amazing individual and athlete as Steven is exciting for us at BMC,” said Devin Riley, BMC Switzerland’s director of U.S.

WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN) — Trek will donate $200 to a rural South African youth program for each Project One Trek sold with a special MTN-Qhubeka team paint job. “By purchasing an MTN-Qhubeka bike, riders will actually be buying two bikes; one for themselves and one for a child in rural South Africa that will gain a way to get to school, carry clean water or other supplies, and increase their chances of creating a better life for themselves,” Trek said in a statement Friday. MTN-Qhubeka is Africa’s first UCI-registered Pro Continental team.

WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN) — Trek will donate $200 to a rural South African youth program for each Project One Trek sold with a special MTN-Qhubeka team paint job.

WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN) — Trek will donate $200 to a rural South African youth program for each Project One Trek sold with a special MTN-Qhubeka team paint job. “By purchasing an MTN-Qhubeka bike, riders will actually be buying two bikes; one for themselves and one for a child in rural South Africa that will gain a way to get to school, carry clean water or other supplies, and increase their chances of creating a better life for themselves,” Trek said in a statement Friday.

WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN) — Trek will donate $200 to a rural South African youth program for each Project One Trek sold with a special MTN-Qhubeka team paint job.

Via MassBike:

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This year is going to be HUGE for transportation funding. The governor recently announced that he is seeking to pump $1 billion more annually into the transportation system, and MassDOT intends to devote a nice slice of that to bike/ped projects. However, negotiations are going to be tough with the Legislature, and we can’t let biking and walking become a bargaining chip in the process.

Join us on April 11 at the State House to say with one united voice: Pass the Governor’s transportation plan!

We will also be educating legislators on the following topics:

• Safer street design
• Senior Safety Zones
• Lowering speed limits on neighborhood streets
• Vulnerable Road Users
• Prohibiting cars parking in bicycle lanes.
• Snow Removal

Mark your calendars, Thursday, April 11th from 10am-1pm in Nurses Hall at the State House for your opportunity to meet legislators and fellow Bay State advocates. Find more details at the event page (it will be updated as we learn more about the legislation and work out the event logistics). This event is free and open to the public. Last year, biking and walking advocates came from around the state and this year it is crucial that we have an even more powerful showing on Beacon Hill from people who value livable communities, who want safer roads, or just people who bike and walk for fun, fitness or transportation.

If you have any questions, please email Events@MassBike.org. More details to come soon!