11/22/2008

RockShox Argyle 409 - Ready for Some Punish-mint? Words and photo by Trish Petrella As an enthusiastic dirt jumper, I don’t ask much from a fork. I want front suspension that can be fully dialled in to suit my riding preferences, but at the same time is easy to set up and fairly maintenance free. It needs to feel stiff and stable while still offering enough travel to survive even the hardest case. And of course, I want a fork that is relatively light but still strong enough to withstand the endless punishment that only comes with the unforgiving learning curve of jumping and street riding. Is that really so much to ask? Well, apparently RockShox doesn’t think so. For 2007, RS has released the Argyle series, three dirt jump-specific forks that, on paper, promise “everything a dirt jumper needs – strength, function, and style.” There are three versions of the Argyle: the 302, 318, and the version I’m testing, the ‘Punish-mint’ green 409. All three offer Motion Control damping, 100mm of travel, a forged 6061 aluminum crown, the 20mm Maxle 360 thru-axle, and 32mm tapered steel legs. Each model is available in Punish-mint and white, with the 302 also available in black.

Minty freshness, just waiting to lay the smackdown at the local jumps || Photo: Trish Petrella

Retail pricing for the 409 retails is US$570, while the 318 is $450 and the 302 is $400. If you’re on this side of the border, talk to your nearest RS dealer for Canuck pricing.

When it comes to gloves, my needs are pretty basic. I want a product that offers good value for the price. “Good value” to me means proper fit for my hand, something that doesn’t fall apart after a few rides and a wash, and acceptable colour. I don’t expect gloves to last a lifetime so I don’t want to spend a fortune on them, either. I had the opportunity to put the new Mace Shackle gloves for women to the test and here’s how they stacked up.

Fits like a...
Sizing can be a bit arbitrary when it comes to clothing, especially women’s clothes. Depending on the designer, sometimes I’m a size 6, other times I’m a 10 (I always feel better about my purchase when the tag says I’m a 6… even if it isn’t true.) I’ve never actually measured my own hand before, but to give you an idea of what size hand fits in the medium women’s glove, I pulled out the ruler. My hand is about 3” inches across the widest part of the palm and 7” inches from the top of my middle finger to the wrist. Does that mean I fall into the “man-hand” category?!? I think not. The medium fit me like a …well, like a glove. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

And in case you were wondering, the women's Shackle gloves fit differently than the men's - they have a narrower palm and longer fingers, and they come in smaller sizes. A women’s glove may not necessarily fit every woman's hand, but it gives women an option that they might not have otherwise had.

Glistening white Shackle gloves - they didn't stay this white for long || Photo: Stuart Kernaghan

Durability and construction
The triple reinforced synthetic leather palm and rubber TPR armour has been designed for durability. I’ve only got a few rides on the gloves so far, so I can’t really say how they will hold up in the long term, but Mace guarantees the quality of fabrication for a year from the date of purchase. More importantly, the stitching on the gloves was straight and the material doesn’t bunch where it has been joined, both of which are good signs of quality construction.

The ride test
The moulded Airprene (light neoprene) stretch back panel offers a snug fit and moderate, cushioned protection for the back of the hand. It also made the gloves warm - my hands were sweatier than normal in the Shackles, and I’m not sure I’d be too keen on the Airprene panel come mid-summer. If you get a bit warm on the trail, the standard cotton terrycloth thumb patch provides good sweat absorption for the brow. It also makes for a cozy snot rag.

Another issue I discovered was that the slip-on gloves were a bit of struggle to pull on and off, compared to gloves with a hook-and-loop closure. The tab you’re supposed to use to pull the gloves on is pretty small, so it was hard to grip it. That being said, once the gloves were on, they were on and the fit was snug. I’m curious to see if they will stretch out over time, though.

Overall, the Shackles were quite comfortable. I didn’t experience any issues with seams rubbing or material bunching. The fingers, which have square ends, were also a good length.

Fashion and the final word
I’m pretty utilitarian about my clothing choices. I don’t personally like when bike companies release a “Women’s Line” and everything is pink, lavender and baby blue, so it’s cool to see women’s gloves that have a fairly neutral design and are non-descript.

One last thing - I question the use of white fabric, both on the palms and back of the fingers, because it just makes the gloves look dirty and grimy almost right away. I would have opted for light grey to hide the dirt. The gloves retail for CDN$39 and US$35, and they're available in grey/sky and white/ocean. Overall, the women's Shackle offers good value at a good price. What more can you ask for?

MRP Long Range Patrol chainguide
Words and photo by Stuart Kernaghan

MRP is a familiar name when it comes to chainguides for big bikes. The System 1/2/3 guides with their highly visible orange rollers have been rocking the pro scene for years, and they've been the choice of discerning riders in search of a top-notch single-ring guide. The MRP - Mountain Racing Products - catalogue is primarily made up of single-ring guides, but the company also makes one double-ring guide - the Long Range Patrol (LRP). The LRP is built on the same framework as most simple two-ring guides: an aluminum boomerang that mounts either between the flange of a bottom bracket and the BB shell on the frame, or to the ISCG tabs, and a stepped plastic roller that keeps tension on the chain.

The basic parts - roller, BB mount, and ISCG mount

The thick guide, complete with stylish holes and laser-cut logo

The LRP comes in both BB and ISCG mounting options, and is available to fit either 30-34T or 34-38T middle rings. Unlike some similar double-ring guides, the LRP comes with either a 2.5mm or 5mm bashguard. Pricing reflects that added part, and the guides are US$109 for the thinner ring and $129 for the thicker. One big difference between this guide (and other new MRP guides) and MRP guides of the past is that the classic orange rollers are gone. That may or may not be a big deal, depending on your fashion sense and desire to colour-coordinate your riding kit. Another thing - the roller is made of a relatively hard plastic when compared to the roller on the e13 DRS guide, so it will be interesting to see how noisy it is on the trail.

Riders on Specialized SX Trails who are looking a two-ring guide should check out the BB-mounted version of theLRP. The ISCG-mounted version doesn't fit on the '06 frame, due to the shape of the driveside chainstay.