Dirt Jumping!!! Thats right, you have to speak with exclamation points when talking about it, and especially if it includes the 2010 Norco 250!! Between the TWO50  Chromoly steel and the Intense Micro Knobby tires, this get up makes the jump transitions feel smoother than DJ Numark, Premier and Cut Chemist. Accompanying the awesome steel frame is the Rockshox Argyle 302 Coil 100, a set of purple Alienation PBR wheels, Avid Juicy 3’s and the Pivotal seat post and seat.  This purple people eater sends it better than Bigfoot in a southern monster truck show, and with even better steez. The integrated seat post clamp, new cable guides and awesome purple color scheme make this bike a contender for anyone in the dirt jumper market. After months of dirt jump abuse, the Norco 250 has handled the best of it, from long Galbraith MTN rides down U-Line, to DJ sessions that seem endless. For anyone out there looking for a great and cost effective Dirt Jumper, the 250 may be the bike your looking for.

Check it out here: http://norco.com/bikes/mountain/dirt-street/250/

MSRP $1375

Tech Specs:

Camera Optics
•    Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m – ∞), glass
•    Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations)
•    Angle of View: 170º ultra wide angle in WVGA, 720p, or 960p mode
•    Angle of View: 127º wide angle in 1080p mode

Video
•    HD Video Resolution Modes: (subject to change, pending final firmware release)
◦    1080p = 1920×1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
◦    960p = 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate
◦    720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
◦    720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
◦    WVGA = 848×480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
•    Sensor Type: 1/2.5″ HD CMOS, 2.2µm-sized pixels
•    Light Sensitivity: Super low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec)
•    Video Format: H.264 compression, saved as Windows- & Mac-compatible MPEG4 (.mp4) file
•    Exposure Control: Auto with user selectable center weighted average and spot metering settings
•    White Balance: Auto

Audio
•    Microphone: Built-in, mono with AGC (automatic gain control)
•    Audio Format: 48 kHz, AAC audio compression

Photo
•    Resolution: 5 megapixel
•    Capture Modes: Single shot, photo every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 secs.; 3 photo burst; self-timer

Storage
•    Memory: SD card, up to 32GB capacity (SDHC)
•    Average recording times (using 32GB SD card):
◦    1080p (30 fps): 4h 21m
◦    960p (30 fps): 5h 26m
◦    720p (60 fps): 4h 21
◦    720p (30 fps): 8h 09m
◦    WVGA (60 fps): 8h 09m

Camera Connectors & Cables
•    PC Connection: USB 2.0 (data connection and battery charging)
•    HDTV Out: HD NTSC & PAL (component cable incl.)
•    Audio Out: Combo 2.5mm jack with stereo audio and composite video out
•    PC Compatibility: Windows® Vista or Windows® 7; Mac OS® X 10.4.11 and later

Power & Battery
•    Battery Type: Rechargeable 1100 mAh lithium-ion
•    Battery Life: Approx. 2.5 hrs
•    Charging: via USB to computer or optional power adapter
•    Charge Time: 80% capacity after 1 hour with optional power adapter; or 2 hours with a computer’s USB port

Waterproof Camera Housing
•    Depth Rating: Up to 180 feet / 60 meters
•    Construction: Polycarbonate and stainless steel
•    Hardware: Stainless steel

Size & Weight
•    Dimensions (H x W x D): 1.6” x 2.4” x 1.2” (42mm x 60mm x 30mm)
•    Weight: 3.3oz (94g) incl. battery, 5.9oz (167g) incl. housing

MSRP= $259.99 – 299.99 depending on package

Intro

The latest version of the Transition Blindside is difficult to categorize. Every time a new bike is released the internet forums buzz with speculation on whether it is best suited for slopestyle, downhill, downhill with some uphill, uphill only, etc… If forced to categorize the latest version of the Blindside I would call it a “modern” freeride bike. Burlier than an all-mountain rig, yet light enough (36-38lbs) to pedal up to the top of any epic descent, the new Blindside is for those riders who are still into earning their turns. Out here in the Pacific Northwest, the birthplace of the Blindside, there are a number of long downhill trails filled with steep rock faces and big jumps, trails accessible only by a long uphill logging road grind. The Blindside is designed to access these goods, while allowing the rider to still have plenty of energy left to enjoy the downhill.

Frame and Components

This latest version of the Blindside loses over a pound from the previous edition, while gaining an uninterrupted seat tube and a tapered head tube.  It also has internal cable routing at the rear chainstay for a cleaner look.  I found that 4mm derailleur housing works best with the internal routing – 5mm is harder to feed through the forward exit hole of the chainstay.  The Blindside’s simplicity adds to its appeal. There are no fancy linkages, just a simple machined rocker link which pushes the shock through its 2.75” stroke. The linkage has Transition’s “chip,” a pill shaped piece which can be flipped, allowing the rider to choose between 6.5 and 7.5 inches of travel.

The fact the all of the employees at Transition ride shows in the build kit put together for the Blindside. The handlebars are wide, the stem is short, and the seat can be raised high enough for efficient pedaling due to the uninterrupted seat tube. Avid Elixir CR brakes paired with 8” rotors provide ample stopping power, while Truvativ Holzfeller cranks combined with an E13 SRS chainguide system work with a SRAM X-9 rear derailleur to keep things moving forward. The Blindside rolls on a Transition Revolution 32 wheelset with a 10mm QR. I’ve been running a bolt on rear wheel for the past few seasons, but I didn’t encounter any problems with the QR setup on this wheelset, and quickly came to appreciate the ease with which the rear wheel could be removed for tire changes or truing. Traction is taken care of by a pair of Maxxis Minion DHF tires, both in 2.5” width.

Suspension is handled by Fox, with a DHX RC4 in the rear and the latest iteration of the 36, which now has 180mm of travel and updated internals, in the front. I chose the VAN version due to my personal preference for the feel of coil sprung suspension, but an air sprung Float is a viable option as well. Both front and rear suspension components are incredibly tunable according to the rider’s preference. High and low speed compression damping are individually adjustable on both, while the rear shock also has adjustable bottom out force and progressiveness. The compression settings for the rear shock are not really adjustable on the fly. The high speed compression damping knob requires a 2.5mm hex to adjust, while the low speed is adjustable without tools, but is a fairly small knob to spin, particularly if you have big hands. I did find myself using the low speed compression adjustment before any extended climbs – I’d increase the damping to firm up the ride, diminishing the amount of unwanted suspension movement.

After a few rides I notices that the spring in the VAN 36 fork was quite loud, rattling against the inside of the stanchions. It wasn’t anything that was affecting the performance, but it was affecting my peace of mind. I pulled the spring and heat shrink wrapped it, the fix suggested by the techs at Fox. This fixed the rattling, and the fork worked well for the rest of the test.

Riding

It’s fun to drool over the shiny frame and colorful parts on a new bike, but how it rides is what really counts. Luckily, the Blindside doesn’t disappoint. My first ride was at Galbraith Mountain, in Bellingham, Washington. This local riding area is littered with jumps and berms, the perfect area to dial in a new bike.  A gravel road  leads to the top, which is where I noticed the lighter weight of the bike – it felt more like a shorter travel XC bike than a bike with 7.5” of travel.  The climbing position was comfortable; upright, yet balanced with enough weight over the wheels to prevent traction loss.  I’m nearly 6’ and was able to get enough leg extension with a medium frame.

Point the Blindside downhill and its true strength emerges: jumping.I’ve never been on a bike that wanted to jump more than this one. Whether it’s the light weight or the short chainstays, the Blindside sprang off of lips or hopped over roots with minimal effort. Once in the air it felt extremely nimble, and I had no trouble pointing it into safe landing zones. The suspension was balanced and smooth, absorbing everything I could throw at it. I took the bike to Whistler to see how it handled higher speeds, a test it passed with aplomb. It was stable at speed, with impressive suspension performance. The washboard brake bumps at Whistler are punishing on any bike, but this one turned a blind eye and kept on going.

The Blindside is not a DH sled. This doesn’t mean it cannot handle steep, technical terrain, it just means that the rider needs to exhibit a bit more finesse – more like an F1 driver, and less like a monster truck driver. It took me some time to find the sweet spot of the Blindside on extremely steep descents. I’m used to a longer, heavier bike, so for the first few rides I found myself grabbing too much brake, or using too much body language to steer through corners. Once I realized what I was doing wrong, and lightened my touch on the brakes, it all came together.  I took the Blindside deep into the gnar of the Pacific Northwest and it performed without complaint. Tight trails through towering cedar trees, jumps over creeks, ladder bridge drops onto small, steep, landings, long rock faces, loose, dusty fall-line descents – the Blindside did it all, and still wanted more.

I remaining hesitant to categorize this bike. An all-mountain bike for areas where there are real mountains? A freeslope bike? I’m not really sure – I think I’ll just stick with calling it a mountain bike, albeit one that rips on the downhill, and doesn’t take too much effort to get to the top.

Bike As Tested:  $3944 USD

Like most items associated with all mountain, freeride or downhill biking, normal wear and tear does exist. After 2 months of solid use, we saw minor fraying from Velcro and constant movement. We know there is always a give and take when using various materials in combination. In this case, a strong, high hook velcro is needed to secure the pad and keep it snug and in place. The trade-off to incorporating such a burley velcro can be fraying to the lycra/neoprene panels when the two materials connect. Race Face tells us that they have sourced a new neoprene fabric that is perforated inside to maintain breathability, but incorporates a closed outer layer for a more durability. This new fabric is in sampling now and will be added to the Flank when it returns to the line for 2011. Aside from these small and normal traits associated with riding, we found the Flank Leg to be a comfortable and effective piece of protective gear. If you are in the market for new armor, check out these and more products from Race Face at www.RaceFace.com

We’ve all had those hydration packs that feel like you’re trying to suck water through a straw out of a fifty foot well. The 2 liter Hydraform™ reservoir has put that problem in the past, keeping my water in place and flowing consistently throughout the ride.  It also makes cleaning and refilling super simple with the integrated full length handle.  A designated isolated zippered pocket for the reservoir keeps the rest of the gear in the bag dry.  I’m serious, Osprey thinks of everything!  Form fitting shoulder and waist straps, a sternum strap with a magnetic bite valve held the water where I needed it, and kept it out of the places I don’t (handlebars).  Excess strap holders kept the extra cinch straps in place and not flapping about in the wind.  Mesh elastic internal slots kept my tubes, pump, mini tools, and granola bars in place while it even had an internal mini clip to hold on tight to the car keys.  Osprey’s Lidlock™ innovation is BRILLIANT!  A hard plastic elongated clip with integrated elastic straps to slide through the openings of nearly any XC helmet and keep it locked on the exterior of the pack.  Probably my favorite feature is the mesh, nubbed back panel that sits against your back when the pack is on provided excellent spine to pack comfort and well as ultimate breathability.  Appropriately named AirScape, it does just that, allows the hot sweat and perspiration that comes off your back to evaporate and escape keeping you and your shirt dry.  When it’s time to upgrade your biking, hiking, trekking, and other outdoor packs, leave it to the pro’s at Osprey Packs to deliver.

Osprey Raptor 6 Key Features: 180° On-Off Pivot Bite Valve, Bike Tool Organization, AirScape™, HydraForm™ Reservoir, HydraLock™ Compartments one, two, three and four, Internal Key Clip, LidLock™, LidLock™ Adjustment strap, Magnetic sternum strap buckle, NoScratch™ Top Slash Pocket, Stretch Woven Front Pocket

Con’s: No Full Face helmet carrying straps.

www.OspreyPacks.com

Troy Lee Designs D3 MSRP: $450.00

www.SPBicycles.com

www.FiveTen.com

Anyone that has been riding these cranks from the get-go, knows that Race Face has always catered to a simple and easy-to-use design that still delivers an incredibly light & stiff performance crank-set. All Race Face XC cranksets feature the new ‘EXI’ interface external bottom bracket system for easier crank installation and removal with standard tools and a fully adjustable chainline. Aside from the usual traits of a quality product, which often can be seen through material choice like that of the 7050 and 7075 Aluminum Alloys, craftsmanship runs deeper with Race Face. They go above and beyond the normal quality standard by stuffing bearings with factory filled, Phil Wood waterproof grease – tested & proven to extend bearing life. From the awesome products that we didn’t think could get any better, Race Face continues to refine and better their product year after year. Aside from these awesome cranks, they have Bars and Stems that compliment the groupo which also hold high reputations. Check out more from Race Face at www.RaceFace.com

The distance, endurance and time-line of the racers in this film can only be seen by most bikers in dreams, or nightmares, and certainly is what some people might call impossible.  This documentary of the 3000+ mile race taking place over the course of 10 days, shows the dedication, mindset and agony of such an amazing event.  In a race with a 52% completion rate, most riders find that it is “the” impossible, but for a certain few, its the journey of a lifetime. We would recommend this movie to anyone that appreciates cycling and the thought of epic journeys. Check out the trailer at www.BicycleDreamsMovie.com