About bikes, cycling and cycle to work - Tredz Blog

NEW Birzman tools

 

Birzman tools 

We have recently added Birzman tools to our product list and last week we had the first of their stock to check out. The Birzman ½” ratchet/wrench set landed on my desk in a green and black box and I wasn’t sure what to expect from the tiny pictures I'd seen on their preview flier, but when opened the box revealed a nice surprise. 

 

Quality construction

The ratchet and the tools are finished a shiny, metallic, almost bronze-coloured finish and the ratchet has a good weight to it - so we knew we weren’t looking at some cheaply made parts.

 

Shimano/Campag fit 

The kit comes compete with a cartridge BB tool for changing Shimano bottom brackets (including ISIS), a Shimano HG cassette removal tool with centre pin, an 8mm and 10mm hex socket perfect for removing crank arm bolts, a Campagnolo bottom bracket and cassette lock-ring tool and a HG cassette tool without the centre pin (used for Shimano centre lock items).

The Birzman ratchet set is a great buy or gift for any home mechanic and it will fill a gap that basic trail tools might leave in your mechanics arsenal.

Birzman have launched into the market with a full range of trail and home workshop tools. They also offer a full tool kit with 40 tools, a really high-end, and somewhat beautiful chain rivet extractor, a digital torque wrench and a range of hand and floor pumps. Check out the whole range now. 

 

Also consider:

Park Tool

Bikehand

View All Tools

 

Introducing the Team Tredz

Team Tredz is a new Cycling Development Team, set up with the aim of providing more racing and coaching opportunities for talented and highly motivated young riders in the area.

Our aim is to gradually introduce riders to higher levels of competition at a pace that suits them.

 

Riders will be provided with all the help and support they need including individual training plans analysis and feedback, team training rides and on road coaching,  introduction to race tactics and advice with bike set up, maintenance and diet through a series of workshops.

Team Tredz will work closely with the local Bynea Cycling club right down from grass roots level, through to the senior club and encourage more youngsters to more races, and by also organizing local grass roots Youth racing. The team will develop their personal skills by helping the younger riders at club sessions and attending open evenings organised by Team sponsor Tredz Bikes.

 

Over the coming weeks we'll introduce you to the individual team members in a bit more detail. Watch this space. 

NEW Endura Urban clothing.

At Core Bike Show earlier this week we got a sneak look at some of Endura's upcoming ranges. There are two main lines that we were suitably impressed with, the Urban and the MTR range. (We’ll talk MTR at a later date)

The Urban range is a more casual range of clothing aimed at riders who are looking for cycling functionality, but with looks that wont make you look out of place in your local on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon. 

The Urban range currently contains a soft-shell jacket, with low back and cycling derived pockets. The jacket immediately caught my eye as I walked in the room, even though it was the most understated thing in the room.  

There is a pair of shorts and trousers, both tailored to have a slimmer fit and might be popular with urban riders (not that I am an expert), but they have a very cool design. Both come with Endura’s bespoke belt. 

There was a base layer, which is constricted in a high-neck style with buttons and is made of Merino wool. So essentially they have taken a Baa Baa Base layer and styled it to look like something else.

Finally, there is a Glove and skullcap. I didn’t really get a look at the cap but the gloves look they belong in the glove box of a sports car. Very classy in design and made of leather and the usual stretchy fabrics that make Endura gloves work on the bike.

The Urban range is due to arrive with us in the summer and we’ll testing it out when it arrives in store.

Core Bike Show part 2

Continuing on from yesterdays Core Bike Show pictures, here's a few more highlights.  

John Tomac's Yeti C-26, XC AND downhill bike! Well it was the 80's. Sign reads, "C-26 JT Team Race Bike... Price: Priceless". 

 

This is E thirteens latest pedal. Not the thinnest in the world but thin enough. The gold dial on the end of the axle, dubbed 'spin control allows adjustment of the buttery smooth bearings. Turn up the resistance and the pedal hardly spins meaning if you are coming off the pedal for any reason (corner, trick) they are easier to find when you need to get your foot back on. 

 

Since the UCI relaxed regulations on Cyclocross bikes using disk brakes, hydraulic options have been popping up everywhere. The Parabox is one such system - this one is connected to a bike with Campag brakes.  The modulation can be altered between the front and rear independently and the feel is surprisingly good. 

 

Hope also had their Cyclocross brake on display - with the usual Hope styling, the CX brake resembles a V8 engine. The lever feel was pretty close to a normal Hope hydraulic brake. 

 

POC had the usual colourful selection on display. They are now offering a D30 pad that looks great and fits perfectly. 

 

ODI Flight Control bras with 'Wingtips' so you can customise the length of your bars by adding a screw in bar-end. Available in 700mm and 750mm options. 

Core Bike Show 2012

We took a trip down to Core Bike Show this week. Core is a trade only affair but we took some pictures for your viewing pleasure. 

 

Danny Harts UCI World Cup winning Giant Glory. We looked closely, and it is pretty much standard (name on side-walls aside). Our verdict... he is 'that' fast. He was around the show but was far too quick to catch a picture of. 

 

Birzman were in the Merida room with this great looking pro toolkit/work stand. A Must have for any team. 

 

Ever wondered what fi'zi:k shoe would look like if they took some kangaroo leather, hand stitched it in Italy, used sails for the straps, stainless steel for the buckles and carbon fibre for the sole? Well now you know! They'll set you back £299.99.

 

Nectar is a new energy product form For Goodness Shakes. Tasted great - more info on these soon. 

 

Brooks saddles... in colour. Beautiful. 

 

Really excited about the NEW Endura Urban range. More info and a full write up coming soon. 

 

More tomorrow...

Core Bike Show 2012

You may be aware of Core Bike show. Unfortunately if you don’t work in the cycle industry you won’t have had the chance to go. Core is an industry only bike show based near the Silverstone racing circuit and is a chance for a manufactures and distributions to show their 2012 lines and hint at their upcoming releases.

We are going to be taking our regular yearly trip to Core on Monday so expect to see full coverage here on our blog, on facebook and our twitter feed. If you have any question we can pass on to our reps or feedback about the products, let us know and we’ll pass it on.

Mountain bike dates for you diary 2012

2012 is looking like it’s going to be a packed year for mountain bike racing. The Gravity Enduro series is back and as strong as ever, we have a race in Essex that some people like to call the Olympics and either Freecaster or Red Bull are going to be running a worldwide downhill series.

So, if you have an empty diary for 2012, here’s some dates that might help you fill it:

Gravity Enduro series

Gravity Enduro, if you don’t know, is the newest kid on the block in the MTB race calendar. Based around trail centres, Gravity Enduro sees riders climb up the hill at their own pace and race back down, making it the ultimate ride and race your mates kind of event.

Mountain Mayhem

One of the original and best 24hr races, Mountain Mayhem is up there with the must-do races for any mountain biker. We visited last year and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.

22nd, 23rd, 24th June

WDMBA

Originally founded by a Tredz staff member, the WDMBA continues to run the South Wales’ premiere DH series after Dragon downhill’s reign ended.

28/29 Apr, 16/17 jun and 8/9 Sep

Halo British Downhill Series (BDS)

The Uk’s number one Dh race series. You’ll go head to head with the likes of Gee Atherton, Steve Peat, Brendon Faiclough and the best of British race talent.

14/15th April Combe Sydenham
12/13th May Fort William
7/8th July Glencoe
Nat Champs 21/22nd July Moelfre
4/5th August Caersws
25/26th August Bringewood
22/23rd September Llangollen

Megavalanche

The 2600m downhill/endure race is an annual pilgrimage for hundreds of Brits. This year three Tredz team members will be racing it. Watch this space.

16-22 July

DH UCI world Cup

The Crème de la crème of DH talent – you’ll need UCI points from the BDS series to even dream about entering, but it’s a great event to watch in the flesh or on Freecaster.tv.

17/18 March

02/03 June

09/10 June

23/24 June

30/01 July

28/29 July

14/15 September

Kokanee Crankworx

Big Air and style is the theme at Crankworks. If you are one of the lucky few who gets to ride in Whistler then you might be in town for the Crankworx event. If you want to enter, you are going to need A LOT of practise and an invite. 

28/29 July

Olymipcs - Cycling, MTB

With the worlds oldest sporting event coming to the shores of the UK this year, the Olympic mountain biking held at Hadleigh farm in Essex has to be on the list of things to watch. Sadly, us mere mortals wont get to enter but I'm sure it will be all over your TV. 

11/12 August

Videos worth a watch

While browsing around the interweb last weekend I came across two video lectures that as cyclists and mountain bikers, you may well be interested in. The videos come from a website called ‘Do Lectures’ which is a conference held in Builth Wells every year.

The first video is by the Godfather of Welsh MTB trail centres, Dafydd Davies. He explains how he developed Coed-y-Brenin trail centre and how official centres have grown out of Forestry Commission land. Fascinating for anyone truly interested in where the trail centre has come from and where it is going. Be warned, you’ll need forty mins to watch in full, but it’s well worth it. 

 

 

The second is a from a cyclist and Author called Rob Penn. Rob talks about building his perfect bicycle, and goes into details of the history of the bicycle. A shorter lecture this time, just under 22mins, but again, well worth a listen.

 

If your browser does not support iframes, please visit Dafydd Davies or Rob Penn

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Thanks if you bought from us, rode with us (...likely overtook us) and for reading the blog in 2011. We've got big plans for 2012 (world domination etcetc), so make sure you check back - but for now we wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Our opening hours over xmas are…

Online	In store
24th - Closed 25th - Closed 26th - Closed 27th - Open 8.30 to 4.30 28th - Open as Normal 29th - Open as Normal 30th - Open as Normal 31st - Closed 1st - Closed 2nd - Open 8.30 to 4.30	24th  - 8.30am-4.30pm 25th  - Closed 26th – Closed 27th – 8.30am-4.30pm 28th - 8.30am-6pm 29th – 8.30am-6pm 30th - 8.30am-6pm 31st  - 8.30am-4.30pm 1st  – Closed 2nd - 8.30am-4.30pm

 

Top 5 posts

Well it’s that time of year, mistletoe and wine, Christmas parties and hangovers, lights, snow (here’s hoping) and a bit too much food. It’s been a fairly good year – a cold winter followed another crappy summer, an economic downturn and the usual ups and downs. But at the end of it all we are still spinning the wheels as much as ever – if not more, with a lot of people switching from cars to save the pennies.

We just wanted to say thanks to everyone for reading our blog this year – and to all our highly valued customers… and also to the staff who help with the input into this blog and pick up on my spelling mistakes – sorry about those too.

Next year we have lots of plans in the pipeline at Tredz towers – our youtube video channel is going to see a lot more videos and loads more informative content for you, the blog is moving over to a new system to make it look better and more readable for you and we will be doing loads more testing. We are really hoping to up our game, and we’d like to welcome any feedback or suggestions from you.

We will also have lots of competitions so keep an eye on Tredz Talk and our facebook and twitter pages for more info.

 

Here are a few of our most popular posts from 2011:

 

Specialized 2012 mountain bikes

Specialized bikes always get a fair amount of attention and this year’s introduction to the 2012 range went down pretty well.

Giant Bikes 2012

Giant aren’t usually far behind Specialized although they usually let the bikes do the talking so the marketing isn’t as shouty, but still of high interest.

Specialized Road

Unsurprisingly, Specialized’s road bikes comes in at third – a great 2012 range and well deserved rank of 3. 

Winter cycling gloves

It’s clear that lots of people out there have cold hands. Our best winter gloves post was 4^th most popular this year, and it’s only been online a few weeks.

Winter training tips

Our Elite Athlete Dave gave us some winter training tips and looks like some of you must have been interested. IT’s great advice – check it out if you missed it.