Ceramic bearings are often represented as the ultimate way to minimize rolling friction on your bike. The influx of ceramic bearing development into the bike industry sparked needed focus on reducing rolling friction in bearings. However, the reality of why some bearing designs are faster than others doesn’t always align with what is presented. With…
A version of this article was originally published in Triathlete Magazine Since the August 2009 “Tech Support” on bearings was published, I’ve been asked some good follow up questions about choosing bearings and bearing ratings. Question 1) “I’m not that technical. What is the biggest thing to focus on when choosing a replacement bearing?” Look…
A version of this article was originally published in Triathlete Magazine In the April 2009 issue of Triathlete, in the Tech Support column, there was an article that mentioned ceramic (hybrid) bearings and recommended a Grade 3 bearing or better. From the Internet, I found that some manufacturers say Grade 5 bearings are the best…
There were carbon bicycle wheels over twenty years ago, don’t get me wrong. However, very few of them were considered durable enough to be everyday riding equipment. That has all changed today. Many carbon wheel offerings in the ’90’s and early ’00’s were deep and aero, but could also be terrifying for many riders when…
While today’s gravel bikes see a range of component and gearing options, ranging from compact road to subcompact wide gravel, this was not always so. Just a few years ago, gravel road bikes all included a “compact” 50/34 crankset that was the same crankset as a dedicated pavement road bike had. In 2017 Praxis Works…
From bikes like Niner’s MCR and Moots Routt YBB to Lauf’s Grit forks, suspension is an emerging trend in gravel road bikes. Gravel roads can often be rough on their own and going off-road on your adventure bike means encountering even more jostling. Suspension on a gravel bike makes sense for many riders. One of…
By Jim Weaver, Service Manager Emeritus, Fit Werx, Vermont I retired as Service Manager at Fit Werx in Waitsfield, Vermont at the end of 2018. Shortly before retirement, I acquired a Parlee Z-Zero XD frameset. Spending just shy of 10 years building hundreds (if not thousands) of bikes, and servicing an equal number of client…
In early winter 2017, my wife and I decided to each have one of our top rated adventure/gravel bikes, the Moots Routt RSL, built to match our fit and ride needs. About 60% of the roads in Vermont are dirt, so the Routt RSL seemed a logical place to expand our horizons. After over a…
Cervelo, Factor, Felt, Parlee, Specialized and Trek all make nice tri bikes that we carry. If a tri bike from one of these brands fits you well, we don’t have any hesitation recommending it in terms of the bike building capability of the brand. All of these brands know how to build a high quality…
After ten years, I retired from full-time work as Service Manager at Fit Werx, in Waitsfield, Vermont on January 1, 2019. While I may make the occasional guest appearance with a wrench, my days of full-time management and working on bikes has come to a close. In exchange, I hope to have more time to…
Why write about the 2018 Cervelo P2, you ask? The P2 has been around forever, the frame hasn’t changed in a few seasons and you’ve written about it before. What is left to be said? Well, in one form or another, yes, the P2 has been around for quite a long time. My wife’s aluminum…
This article potentially holds life changing (at least ride changing) information for many riders. Seriously. Most chronic discomfort on a bike has a true solution and proper bike fit is only part of that solution. Read on to learn the “secret” of Bike Fit 2.0 and how to resolve chronic and on-going pain and comfort…