REVIEW: 2011 SR Suntour XCM v3 100mm RSLO ( Heavy terrible fork for a terrible price)

RSLO= Remote speed lockout

i got this for because my xct v2 on my trek 3900 2010 had too mutch play and was jut horrible to ride on.so the store ordered the xcm  fork .

First i must tell you the travel is about 40mm not 100. i had a xct fork on mm trek 3900 disc 2010,it had alot of play and was flexing and alot of play when braking hard,but with the XCM V3 fork i don’t get that issue. i have not been riding this fork hard,in fact i had nto been riding mtb with it jsut used it to comute from store to store to home and so on. afther ca 1 year of riding the fork got play specially the left side,noise when braking clicking sounds. the paint on it is glossy black , it did not scratch easely or no paint fallen off yet.

i have ridden this fork in late summer and fall(few times only),winter(few weeks)

pros

• Stiffer than XCT v2 2010 fork,but it still is bending and twisting
• preload
• comes in white and black
• remote cockout
• you can put it on older bike with vbrakes
• 2 color option white and black
• the remote works well,its the same as marzocchi use.

Cons:

• rebound is bad when you sit on the bike,it just does not work, my weight is between 70 and 80kg. Small bumps get abozorbed by the fork,but big bumps the frok will stay compressed. you need to lift the front wheel to get it back to normal posistion.
• no rebound adjusment
• weight,very heavy,i put my rock shox tora from my 6300 on my 3900 biek and its a big improvment.
• Very heavy, poor dampening, doesn’t provide confort.
• my opinion the price is too high compared to rockshox forks that cost little bit more.
• the seals on mine wore out very fast,they expanded so they now got ca 2 mm cap. witch resulted in water and mud got inside the fork.
• tuned wrong for most people
• after ca 1 year i got play and clicking sounds and twisting from side to side,play when braking, feels very dangerous to ride that way i did not take it apart so don’t know how much is wrong with it if there is more.

concllusion: this fork is a terrible and way too heavy fork, don’t get this fork. get a real mtb fork from sr suntour or get a rockshox xc, monitou or fox.

i desided to but my rockshox tora sl 2010 on my trek 3900 and upgrade to a new air fork on my 6300. no point in  fixing that xcm fork,service plus parts will cost almost as mutch as the fork it self.

i no longer have this fork the store trown it away.

REVIEW: 2015 BLISS ARG Vertical Elbow Pad & BLISS ARG Vertical Extended- NOT! recommended

updated.27.09.2015

i do not recommend these: read why below:i have been riding  wit these on every ride no matter if just to commute or to ride on the trails. now as i have used them a lot i can say that they are not up to my standards.

Design and materials used:

Bliss use the similar mesh design and materials to Raceface,Fox’ Launch Pro,661’s Rage Hard Shell pads,but with just one elastic strap,of course Race Face and 611’s will stay in palce better. If they use the exact same materials they will wear out fast, specially if u grap them by the mesh where the wear elastic materials are and the side pads, which is not what I have done on my bliss ARG’s but they are just too weak they will break and get big holes no matter what you do or not do, so if you crash or take them on and off a lot they will wear off.,this is unacceptable to make such  bad products.

protective gear must be durable and withstand much abuse,and be comfortable, if its not don’t buy it unless its the only thing you can get at the time.

Pros:

• lightweight
• Kevlar® at elbow area,which is very durable material.
• more comfortable than plastic pads not as bulky and weird looking when you have a jersey on top of them.

cons:

• mine are bit too big,i should have gone with size small.
• Hook and loop fastener wear out fast more strap loops needed.
• the elastic rubber mattress alike mesh is not durable. Just after few weeks or riding and the mesh on my left pad ripped.it is made of weak of weak material,the mesh stretched until the point it got big holes in it.the elastic band is rubbing holes

• its a bit warm.

 

Price:

79,90 EUR

incl. statutory VAT 19%

Official site: http://www.blisscamp.com/en/bliss-arg-vertical-elbow-pad/a-18799/

 

BLISS ARG Vertical Extended Knee Pad

Pros:

• lightweight
• Kevlar® at elbow area
• Hook and loop fastener on the works well
• more comfortable than plastic pads not as bulky and weird looking when you have a jersey on top of them.
• they don’t feel warm all around, like the elbow pads.

Cons:

• Hook and loop fastener wear out fast
• more strap loops needed.
• silly logo on the bottom that wears out and looks ugly
• they are uncomfortable on the back side of your knees
• too little side protection, so the handlebar can hit your knee on the side
• they don’t stay in place,they slide down, look at pic below: this is how they will be afther u have doen soem hard riding. they should be about 2 or 3 cm upward, they wear otu pretty fast,so the elastic on the sides wears out and dries out, it looks to be rubber.
•  the result of wearing bliss arg pads,it hurts afther a while.
• the front of the pad gets very hot in the sun,almost feels like a heating oven

• 

  they stretched so much that I needed to pull the elastic strap past the hook and loop fastener

• 
• Enter a caption

the pedal hit it an made a 2 holes.

 

99,90 EUR

incl. statutory VAT 19%

official site: http://www.blisscamp.com/en/bliss-arg-vertical-extended-knee-pad/a-24440/

i now have POC Joint VPD Air Elbow pads and i am satesfied with them so far.

Verdict For both the knee and elbow pads:

overall this product is awful, I advise against buying it, but some materials like the Kevlar  durable.

If you want bliss elbow pads get BLISS ARG Minimalist Elbow Pad instead,or a other brand

1 year REVIEW: 2015 Bontrager Evoke RL MTB saddle

gallery here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtbboy1993/albums/72157657780474999

the seat grips well, i use craft path shorts.

i have my spare/winter bike that is bit too small, and i have the saddle maxed out to the back, and the rails have been bendt,i do nto know if its caused by my weight or roadbumps pushing the saddle into my bum.

keep the saddle as close to centre as possible. me sitting and riding on ruff road will give this result,but this will happen on most saddles,but I put the saddle in the middle position and the saddle rails straightened out almost straight.

After I adjusted the seat angle to slightly backwards, it improved the comfort a lot.

Pros:

• comfortable,even I like rounder seats better
• the front is not flexing much,I think this saddle will last a while,and not get worn out of flex on the front until it falls part, like some saddles do,but the common issue most of saddles have is that the flex make the screws holding the front in place pop out,but I prefer the method Fabric use,no screws at all.

cons:

• clicking sound from the seat flexing.

http://www.bontrager.com/model/11268

Review: Craft Path M Bike Loose Fit Shorts

this review was updated 27.06.2016, updated 17.10.2020 with few pictures and picture album link.

pros:

• Good wenting on inner thighs and crotch area
• Good venting in the rear
• bright colors
• different colors
• the outer short is comfortable
• 2 pockets with zippers.
• zipper vents over the pockets
• 2 good buttons
• YKK sippers they work well
• perfect fitting chamois, not too long not too short.
• Velcro adjustment staps

Cons:

• Pockets are in awkward place.
• the padding/chamois is not damping as Poc’s chamois i presently purchased,it should bit  bit bigger  both i the front and the rear.
• the shorts are too short to be used in the fall/autumn,winter
• Hard to open and close side venting zipper.The side venting is in a awkward angle, so the zipper is hard top close and open. The zipper handle is sliding out of my fingers when I try to close  or open the vent.
• too short venting zipper,should be longer and on the side instead for perfect venting,so you will get bit too hot in the warm summer days. I now use Poc trail vent shorts and they are perfect  when it comes to side venting.
• chamois short does not fit well ,private parts don’t stay in place, the elastic band should be bit tighter, should not be as big in the rear, the chamois shorts should be cut and stitched differently,when I wear these shorts they are do not fit as i the pictures,I need to have the elastic bad all the way to the waist.
• Too short  hood and loop straps:but large is is so bit that to make it tight i need to go over the limit on the straps.
• the  insides of the pockets can get stuck in the zipper if you are not careful.
• the the zippers can get stuck on  the inside of the pockets if you are not careful.
• I have 2 pairs of these shorts one in large and one in medium, on both the stitching in the middle in the crotch area ripped.

27.05.2016 I tried on the the medium shorts,I have not sopped crowing 100% yet, so they no longer fit my hips are a lot wider

I am using POC shorts in size 32,the Craft shorts in large fits, but don’t need the adjustment any more,I am now 36inches in the hips.

the size large Craft shorts are 2cm narrower than the Poc trail vent in size 32.

verdict/conclusion:

I can’t recommend these shorts, because the chamois underwear that is included is too small and thin, I prefer Poc’s chamois.

you are better of getting more expensive shorts, i recommend Poc trail vent shorts, instead because got 2 pairs and i am satisfied with them.

http://shop.craftsports.us/men/bike/path-shorts-m.html

Craft product picture

album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskAyFGgp