By nature cyclocross is brutal – at times testing riders against harsh winter elements. But this is Los Angeles and while the sky went from pleasantly sunny to pleasantly cloudy the worst conditions racers faced was the film of dust kicked into the air.

The course itself was challenging, seeming to be a no-flow hamster-cage taunting racers. Even as route revisions made after the first-day of racing ironed out some excessive braking, growing pains on the field’s pitch were still noticeable to both spectators as well as racers. But the atmosphere was stirring, locals were excited that racing had come to Hollywood and many amateurs wish the SoCal Cross Prestige Series luck in returning to Griffith Park next year.

As the Elite Men took stage in the late afternoon, fan favorite Ryan Trebon (Rideclean/Kona) won the hole-shot before Adam Craig (Rabobank/Giant) worked his way from fourth to victory. Craig passed Trebon at the top of the course with four laps to go and rode a steady pace escaping Trebon and even increasing his interval with waning each lap. It was Adam Craig’s second win of the weekend.

At the finish line Trebon seemed disappointed but his Shimano M315 mountain bike shoes were much less dusty than Craig’s. Mountain bike champion Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized) always rides his Specialized S-Works.

Mavic mountain bike shoes also stood out in the pack decking out the fashionable Rapha Focus team with their bright yellow kicks and lightweight profile. Crowds were drawn to a celebrity appearance by Team RadioShack star Chris Horner. The American surfaced pre-race in a pair of gray Pearl Izumi tennis shoes before donning black Mavic MTB shoes for the race. Wearing black shoes keeps with the RadioShack uniform as team mate Lance Armstrong is notorious for preferring black shoes.

Horner finished respectfully in the top-ten after getting tangled in an early crash despite commenting that his shoes help him “keep the rubber side down.”

[View with PicLens]

The Minnaar’s will feature the same Stealth Rubber soles that make FiveTen sought after. This legendary sole is wicked popular among gravity riders. But Minnaar’s will be for riders who want to ride clipped-in with SPD’s. With the sticky sole you’ll be able to find the pedal and bang-in to the clips smoothly. The Sam Hill Monster shoes also have the S1 version of the sole without SPD compatibility.

The sole is not particularly flexible, but feedback is positive enough to know where you are on the pedals, and power transfer solidly delivers without energy loss.

FiveTen could have featured both Minnaar’s and Sam Hill’s name more prominently but a lot of racers in the Pro field want to ride them so they pulled back only printing his name on the back of the shoe near the ankle.

The Sam Hill Monster shoes are available now, and the Greg Minnaar Clipless Shoes will be hitting stores in late Spring in the middle of May 2010.

[View with PicLens]

Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis/Rocky Mountain) adjusts himself to the race conditions

FONTANA, CA – The US National Mountain Bike Race Series kicked off in Southern California this weekend just an hour and a half outside Los Angeles in the industrial belly of Fontana, California. The Spring weather sunny and clear… but windy. The temperatures actually got above eighty degrees by race start time but the wind played a more major race factor blowing sand all over the course and into racer’s teeth. Some of the elite women were even blown off their bikes on the steep sandy climbs.

The wind was blustery enough to give Canadian racer Geoff Kabush a surprising slap in the face while he was trying to chill-lax pre-race outside his custom U-Haul trailer that acts as his team rig for Team Maxxis/Rocky Mountain. The experience left sand all the way from his lawn-chair to his sandals.

Upon getting up close and personal with a gail-forced dust devil he exclaimed, “I’ve been getting that from time to time all morning.” Kabush concluded that the wind might actually groom loose sand from the sketcher portions of the tail, “the corners might get a little more sticky,” he noted. Kabush was looking to win in Fontana for a fifth-consecutive year.

The wind gave it’s biggest due to the women sending their more petite frames scattered across the course. “I got blown off my bike on that one climb,” Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary reported after finishing third in her Shimano WM80′s.

Lene Byberg (Nor) racing for Specialized won the women’s field handily by over a minute. After the race she had a slight scratch above her left ankle but her Specialized Women’s BG Pro MTB Shoes looked unscathed.

From an overall footwear standpoint at this National level of Elite Pro Racing there were two surprises. One being how many feet Bontrager RLX race shoes were supporting, by far the most dominating shoe in both men’s and women’s Pro fields. Probably because Trek and Gary Fisher continue to be devoted to mountain bike racing in the US and sponsorships go further than just bike frames and jerseys.

There was also a surprising lack of Sidi shoes on Pro feet at this US National. While Sidi is currently the most popular shoemaker sold in the US, they aren’t appearing on Pro feet as much. So much so that you have to hunt to find them.

As the afternoon developed the wind subsided and the Elite Pro Men were called to the line. All the North American stars were in attendance including Jeremy Hogan-Kobelski, Ryan Trebon, Sid Taberlay, Todd Wells, Geoff Kabush, Eric Batty, Carl Decker, Barry Wicks and legendary veteran Tinker Juarez.

Just before staging I spied a sweet looking pair of Specialized S-Works on Todd Wells’ feet. I asked him if they were brand new but he confirmed that they were already three races old. Even though he was about to be called to the starting line he took time to explain how much he was enjoying his light-weight shoes and how easy they were to clean and keep their fresh look.

I asked Todd what size he wore. “I think they’re a 44,” he replied. Funny, I didn’t expect him to not be sure about his shoe size but he knew he was number one when he capped off his day with a big win.

It was a big day for Specialized and their shoes, both enjoying victories in the women’s and men’s elite races.

[View with PicLens]

12►

US Pro XCT #1, Fontana, CA March 27, 2010

Men’s Results

Women’s Results

When Jim Wyker greeted me he slipped a pair of 2010 Aerlite S.B.S. on my feet and they felt relaxed and comfortable, so good they felt like they were a custom shoe. I was ready to ride.

The reason Northwave’s feel so comfy right out of the box might be partially because the insole is built on a wood foundation. Wood might not seem like an exotic material at first, and don’t worry the outsole is a well-ventilated Carbon epoxy, but wood is the way expensive dress shoes are made.

Then I met Northwave’s other heads of state. Desiree Moore and John McKone stopped and chatted for a while. John elaborated on the benefits of wood, “It’s an insulator to heat and road noise. You know what I mean by road noise don’t you?”

At first I thought I he was referring to dampening vibrations and shock transmitted by the pedals and cranks. But John went on to explain that the wood in Northwave shoes help create a quieter riding experience as well. I’ve never ridden shoes with wood insoles so I wonder what I’m missing.

Northwave’s wood insole is completely natural. The layers of wood are worked, thermoformed at high temperatures and treated with special bonding agents to protect the insole from sweat and water. The structure is broken down into two sections: a more flexible portion that adapts to the shape of your foot and a stiffer core to connect power transmission to the bike.

Northwave builds its shoes from a BioMap concept that analyzes how the body functions during physical activity. So the wood insoles are designed to transmit power directly to the pedals without wasting any energy.

But there is more to a pair of Northwave’s than just the wood intersole. Footbeds, the ventilated outsole, the enclosure and the Ultra Y heel system all work in congress as a complete design.

Check back with Cycling Shoes Online for a complete review.

Colors: black, blue and white
Sizes: 39-48, half sizes 39.5-45.5

[View with PicLens]

The Sidi Spider SRS is below the familiar top-end Dragon 2 Carbon in the performance pecking order, but it doesn’t skimp on features and it may find an important role in your arsenal every fall when cyclocross season rolls around. That’s because part of the Spider’s design aims to make this shoe a dynamic workhorse off-the-bike.

“We are excited to produce for this year a new choice for the serious Cyclocross Racer or Cross-Country rider. The Spider SRS emphasizes performance, durability and style.” explains Pio, Sidi’s legendary industrial designer.

The front of the Spider is armored with a special rubber toe guard for protection against hits and bumps while the heel cup is more relaxed for running and nailing the dismounts.

The Spider also comes with Sidi’s redesigned Caliper Buckle for dialing in a precise fit and making micro adjustments easier even while riding. Two Velcro straps, both with High Security teeth for snug fits that won’t slip, complete the closure system. Sidi’s Soft Instep Closure System and padded tongue is designed to eliminate pressure points.

The SRS in the Spider’s model name stands for Sole Replacement System. This patented feature can increase shoe life when you want to rebuild the bottom of the shoe’s sole with new cleat tread simply by using a Phillips screwdriver. The Spider accepts standard SPD pedal cleats.

The shoe’s upper is made of Lorica Microfiber, the same supple material found in other Sidi performance shoes. The black Vernice patent leather finish and graphic are distinctively Italian.

Besides the introduction of the new Spider, 2010 also marks Sidi’s 50th anniversary as the Signori family has making cycling shoes in Italy since 1960.

Sizes: 39-48 (half sizes 39.5-46.5)
Colors: Black Vernice
Price: $349.99

[View with PicLens]

Armstrong wore silver Nike mountain bike shoes and black socks. This was a stark contrast to Lance’s normal choice to wear black shoes like he did throughout the Tour de France. His shoes stood out against his black Mellow Johnny’s racing kit.

Armstrong was slowed by not only his flat tire, but also from huge crowds of spectators lining the streets of Leadville, Colorado making his way to the famed red carpet finishing line.

Lance Armstrong dethroned six-time defending champion Dave Wiens on Saturday, winning in 6 hours, 28 minutes, 50 seconds. “This year, Lance is coming off the Tour (de France). Last year, Lance was coming off the couch,” joked Wiens, who seemed pleased with his second placed finish. At the races mid-way point at the peak of the Columbine climb Armstrong already had 10 minutes into his rival. Wiens had set the previous record of 6:45:45 – for many years the course record was set at 7 hours 15 minutes. Weins had beaten the seven-time Tour de France winner by nearly two minutes in 2008. That was before Armstrong began training in earnest for his return to the Tour this year.

Sidi Sport is the maker of the strongest and fastest-growing cycling shoe brand sold in North America. Sidi makes the well-renowned Ergo 2 shoe and the Dragon 2 mountain bike shoe. Earlier this year Veltec and Sidi announced a price cut in some of its shoe models to offsetthe difference between the Euro and the dollar.

After 2010 Sidi will self-distribute its shoes and apparel in the United States and Canada. Veltec will distribute for the remainder of 2009 and 2010 but will not beyond next model year.

Veltec started distributing Sidi more than 20 years ago and has grown U.S. sales of the line from 10,000 pairs of shoes to more than 100,000 pairs last year. But Sidi has taken offense to Veltec’s growing ownership in Lake Cycling citing a conflict of interest and is parting ways with its longtime North American partner.

Sidi is the strongest brand in their stable, so you have to wonder why a partner like Veltec would bother with a less-popular product like Lake Cycling.

Over the past three years Veltec has purchased Shebeest cycling apparel and bought Descente’s cycling license as part of a long-term strategy to own more brands it distributes.

Veltec says it plans to make the transition for Sidi dealers as seamless as possible.

These little jumpers are a classic case of when not to judge a shoe by its cover. They do look slightly quirky – even a funny. The time saved on styling definitely went into putting together a well thought-out rider.

There is a raised and padded inner ankle protector and a protective pad over the laces to keep water, mud and rocks from beating you up.

Grip

Shimano is also using an exciting new material for the outsole. Vibram, an Italitan sole company long used in hiking boots, partnered with Shimano to produce the IdroGrip – a super sticky compound that secures riders on wet rocks, mud and matted grass as well as their pedals. IdroGrip was derived from Vibram’s expertise manufacturing climbing soles.

On the bike, the grip and feel contact to the pedals is second only to FiveTen Impact 2 Low and Freerider shoes – which is quite an accomplishment. They cost about ten bucks more than FiveTen’s, but they might perform longer. Shimano might be the answer to the wet rainforests of the North Country, eh?

Tunability

In addition to that sticky outsole, shoe stiffness can be altered with two different inserts slid in under the insole. I decided that the more flexible insert, or none at all, gave the best pedal control. However if you are headed to the groomies at the jump park and want some speed you can feel a power increase with the stiffer insert.

Verdict

While Shimano’s AM40s are very supple and offer armored shield protection from flying debris and rocks, but maybe not from your friend’s jokes and laughs.

Sizes: 36 – 48, whole sizes
Weight: 837 grams (size 40)
Price: about $100-$110 online

You might see something unexpected the next time you are shopping for cycling shoes – lower prices on Sidi. There is planned reduction in overall pricing on Sidi shoes as early as this spring.

Veltec Sports distributes Sidi shoes in North America and plans to offset the turbulent economic climate by lowering prices by 8 to 15 percent. For example the Genius 6.6 Carbon road shoes new price is now $449.99. But all top-end shoes might also drop below the sensitive $500 ceiling.

The price reductions have been made to all carry-over stock as well as the new 2009 model year and it’s big news from one of the most popular and pricey shoe lines in the world.

The announcement comes as shoe companies have launched new shoes this spring. New models of Bontrager, Specialized and Mavic have already hit the shelves in many parts of the United States. But the Sidi price reduction actually reflects the current global economic concerns rather than in response to competitors.

In the past seven years the Italian shoemaker has seen significant gains in the United States but at that same time the value of the euro has greatly surpassed the dollar. In fact between 2002 and the start of 2009 the euro increased by 88 percent. While the dollar has declined Sidi sales have still more than doubled in North America.

Ivan Basso at Sidi Factory

Manfred Krikke, CEO of Veltec Sports said, “The price reduction is intended to stimulate sell-through and to support our bicycle retailer partners during a tough economy.”

Veltec has been distributing Sidi for more than 30 years and some of the shoe models are designed specifically for American riders. Even though Veltec will not immediately benefit from the change, it anticipates the euro to lower in the remainder of 2009 and wants to pass on the savings now rather than waiting until 2010.

Shop for the
Sidi Genius 5 Road Shoe
and other Sidi’s now.

The tip made me rethink about how novices learn to ride clipless. For women, making the leap to clipless pedals on a mountain bike can feel like jumping into a dark abyss blindfolded. While some parts of the United States is full of women riding clipless pedals it can still an intimidating notion.

Actually, it can be downright scary.

My wife’s first experience with clipless pedals on a mountain bike almost went off without a hitch until she tried to ride over a log but caught her chainring and couldn’t clip out before she was sliding down a steep off-camber embankment. The result was a bloody scrape on her leg but the real damage was her bruised confidence.

The fear of being “locked in” to the pedals can be paralyzing. But if  you can move beyond fear you find the opportunity to find new paths for real change.

A clip-in system (similar to a ski binding) is a must have for most cycling enthusiasts. Instead of confining your movement, they actually allow more efficient power transfer while providing better control and stability. They allow you to ride and climb steep, technical trails that you might have thought impossible. These pedal systems also conserve energy helping you ride longer and stronger and even faster if you desire more speed.

With practice it can be easy

• To clip in, lead with your toe catching the ball of your foot on the pedal and then step down with your heel letting your weight connect to the bike. You will probably hear the pedal’s mechanism click into place. That’s the most reassuring way to know you are in.

• To clip out, rotate your heel outward and away from the bike until your shoe releases from the pedal.

• First learn to clip in and out by just standing over your bike and clipping in and out several times at a stand still. Do this over and over so you can feel how your shoe meets the pedal.

• Try using one hand to hold onto a wall or tree for added balance if you want to go for clipping into both pedals. Taking your time will help you smoothly exit the pedal before you try riding.

• Start by riding on even grassy areas away from rocks or other objects. Practicing on a flat, level surface is the best way to learn whether you ride a mountain or road bike. The grass will slow you down and the ground will be a softer way to break your fall in case you have a problem. Ride slowly in a straight line before jumping onto a trail or a full-scale ride.

• Avoid steep or difficult terrain at first, you don’t want a heavy crash to ruin a truly satisfying learning experience.

• Perhaps wearing knee and elbow pads for the first few rides might bring a little confidence.

• Take a spin class if your local fitness club offers one. Riding on a stationary bike would be another way to get good practice before hitting the trails.

Even after some practice, the first few rides might have a moment of panic, but the technology in new pedals and shoes sold today make clipping out more reliable than ever. In the past it was muddy conditions that made clipping out the most challenging thing to learn. Mud can be sticky and trap your foot but new pedals are more open and shed mud without clogging the moving parts.

With a little patience most cyclists get used to riding clipless pedals. The increased power and pedaling efficiency will reward you with a lifetime of cycling and will soon outweigh the time used learning the step in process. See you out there!