2010 Spring Buyer’s Guide: Components

Yes, I love my bike and I’m sure that you love yours, but we all know that our beloved ride can always benefit from some updated components, and what better time than Spring to spruce up your bike. Today’s edition of the guide includes new gear from Rolf Prima, Look, Pedalite, Gore, Prologo and Selle SMP.

Wheels from Rolf Prima:

One of the easiest performance upgrades you can give your bike is a new set of wheels.

The Dauphine is Rolf Prima‘s newest lightweight clincher model and comes in at just 1330g for the wheel set. Available in a 700c or 650c wheel size, it retails for a very competitive $999.

For the fixed gear set, Rolf’s 2010 Vigor is available with either silver or black rims and weighing just 1495g a set. The Vigor is a great all around wheel and with its deep 34mm alloy rim and low spoke count, you can’t beat its aerodynamic qualities.

Look Keo Max pedals:

Look continues to evolve their Keo pedal line. Just below the top of the line Keo Blade is the Keo 2 Max ($180). I’ve had these on my road bike for some time now and they offer a nice upgrade over the Keo Classics that I used in the past. The stainless steel cleat contact area is 12% larger than the original Keo. While the smoother surface makes unclipping easier, the pedals feel very secure while clipped in. The Keo 2 Max is made with a carbon injection process that makes them one of the lightest pedals in their category. Other features include and oversized axle with dual seals as well as adjustable Q-Factor via separately available washers. Supplied with grey grip cleats, the pedals weigh 260g a pair. Look for a full review later in the year.

Pedalite Pedal Lights:

Somewhat on the other end of the pedal spectrum are Pedalite‘s Pedal Lights. Pedalite’s 360 Degree Visibility Pedal Lights are unique, battery-free pedal lights for bicycles that have been designed to make cyclists more visible to motorists day and night from any angle, including the side. They provide always-on lighting so if the cyclist’s bike light battery runs out, or perhaps they have forgotten their lights, thinking they are not needed in summer, Pedalite Pedal lights will ensure they are still visible to cars from 1km away and at 360 degree angles.

GORE’s RideOn® Professional Cable System:

The GORE™ RideOn® Professional System ($64.99)showcases Gore’s latest cable coating and housing technologies. The Professional system, available with black or white 4mm housing, also includes Gore’s uniquely designed ultra long-nosed ferrules to protect the cables, Grub™ seals to keep out contaminants and crimp caps. Now part of the standard equipment for SRAM Red gruppos, the Professional Cable Systems are the talk of the pro circuit, earning kudos from riders such as Levi Leipheimer. Initial on bike impressions are very good, and they should prove to be a great upgrade for any shifting system.

Prologo Choice Max Saddle:

Used by Carlos Sastre to win the 2008 Tour de France, the Prologo Choice Max ($150) is a wider, more comfortable version of the Choice saddle using exactly the same Prologo technology. It is ideal for riders looking for a wide, well rounded saddle for long rides. Suitable for both road and MTB use.

I found the saddle to be extremely comfortable in its standard configuration (with the 11mm cover).  That cover material is quite dense, but the rails provided the proper flex to suit my needs for very comfortable riding.  My only thought is that since my sit bones are quite narrow, the standard Choice saddle might even be more suitable for me.  But that could only be nearly unnoticeable improvement to what for me is a very nice saddle.

Selle SMP Forma:

The Selle SMP Forma was a recent purchase in my quest for a race saddle. Their Selle SMP line is focused on placing the riders weight onto their sit bones. The beaked nose of the saddle drops away from the midsection while still providing a flat base for efforts while climbing. As well, the dropped nose is also less likely to snag your shorts when mounting the saddle from being up on the pedals. I’ve managed to put in some miles on this saddle and despite having only a thin leather cover over a carbon base, it is quite comfortable. Read our review here.

Tags: Carlos Sastre, gore rideon cable system, gore rideon low friction system, gore rideon professional system, Interbike, Levi Leipheimer, look keo max 2, pedalite, Prologo, prologo choice, prologo choice max, rolf prima dauphine, rolf prima vigor, selle smp, selle smp forma, SRAM, wheel