Barney is away this week having Big Fun on assignment somewhere far, far away. Which leaves the rest of us here in Singletrack Towers trying not to feel churlish about it. Especially as it’s deadline week (issue 103 went off to the printers yesterday, subscribe here if you’d like it delivered to the comfort of your living room. Or maybe just the hallway, unless you’re very friendly with your postie). So, us left-behind-not-off-on-amazing-press-campers are cheering ourselves with the little things in life. Like peanut butter Oreos and some nearly out of date Blue Ribands that Chipps was given by his vet. Yes, the second half of that sentence raises all kinds of unanswered questions. However, none is so great nor the answers nearly so interesting as finding out what bicycling treats have come through our doors this week, so without further ado, it’s Fresh Good Friday.
Bruce and Olly from Kinesis importers, Upgrade, dropped off the brand-spank-me-new Kinesis Phase with us, fresh from a blast around Stainburn. Both were grinning like loons, which has to be a good sign – or just confirmation that they had found the coffee shop before coming over.
The “Kinesium” aluminium alloy frame is designed around 27.5 or 27.5+ wheels. In 27.5 guise, it is designed to be run with a 140mm fork. In plus clothing, a 120mm keeps the rest of the geometry in check. It ticks all the 2016 boxes: LLS (long, low and slack – 67degree head angle), boost rear, internal dropper compatible, and of course masses of clearance to fit in 3in plus-sized tyres.
Upgrade are currently offering the Phase as a frame only option, but they’ve built our large model up with a solid UK-ready trail build. Wheel-wise WTB Scraper 45mm rims are paired with 3in WTB Bridger tyres (mixing their measurement units with aplomb). Bar the SRAM gearing, the finishing kit is provided by the Upgrade brand catalogue – DMR, TRP, X-Fusion and Praxis Works all feature. The fork is a the new Rock Shox Yari. The 120mm fork has the 35mm stanchions of a Pike, but with slightly updated Motion Control damping hiding inside.
As the name suggests, the aluminium Dualside Cage is designed to be accessed from either side. The plastic Shuttle is designed for confined spaces – you fit the bolts first, and then the cage.
Two dinky torq tools from Topeak, to make sure you get your gubbins tight but not too tight. Both come in a variety of preset torq settings, and are rather neatly packaged in little titchy tiny tool cases. Almost like they were made for Workshop Barbie.
The Nano Torqbar is a complete tool, with 5 attachments: 3/4/5mm hex and T20/T25 Torx.
The Nano Torqbox marries up with any mini tool or Allen key. Again it comes in a neat mini tool box.
The Nano Torqbox is kept extra secure by a rubber strap, which can also be used to hold the Topeak mini tool above to the kit, saving you rummaging in your kit bag while out on the trail.
Compatible with iPhones 5 upwards. Gives you a simple way to transfer big images and other files from and to your iphone. Needs the Leef App. Or add 64gb of storage to your iPhone.
Out on the trails shooting that sick (poorly) Edit on your GoPro and want to look at what you just shot? Then flick out the teeny memory card and pop it into this tiny iPhone card reader to quickly transfer files to your phone for a quick preview.
And finally, we know how much you liked our previous Alpkit merino review. So, for your delight, our designer Rob models the Alpkit Kepler Velo Short Sleeved 100% merino jersey. Designed to be worn either as a baselayer or as a jersey in its own right, it has cycle specific features including a zipped pocket on the rear and gripper elastic in the rear hem.
For some reason that picture of Rob puts us in mind of this..
And there we have it. Barney will be back next week. At least we think he will. We haven’t actually heard from him since he went off to Far Far Away. We’re assuming this is due to a lack of wi-fi rather than a hostage situation that we don’t yet know about. If we’re back next week with a crowdfunding appeal, you’ll know it wasn’t a wi-fi outage after all. Barney, wherever you are, please come back soon. We love you, and we’ve run out of waffle.
I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones.
More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments.
I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.
Really the Kinesis, have to echo opinions above. Looks rank. The fault lies with the kinked top-tube. I’m sure there are loads of reasons why this is a good idea, but aesthetically it doesn’t work, ruins the lines of the bike. Same was true with the Orange 5. They changed it for a straight top-tube with a strut and it looks much better (we’ll leave the whole filing cabinet thing out of this). Shame cause Kinesis do make good frames..
The “Kinesium” aluminium alloy frame is designed around 27.5 or 27.5+ wheels. In 27.5 guise, it is designed to be run with a 140mm fork. In plus clothing, a 120mm keeps the rest of the geometry in check. It ticks all the 2016 boxes: LLS (long, low and slack – 67degree head angle), boost rear, internal dropper compatible, and of course masses of clearance to fit in 3in plus-sized tyres.
Is Barney off in Patagonia? The lucky sod.
Why does Chipps have a Vet and not a GP?
Kinesis Mtb frames were things of beauty. Now Dom Mason has gone they lack that. Dom you need to design mtb again with the brand. Please.
I like it, reminds me of a slightly better behaved Ragley Bagger
Can you get a vet on NHS, or is he private?
The kinesis looks like the even uglier brother of the new trailstar
Really the Kinesis, have to echo opinions above. Looks rank. The fault lies with the kinked top-tube. I’m sure there are loads of reasons why this is a good idea, but aesthetically it doesn’t work, ruins the lines of the bike. Same was true with the Orange 5. They changed it for a straight top-tube with a strut and it looks much better (we’ll leave the whole filing cabinet thing out of this). Shame cause Kinesis do make good frames..