If I had LizardSkins gloves, I would never take them off. - A review on Lizard Skin DSP bar tape

Check out this post on the home of our new blog here:
http://blog.villagecycle.com/2011/04/if-i-had-lizardskins-gloves-i-would-never-take-them-off-a-review-on-lizard-skin-dsp-bar-tape/

Holy Toledo. I just came back from a really beautiful 40+ mile ride through the rolling hills near Galesburg, Il. -- a three-hour train ride west of Chicago, check it out-- and I've got to say, my hands have never felt better right off the bike! I'm used to riding steel-frame road bikes that generally dampen vibrations from the road, so I've never put much thought into particularly high-end bar tape, or even really gloves, for that matter. I've been riding gel Bontrager or comparable Pearl Izumi gloves for some time, coupled with cork bar tape, what I've always taken to be an industry standard. LizardSkins tape, aside from matching my Lemond's paint job sickeningly well, is noticeably thicker than standard cork tape, but maintains a tapered profile as it goes on, so that it never bunches the way lower-end tape tends to if wrapped too tightly. Its tacky surface certainly ensures a solid hold on the handlebar, even with gel-padded gloves on, but still offers the vibration-soaking effect of thicker cork tapes. After pounding out several extended climbs, white-knuckled corners, and mile after mile of prairie headwinds, my hands weren't numb at all-- leaving me a much happier, energized post-ride cyclist, one without an excuse not to clean the highway grit out of my drivetrain!

Lizard Skin DSP Dual Color Bar Tape

Llama's new bike day.

New bike day is one of the best days of they year. But it is even better when you get two new bikes in one day. Especially when it is a 2011 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SSL and a 2011 Trek XO-2 with an Easton EC 70 SL wheel upgrade.

I can't wait to get them both dirty, and for the first time ever, I wish I could ride two bikes at once.

The Giant Flea- A review on Blackburn Flea 2.0 USB

I would like to take a moment to talk about this fantastic product made by Blackburn.
It is one of the best light sets I have ever owned! In fact I like them so much I've bought three sets so far, and continue to gift them to my friends and loved ones.
The Blackburn Flea 2.0 USB light set is one of the most powerful light sets packed into one of the smallest cases available. I often wonder how that is possible. (It never ceases to amaze me how technology gets more powerful and smaller every year!...Anyway enough of my babbling). The lights are very powerful with three settings. Low, high, and flashing. The lightbulbs are almost Indestructible, I haven't been able to break any myself anyway. I might add that I have dropped mine plenty of times. not even a scratch.
The low is bright enough to blind you if you were to look into it and make you see spots (LOL trust me). The high beam is bright enough to use as headlight in the darkest of environments I have done this as well so I am speaking from my personal experience.
I mostly use the lights in flashing mode. I feel this is the most visible mode.
In flashing mode you can see the reflective borders of stop signs for about four blocks away probably more. The rear light has three modes as well, all four LED's solidly on, all four blinking simultaneously, or two LED's alternating left to right.
The lights are easily attached via Velcro straps which have a non slip portion down the center to help with the lights from slipping, they hold very well I might add.(I'm not a big fan of lights that slip down when you use them) The rear also has a very sturdy metal clip this ensures the light will not jump off if you decide to clip the light on a bag or strap or anywhere your heart desires!
I have clipped mine to the back of seat bags, on my CamelBak, on the back of my Gore jacket as well...never once thinking twice about possibly losing my light.
I find that the lights hold their charge very well. One of the best features the new flea lights have is a charge level indicator built into the power/mode button, (green: fully charged, yellow: starting to run low, and red: better recharge or your going to kick your self later)
Charging the lights couldn't be easier; remove the velcro straps plug the USB charger into your USB slot in your computer or hub, line up the magnetic connections and watch them recharge, done and done, ready to roll! As you might have guessed I am a big fan of these lights, no more trying to find batteries when everyone is closed and I discovered I needed them. Not to mention the cost savings on not having to buy them at all then trying to find somewhere to recycle them as they die out (I have tried rechargeable batteries in my battery type lights but they never seem to last too long)
I would like to add that I am using the Flea Helmet/head/Hat Mount kit as well, depending on your helmet you may need to be creative about how to use it. However I do like having my lights there. I believe that I am more visible...it makes me feel better anyway.