The Radavist

Look, helmets are cool and all – they do save your life – but I still can’t get over how rad Giro’s new Empire VR90 shoes look. It’s like someone plucked my ideal MTB shoe from my brain and hit the print button.

Check out more color options and factoids at Giro. While you’re there. Poke around for more fall / winter 2014 releases…

Gevenalle, formally Retroshift, has just completed their drivetrain package with two new ‘cross derailleurs. Simplicity is the name of the game and Gevenalle’s approach to rear mech. shifting in cyclocross is the BURD = Blatantly Upgraded Rebranded Derailleur.

“We start with a tough, durable no nonsense unit from Microshift that woks as well as any, but then set about making it better. Derailleur is disassembled and chain tension spring is adjusted to provide 25% more force. This provides a big advantage in keeping the chain planted on your chaining when the course gets rough or mud build up might lift another bikes chain off the chainring. Next we pack the units with good quality grease from the folks at Phil Wood and then we replace the pulleys.”

See more at Gevenalle.

I dig everything about this. See more at Speedbloggin. Afterwards, get David at Crow’s Feet Commons to take you to a swimming hole, I’m sure he knows a few!

German companies VANDEYK and Crema Cycles teamed up to design, develop and deploy a new range of ‘cross bikes simply dubbed the VDX. These Columbus Spirit and True Temper Platinum OX come in a full size run with a canti or disc option and personally, look really bad ass.

See more at VANDEYK and a few more photos below.

That light grey Harrow build looks great, especially with the SRAM CX-1 group but I want to see more from Foundry‘s mountain lineup.

This project is looking so good.

This is why Adam Craig will probably win SSCXWC in Kentucky this year and no, it’s not the bike. It’s his training! You see that Four Roses? Dude means business. Although being in the bourbon mecca might put a damper on those roosts!

Absolute Black not only has one of the best names, they claim to have the best singlespeed cog. Designed in the UK and manufactured in Poland, these cogs offer up quite the blast beats for your buck. As far as I can tell, they’re the first people to adopt and adapt SRAM’s “narrow wide” tooth to a singlespeed cog, which seems like a no-brainer for cross.

These beastly cogs fit Shimano freehub bodies, offer up a thick, 7mm base to prevent freehub damage and are constructed from cnc machined 7075 Txxx Aluminum, with a steel option on the way for the bigger riders.

18t is in stock for $39 with 16t and 20t on back-order until the 25th of June.

See more at Absolute Black and praise the Necronomicog.

Thanks for sharing this, Chris!

Photo by Brian Vernor

Rivalries, they exist everywhere, especially in professional cycling. So when Sven Nys, lost his main rival yesterday, it called for some reflection. Niels Albert had to pull out of professional cyclocross racing due to a rare heart condition.

Head over to Brian’s blog to read his piece…

Sometimes you need a rebrand… Retroshift is now Gevenalle, which when loosely-translated from two Dutch words, means “Give All”.

To coincide, they’ve introduced an expanded and updated product line: Hydraulic Shift Levers and Cassette Adapters both designed to address the specific needs of shifting in the mud and dirt.

While the brand clearly markets to cross, don’t forget they’re great for touring and commuter bikes. See more at Gevenalle.

Photos by Kyle Kelley

Male models have it tough. People throw a new kit on you, put a bike under your legs, and send you flying down a fire road. Sean from Team Dream has been known to turn a trick for money once and a while, although sometimes the trick turns him. At least I think that’s what happened on this All-City kit photoshoot gone bad.

Still, Kyle shot some great photos of him anyway – and they’re probably better this way! Head to All-City for specs on the Chevron bibs and Chevron jersey, in stock now through your local dealer.

Head over to the All-City Flickr for more gnarness!

Geekhouse is having a spring cleaning, which means they’re selling some demo frames. Head over to their blog to check out the sizes available.

Some riders take to the woods around Paris on their cross bikes.