Reviews by User: Mark Parrett (35)

I have ridden this shoe or its ancestors for 8 years now, one of which was spent earning my living on a bicycle. I will only ride Sidi for several reasons, first of which (especially now that I have to buy my own gear again) is that you can order every part on this shoe if you need to replace a buckle or something. I've got a pair of Genius shoes that I bought 5 years ago and they are still going strong after very heavy use. Nothing in cycling compares to the durability of Sidi road shoes. Their customer service is also great if you need it.

I've been riding these for the past 18 months as training wheels. I'm 170 lbs and thought I would trash them pretty quickly but I haven't even had to true them yet. So, they are actually pretty burly for such a light wheel. Other plus is the super smooth hubs that have stayed glassy despite lots of mucky rides. Make sure you buy the shims for your dura-ace cassette, however. Steel or ti cassettes will eat into the aluminum freehub and eventually cause problems. You can get shims for very cheap to fix this problem.

I didn't add this to my toolbox for a long time because it seemed unnecessary, but it sure is a nice little thing to have. You pop it into the dropout and place your chain in there and it allows you to clean the bike, adjust derailuers, etc. without having a dirty chain slapping all over the right rear chainstay. You can turn the cranks forward and backwards with this in and your chain won't get stuck. Since it is only $10 and one will last you forever, go ahead and buy.

I get really cold hands in the winter. These are so good that my hands stay hot on cold/wet February days on the East Coast. Also, I sometimes commute to work on my motorcycle and I find that these are warmer than my winter motorcycle gloves and stay windproof even when rolling at 70mph. I'm on my third pair and they last about 2 seasons of constant use.

I used these to fill out my rack that was started on a set of BD C4's. The Metolius Ultralight Power Cam set gives you the ability to double up on most sizes - only downside is that you'll need to have a slightly better eye than the C4's require due to a narrower range for the Met cams.

I bought this primarily for a travel bag in S. America, but have used it on some weekend trips when we were going slow and heavy. It has held up quite well, but I would look elsewhere if you're going to be using it primarily for big loads. The frame stays work, but they're flimsy and I think there are better options for a bit more coin. In terms of durability I give this one a 5, no issues after repeated trips through the baggage check and some backcountry travel as well. Comfort is a 3 - you don't get as good of a fit with this budget package and the hip belt is not premium. Overall though, it is a very servicable pack for those on a budget. I think I may put this one back into service when I learn to climb big mountains and need more room, but right now I'm sold on the ultralight way of life so this pack sees little trail use.

Gotta say no to those Maxxis tires - I've ridden the Colombiere for a season and they flatted with signficantly higher regularity than anything else. Pinch flats and punctures. I even employed the old baby powder trick to no avail.

Without writing on a disseration on gluing your tires, please don't use Fastack. I saw more than one catastrophic failure result from this glue, which sticks well but tends to fail all at once with no warning (it is more brittle than rubberized glues). I think that ClubRider is saying the same thing when he says use a rubberized glue (like this Conti glue), just wanted to clarify. Among glues, I find this one to be the hardest to screw up, and therefore recommend it to all my tubie-riding friends. Make sure you know how to glue tires before you trust your work.

If you want the plastic cleat "look-style" pedal, which is my preferred style, I think these are the best. They don't develop the maddening squeak of LOOK brand pedals, and there is no maintenance to worry about. I've ridden all three levels of the Shimano SPD-SL and I haven't found a major difference in performance other than the weight differences and the tension adjustability on the dura ace and ultegra models. Ultegra seems like the best bang for the buck among the three options. If you are a sprinter like me (I experienced mid-sprint failure on an older set of pedals so I'm sensitive to the issue of strength and reliability) take heart - these are solid.

Teflon coated cables will save you tons of fiddling with your derailleurs thinking that something is out of adjustment when really you just have a kink somewhere in your housing. Combine this with a cable lube and your unrequested shifts should drop precipitously. I've run these Jagwires on my mountain bike and the road version on my road bike for a couple years - love them.

Got this for my wife when we had never climbed outside. She still uses it in the gym, and it is comfy and durable for that purpose. She doesn't so much like it outside due to the lack of a haul loop and the hard plastic gear loops, of which there are only two. Still, it is pretty stinkin' light so she may use it in the future for longer approaches or overnight trips if we're toproping or doing shorter sport routes.

There is no doubt that the R-Sys wheels are great out of the box and super stiff, but I broke a spoke after a couple rides, and they are expensive to replace. Personally, I prefer the bombproof Kyseriums and can live with the extra weight. I'm a 175 lb sprinter and it hasn't crossed my mind that I needed a stiffer wheel than a Kyserium. Still, if you must have the latest greatest, go for it, they certainly ride well.

When you get these, grab the chamois with your hand and notice that your had actually cools off. A Castelli rep told me this was fabric designed first for astronauts - not sure, but it is wonderful. When I worked in a shop these were easy to sell b/c people were so amazed at the heat wicking chamois. Treat yourself to a pair of these shorts. Only warning I have is to say don't let your wife wash them with red t shirts unless you want to look like a giro winner - my lovely white shorts are pink now.

After a few washes, this is scratchy and doesn't wick as well as other base layers I've worn (craft, defeet). Regardless of which base layer you choose, please note: BASE layers go UNDER the straps of your bibs.

I get free helmets from a sponsor and I still purchase Giro products. They are that much better. Buy the pneumo if you're a weekend warrior but if you ride a lot, get this, you'll notice the little things.

Good lamp but the clip broke on the first use. It only broke on one side so the lamp is still functional, just more delicate now. I have much respect for BD and am sure they'd make me whole if I took the time to send this back but it hasn't been a big enough deal to get me to the post office. In terms of light, this lamp is great. Have used it for getting some extra miles in after dark on backpacking trips and I always carry this one when climbing longer multi-pitch routes just in case.

This helmet stays where it should stay - actually fits my head better than a few other more expensive helmets I've tried. No features and it will look better with a few stickers but it gets the job done. I'll repost if I ever have the misfortune to get knocked on the head with a rock and let you know how it does.

Gripes are that they rub the achilles quite badly and have neoprene construction back there that probably won't break in. They are also made partially of very fine mesh (you can see your socks when they are on) and thus cannot be worn if it is cold outside. Due to the rub, I can't recommend these for trail runners or hikers. Still, they look cool and I'm keeping them as casual shoes - for 40 bucks they're a steal and seem to be well made (except for the design flaw with the rubbing in the back).

This is a perfect hoodie - well made and fits well - not too baggy. It's good for adding a little dose of steeze to your repertoire without going over the top, and who could say no to that?

Our team ordered this bib model for our kit and the quality is on par with the premium brands (castelli, etc) but the fit is clearly designed for Georgie Hincapie himself. Those teammates who were tall and relatively thinner in the legs loved the fit. I am 5'11", 170 lbs and I generally wear an XL bib and M jersey - but in this I had to go with a tight-fitting large bib b/c the XL went past my knees. Even the large was much longer than I usually prefer. If you have skinny to medium legs and you're 6'2" or more - this would probably be your favorite pair of shorts.

This is a decent jersey in terms of quality - mine still looks pretty new after a couple of years. However, beware unless you have skinny arms. Even when I was at my skinniest, the elastic on the arms was too tight. I've never been climber skinny - but was pretty thin and was surprised that the sleeve was uncomfortable. If you're a climber who likes a sleeve to fit tight on the arm, this might be a positive. The elastic waistband also has a tendency to ride up - so plan on wearing this with bibs.

I bought a whole bunch of these when they were getting closed out at Performance and raced on them in 2008. If you can find them on sale ($40 range), they're a steal and they're fine for a race tire. If you're going to pay msrp, I think there are much better options. Biggest plus on these for those who like to run super-high psi.

I buy the metal bead Contis to train on and have had great success. They last forever and still have enough sticky to be semi-decent should you opt to leave them on your training wheels if you leave wheels in the pit/van during races. I've finished a crit on these tires and it was interesting - but I didn't go down. Only caution is to carry a tire lever with you everywhere you go when you're running these - the bead is VERY tight.

While you won't wear these out with bad footwork and thus they are a decent beginner shoe, I think they might actually be not-sticky enough to reconsider, even for a nOOb. My wife went up a grade immediately when moving from this shoe to another mid-level shoe due to stickier rubber. Watching her climb in the Kumo was painful for everyone involved - smearing just doesn't happen on cold days. Positive: these will last forever (hard rubber) and we keep them for same-sized friedns who are new and need a loaner pair.

I've had mine for 3 weeks now. During the recent east coast wintry mix it has been dry as a bone and no issues - pit zips vent well and quality appears to be everything I would expect from a $425 jacket. Fit is a little strange but on me it hasn't been large as others describe. Mine is a bit slimmer than I'm used to - at first I thought it might be constricting but the "angel wing" construction actually does allow full range of movement (went cragging for a day and had no major issues). I'm 5'11", 170 lbs and certainly couldn't have gone down a size. I could have gone up a size, but M is probably the right one (I wear M in all other Marmot stuff). As others mention, It IS long, but not large (that's what she said).

This is the best device on the market for a cyclist who wants every possible piece of data on heart rate mixed into their cycling data. The altimeter actually works as well (but only on the bike - it doesn't stay on if you're off of the bike so don't try to use it climbing or skiing). The incline measurement is also a cool feature. The bad: the power monitor functions by sensing tension on the chain (in basic terms) and doens't work. If you're looking to really train with power, this won't cut the butter as sometimes it's off by several hundred watts over an interval.

This is the chain I run on all my bikes. The hollow pins and punched out links do collect more grit than the solid chains, but if you want the lighter weight and don't mind cleaning your chain once a week or so (you should be doing this anyways!), I feel like this is a much better chain than comparable shimano options. The Powerlock link is handy and you don't have to worry about whether or not you set the pin perfectly. You can also carry a spare powerlock link, which works for emergency roadside chain repairs.

Can't beat the price per pack ounce lost. I have used this bag in Shenandoah in the fall and will also vouch for its rating all the way down to 40 (easily) in a tent. After a summer & fall of heavy use my bag still looks new. Compresses down to about nalgene size easily. As with all ultralight gear, you have to be a bit more careful when zipping, storing, etc., but the benefits are worth the extra care requirements.

These are great for times when you need a tire that will train and race. If I'm going on a training trip where I may do a race or two, I take these. They are not as sticky as my Vittoria Corsa's, but they are much more durable and won't be done after a 500 mile week. If you want a race-only tire, I'd look elsewhere, but if you want a race oriented hybrid, these are the ticket.

I carry about 90% of my weight in my ass, and these are still a bit large back there. I really don't know who they will fit (Me = XL bibs and Medium jersey). The chamois is nice and they last fine, just try before you buy.

I prefer the palm guard found on some other nut tools. This certainly works though.

I love these. For times when you want a bit more stiffness in the sole than is provided by a trail runner (fastpacking with ~20 lbs), they can't be beat. Very comfortable and I was worried on sizing but the 11.5 fit me great. I usually wear an 11 running shoe and size up 1/2 size for boots, but I had read that Lowa fits big. These seem to fit true to size. The previous reviewer ranting about goretex hasn't ever tried the shoe on evidently, b/c the material is only used in the footbed. So you still get a very fast drying shoe b/c the upper has no gore tex. The negative is that you get wet if you step in water. Positive is that the water stays out of the footbed and the shoe dries super fast. Haven't had time to test durability, but they look rock solid. I might snag another pair.

Good for a first harness, only thing it lacks is a haul loop. When you cinch it down there is lots of extra material on the belt (I'd say size down if you're on the border of sizes), and the elastic loop to secure the loose end isn't very well designed. But for $30, I bought this an extra for taking friends out to try climbing. Perfectly fine for that role.

This beaner looks super cool. As an additional perk, it also works pretty well, if you're ok with the smaller size. If your rack consists of one beaner and an ATC and your climbing is all on plastic, get something big like the BD rocklock, but this is nice to have for a variety of applications. I usually end up using it to lock my wife to things (muah ha ha) so that she doesn't meet me halfway up the crag when she's belaying.