Reviews by User: Damon Salter (34)

I love these pedals and have used them for years on a couple without any problems at all. I read some others complain about them loosening after a year or two or becoming sloppy. Duh! Cleats wear out and need replaced, they are meant to last forever. The brass cleats need to be replaced after 500 miles or so to get that new pedal feel again. I have services my candy sl's once not because of a problem, just because I like to take things apart. So, they are serviceable and Crank Brothers offer a bearing service kit now. Best thing about these pedals is you can just bolt them one and ride, no finicky adjustments of cleat or pedal tension required. So an A+ on ease of use.

My brother uses these tires and he loves them. This is the Gods truth, these tires last so many miles he replaced his wheelset before replacing the tires. An amazing 330tpi avoids even the worst punctures. The sidewall is bulletproof and the rubber is long lasting. Great for year round use or training. The kevlar beaded version weighs at: 220 grams - 23mm, 250 grams - 25mm, 270 grams - 28mm The wire bead you see here is an additional 50grams a tire.

Here are tech specs not on the backcountry description. Casing: 66tpi Inflation Range: 36-87 PSI I bought these tires for the RAGBRAI ride across Iowa. By the end of training and the ride I had put 1200 miles on the tire and they still looked good. I have since used them another 1500 miles and they have held up but are ready for replacement. Amazingly, I have never had a flat with this tire and I have literally picked chunks of glass out of the tread with a screwdriver. So something is built right here with the 66 tpi casing. The rubber is quality and I have become comfortable cornering with this tire on the road with both wet and dry conditions. Combine this tire with a light weight tube and you will notice a huge difference from the low rotational weight. Use a proper sized tube because if you exceed the PSI range you will have a problem with a tube that is too large. The only knock I have on this tire is the 36-87 PSI inflation range. Other 26 inch road tires like the Fat Boy from Specialized can be inflated to 100 PSI which is great for that low rolling resistance. This also makes a great trainer tire.

I went ahead and bought the CS200 CAD (plus cadence) model after various input from others. I have really enjoyed this computer so far. Mounting everything and setup was a breeze (I did read the manual). The display is large and presents a lot of information in a easy to read format. The training zones can be entered manually or calculated through the OwnZone feature and zone times are tracked on the computer. The heart rate strap is the most comfortable I have ever used and has a removable meter for washing. I always get a great heart rate read from this computer, an A+ HRM. I recommend the cadence reading unit which gives you a valuable additional dynamic to your training. The cadence is very accurate and has not been subject of interference so far. The unit itself is not integrated with the speed sensor and is rather large. So a B grade for the cadence sensor. The speed sensor is housed in a small and aero package. It is accurate against my gps and another computer. The speed sensor does have a short range though and can't be mounted on the rear wheel for indoor training. I have also found the speed reading to have interference from my blackberry and my ipod cannot be mounted within 3 inches of the computer head or speed reads weird. The interference is rare and I read several other review from 2006 - 2007 units have all kinds of interference problems. Apparently Polar has worked these old for the most part because other than other electrical devices close to the unit I have had no problems. Surprisingly the feature I have found most valuable is the ability to upload the data to Polar Fitness website. There I can track my workouts review data and plan custom or prepared exercise programs. Getting data to the computer requires you have a computer with a microphone and a quiet room because it works via sound like a modem. This was a little weird at first but once I got the hang of it, everything is great. The persona fitness coach software is the added valuable that sets this computer apart from others.

Started using the pedals this fall and it has been a love affair. First of all they are just a pedal right. No, these carbon beauties are solid as hell, the bearings are great. They mount with a simple hex wrench and don't require any special pedal or cone wrench. The configuration keeps your foot very close the pedal axle and near the crank arm for maximum feel, minimum flex, and an aero stance. At 115 grams a pop, they are light as heck and don't shatter your pocket book with a Ti spindle. The non-skid cleat keeps me from looking like a penguin when I stop for my mid-ride java. The included cleat covers come in handy if you are going to be walking for any distance in your cleats. Make sure you pop the cleat covers in your jersey because the cleat will wear fast on concrete. Look continues it proud heritage in pedal with these.

I have the Hitch ski Twin tip skis don't fit well at all, same with snowboards. Once the stuff is in there the carrier work fine but be prepared to spend some time getting things in the rack.

I got this jersey in size XL after reviewing the size chart and the recommendation to size up from normal sizes. The size chart was accurate and the jersey fit good on my chest and was nice and long in the body and arm. The shoulders are pretty narrow though, and I have a medium build. If you have broad shoulders this isn't for you. The jersey itself is constructed nicely. The fleece is soft to the skin and warm, it wicks sweat surprisingly well. I like that it has ample arm length so it can be tucked under a glove. The full-length zipper has a cloth backing behind it for warmth. If you are in cooler weather you will want to layer this with a vest or jacket, or a good base because the wind blows through it pretty easily. I was going to give it 4 stars and not 5 because of the small shoulders, but am giving it 3 because the zipper is low quality and has been separating on me. This jersey is a pretty good price though.

This is really a great bar and is very comfortable. The top bar has a gradual bend to take the pressure off the carpels in the wrist. The hood area offers various hand hold possibilities and the drops are more comfortable after a long time than a round drop bar. The flat area on the drop helps give you a bit of security during fast sprints. The bar is beautiful, stiff and light. On the bad side is some people hate using this bar. If you are a rider that is accustomed to a traditional round drop and straight bar you will likely want to look elsewhere. But if you never loved the traditional bar this is for you.

This bottom bracket is pretty cool. It is clean and light, easy to install and virtually maintenance free. It holds up to everything mountain bike, urban riding, or thousands of miles on the road. The bearings are really smooth but the seal seem to be very tight and they seem to cause a bit of drag. Otherwise a great overall buy.

This cover is a real a$$ saver for bigger or more casual riders. The additional padding on the gel cover is a welcome addition to any rider who has a Choice saddle who needs a little relief during a long ride. I use this cover for training and long rides and it is remarkable how many more miles I can get in before I experience saddle soreness. The fit is perfect, the swap is easy, and the weight gain is minimal.

This is great cassette, is super light and wears well. The price is very high and can really only be justified for weight weenies. The sizes are limited because it only comes as a 11 cog low gear. For those without compact cranks a 12 cog may be preferable.

This is a nice replacement or way to color coordinate your Prologo Choice seat to your bike. When you use this cover you need to be a very regular biker becuase the padding is mimimal and dense. If your ride less that 2000K a year you may want to try the Choice gel or Choice Win covers.

These shifters are top notch. They feel really solid and shirt very accurately. Infact, combined with dura-ace shifters the shifts are amazingly precise. The ergonomics of the handle and hood are good as long as you don't try to mount the hoods parallel to the ground, this is not cool anyway. The beef I have with these are 1) The small tin top cap on these are garbage and are easily damaged. If it dents it will interfere with the shifters mechanism. Replacing these little buggers is expensive. 2) The shifter cables still spout out the side of the shifter and don't run under that bar tape which is week and looks cluttered.

OK, I bought this cage out of pure over indulgence. I tried a few cages and nothing looked right on my new carbon beauty. This look cage did the trick in the awesome looks department and has a very sleek swoop design that is also rather aero. But can it hold a bottle? Sure as hell does. The rubber bumper on the bottom really secures the bottles nice and the carbon arms hold it tight. Not that saving weight is that important in a cage, because this thing is light. I only have one complaint; the change was not 100% symmetrical so the bottle is slightly off kilter, but nothing noticeable.

The Look Keo pedal and the non-skid cleat are an exceptional combination. The Keo cleats are stiff and strong and have a very low profile that looks a lot less goofy off the bike than a spd-sl. If you already have a Keo pedal and don't use the non-skid cleat yet give it a try. When you get off your bike with jello legs the last thing you need to worry about is sliding on the floor on the way to your barstool. Use the Keo cleat covers if you walk at distance because the grips on the cleat do wear fast on concrete.

I have purchased a few pairs of bib shorts in the past and something has always been out of wack since I am not built like a Spanish climber or an Italian rouleur. At 6ft and 190lbs with pretty large legs and shoulders and these fit right for once. If you are any taller that 6ft and don't have a slim build I would size up to an XL. The material has held up and the chamois is superior to most shorts I have owned. The only complaint I have is the inseam is about an inch shorter that my other short as can be noticed from the obvious tan line. But women love the tab lines so it's all good.

First point to make about these shoes is the weight; they do live up the name. The low weight really did seem to transfer to a smoother and easier pedal stroke at 100rpm. The build quality was very good and the materials including the soft plastic and mesh uppers were very high quality. The shoe is very breathable, maybe too much actually. The carbon sole was surprisingly low profile and I was so much closer to the pedal I could feel it. I actually needed to adjust my seat because of this change. Power transfer is pretty good and the shoe is stiff. I have a regular width high-volume foot and the shoe didn't give me any hot-spots but I did notice areas were the shoe hit my foot where I didn't desire. With the plastic and plastic-mesh upper I don't expect this shoe to form to my feet unfortunately. I can feel a lot of road vibration in this shoe which is a plus and a minus. On area of improvement is the insole, to save weigh I assume a pathetic insole was used, I plan on swapping it out for comfort. Overall I think this is a great shoe but don’t expect it to last more than a couple seasons.

I have used these shorts for just a bit more than 500 miles and I am very impressed. The fit is accurate to the sizing chart which is pretty rare. The material is perfect mix of lycra that is neither thick or thin and has worn well. The chamois has been the most impressive; I am getting about 15 minutes of extra riding time before I start to feel my sit bones burn. Plus the fit is male specific leaving a little room so you don't feel like a panini sandwich.

I bought a pair of these for my brother. Last weekend he let me wear them for a couple runs. I initially noticed how much better they fit my face that my specs. They were smaller and more flexible. Then wile using the goggles I realized how much better my depth perception was especially in seeing and "avoiding" the crud on a overcast day. He had to pry these puppies off my head.

This jersey is like a chameleon, you know that friend in high-school that was a Cowboy one week, Head-banger the next. If combines elements of traditional cycling geek, punk rock, and preppy hipster in one jersey. The pictures on the site don't do it justice; I'll try to post a couple of my own. The fit and cut is great, not too tight not too loose. I tend to think I look darn good in this baby. The construction is flawless and I plan on owning this one for a while. I size up compared to some jerseys but the sizing chart is accurate. This jersey has become my group ride fav, dethroning quite a few others

I love this shirt. First it's a high-quality American Apparel t-shirt, I can tell that even though the AA tag was removed from the shirt. It was a great slim fit and sizes just like the Twin Six jerseys, which I always size up on so it ain't too tight. My wife thinks it looks super good on me and the fit is flattering. She likes the graphic too, OK she has no clue. That is what is cool, cause my bike nerd friends are like sweet Tour de France shirt, and my other friends are like cool shirt. It's much easier than wearing your 2002 US Postal Jersey to the bar.

First thing out the box I would tell how light these were. When combined with new lighter tires the acceleration change was definitely noticeable, something I was quite skeptical about. The copy mentions these are may not be recommended for day to day. I admit I haven't used these long but my brother has tons of miles on them with no flats at all. To unless you are commuting and make regular practice hoppin' curbs, or prefer to ride through rather than around potholes they shouldn't pinch flat. They hold the air longer than my thicker tubes too. Long 52mm valve is long enough al alloy wheels, and even if you wheel only has a 20mm cross-section the stem isn’t annoyingly long. I do prefer thread values cause I like to use those retaining thingys, but these are working quite well.

These are one of the better gloves I ever used. The pittards leather is soft flexible and long lasting. The gloves hold their form well over time and don't seem to stink up to bad. I had these for cross-country mountain riding and the padding was the right combination of feel and vibration damping. Nose wipe is cool, albeit very gross. They are built to last an entire year but I never get that much out of them because pavement beats gloves, even leather ones.

I forgot to mention in my previous reveiw, this glove has no padding on the palms. If you are looking for good bar feel for accurate handling this is the glove, looking for padding, knuckle protection, and vibration dampening, not your glove.

I was turned onto these shorts from my brother and they are now my favorite bibshorts. The easily match and rival other bibshorts I have purchased that cost the same and up to twice as much. I have tried Giordana Forma, Castelli, and Hincapie HC12s. I like the PI Slice best! So here are the top three things I love and one thing that is not as lovely. Accolades: 1) They fit American body’s right including height, not like some of those Euro brands. 2) There isn't a diaper pad around your junk, so the stuffed look is not there but this is much more comfortable. 3) The 3D Elite chamois is top of the line. Not so much: 1) The stitching pills up kind of quick but it never gets worse. 2) I have seen better material for compression in the high-end Hincapie shorts.

I was turned onto these shorts from my brother and they are now my go to shorts. I will try to cover something that is not already in someone else's review. So here are the top three things I love and one thing that is not as lovely. Accolades: 1) They fit American body’s right, not like some of those Euro brands. 2) There isn't a diaper pad around your junk, so the stuffed look is not there but this is much more comfortable. 3) The 3D Elite chamois is top of the line. Not so much: 1) The stitching pills up kind of quick but it never gets worse. 2) I have seen better material for compression in the high-end Hincapie shorts.

I mounted these up to K2 PEs and have used them for the past two sessions. I have had absolutely no problems with them at all. The DIN turns up plenty high but even at 8 I have never had a ski come off incidentally even when landing off balance on one ski. Only recommendation is if you do a lot of jumping you might want to consider the JIB for the padding insert.

I got this helmet for my 2-year old in XS. Even thought the helmet doesn't have an ergodial adjustment as described in copy I actually see that as a benefit now. I used one of the included extra pads to dial in the fit for my son and it was perfect! I really appreciate that there is not a side gap in the helmet like you see on so many of the universal fit helmets. This helmet never flops to the side, front or back, good fit is key. The styling is great. I wanted this helmet because the back was nice and round and doesn't tend to push over the eyes when used with a burley trailer or car set. I also like the styling because it can be used for Bike, BMX, or skateboarding. The helmet is a little on the expensive side comparing it to others but well worth it.

I got this helmet for my 2-year old in XS. Even thought the helmet doesn't have an ergodial adjustment as described in copy I actually see that as a benefit now. I used one of the included extra pads to dial in the fit for my son and it was perfect! I really appreciate that there is not a side gap in the helmet like you see on so many of the universal fit helmets. This helmet never flops to the side, front or back, good fit is key. The styling is great. I wanted this helmet because the back was nice and round and doesn't tend to push over the eyes when used with a burley trailer or car set. I also like the styling because it can be used for Bike, BMX, or skateboarding. The helmet is a little on the expensive side comparing it to others but well worth it.

I picked up these gloves and am pretty happy. I fit them according to the fit chart and it turned out perfect. The glove itself has pretty light knuckle protection but is good enough to thwart off light branches and foliage. If you need heavy duty knuckle and hand protection look elsewhere. The glove is listed as a cool whether glove but I think it is the coolest full-coverage glove I tried and plan on using it exclusively during the summer months.

These are nice cleats for the crank brothers pedals and they last much longer than the brass cleat. I get about twice as much use between cleat changes if you switch to to the premium cleat. If you haven't updated your crank brothers cleats for some time these will give you that new pedal feel again.

If you already have the Prolog Choice seat this replacement pad has a bit more padding for the old butt, but don't expect it to make the Prologo choice into a comfort seat. The color choices are great if you want to dress up your bike a bit. If you are considering this you may also want to look at the Choice Gel cover, even more comfort with minimal weight difference.

The 3t ARX is a great stem on all accounts. It is stiff and reliable like a good porn star. The stem is as light as lightest stems on the market at 120 grams. Don't be fooled by a carbon stem they are heavy. Just a word of warning, this copy for this stem on BC says it is either a +/- 6 degree or -17 degree. What you will receive is a -17 degree stem. This is for aggressive riding positions only.

These are really great. I think the best thing is I don't need to carry a jacket, extra jersey, or vest on cool mornings. My arms stay really warm with these in some pretty chilly weather. But even better is as the day warms up to those 'tween temps my arms are warmer but the thermafleece breathes well and my arms don't sweat at all. I have actually removed them as the day warmed and started sweating almost immediately, so they are wicking moisture very well. I got these in a XL because my guns are f'in fat. They are plenty long and fit right at the shoulder and arm pit area.