The Radavist

“Why would anyone make custom derailleurs when modern electronic shifting works extremely well? It’s a bit like driving a car with manual transmission even though the latest automatics are very sophisticated. It’s about being involved in the operation of my bike, rather than just pushing a button. There’s a joy in feeling the gears engage perfectly because I – and not a computer – timed the shift perfectly.”

Head on over to the René Herse blog to read all about Jan’s PBP bike and for some tech insight into rear derailleurs!

You might be thinking, “does the world need another 12-speed MTB shifting system?” To which TRP answers, “for $329.99 retail it does!” The G-SPEC TR12 12-speed shifter and derailleur offer up some new technology including Hall Lock, named after Aaron Gwin’s mechanic, John Hall. The Hall Lock is a lever integrated into the derailleur mount, which locks the movement of the B-knuckle around the mounting bolt when closed. The Hall Lock can be opened to easily remove the rear wheel. When closed, it provides additional stability and less noise to the shifting performance. The TR12 shifter utilizes sequential shifting, which utilizes a linear shifting path, making it easier to shift on the fly. Here’s the TR12’s full cassette compatibility chart.

Check out more information at TRP.

Finally… Easton EA90 Aluminum Cranks – Morgan Taylor
Photos and words by Morgan Taylor

Finally. The day we’ve all been hoping and/or waiting for. You can now buy aluminum cranks from Easton.

This was one of the big pieces of feedback that came from my review of Easton’s super-compact double rings on my EC90 SL cranks last year: people loved the idea of the 46/30 ring combo, the adaptability of the Cinch system, and the option to add a spindle-based power meter – but the price of the carbon crank arms was somewhat prohibitive.

So here’s the deal. EA90 crank arms will run you a cool $120 USD, in comparison to $400 for the EC90 SL arms. You still have to buy a bottom bracket for $50 and choose a chainring setup ($80 for a single ring or $150 for a double). But the bottom line is, you can get into a complete EA90 crank for about half the price of the EC90 SL. Cool.

… and how they changed cycling is an article at the Guardian I highly suggest you read!

Jan from Compass and Bicycle Quarterly takes us on a look through the “Derailleurs of the World – Huret” book, with some incredible insight. If you like to nerd out on vintage bikes and components, head to the Bicycle Quarterly blog for more.