BBB Bike Parts and Kit

We will be doing equipment reviews on all the bike parts that we use. With over 6000km of training and another 900 km of racing there will be more than enough time to put all of these BBB accessories through their paces.

Our Cape Epic Guide will have more information on past bike equipment and parts choices.
 

BBB Mountain Bike Part Reviews

Mountaingo Pedals - I have always been using Shimano PD-M540 "XT" pedals and have always and still am very happy with them. So I compared these BBB pedals to the M540s and was very impressed. They are actually slightly lighter and seem just as durable. I have clocked almost 5000km on these and have yet to have a problem. They are also easy to open and lube. if need be.

Fibrestraight bar ends - I got these mainly because they looked cool but also because they are compact, complement the carbon fibre bar and are light. They still look good after thousands of kilometeres and seem to wear better than the aluminium versions.

Compdesign ctl seat - This is a super light seat weighing in at under 200g so that makes it alot lighter than my previous Gobi. It is however a hard seat, so if you are used to or like little padding then this will work. It has been very durable and is lasting better than a few other big brand seats that I have ridden in the last few years.

Rollerboys derailleur pulleys - These pulleys replaced my worn out XTR pulleys and they have been doing a great job. The composite construction and sealed bearing has kept them true and made sure that shifting stays inline and on time.

Fibrelite OS riser bar & Mountainforce stem - I can't fault these BBB parts for their looks, they all look really good, especially thos stem and bar combination. The finishing and fixings are excellent quality and work well. This bar may not be the lightest but it is really strong and looks great. It is also a nice and comfortable width, not too wide like some of the other oversize riser bars

Contact www.probike.co.za for dealers
 

BBB Fibre Attack Handle Bar

I have been riding with this integrated bar/stem for about 2 months now. When I first saw the product I was immediately intrigued. It looks the part. It simply looks fast. I was a little skeptical; however, the obvious drawback is that you loose some adjustability. Having said this, once you are happy where your bar is on the stem, it pretty much stays that way forever. So I guess it really comes down to whether the Fibre Attack works for you or not, because if the answer is no then you can’t adjust anything.

The bar measures only 580mm this is a little narrow if you want to run bar ends, but since I don’t this again was perfect for me. The bar is very light at 275grams. The set has a good rise and I found that it suits me as a tall rider. The narrow bar took some getting used to, but it is really awesome for quickening the handling of your bike. I have also been suffering with a recurring shoulder pain which seems to have disappeared now because my arms are now shoulder width apart. One of my other concerns was that there would not be space to mount my Polar heart rate monitor, but it works really well on the wide part of the bar. This is a great bar! It really helped me to weave my way through the traffic up the “ou wa pad” at the Karoo to Coast marathon and I have never looked back! - Big Al

Contact www.probike.co.za for dealers
 

BBB - Eyewear - Protector Sunglasses

I opted for the Protector range of sunglasses because the look the coolest and have a set of 3 interchangeable lenses. First impression was great because they came in a nice stylish half moon hard case. Just what you need to stop them getting squashed in a fully packed Cape Epic Bag. The glasses look great with the matt black frame and they are really light and comfortable. Much more so than my old D'Arcs that are once again lost, hence the need for new glasses. Just a couple of training rides with these glasses and I knew they were going to work well.

The real test came at the Karoo to Coast weekend. Rain was forecast for the last part of the route in the Knysna forest, and the whole day was supposed to be overcast and cloudy. So out came the yellow lenses. On the start line I noticed how the weather seemed to be way better than I thought, but when I removed the glasses the doom and gloom was still there, so the yellow lenses were definitely working.

It was in the forest when I noticed again that I had the glasses on because it was like daylight in there despite the increasing rain. With mud flying everywhere I could see exactly where I was going and which line to choose. It was awesome, I felt so confident and really "enjoyed" the conditions that could normally get you down. So I am really happy with the glasses, best part is that they don't cost a fortune. We will see how they hold out in the abuse of the coming training months. - Alan

Contact www.probike.co.za for dealers
 

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