Review: Sidi Genius 6.6 Carbon lite shoes

This past holiday season I had a few dollars burning a hole in my pocket (anyone close to me knows that cash is the way to go if you want to get me a present).  Over the years I've accumulated pretty much everything that I've wanted.  Garmin gps for the bike, check, garmin gps running watch, check, nice road bike, check, nice mountain bike, check, tools, apparel, accessories, check, check and check.

The one thing I've always wanted and was never willing to splurge on, though, was a really good pair of bike shoes.  I mean, you don't have to walk in them all the time, you don't wear them all of the time, how important could they be.  Well, I decided to finally splurge and get myself a pair of Sidi's to find out.

Although I originally didn't intend to buy the more expensive 6.6's, through a mailing mistake and through finding a great sale online, I decided to jump on them.  I couldn't be happier.

As with a lot of things, you don't know what you're missing until you have actually experienced it.  The same goes for these shoes.  The first time I slipped the shoes on, they felt like slippers.  Not only is the material smooth and accommodating, but there are variety of mechanisms on these shoes to perfect the fit.  The two velcro straps on the body of the shoes look pretty typical, but on closer inspection both have rubber grippers under the velcro that ensure the velcro will not slip mid ride.  Then there is the adjustable heal, ensuring no annoying slippage in the rear.  And finally, we come to the primary reason I wanted these shoes, which is the ratcheting top strap.  The ratchet system not only ensures a great fit from the initial time you slip the strap through the ratchet system, but it also allows the rider to make micro adjustments easily on the fly.  A quick pull on the lever and a click click click later and the shoes form to your foot.

The advantage of such a well-fitting pair of shoes is immediately noticeable.  On my first ride, I was noticeably more efficient on the hills, not losing anything in power transfer.  The carbon soles, stiff, were comfortable but did not budge.  Before and after the ride, the rear rubber bumper on the heal of the shoe allowed me to walk around much easier, as if I was in regular shoes.

The only downside of the shoe is that the white version, the pair I chose, shows dirt very easily.  That's to be expected though and not a fault of the shoes itself.

If you want a very comfortable pair of cycling shoes that will increase your efficiency on the bike and you feel like spoiling yourself, this is the pair of shoes for you.

Time For A Change

Ok, so I'm changing up the blog a little bit.  Since I haven't been able to find much time to go mountain biking lately and because I don't actually have a Motobecane anymore, I've decided to change focus.

My intent is to write a little about this, a little about that.  I'm trying to get some miles in under my belt these days since the rough weather is holding off.  I'm also trying to get a bit of weight off after the holidays.

I really would like to review my new Sidi Genius 6.6 Carbon Lite shoes pretty soon and some of my other new gear. I'd also like to review some rides and write about some things that other people actually care about.

Thanks for visiting. Hope I write about something you enjoy.  Early run tomorrow.  Ciao!

SRAM Red v Dura Ace 7800

Let's switch gears to road biking for a second. Yes, the mountain bike is awesome and I'm enjoying the build, but I recently treated myself to an update on my road bike. I had Dura Ace 7800 on there with an FSA pro team carbon crank set. It performed very well for 5 years but it was time to try something new.

I bought me some SRAM Red, the full groupo except for the front derailleur. I got the force front der based on the fact that it is stronger, more reliable and I believe lighter. Most people make this decision. I was interested in seeing what all the hype was about. I had a hard time believing that DA was any less of a group...oh boy was I mistaken.

I took the bike out today for the first time and could not believe the responsiveness of the shifting. Click, pow! Click, pow! That's what you hear when you shift. It is a slight tap of the finger on the paddle and BAM, shift. It was super crisp and precise. The stuff is beautiful and light on top of it. The brakes impressed me as well. They are right on par with the DA brake set, which is saying something. I also added some Look Keo Max 2 pedals in grey and a SRAM Red tt chainring for some added bling. I have a super light stem, 98g, coming in the mail and then the project will be finished. I'll be sure to post some pics.

I'm just lovin the new ride. Now I don't know which to ride first, the road or mountain bike. Ugh, not a bad life.

The New Build Is Complete

I finished the build of my new Voodoo Aizan 29er today. Everything is cleaned, tightened, greased, and aired up. The bike is light! I took a ride around the block and the first thing I noticed is that the top tube is pretty short for the large version of the bike. I can see how others complained about toe overlap on the smaller models. I got the 19" large when I typically ride about a 17". It makes a difference. I have a lot white on this bike including the white-spoked wheels, the new white fizik/gold saddle, and the white fox fork. I may live to regret that decision, but it looks really sharp. You'll also notice that I added a ti seatpost to go with the ti handlebar to reduce some weight. I'm anxious to see how the minimal seatpost performs. The bike seems ready to go on the trails. Now I just have to wait for the snow to disappear. Temps in the 60's this week should help with that. Enjoy the pics!

Can We Build It? Yes, We Can!

Since my last post, I've found just enough spare time to break down my Moto, clean up the Aizan frame, and begin putting some parts on the frame. I've installed the rear der, rear disc brake mount, seatpost, saddle, handlebars, levers, and fork. I'm waiting on a new bottom bracket to arrive, as my Moto bb was seized. When I get the new bb, I can install the crank and pedals. I'm also waiting for the new cables and white housing that I ordered to arrive. I can finish off the bike after I get that in.

Stay tuned!

A couple things for the build

I figured that if I'm going to go light, I should go all the way. My Moto was already very, very light with a ti handlebar, 2 ti egg beater pedals, a Ritchey WCS seatpost, and a front Racing Ralph tire.

I decided to switch out the Ritchey seatpost for an even lighter J & L titanium seatpost that weighs about 70 grams less. It also adds a little bling to the bike. In addition, I purchased a Racing Ralph 29 x 2.25 tire for the rear. I like the look of the matching tires and the RR is a bit lighter than the WTB I have back there now.

I'm looking forward to my build. I hope I get some time for it soon.

I've Really Done It Now

Beginning at the end of the season last year, I knew I was losing the fight against my urge to switch up my frame. I really enjoy the Moto Fantom Pro 29er as I've written in this blog many times. However, I started thinking lighter, stronger, as is my urge from my triathlete roots.

I had my eye on the Moto fly team ti 29er, but the frameset that was supposed to be re-stocked in November 2010 still has not been issued and the season is quickly approaching. All other ti frames are just too expensive for my limited "family man" budget. So, I began looking at alternatives.

That's when I stumbled upon the material of Scandium. It is an aluminum alloy, but lighter and stronger than alu and relatively inexpensive. Of the Scandium frames out there, the Voodoo Aizan really caught my eye. It offers a unique color, Ancient gold, with bad ass decals. And it is one of the lightest frames on the market hands down.

The frame goes for about $480 - $540 on the Internet new. I was able to track one down on Ebay, used, for $202. You can't beat that! I got it in the mail and it has a couple of paint chips and some scratches by the rear chain stay, but what can you expect. I'm going to put chips in the frame myself anyway.

I plan on doing the build in the next few weeks. I love builds!

I'm going to keep this blog going though without changing the name, despite the fact that I no longer will be riding the Moto. I think the information that I have on here remains valuable to those thinking about getting a Moto.

I'll be sure to post pics of the build when it happens!