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From Away.com

Urban Mountain-Biking Gear
Stylin' on the Singletrack
Fashion and function need not be disparate obsessions. Read on.

By Nathan Borchelt

Intro/On the Bike | On the Body: Apparel for Him | On the Body: Apparel for Her | On the Body: Accessories


	En route to fitting in with the San Fran's in crowd (PhotoDisc)

Urban cyclists typically fall into one of two categories: the daredevil bike messengers who, in general, scoff at wearing helmets and opt for cut-off cargo pants worn over their more technically savvy attire, and the weekend roadies or fat-tire fanatics who employ their trusted bike to get to and from work—and damn near everywhere else in their concrete jungle. The former pride themselves on forging a fashion devoid of any industry insight or glossy magazine spread—and more power to them. But for the gear-conscious urban cyclist, the real

Choose Your Steed

Let the gear gurus of Outside assist as you ponder the eventual: What new bike will I buy?

trick is finding a wardrobe of high-quality products that'll stand the rigors of the woods without making the wearer look like some misplaced Tour de France geek when catching that post-ride pint at their favorite watering hole.

The gear that follows—urban-specific components, performance apparel, and essential accessories—has been selected and tested in, on, and around the nation's capital with the following scenario in mind: Ride to work on Friday, cut out early and hit the trails in Dupont Park (or one of the other urban swaths of singletrack—see Urban Mountain Biking: A Guide), then blend into a swank Georgetown waterfront bar or divey Irish pub near Union Station. Find out what stood the test of both the trail and the city.

URBAN COMPONENTS



	The Crank Brother's Candy TI

Pedals
The Crank Brothers Candy TI Pedal ($199; www.crankbrothers.com) merges the worlds of the clip-in shoe and the vintage sneaker by embedding its signature mud-shedding egg-beater clip in a platform pedal, letting you wear your cleat cycling shoes one day and a regular pair of kicks the next—ideal for those urban cyclists who don’t want their cleats smacking the concrete after reaching the nearest local. The titanium spindle offers serious strength in a feathery, 125-gram (per pedal) package, and the carbon steel wings make the Candy TI an ideal intro clip-in; the four-sided entry makes it easy to marry cleat and shoe, but the platforms mean you don't have to wait for that audible click before pedaling to dodge that I-swear-it-was-yellow cross-town traffic. And, lest you have any lingering doubts that clip-in is the only way to pedal, the Candy TI comes with a two-year warrenty.



	Cay Eye's Compact Safety Light (left) and Compact Opticube (right)

Lights
In most instances, city cyclists strap on lights not to see more clearly, but so they can be easily seen, a subtle but essential distinction. That's where Cat Eye (www.cateye.com) gracefully enters the urban equation. The company was the first to market flashing lights for bikes and can easily equip your bike with enough illumination to rival Yankee Stadium. But they also offer a wide array of you-can-see-me options. The Compact Safety Light ($13 and $17, respectively) are red and white LEDs with a nifty, easy-to-use magnetic switch that can be mounted onto your bike, helmet, pack, or…anywhere, thanks an ingenious, easily adjustable strap dangling from the silver-dollar-sized light. Or opt for the seat-post-mounted TL-LD600 ($20), a narrow taillight sporting five red LEDs with 30 hours of eye-catching illumination when flashing (one of four possible light modes). Those in need of more illumination should opt for Cat Eye's new Compact Opticube ($35), a white-light wonder that uses three AAA batteries to shoot out a ray that exceeds 90 candlepower through its quarter-sized lens. Flick the waterproof magnetic switch once for 160 strobe-lit hours, or twice for 15 hours at full burn—and the 78-gram light is versatile enough to be strapped to your helmet or handlebars. But if you dread the thought of getting caught in the saddle during another Northeastern blackout—or if your ride home takes you through dark suburban terrain—the latest in Cat Eye's arsenal is tailor-made for your midnight rambles. The Power Opticube ($50) emits a near-blinding 1,000-candlepower beam of light from a single light-emitting diode. Toss in four AA batteries, flick the magnetic switch, and you can confidently pedal into the heart of absolute darkness for 30 full hours.

Locks
There's a simple truth about thieves—bicycle or otherwise: If they really want it, they'll get it. The goal, therefore, is to make it very difficult, if not impossible, for them to betray that commandment. With that in mind, turn to Kryptonite Locks (www.kryptonitelocks.com), long the mainstay of the urban cyclist. After all, it takes more than bolt cutters to penetrate their standard-issue steel. Barring thieves carrying liquid nitrogen or a sizeable battery of tools, the Evolution 2000 ATB Lock ($60) is a solid workhorse of a lock. This half-inch through-hardened steel shackle resists bolt cutter and leverage attacks and has a seven-pin pick- and drill-resistant tubular locking mechanism. Its wider shackles accommodate larger frames and fat tires—ideal for urban mountain bikers. Partner the Evolution with one of the variable-length KryptoFlex Cables ($6 to $26), a 3/8-inch-diameter braided steel cable that you can weave through your components—wheels, seat post, helmet—for quick-n-easy security. Simply pass the end loops of the KryptoFlex through your lock, twist the key, and you're good to go. Those locking their steed up in a high-theft locale like college campuses, however, should upgrade to the NY Chain and Molly Lock ($80), a four-sided trapezoidal chain made of triple-heat-treated boron manganese steel with a weatherproof nylon covering and a solid, hardened steel lock body. Throw in a two-inch alloy steel shackle and a dual-steel locking mechanism, and you've got yourself the Fort Knox of urban bike security. But remember, too, your bike is only as secure as the thing you wrap your lock around; avoid chain-link fences that'll fall under the quick snip of a bolt cutter or signposts without signs (the new-generation bikes are a breeze to lift up and over), always aim for a well-lit place within eyeshot, and don't leave anything on the bike—pumps, saddle bags, lights—that isn't securely locked down.

Multitool
Mechanical failures en route to…anywhere…can be a literal drag on your spirit as well as your ride. To amend whatever travails the city streets may toss your way, follow the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. Always carry a mini-pump, a flat-tire repair kit (if not a spare tube), and a multitool. My personal choice for the last in that list is undeniably the Crank Brothers Multi-17, ($22; www.crankbrothers.com) an ingenious little device that somehow manages to pack in a smorgasbord of useful tools—spoke and hex wrenches, Philips and flat screwdrivers, a nine-speed chain tool—into a 3.5-inch-tall high-tensile steel construction that weighs only 168 grams, fits comfortably in your hand, and compresses down to slide into whatever nominal space may remain in your sack. Oh, and a lifetime warranty doesn't hurt, either.

Next Page: On the Body: Apparel for Him

Intro/On the Bike | On the Body: Apparel for Him | On the Body: Apparel for Her | On the Body: Accessories

Nathan Borchelt is the lead editor for Away.com