Dom Mason

January 16, 2012

WHAT MOUNTAIN BIKE 'INDUSTRY INSIDER' - FULL INTERVIEW.

Matt Skinner from WMB mag. was kind enough to ask me for my views on a whole load of subjects for their regular ‘Industry Insider’ article. You can see it on P.30 in the Feb. 2012 issue.

I got carried away and wrote far too much, so they could only manage to shoehorn a small part of the interview onto the page. If you have time on your hands and would like to read the rest, grab a coffee and click HERE.

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January 5, 2012

KATY'S CHAMPIONSHIP CX BIKE.

A weenie new Crosslight FiveT 'cross bike for Katy to take to the British Cyclocross Champs.

Katy's bike is 48cm with 2012 Tiagra 10spd build kit.

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October 12, 2011

FORGET YOUR BRAKES

Last Friday Jo Burt and I took the newly built Crosslight Pro6 into the woods for testing and a photoshoot with Geoff Waugh. Although super powerful brakes are not the most important thing for cyclocross, I was keen to show Jo how well the bike handled, climbed and accelerated and how great brakes added to the riding experience.

The Crosslight Pro6 is fitted with the new TRP 'Parabox' system to convert from cable drop bar levers to Hydraulic discs. After a bit of bedding-in, the system was doing everything expected of it very well, the braking was powerful but not overpowering for the CX tyres. But the real discovery came when we got to the fast, tight, rooted trails.

Real flow and control are only possible if you can be light and fluid with your machine. This is the same for any kind of sport where you are controlling an inanimate object over unpredictable surfaces at speed. You really need to forget your means of transport and concentrate on the riding. Wrestling with controls slows you down, saps your strength and makes it far harder to hold your line.

The beauty of efficient brakes really becomes apparent during the tight and tech sections of a race [or trail]. Tapping the levers from the hoods, changing line and charging on becomes second nature, there is no transferring to the drops to haul on the levers and deal with the judder.

You are freed up to forget your brakes, get loose and put 100% into the riding.

THIS is where a CX bike with efficient discs has the real advantage over a conventionally braked machine. Then add super stable braking on long descents, lack of rim wear, unchanged braking in muddy conditions, less mud build up, late braking tactics...

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September 23, 2011

ECLECTICYCLES.

Arriving at work this morning, it struck me that we have some very interesting and eclectic Kinesis UK bikes scattered around the building. Some are our own, some are early prototypes or prototypes still mid test and some are test bikes back from journo's or on the way to bike shows.

Here's a run-down, taken with my phone on my journey from car park to office...

MATT KILLICKS 'DECADE TRIPSTER'.

Built for the daily commute with DMT Thret wheels, Deore and MicroShift drive and shifting, Freedom 1.5 tyres, Oval Concepts bar/stem, DMR MUTA grips, DMR Vault pedals and finished off with Lezyne bits n bobs.

Fast on/off road pro commuter.

BRIANS 'MAXLIGHT XCPro3'.

Mid service after competing in this weeks 'Summer Sundown' race at Whiteways. New XFusion Velvet 100mm fork, XFusion Dropper post, TRP Dash Carbon brakes, Reynolds MtnC wheels [M.I.A] and Oval Concepts bar/stem with Sunline lockons.

RACELIGHT GF_Ti TEST BIKE.

Slightly scuffed after a 'testing incident' at road.cc. Watch out for the test on the website soon. Reynolds 'ThirtyTwo' carbon wheels, FSA 'SL-K' bars/stem/crank, Campag shifting, TRP R970 SL Magnesium brakes, Oval Concepts saddle.

RACELIGHT GRANFONDO SCANDIUM.

Also just escaped from the clutches of road.cc. Similar finishing kit to the GF_Ti, but with the addition of SKS 'guards, TRP R960 brakes and Reynolds 'Attack' carbon wheels. Watch out for the upcoming test on this one too.

TOMMY V'S [borrowed] CROSSLIGHT CSix2 PROTOTYPE.

This one's seen some action! It's the original prototype for the Crosslight CSix2 with an array of battered and borrowed parts, now built up and pressed into service as Tom's winter hack!

OLI PEPPERS CONVERT2 TRACK RACER.

Having piloted Morvelo Oli to some famous victories, this lovely track bike is now off to KMP Rider Rab to compete at the Red Bull Minidrome in Glasgow. STOP PRESS: Broken wrist has ended play!

This bike has some nice parts including one-off Reynolds 'Pista' wheels, USE Chainring, classic cro.mo. track bars and heavy duty YBN flatlink track chain.

MY CONVERT2 PUB BIKE.

Built for lunch fetching and pub duties, it makes great fun and fast transport. H & Sons rims, classic Grafton crank with PACE 48t ring, AtomLab plastic pedals, YBN track chain, Vittoria Ranndonuer armoured tyres, Charge Bucket seat, DMR 'Grab' clamp, BMX stem from some Taiwan bike show, AtomLab bars, McNeil BMX grips, SRAM Force brake.

NEW DECADE 'VIRSA'.

Built for the CYCLE show at the NEC. Featuring the new taper steerer XFusion 'Velvet' forks and Reynolds AM tubeless wheels, finished with S-LK and XT, TRP Dash carbon brakes and Rapid Ralphs.

MAXLIGHT29 [working title] PROTOTYPE.

Having been thoroughly tested by the Kinesis Morvelo Project riders in various different guises and over loads of varying terrain including a few races, the 29er p.type is back in the office for final checks and tweaks, then it's back out to Steve Roach from Prestige Cycles in Hove for the weekend! We've learnt a lot from riding this one, it's performed well and with a few minor tweaks to the geometry and tubing, the finished frame should be in the UK by Feb/March 2012.

CROSSLIGHT Pro6

The very special and very new Crosslight Pro6, disc specific, Cyclocross frame. We've built this one for the NEC show and it will go out for test after that.

This bike is packed with new and interesting parts: New Crosslight Pro6 frame with 500g 'CXd' carbon monocoque, taper steerer fork. New Reynolds Assault CX disc, tubular wheels. New TRP 'Parabox' hydraulic brakes. Campag Record CX drive and shifting. Very New FMB 'Super Mud' tubs. SL-K bars/stem/post. New Oval Concepts saddle.

The bike weighs just over 18lbs, pretty impressive for an alloy framed, disc brake equipped 'crosser. I'll post some better pics and details soon.

So there you go. Interesting what you can find lying about at work innit?

COME AND VISIT US AND SEE SOME OF THESE BIKES AT THE 'CYCLE' SHOW AT NEC FROM SEPT. 29th.

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September 19, 2011

THE CROSSLIGHT Pro6 BUILD PROGRESSES.

The very special 'cross bike that we are building for the 'CYCLE' show at the NEC at the end of this month is nearing completion. It is built around our new Crosslight Pro6, disc specific CX frame and fork.

We have added the new Reynolds Assault CX tubular disc wheels, the TRP 'Parabox' hydraulic converter system, FSA SL-K bars, stem post, Oval Concepts saddle and Campag Record shifting.

As it is, it weighs almost exactly 14lbs. Pretty good for a disc equipped, alloy frame crosser.

Just waiting for the Campag CX chainset and FMB SuperMud tyres and we are there!

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September 15, 2011

DISCoTECH.

I'm building a very special bike for the NEC 'CYCLE' show, around the new Crosslight Pro6 frameset. The bike will be built up using some very new components, many of which have never been used together in a UK bike build before.

The first parts, which just arrived today are the ultra new [these are the only ones in the UK], Reynolds Assault CX disc/tub wheels.

These will be fitted with the latest and very lustworthy FMB 'Super Mud' tubular tyres, kindly supplied by John Holmes at Cyclocross Imports.

Braking will be carried out using one of the first production TRP 'Parabox' hydraulic converters and shifting and drive will be taken care of by Campag Record CX.

Finishing kit will be FSA SL-K with the latest Oval Concepts saddle and maybe a sprinkling of Nokon. It promises to be a very interesting machine!

I'll keep you updated with the build here and please come and see the finished bike at CYCLE, Sept. 29th, Stand G21.

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September 12, 2011

2012 VIRSA.

Just built this rather tasty VIRSA bike to show at the 'CYCLE' show and then send out to the mags and websites.

This is the new metallic Grey colour. The new frame features a bulge butted seat tube, new head tube to take ZeroStack or 'XX44' type headsets and new slotted disc mount allowing easier caliper adjustment when using horizontal dropouts.

We will be fitting a taper steerer, XFusion 'Velvet' fork to the finished test bike.

Come and visit us at 'CYCLE' at the NEC from the 29th Sept. Stand G21.

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September 7, 2011

GIVE WAY.

The Racelight Tk2 is a super adaptable machine, perfect for Winter duties.

This is the first time I've seen one with Cyclocross tyres fitted though!

Now THAT looks like a purposeful, do-it-all, all season, All Terrain, mile muncher.

Thanks to Suzy Johnston for sending the pic. "Give way to my TK2 haha! This wee machine is just awesome even with CX tyres it got me up Ed's big climbs" @SuzySuperJ

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August 22, 2011

YORK CYCLE WORKS GF_Ti

York Cycle Works have just built this slick looking Racelight GF_Ti

More pics on their FB page HERE.

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August 5, 2011

ED'S COMMUTER CAST.

Ed from GreatRock wanted ‘Not a Mountain Bike’, so we served him up a Tripster and this is what he did with it…

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ED'S 'COMMUTER CAST' VIDEO.

“Coming soon is another video featuring the Decade Tripster where with a change of tyres it becomes a road bike, rather than commuter/cyclocrosser. It really is a versatile vessel and I just couldn’t resist seeing if I could just go out and do a road century.

I’ve had great fun riding this ‘not a mountain bike’. It has certainly made a change from what I’m used to, so much so that I’m going to keep on riding it and will be on the Tripster for the ‘Get Cross‘ skills day”.

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