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This feed is subject to our terms of use: http://www.epinions.com/help/rss_terms http://www.epinions.com/user-Dargen Recent reviews written by member Dargen en-us 121 37 http://www.epinions.com/ http://img.epinions.com/images/epi_images/logos/epinions_121.gif http://www.epinions.com/content_458871246468?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Pictures of Interbike 2007 introduced me to the Race Face Next carbon crankset.  730 grams of hollow armed carbon fibery goodness.  Of course, it being Interbike, the cranks were available yet to the public, nor did they exist on the Race Face... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~458871246468 Mon, 2 Nov 2009 02:21:39 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_458871246468?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_473178672772?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Warning...this review requires the reader to have significant knowledge of mountain biking...The Demo (08 model)I had a 08 SL Expert Demo bike for 3 days last year.  It didn't go well.  I rode twice in those three... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~473178672772 Mon, 8 Jun 2009 01:26:50 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_473178672772?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_458682175108?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - I bought a 2009 Specialized Enduro SL back in November and figured I could go cheap and just steal the Candy Ti pedals from my hardtail.  After a few rides I knew this wouldn't work.  The small platforms on my Candy pedals weren't giving me the... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~458682175108 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:46:11 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_458682175108?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_461211078276?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Have you ever crashed your bike because you energy gel/drink/bar was so disgusting you had to spit it out?  That was my first experience with GU about 4 years ago.  It felt and tasted like I had blown my nose directly into my mouth.  I... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~461211078276 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:37:47 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_461211078276?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_458576727684?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - A few weeks ago I remembered why I wear knee/shin guards while mountain biking.  I was riding a rather technical trail (a trail to remain nameless) on my hardtail.  It was a trail that made me angry I wasn't riding my Enduro SL.  It was a... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~458576727684 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:47:09 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_458576727684?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_458045492868?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - There is a little known hazard when buying a MacBook...you learn to appreciate being able to snap off the power cord.  You see, the MacBook has a power cord that attaches to the computer with a magnet, rather than your standard plug.  This is... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~458045492868 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:33:02 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_458045492868?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_416150294148?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - I moved to California last year and, in the week that I had to plan this move, I forgot to dry out my Camelbak Dream. Can you say mold? Rather than spend $25 to replace the bladder, I decided to buy a new Camelbak that actually holds stuff... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~416150294148 Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:59:33 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_416150294148?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_443280100996?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - I decided that my green Stumpy looks better with random bits of gold parts...levers, end slugs, skewers, locking clamps, etc. I was drooling over bike parts one day on Speedgoat.com and noticed Spank Locking Grips on sale. Brown grips designed for... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~443280100996 Mon, 1 Sep 2008 02:25:02 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_443280100996?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_443024903812?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - More and more bike chains today come with some kind of "masterlink". The masterlink being a two piece segment of the chain that pops in from either side. This makes the chain faster and easier to put on and take off. The only drawback is that new or... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~443024903812 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:19:13 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_443024903812?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_425061158532?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - In 2007 SRAM completely redesigned their X.9 shifters. They ditched the annoying display, shaved off 22 grams, and made them look just like the X.0...but better. What's different? X.0 vs X.9 At first glance, the only thing that looks... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~425061158532 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:06:23 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_425061158532?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_425304493700?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - It has been ten months since my voyage to California. In this time I have destroyed 2 pairs of mountain bike shoes. It is truly a gift...an extremely expensive gift. After I ruined my Specialized BG Sport shoes I decided to upgrade to something... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~425304493700 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:05:11 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_425304493700?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_420751707780?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Two years ago I became fed up with my barely useful Air Tool Sport Floor Pump and launched it into the dumpster. Rather than boycotting all Specialized floor pumps (which I was prepared to do), I decided to give them another shot and upgraded to the... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~420751707780 Sun, 6 Apr 2008 03:07:56 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_420751707780?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_420630597252?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Why would anyone in their right mind pay $70 for two pieces of metal? Why? Because my cheap stock Avid Juicy 5 brakes now feel fantastic. Levers You may be asking what's wrong with the stock levers that you have. I hated the feel of my... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~420630597252 Mon, 3 Mar 2008 03:28:36 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_420630597252?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_415924129412?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - After two years of abuse my 2005 Crank Brothers Candy SL pedals finally gave out. My left pedal was difficult to clip into and almost impossible to clip out of. No amount of pedal rebuild kits could help that poor, poor pedal. My faithful steed, a... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~415924129412 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:21:28 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_415924129412?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_412734951044?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Two months ago I crashed my mountain bike. It wasn't really a crash...I just flew over the bars and did a few backflips down into a ravine. In an attempt to prevent my fourth backflip I grabbed onto some pricker bushes/sticks/sharp objects and shredded... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~412734951044 Tue, 1 Jan 2008 12:16:41 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_412734951044?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_409099472516?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Specialized has a tendency to label everything BG...or Body Geometry for you non-Specialized fans. BG saddles, shorts, shoes, bike pumps, and now we have socks. All of these are supposedly designed to improve performance and comfort during your ride... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~409099472516 Sun, 2 Dec 2007 02:02:48 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_409099472516?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_405127138948?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Specialized released a freakishly lightweight saddle last year called the Toupe. Only 150 grams and super comfy. Problem? They built it for road bikes. Those mountain bikers who were willing to shell out the $150 for it anyway soon learned that this... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~405127138948 Tue, 9 Oct 2007 01:18:24 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_405127138948?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_403564760708?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - It wasn't until I moved to California that I started to carry a bike pump on every ride. I used to carry a frame mounted pump in Michigan (rarely, if ever) and found that it got clogged with dirt quite easily. I stopped carrying it because the trail... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~403564760708 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:22:21 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_403564760708?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_400266006148?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - At first, I was skeptical of the idea of shining my bike. I was a firm believer that a dirty bike is a happy bike. The same applies to my truck. In the two years that the truck has been in my possession, I've washed it once. This was only because of... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~400266006148 Thu, 9 Aug 2007 00:01:08 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_400266006148?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_371403755140?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Let me start this review by saying that I worked at Staples for 2 years selling electronics. In those two years I saw a lot of broken, crappy printers returned because they don't like being used more than once a month. There are certain brands of... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~371403755140 Mon, 4 Jun 2007 17:05:28 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_371403755140?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_364977294980?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - Over the past couple of years I have gone through more water bottles than I care to count. These bottles tend to disappear due to stupid roommates, angry dishwashers (stupid roommates), the mother, drinking out of it reminds me of a horrible experience... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~364977294980 Mon, 21 May 2007 13:10:43 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_364977294980?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_331732848260?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - After my terrible experience with the Crank Brothers Speed Lever, I looked at changing tires to be a pain. Not just a pain, but an entirely too long of an experience. After I broke my second Speed Lever I went out and bought the Park Tools TL-1 tire... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~331732848260 Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:07:44 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_331732848260?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_318827236996?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - The gloves were an impulse purchase on eBay. I found them for $14.99 with free shipping. I couldn't really say no, especially since they had an MSRP of $40 and I needed a heavier duty pair of gloves. Radiator The Radiator gloves combines... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~318827236996 Sun, 11 Feb 2007 23:41:39 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_318827236996?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_309008109188?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - A few months ago I discovered that my hardtail doesn't like to jump over logs. Rather, the chainrings like to scrape on the log and I nearly hurt myself. The solution? 2007 Stumpjumper FSR Comp. In green. Nice, army camo color green. Why the... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~309008109188 Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:03:25 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_309008109188?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_295349423748?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author Dargen - My favorite trail in Michigan is only open from April until November. April is usually too muddy to ride and November is usually too cold to ride. Did I just say that? Too cold? Never. The shorts stay, a hoody is thrown over my jersey and the gloves... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~295349423748 Fri, 29 Dec 2006 02:05:46 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_295349423748?linkin_id=8003929