Action Wipes Review

November 24th, 2008 • Review • Comments

Note: i received a review sample of Action Wipes after being contacted by their founder @MarthaVan on Twitter, however after testing them I would not hesitate to purchase them for myself, or recommend them to others.

There is no way around it, motocross is a dirty sport. Whether the track is muddy or dry, coming off the track with a dirty, grimy face is commonplace for serious motocross racers. While most riders choose to clean up with water after a moto, the truth is that there are better options available. One of these options is Action Wipes, a fairly new product From Life Elements, Inc. Action Wipes are a revolutionary new wet wipe designed specifically for high intensity athletes made from natural ingredients. I recently tried action wipes after my daily road bike roller rides, and I have loved them so far. Unfortunately, because it is not motocross season, I was unable to test them for motocross use, but I am convinced that they would perform just as well in a motocross setting.

Packaging

Although it may seem like a relatively materialistic concern, the packing of a product not only affects users preconceived notions of the product, but also shows the companies attention to detail when designing their products. I used the 5 pack, and the packing was phenomenal. The plastic was very thick and durable, the logos bright and well designed. The best part was that the bag was re-closable which makes it very convenient to store Action Wipes wherever you may need them. The Zip-lock style bag holds in the moisture of the wipes well and keeps the slightly strong scent contained.

Read more »

Is the Motocross Economy Recession-Proof?

November 20th, 2008 • My Thoughts • Comments

There is no denying that America is currently in a time of economic downturn. The stock market continues to fall, people are loosing their jobs left and right, and major companies are crumbling. As motocross racers, we rely on an elaborate system of organizations, tracks, and companies to keep our sport going. However, as the economy continues to crumble, an increasingly prominent question in the minds of motocross racers and industry members will be “Is the motocross economy recession proof”

Motocross is a Luxury

-Photo by Paul Buckley.

The first step in analyzing whether or not the motocross economy is recession proof is the realization that motocross is a luxury. The people who truly pump money into the motocross economy, the hard core amateur racers, race because they enjoy it. They are not getting paid, and the truth is that motocross costs these riders a lot of money each year. A lot of serious amateurs may think that motocross is a crucial part of their life, but the truth is, when the going gets tough economically, expensive luxuries such as motocross are the first to get cut out of family’s budgets. There is no denying that motocross is a very expensive sport. From the bikes, to maintenance and safety gear, to entry fees, racing motocross can cost a family thousands of dollars a year. As a result, as more and more americans loose their jobs or get their paycheck cuts, they will look to cut the fat out of their budget, and motocross is basically a slab of bacon.

If the american economy continues to worsen, many riders will look to cut racing out of their motocross activities. This transition from racing to practicing is one we have already begun to see throughout New England. The past few years, attendances at races have dropped significantly, however, many shops are still reporting good business, and practice tracks are generally pretty busy. Practicing provides riders with the adrenaline rush of racing, but without the travel, entry fees, and other expenses of racing. In the past few years average attendances of races has dropped from the mid 3 and 400s to right around 200. This incredible drop is due to the added expense of racing, people’s desire to save money while still enjoying motocross. The decrease in racing will, and already has, hurt many racing clubs/organizations. They main source of income, race entry fees, has been nearly cut in half, while their expenses have stayed constant.

However, if something is not done in our country to reverse the economic downturn, many riders will be forced to cut racing out of their lives totally. While this is surely not something that most riders would enjoy doing, when motocross comes between putting food on your families table, the choice is clear. The problem that the motocross economy will have if the American recession worsens is that motocross is a luxury in most peoples lives, and something that they would be willing to give up in order to better provide for their family.

Read more »

Tips for Using Bicycle Rollers Indoor as a Part of Winter Cross-Training

November 18th, 2008 • Cycling/Fitness • Comments

In one of my past posts, I highlighted why I believe using rollers as a part of your winter training program is crucial. However, there are a number of tips, tricks, and methods which can make training indoors on a set of rollers much more enjoyable.

Rollers+Doorframe=Heaven

Many cyclists shy away from using rollers. They have the reputation of being very dangerous, and hard to use. Fortunately, this is extremely far from the truth. When used alone, rollers are very daunting, as the prospect of staying in a 1 or 2 foot wide path while cycling, drinking, or sprinting through intervals is daunting to say the least. Thankfully, a door frame is about the perfect width for you to use your rollers in. If you position the roller frame so that your elbows line up with the edges of the doorframe, the chances of you falling off the rollers is slim to none. You can simply stick out your elbows and block yourself from moving off the side. Another useful tip to prevent falling while on rollers is to remember not to turn the handlebars. Instead, lean from side to side while keeping your handlebars perfectly straight. This makes it much easier to stay upright and prevents the dreaded front-wheel roll-off that many new roller users experience.

Read more »

Troy Lee Designs Body Guard 2 Review

November 15th, 2008 • Review • Comments

A lot of riders prefer not to not wear hard plastic chest protectors because they are bulkier than foam under-protectors. However, I believe that the added roost and crash protection provided by the hard plastic shell of a traditional chest protector is worth its added bulkiness. For 2008, I choose to wear a Troy Lee Designs Body Guard 2.

Build Quality

The build quality on the TLD Body Guard 2 (BG2) is absolutely stellar. Like a lot of the TLD products I have owned, the fit and finish of the BG2 was excellent. Almost every aspect of the BG2 has been refined to near perfection. For example, the shoulder cups are removable, but even the flexible pieces underneath the hard plastic shoulder cups are refined and finished with a carbon fiber esque look to them. In addition, all of the foam pads are removable resulting in very easy cleaning. Another really nice touch is that the side buckles are large and always easy to remove. As opposed to my old Fox Airframe, the large buckles are much easier to undo and almost never get clogged with mud. Overall, everything about the BG2 is very high quality, the brace feels very solid both on your body and in your hand.

Read more »

What are Bicycle Rollers?

November 14th, 2008 • Cycling/Fitness • Comments

In my previous post on winter cross-training, I mentioned that I enjoy using bicycle rollers as a form on indoor training. However, after posting that article it occurred to me that some of you motocross-minded readers may not be entirely sure what bicycle rollers are.

Roller Basics

Essentially, bicycle rollers are a form of bicycle trainer used for indoor training by cyclists. However, unlike the standard bicycle trainer where the rear wheel is fixed into a frame, on rollers the bike is completely free to move. Rollers are made up of a metal rectangular frame holding three metal (they can also be wood or plastic) cylinders. Two of the cylinders are close together at one end of the frame while the third is on the other end of the frame. The rear wheel of the bike is placed in between the two close cylinders while the front wheel is placed on the front single cylinder. The front roller and the front roller of the back pair are connected by a (normally rubber) belt which causes the front wheel to spin as you pedal the back wheel. Because there is nothing holding the bike laterally, you are free to move from side to side, and possibly, right off the side of the rollers. Normally, the front cylinder has the ability to be adjusted from front to back in order to accommodate a wide range of bike sizes and wheelbases.

Read more »