Boards and Peaks – Von Westfalen

Category: Cycling Gear

Velobike Skat Endurance Handlebar Review

The OG handlebar for Track Cycling Bunch events.

By proposing a new type of modern handlebars for track cyclist, Velobike challenged the whole track cycling market by introducing new products to a market that is usually dominated by big or obscur companies, offering limited access to the best equipment at ridiculously high prices. So if there is one thing that Velobike have succesfuly achieved, it’s that they have set a standard for equipment usage amongst athletes worldwide. Equipment that they developed, designed and marketed very well to a point that world class athletes and amateurs adopted their products massively.

In fact, they proposed solutions to problems that most track cycling were having. Coming up with a complete catalog of stuff that a close to inexistant critical mass of track cyclist, spread around the world, went on to adopt and perform at all levels with.

Furthermore, Velobike have managed to create products that adapt to the needs of high performance track cycling, that can integrate to existing bike platforms and at a price that is still decent. In a very small market where almost every component is proprietary, this is something quite interesting.

I went to the bike shop

Among the nice things that you can find in Velobike’s catalog, is the Track bike adapter kit for your smart trainer. Something I have been wanting for years when I was more invested in track cycling.

Although I really wish i could ride my track bike on my smart trainer these days, I decided to purchase a set of Skat Endurance Handlebars instead. And against almost everything I believe in, I went ahead and purchased the 300mm wide version. Because, yes, I think the super narrow handlebar trend, especially on the road, is dangerous.

So I can say this, all that will be written here will be my honest opinion and review of this product, that has set a standard in the ”track cycling handlebars business”. If I was the type of person to use clickbait titles, I’d use words like ”disrupting”. and ”broken” to make a tiktok video of this review.

Here is what we are talking about.

Why?

As I am getting less and less flexible, it became obvious that I would spend most of my time riding the track on the top of the bars. For a while, I have been using the Bici Hoods that are great, really great. My search for new ways of finding speed lead me to numerous articles about drag, aerodynamism and how to be as efficient as possible while traveling at high speeds on the velodrome.

Since I failed to find ridiculously narrow alloy handlebars to mount my Bici hoods on, I started to consider the higher end products.

The Bici Hoods

The Bici hoods are a simple yet effective way to add hoods on your handlebar.

I also wanted something that would be close to a ok time trial position, without having to invest in a whole TT setup. I was never a good Time-Trialist, mainly because of my lack of flexibility. I just can’t get into a good aero position and output my best power at the same time. Add to that the amount of time you need to ride in that aero position, fine tune it, fiddle with adapters and expensive parts and yeah, you lost me.

So I came with what seems to be the best alternative. Work on my flexibility just for the sake of staying healthy, and find the lowest and narrowest position that is still comfortable and efficient.

But why, again?, because every bit of time you are not spending to fight against air resistance on a track bike, is time that you can use to either go faster or further.

The Skat Endurance Handlebar

It’s a massive piece of T800, mixed with T700 carbon, with a glossy finish. Notice that there are inserts on top of the bars. Those inserts are interchangeable, offering different types of grips (of lack of). At the time of writing this, only the Grib B were available, but I am waiting for the Grip C, which seems to be the most popular grip used out there. The grips are made of Nylon, and manufactured by using a MFJ additive process.

The Grip-C is the design that made this bar so popular, and finally, some other manufacturer are adopting it and integrating similar concepts into their track bar design. The thing is, track cycling is sooooo marginal, that everything costs a lot of money. A lot. but when you compare the 12 000$ handlebars that some other companies make, the Skat Endurance handlebar is almost inexpensive, (almost).

Aside from the grips, the handlebars have a nice little flare in them, which is nice. It gives some room for the forearms when in the drops and ads a little bit of stability when out of the saddle.

Finally, there is a little notch on the left side of the aero top for your thumb. this was specificaly designed to allow for a better grip when giving your relay during a Madison race. I don’t see myself using this but for real endurance riders out there, it’s a plus.

The specs

There are 4 sizes available for the Skat handlebar. Ranging from a super narrow 275mm width to a casually narrow 350mm width measured centre to centre at the drops. With a 15deg flare, the width at the grips is narrower.

Every grip can be replaced by another model to suit your needs. Those are feel pretty solid. I would not be afraid about breaking them.

More info:

– UCI legal for the 2023 ruleset (Yes I am afraid the rules will change and that I wont be able to use them next year)

– Designed and tested to exceed 1.5x ISO strength requirements .

– Ceramic gloss finish

– Japanese Toray High Modulus Carbon Fiber (T700 and T800)

– 275mm, 300mm, 325mm and 350mm widths (center to center) 110mm drop (center to center)

– ø26mm grips

– ø31.8mm stem clamping area

– 15° grip angle

First Impressions

I rode with my new bars for 45 minutes on the rollers. I’d say the Grip-B is very similar to the type of support and comfort that the Bici Hoods provide. I can’t wait to get the Grip-C to try them out for additional support.

The width is surprisingly comfortable. The flare is perfect. At first I thought I would have wanted more flare, but it turns out that 15deg is the sweet spot.

The Madison grip is quite nice but I am not sure it suits all hands sizes. I have fairly square shaped medium hands, it’s perfect. Smaller hands will maybe have less support and larger hands will probably have issues fitting the thumb between the stem and the bar. As I can’t change hand size, I’ll have to get people to try it out.

I think the only thing I would have wanted to be a bit different is the Bar end. It’s pointy, and I would have preferred a non-tapered, flat end. A bit like the Novacorona Ares Bars.

What’s next?

Testing.

Who knows how many watts I could be saving with the Skat Endurance handlebar. So I’ll be testing different setups, and comparing values. It’s quite basic since I only have a powermeter to do that testing, but the velodrome is a fairly stable environment and it’s easy to test different equipment while respecting some basic parameters like speed and bike fit.

This is one aspect of track cycling that is quite annoying for amateurs. No one shares their data. It’s such a competitive cycling discipline. I am sure that testing all that equipment is costing a lot of money and once a federation had found a fast formula, they have no incentive to share it with others. Which makes sense.

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5 February 2024
Bont Vaypor G long term review
I always thought that the shape of any shoe, may they be trendy, casual, dressed or for sports, never fitted my foot shape.

Not that I have any sorts of congenital deformation or an abnormally shaped foot. I just always felt like if my toes were crammed at the front of a shoe, it would limit my ability to perform whatever I want to do and would eventually cause long term injury.

Take any Italian designer shoe… change the materials, drill 3 holes under it and Voilà! You are a cycling shoe designer!

Most cycling shoes look really good. They however don’t offer any sorts of comfort and most of the time you will end up with numb feet, cold feet and/or blisters and small injuries.

Same goes for running shoes, golf shoes, climbing shoes etc. We like good looking things, fast and modern looking sports equipment. It’s a non-sense when it comes to shoes, in my opinion, that looks should prevail on function.

A sports shoe is a tool used to enhance your performance, not limit it. Anyway…

What are people buying?

I worked almost 20 years in bike shops, and rarely did I ever sell a shoe that would perfectly fit anyones’ foot. (or feet, ’cause you know, most of us have 2). Most cycling shoes from the early days till mid 2000’s where narrow, uncomfortable but hell! good looking. People would come in whenever an Italian brand had a new model out and purchase them. The requirements were: as stiff as possible, as light as possible, good looking.

It did not matter if they were not comfortable. Looks, prestige and the promise of higher performance trumped any other considerations beside price of course.

I can list all the cycling shoes I had in my life. Very few were comfortable and all the ones that were had something in common: they had a sole shape and body shape that was more round than most pointy aesthetic shoes and they did not squeeze my big toe outward.

Here are some of the shoes I had in my life. The * marks the ones that were well made.
Shimano MO51 (a classic)

Some Scott shoes

Carnac Greg Lemond Edition *

Shimano Entry level road cycling shoes

Nike Carbon Cycling shoes *

Shimano SH-R300

Shimano SH-R310*
Sidi Ergo 2 Paolo Bettini

Mavic whatever shoes (the worst shoe known to mankind)

Shimano Spyre RC9

Specialized S-works 7 * (I have 3 pairs)

Specialized Torch S-works
The idea is to let you know that I owned a lot of shoes, and tried even more as I did loads of product testing when I was working for my local bike magazine.

From that list, I still own the Nikes (that I keep because I feel bad throwing them away) and my Specialized shoes.

My opinion all those years was and still is: why do we, humans, make shoes that absolutely do not fit our feet? Has anyone looked at their feet before sliding them in any new balance runners or Sidi shoes? (I do not have anything against these brands specifically, they are successful brands and make good products). And I wonder why, even if they do realize their toes will be crushed, they still purchase them.

What’s wrong with most cycling shoes?

I am not a physio, doctor or health professional. So, I will not pretend to know more than what I can feel and experience. But you will find many articles about proper footwear fit and why it’s so important, if you look around a bit.

But please try this: squeeze your finger together and pretend you are making spoons with your hands, like if you were using them to drink water. Now, keep your hands in that form and try to do 10 push ups. Well, try just 1! See? something is not right. If you are looking to perform in any kind of sport I think you should be able to stand and push on your feet without them being crushed laterally.

Essentially, most cycling and sports shoes are too narrow. The pointy tip of the shoe makes it aesthetic but compresses your toes and could, over years, be the cause of bunions (Hallux Valgus).

Bont Cycling

The first time I saw those, they were Exotic AF (and still are for most of us)

Bont is established well enough now. But the first time I saw a pair back in the mid 2000′ I was stunned how different the shape was. It stood out completely from anything else that was available on the market in that era and, sometimes, still does to this day. The Vaypor G is a clear example of that.

So what is so different about these Bont shoes?

They make anatomically designed shoes. Simple as that.

This explains the unique shape of Bont shoes. It’s made to let your feet naturally sit on the sole while also being supported.

There are many shape/fit available from Bont Cycling plus the fully custom option.
- Standard
- Wide (some models have 2x wide)
- Asian
- Full custom
The review

When Bont offered me to try their shoes, and review them, I was stoked! So I might say I was a bit biased before even seeing the product.

That being said: I was not sure about the Vaypor G at all when I first tried them on.

First impressions:

I don’t think there is another shoe out there that has a foot bed like the Vaypor G.
So It is quite surprising when you first try the shoe on. The shoe feels very raw. You can perceive every bits of it, the sole, the upper, the carbon foot bed, everything.

First ride:

I am not the type of guy who has fun spending too much time on adapting and fitting my equipment. So I took the shoes out of the box, slammed some cleats on them and went for a ride.

On my first ride, I thought that maybe I should have heat molded them. The carbon foot bed is very stiff. In fact the whole shoe is very stiff.

It’s not made for walking (if you are that type) and definitely is a high performance Gravel oriented shoe.
I guess you could use them for Cyclocross as well, but running uphill on roots and rocks might not be the best experience ever with these shoes. I’d say that most elite racers do not even get off their bikes anymore.
It’s less of a concern if you can bunny hop and ride up and down most obstacles thrown at you.

Anyway, after my first 70km, my feet where hurting and I had a couple of blisters which made me think that I should have prepared better.

Many many rides later

I can easily blame my first ride experience on myself. I could and should have tested the shoes on shorter distances and, I barely rode my bike before going out for 70km of gravel. Which was dumb.

The discomfort went away on the second ride. Like most new shoes, it takes a little while getting used to them. Again, I was dumb to just go out on a long ride and think I would be fine. After loads of shorter rides, a few cyclocross races and another Gravel event, I can say that I can’t really go back to my previous shoes. I prefer the fit of the Bonts.

I did not attempt to mold the shoes as I never saw the potential benefit but I will, just for the sake of testing it.

What I would recommend is to explore the different insoles that Bont offers. You can get low arch, mid and high. There is so much room for your foot so why not improving even more your fit and comfort.

Designed and manufactured in Australia and specifically shaped to match the unique design of the the Vaypor shoes series.

Built with a contoured carbon fiber core, for the ultimate in efficiency and support, Vaypor Series innersoles are wrapped in a dual-density EVA foam cover for a comfortable ride with fantastic durability.

Offered in three widths (standard, wide/Asian and double wide), three arch support heights; low, medium and high, the Vaypor Series innersoles by Cobra9 deliver more evenly distributed peak forefoot pressure for greater support and reduction of hot spots and discomfort.

Final thoughts.

The Bont Vaypor G cycling shoes offer a distinct type of fit, some adaptability with heat molding and a stiff carbon sole capable that should assist and allow you to perform at your best level. The boa retention system works flawlessly and each dial can be replaced, with different colours also offered.

Venting and heat management is quite good. I do prefer warm weather, so I did not experience any episodes of overheating.

Power transfer is well transferred to the entire carbon sole. Even under heavy load, you can’t feel the cleat pushing against the sole like on so many other shoes out there. That is a huge plus.

If you’ve always compromise on shoe fit and comfort and lost faith in finding the right shoe for you, I would recommend that you visit their website and go through the FAQ and different models they offer. It’s totally worth it.

Pros:
- Stiff
- Anatomical fit
- Boa retention dial placement is optimal
- Replaceable dials, studs, heel pads and sole guards
- Wide range of fit and size
- Custom option available
- Heat moldable
- Competitive price for this level of quality, fit options and features
- Awesome support from the company and the FAQ has loads of useful articles.
Cons:
- Rarely available in store for sizing and fit check
- Not the best looking shoes out there
- Requires a lot of research before ordering the right pair. If you are an impulsive buyer, make sure you take your time and read all the pertinent FAQ articles.
- Longer delivery time (again, it’s a serious purchase, and one that will last a long time)(not a issue for me, but in a world where everything gets delivered next day, it’s something to keep in mind)
25 October 2023
Tubeless madness
Should you ride Tubeless tires on your bike?

Tubeless tire technology was rapidly adopted by mountain bikers in the mid 2000’s. Oddly enough, Road tubeless tires have been around since the mid 2000’s as well but still have not been adopted by most riders. For a technology that has been around for so long, it is quite surprising to see that there is still no real consensus on what should be the ”norm” for road tubeless tires.

They first ever tubeless wheels I rode were the Shimano Dura Ace (WH-7850-C24-TL) wheels with Hutchinson Fusion tires. Back then, there was no sealant used and it was said that the most popular sealant then, made from Stan’s, was corroding the rims. I went on riding 2000km with that wheelset and tires with no issues, not even a puncture and on top of that, the whole setup was easy, effortless and safe.

So why is it that in 2023, we have about as many tubeless rim standards as there are seatpost sizes and so little confidence in the technology? How can tire companies make some of the most efficient tires in terms of rolling resistance but not endorse a wheel design or brand while some others just develop their own tires to match their rims.

Unfortunately I do not have answers to any of these questions. All I have is experience riding many, many different setups, tires and rims brands.

Tubeless is (finally) getting some traction.

One thing is for sure, riding tubeless tires is a consideration a lot more people have, especially since there was a road cycling boom a few years ago. Now everyone can find (good or bad) advice on social media, internet, youtube and blogs, about any cycling technology. Needless to say all those multiple sources can create a turmoil of clashing and contradicting informations.

I think this is another reason why companies, wether they manufacture rims, tires, valves or inserts, should sit down and come up with some sort of standard. I liked the Mavic Tubeless standard, called UST. It was simple, reliable and safe. But modern bikes, with modern wheels, getting wider and wider caused the death of UST road. Enve is working to create a standard, but will other brands jump in that boat? who knows…

So, should you ride hookless rims vs hooked rims, tubeless vs tubes, what sealant type, inserts or not?

It depends. Of course.

If you don’t want to bother with sealant and keep the possibility of swapping tires easily without spending too much; i’d say keep riding tubes.

If you only have one set of wheel/tires, and the rims are Tubeless ready, and the valves were included with the wheels and the rims have hooks: I’d say try tubeless tires. No more pinch flats, easy to set-up, more comfort, a bit more grip if needed and a relatively simple tire set-up for you or your local bike shop.

If you are an experienced cyclist, looking for the latest innovation on the market, you feel comfortable with messing around bike maintenance or have a great local bike shop, you are the perfect candidate for riding hookless tubeless tires.

the Zipp 404 Firecrest wheel has a hookless rim.

Hookless rims are often a bit harder to setup, they, most of the time, require specific tires to match the rim and they are a nightmare to deal with when you have a puncture and the sealant does not do its job. Some hookless rims can’t even be used with a tube, so you are stuck riding tubeless.

Now if you heard horror stories from your friends or online, about tubeless tires exploding while trying to set them up, most of the time, those stories involve hookless rims, tires that have not been ”approved” to work with a certain rim, or the person had little experience installing a tubeless tire.

How to avoid Tubeless failures
Here is a short list of advice:

Follow instructions

Don’t try to do a tubeless conversion the day before your ride

Don’t race new stuff

Pick a reliable, known setup over exotic stuff

whatever you do, safety first.

Think about the people riding around you and their safety. Not just yours. No one wants to crash and get injured because you cut corners while working on your bike.
The Muc-Off Tubeless Setup kit has everything you need for your first tubeless conversion kit.
Tubeless made easy

So if you are looking for specific advice on what products to use, I’ve got you covered. I have installed about every types of tires you can think of. Some good, some bad and some that were impossible to setup Tubeless. When I am stuck with a rim or a tire that does not want to seat properly, that shows signs of exploding off the rim while inflating or that leaks air and sealant and can’t be fixed, I always revert to this: Grab any Pirelli Tubeless compatible tire and it will work.

For real. You might go through the usual tubeless struggle, but I have never failed to install a Pirelli tire on any rim regardless of the brand, type, width, shape or material. They might not show as the fastest tires when comparing with other brands, but they will work. And this is where reliability stomps speed. A reliable setup will always be somehow fast, at least much faster than spending 40 minutes on the side of the road with your hands painted with pink, orange or smelly sealant, a tire around your neck and a bunch of dudes that are only thinking of leaving you there and get back home.

I am not saying other brands are not good. I am saying if you want a good first experience installing tubeless tires, pick a Pirelli tire, for you road or gravel bike.

My tubeless setups

I do have a wheelset that has Continental gravel tires installed. They are good tires. But they sure are not easy to install. I also have a set with Rene Herse tires, which are fantastic to ride, but a nightmare to install and I got 3 wheelsets with Pirelli tires. Again, installing those was easy. You can see the installation videos on my instagram and youtube page.

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3 May 2023
Le Braquet

Life should be celebrated by riding a bike.

For some people, riding a bike is their way of escaping something, to feel free, to celebrate a moment in life where nothing else but you, the wind and your machine matters.

I like to think that there is a lot of beauty in the way you can express yourself on a bike. Your pedal stroke, the way you lean in a corner or goof around popping wheelies when you get to the coffee stop.

Cycling is a simple sport. Although a huge part of cycling is about gear, wether it’s the bike, the components, whatever electronic device you need to ride and of course clothing; I still think it can be a simple sport. Sometimes it’s not. Because we live in an era where everything has to be modern, connected, aero, fast, and as soon as you get the latest thing, it’s already outdated by a new emerging trend.

Maybe it is time for all of us to slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy the simple things of life.

Simplicity with a little touch of ”je ne sais quoi”

Le Braquet is a Montreal based cycling apparel brand. Their philosophy is inline with that: simplicity and admiring the beauty of nature and of all the beautiful things humans can make and create. Well at least it is the way I perceive their approach to what they do.

Their offer is simple: they design good quality apparel, here in Montreal*, with love. Their collection includes a mix of colourful monochromes and more sober elements. Plus, they will have, from time to time, unique and limited editions to offer, often created in collaborations with local artists.

And this is where Le Braquet stands out from the big brands of high end cycling apparel. Not only can you feel their implication in the work they do, but you can also see it, in a tangible way: Le Braquet is involved in our cycling community by providing club rides and by supporting many causes, charities and projects.

If you ever meet the Le Braquet people out on the road, you will feel that genuine intention behind what they do.

The Monochrome life of colours

From a deep black bib short to warm tangerine coloured jerseys, earthy tones to pastel blues, daring forest green bibs and soothing pinks, Le Braquet’s collection seems to have been made so that all the pieces can be mixed and matched. Think of it as a painter’s palette, where colours mean nothing until the moment they are applied to the canvas. Something like that…

Of course colours, styles, and whatever characterizes a piece of clothing becomes a way to express your personality. Maybe there is something in their collection that fits with yours. Beside colours, you will also find different fits and quality levels ranging from high quality clothing to what I would call luxurious.

I have always been compelled by a strong non tangible aspect of Le Braquet, kind of like a personality trait, which I would say is best described by the french word ”tendresse” (tenderness). And again this is my perception of that brand, which could not be yours of course.

If you are looking for an inspiring apparel brand to shop from and fill your wardrobe, take a look at their website. You might find something for you!

#levelocestlavie

Look out for reviews of their products in the review section.

Spoiler alert: their Podium bib short is the best, most comfortable, bib I ever owned.

*Le Braquet designs all their products here in Montreal Canada. The manufacturing is outsourced in foreign countries.

all pictures are from @payette
Le Braquet has authorized me to use them for this blog

26 January 2023