ORBEA OIZ

Well, the new bike is great. I have gotten to ride it twice one at Oak Mtn and once here at the local trails. I am truly trying to be as critical as I can with this bike because I love my old bike and know it handled good and was, for the most part, fast. The bike is fast. It seemed to stick to the ground more than the Fuel...where the Fuel would bounce thru tight up and loop de loops and commit type trails the oiz feels like it rides the trail better.

The new combo of uni's this year will be fun. I have two kits to chose from now...

The supa sweet, classic, great fitting, simple look with the Orbea Continental Team Kit. It The bibs are really nice with a good feeling chamois. They fit perfect. The jersey is probably one size too big but i can only tell it in the chest when I'm leaning over, no biggie. I also have 2 of these.

Over all... A-

Then I have the supa fly, no doubt about bad ass, original style, hincapie, sleeveless lovin BOR kit. This kit has been s staple around the south for several years...and if you wear it you got to bring it. So I hope to keep that spirit alive. The yin and the yang...is I only one kit...the yang...it's sleeveless!

Over all A-

And the kits combined look just as good!!! I could see this becoming a popular look for 09!

The Oiz came with the new Mavic Crossmax SLR wheel set. I have been sporting the 07 crossmax wheels for, well 2 yrs, and I have loved them. I have had no trouble with them and I suspect that these will yield the same results but at a lighter weight. The have huge beefy hubs and are machined a little more this year...looks just cool as ever!

The Rock Shox World Cup Sid is a nice touch too! This is the first time I have had a remote lock out on the front, and I can't wait to use it on some fire roads! It also is adjustable...100/80 mm option...I have it fully opened at 100mm with 25 % sag in it...it tracks like a motorcycle! Awesome.

The rear design on this bike is what I just stare at...it just looks cool, rides great, eliminates the need for a lot of moving parts...it just works. It truly rides like a hard tail until I hit a large enough bump that it engages the travel...otherwise it rides like a hardtail. I can stand up and hammer and I feel no bob. Now that is something that wasn't happening on the fuel...at all! But don't get me wrong...it descends just as fast as the fuel. I bombed the downhill at oak mtn with absolutly no trouble at all.

The Orbea Oiz is bar none the baddest bike I have ever ridden...I have only owned 4 real mountain bikes...but I ride enough to feel like i got a good grasp on how a race bike should feel. This bike feels good, especially when you're going fast.