When the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced that it was allowing for disc brakes with cyclo-cross bikes there were two quick opinions: the first that it was about time, and the second, now I need to buy a new bike!
Well, fortunately bicycle brake maker TRP saw that not everyone was going to want to replace their bikes, and has now released the Parabox, a system that easily allows cyclo-cross bike owners to convert their bikes to hydraulic discs. The Parabox works with existing cable-based brake levers, via a junction box master that is linked to the levers via two hose-enclosed cables, which activate the cylinder mechanisms within the box. The system further includes front- and rear-specific calipers along with pads, 160 mm rotors and hydraulic lines.
So while this might require a shop to install, it certainly beats buying a new bike!
TRP Official Website
[Via BikeRadar: TRP Parabox disc brake system long-term review]
Even if you can’t ride like the pros, and probably won’t ever ride with the pros, you can still ride on what the pros ride. Trek Bicycle has announced that this season’s Trek Madone 6.9 SSL and Speed Concept 9.9 are available to order with RadioShack Nissan Trek paint scheme from the company’s Project One custom bike program, and at all authorized Trek Project One retailers. 
Trek won’t be a stick in the mud, or rather stuck in the mud, but the 2012 Trek World Racing gravity squad will instead pin its hopes to get through the mud – and much more – with the Bontrager G-Mud and G4 tires it was announced last week. The world’s top-ranked downhill team will race on the newly developed models. 
Welcome to our post-holiday reading list! Keep those resolutions and work to a new you!
This past holiday season saw a record number of smartphones and tablets sold, but this has some people worried in the bicycle industry. Amazon.com has released an app that allows people to visit a brick and mortar bike shop, take up an employee’s time to be fitted, scan the bar code and immediately order the product from Amazon – presumably at a discount. In response, Mike Sinyard, President and Founder of Specialized Bicycle Components, has sent out a letter to its dealer highlighting this new app and Amazon’s plunge into the bicycle market. 
If you have a threadless headset on your bike, you have John Rader and Dia Compe Japan to thank. After meeting at the 1990 Mountain Bike World Championship held in Durango, CO, Dia Compe became the exclusive licensee of the threadless headset system known as the Aheadset. A few years later, Dia Compe USA became a separate entity. In 1996, the North Carolina based company launched the Cane Creek brand alongside with the Dia Compe USA name. Most of the Cane Creek threadless headsets are manufactured overseas, but the top of the line model has been and is currently manufactured in America. 
As we’re in the darkest days of the year it doesn’t hurt to have a little illumination to light the way. Yes, the Christmas lights help, but in a few weeks they’ll be down and the dark days of winter will truly be here. But fortunately Light & Motion have their tiny, but very powerful new Urban 500 that offers 500 lumens to help riders find their way!
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is tough country. The winters are long, cold and over 200-inches of snow can fall in a year. Not only are the winters long, but the days are short at a mere eight hours. The area was heavily settled by immigrants from Nordic countries so it is no surprise that residents of the Upper Peninsula (Yoopers) have a great affection for winter sports. The website