The Salsa El Mariachi Ti frameset is not one to look past.  Here we are doing 20% off MSRP.  Get one now.  Yes these can be ordered one by one.  Just send me an email and we can get it shipped out. MSRP for this frameset is $1749.  Your price = $1454.  This is just for the frameset only not the complete bike.  We can do custom builds if you are interested.  Please let me know which parts you are looking into.

The El Mariachi Ti takes that same great performance, and improves upon it by crafting it from 3/2.5 seamless titanium.  Titanium offers a truly unique balance of strength, low weight, stiffness, vibration damping, and durability.

The combination of this Ti tubing, Salsa geometry, and big wheels deliver a smooth ride on root and rock-strewn singletrack.

Whether you’re putting on the big boy (or girl) pants and taking on that NUE-series 100-miler, or just joining your local crew for an all-day trail riding beatdown, the El Mariachi Ti will keep you coming back for another delicious serving of dirt.

  Just wanted to post my review on the DT Swiss RR 1450 Mon Chasseral wheels.  I have now ridden these wheels for 5 months.  I have some good time on them and can give a good account.  Well for an amateur that I am. 

To begin here are the specs from DT Swiss' website:

• Lightweight climbing wheelset
• Swiss made
• SBWT welded rims with wear control
• High end hubs with high precision cartridge bearings and star ratchet drive system

The rims themselves are really a climbing rim.  However I have done a few crits on these this year and have been amazed at the stiffness of them.  For the weight I believe these are really stiff.  I weight 175 and am not the best sprinter.  These wheels really dive into corners really well and maintain speed coming out.  The shallow rim and the high spoke count 28 front and rear really give these wheels a very comfortable ride.  I have them laced with Mich Pro 3 Race tires and there have been times on real rough roads that I have looked at my back wheel to make sure I had some air in it.  They absorb the road vibration really well.  That to me is one of the most important things I look for in a wheelset.  I want to be able to enjoy the ride for many hours. 

The durability of the RR 1450 wheel seems strong.  I haven't had to do any truing but who should on a 5 month old set of wheels.  The only complaint I have are the decals which come off fairly easy.  I hand by bikes by the rear wheel and if it is on a decal the hook will really peel it back.  I have been able to smooth them out and make it look clean again but it is only a matter of time.  If you don't hang your bike then you will probably not have any issues. 

The DT Swiss skewer is a new one for me.  It took a while to get it set up right so they are placed in a good position on the bike but now that I have it set up I really like them.  Faster release from the frame for quicker tire changes.  Plus they feel incredibly solid so you don't have to worry about your wheel coming off when you are ridding. 

All in all I really love the wheels and plan on keeping them for a long while.  DT Swiss has always delivered amazing hubs and these feel as smooth as any.  No need for ceramic when you have these.  If you are looking into a set I would recommend them for an everyday riding wheel or just for race days.  I use mine for everyday and races. 

Here are a couple more pics of just how sweet these look.

Upgrading your bike is a fun and exciting part of cycling.  With technology always improving equipment there is always something that we see, or ready about that we want to put on our noble steeds.  However, this can also be very expensive for very little gains.  Here are a couple of tips when looking for product to change or upgrade your bike:

1-     1-  $1 for each gram.  When trying to lighten your bike you can easily get sucked into the madness of shaving grams.  If you can shave 100 grams for $100 then you are buying a pretty good weight saving product.  If it is costing more than $1 dollar per gram then you might want to look at other upgrade to lighten your bike. 

2-     2-  Wheels, Wheels, Wheels.  How can I say it better, wheels are one of the best upgrades you can do.  Not only can you lighten your bike, but you can make it more aero and roll smoother.  Just don’t look at the wheel weight, make sure the hubs are good.  If you have a light wheel but the hubs suck then you are really not gaining any progress on your bike.  Many companies like Zipp, Reynolds, Easton are all great wheel builders and you can be sure that every level of their wheels will be awesome.  Many experts have 3 things that determine a good hub.  Rarely do you get all 3.  Durability, Lightweight, Affordable.  If have an extreme lightweight hub then you are sacrificing durability.  You can piece it together from there.  One thing to consider.  There is a huge push on ceramic bearings.  They cost a lot and the value is very minimal.  There have been many tests to show that you get very little gain for the price you pay. If you are Daddy Warbucks and can afford anything then go right ahead.  Here is a link that really goes into hubs: http://fairwheelbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=6940

3-      3- Cables – Housing.  This is an upgrade that is really over looked.  Many people put their bike together and away they go.  Over the years building and riding bikes I have noticed that this is something to not over look.  Making sure you have a good set of cables, and good sealed housing will allow your bike to run smooth in all aspects and weather.  Jagwire makes some great housing and cables that won’t break the bank.

4-    4-  Tires.  When looking for a tire make sure you find a tire that is light weight but also a comfortable riding tire.  Ridding a comfortable tire can really make or break how you love your bike.  There is a huge difference when you are ridding a 100 miles when you put on a good set of tires.  An example is the Michelin Pro 3 Race tires.  The Mich tire is low in rolling resistance, weight, and has a very comfortable feel. The best ridding tire I have ever ridden are the Vredestein Fortezza tires. 

5-    5-   Drive train groups.  This is a hard one.  Upgrading your groupo is one of the most fun upgrade you can do.  It is hard to choose.  Keep the $1 per gram in mind because sometimes you can spend a whole lot of money for very small benefit.  The middle line groups like, Ultegra, Force, and Chorus are always great choice for the money.  They work well, and are really the workhorse groups of the major companies.  A way to save money is look at some of the parts and use the lower value component.  Example:  If I was looking to save money but wanted to upgrade my bike to Sram Red.  I would purchase the Force or Rival brakes, and Rival front derailleur, and if I really wanted to save I would use the 1070 cassette instead of the 1090.

These are just a few ideas to keep in mind.  If you have any questions at all about what you should upgrade on your bike please send me an email and let us see what we can figure out for you.  Remember when you love you bike, you love to ride.

How We Work:

Race Cycles is not your every day shop, click, and order online store.  We really are a one of a kind shop in that we only deal in packaged sales; meaning we only sell groups of items.  For example let’s say you are on team Angrypedal and Tom, Dick and Stanley all want to upgrade their bicycles with SRAM Red groups and Zipp 404 wheels.  So you come to us and submit an order for 3 Red groups and wheelsets. We provide a quote to you.  You review it with your buddies, research it online, and find out that we are the bomb and get back to us with payment.  We ship the complete order out and you end up with excellent product at excellent prices.