Product Review: Finish Line No Drip Chain Luber

Lubricating my bike's chain used to cause drips that either ended up on my garage floor or my wheels and chainstay.  After seeing the No Drip Chain Luber from Finish Line last year at Interbike I figured this may be a solution to that problem.  In theory it seemed like a good idea but how would it work with lubes of varying viscosity and would it coat the chain evenly without drips?  After receiving some of samples from Finish Line I decided to test it out and see if it would live up to its name.

The No Drip Chain Luber is simple in its design, it comes with an empty 2 oz. bottle, a unique applicator head, 3 wicking pads and a travel cap.

The two lubes I use most are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of viscosity.  ProGold Extreme is very thin while Chain-L is as thick as honey.  I would put the No Drip Chain Luber to the test and see how it would handle both of these lubes and maintain its No Drip claim.

I used the the ProGold Extreme on the 9:Zero:7 fatbike all last winter and was surprised how well it penetrated the rollers without the No Drip Chain Luber delivering too much thus dripping onto the floor.  A little squeeze and a couple of back pedal revolutions while the wicking pad was in contact with the top of the chain was all it took.  A quick wipe down on the side plates of the chain with a rag and I was ready to roll.

For my gravel bike I use Chain-L lube.  I like this lube because it lasts a long time and delivers a very quiet and shift responsive drivetrain.  This stuff is thick so I wanted to see if the No Drip Chain Luber would distribute it evenly onto the chain.  I squeezed the bottle upside down until the wicking pad was thoroughly soaked with the lube.

Now I was ready to lube the chain.  Lightly squeezing the bottle with the wicking pad in contact with the top of the chain, I began to slowly back pedal until lightly coated.  Because Chain-L is so thick I repeated this process on the bottom side of the chain and gave the lube time to work its way into the rollers.  After about 10 minutes I wiped the excess (which was very little) off of the chain and was ready to ride.

The No Drip Chain Luber did a very good job applying the necessary amount of lube to the chain using both thin and thick lubricants without a mess or dripping.  It made the task quick and easy, I used less lube and there wasn't a lot of excess to be wiped off afterward.  I now keep several No Drip Chain Lubers labeled with the lube they contain so I can use which ever one I desire depending on the conditions or bike.  No dripping on the concrete in the garage or on my wheels/chainstay were a welcome change from the old method of lubing my chains. 

The No Drip Chain Luber is available from Penn Cycle and other fine bike shops for $8.99.

Disclosure:  Finish Line provided the review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

MORC's 20th Anniversary Gala To Be Held November 9th

For 20 years MORC's (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists) mission has been "Gaining and Maintaining Trails" so to celebrate this this anniversary and fellow ridership they are throwing a BIG party.  The MORC 20th Anniversary Gala will be held at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown November 9th from 2-7pm.

Image Credit: Varsitytheater.org

This formal attire dinner event will raise funds for MORC's 2015 season and their efforts to become the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s first designated ‘Ride City’ which requires a major metropolitan area to have 100+ miles of designated single track mountain bike trail.  MORC is currently developing the Three Rivers Park area at Lake Rebecca which will secure this designation but "it is going to take a lot of blood, sweat, tears and dollars to complete a project of this scope but it is sure to be amazing!"

Silent and live auctions during the Gala will also support MORC's efforts moving forward.  If you are an individual or business that would like to donate items for these auctions, please contact Meghann Charboneau.

Image Credit: Media Logic Group

The evening will feature several speakers during the dinner.  Keynote Speaker, Paul Douglas' talk will incorporate weather/climate with outdoor recreation, namely cycling.  Other speakers scheduled include President of QBP Steve Flagg, former IMBA Midwest Regional Director now with the MN Land Trust Hansi Johnson and Minnesota High School Cycling League Communication Director and Founding Member Libby Hurley.

Image Credit: Minnesota High School Cycling League

MORC Gala Breakdown

2-7pm Event Time 

2-3:30pm: Surly Brewing Happy Hour
3pm: Silent Auction Begins
3:30-5:00pm: Dinner
4:15pm: Keynote Speaker Paul Douglas
4:30pm: Second Speaker Libby Hurley
4:45pm: Third Speaker Steve Flagg
5:00pm: Fourth Speaker Hansi Johnson
5:15-6:15pm: Live Auction
6:15-7:00pm: Music by "The Lost Wheels"
Note: Times and events are subject to change

Valet parking will be available and there is plenty of parking around the Varsity Theater and at the U of M 4th Street ramp.  Tickets are available now through Brown Paper Tickets.  Purchase your tickets before October 1st and save $30.  Your attendance will help fund projects at the Twin Cities mountain bike trails we all love to ride.

2nd Annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival at Lebanon Hills October 4th

The 2nd Annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival is coming up on Saturday, October 4th at the West Trailhead at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan.  This fun-filled event is made possible through Dakota County Parks and a partnering with MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists), local area bike shops, businesses and organizations.

Join in on the fun and celebrate one of Minnesota's best mountain bike trail systems and the many hours of volunteer work that MORC members have put in to maintain nearly 12 miles of single-track.  This event is not only for the avid mountain biker but also a fun and festive way to introduce new riders to the sport.

Image Credit: Dakota County Parks

The Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival is a family-friendly free event, however Dakota Co. Parks would like attendees to pre-register online or by calling 952-891-7000 during standard business hours.  Come down between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm for a day filled with activities.

Image Credit: Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook Page

Scheduled activities include Build Your Skills Sessions, Gear Talk Sessions, Fix-It Clinics and live music by Twin Cities bluegrass band Sans Souci.  Throughout the day there will be bike tune-ups, kids activities, timed competitive events, group rides and a VIP Lounge presented by Freewheel Bike.  Food and beverage, including beer and wine will be available for purchase on-site by Green Mill.

There will be plenty of new bikes to demo at this year's festival.  The Trek Factory Demo Rig will be there with brand new Mountain, Road and Cyclocross models to test ride on the mountain bike trails, skills park and nearby bike paths.  The Specialized Demo Rig loaded with 2015 men's, women's and kid's bikes will also be there and event partner Valley Bike and Ski is coming with Giant, Felt & KHS demo models.  All demo rides are free but may require you to bring your helmet, credit card and driver's license to demo bikes.

 

Parking is free but limited at the West Trailhead lot.  Overflow event parking is available at the School of Environmental Studies (12155 Johnny Cake Ridge Road) located just South of the West Trailhead entrance.  Additional street parking can be found along Galaxie Avenue on the west side of the park and in neighborhoods near the park.

Image Credit: Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook Page

This is a rain or shine event.  Dakota County Parks will have a large canopy tent on-site to keep people dry if it does rain.  Severe weather or lightening may postpone or cause events to be rescheduled later in the day.  If wet trail conditions close the mountain bike trails, nearby paved trails and the old gravel parking lot are available for test-riding bikes.  Check the Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook page for hour by hour updates in the event of severe weather the day of the Festival.

Visit the Dakota County Parks Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival page for more information or call the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center at 651-554-6530.  Thanks to Event Partners MORC, Penn Cycle, Erik's Bike and Board, Trek, Freewheel Bike, Valley Bike and Ski and Health Source Chiropractic for making the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival possible.

Best Times and Places For Fall Color Rides With Help From the MN DNR

Image Credit: MN DNR

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year for bicycling and the Minnesota DNR has several tools available to help you experience the color changes throughout the state.  The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fall Color Map has now gone live and will be updated by State Park and State Recreation Area (SRA's) staff by noon every Thursday.  With the wet Spring Minnesota has had and a good growing season during the Summer, trees are very healthy and a magnificent color display is expected throughout the state now through mid-October. 

To coincide your bike rides with the peak color changes using your smartphone or tablet, the MN DNR also has a Fall Colors Mobile version that is integrated with Google Maps.  It will display a map for typical peak colors around the state and provide a list view or  map view of State Park and SRA's with percentage of color change.  Click on any listing for more details on where to go, what you'll see and other things of interest.  Each listing also has links to events, a map view and the corresponding MN DNR webpage.

Minnesota has 24 State Trails with scenic views to check out the fall colors.  Whether you prefer to ride on paved, aggregate or natural surface trail, there are many miles to explore.  Visit the Minnesota State Trails Start Up Guide to pick a trail that is right for you.

I published a four part series of posts entitled "Favorite Trails for Fall Color Rides" two years ago that list some of my favorite places to ride during the Fall.  These are some really fun trails with great scenery.  They can be read at the following links:  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.  Give them a try, they will not disappoint.

Image Credit:  MN DNR

If adventure riding or forest roads are a little more your style the Minnesota DNR has a page with information about biking in Minnesota State Forests.  There are over 2000 miles of forest roads and thousands of logging trails to explore.  See my post Explore Minnesota's State Forests by Mountain Bike With Resources From the MN DNR.

Fall is a wonderful time of year for biking and with a little help from the MN DNR you can find out where and when to go for a great riding experience.

Winter '14-'15 Minnesota Fatbike Events

Get Phat with Pat - Minnesota River Bottoms

Fatbikes are more popular than ever here in Minnesota and new fatbike events keep popping up around the state.  This season's calendar will include all types of  Winter fatbike events from festivals and races to demos and group rides.  Below is a list in chronological order.  Race and event organizers, if you would like your event listed, please send me an e-mail.  I will continue to update and add events to this post as they become available.

Fatbike Frozen 40 - Elm Creek

The Pie Burner Pedal-November 29, 2014
Hosted by: Iron Range Fat Bike Riders
Hibbing Community College
Hibbing, MN
25 miles 

Frozen Frolic Winter Mountain Bike Race Series-December 6, 2014
Elm Creek Park Reserve
Champlin, MN
10.5 miles 

Global Fatbike Day-December 6, 2014 
Worldwide 

Global Fat Bike Day/Brainerd Lakes-December 6, 2014
Jack Pine Brewery
Baxter, MN
Approximately 25 miles 

Global Fat Bike Day Group Rides-COGGS-December 6, 2014
Duluth, MN 

Global Fat Bike Day on "Da Range"-December 6, 2014
Hibbing, MN 

Global Fat Bike Day/Faturday-December 6, 2014
Russell A. Sorenson Landing (Lyndale Lot)
Bloomington, MN
Approximately 20 miles
MN Fatbike Group Rides post 

Global Fat Bike Day 2014 Twin Cities-December 6, 2014
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Bloomington, MN
Facebook Event Page 

Nicollet Bike Global Fat Bike Day Group Ride-December 6, 2014
Nicollet Bike Shop
Mankato, MN
Facebook Event Page 

Superfat Crit-December 6, 2014
Winter Bike Expo
Freewheel Midtown Bike Center
Minneapolis, MN 

Winter Bike Expo-December 6-7, 2014
Freewheel Midtown Bike Center
Minneapolis, MN 

Frozen Frolic Winter Mountain Bike Race Series-December 13, 2014
Murphey-Hanrehan Park Reserve
Savage, MN
10.5 miles 

The Solstice Chase-December 20, 2014
Great Lakes Fat Bike Series
Big Rock Creek Retreat
St. Croix Falls, WI
42 & 21 km
Online Registration 

Penn Cycle Group Ride Tailgate Series-Minnesota River Bottoms-December 28, 2014
Russell A Sorenson Landing
Bloomington, MN
12-15 miles 

2nd Annual Frozen Nose & Toes Fatbike Ride-January 1, 2015
Bowlus Trailhead-Soo Line Trail
Bowlus, MN 

Brookview Tour De Fat-January 3, 2015 Cancelled
Brookview Golf Course
Golden Valley, MN
160 rider cap 

Frozen Frolic Winter Mountain Bike Race Series-January 10, 2015
Elm Creek Park Reserve
Champlin, MN
10.5 miles 

GRIMBA Pot-Luck and Fatbike Ride-January 10, 2015
Mt. Itasca
Grand Rapids, MN 

Fat Wednesday Fat Bike and Snowshoe Race Series-January 14, 2015
Turtle Lake Regional Park
Shoreview, MN
Facebook Page 

Arctic Fat Fever Fat Bike Race-January 17, 2015
Excelsior Brewing Company
Excelsior, MN
15 miles 

Penn Cycle Get Phat with Pat Race #1-January 17, 2015
Minnesota River Bottoms
Bloomington, MN 
Facebook Event Page 

Fat Wednesday Fat Bike and Snowshoe Race Series-January 21, 2015
Turtle Lake Regional Park
Shoreview, MN
Facebook Page 

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-January 22, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN 
Facebook Event Page 

4th Annual Global Fat Bike Summit and Festival-January 23-25,2015
Snow King Resort
Jackson, WY 

Frozen Frolic Winter Mountain Bike Race Series-January 24, 2015
Murphey-Hanrehan Park Reserve
Savage, MN
10.5 miles 

Penn Cycle Get Phat with Pat Race #2-January 24, 2015
Minnesota River Bottoms
Bloomington, MN
Facebook Event Page 

B-B-BRRR Winter Classic-January 25, 2015
Community Gardens
Fargo, ND 

Carver Lake Cold Catfish Cup-January 25, 2015
Carver Lake Park
Woodbury, MN 
Online Registration
Facebook Event Page 

Penn Cycle Group Ride Tailgate Series-Lebanon Hills-January 25, 2015
Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trails
Eagan, MN 

Arrowhead 135-January 26-28, 2015
International Falls, MN
135 miles
Registration for race veterans opens 9/1/2014
Registration for newcomers opens 10/1/14
Race Registration Information 

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-January 29, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN 
Facebook Event Page 

Penn Cycle Fat Tire Loppet-February 1, 2015
Great Lakes Fat Bike Series
38 km
Online Registration 

Fat Wednesday Fat Bike and Snowshoe Race Series-February 4, 2015
Turtle Lake Regional Park
Shoreview, MN
Facebook Page 

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-February 5, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN
Online Registration

Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout-February 6-8, 2015

Great Lakes Fat Bike Series
Cuyuna Country SRA

Crosby, MN 
Lights Over Sagamore Night Ride-February 6
45NRTH Iron Yeti Snowxross Race-February 7
Ride With The Yeti Social-February 8
Schedule of Events 

Bikes and Beer Time Trial-February 7, 2015

Mankato Brewery/Kiwanis Mountain Bike Trail

Mankato, MN 

Frozen Frolic Winter Mountain Bike Race Series-February 7, 2015
Elm Creek Park Reserve
Champlin, MN
10.5 miles 

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-February 12, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN 
Online Registration

Get To Know Fat Bikes & Ride-February 14, 2015
River Bend Nature Center
Faribault, MN 

Fatbike Frozen 40-February 14, 2015
Great Lakes Fat Bike Series
Elm Creek Park Reserve
Champlin, MN 
Online Registration
200 rider cap 

Frozen Gopher Fat Bike Race-February 15, 2015
University of Minnesota Nordic Center
St. Paul, MN 
Online Registration 

Snowdown Fat Bike Fun Race-February 15, 2015
Cleary Lake Regional Park
Prior Lake, MN
10k Action Race, 5k Beginner Race 

Fat Wednesday Fat Bike and Snowshoe Race Series-February 18, 2015
Turtle Lake Regional Park
Shoreview, MN
Facebook Page 

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-February 19, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN
Online Registration

Bikecicle 2015-February 21, 2015
Grand Forks, ND
Laps of Mayhem Race
Fat Fifteen Race
Facebook Event Page 

Brookview Meltdown-February 21, 2015
Brookview Golf Course
Golden Valley, MN
160 rider cap 
Registration Form  

Forest History Center's Stomping on Winter-February 21. 2015
Grand Rapids, MN
Facebook Page  

Frostbiter: Fat Bike Race for Easter Seals-February 21, 2015
Grand Portage Lodge &Casino
Grand Portage, MN
40, 20 miles
Online Registration
Facebook Event Page 

9th Annual FatBikeFest-February 22, 2015
Hillside Park
Elk River, MN
Facebook Event Page  

2015 Heck Winter Ramble-February 22, 2015
Duluth, MN 
Facebook Event Page 

Snow Bomb Fat Bike Race-February 22, 2015
Holzinger Lodge
Winona, MN
Online Registration    

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-February 26, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN
Online Registration

COGGS 4th Annual Fat Bike Weekend-February 27-March 1, 2015
Duluth, MN 

CROCT group ride to the MN River Bottoms-February 28, 2015
Bloomington Ferry Unit Trailhead
Bloomington, MN
Facebook Event Page

Duluth Enduro Series Spirit Mountain Bike Enduro Race-February 28, 2015
Spirit Mountain
Duluth, MN
Facebook Page 

Frozen Frolic Winter Mountain Bike Race Series-February 28, 2015
Murphey-Hanrehan Park Reserve
Savage, MN
10.5 mile 

Nicollet Bike Fat Bike Gravity Fest-March 1, 2015
Mount Kato
Mankato, MN 

1st Annual Northland Fat Bike Rally-March 1, 2015
Lake Bemidji State Park
Bemidji, MN
20 km, 10 km 
Facebook Event page

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-March 5, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN 
Online Registration
Facebook Event Page  

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-March 12, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN 

3rd Annual Balsam Basher Fat Bike Race-March 14, 2015
Korkki Nordic Center
Duluth, MN
Facebook Event Page   

Fat Thursdays Super Fat Crit Series-March 19, 2015
Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Spring Park, MN 

Giants Ridge Fat Bike Race-March 21, 2015 - Canceled
Giants Ridge
Biwabik, MN
40, 20 km
Facebook Event Page  

Fat Forest Fourteen-March 29, 2015
Forest History Center (MHS)
Grand Rapids, MN
14 miles

Product Review: Trail Rail Adjustable Cell/GPS Cradle

I first came across the Trail Rail Adjustable Cell/GPS Cradle last year at Interbike and immediately thought of its application for mountain biking and adventure riding.  This mount is a solid way to secure your iPhone or Android device to handlebars for navigation, shooting photos/video and for easy access taking calls or messaging.  What makes this mount so stable and virtually indestructible is the cradle, platform and all components are machined from solid 6061-T6 Aluminum billet.

I ride the fatbike on every type of terrain so I figured it would be the best test of durability for the Trail Rail Adjustable Cradle.  I have used it to secure my Samsung Galaxy S4 (on the Adjustable Cell/GPS Cradle II) to my bars for navigation and ride tracking on gravel roads, through the Minnesota River Bottoms and on area singletrack mountain bike trails without ever having to worry about the cradle coming loose or losing my phone.

Rock gardens, logs, fast descents and the occasional crash did not interfere with Trail Rail's ability to keep my phone securely in place.  In fact, it held it so secure that I could see this mount being used on ATV's and motorcycles, too.

The cradle is adjustable to provide the best viewing angle.  By changing out individual components such as the C-Link adapter and Platform (Diamond), the orientation of the phone can be changed to a landscape view for shooting photos and video.

Here is a short video I shot using my Samsung Galaxy S4 in the landscape position on the Trail Rail Adjustable Cradle while riding at the Minnesota River Bottoms.

While the video quality may seem shaky, it is not because of the Adjustable Cradle but rather the vibration and shock from the bike on rough terrain.  I do like having the option to shoot 1080p video and take photos with my smartphone while on rides and the adjustability of this cradle allows me to do so easily.

My favorite thing about the design of the Trail Rail Cradle is the easy access that it provides while riding.  I can quickly glance down at a map, check my ride stats or view a newly received text message.  All of the button functions (volume, power and home) are available without the cradle getting in the way of them and I have full responsive touchscreen functionality.

The adjustable cradle fingers and spacers provide a custom fit on phones with cases.  I have an Otterbox Defender Series case on my Galaxy S4 which increases the phone size significantly and it was easy to get the right secure fit.  There are two neoprene strips that apply onto the face of the cradle to prevent scratching of the phone and dampen vibration.

This is a high quality phone mounting system that delivers security even on the roughest of terrain.  The only negative that I came across using it was not being able to quickly remove my phone from the cradle.  Removal does require the use of an allen wrench to loosen the cradle fingers.  Trail Rail does however sell Thumb Screws to avoid this, making phone removal tool-free.  Quick cradle removal can also be done by implementing the new UV Quick Release Mount.

With a number of Individual Components available for the Trail Rail system, mounting options are many and can be customized to your liking.  Contact Trail Rail for questions regarding components and cradles for mounting for your device.

The original Adjustable Cell/GPS Platform I was designed for use with the iPhone but can be used with smaller Android phones and is available for $119.99.  I have used this cradle with my old HTC One S.  The newest addition to the Trail Rail line, the Adjustable Cell/GPS Cradle II is ideal for larger phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 & S5 and is available for $139.99.  Since last year the price for the Trail Rail phone cradle system has come down significantly from its original $200+ price tag.  These mounts are more expensive than most on the market but are very high quality and built to last unlike plastic mounts.

Each system comes in MIL-STD-8625 Class II, Black & Sealed finish and the Adjustable Cell/GPS Platform I is also available in several anodized colors.  All Trail Rail products are made in the USA.

Both Systems Include:
(1) TRUV MOUNT
(1) HB RING RAIL (31.8MM STANDARD RING SIZE, OTHER SIZES AVAILABLE, SEE BELOW)
(1) C Link Adapter
(1) Platform Adapter
(1) Adjustable Cell/GPS Cradle
 HB RING RAIL ALSO AVAILBLE IN THE FOLLOWING SIZES:
-19mm (.750")
-25.4mm (1.00")
-30.1mm (1.187")
-31.8mm (1.252")
-32.4mm (1.275")

Disclosure:  Trail Rail provided the review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.