Rich's Tongfamily (Richtong.net add-on)

Mountain Bike – Equipment Ultimate Cross Country Gear
ULTIMATE CROSS-COUNTRY SPEC
March, 2002
by Mountain Bike Staff 2002 Cross-Country Gear Ultimate Cross-Country Spec Helmets Pedals Saddles Bar-ends Bar/Stem Gloves
For XC parts, lightweight is the name of the game, although the lightest part available isn’t always the best. The key is to find the lightest-weight part that suits your needs in terms of strength, stiffness and price. Here are our picks.
Fork: Manitou Mars Super, $500, Mars over SID for its better bushing durability and steering precision.
Headset: Chris King, $120, It will pay for itself 10 times over before you give it up.
Stem: Thomson, $80, Light, stiff, and a nice cosmetic match with the Thomson seatpost.
Bar: Easton carbon, $100, Light, durable and stylie.
Grips: Pedro’s Bobke’s Prayer Stix, $9, Thin, nice, and Bob Roll’s ugly mug is molded into the grip. Sweet.
Bar-ends: Control Tech Stumpies, $30, Give you an extra hand position and extra climbing leverage without adding more weight than necessary.
Seatpost: Thomson, $80, Clean, easy to adjust design, lightweight design.
Saddle: Selle Italia Flite TT, $120, A 165-gram, hollow-rail version of the classic.
Brakes/levers: Hope Mini, $200/wheel, V-brakes are old news-even for XC racing. Minis offer the best performance and durability of the lightweight lot.
Shifters: GripShift Rocket Shorty, $71, Unlike XTR, these allow you to trim your front derailleur’s position to eliminate chain rub.
Derailleurs (f/r): XTR, $96/124, Impossible to beat for weight, function and durability-especially in wet conditions.
Bottom Bracket: Dura-Ace, $66, Lighter and narrower than XTR, but compatible unless you’ve got a 73mm BB shell.
Cranks: XTR, $379, Stiff, strong, and attached to the best chainrings ever made.
Cassette: XT, $70, Better than XTR because of the gearing options and the 11-tooth small cog.
Chain: SRAM PC99, $36, We’ve broken every type of 9-speed chain we’ve tested-except this one.
Pedals: Shimano 95, $150, Light, stable, and easy to get in and out of. If you ride in mud, stick with Times.
Wheels: Mavic Crossmax Disc tubeless, $850, As wheels go, we like these because they’re light, strong and stiff.
Tires: Michelin Jet S UST (or Comp S), $50, The best performance in a semi-slick tire. For a knobby, go with the Comp S.
Total: $3,331