Milestone

Without using any form of Search Engine Optimization techniques, and using nothing more than Facebook, forum posts and word of mouth from the friends we started with and the friends we've made, www.blackcatbikes.com has broken the 1,000 barrier!

That's not just 1,000 visitors - that's 1,000 unique visitors from 33 countries!

We just want to thank everyone for coming to visit!

Apologies for not posting more often, the shop slave (me) took on a corporate job (the bills don't pay themselves), and the actual owner (the cat) doesn't really wanna post and is content with just sleeping and drinking lactose-free milk.

If you're new to the site (or maybe haven't looked at everything), the labels on the right are really helpful if you want to wander through old posts.

We'll be posting more over the next week, so stay tuned and RIDE SAFE!

Carnegie's - short and sweet review

Long time buddy, 29er pioneer and all around good guy Jay over at mynextbike wanted to give a Carnegie's a shot, so here's the skinny.

____________________________

Install

I’ve been trying to figure out my cockpit situation for my Siren John Henry 29er.

I was running a 90 stem but feeling just a wee bit cramped in the cockpit area. Fortunately the Ragley Carnegie Bars I ordered on a whim some time ago from Black Cat Bikes came in. I was originally going to put them on my girlfriends bike as a surprise, but when I saw how sweet I figured I’d use them for myself (Sorry Jo!). The Carnegies actually stretch you out by about 10MM or so which worked fine for me, with some seat adjustment to find my sweet spot. Being a flat bar also makes it ideal for a 29er which normally has a high head tube. Some people angle their position downward but mine are a bout level if not just a few degrees below level.

Performance

Wonderful bars! I tried Mary’s a while back and I found that although the hand position was nice, the bars were too narrow for my shoulder width, cramping my style. Not so with the Carnegies: just the right hand positioning. It’s a very natural position which is great for really long rides. Your technique also changes with the use of these bars. Instead of wrestling your way using your arms for extra torque and leverage, the bend tucks you in just right so you end up using your core instead. I think the Dirt Rag review said something along those lines and I have to agree with them. Its also less tiring using your core then just your arms which lends to longer rides with less exhaustion.

If you’re looking for Alt bars for any reason- comfort, efficiency or just because they’re plain cool I suggest you give these bars a shot.

You can check out more at his blog

I gotta say, I'm a big fan of the polished frame playing off the polished headset. Classy!