We've been getting obsessed with gram counting, and ultra pimpness, and white wheels, and Nicolais and custom built loveliness round these parts for the last while.  And that's been what we talk about over morning coffee, inbetween replying to emails, over lunch and afternoon coffee...and then late afternoon coffee.  And when we're building wheels we can't lace 3 spokes without weighing the wheels to see if its coming in on target.  In fact, as I'm typing this Steve is weighing a pair of tubes to see which is lightest....  I don't know how we've got here - it worries even me, the one who wields the torque wrench!

And in the midst of all this uber pimp madness, the everyday riding machines are easily over shadowed.  Yesterday I was building up a Commencal Combi - the hydraulic version. 


Here it is - Commencal Combi Hyrdo

I took it out for a quick rip in the car park, while I waited for the kettle to boil (need coffee).  It turned into quite a lengthy session.  This bike is too much fun!  This year's Combi is a descendant of last year's Absolut.  And it shows its pedigree.  Check out the rear stays below.  They are chunky and the rear end is soo snappy.  It pedals like a trail bike and rails corners like a four cross bike.


Commencal Combi - Chunky rear stays!
This bike has been designed to be the bike you always pick up to do everything.  You ride it to work, you ride to the woods after work, you session that 4 foot drop you've been dying to hit since you started riding, you take it on long weekend epics, you make excuses to take the long way home, just so you can be in the saddle for a bit longer.  The spec reflects the do everything-ness which the bike is capable of.  Lock out forks increase the versatility and make those on road journeys to the trails a little less painful. 


Lock out Suntour forks - nice feature.

The brakes are great.  For 2007 Avid brought out the Juicy 3's.  They are basically last year's Juicy 5's.  You get the same performance only they say 3 instead of 5.  Great!  Gearing is taken care of by SRAM.  I personally like the trigger shifters and they work well on this bike. 


Avid Juicy 3 brakes and SRAM trigger shifters

Kenda tires, WTB rims, SDG Bel Air saddle (comfy!), and a smattering of Commencal branded finishing kit complete the package.  This bike is just great for riding.  I seem to remember once, that's what it was all about.  Forget the gram counting and all the white stuff.  It will come and go.  Sometimes you just need a bike that you leave in the garage muddy, and pick up the next day and the next day and the next day and....