I will agree with seraph. but, If you're going to use such a blade, then applying a layer of thinned epoxy over the cut is a good idea (it will fill the tiny cracks created at the resin of the CF tube by the saw blade).

Well, I do (gearbox is the next lgical step), but i do also have some objections abou the allmighty US patent office... You see, EVERY new idea, in order to be able to receive the precious patending status or not, has to pass though a detailed exam by the local and international patent offices (in this case, both the Greek & european pantend offices, which both send their info to the US patend office and received sufficiend data in order to provide a status A patend, to the original design!!!). So the problem is focused upon the conflict between the US & EU / GR patend offices & the very strong suppor the US patends enjoy from their counrty (a good thing in general, i wish GR & EU patend offices were like that). But, in this case even the US patend office addmits that GT has patended AFTER the PCT/GR 99/00031 WO 12376 claim... And for your infomation, the claims of the US patend office (which handles you the right to object ONLY 3 times) were upon some motorbike suspension designs... the same design that still struggle for their status here in the EU. So, the result is that this patend, now, is free. No point in paying every year large ammounds of money on an idea that has been ripped from so many. UncaJohn Now working, as you mentioned, on a Gearbox bike based upon this suspension design. Bu this will take time.

Well, i can only say that Lapierre too, failed to mention from were they copy-pasted this idea (just like GT & Mongoose). Just hit the phrase Full Floating Double Action Suspension Design at a search machine and you'll discover (ooops) a patent (PCT/GR 99/00031 WO 12376, EC classification B62K19/34,B62K25/28C, EP 1024994) that has been ripped by many "big" names.... UncaJohn Admitting your sources is not a bad thing.

Oe! Bravo Anepse (Savva)! Fantazome oti "kapies psiches" edo sta notia proastia (Admin & Insmouthios, kathos kai i hontri Loulou) tha strifogirnan sta krevatia toys xoris ipno! UncaJohn

Well now, and how about that so desired lasting factor? I've knocked my TIMES (Z please) too many times, too hard on rocks and they still work perfectly well. On the other hand i've seen too many eggbeaters & malets becoming... parts when they just touch those nice shiny marble rocks of our trails! Yep, here you're right, you may feel like you're clippind-in faster when you've cemented your pedals with mud (all malleteers claim so) and i won't argue with you because i just don't race. But, I just have to say (again) that my experience (and i am ridding trails since 1990) the TIMES (Atac, Z etc) seem to last & last. On the other hand those newcommers (crank bros) seem to fail & fail. So, in order to keep this short, this is what i calim: -TIMES were there before Mallets -TIMES just .. refuse to fail when knocked upon rocks -TIMES are cheap to buy and -Even the cheap models of the already cheap TIMES are performing so well that makes you wonder.... All the above, are of cource my personal opinion, formed by what i see.... All these have nothing to do with how you've evaluated these pedals, just that you mentioned only Shimano's & forgot all about TIMES. UncaJohn [I]Great respect to those who manage with flats. This is difficult![/I]

mtbiker991 . Hmm, ok! They are NOT a direct copy of the TIME pedals (i never mentioned Shimano's SPDs), if that pleases you. Yes, they do have differences... But Yep, they do share some similarity And My main concern was that the comparison was made along SPDs & mallets, like there are no other pedal systems out there. Who can argue with the fact that the TIME pedals were there way before mallets, that last longer, perform if not better, the same and are way cheaper (with the cash you're.. investing upon a pair of mallets you'll get 3 pairs of TIMEs!)& of course they do offer a perfectly wide amount of float. Of course everyone's opinion is based upon his/hers own experiences. So all i have to say is that i keep noting lots of mallets & eggbeaters been totally destroyed here, locally while our TIMES keep on going through.. time. That's all. Now if anyone is so emotionally attached upon those mallets, in such a way that he (or she) cannot accept that there are ALSO other good performing products out there, see TIME pedals,then there's nothing more to say (sorry write). UncaJohn [I]Also, if you're used to flat pedals,then i can see no reason why to start all over again & fight your way into SPDs, mallet or Times. Just practice & sharpen your technique. The same goes for the SPD-Mallet-Time-ers. You're more comfortable with your pedals (me too!), then just go on with those. Pay respect to the other discipline![/I]

Wellll (to cloverleaf), you're right of cource... the mechanisms have their differences, but. -The article just failed to mention a good product that is available for a long time before those mallets. -Yes, these mallets in the images seem rather.. rock machined, but if you compare them to my TIMES (platforms) which have been running for 8 years though our rocky trails (i live in Greece), you'll see that even the cheap version of TIMES stand perfectly as a oponent. And -I've seen too many mallets been totally destroyed into our trails. And fast enough (even from the first ride). The problem seems to occur when the springs that hold the shoe bracket hit upon a rock. On the other hand the round proile of the TIME pedals springs and the fact that they're quite protected helps them last. Last. [I]Of cource i am not claiming that these products (mallets) are for the bin, i just say that the wrighter owed to mention that there are some pretty decent products out there, offering the same advantages. I'll try to share a photo with you of my pedals... it will be interesting. It's just that i may forget all about that when i'm back home...[/I]

You failed to mention that mallets are a copy of TIME pedals, which still work better, last longer & cost way less.