For a lot of us it's approaching new bike time and the options, as usual, are mind-numbing.
Poring over catalogues, websites and magazines searching for the right bike at the right price for you seems to take forever. Reduced price '09 machine or brand-spanking 2010? Same as the old bike or something completely different? Off-the-peg or build it yourself?
The latter is almost a rite of passage these days and there aren't many things much more rewarding than speccing and building your own custom trail machine. It may require a bit (okay, a lot) more effort but the result is a bike unique to you and with four months of winter slop on the horizon it can look pretty tempting.
Anyway, those clever chaps at Commencal have decided to give you a bit of a helping hand in 2010 with their new line of Factory Custom Base Kits. Like most good ideas, it's a simple one; you buy a superb Commencal frame and receive with it front and rear Fox suspension, bars and stem, and a seatpost. For the harder-hitting frames you get an e13 chain device too.
The result is exactly what it says on the tin: a custom base to build your dream stead around. We reckon it'll work well for a lot of people looking to give their existing bike a bit of a revamp too.
Check out Commencal's website for more. Prices to be announced shortly.