Shimano's New Hone and LX

The virtues of Shimano's high-end components are hard to ignore. Regardless of personal preference, it's hard to overlook the benefits that come with Hollowtech II cranks, dual-control brake/shift levers and Centerlock rotor mounts. These features, which first appeared on the 2003 XTR, have now trickled straight down to a midlevel price with the redesigned 2005 LX line and a new group devoted to all-mountain avengers—Hone.

The new Hone brakes

Shimano invited the media to Tucson, Arizona, in early November to show off the two new lines, answer our questions and challenge us to beat the hell out of the new products. My two short days in Arizona weren't enough time to destroy anything, but I did get some decent impressions of how the stuff will perform and I learned a thing or two about Tucson (or Tuck-son as they say).

Here's a list of the ten best things about Shimano's 2005 product launch:

10. Arizona's climate. With 70-degree temperatures and zero rain, it's hard to find a better place to ride in November.

9. LX's bright and shiny cosmetics. The new LX not only performs like XT, it looks like it too.

8. The volunteers at the Pima Air & Space Museum www.pimaair.org. Those old-timers have been around and they have the stories to prove it.

7. Tucson's airplane graveyard. From 747's to fighter jets and WWII bombers, the southern Arizona landmark is home to thousands of dead airplanes.

6. Tucson's Fantasy Island trail network. Twenty-three miles of singletrack that meanders through stands of Saguaro cacti and passes through artwork made from common junk.

5. Hone's stealthy, all-black cosmetics. Anyone with any fashion sense will tell you: black is the new silver, and it, umm, matches with stuff pretty well.

The new LX brakes

4. Hone's axle-mounted, Saint-style rear derailleur. Crash your bike, throw your bike, hit whatever you want, you'll never have to worry about bending your derailleur hanger again.

3. Centerlock brake mounts at an affordable price. Centerlock hubs make stripped torx bolts a thing of the past and allow you to swap rotors in a flash.

2. Hollowtech cranks at a reasonable price. The new cranks are noticeably stiffer, plus you can stash belongings in the hollow spindle.

1. Dual control shifters at a midlevel price. The combined shifters and brake levers allow sharp shifting from several hand positions, even while braking.