It has been a wild year filled with more undulations than the Kali dirt jumps. I love the way the Kali team has worked together throughout the uncertainties of 2021. Keeping the focus not only making the safest and most protective gear, but also toward the best customer service in the industry. From all corners of Kali these efforts are repaid by the loyalty of our customers and friends.

For those of you riding our gear I want to thank you. When you wear a Kali product it comes with our commitment to do the everything we can to protect you. We do the research and we follow the science ( and how we have learned to ‘love’ that term this year).

For those of you that know me you know safety is my focus, as long as I am in my position at Kali that will remain the focus. With that said I am also excited about the design team had cooked up for the 2022 line-up. 2022 is assured to be Kali's most exciting year ever. And I want to wish everyone a happy ending to 2021 and welcome in 2022. 

We put together a short list of things every bike rider should consider having in their garage. This is not the most exciting list or a list of the most expensive crap, but it is a list of things which could help to make your bike riding more fulfilling and comfortable. We hope you get what we're putting down.

-Brad Waldron

Dirt Jumper

You don't have to have to want to hit a CashRoll Tailwhip like Christian Arehart or Nicholi Rogatkin to enjoy the benefits of owning a Dirt Jumper.  For those of you still confused at what constitute a DJ bike, it is a basically a rigid frame with a short travel front fork, smaller wheels with fast rolling tires with high pressure and a single gear. The lower stand over height and jacked-low saddle leave you plenty of room to toss the bike around and the solid construction means you don't have to be overly worried about bailing out of all the not-so-smart things you are going to attemp on said steed. 

The dirt jumper is the perfect platform to learn how to pump, corner and jump. Learning to pump will make you smoother and faster on the trail. Learning to corner will make you just plain faster. And learning to jump makes everything on the trail more fun. 

But the real reason to get yourself a Dirt Jumper is the hang. Whether it be at the Kali dirt jumps, the local pumptrack or a set of TOP SECRET dirt jumps in the woods, there is a hugely enthusiastic and dare-we-say friendly group of riders who are always looking for someone to help them dig and share their knowledge with. With just a little bit of guidance and a couple of hot tips you should be nailing that backflip in no time.

Pictured: Evil Faction 2, with Deity cockpit, Maxxis DTH tires and Marzocchi fork. "I just built this up and I got a chance to take it to the new pumptrack in the Oakland (Ca.) Hills before the rain. It's awesom. I'm excited to work on my pumping skills and maybe even try to get the wheels off the ground." - Jim Merithew

Dropper Post

If you're not droppin' you're dying.

Do you need a dropper post? No. Should you be running on a dropper post on almost every bike you own? Definitely.

There are just no good reasons to be running your ride without a dropper post in 2022. The current lineup of dropper posts are excellent. The weight penalty is minimal and the added safety and comfort benefits are ginormous. That's right we said "ginormous." 

Do no delay. Run to your local independent bike shop and get a dropper installed on all your whips: singlespeed, hardtail, gravel, dual suspension, xc race bike, etc... You can thank us later. 

Pictured: PNW Dropper Post. "I love what PNW is up to. Their stuff just works." -Alain Lanusse 

 

Cycling Specific Outerwear 

We've all been there, sitting on the curb outside the convienient store pulling on some sandwich bags over our soaking wet socks and ripping a hole in the top of a garbage bag getting ready to get back at it in the pouring rain. 

And yes, we are well aware cycling specific rain gear is far more expensive then garbage bags or some cheap rain poncho you can purchase at the your local Odd Lots or Dollar Store, but it is one purchase you will not regret the first time you actually get caught out in a downpour. Maybe you don't need those fancy watt-saving dereailleur pulleys or those over-sized super-wrap sunglasses, but we believe you definitely need a waterproof/breathable garment for the upcoming monsoon season. 

Pictured: Shower Pass Rain Jacket. "It’s totally waterproof for rides in the Wasatch Mountains. I really like how I can tighten the cuff on the sleeve with quick Velcro adjusters and the hood fits right over my Maya 3.0, keeping me nice and dry." - Jon Sacks

Hardtail Mountain Bike

Have all your skills gotten soft? Are you just pointing your big hit bike downhill? Do you no longer get sketched out on sketchy terrain? Have you not come close to "testing" your Kali helmet in a really long time? 

If you answered "yes" to any of these previous questions then it might be time to add a modern hardtail to your ever-growing bicycle collection. Hardtails cost fewer dollars, require less maintaince, can be ridden in just about any situation and, above all else, create quite a stir at the trailhead and generate hours of bike nerd conversations. 

Pictured: Chromag Wideangle. "I just picked it up because my Pivot Switchblade tends to be overkill on some of my local trails and I was excited to see what it was like to ride a hardail, again." -Brad Waldron

Modern Blinky

The new era of bicycle lights would make even Rudolph seem not-so-bright. So if you're still running AA or AAA batteries in your aging bicycle light game it is definitely time to upgrade your blinky light game.

The new lights from Lenzyne, Moon and the like are packed full of lumens, come with impressive rechargable battery life and most of them offer up multiple mounting options to make sure your sleigh it guided with glee. Or some other terrible holiday reference. 

Pictured: Moon Sirrus and Sirrus Pro Tail light. "I make sure to have this light on at all times, making me highly visible, day or night. The Moon unit even has a motion sensor to indicate to those behind you that you are slowing down or stopping. It is perfect for that commuter." - Jason Aven