Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years, chances are likely that you already know a lot about the PLEGS. To sum it up, they are simple, cheap, light and STRUCTURAL plastic pegs. They aren’t magic. They won’t pull the chicks in or make you invincible…
…They wont even add any length to your yard, but they WILL open up some new terrain for you. They WILL grind much more easily than steel, aluminium or titanium pegs on previously “untouchable” surfaces like aluminium, brick, and rough concrete. They WILL grind over a lot of the existing skate-stoppers and they just might make the local skatepark owner think twice about his “no-bikes” rule (especially if you also have Par Ends and plastic pedals). If the police or security accuse you of wrecking their marble ledges, then you just might be able to talk your way out of trouble by pointing the material out to them and explaining that they won’t tear things up like metal pegs (and metal trucks!) can.
There may even be times when PLEGS seem too slippery for the trick you want to do, but we believe that once you try them that you’ll probably want them on your bike more often than not. At just 4.3 ounces each (14mm version), or approximately half the weight of a light steel peg, you’ll probably decide never to go back to steel.
Now, if you set out to quickly wear the sleeve down, then guess what? You will! However, a replacement sleeve is half the price of an entire PLEG. When they are used sensibly, and rotated as necessary, they can last you a very long time.
So, why all the delays, you ask? To do it right, of course. We first showed the PLEG prototypes at Interbike ‘06, and at the time we genuinely thought they would be out by the end of that year. However, this project originally started back in 2001, when I made my first set of plastic pegs (designing them so the plastic took the loads, rather than needing an inner core of steel or aluminium). We re-focused on the concept in 2005, and since we started we have gone through three moulding companies, worked on two continents, made two tools, devised five or six tool modifications, and experimented with too many plastic alloys to count – all in an attempt to make them grind as smooth as possible, to maximize their life, and to keep the costs down. In early 2007 we started working with a very high-caliber moulding company, and now we’ve finally nailed everything down. So, while the latest samples may look identical to the ones we showed in ’06, in reality they use a totally different plastic alloy, and they are coming out of a hugely modified tool. We are very pleased with the finished product, and we think you will be too.
So when can you buy some? Well, if you live in the US, the answer is, very soon. The first production batch just landed in California and cleared our final QC checks so they will be shipping out to distributors and shops right away. The approximate retail price is $12 per PLEG (choose from 3/8″ or 14mm hardware – sorry, no 9/16”). And a pack of TWO replacement sleeves is also roughly the same price, $12. We’re doing matte-black only to start, but other colours should be out later. Replacement sleeves will reach stores in January ’08. Complete PLEGS (with the axle hardware) are shipping NOW.
Availability is limited with this first shipment (due to space restrictions for the final container delivery of the year), so I would suggest getting your orders in right away if you’ve been waiting for these to be released.
Thanks for being patient with us on this project.
We believe that it was worth the wait.
