Friday five-a-side: This week's best road and MTB gear 25/04/14

Friday five-a-side: This week's best road and MTB gear 25/04/14

Featuring Santini, Specialized, Lazer, Wheels Manufacturing and more

Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

Published: April 25, 2014 at 11:00 am

It’s Friday, and that means shiny new kit. Here’s a peek at some of the new road and mountain bike gear that’s landed on our desk this week.

New road gear

Santini Retro kit

Santini Retro kit
Santini retro kit: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

With the growing popularity of retro events such as the Eroica, old is the new new. The Santini Wool Heritage jersey is made from a wool/polyester blend and sports an old-school knitted collar and cuffs. The matching Pure bib-shorts are a more conventional synthetic blend and have a classy embroidered logo in keeping with the vintage theme. The pad is Santini’s excellent Gel Intech version, which the firm insists on abbreviating, rather unfortunately, to 'GIT'.

  • Jersey: £99.99 / US$190
  • Shorts: £99.99 / US$190

www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk / www.santinisms.it

Colnago CX Zero Disc

Colnago CX Zero Disc
Colnago cx zero disc: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

Since we all started taking road discs seriously, Colnago has been at the vanguard of efforts to stamp out rim braking for good, stealing the limelight back in early 2012 with its C59 Disc. The CX Zero is the company’s endurance road machine, with shorter, more upright geometry than its racier siblings, the C60 and the M10s. It also has skinny seatstays and a distinct kink in the chainstays: evidence that ride comfort was foremost in the mind of the designers.

Ultegra build £3,499.95 / US$4,700

www.windwave.co.uk / www.colnago.com

Rudy Project Agon glasses

Rudy Project Agon glasses
Rudy project agon glasses : - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

Being a sunglasses tart is virtually a job requirement at BikeRadar – we never tire of new eyewear. The Agon is Rudy Project’s latest set of cycling shades – available in a vast range of lens and frame combinations, with all lenses being interchangeable. Highlights are the adjustable temple tips and nose piece, as well as a host of corrective options. First impressions are that these offer great optical clarity and a pleasingly unobstructed field of view.

From £138.99 / US$224.99 (White gloss frame/Impact X Red Photochromic as pictured: £184.99 / US$274.99)

www.rudyproject.com

Aerozine anodised components

Aerozine anodised components
Aerozine anodised components: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

If matchy-matchy is your thing, Aerozine will sort you out. Available in eight different colours, you can colour coordinate virtually every detail of your bike with the company’s flashy anodised components. Who said the 90s were dead?

  • Bottom bracket: £19.99 / US$N/A
  • Jockey wheels: £21.99 / US$N/A
  • Chainring bolts: £8.99 / US$N/A
  • Headset spacers: £6.99 / US$N/A
  • Seat clamp: £15.99 / US$N/A
  • Titanium skewers: £29.99 / US$N/A
  • Headset cap: £5.99 / US$N/A
  • Headset (tapered or straight): £27.99 / US$N/A

nrg4.co.uk

Lazer Z1 helmet

Lazer Z1 helmet
Lazer z1 helmet: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

We’ve been impressed by Lazer’s offerings of late, so we expect good things of the new Z1 helmet. Our large version weighs 243g, or 291g with the plastic Aeroshell that comes included. It looks to be generously vented with the cover off, and adjustment comes courtesy of an updated version of the Rollsys system that we liked so much on previous Lazer helmets.

£199.99 / US$270

www.madison.co.uk / www.lazersport.com

New mountain bike gear

Defenda mudguard

Defenda mudguard
Defenda mudguard : defenda mudguard - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

As the UK’s last winter reminded us, mudguards (sorry America, fenders) can be indispensable for keeping filth levels manageable. The Defenda is a very affordable take on a proven concept. It’s primarily designed as a front guard, attaching to the fork arch with cable ties, but will also attach to the rear of the bike on some setups.

£5 / US$8.40

defenda.bigcartel.com

Wheels Manufacturing BB30 adapter

Wheels Manufacturing BB30 adapter
Wheels manufacturing bb30 adapter: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

Wheels Manufacturinig is a company most familiar to people who’ve had the misfortune to snap their rear derailleur hanger. It also makes a plethora of bottom brackets and adapters. This one is a complete bottom bracket with Enduro bearings, which enables you to fit a SRAM/Truvativ chainset to a BB30 frame. The two halves thread together for a secure fit, which should reduce the chances of the annoying creaking that can plague press-fit installations. A nearly identical Shimano version is available too.

£59.99 / US$74

www.wheelsmfg.com / www.madison.co.uk

Specialized S-Works Demo 8 Carbon frame 2014

Specialized S-Works Demo 8 Carbon frame 2014
Specialized s-works demo 8 carbon frame 2014: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

The Demo needs no introduction, so you’ll understand why the arrival of the latest, greatest S-Works incarnation of this proven DH machine has us excited. The carbon front end and M5 alloy rear triangle are built around a custom Öhlins TTX22M shock with 200mm of travel. Watch this space.

£3,500 / US$3,500

www.specialized.com

DMR V12 pedals

DMR V12 pedals
DMR v12 pedals: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

The V12 has been a perennial favourite of flat pedal aficionados. They’re tough, have customisable grub screw-style pins and are easy to service. DMR has updated the design, slimming the body down to 16mm high and losing some weight in the process: our chromoly axle set tips the scales at 422g. A lighter magnesium version is available too, and naturally you have a choice of five colours.

£49.99 / $TBC

www.dmrbikes.com

ION Ledge gloves

ION Ledge gloves
ION ledge gloves: - Jonny Ashelford / Future Publishing

Good gloves are critical for your enjoyment of gnar. These ones from ION are aimed at gravity and enduro riders and have some nice touches. Digital_Tips should make trail-side tweeting a breeze and the single piece palm feels ultra-grippy. There’s a snot-wipe panel too and a velcro wrist closure keeps things snug.

£31.95 / $TBC

www.ion-products.com