As much as we’d sometimes like it to, the march of time never stops. On the downside, that means it’ll soon be Monday again – but on the up side, today is Friday and the weekend is upon us! The BikeRadar crew has just returned from the Eurobike and Interbike trade shows with fresh goodies in hand. Take a look down below, and then excuse us while we head out for a much-needed ride…
New mountain bike gear
Cane Creek DBcoil CS
The rising popularity of enduro racing has reinvigorated the demand for coil-sprung rear shocks, given their increased sensitivity as compared to air sprung setups.
Cane Creek’s new DBcoil CS features the same four-way damping adjustment design as other Double Barrel shocks, for an ultra-wide and ultra-customisable tuning range.
What really sets the DBcoil CS apart, however, is a slick ‘climb switch’ that instantly boosts the low-speed compression and rebound settings for far more efficient climbing than standard coil shocks.
Actual weight with a 450lb coil spring and mounting hardware is 872g (200x57mm).
$665 / £485 / €TBC / AU$TBC (Cane Creek DBcoil CS rear shock without coil spring)
Dynaplug Micro Pro tubeless tyre repair kit
As good as most sealants are, they still can’t fix every tubeless puncture.
For cuts and holes that are simply too big for goop to handle on its own, there’s the Dynaplug Micro Pro.
Inside the tidy little aluminium canister is a temporary plug to limit the amount of air lost, a ‘clearing attachment’ to clean out any remaining debris, and five soft-rubber plugs with attached pointed brass guides to permanently seal up the leak. There’s even a miniature knife attachment to cut off the extra rubber for a clean repair.
Weight for the entire kit is just 46g, making it an easy addition to a hydration pack for your next epic ride.
$55 / £30 / €52 / AU$75
MilKit tubeless valves and service kit
Ever wanted to check how the sealant is doing in your tubeless tyre but don’t want the hassle of unseating it from the rim? With the new MilKit tubeless kit, you don’t even have to let the air out.
The key is a supplemental valve, built into the base of the special tubeless valve stems, which keeps the tyre sealed up even after you remove the core. To check the sealant level or condition, just insert the included syringe (which uses an extra-long needle to reach through the secondary valve) and pull on the plunger. If you need to add more or replace the stuff that’s in there, just suck sealant into the syringe and inject it back into the tyre.
Aside from that, the system works like any other standard Presta valve stem: push the end to let air out, attach a pump to inflate, and lock it up by screwing down the barrel. Even better, MilKit’s supplemental valve also prevents sealant from pooling in the valve stem body, where it can eventually clog.
$49 / £TBC / €49 / AU$N/A (complete MilKit Compact kit)
$26 / £TBC / €26 / AU$N/A (MilKit valve stems only, pair)
InvisiFRAME and Frameskin frame protection kits
Keep that new-bike look and protect your bike from the inevitable scratches and scrapes with a custom-cut, clear, vinyl protection kit from UK-based InvisiFRAME or Australia-based Frameskin. Both companies feature patterns that are custom-cut for make, model and even size, promising a perfect fit and complete frame coverage. Glossy and matte finishes are offered, too, making the decals nearly invisible when applied.
Available fitments vary widely between both companies and we can’t comment on the durability of either kit just yet. Installation looks to be straightforward – albeit somewhat tedious – but if it all goes as planned, we’re looking forward to having some peace of mind out on the trail.
$70-125 / £48-82 / €65-110 / AU$50-160 (depending on kit)
Answer Stein grips
Wisconsinites take their beer drinking seriously (especially during winter months), so it’s little surprise that Answer got inspiration for its Stein grips from someone’s favourite mug. The subtle concave pattern doesn’t look like much, but the dual-density rubber compound (with the softer rubber on the outside) is impressively grippy. More importantly, these just feel good to hold.
Aluminium locking collars keep these from moving about and heavy-duty end caps are also included for protection during crashes.
Actual weight is 124g for the pair with end plugs.
$30 / £20 / €27 /AU$44
New road bike gear
CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel System
How much is some extra speed worth to you? CeramicSpeed says its new Oversized Pulley Wheel System will save as much as 3W, compared to a standard Shimano Dura-Ace rear derailleur, with no other modifications required (aside from a longer chain).
The key is a pair of huge 17-tooth pulleys, rotating on slipper CeramicSpeed hybrid-ceramic cartridge bearings. According to CeramicSpeed, the power savings come from the fact the bearings not only generate less friction but also the pulleys themselves spin more slowly.
Thanks to aggressive machining on the aluminium pulley wheels and lightweight moulded carbon-reinforced polyamide side plates, CeramicSpeed says the OPWS kit will add only 8-10g, compared to a stock Dura-Ace derailleur.
We’re planning to install our test sample this weekend, so if all goes according to plan, we’ll already be eating breakfast on Tuesday by the time you’re back to work on Monday.
Actual weight for the complete pulley and cage assembly is 55g.
$499 / £365 / €459 / AU$TBC
Specialized Recon Mixed Terrain shoes
One might think that good ol’ mountain bike shoes might suffice for the growing legions of gravel and dirt road riders out there, but no, not Specialized. Instead, feast your eyes on the new Recon Mixed Terrain shoes, which feature stiff, full-carbon plates and a grippy ‘SlipNot’ rubber outsole, all joined to a classy-looking synthetic leather laced upper.
Think XC race shoe functionality blended with classic roadie aesthetic.
Actual weight for a pair of size 43 shoes is 719g.
$225 / £180 / €252 / AU$TBC
SwissStop EXOTherm disc brake pads
SwissStop answers Shimano’s Ice Tech brake pads with finned pads of its own, dubbed EXOTherm. Like Ice Tech, EXOTherm features aluminium backing plates with heaps of surface area to help dissipate heat that might otherwise be transmitted into the calliper body – similar to how your car’s radiator works.
The pad compound is based on SwissStop’s e-bike compound, which the company says generates about 10 percent less bite than its organic pads, but with far better heat tolerance and durability. According to SwissStop, this all makes the new EXOTherm pads ideal for road applications where heat management is the primary concern.
For now, SwissStop only has EXOTherms pads to fit current Shimano callipers, but additional fitments are pending.
$44 / £30 / €38 / AU$59 (SwissStop EXOTherm disc brake pads, pair)
Clement LCV tyres
Already a staple in the cyclocross and gravel scenes, Clement is now going after the high-end clincher road tyre market with the new LCV. Featuring a supple 240TPI nylon casing, light puncture protection under the tread only, and a fast rolling slick tread, the LCV weighs as little as 180g in a 23mm-wide size.
Speaking of sizes, Clement will offer the LCV in 23, 25, and (yes!) 28mm widths to suit a range of users. Actual weight for a pair of 25mm-wide samples is just 205g.
$80 / £TBC / €TBC /AU$TBC
Unior chain checker and chain tool
Unior is already well known in much of the world, but Americans should get used to seeing the name on a lot more bicycle tools soon as the Slovenian company is making its way to US shores. Included in a recent sample kit we received here at BikeRadar’s Colorado offices are Unior’s sturdy looking 1647 Chain Tool and 1644/2 Chain Wear Indicator.
The chain tool features a comfy molded grip and rubber coated handle, a replaceable pin, and compatibility with all 11-speed chains. The chain wear indicator is simple but refreshingly straightforward: just hook one end under a roller and drop the other end down into the chain to check how much it’s worn.
$TBC / £32 / €35 / AU$TBC (Unior 1647 Chain Tool)
$TBC / £10 / €12 / AU$TBC (Unior 1644/2 Chain Wear Indicator)
Bar Fly Rain Fly fender
Bar Fly’s Rain Fly fender uses just a single sheet of cut and scored plastic and a half-dozen zip-ties to keep road spray from soaking your back and rear end. Despite its simplicity, the coverage looks pretty decent and with an actual weight of just 46g, it basically weighs nothing. The smart shape should work on a wide range of frames, too, and Bar Fly even offers a high-visibility orange version, should you want to stand out a bit more on dreary grey days.
$20 / £15 / €20 / AU$25