Hello and happy Friday! Got any good plans for riding this weekend? We sure do. To help build the riding stoke, check out the latest road and mountain bike gear to land in our Colorado offices below.
New road bike gear
Panache Thermal Blue Camo kit
Panache has a new range of blue camo thermal pieces: panache has a new range of blue camo thermal pieces
Panache Cyclewear in Boulder, Colorado offers custom and inline clothing. This new line of Blue Camo Thermal gear showcases the brand's appetite for custom design in stock cold-weather pieces.
Each of the five pieces are fleece-lined for soft insulation. UK and AU availability and pricing was unavailable at time of writing.
The winter gloves have a windblock shell with a fleece-lined interior
- Jersey $160
- Winter gloves $35
- Head warmer $25
- Thermal bib short $180
- Thermal booties $45
Ridley X-Trail C20
The ridley x-trail c20 all-road bike: the ridley x-trail c20 all-road bike
Ridley's steed for the all-road rider is the X-Trail, which is similar to the Belgian brand's Fenix endurance road model — but with a slacker front end and gobs of tire clearance. We like the choice of 38mm Challenge Gravel Grinders, which have a center file tread plus side knobs for cornering confidence.
Notable frame features include the use of Shimano’s direct-mount standard for the chainstay-mounted rear brake caliper, internal cable routing through the down tube and chainstays and bridgeless seatstays, presumably to improve compliance. The bike also sports thru-axles at both ends and hidden fender eyelets.
Josh Patterson previewed the X-Trail here, and we'll have a full review on the C-20 model above soon.
$4,000 / £2,999 / AU$5,750
Giordana NX-G jersey and bib shorts
Giordana's new nx-g kit pushes the price envelope with a $300 jersey and $400 bib shorts: giordana's new nx-g kit pushes the price envelope with a $300 jersey and $400 bib shorts
Giordana's new 'next generation' line pushes the envelope for the veteran Italian brand. The NX-G kit features thermobonding instead of stitching, aloe vera-infused chamois pads and hydrophobic foams.
After decades of being part owner in the Italian manufacturer APG, which also produced high-end clothing for the likes of Vermarc and custom clothing for many private labels, Giordana now owns its own factory in Montecchio in Italy’s Vincenzo region.
“Because we bought our own factory, we’ve had the benefit of being able to source materials from many different industries, including swim and intimate [wear],” said Giordana Andretta, daughter of the company founder and now second-generation executive herself. Even the chamois pads are proprietary and made in-house. Usually clothing brands will buy pads from CyTech or another supplier.
Related reading: Giordana pushes upscale into the realm of Assos and Rapha
- Bib shorts $400 / £243
- Jersey $300 / £179
Priority Eight commuter bike
The new priority eight is a $799 bike with hydraulic brakes, gates belt drive and internal nexus hub : the new priority eight is a $799 bike with hydraulic brakes, gates belt drive and internal nexus hub
Priority's new Eight commuter bike packs an impressive amount of quality into the $799 pricetag, thanks in no small part to the consumer-direct model.
The alloy bike comes dressed in a Gates Carbon belt drive (read: no chain lube needed, no rust), hydraulic disc brake and a Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub. Nice touches include a saddle that's not overly padded, grippy pegs on the pedals, Continental rubber and included fenders/mud flaps.
$799 / UK and AU N/A
Hincapie Signature jersey and bib shorts
Three standard pockets plus a zippered pocket big enough for an iphone 6: three standard pockets plus a zippered pocket big enough for an iphone 6
The Hincapie Signature line got an overhaul for 2016 with 4-way stretch Shoeller fabric. The thin and lightweight jersey has a zippered pocket big enough for an iPhone 6 (plus the standard three pockets), and the bib shorts feature an anti-shock gel and carbon threads in the chamois.
Jersey $180 / bibs $280 - UK and AU N/A
New mountain bike gear
Field Trip Turkey Jerky
If dried meat floats your boat as a protein-rich riding snack, Field Trip's founders claim to be taking it back to the good ol' days with their gluten- and additive-free jerky. As well as the tasty poultry-based option pictured here it's available in traditional beef; flavourings include Honey Spice, teriyaki, roasted sesame, crushed chillies and cracked black pepper, making a nice change from sugary bars and gels.
$6.50 / £TBC / AU$ TBC
Dakine AMP 18L
The AMP 18L hydration pack is loaded with creature comforts to get you through your next long trail ride. It comes with a 3l / 100oz Hydrapack bladder with a magnetic snap on the sternum strap to keep the hose from going rouge on rough descents.
The Air Mesh suspended back panel keeps flowing between you and the pack, while vented shoulder straps do the same for your chest.
Inside the pack there’s a cavernous main compartment, a fleece-lined pouch for eyewear and a clamshell compartment that opens wide to provide easy access to tools and other necessities.
$150 / £99 / AU$200
currexSole BIKEPRO insoles
Insole company currexSole makes some significant claims about the power of its BIKEPRO insoles. No, they won’t turn you from a weekend warrior to a Grand Tour hopeful, but according to currexSole these insoles can stabilize knee movements, boost muscle efficiency and accelerate muscular regeneration.
The BIKEPRO insoles are available in suitable for every discipline of cycling and come versions with low, medium and high levels arch support.
$50 / £30 / AU$80
Easton Haven Dropper
The dropper seatpost market is becoming an increasingly crowded space, as component companies realize that fixed length seatposts just aren’t selling like they once did.
Rather than start from scratch with an unproven design, Easton opted to use the trail-tested internals developed by 9point8.
This is a positive move, in our opinion. We’ve been very impressed by the reliability of the 9point8 Fall Line we’ve been abusing for six months.
Like the Race Face Turbine — which is the same post with slight cosmetic differences — the internally-routed Haven uses a quick-connect system, allowing it to be easily removed for travel or quickly swapped between bikes.
Control + ALT = DROP!
The Haven comes with a universal lever that can be mounted on the right or left side of the handlebar. Easton also offers a 1x specific lever that mounts in place of the front shift lever.
The Haven is available in 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters with 100, 125 and 150mm of drop.
$469 / £350 / AU$727
Acre Orion Jacket
Acre is a small San-Francisco-based company focused on making high end apparel for the demanding rider. The Orion is constructed from Polartec Neoshell fabric which the company claims is both waterproof and quite breathable.
In line with the jacket’s wet weather performance, the YKK zippers have a polyurethane coating and the seams are all smartly taped.
The cut is relaxed to complement baggy mountain bike kits and the hood is large enough to fit over a helmet.
$445 / £320 / AU$610
Stanley Adventure SS Flask
If you’re the type that likes to toast to having a good time in the woods then this Stanley flask will be a real shot of life.
This 8oz / 236ml flask will reliably carry your preferred elixir of life. It’s constructed from single-walled 18/8 stainless steel, so it won’t rust and it’s naturally BPA free.
So cheers to making it that last climb! Here’s some liquid courage for the way down.
$20 / £14 / AU$28
