This week we took a look at Shimano's patetnt for ABS brakes and ponder if brand might release its own version of the technology in the near future.
We also gave you a look at Andrew Feather's, British hill climb champion, crazy lightweight Cannondale SuperSix EVO and brought you our recommended mudguards and fenders to keep your butt dry and bike bits 'clean' this autumn/winter.
Plus, if you haven't started listening to the BikeRadar Podcast yet, you can see all our podcasts by searching 'podcast' on bikeradar.com. That way you can find supplementary images, articles and links alongside the podcasts themselves. Alternatively, just search "BikeRadar podcast" wherever you normally listen to podcasts and download a few for when you're on the go.
This week I sat down with our resident racers, Rob Weaver and Luke Marshall, to discuss to what extent racing has influenced the (vastly superior) mountain bikes we ride today.
[acast acastid="howmtbracinghasinfluencedbikedesign" accountid="bikeradarpodcast" /]
It's not quite Halloween yet, but Christmas decorations are already springing up in the shops, and with so many shiny new bikes and plenty of kit to test, it's a bit like Christmas every week here in the BikeRadar office. So let's see what's arrived…
Triban RC 520 SPD road shoes
Decathlon is gaining a reputation for great value cycling kit and these road/gravel shoes look especially promising. The retail price is £69.99, but the blue version is currently available direct from Decathlon for just £44.99.
They are primarily designed for road use, but they're built around mountain-bike style SPD cleats. This should broaden their appeal towards commuting and gravel riding because the smaller MTB cleat is far less awkward to walk on than road-specific cleats, such as the SPD SL.
The outsole has knurled rubber strips around the heel and toe sections to make walking easier still.
The sole is made from nylon with fibreglass and feels reasonably stiff, though of course it's not as unyielding as a carbon sole. The leather upper doesn't feel like it belongs on such an inexpensive shoe either, and the combination of laces and a ratchet strap should hold your feet in place well.
The laser-cut holes in the upper are probably not ideal for the weather in the UK right now though!
Our sample shoes weigh 790g for the pair in size EU42.
- £69.99 / €75 / $50
Alé Iridescent Reflective Jacket
This windproof cycling jacket has a trick up its sleeve. Thanks to tiny particles of glass embedded in the surface finish, it reflects light back towards its source. That means it should light up and stand out to drivers or other cyclists when illuminated by headlights, in much the same way as road signs and high-vis jackets.
This phenomenon is known as retroreflection. As the days get shorter, this feature could be a real safety benefit because the whole of the rider's body stands out in headlights.
The oil-slick look (which is easier to see than to photograph) is produced as a result of different wavelengths (colours) of light reflecting from slightly different angles while all other wavelengths are canceled out.
This phenomenon is known as iridescence. Fun fact: if your brake rotors get really hot, you can see iridescence there too. The heat creates a thin layer of oxidised metal which reflects the light of specific wavelengths at given angles, creating a rainbow effect.
The windproofing comes from the tightly-woven 100 per cent polyester fabric. This is teamed with mesh strips running the length of the inner arms and side of the torso to allow sweat to escape. Alé suggests 10 to 18 degrees Celsius as the ideal temperature for the garment – presumably dependent on how you layer-up underneath.
It will be interesting to see how it performs on the road and whether the glass bead finish stands up to the washing machine.
- £200 / €215 / $220
TRP G-Spec Trail SL brakes
TRP was little-known in the world of high-end mountain bike brakes until it teamed up with multiple downhill world cup champion Aaron Gwin in 2016. Together they designed the G-Spec DH brake, which we reviewed here.
The Trail brake uses the same four-piston forged caliper but with a lighter 'trail' lever. There's tool-free reach adjustment on the lever blade, but no bite-point adjust. That's about what you'd expect for a £150 brake, which matches the adjustments offered by SRAM's similarly-priced Code R.
The caliper houses pairs of 14mm and 16mm diameter pistons. The different piston diameters are said to offer increased modulation: as the larger pair move out to the rotor first, thereby giving a more gradual application of pressure onto the rotor.
Larger pistons are also used to counteract the issue that the leading part of the brake pad usually wears down fastest; larger pistons on the trailing edge mitigate this.
Unlike most brakes, which use phenolic pistons, TRP spec ceramic/alloy pistons in the caliper. It will be interesting to see if they cope any better in gritty, muddy and cold conditions, where phenolic pistons are prone to seizing. These will be fitted to a bike soon for review in a few months time.
We've also got TRP's two-piece stainless steel/alloy rotor to test them with. The alloy carrier reduces weight compared to a fully stainless steel rotor.
The rotor weighs 206g in 180mm diameter. The brake with rear-length hose weighs 333g without hardware.
- £150 / $180
Sealskinz Waterproof all-weather cycle gloves
Sealskinz has updated its popular all-weather cycle gloves with improved waterproofing, or so it claims at least.
The three-layer construction is built to be 100 per cent waterproof, while remaining warm. In order to maintain dexterity, the liner is designed so it won't slip relative to the outer and mid layers, helping to maintain a natural feel when using fiddly controls.
They are somewhat reflective too, so should add a little visibility when riding after dark. Although they're far less striking in low light conditions than the Alé Iridescent Jacket above.
We also like the large, adjustable wrist cuff, which should help stop unwanted drafts getting up your sleeves on cold rides.
- £45 / €60 / $65
