Welcome back to First Look Friday, your round-up of the week’s content highlights, but more importantly a chance to check out the latest swag to land at BikeRadar HQ.
We opened the week with news of Syncros’ Capital SL carbon wheelset. The striking set of hoops have a one-piece construction where the rim, spokes and hub flanges are moulded and cured together. The hub shell is bonded later in the process, providing tension to the spokes and housing the DT Swiss 240 EXP internals.
Microshift also announced its new Sword gravel bike groupset. The affordable 10-speed gravel groupset features a clutch rear derailleur, 1x or 2x drivetrain options and is fully cable-actuated.
Dutch electric bike brand VanMoof declared bankruptcy after the co-founding brothers failed to secure a last-minute investment. The brand’s bikes offer high levels of technological functionality and in-built connectivity.
VanMoof’s demise certainly raises some thought-provoking questions on whether you should invest in proprietary tech if spares might be hard to come by in the future. Let us know in the comments where you stand on the subject.
Orbea also announced its latest-generation Orca road bike. The seventh-generation climbing bike prioritises light weight and ride quality over aerodynamics and the top-tier Orca OMX frame weighs in at a claimed 750g in a size 53cm. Ashley Quinlan treated us to a first ride review.
Finally, the remaining four reviews from my budget bib shorts group test have been published. How do the Sportful Neo, Rapha Core, Specialized Men’s RBX and Van Rysel Road Cycling Bib Shorts Racer 2 fare under my "discerning bottom"?
Now, let’s get onto what you’ve really been waiting for and unveil this week’s goodies.
New Rapha Pro Team jerseys
Rapha has recently launched some new pieces in its Pro Team line and I’ve got my paws on two cycling jerseys from the collection.
Rapha Pro Team Lightweight Jersey
First up is the Pro Team Lightweight Jersey, designed specifically for cycling in the heat. In my opinion, hot-weather jerseys are an underrated genre and I really like having an arsenal of them to deploy on holidays or training camps.
Rapha says the polyester-based jersey uses an ultra-light fabric with high-stretch construction. There’s a raised collar at the back of the neck to further shield your skin from the elements.
The jersey sports three open pockets at the back, with a fourth zipped valuables pocket. Rapha says the fabric used for the pockets is compressive to keep everything in place when fully loaded.
Although Rapha’s effort is not as revealing as either Castelli’s Climber or Assos’ Superléger jersey, you’d still be wise to apply sunscreen beneath the jersey to prevent sunburn.
I have the jersey in a medium in Dark Navy/Dark Grey, but it’s also available in Silver Chartreuse or Gecko Yellow/Chartreuse from sizes XS to XXL.
- Rapha Pro Team Lightweight Jersey: £150/$190/€170/AU$250
Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Infinium Jersey
The Pro Team Gore-Tex Infinium jersey is claimed to be fully windproof and water-resistant, designed for high-tempo rides in changeable conditions.
Rapha hasn’t forgotten about breathability and the brand has incorporated lightweight, stretchy panels under the arms and a two-way zip to regulate your temperature.
There are three pockets at the rear and reflective detailing to ensure you're seen in darker conditions.
The jersey is available from sizes XS to XXL and in Black or Rust Brown, the latter of which I have here.
Although digital writer Jack Evans was decidedly mixed when he reviewed the Pro Team Long Sleeve Gore-Tex Infinium Jersey, I’ll be intrigued to see how this short-sleeve variant fares in the UK’s changeable weather.
- Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Infinium Jersey: £190/$230/€216/AU$315
Sea to Summit camping gear
I’ve just completed The Pictish Trail, a 750km off-road bikepacking route from Dunnet Head (the most northerly point of the UK) to Edinburgh.
The trip represented my first time wild camping and Sea to Summit very kindly sent me its Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat and Aeros Premium Pillow to test.
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat
The Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat uses the brand’s ‘Air Sprung Cells’ for comfort, as well as two types of insulation to keep you warm from spring until the end of autumn.
The sprung cells are constructed using loops of strong, flexible material, which Sea to Summit claims provides a plush sleeping experience – just what you need after an arduous day in the saddle.
The sleeping mat is made from 30D/40D face fabric, which Sea to Summit says is light, quiet and durable. There’s an anti-microbial treatment added to the TPU laminate to prevent internal mould growth.
The Etherlight uses Sea to Summit’s multi-function valve to inflate the mat and make minute adjustments to the pressure. Lifting the valve dumps all the air out in one go, making deflating and rolling it back up a cinch.
The sleeping mat packs down neatly into a stuff sack (11x24cm), which doubles up as a pump. Sea to Summit also supplies six self-adhesive patches and a spare valve insert.
The mat is available in four sizes to suit all body shapes – Small, Regular, Large and Regular Wide. I weighed the regular mat in at 535g.
Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow
The Aeros Premium Pillow works in much the same way as the sleeping mat. Simply remove it from the included bag and it too uses the patent-pending multi-function mini valve. You can even use the pump for the mat to inflate the pillow.
It weighs in at 107g on the BikeRadar Scales of Truth and measures 7x8.5cm when packed. It’s available in three colours – Navy Blue, Magenta and Grey.
The pillow includes the Pillow Lock System, where four pieces of adhesive hook-and-loop patches are stuck to the sleeping bag to keep the pillow in place when you sleep so it doesn’t move around.
The pillow features a silent, contoured TPU air bladder for support and comfort. The shape is curved, which Sea to Summit says creates contours to cradle your head.
How did the camping gear fare on my trip? Close to faultlessly. Both pieces were easy to unpack, set up and then pack away again the next morning. Although exhaustion from the day’s efforts no doubt played a contributing factor, I managed seven to eight hours of sleep, which isn’t too shabby.
- Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Sleeping Mat: from £170/$189/€154.95/AU$329.99
- Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow: £35/$49.95/AU$64.99
Apidura Expedition Cargo Cage Pack (1.3l)
Apidura’s Expedition packs are designed with durability, a light weight and waterproofing in mind.
I was after some extra storage prior to riding The Pictish Trail, beyond the usual handlebar bag, frame and seat pack affair and thus opted for the Cargo Cage Pack.
Like all of the other bikepacking bags in the Expedition series, it is constructed from a waterproof laminate with welded seams for complete protection.
To use the pack, you’ll need to run Apidura’s Cargo Cage. The Cargo Cage functions like a bottle cage and mounts onto eyelets on the fork blade. You can also mount it under the down tube if your frame has eyelets there and Apidura says it’ll clear the chainrings.
You can adjust the tightness of the straps by cutting them down and there’s a hands-free release valve to compress the bag down.
I used the bags to store the majority of my food, as well as lightweight clothing such as a baselayer and boxer shorts for the evening.
You could also use it to store tools or spares, but I chose to store these in my frame pack so I could have instant access to them.
The bag weighs in at 75g on my digital scales, with the Cargo Cage coming in at 98g.
- Apidura Expedition Cargo Cage Pack (1.3l): £37/$48/€43/AU$68 (pack only) or £77/$100/€90/AU$141 with Cargo Cage
- Apidura Cargo Cage: £40/$47/€47/AU$73
Specialized Romin EVO Pro with Mirror saddle
Last year, Specialized trickled down its 3D-printed technology to the Power Pro with Mirror, the first non S-Works saddle model.
The brand has now brought out an equivalent to its venerable Romin saddle line. Compared to the short-nosed and wider Power saddle, the Romin is more traditional in appearance with its long and narrow profile.
The Romin EVO Pro with Mirror saddle sits under the S-Works Romin EVO with Mirror, which costs £390/$450.
Specialized has achieved a (slightly) lower price point by trading the carbon rails for titanium and by using the brand’s new ‘reclaimed’ carbon fibre process. This process sees leftover carbon fibres combined with injected nylon to create the saddle’s base.
The Romin EVO Pro with Mirror is available in two widths – 143mm and 155mm, the latter of which we have in for test.
- £290/$325/€370/AU$500
