Friday Five-a-side: the hottest new bike gear to arrive at our Colorado office this week - James Huang / Immediate Media
X-Fusion's updated Sweep RC HLR trail/enduro fork looks to be a solid competitor to the RockShox Pike and Fox 36 with its new bladder charged damper design - James Huang / Immediate Media
The new X-Fusion Roughcut HLR damper cartridge features a fully bled cartridge layout that uses a rubber bladder to keep air and oil separated. High-speed and low-speed compression damping adjustments are conveniently located right up top - James Huang / Immediate Media
The tidy dropouts are fitted with a very easy-to-use 15mm thru-axle skewer - James Huang / Immediate Media
Want to go wide but not interested in dropping a huge amount of cash? The Specialized Roval Traverse Fattie 650b wheels feature 29mm-wide (internal width) tubeless aluminium rims laced with DT Revolution spokes to DT Swiss 350-based hubs. All things considered, the pricing is quite reasonable - James Huang / Immediate Media
29mm is about as wide as many will want to go with some square-profiled tyres - James Huang / Immediate Media
The rear hub doesn't engage particularly quickly but the DT Swiss 350 internals at least have a proven track record for reliability - James Huang / Immediate Media
The huge front hub can accommodate quick-release, 15mm, or 20mm thru-axle setups - James Huang / Immediate Media
Pearl Izumi's slick X-Project 1.0 mountain bike shoes are about as light as dedicated race shoes from some other brands but are far more walkable - James Huang / Immediate Media
The Pearl Izumi X-Project 1.0's carbon inner plate tapers down to just a thin plank up around the toes, making that area much more flexible - James Huang / Immediate Media
Poron foam padding in the heel adds a bit of cushioning when you're off the bike - James Huang / Immediate Media
Pearl Izumi includes with the X-Project 1.0 shoes its slick customizable insoles. Pockets in the forefoot and arch shims and 'cookies' to tune the fit as needed - James Huang / Immediate Media
The new Bontrager Lithos trail/enduro helmet is conspicuously tough and durable with a fully covered exterior, extra reinforcements around key areas, and lots of coverage - James Huang / Immediate Media
Bontrager chose to forego weight savings on the new Lithos and instead went for toughness. Ventilation is very good, too, but the helmet is quite heavy at 438g for a medium size - James Huang / Immediate Media
The slick Blendr light/camera mount snaps into the uppermost vent on the Bontrager Lithos helmet - James Huang / Immediate Media
Included with the Bontrager Lithos helmet is a second set of pads with a thin strip of silicone that helps funnel sweat off to the sides of your forehead - James Huang / Immediate Media
Bontrager even includes a couple of sets of extra decals if you'd like to dress things up a little - James Huang / Immediate Media
Have you been longing for a second hand position on your mountain bike but don't want to use traditional bar ends? Swiss company Spirgrips offers up these surprisingly ergonomic inboard stubs that are proving to be remarkably comfy - James Huang / Immediate Media
The highly ergonomic shape of Spirgrips fits perfectly in your hands. They're quite expensive, however, and also rather heavy - James Huang / Immediate Media
Knight Composites may be a new aero road wheel company but the three folks behind it have a deep well of experience in the area - James Huang / Immediate Media
Knight Composites says the 65 rims are not only the fastest around but also specifically designed for crosswind stability - James Huang / Immediate Media
Knight Composites offers its wheels with DT Swiss or French Aivee hubs - James Huang / Immediate Media
The included quick-release skewers are certainly light at just 55g for the set - James Huang / Immediate Media
Enve's SES aero road handlebar features an aero profile but what's really intriguing is how it positions the rider - James Huang / Immediate Media
The tops of the Enve SES aero road handlebar are expectedly broad and flat to help cut through the wind - James Huang / Immediate Media
Modern roadies now realize that it's more aerodynamic to ride with your hands outstretched on the hoods and elbows dropped to decrease frontal area. As such, Enve's SES aero road bar features a flared shape and extra-narrow tops that help reduce that profile even further while still providing some leverage down below for sprinting - James Huang / Immediate Media
Interestingly, Enve equips the SES aero drop handlebar with compact-style drops - James Huang / Immediate Media
Bontrager's new midrange Velocis road shoes pack in a lot of features for the price, such as a full carbon outsole, a true Boa cable closure, and lots of ventilation. For those who don't want to stand out quite as much, there are other color options besides hot pink - James Huang / Immediate Media
Bontrager ranks the Velocis carbon plate as a 10 out of 14 but we suspect that most riders wouldn't notice the difference - James Huang / Immediate Media
The heel tread is thankfully replaceable on the new Bontrager Velocis shoes - James Huang / Immediate Media
Love bike tools? Then you might want to consider adding Abbey Bike Tools' new Hanger Alignment Gauge to your toolbox - James Huang / Immediate Media
There's virtually zero play in the main pivot on Abbey Bike Tools' new HAG, which makes for more accurate hanger adjustments than tools with sloppier fittings - James Huang / Immediate Media
The extending handle is held in place with an internal O-ring - James Huang / Immediate Media
When not needed, the feeler pin stores inside the handle - James Huang / Immediate Media
The new Chain Pig chain cleaner from Pedro's is cutely named and styled but most importantly, it actually works quite well. Impressively, the Pig Juice fluid supposedly contains no volatile chemicals that can harm either people or planet - James Huang / Immediate Media
The trio of brushes (there's one in the upper hatch, too) does a great job of scrubbing even the nastiest of chains clean. The smart design also uses very little fluid - James Huang / Immediate Media
The weekend may have seemed to be ages away when you first sat down at your desk on Monday but praise be, it’s finally Friday! Here are some of the latest shiny widgets to arrive at BikeRadar’s Colorado office that might make your next road or mountain bike ride just a little bit sweeter.
New mountain bike gear
X-Fusion Sweep RC HLR suspension fork
X-Fusion's updated sweep rc hlr trail/enduro fork looks to be a solid competitor to the rockshox pike and fox 36 with its new bladder charged damper design: x-fusion's updated sweep rc hlr trail/enduro fork looks to be a solid competitor to the rockshox pike and fox 36 with its new bladder charged damper design
X-Fusion is taking the fight to RockShox and Fox with a new damper cartridge called Roughcut HLR. The fresh cartridge features a fully bled architecture – meaning there’s no air inside at all – and a rubber bladder to account for changes in internal volume as the fork moves through its travel. We expect increased small-bump sensitivity since bladders produce much less stiction than traditional O-ring seals, and X-Fusion says the updated damper circuits should yield more consistent and distinct ride quality changes with each turn of the knob.
Speaking of which, high-speed and low-speed compression damping adjustments are now conveniently located right up top.
X-Fusion will offer the Roughcut HLR damper only in its 34mm-diameter forks for now, and we’ve opted for a 140mm-travel Sweep RC HLR trail model. Actual weight is 1,884g (4.15lb) including the 15mm thru-axle – 20g lighter than claimed.
Want to go wide but not interested in dropping a huge amount of cash? the specialized roval traverse fattie 650b wheels feature 29mm-wide (internal width) tubeless aluminum rims laced with dt revolution spokes to dt swiss 350-based hubs. all things considered, the pricing is quite reasonable: want to go wide but not interested in dropping a huge amount of cash? the specialized roval traverse fattie 650b wheels feature 29mm-wide (internal width) tubeless aluminum rims laced with dt revolution spokes to dt swiss 350-based hubs. all things considered, the pricing is quite reasonable
Got the itch to go wide on your mountain bike but don’t want to spend a ridiculous amount of money on something carbon? Specialized’s Roval Travese Fattie 650b wheels feature a generous 29mm internal width and a tubeless-ready profile that should allow for bigger tire footprints, lower operating pressures, and better traction overall than more traditionally shaped rims. Naturally, the alloy hoops are a bit heavier than carbon ones but they’ll also be easier to repair, too.
The pawl-type rear hub internals are borrowed from DT Swiss’s 350 model – meaning they’re reliable but somewhat slow to engage – and DT Swiss also provides the ultralight Revolution butted stainless steel spokes. Interchangeable end caps are included for quick-release, 100x15mm, 110x20mm, and 142x12mm axle fitments.
Actual weight for our set is 1,762g (819g front; 943g rear) including rim tape and valve stems.
Pearl izumi's slick x-project 1.0 mountain bike shoes about as light as dedicated race shoes from some other brands but are far more walkable: pearl izumi's slick x-project 1.0 mountain bike shoes about as light as dedicated race shoes from some other brands but are far more walkable
Pearl Izumi blurs the lines between race and trail-oriented mountain bike shoes with the X-Project 1.0. As with the first-generation X-Projects, these use a carbon sole that’s rigid from the ball of your foot back but flexible under the toes for greatly enhanced walkability compared with what we usually expect of carbon MTB footwear. There’s also a wedge of foam padding beneath the heel to lessen the impact of being on foot and a grippy dual density outsole for ample grip on mixed surfaces.
This latest version gets a sleek welded synthetic upper bolstered with twin two-way Boa cable reels for a snug and even fit that’s noticeably more conforming and accommodating of various foot shapes than the original. Actual weight for our size 44 test pair is 762g, including the adjustable insoles and toe spike plugs.
The new bontrager lithos trail/enduro helmet is conspicuously tough and durable with a fully covered exterior, extra reinforcements around key areas, and lots of coverage: the new bontrager lithos trail/enduro helmet is conspicuously tough and durable with a fully covered exterior, extra reinforcements around key areas, and lots of coverage
Whereas most helmet companies are constantly trying to reduce weight, Bontrager has gone the other way on its latest Lithos trail lid. At 438g for a medium sample, it’s unquestionably heavy – and it feels like it on your head. But it’s also feature-laden and clearly built for toughness.
The extended-coverage exterior is reinforced with more durable plastics in key areas, there’s an in-molded internal skeleton to help hold the helmet together during a crash, and the interior sports noticeably softer foam – in addition to the usual padding – for a more luxurious feel. Speaking of padding, Bontrager includes two sets with the Lithos: one made of standard synthetic and other with a strip of silicone rubber built into the browpad to help channel sweat away from your eyes. Up top is the requisite adjustable visor.
Perhaps the best trick, however, is the sleek and secure Blendr mount for Bontrager lights or GoPro-compatible cameras. Simply snap it into the uppermost vent and you’re good to go.
Have you been longing for a second hand position on your mountain bike but don't want to use traditional bar ends? swiss company spirgrips offers up these surprisingly ergonomic inboard stubs that are proving to be remarkably comfy: have you been longing for a second hand position on your mountain bike but don't want to use traditional bar ends? swiss company spirgrips offers up these surprisingly ergonomic inboard stubs that are proving to be remarkably comfy
What once was old is new again, right? Years after riser bars essentially wiped bar ends off the map, some riders now miss having multiple hand positions. Like the TOGS we showed you a few months ago, SpirGrips mount inboard of the grips and give your thumbs something to wrap around for more of a ‘cruising’ position.
Unlike the simpler TOGS, which are molded from Zytel plastic, SpirGrip are made of aluminum with a much more substantial and ergonomic shape, plus a conveniently hinged clamp for easy installation. We’ve only just started playing with these but they’re undoubtedly comfortable – albeit also somewhat heavy and disappointingly expensive. Actual weight is 115g per pair.
Knight composites may be a new aero road wheel company but the three folks behind it have a deep well of experience in the area: knight composites may be a new aero road wheel company but the three folks behind it have a deep well of experience in the area
Knight Composites – the brainchild of industry veterans Beverly Lucas, Jim Pfeil, and Kevin Quan – claims its versatile 65 road clinchers are the fastest in its category owing to its highly refined shape, which features a 65mm depth, 28mm external depth, and bulbous profile with a notably blunted nose.
Speed may be one thing but Knight Composites says the 65’s shape was also specifically penned with crosswind stability in mind – a key attribute for riders looking for a fast wheelset that can still be used in blustery conditions. The carbon rims are laced with Sapim bladed stainless steel spokes to your choice of DT Swiss 240s, DT Swiss 180, or Aivee hubs, and pricing is quite competitive compared with similar wheels from other high-end brands.
Actual weight for our clincher set without rim strips is 1,656g (898g rear; 758g front). The included quick-release skewers add another 55g for the pair.
Enve's ses aero road handlebar features an aero profile but what's really intriguing is how it positions the rider: enve's ses aero road handlebar features an aero profile but what's really intriguing is how it positions the rider
Whereas most aero road bars are only intended to be fast themselves, Enve’s SES Aero Road is designed to help the rider adopt a sleeker and faster position, too. In addition to the requisite aero-profile tops and internal cable routing, the SES Aero Road features an unusually narrow hood position coupled with dramatically flared drops. The idea here is that modern riders are faster with their arms outstretched on the hoods and their forearms level to the ground instead of with their hands in the drops, and narrowing up the arms reduces frontal area – and consequently, aerodynamic drag.
Just how narrow are we talking? Our 42cm sample measures 42cm from center-to-center at the flared ends but just 37cm at the hoods. It feels a bit odd at first but hey, faster is faster, right?
Bontrager's new midrange velocis road shoes pack in a lot of features for the price, such as a full carbon outsole, a true boa cable closure, and lots of ventilation. for those who don't want to stand out quite as much, there are other color options besides hot pink: bontrager's new midrange velocis road shoes pack in a lot of features for the price, such as a full carbon outsole, a true boa cable closure, and lots of ventilation. for those who don't want to stand out quite as much, there are other color options besides hot pink
Bontrager’s latest midrange road shoes look to tick all the boxes for desired performance features, including a full carbon/fiberglass composite outsole, two-way Boa cable closures, replaceable heel treads, and lots of ventilation holes in the synthetic uppers – not to mention a highly refined fit and impressively low weight.
Bontrager even offers the Velocis in a trio of colors, from mild to wild. Naturally, Bontrager provided us with the hot pink variant, which means we’ve got some training to do if we’re going to successfully back these up on road.
Love bike tools? then you might want to consider adding abbey bike tools' new hanger alignment gauge to your toolbox: love bike tools? then you might want to consider adding abbey bike tools' new hanger alignment gauge to your toolbox
Abbey Bike Tools has quickly gained a loyal following, not least among BikeRadar staffers, for its impeccably designed (and built) collection of lightweight and high-precision tools for discerning professional mechanics. One of the latest offerings is the new Hanger Alignment Gauge – or HAG, for short. Although it’s quite expensive, the unusually tight tolerances make for more accurate derailleur hanger adjustments while the anodized aluminum construction helps keep toolboxes to a reasonable weight.
Abbey lets you lock in the ‘feeler’ so it can’t be knocked out of place while working, and it can also be rotated to clear stays and drivetrain parts without losing its position. When you’re done, the feeler stores in the handle, making for a nicely compact tool that won’t take up too much room in your workspace.
Abbey says the HAG is “the last hanger tool you'll ever have to buy” and if our experience with the company’s other offerings is anything to go on, that’s a rather believable claim.
The new chain pig chain cleaner from pedro's is cutely named and styled but most importantly, it actually works quite well. impressively, the pig juice fluid supposedly contains no volatile chemicals that can harm either people or planet: the new chain pig chain cleaner from pedro's is cutely named and styled but most importantly, it actually works quite well. impressively, the pig juice fluid supposedly contains no volatile chemicals that can harm either people or planet
The latest chain cleaner from Pedro’s isn’t just adorable to look at – it really does look like a pig, curly tail and all – but promises to get your chains cleaner and last longer than similar items from competing brands. Four sets of extra-stiff brushes scrub the plates and rollers from all sides while the clever attachment method keeps the whole process relatively hands-free.
Pedro’s says the real secret to its chain cleaning system, however, is its new Pig Juice cleaning fluid, which supposedly strips dirt and grime from your chain without resorting to harsh solvents or petroleum products. Pedro’s says the formula is also completely safe for carbon fiber, plastics, rubbers, and all painted surfaces, and just 30mL (1oz) is needed per session – and that’s assuming you recharge the cleaner with fresh fluid each time.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some test bikes to clean up…
James Huang is BikeRadar's former technical editor. After leaving BikeRadar in 2016, he worked at CyclingTips and Escape Collective. He now runs the Substack cycling publication N-1 Bikes.
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