Here in the UK the snow may now have thawed and bread and milk is once again on our shelves, but there are still stock issues at our local KFC.
In more relevant news, we were delighted to learn that B’Twin is continuing to create very good B’Twin bikes at very reasonable prices, although it also became apparent that we won’t be calling them B’Twin for much longer. We also got a leg over Canyon’s feisty new electrified Spectral and learned just what it takes to win a Zwift national championship.
But that’s not why you’re here. Here’s the shiny stuff…
Pirelli PZero Velo 4S tyre
Pirelli made an impressive return to cycling tyres last year with its three model PZero Velo range.We quickly fell for the regular PZero Velo tyre, which went on to score a full 4.5/5 stars thanks to its supple casing and grippy compound.
Back then we were curious about the firm’s 4Season offering — the PZero Velo 4S — but samples weren’t immediately available. Now though, with 28mm versions of them in hand and the weather looking particularly erm… seasonal, we can’t wait to get these fitted.
We are also looking forward to trying out the company’s extra lightweight 23mm only PZero Velo TT tyres that arrived in the same box.
- £43.90 / $68 / €46.90
Sony A6300 camera
New to BikeRadar’s video team is the A6300 mirrorless camera from Sony. Chosen for its convenient size, affordable range of interchangeable lenses and the excellent low-light performance of its sensor, the A6300 has already proven itself as a valuable new recruit.
- £829 / $1,000 / €799
Kiddimoto Hero Super Junior
For the junior Valentino Rossi fan there’s surely no better gift than this balance bike from Kiddimoto. The Super Junior Max is a metal balance bike designed for children aged between two and five years of age, it features a proper metal frame and even a rear drum brake.
Rossi’s signature number 46 race plate and ‘The Doctor’ branding completes the package.
- £104.99 / international pricing TBC
SwissStop Catalyst disc rotors
SwissStop has sent over a couple of its Catalyst disc brake rotors in for test. Their design mimics that of many others by using an alloy centre carrier that’s riveted to a steel brake surface.
At 105g each for the 140mm size they’re not the lightest choice around — that’s around 10–20g heavier than equivalent discs from Shimano or SRAM.
SwissStop says they’ll happily work with any organic or sintered pads but will work best with its own EXOTherm vented disc brake pads.
With rotor related injuries remaining topical it’s good to see SwissStop has rounded — and therefore totally blunted — the edges of its discs.
- Price from £47.99 / $70 / €36.90
Elby bike
This futuristic looking commuter bike has arrived all the way from Germany, and we are looking forward to clocking many motor-assisted miles on it.
The Elby’s swoopy aluminium frame places a removable 557Wh battery pack just above its bottom bracket, and this powers a 250w BionX motor at the rear wheel. The rear motor system also provides regenerative braking, meaning some power will be fed back to the bike’s battery as you ride.
The Elby’s pedals drive a single chainring SRAM drivetrain which stops via Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. Practical touches include Elby’s pannier rack, integrated lights front and rear and smartphone connectivity.
There’s a hell of a lot more to tell you about this bike but we’ve ran out space here so stay tuned for our first ride.
- €3,299
Giant Propel Advanced Pro Disc
The disc brake Giant Propel debuted in August of last year as the aerodynamically-superior successor to the previous rim brake Propel.
This particular model is the second most affordable from a choice of four disc brake bikes and packs Shimano Ultegra Di2, Giant’s mismatched 42mm/65mm Aero Disc wheelset and Ultegra hydraulic discs.
One particularly neat touch is the stem, which houses its shift and cable lines underneath a bolted cover. This bike is currently going head-to-head with many others in San Remo, Italy for our Bike of the Year test, wish it luck!
- £4,499 / $5,700 / €5,299 / AU$6,599
Hiplok Z Lok Combo
Wearable lock specialist Hiplok has released a new version of its useful security tie that uses a three-digit combination lock instead of a key.
Essentially an armoured cable tie, the Z Lok Combo looks ideal for securing expensive and easily stolen items. It also looks ideal for people securing bikes to a bike rack.
- £19.99 / $24.99 / €19.99 / AU$29.99
Kryptonite Kryptolok 685 Folding Lock
This folding lock is significantly lighter and less cumbersome than a chain and yet doesn’t take up as much space as a D-lock. It’s 85cm in length, weighs 1.1kg and arrives with the hardware necessary to mount it to a frame.
- £69.99 / $90
Mount Zoom Emergency hanger
This forgettable lump of alloy can spend most of its time alongside your keys or in your saddle bag, but if you or any of your friends snap a derailleur hanger while out on a ride then it could prevent a miserable walk home.
Even more useful is the fact that it’s also been machined to incorporate four spoke keys and a valve core remover! It’ll only work for bikes with a quick release rear end though.
- £9.99
HJC Furion Team Lotto Soudal helmet
We first came across Korean helmet company HJC’s Furion last year, when the motorcycle helmet manufacturer first moved across to the world of bicycle helmets.
Now, a three-year deal with the Lotto Soudal team means you’ll be likely see a lot more of this lightweight aero lid. It also means that us mere mortals will get access to a limited run of team livery helmets.
For more information on the Furion head across to our original first look article.
- €199
Prologo Nago Evo Space saddle
The Nago Evo Space from Prologo is a unisex saddle that will work with road and mountain bikes. Its deep central channel has been designed to eliminate pressure spikes that cause numbness at the perineal area.
The base of the saddle is produced from injection moulded carbon fibre and secures a pair of Tirox alloy rails. It’s particularly nicely finished and weighs in at 2g below Prologo’s claim of 235g.
- £119.99 / $115 / €135
