Belgian firm Lazer caught our attention at last year's Interbike trade show with their innovative Magneto Eyewear System, which dispenses with the arms of normal riding glasses and instead uses two magnets fitted to your helmet straps to secure them in place. We posted our review of the system at the weekend. Now here's the only helmet that's currently compatible with it, the 2012 Lazer Helium.
Given that it's named after the second lightest element, the Helium is pretty burly, with our large sized sample tipping the scales at 325g. This makes the £189.99/$230 pricetag something of a surprise, given that road lids tend to get lighter the more expensive they get.
This new model hasn't changed much from the one we reviewed in 2010, save for the addition of the rubber-covered magnets. The Rollsys retention system, which uses a 'Magic Buckle' on top of the helmet to adjust fit, is unchanged, as are the 19 vents. It's available in 13 colours, from Bob Elliot & Co in the UK. Check out the video below for a closer look at the Magneto system:
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Elsewhere in the Lazer road range for 2012 are the Sphere (£99.99/$135) and the budget Neon (£49.99/$55). The Sphere, somewhat surprisingly, is significantly lighter than the Helium at 286g in the same size. It sports many of the features of that lid, too, including the Rollsys fit system and a ton of colour options, and it has two extra vents.
Even more surprisingly, the Neon is lighter still at 283g. It is a one-size-fits-all number though, with 16 vents. We took a look at Lazer's 2012 off-road range back in the summer and you can check out the new Nirvana, Oasiz and Clash in our image gallery.
Lazer Sphere
Yelo Velo
Biodegradable and environmentally friendly bike cleaning and lubrication products are all the rage these days, and with good reason. US firm Yelo Velo are continuing the trend, with their entire range derived from plant oils rather than petroleum. Even the bottles they use are recycled.
On the chain lube front, Milky White (118ml/£10/$12.95) is aimed at racers, Nasty Wet (118ml/£8/$9.95) is, as you can probably guess, meant for rainy and muddy conditions on- or off-road and Wicked (118ml/£8/$9.45) is an all-rounder for unpredictable weather.
Wholesome Degreaser (236ml/£10/$12.95) is a 100 percent non-toxic formula that breaks down the gunk that accumulates on your chain, and a price is still to be confirmed for the new 7.5W Shock Oil (236ml). All these products are available direct from Yelo Velo's website in the US and through Cycopath Cycles in the UK.
Funkier
With a background in the wider world of fashion, Funkier have produced cycling clothing since 1991 from their base in Israel. Bob Elliot & Co are bringing their entire range to the UK; here's a choice selection.
The Windbreaker gilet (£29.99/$47) is a translucent polyester vest with a full-length zip that can be stowed in its own rear pocket. The Long Sleeve jersey (£49.99/$78) has a racing fit, hidden full-length zip and silicone gripper on the waist, and is available in a short-sleeve version, too (£29.99/$47).
Funkier Windbreaker Gilet
