It’s been a very busy week in terms of fresh goods this week. Here’s what has come into ST towers during the past few days.
Giant Cypher 2 Women’s FS Bike
From: Giant
The Cypher 2 is a 120mm travel full-suss women’s bike. It comes with a Fox32 F120RL fork and a Fox Float R shock, Avid Juicy 3 brakes Shimano Deore / SLX drivetrain. It’s currently out on test, so we didn’t get to take a good look at it yet, but watch this space for more.
XDK Slug Hydration Pack Tool
From: XDKslug
The XDK slug is a tool that has been specifically designed to make access to Camelbak hydration packs easier. The tool is profiled for Camelbak bladders, allowing you to use arm strength as opposed to finger strength to open the lid. The Slug costs £4.99
Bspoke Victoria Women’s Gloves
From: Fisher Outdoor
The Victoria is a commuter style glove from Bspoke. It is made from shower resistant mock leather and has a perforated palm with Silicon print for extra grip. It also has a popper fastening at the wrist.
Bspoke Stamford Women’s Mittens
From: Fisher Outdoor
The Stamford is made from a soft shell, waterproof fabric. It is a fingeless glove with a mitt cover which, when not covering the fingers, is held in place by a small magnet. It has reflective strips for low lighting and silicon print on the palms for extra grip.
Pro Vanderham Star Series Grips
From: Madison
Dual density Kraton Freeride grips with diamond-pattern grip-profile and double alloy lock-on rings. 135mm length and 31.5 mm diameter. RRP £17.99
Pro Minitool S-Slide 20
From: Madison
Compact alloy body, nickel plated steel multi-tool with 20 functions. 2 – 8 mm hex keys, Torx T25, 3 spoke wrenches, 8,9,10 Box wrenches, sliding detachable tire lever, chain tool and Phillips 1+2 screwdrivers. The hex keys and spoke wrenches are hidden behind the sliding tire lever, whihc creates a unique styled tool. Also comes with a handy protection carry bag.
Pro Minitool 6
From: Madison
Very small alloy body, nickel plated steel tool. It has 2-6 mm hex keys and a Phillips screwdriver. Also has a handy ruler function engraved along the side for any last minute measurements.
Pro Athertons Star Series Threadless Stem
From: Madison
Fully CNC machined, lightweight downhill racing stem.It has a secure, wide four bolt front clamp for increased lateral rigidity with wide bars and the oversized 31.8 mm clamp diameter reduces unwanted flex under high load. The stem uses 5 mm Allen key bolts with M6 thread across range for secure installation and minimum tool requirement. For 1-1/8 inch fork steerers. RRP £79.99.
Pro Vanderham Star Series Threadless Stem
From: Madison
Another CNC machined stem from Pro. The Vanderham series uses the same technology as the Atherton series, but weighs slightly more to give it a more ‘big mountain’, freeride appeal. RRP £79.99
Pro Athertons Star Series Seatpost
From: Madison
This is a lightweight, ultra short, 250mm downhill seatpost which uses a 3D forged shaft and CNC machined head from 7050 alloy. It incorporates the same 5 mm Allen key bolt with M6 thread as the stems for secure installation and minimum tool requirement. It also has a handy height-indicator on the rear of the shaft so you can set it to your preferred height easily. RRP £54.99
Pro Vanderham Star Series Seatpost
From: Madison
The Vanderham seatpost uses the same technology as the Atherton series, but is aimed more towards the freeride market and it is therefore slightly heavier to cope with the extra demands of riding. It’s longer at 350mm but RRP is also £54.99.
Pro Athertons Star Series Saddle
From: Madison
The Athertons saddel is aimed at DH and 4X riding. It has hi-strength titanium rails, a curve tail profile to allow for easy transition and Kevlar protection on the nose and corners to improve durability. RRP £49.99
Pro Vanderham Star Series Saddle
From: Madison
Similar to the Atherton’s saddle again with a more freeride orientated styling. RRP £49.99
Pro Athertons Star Series High Riser Bars
From: Madison
Wide 745mm DH / 4X handlebars with cutting indications between 640-720 mm and a 50mm rise. Made from lightweight DB alloy, with an oversized 31.8mm clamp diameter. RRP £54.99
Pro Atherton’s Star Series Low riser Bars
From: Madison
Wide DH low rise bars. They are the same length as the high rise but have only a 20mm rise as opposed to 50mm. RRP £54.99
Pro Vanderham Star Series High and Low Rise Bars
From: Madison
Made with the same properties as the Atherton bars, these are Pro’s freeride handlebars. They are made from the same lightweight DB alloy and have cutting indicators between 700mm and 720mm. The high rise has a 30mm rise and the low has a 20mm rise. RRP £54.99
Bontrager Race Thermal Hooded Jersey
From: Bontrager
This is a jersey made from Themptec Thermal and Profilia Plus fabrics which help improve moisture wicking capabilities and also help keep the body warm.
Exposure Lights
From: USE
We got a whole selection of lights in from Exposure. We will be featuring these in a mega on-line light grouptest which will be featured on the website in the near future. Included in our trade-box are, the MaXx-D – 960 Lumen £325, the new Toro – 700 Lumen £275, the new Strada – 480 lumen £245, the new Diablo – 700 lumen £225, Joystick – 240 lumen £165, the new Spark – 220 lumen £100, a helmet Red Eye, a Red and White Eye and several brackets and mounts. A bumper box of lights indeed!
Impacta Sports Briefs
From: Physiosupplies.com
New hip protection underwear from physiosupplies. They claim to significantly help reduce the possibility of sustaining hip injuries as a result of crash and fall impacts. RRP £29.99
Giro Xen Helmet
From: Giro
Giro sent us through a new version of their classic Xen. We will be featuring it in a helmet grouptest which will be seen in an up-coming issue of the magazine. On first inspection, the classic lid looks as good as ever.
E-Hub rear wheel
From: E-Hub
The E-Hub is a new rear wheel, which claims to have overcome the pedal stroke’s dead-spot by using new innovative technology which helps redistribute the cyclist’s force on the pedal during the circular path. The hub contains a small optimised spring mechanism which connects the casing that is fixed with spokes to the rim and the internal parts of the hub, allowing them to rotate independently. This enables the cyclist to overcome the pedal “dead spot”, as the spring takes energy during the highest thrust and releases it at the lowest thrust. E-Hub claims that this invention can provide a power gain of over 7% and provides greater acceleration and a smoother cycling experience.
Yeti ASR 7
From: Yeti
This Yeti ASR 7 came in for Tom who’s going to be playing about on it this weekend. It’s 7inches of travel front (well 6.29in) and rear with Fox Float 36 and RP23 rear shock and has a tapered headtube to give a lower, stiffer front end.
Chamois Butter
From: 2Pure
Sim got a box of roadie gear in this week and our favourite product was this Chamois Butter. He wasn’t too sure what the intended use is, but he’ll soon figure it out. Don’t forget to apply liberally Sim.
De Marchi Contour + Jersey
From: 2Pure
The Contour Jersey in one of De Marchi’s best selling items. Made entirely in Italy from Italian materials, it feels super soft and should be comfortable during any long ride. RRP £63
De Marchi Contour + Bib Tight
From: 2Pure
We can’t wait to see Sim in his new De Marchi bibs. Unfortunately he declined the opportunity to model them for the website. The bib is made from ‘bacteriostatic microfibre’ which should help keep Sim dry and comfortable on his road rides. RRP £130
De Marchi Contour Gloves
From: 2Pure
Sim’s new road gloves. They have quite a plastic feel to them on the exterior, but have a very soft internal fabric. The roosters on the palm and fingers are extra grippy to help keep control in wet weather.RRP £38
Lizard Skins Peaty Lock-on Grips
From: 2Pure
The new version of Peaty’s lock-on grips. They have a soft feel and some nice gold clamps. RRP £18
Lezyne Steel Floor Drive Pump
From: Upgrade Bikes
A classic pump, with an aluminium foot, steel piston and steel barrel. The alloy flip-thread chuck fits securely to both presta and schrader valves and connects to the barrel for easy storage. The long piston means less effort is required to transfer pressure. RRP £45
Lezyne Allen Block Tool
From: Upgrade Bikes
This new multi-tool from Lezyne has the standard allen keys you would expect. However, they have added a bent version of some of the smaller keys, to help ease access to those hard to get nuts and screws.
DMR STS Combo Kit
From: Upgrade Bikes
A Simple Tension Seeker with a 16t cog and spacer. Ben is using the kit to rebuild his Kinesis Decade Virsa. Expect to read more about that in an upcoming issue of the magazine.
Oval M800 Carbon Stem – 6 rise 90mm
From: Upgrade Bikes
The M800 stem has a structural carbon body fused to a lightweight 3D alloy stem. It uses a 44mm, 4-bolt clamp to help reduce bar flex and improve control. It’s another new piece of kit for Ben’s bike shake-up.
Oval T800 Carbon Riser Bar
From: Upgrade Bikes
A 20mm, xc riser bar for Ben’s Kinesis. Alloy inserts at the brake lever and bar-end help to provide added security and prevent crushing. The 9 degree angle is said to optimise control.
Yeti 5
From: Yeti
Stu from Yeti popped round to see the team and he brought his own Yeti 5 with him. It has a new open standard for rear hubs from Syntace, designed to give the same stiffness and ease of use that people have come to expect from the 15mm front fork. Chipps explained the new standard in a story from Eurobike earlier this year.
Tektro Auriga Pro Disc Brakes
From: Upgrade Bikes
Ben’s new white brakes. The Auriga is a dual-piston, open system with a forged aluminium calliper and lever. The calliper uses an automatic positioning system, while the rotors use a polygon air flow design to help improve heat tolerance and dispersion.
Lezyne Kriega Hydro 3 Hydration Pack
From: Upgrade Bikes
The Hydro 3 is a race spec hydration backpack. The pack has a unique Quadloc harness system which has an adjustable back length and makes exit / entry to the harness quick and easy via the one push-button buckle, removing the need to re-adjust the harness straps each time. RRP £69
Geax Saguro 220 tyres
From: Upgrade Bikes
New XC tyres for Ben. They claim to have a low rolling resistance thanks to the central uninterrupted knobs and the tyre is supposed to be responsive and aggressive when cornering even on loose surfaces thanks to the Rails Design profile optimized for dry and compact conditions. RRP £32
Schlamm Koksijde Bibtights
From: Schlamm
Schlamm’s Bibtights are the first ever Zip-off bibtights. The Cyclocross specific bibtights have a zip attachment which allows easy removal of the bibs just before a race begins, so you can keep warm up until the last moment. RRP £120
Schlamm Wetzikon Jacket
From: Schlamm
Schlamm claim the Wetzikon jacket will keep you warm in any weather, whilst not leaving you so hot as to make the ride uncomfortable. The high neck and adjustable cuffs help increase heat retention. RRP £125 – A word of warning, though, this is their XL size, so it’s for skinny racer types…
Schlamm Cross Race Pack
From: Schlamm
The Schlamm Race pack contains all the vital items you will need to compete in a Cyclocross race and they are all stored in a branded carry case. The pack includes socks, olbas oil, toilet roll, a washing mitt, washing lotion, embrocation, Q-Tips (cotton buds), a bottle, energy gels and safety pins and spare toe studs. RRP £40
Charge Spoon Saddle
From: Charge Bikes
XC, Enduro and Road saddle. Cro-mo steel rails, lightweight padding and synthetic leather crover.RRP £25
Charge Ladle Saddle
From: Charge Bikes
This is a female specific saddle from charge. It’s 5mm wider and 20mm shorter than the Spoon, with a female specific dual compound base unit. Cro-mo steel rails and synthetic leather padding like the Spoon. RRP £25
Charge Sponge Grips
From: Charge Bikes
Secure clamp design with anodised aluminium clamps. Low profile knurled pattern rubber. RRP £9.99
Comments (36)
Comments Closed
Blimey now theres a pile.
Did that all fit in one post bag? I bet postie was grumbling by the time he delivered the third bike….
Actually you chaps must be among the only ones that still look forward to postie
£5 for a tool to open my camelback? WTF?! Allows me to use my arms instead of my fingers. Personally, I’ve never had an issue with my fingers. Fingerless people might want to try something other than riding a bike IMHO.
That Giant is one ugly munter of a bike looks like it wants to fold up in the middle, that purple charge grip reminds me of a vibrater i lost a few years ago;0)
ooo nice Yeti 5!
Davey – I reckon there’s a surprising number of people who are going to rejoice at the sight of that tool. The Omega bladders can be a right pain to undo. And as for the price, you can make a front mudguard from a Fairy Liquid bottle for free, but people still buy Crud Catchers.
The Yetis look good. But that Giant looks awesome.
Davey/Chipps – I’m no small handed weed, but a couple of my Omega bladders are a right bastard to open. For 5quid, I’m in!
Yeti 7 looks horrid! Just looks like a very tall steep angled XC bike.
The Pro multitools look quite nice.
Is that a pile of tyres for a dh tyre test behind the Giant? 😉
That Ladle would match my white and pink road bike perfectly.
Oval bars look just like the old x-lite carbons, are they the same old design coming out the factory?
if so it doesnt matter , i rode trials and dh with them for 6 years with no problem:)
per-lease say that’s a new and improved red eye!?
does it have side visibility?
“you can make a front mudguard from a Fairy Liquid bottle for free, but people still buy Crud Catchers”
Probably something to do with half a fairy liquid bottle not being as wide, anywhere near as long, don’t fit many downtubes well, and don’t attach or detach particularly easily, aren’t available in a subtle black colour etc etc ..
I like the yeti 5 in blue. Looks very nice
Not so sure about the 7 though. Its looking a little short on standover or seat dropping potential for a 7″ travel bike. The lack of a big chainring or loads of standover and the big tubes make it look a bit gate-ish in that size
saw a guy with a full length of drain pipe head tube to bb. Nice.
OK, so camelbacks are sometimes (SOMETIMES) a bit hard to open but really is worth spending a fiver on a tool to open them? I find that madness… People will be making on to get your inner tube caps off next.
i once used a small hamster as a crud guard. It didn’t work. However, 5 quid on another tool to add to the pointless in theory but great in practice stable will suit me just fine. Isn’t that what kit is all about???
If you can’t open a camelbak you need to MTFU.
My Omega bladder had become almost impossible to undo, so it’s been replaced by a Source Widepack. Easier to fill, doesn’t taint like a Camelbak, apart from the bite valve it’s better in every way.
god stuff that chamois butt’r. “downstairs” was as fresh at the end of my K100 as it was at the beginning… 🙂
not sure I like the idea of signature components – bit naff, but I guess it’s aimed at kids
what do you do with all this stuff once you’ve tested it?
you should give it away as competition prizes
competitions that only I can enter 🙂
hhhmmmmm….
I was ranting only yesterday about how my camelbak bladder is a right sod to open – it’s stiff as hell and leaves me with an aching thumb for ages after I’ve eventually got the thing undone. I was wondering about whether there was anything I could use to lubricate it, but for a fiver this seems a lot simpler…
The yeti 7 looks like the stand over is rather high. that maybe just be the photo though.
Tool to open a Camelbak?
*hugs dakine nomad even tighter…..but not so tight he needs a friggin’ tool*
Is that saggy-looking Giant aimed at saggy-looking girls? Any lady that sees that monstrosity will seriously question your enthusiasm for her to “have a go at mountain biking”.
And brakes is right, those signature components are NAFF, especially the little pictures of the Atherton threesome.
HOWEVER the Yetis are to-sell-a-kidney for and that weird wind-up sounds like just the ticket for SSing – do they do one with a steel FHB…?
Got one of them Kreiga backpacks – and they are lovely, you can get neat 5 and 10 litre dry packs that attache to them and a 3 litre hydrapack reservoir that doesn’t require special tools to open and can be turned inside out for cleaning and drying. more details.
Is the E Hub due for release in early April?
Yeti_Stu…is that one of my front tyres?
Blimmy Chipps, looks like you are off to the slopes sking 60s style. do you want a martini with that sir, saying that I likes, are there 3/4 to match?
“It’s 7inches of travel front (well 6.29in)”
how did you get 7″ from 6.29″??
thats 6 and a bit surely?
Cool at least one brand for normal people then 😀
Glad I am notthe only one who often struggles to get my Camel Bac bladder open.
A bit of silicon grease on the threads will make it a lot easier.