Fresh Goods Friday

Singletrack Studio
Taking a leaf out of Andy Warhol’s book Singletrack has embraced warehouse living. Well, we’re renting a bit of one as a photo studio. Early days yet but Sim is hoping to get some gorgeous models, a casting couch and a wine cooler in there. Hmm. Dream on.

Jamie’s Haircut
Price: When you look this good? Priceless.
From: One Stop Chop Shop
Jamie draws his strength from his well tamed mane and is always keen to appear well turned out no matter what the occasion is. He said he asked for an asymmetric cut but with an offbeat feel that represents both a powerful look that demands to be looked at combined with a friendly and welcoming fringe line that helps to emphasise his eyes. It’s like architecture in hair. Hairchetecture?

Santa Cruz Tallboy
Price: £1749 frame only – 2012 complete Tallboy AL starting at £2399
From: www.santacruzbikes.co.uk
Back in issue 57 we tested Santa Cruz’s original carbon Tallboy. In summary we liked it, but it wasn’t cheap. The alloy version aims to offer all the fun of the carbon model but for less money. We’re looking forward to seeing if it delivers on that promise.

Fox Shox
Price: 36 Float RLC, £869. Float RP23, £349.
From: www.mojo.co.uk
Now with even more slippery Kashima coating the 2012 fork and shock range are looking decidedly golden. First ride impressions are that that coating really does make for less stiction and more movement.

Pivot 429 29er
Price: £1899
From: www.pivotcycles.co.uk

Teva Links Shoes
Price: £85
From: www.teva.co.uk

Pitching an alternative flat pedal shoe comes Teva with its new Links shoe. Teva (pronounce it ‘teh-vah’ please, not teeeeva) is well known for producing river shoes and sports sandals. These freeride flats have been designed in conjunction with tall trials god Jeff Lenovsky and feature Teva’s Spider365 sticky rubber sole and ‘ion mask’ treatment on the uppers to shed water and keep you dry on those Fort William runs. We’ll be testing them extensively for comfort and grip over the next few months.

 

Maxxis Tyres
Price: Depends on model, size, compound…
From: www.oneindustrieseurope.co.uk
Dave has been running an Ardent/Crossmark combo for over a year now and bar super slippy conditions hasn’t had much cause for complaint. With the imminent arrival of his big wheel long termer he’s keen to see if the 29in versions are just as good. Just need to wait for that frame to turn up now, eh, Dave?

Lowepro Compuday Photo Backpack
Price: £59 or so
From: www.lowepro.com

Do you like to travel with a camera, but don’t want to lug a full camera bag of gear around? Or do you need to carry other stuff around too? Here’s a great pack from Lowepro for just that kind of thing. The ‘obviously named by a programmer, or a German’ Compuday Photo Backpack 250 will carry a reasonably chunky SLR camera in an easy to reach side pouch, while still leaving room in the main compartment for a laptop, a copy of Singletrack, sandwiches and a coat.  It’s a ‘casual’ fit rucksack and as such won’t do off roading too well, but for riding into town with gear and camera, or as a modestly sized carry-on flight back, it’s great. And it’s not a fortune either.

 

 

BikeParka

We know very little about this, apart from Matt W, pictured, won it. It’s a large rain cover for your bike which has a cunning hole in the side so that you can lock it up through the cover. Good if your bike has to live outside, though it might draw a little attention to it if used in town.

Brunox Turbo-Spray
Price: £4.99
From: www.brunox.co.uk
We’re big fans of Brunox’ fork seal cleansing Deo lube so know Brunox make good stuff. The Turbo-Spray is an all-round spray for lubrication, water dispersion and penetration. Insert your own ‘fnar’ comment here. It’s got something called Turbolene in it, which makes it sound either like something from The Fast and The Furious, or a window cleaner. It’s the kind of thing that’s worth having in the back of the car for pre and post ride lubing. Damn innuendo…

Revelate Viscacha
Price: $130 – about £100 with shipping and tax.
From: www.revelatedesigns.com
Eric from Revelate is a bona-fide out doorsman who lives the life that many of us would love to lead. For proof see here http://epiceric.blogspot.com/ and make sure to watch the video. Whilst we can’t all go bike-kayaking round Alaska with Eric it is possible to buy a seatbag from him and to set out on our own adventures.

Book on Stretching
Price: Worth it
From: Second hand bookshops
Anyone who’s had an eventful early life, with plenty of mishaps, falls and injuries, is going to have to start looking after their body a little better as they get a little older. Matt has started to embrace the way of the stretch in order to keep himself in better balance and he reckons that everyone needs to start stretching more – starting now!

 

Camelbak Insulated Better Bottle
Price: £19.99 or so for 600ml size
From: www.zyro.co.uk

We do like the Better Bottle from Camelbak. It’s great for keeping (spillproof!) water on your desk and it does encourage you to drink more water (which, along with stretching, we all need to do more of). Last year Camelbak came out with a chi-chi insulated steel flask version of its bottle, but now here’s the more affordable plastic one. It’s not a full vacuum seal, but it does keep cold drinks noticeably cooler for longer. Plus it’s fun to look at the water in the inner chamber sloshing around. Or is that just us?

 

---