Our weekly round up of the arrival of shininess at Singletrack Towers. This week, some reasonably priced Shimano kit, a featherweight saddle, things to keep you warm if you decide to venture away from your roaring fire and/or TV this winter and a guide book of where to go when you do. This week were were ably assisted by our work experience lad Richard Butterworth as well as our usual ‘models’…
Endura Rebound Jacket
Price: £42.99
From: www.endura.co.uk
Jon simpers out the window in an Endura Rebound Jacket – a compact windproof stretch showerproof…
Oops – Chipps got his knickers mixed up…
Endura Women’s Roubaix Knickers Meryl Knickers
Price: £39.99 £44.99
From: www.endura.co.uk
Here are some (not quite as fleecy as the Roubaix version but actually still quite warm) 3/4 length Lycra shorts for the colder months. Wear them under baggies to keep your knees from freezing, or on their own for that winter racer look.
Women’s Convert Softshell
Price: £99
From: www.endura.co.uk
Jenn reluctantly models the Endura Womens’ Convert Softshell jacket. With zip-off sleeves for those inbetween days, or for those winch and plummet rides.
To be honest, we’re not sure which jacket this one is as Jenn’s run off with it to Wales. We’re guessing it’s an Endura Helium Jacket for £89.99
Endura Women’s MT500 gloves
Price: £32.99
From: www.endura.co.uk
Jenn thumps the photographer in the newest MT500 glove from Endura. With all sorts of thermal weld rubbery bits and tough Cordura backing, they should last longer than wimpier gloves.
Shimano CX70 Chainset
Price: £169.99
Distributed by: Madison www.madison.co.uk
OK, here’s one for you ‘cross fans. It’s a Shimano Ultegra level cyclocross chainset with a 46/36 ratio.
Shimano Ultegra Di2
Rear mech: £219.99
Distributed by: www.madison.co.uk
Chipps has gone mental. He’s determined to build up the pimpest cyclocross bike on the planet, starting with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2, disc brakes and a new disc brake frame. It’ll doubtless be ready in time for the end of the ‘cross season.
Pearl Izumi Select Stockton Jacket
Price: £130
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
Another Pearl Izumi product, this rustling jacket will be perfect for very cold days, or if you tend not to overheat often while riding, because of it’s lack of venting. But it’s green!
Pearl Izumi Pro Barrier WXB Jacket
Price: £230
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
This high end jacket is nice and light, breathable and comfortable, but this is reflected in the price. It claims to have 360º reflectivity, so don’t say I didn’t warn you about it getting more shiny!!
Endura Convert Softshell
Price: £99
From: www.endura.co.uk
A two in one jacket for people that just don’t have room for a jacket and a gilet! The zip off sleeves can also be used as puppets, so really it’s 3 in 1!
San Marco Concor Protek saddle
Price: £90
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
At 190g, this is no fatty. It is a slim, sleek looking saddle, with subtle colour design and little grippy bits on the back and sides. Be careful not to launch it through the ceiling when you pick it up too, it’s lighter than it looks.
Shimano Deore Groupset
If weight is not one of your main concerns, but function is, or you are fed up of replacing smashed up derailleurs for a high price, then press your nose onto the screen a little more. These parts are not the lightest or the flashiest things around, so are a change from the usual fresh goods. There are shiny things to come though!!
Shimano HG-X 10sp Chain and CS-HG62-10 10sp cassette
Price: Chain £35, Cassette: £40
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
A low priced 11-36 cassette is not a regular appearance, and at £40, this is still quite an investment when compared to equivalent 9 speed cassettes, but just think of the times you have wished for only one more gear to get up that horror climb, or those time that when legs need a little rest before pinning the descent after you get to the top. Or when you needed to finish lunch quickly and wanted two more teeth. These are different teeth remember.
Shimano Deore rear mech and shifters
Price: 10sp Rear mech £50, Pair of 3x10sp shifters £65
Distributed bymadison.co.uk
Shimano Deore brake levers and rotors
Price: Levers £22 each, Rotors £20 each.
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
Shimano have redesigned their brakes for 2012 and so far they don’t look bad. These are their bargain-stopper variety, and for some mysterious reason we only have levers…
Also we have a couple of their rotors, which are… well, rotors.
Shimano Deore chainset and bottom bracket
Price: Chainset £85, Bottom Bracket £15
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
A trail ready ten speed crankset for £85. Double version also available for those that like riding into rocks with their chainrings. Also, if you like each of your chainrings to be a different colour – get this!
Pearl Izumi Thermal Arm Warmers
Price: £25
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
If you need warm arms, but can’t afford a long sleeved top, or want to show off your huge pecs while maintaining a degree of insulation in your upper limbs, take note. They have a very comfy fleecy lining and look like they will stay put with a thick elastic top. However, they sent us one regular and one large which was a little weird… Oh wait, right and left. Also they are available in black, red, blue or white.
Pearl Izumi Launch Kicker short
Price: £90
Distributed by: madison.co.uk
These baggies have some nice stretchy fabric to them, so comfort looks to be a factor here, but at a first glance they look like they will absorb mud like a dry and dusty trail absorbs rain. They come with some nice looking inner shorts and have a velcro reinforced press stud at the front, which should stop it popping off after that mid ride pork pie.
Exploring the North Peak & South Pennines: 25 Rollercoaster Mountain Bike Rides
Price: £9
Published by: Sigma Leisure
If you are stuck for rides and live in the Pennines, then open your eyes. Or, buy this. It has a range of 25 ‘tried and tested’ mountain bike rides, with mini maps to mark out your route for that ride, and even a café stop halfway around your ride, which is what everyone needs now and again.
Magura MT2 Brakes
Price: £99.99
Stealthy looking brakes from Magura. These ones came with callipers as well! Also with a selection of German cakes. Caution, yours may not.
Magura Thor Fork
Price: £699
150mm travel on this red white and black monster. Also came with German beer and cakes.
Magura Durin Fork
Price: £699
A leaner fork for the less extreme trail riders out there. Still with Rockshox maxle on it though.
How’s that lot for a weekly roundup? Feel free to comment… Though we’re afraid that all ‘lover’ and ‘hater’ comments are now restricted to Premier users only…
Comments (13)
Comments Closed
mm pfeffernuss lebkuchen.
“but just think of the times you have wished for only one more gear to get up that horror climb”
Eh?
The 10spd chainset is 24-32-42T is it not?
24-36 ratio is slightly harder/higher than 22-34 ratio available on 9spd setups?
IIRC, if you want one more gear (and not go to a geared down hub gear), then you want a 9spd 12-36T casette and a middleburn chainset with a 20T inner ring (or 10spd 11-36T casette if middleburn do 10spd rings?)
Also, I’d be interested to see if you reckon the newer Thor tracks as well as the old one now its got a 15mm axle (is that right?) instead of a 20mm one. That and being 10mm longer travel
Happy Birthday Jenn, wherever you are (in Wales).
Anybody know if the convert softshell is designed to be worn with or without a baselayer?
Can it replace my ageing and heavily repaired N2S Gore Phantom II as a true do-it-all single layer for 80% of non-summer riding or will it be another “softshell” (a.k.a boil in the bag heavy outer jacket used as part of a layering system) a la the great retrograde step of the current Gore Phantom?
Shackleton
I wear my Covert with either just a t shirt or a t shirt and merino vest underneath most of the year, really cold days I’ll maybe add another layer
Its fine against bare arms but is also not boil in bag, for price it’s the best most adaptable jacket I’ve had, and useful alm year round, you can remove arms whilst still moving, putting them back on takes longer but is still only a 60second job
iain, I think what shackleton is asking is whether the convert is suitable as a next to skin layer instead of wearing a jersey-the original gore phantom was, the current one less so.
tbh I’m amazed it’s taken other manufacturers as long to crib the removable sleeves idea.
Get Jenn to model more things, or at least get the boys to look at how she does it- ie, not in the style of a monkey trying on a teacosy.
Magura forks = lovely things
As a Thor owner myself(old one, black crown) i think the new graphics are a bit naff.
Obviously THE most important factor
I’ve had the 2012 Deore brakes fitted to my Pitch since July and they are reliable and powerful with good modlation once you get used to the servowave action. They have survived the worst conditions the Lakes and Yorkshire can through at them.
Oh and they cost buttons!
Amendments made above – Chipps got his knickers confused.
The Convert fabric lacks the soft brushed inner face of the old N2S Windstopper, so might not be as comfortable without a base layer, but I’ve done a few rides already and it’s ace. Review soon.