Boney M is a band very near to my heart, for a variety of reasons – Boney M is perilously close to my name, firstly, and they were able to write witty, incisive lyrics about the most unlikely of subjects:
Ra Ra Rasputin, Lover of the Russian Queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra Ra Rasputin, Russia’s greatest Love Machine
It was a shame how he carried on
See? Informative, no? And if you haven’t got it as an earworm yet, just watch this piece of AWESOME right here:
The fake beard sported by the chap is a particular delight. And now that’s playing, feel free to peruse the best and the greatest that’s appeared in the office this week:
Kona Precept 130
This is in for out 130mm bike test in the next issue – it looks like a sweet ride for the moolah. 
See that back end there? Them’s the same chainstays as you’ll find on the Process 134, them’s is. The linkage is different, tho. As are all the other frame bits.
Short stem keeps things modern. Nice top-cap mention of roots, though.
And there’s some named rubber on there too.
Rockshox Sektor fork manages bounce at the front end
Well, naturally. No pottering about for this bike, no siree.
So spectators can read it no matter what side you do your whip on…
Price: £1399
From: Kona
Fox Float X2
Shot with much bluriness (all that bubble wrap plays havoc with the camera’s sensors, you know) is the Fox Float X2 air shock. High and low speed compression AND rebound damping, people. EVOL air sleeve, and it’s slathered in kashmina, Get with the FUTURE.
Price: £499.00
From: Mojo
Lezyne Mini GPS
Super titchy GPS, no larger than a small bike computer. Handy for telling you how fast you’re going, altitude and all that sort of thing, and then for uploading your derring-do onto Strava or other comparison websites… it’s got a 10 hour runtime, too!
Price: £109.00
Lezyne Super GPS
Like the Mini GPS, only more Super – ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible (so it can hook up to your smartphone), it can read US and Russian satellites for faster and more accurate position acquisition. It’s got a whopping 22 hours of run time. Plus, it’s still fairly teeny. Kapow!
Price: £159.99
Lezyne Forward Bar Mount
It’s called a Forward Bar Mount, and it Mounts your GPS thingy Forward of the Bars. See? Elementary, my dear What’sface.
Price: £14.99
Lezyne Strip Drive
Strip Drive! The latest saucy film starring Ryan Gosling as a practically mute stunt driver who, down on his luck, is forced to… what? It’s not? Oh. Lights! YES. LIGHTS. Up to 120 lumen at the front, 25 lumen at the back, with an array of flashy options. USB chargeable and generally A Good Thing to have on your bike when the light gets a little bit absent.
Price: £54.99
Lezyne MacroDrive 600XL
600 lumens of pure, unadulterated, Saxo-terrifying power. These puppies will enable you to carve a swathe or brightitude through the darkest lanes, and could even be up for a spot of light off-roading, too. Sweet.
Price: £69.99
Lezyne MicroDrive 400XL
Can you guess? Can you?
Yup! It’s the same as the one above, but with less power and less cost Hurrah! 400 lumens of gloriousness enrobed in a lavish black plastic sheath.
Price: 39.99
All Lezyne stuff is from Upgrade.
45Nrth Japanther
An awesomely named boot from named 45Nrth. This is the one down from their ultra-cold mountaineering SPD boot the wölvhammer, and so is apparently best from +7 Celcius to around -3. So pretty much the whole British winter. It’s waterproof, has loads of strapping which extends up your leg, a pretty fine tread pattern, and it’s got a reflective, waffle sole for warmth an’ that. Toasty. Jamie’s going to enjoy wearing them at all times. Even, with his feet, in bed.
Price: £205
From: Charlie The BikeMonger
Vaude Taron Low AM
Some gnarly AM shoes, with a velcro strap, a ratchety strap, some laces, a Vibram sole, a nylon shank and a cool green and black colourscheme that would definitely work well if you were KickAss.
Price: £135
Vaude Yara TR
Trail shoes, these. Or, as Vaude would put it, ‘dynamic summer shoes’. Lots of ventilation, lots of mesh. Also good, apparently, for travelling and commuting. There’s a more flexible sole than the Taron, which makes them a bit comfier for walking.
Price: £110
From: Vaude
SKS Airboy XL Pump
Words associated with this pump: Dual. Chamber. Micro. Size. Extra. Large. Pow.
Price: £25.00
SKS Airchecker
Digital enabler of tyre-pressure precision. Handy if you’re running fatbike (or half fat, really) where the difference of 1 PSI can be the difference between traction and faceplant (which is sort of like an aubergine).
Price: £19.99
Both from: Zyro
Aldi Merino Base Layer
Merino base layer of much cheapness!
Price: £15.99
Aldi Cycling Tights
More Aldi flavoured Cheapness! YKK zips, reflective bits and lots more goodness.
Price TBC
Aldi Waterproof Jacket
Reflective stuff, bright neon colour, and heck, it’s…
Price: £19.99
From Aldi! RIGHT NOW! HURRY! But if you’re looking at this at the weekend, it’s probably gone – who knows?
Madison Flux Womens’ shorts
A nicely designed set of baggies. Lots of vents, some decent pockets: nice
Price: £59.99
Madison Flux Womens’ Jacket
All the Fluxes. Softshell blue, apparently. More nice little touches (reinforced shoulders for pack for example), and a hood with a drawstring.
Price: £114.99
From: Madison
Ion LS Helia Tee Womens Top
What it says. Nice graphic; we like.
Price: TBC
From: ion-products.com
And that’s it! We’re celebrating out 100th issue tonight, and announcing our Readers Awards, so inevitably there will be a variety of entertaining photos and vodeos floating around the internet over the weekend… keep your eyes peeled, and have a great weekend!
ST out.
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That Kona is great VFM!
Have a great party guys, and thanks for 100 issues of great reading material.
Barney forgot to mention that “FREEZE-AGEDDON” is coming and it want your toes 😉
Keep doing it Barney. We might not need the goods- but we do need you.