We’ve been thinking hard about some truly difficult questions this week. Not meaning of life type stuff, as mountain bikers we solved that little riddle years ago – no, some which are MUCH more difficult:
What do they carry polystyrene around in when they ship it round the country?
Who draws the lines on graph paper?
When sign makers strike, do they write anything on their signs?
Why do they make scented toilet paper?
Shouldn’t Microsoft be called Macrosoft these days?
But eventually we get bored of such navelgazing, and look at bike stuff instead…
Boardman MTB Pro FS
Price: £1499
From: Boardman Bikes
This is the catchily named MTB Pro FS – Boardman’s flagship FS bike, and tester Antony has his mitts all over it, so he took the pictures. We’re not entirely sure what the deal is with the stampeding horse in the background though. Perhaps it represents Antony’s glorious legpower? The one on the right looks less than impressed. That one clearly represents Antony’s analytical prowess.
You get a RockShox Monarch on the back…
And a Pike on the front – FTW!
Despite popular rumour, this bike has a threaded BB. And asymmetrical chainstays with pots and pots of clearance…
…see?
And Guide brakes. Horst-link type suspension, too. Sweet. It’s running 740mm wide bars, and there’s room and routing for an internal dropper post too.
Endura Humvee Helmet
Price: £35
From: Endura
Budget lid with impressive looks, and a removable visor. Lack of ears, model’s own. It’s also available in green, white and black, colour fans!
Endura MT500 and SingleTrack Backpacks
Price: MT500 £99.99 SingleTrack £59.99 without bladder; £20 extra for the bladder
From: Endura
Back-luggage from Endura. The MT500 on the right has 15l capacity, room for a half or full-face helmet on the back, knee pad straps and a waterproof panel at the bottom, and a koroyd spine protector. The SingleTrack backpack at left is slightly smaller, with a 10l capacity and a removeable helmet carrier. You can get them with or without bladders, and you can buy the spine protector separately for the SingleTrack pack if you like. Here’s what it looks like…
…it’s basically loads of straws stuck together (well, that’s what it looks like) so it’s dead breathable and dead strong.
Endura MT500 Burner Ratchet Shorts
Price: £64.99
From: Endura
Rugged oxford canvas shorts, so tough as you like; good length, lots of sizes, mesh lined, black and yellow print. ‘Interesting’ pose by our model, there.
Polaris AM Flux Waterproof Shorts
Price: £79.99
From: Polaris
3 layer fabric, fully taped seams, long as a long thing (but not actually trousers or 3/4 shorts), pockets, drawcord. Ideal for keeping your nethers dry, warm, cosy, and in peak tip-top condition in the next deluge. And more interestingness in terms of poses.
Skratch Energy Chews
Price: £21.95 for a packet of 10
From: Silverfish
Sweets! But energy sweets! So you don’t need to feel as bad filling your face with them as you hurtle along. Raspberry and Orange flavour, and Packed With Gnar.
Belgian Beer
Priceless
From: WindWave
Those lovely people at WindWave gave us a bottle of Belgian Beer at Core last week which we’re trying not to drink too fast lest is sends us squiffy, which apparently such things are wont to do.
Sock Guy Love Haters socks
Price: £9.95
From: Silverfish 
Well, just look at them. How ace are these?
…and if you’ve not seen this yet (it’s an oldie, but a very, very goodie), I have to tell you it is unadulterated GENIUS.
That’s a wrap for this week! Keep your eyes peeled for next week’s exciting episode, when Sheila finds Bill in delectes flagrante with the lawnmower, and Rob and Trevor do battle over who has the curliest sword… enjoy the weekend!
ST out.
Comments (11)
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how much are the Ratchets??
£64.99
Boardman MTB Pro FS £1,499, Santa Cruz top end Hightower c£6,000. Both legitimately out there to turn a profit, but news of the Boardman and likewise SRAM’s NX is somehow more uplifting. For me at least.
That Boardman is looking surprisingly good.
That Boardman looks too good to be true. Complete bike with Pike forks and a GX groupset for £100 less than an Orange 5 frame! That can’t be right.
Is it as good as this though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXGSBpMHcpA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bua5zepZUek
Rammstein and Tatu – who knew?
I hope Boardman have sorted out the fat seatstays that rub your calves. Oh, and the rubbish mech hanger design 🙁
That mash up was just how it always should have been! And That Boardman! At that price? I gotta try one!
HA on the Boardman is actually 67.5 degrees, according to staff at the launch (no idea what’s going on with the Halfords website, but it shows a different frame with a front derailleur mount). And it’s got slimmer square chainstays this year.
When will we learn what Antony thinks of the Boardman FS Pro, which looks very much like a super bargain, but is it? We want to know!