Fresh Threads, Fresh Springs, And Fresh Water – It’s Fresh Goods Friday 395

Fresh GoodsNews

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At this point the IT Hamsters looked a bit quivery. (Thanks Pete Franklin for the screenshot!)

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Never fear, normal service has been resumed. The walls have dried, the IT hamsters are lying with their legs in the air and the servers are floating in a cloud. The office has been moved around so that everyone has a new desk which is briefly dusted, tidied and free from coffee cups. And, as usual, half the office are off somewhere else anyway, so they’re going to come back and find that all their stuff has been dusted, tidied, and placed somewhere they can’t find it.

No matter where you work, it seems there is always someone who loves their desk exactly where it is, and someone else who thinks they have the worst seat in the house. There will be someone else who doesn’t really care, but definitely doesn’t want to end up in that space over there. And someone else who doesn’t give a hoot, they’ll sit anywhere, they’re happy, whatever…until a week after you move them and you receive a string of emails complaining about the proximity of the radiator, the volume of the neighbouring toilet, and the smell of their new neighbour. Once upon a time I had the amusing job of fitting hundreds of people into a brand spanking new office where every single room was curved, all the furniture was rectangular, and a good chunk of the occupants were either politicians or journalists…

τΗÌς īš å ρí∃⊂ξ Φƒ ℘îℑℑ by comparison.

And so, sanguine and smooth running, like the newly floating servers, let us drift into Fresh Goods Friday…

Santa Cruz Nomad Alloy S

That garage needs weeding.

This is an alloy Nomad from Santa Cruz, in the higher of the two alloy specs available. With a RockShox Lyric R170 up front, SRAM GX Eagle groupset, and SRAM Code R brakes, you get a build package that comes in at £700 less than the carbon equivalent, but weighs 1kg more.

That is a lovely colour, non?
Good luck getting it back to this level of cleanliness, Dean. You know that’s part of the deal, right?

Taking its suspension cues from the V10, this is a trail bike with rowdy leanings – beyond enduro if you like. Beyonduro™ perhaps? We’re sending this off to our Trail Slayer Dean (and there were his parents thinking ‘Dean’ was the kind of name only a nice boy would have) for a bit of enduro and beyond testing. Brap.

Rear Mech Bolts

Spare, and spare spare

Chipps passed his British Cycling Mountain Bike Guide Level 3 test last weekend – but only by the skin of his teeth since he loaded his bike back into his car only to discover that he’d lost his rear mech bolt. Embarrassment narrowly avoided (probably by a fortunate layer of sticky grime holding things together), he’s got in some replacements, and some spares. Because now he’s discovered something else he needs to carry in his pack ‘just in case’. Anyway, congratulations to Chipps for being a qualified leader, as well as a glorious one.

Dakine Covert Gloves

Hair model’s own.

In her best studio model style, Hannah is wearing a medium women’s Covert glove (the speckled one) and a men’s small Covert glove. Both are minimalist gloves with soft synthetic suede palms and mesh uppers. A spot of silicone on the fingertips keeps you in contact with your levers.

Race Face Stage Shorts

Almost smart enough for school? (The shorts, not Ross)

These are tough shorts made from a woven stretch fabric with DWR coating. There’s a Cordura crotch for added durability, and zippered pockets for secure storage of keys etc. All the seams are double reinforced. Not that Ripped Ross will be straining them…

Race Face Ambush Gloves

‘If I put my hands on my jersey, I can’t see them!’

Gloves with ultralight mesh backs of the hands for warm weather riding, and a perforated Amara palm for further venting. Reinforced finger tips add a touch of robustness where you need it, and they’re touch screen compatible.

Race Face Ambush 3/4 Jersey

Race face or poo face?

Ross is wearing a silky feeling ‘Cool Touch’ fabric jersey in a freeride cut. The mesh back panel should help him keep cool as he sweats his way up hills before free falling down them and breaking his ribs, again.

Race Face Indy Shorts

Ross’ power pose needs work.

A lightweight trail short with laser perforations for venting and a raised back for modesty and comfort of the rider behind you. A slip panel in the legs helps the shorts move easily over pads while pedalling.

Race Face Trigger Short Sleeve Jersey

Ross has been working hard on his ‘casual wink’.

This is a relaxed fit jersey in a lightweight breathable fabric with a silky soft finish.

Race Face Indy Gloves

Ross, discovering he has hands.

Another pair of super light summer gloves, this time in a range of colours and styles to match the Indy shorts.

CushCore

Does anyone remember the children’s TV show called Pob?

All the way from the USA, Chipps brought this ‘inner tyre suspension’ system back with him from Sea Otter, so we’re guessing this is his otter face? It’s a foam insert that fits inside your tyre, reducing the air volume and protecting your rims while also improving traction. The air is on the tread area of the tyre, meaning that part can still flex and bend, while the foam supports the sidewalls. Available in 26, 27.5 and 29 inch sizes.

Grayl Ultralight Purifier

  • Price: £59.95
  • From: 2Pure
More than just a water bottle.
Yay, no cholera!

This is not just a travel cup, it’s a water filter. It’s a bit like a cafetiere – you fill up the blue section with dubious water, push the inner into it, and clean water ends up inside the inner cup. You can drink it straight away, or put the lid on for easy transport. The filter promises to remove viruses, bacteria, protozoa, particulates, chemicals and heavy metals with just one press.

Panaracer Pandura

27.5 x 2.4in

Triple compound tubeless compatible folding enduro tyres promising lots of puncture protection and plenty of grip. Which puncture prone enduro tester shall we send these to then…yes, you there, Andi <meaningful looks>.

Osmo Active Hydration For Women

  • Price: £22 a tub
  • From: 2Pure
Mango flavour.

Formulated to aid hydration even during the menstrual cycle – when internal temperature and sodium loss increase, and plasma volume drops – this mango flavoured mix claims to help ‘avoid premenstrual performance decline’. It’s probably more effective than chocolate. Also available in individual sachets, just don’t mix them up with your tampons.

Osmo Active Hydration For Men

  • Price: £34.80 for 24 sachets
  • From: 2Pure
Also available in blackberry flavour.

Also available in tubs as above, this contains a mix of sucrose, glucose and electrolytes to improve performance and avoid cramping.

Body Glide Protective Skincare

  • Price: £11.99 (Sun, Cycle and Her, 42g) £9.99 (Foot, 22g)
  • From: 2Pure
Not to be confused with lip-salve, especially the ‘cycle’ one.

Petroleum free balms to protect various bits of your body. The ‘Foot’ one is designed to stop you getting blisters – handy with your new summer sandals perhaps? ‘Cycle’ is – predictably – for your nethers, while riding a bike. ‘For Her’ is aimed at runners, where nipples and thighs might rub (though men might have this issue too?), and ‘Sun’ gives you SPF30 protection as well as protecting you from chafing.

Hat of the World

  • Price: free to a good home
  • From: many places
This hat has seen the world.

One local resident has apparently given up all hope of sun ever brightening our skies again, and discarded this well travelled hat. It’s probably still outside if you want it.

Scott MTB AR Boa Clip Shoes

They are that bright, it’s not just the sun.

With two Boas for a precise and tight fit without the faff of laces, these are just the kind of shoes likely to appeal to those who like precision but haven’t got patience. Or are just too busy being fast to have time for faff. They’ve a stiffness index of seven, which is pretty stiff for a shoe with perhaps more of a trail aesthetic than an XC one.

Troy Lee A2 MIPs helmet

‘For the world’s fastest racers’…

Available in a whole array of colours, but shown here in Pinstripe Gray – a fairly subtle glittery number – this is the 2018 edition of the A2 helmet, with a more adjustable strap and an improved wicking liner.

…and Amanda.

Troy Lee Ruckus Women’s Gloves

Once, all phones looked like this.

Amanda is inordinately pleased that the little touch screen finger tip has a ye-olde dial phone symbol on it. Of course, once upon a time all gloves were phone-compatible, though now that’s an actual handy bonus in a glove. Other handy bonuses in this glove include a little bit of padding on the palm and perforated fingers for ventilation.

Branded on both sides.

Troy Lee Women’s Ruckus Shorts

Also available in orange or blue options.

Designed for ‘women who like to work hard’ these should be perfectly suited to our Amanda. We especially like this part of the official description: ‘Colourful mosaic graphic design element that adds a feminine touch without being obnoxious’. Not being obnoxious is definitely a plus, as are the handy zipped pockets and silicone waist gripper.

Troy Lee Women’s Ruckus Jersey

Ooh, me back’s cold, is it mesh?

The vented back on the matching Ruckass jersey appears to be doing its job, as Amanda instantly noticed the breeze through the back of her jersey. As well as mesh, there are also two pockets for stashing your stuff.

No Amanda, those gloves do not match.
Ah, they match the back! You ARE the designer, you DO know best!

Push ACS3 Coil Kit

Build your own pogo stick?

Promising to give you the benefits of a coil and air spring in one package, this package puts a coil matched to your weight for initial bump sensitivity along with a Patent-Pending Air Bump Stop cartridge to control the end stroke. If you normally ride a rigid bike, or something from 1995, please contact Wil for a glossary.

Push Elevensix Shock

‘Climb like a mountain goat, descend like a cheetah’.

A shock for those who want to fiddle and adjust and set things just how they want it. Independent High and Low Speed compression adjustment on each of the dual valves mean you can get your Climbing Valve and Descending Valve exactly how you want them, and then switch between the settings on the go. Witchcraft. Well, it might be. Wil says it’s science. Whatever it is, it’s a pretty darned sexy looking piece of kit.

And drift…

…float…

….slide in to the weekend.

Let’s stay with the chilled out post chaos calm ooh look it’s a long weekend bank holiday vibe and have a bit of this. Thirteen minutes – a mini concert in fact – of floaty outfitted women doing floaty singing. There are many more great things to be heard on the Tiny Desk Concert series, so if you’re not riding your bike this weekend, it’s well worth a look.

Peace. Out.

 

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Author Profile Picture
Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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