Welcome to the final Fresh Goods Friday before Christmas. While it’s probably a little late for gift ideas, there’s nothing to stop you doing some Boxing Day laptop shopping while trying to stay awake through the sherry haze… And this week, well, we hope you like shoes…
Before we get stuck in to see what goodies have arrived in the office this week, we do just want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for tuning in to singletrackworld.com. We hope you get a chance for a cheeky ride or two over the holidays and that it’s all peaceful and calm in between. Our next FGF will be the final one of the year – and given that there’s only a couple of postage days between this one and the next, well, we might just all have to bring our presents in to work to feature instead…
Trek Fuel EX 9.7 2019
- Price: £3150
- From: Trek Bikes
Resplendent in a mushroomy matt grey and black, this is Trek’s whizzy 29er, featuring 130mm travel, a carbon mainframe with alloy rear, Fox Rhythm fork and Trek’s Fox RE:aktiv damper, a wide-range 1×12 SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain, a Bontrager Line dropper post and Tubeless Ready Bontrager Line Comp 30 wheels. It’s one of those bikes that bridges the XC/Trail/Whatever boundaries and we’re looking forward to pitching it up against a similarly equipped machine in a future online review. Stay tuned for that one.
JetWet
- Price: £85 plus £5 shipping in the UK
- From: JetWet.co.uk
Answering the question of ‘How do I clean things in the middle of a field’ is this new portable jetwash from JetWet. Designed to be as versatile as possible, its internal battery will charge or run off a car cigarette lighter (or are they just ‘accessory sockets’ these days?) and a full charge will run the variable jet for thirty minutes between charges. The soft bladder will hold nine litres, which should definitely do a few race bikes at 2am in a 24 hour race – then you can just remove and refill the bladder. And to show its further versatility, JetWet says that it’s good for cleaning ‘Bikes, horses, children and dogs’. Look out Jess…
Shimano ME7
- Price: £169.99
- From:Madison
These are the latest Trail/Enduro shoes from Shimano. The ME7 is a stiff but grippy all-round trail shoe. Using Michelin rubber for grip off the bike, the soles have extended cleat slots for those riders who like to replicate more of a flat pedal foot position on their pedals. With a stiff sole, snug upper and tons of grip, we’re already fans of the previous version.
Shimano MW7
- Price: £189
- From: Madison
It’s winter, it’s dark and no one cares that you look like you’re wearing tactical stormtrooper boots. Not least you, because your feet are warm and dry. These MW7 boots from Shimano are the latest refinement of a winter staple. Featuring a fleece lining, full GoreTex coverage and now a secure BOA fitment, you can dial in the fit whether wearing your big red Christmas socks, or your slimmer winter race socks. There’s a rugged, dual compound Michelin sole and a neoprene gaiter to keep the weather out. There’s even 360° reflective tabs for winter visibility. See you out on the trails!
Shimano S-Phyre XC9
- Price: £319
- From: Madison
With a sole stiffness rating that goes up to a Spinal Tap 11, and a searing neon green colour, these are shoes to go fast in and to be seen doing it. There’s no point in showing up in these race slippers unless you’re going to put a beat-down on your fellow riders and racers. They cost an unapologetic £319, but use the lightest and latest materials, a grippy Michelin sole and a weight of 660g for a pair. The super-stiff carbon sole will even accept toe studs up to 18mm long. Bring on ‘cross season!
Shimano AM5 shoes
- Price: £79.99
- From: Madison
Phew! All of that racing talk was making us feel a little unfit, so it’s good to see a more down to earth trail shoe in the form of Shimano’s AM5. The shoes have been in the line for a while and are as popular at the trail centre as the enduro start line. For 2019 they get more heel and toe traction – presumably for pushing back up the trail, not because you’re scared and off and walking. No, we’d never do that, right?
Muc-Off Tubeless Valves
- Price: £22.50
- From: Muc-Off
Muc Off is expanding its range of bike accessories with these boldly coloured tubeless valves. It claims to have engineered the humble Presta valve to seal better when used with sealant. There are other clever touches apart from just the pretty colours; the valves (which come in 44mm and 60mm lengths) come with assorted rubber grommets to help them seal on any rim, whatever the internal or external profile. There’s also an additional valve cap that features a valve-core cutout so that you always have a valve core tool with you. Neat…
Ultimate BOOM Bars
- Price: £134.99
- From:USE
These massive carbon handlebars (800mm width, 30mm rise, for a 35mm stem) have been developed with the help of Scott ‘Boom Boom’ Beaumont who’s used his extensive 4X racing experience to design a bar that’s strong and stiff enough for whatever sketchy moves you’re planning on pulling and whatever steep trails you’re thinking of riding. And no, that textured finish is to protect the bars in transit, not for extra grip. If you like the look of them, then we’re going to be giving away a bar and stem in our Mega Sack, Christmas Countdown, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Ultimate Vyce 35 Stem
- Price: £89.99
- From:USE
And to match those bars, there’s an equally stiff stem. Weighing only 108g for the 40mm version, it’s about as minimal as a super short stem can get. And again, you can win one of these in the next couple of days!
Mavic Crossmax Hydro Pack
- Price: £Hard to find/li>
- From: Mavic
Mavic’s 25L pack is unfortunately no longer available, but Chipps is such a fan that they found one under a desk and sent him the last one in their office. If you’re after a 25L pack for big days out, it’s worth checking to see if any shops have any left.
Like your Fresh Goods more, well, lively? Then check out Fresh Goods Live that Wil has started doing from his secret lair in Australia. Tune in every week for a preview of what’s going to be on offer.
Fox Float Shock Volume Spacer Kit
- Price: £23.95 / $45 AUD
- From: Silverfish (UK) / Sola Sport (Aus)
Unfortunately this isn’t Xmas candy for you to eat, but it could well be a candy of sorts for your rear shock. Fox has been offering plastic volume spacers for tuning its rear shocks for a few years now, though conveniently they’re now colour-coded for the different sizes available. This spacer kit is to suit a Fox Float DPS or CTD rear shock (Float X and X2 shocks require different shaped spacers), and it includes all five volume spacers starting at the little purple 0.2in³ purple disc, and going all the way up to the 0.95in³ big red daddy. If you want to tune the progression of your Fox shock, this helpful guide on the Ride Fox website will show you what is (and isn’t) possible.
And now, what other tune could we leave you with on this week, but Slade’s classic tale of winter celebration…
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Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all at Singletrack (and Grit.cx).
Now, I have a New year Resolution for you. ON Wednesday morning, after a walk on Winter Hill, I went for a coffee and warm by the fire in MK Cycles. Fine place, cake and pasties and bicycles.
Looking through the huge volume that is the Madison catalogue I found no fewer than 54 (fifty four) different pads for disc brakes. Now good Singletrack people, I call upon you to start the revolution. It will take years to achieve, but could we not get an agreed 5 types, and have all manufacturers use one or more of this small set. For now how about no new designs of pads for 5 years, make as many new designs of brakes as you like but stick to existing pads.
@fatoldman I’m with you. But I’m a bit busy. If you could start the revolution, I’ll follow you.