I had something deep and meaningful to open this Fresh Goods with, but on reflection, nobody needs that right now. So instead I’m going to share a recipe with you, a recipe with a story.
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 mango
- 2 fistfuls spinach
- 1 cup of water
- Blend the lot
I had this bright idea to make a smoothie to mask the taste of my powdered, twice-a-day medication that tastes like the inside of an old water-bottle. That’s way too much fruit for me in one meal, so I drank half and put the other half aside for the next morning. Well, long story short, that healthy green drink tastes AMAZING with a double shot of rum, and I’m writing this Fresh Goods on a comfortable rumbuzz. Make good choices, people!
On a more serious note, it’s been a busy week. Hannah has been oversharing again, a lucky little girl won a bike, more good people in the bike industry are helping in a time of need, and the Singletrack Team managed to make yet another forum member cry. Happy tears for once. Big love to Gnusmases! Now let’s round the week off with lots of colourful goodies:
Sonder Camino Al Rival1 Hydraulic
- Price: £1,299.00
- From: Alpkit
Lots of Love Mud finishing kit We see what you did there…. Who thinks tyre logos should rotate the same way as rim decals? “I don’t know what to do with my hands” – Amanda No Gnar?
This adventure bike arrived in a box big enough to house a llama, but it’s not bulky at all. It’s a spritely little thing designed to be comfortable for big days out. With SRAM Rival1 gears and brakes, a 40t chainring upfront keeping it neat, Love Mud accessories and tan wall WTB Resolute tyres, finished with a glossy turquoise paintjob, it’s quite the head turner.
Fuji Jari 2.5
- Price: £779.99
- From: Hotlines
44/28T Shoulder pads are back in Oh my, what a big stem you have Mount Fuji 10 points for guessing what’s in the background.
Another gravel bike?! The Fuji Jari 2.5 is an affordable option for commuting to big days out in the countryside, sans gnar. A stealthy Reynolds 520 Cr-Mo frame built up with Shimano 8-Speed gears and Tektro Mira mechanical disc brakes. We haven’t had chance to weigh either of these bikes, but keep an eye on our GritCX channel for first look articles soon.
Alpkit Rivo Henley Shirt
- Price: £29.99
- From: Alpkit
Designed to fit comfortably under or over other layers, this top has a waffle material for warmth, a button down collar for ventilation and relaxed fit.
Alpkit Kepler Velo Short Sleeve Jersey
- Price: £59.99
- From: Alpkit
No baggies here Snack pockets galore
Featuring 3 rear pockets varying with elasticated, overlap, and zip openings, reflective tape in front and rear zips and a cycling specific snug fit, this merino is made to regulate temperature and offer next to skin comfort. The short sleeves and half-zip collar give good ventilation, and the colour pairs nicely with that Sonder Camino further up.
Alpkit Woodsmoke Shirt
- Price: £59.99
- From: Alpkit
This is Alpkit’s rufty-tufty adventure shirt, made from ThermoTech polyester with hollow core fibres which according to Alpkit “trap more air to give you more insulation, it has a higher warmth-to-weight ratio than normal Polyester, making it an ideal mid layer.” It comes in three great colours, all of which really come to life when logging or sharpening your axe.
Alpkit Morphosis Jacket
- Price: £89.99
- From: Alpkit
A jacket designed to be comfortable regardless of the activity, temperature, and effort level of the wearer. The outer layer claims to be more breathable than your average windshell, and the waffle fleece lining insulates you where you need it. The under-arms and side panels are unlined, the fit is comfortable and the hood fits over most helmets. Ideal!
Giro Sector Shoes
- Price: £199
- From: Zyro/Fisher
The Giro Sector is the new fast-trail shoe from Giro. Stiffer and sleeker than the more, dare we say ‘enduro’ than the recently launched Ventana (review coming soon) it features two BOA dials and a super high-tech ‘Synchwire’ fabric which is a one-piece upper, woven into the ideal shape for riding fast and crushing your foes. Ahem. The sole has a carbon composite base for extra stiff riding efficiency. The sole’s grippy bit, meanwhile is a dual injection material with a softer, gum (or black on the black shoes) trip for grip on the trail – it also extends across the instep, which many full on race shoes skip.
There’s room for toe studs and, well, what more do you want in a shoe? Especially for 342g, right?
Ryder Bike Tools
- Price: £9.99 for most tools here
- From: Freewheel
Ryder is a South African tool company, founded in 1996, which makes a huge range of multitools and bike accessories. These are their ‘get you going’ tools. There’s a bottle boss-mounted twin CO2 holder for racers, plus the ‘Slug Plug’ which is Ryder’s one-shot tubeless plug tool. The Nutcracker (also £9.99) is one of those odd tools you won’t need until you really need it… It’s a combined tyre valve remover with a built in replacement vale core holder (and valve core included…) – there’s also a pad spreader in the back end of the tool that will get you out of trouble.
Maxxis
- Price: £59.99 each
- From: Freewheel
29 x 2.4 WT 29 x 2.5 WT
A tyre set build for loose muddy conditions, it’s as if Ross had predicted the change in weather.
Stans Freehub & Race Sealant
- Price: $90.00 freehub, £32.00 sealant
- From: Paligap
A direct replacement for a Neo hub with all the required bits – drive-side specific endcap, pawls, springs, pawl retaining ring, and freehub spacer, with pre-installed bearings. Stans Race Sealant contains twice as many crystals as the regular sealant, and ‘XL’ crystals at that, meaning it should seal faster, and clog larger punctures. Stans warn that the quantity and size of crystals in this formula means that it can only be installed directly into the tire. As a result of its sealing capabilities, the Race Sealant will clog injectors and smaller bottles. Sounds good!
Farrow & Ball Picture Gallery Red No.42
- Price:
£47.95I had a voucher, I’m not that rich! - From: Farrow & Ball
Amanda has bought some paint to warm up her home office, because let’s face it, she wont be going back to Singletrack Towers anytime soon. The ceilings in her living room are 12ft high and she isn’t very good with ladders. She doesn’t plan ahead.
For those of you with children at home, something worth looking at on YouTube is lofi playlists. There’s movement on the TV screen to hopefully satisfy their need to be watching something, but it can be nice and chilled in the background for reading, doing homework or just playing:
And for those of you trying my rum cocktail, may I make a film recommendation?
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mmmmm…shoes…
“for the next morning…
…AMAZING with a double shot of rum”
Times are strange and keeping some semblance of order to your day is hard, but rum at breakfast?
Everyone knows it’s neat vodka before 9am.
Love the colour of the Camino. I’d buy it just for that tbh!
@dangeourbrain No, I had it that evening! I’m a mess, but not THAT much of a mess…
That Fuji just looks right.
Is that a Daimler Majestic Major behind the Fuji?
Farrow and Ball paint? Nooooooooooooooooooooo! (Sanny shakes head disapprovingly). There is a reason those in the trade refer to it as Farrow and Bollox. Genuinely the worst paint I have ever had the misfortune to use. Our house was covered in the stuff when we moved in. Didn’t take long for it to start peeling. Take it back, Amanda, and get yourself some proper trade paint. It will last a lot longer for a start!
Whoever put poppers on a shirt didn’t intend it to be bought by middle aged men (or me, at least), the same as shorts with a popper instead of a good, sturdy button.
A ride with popper-fastened clothing goes: lean forward to ride – pop – lean back to do up popper – lean forward to ride – pop – lean back to do up popper and so on.
I wish I knew where Alpkit get their WTB Resolute from, can’t find them anywhere!!
SSSWWWWWIIINNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!
@davidgould I didn’t pay for it 😉
You still paid too much for it though! Ha! Ha!
Cheers
Sanny
I’ve never tried rum
Rum, you say?! I make the stuff here in Scotland!
STWers get 10% off (post in chipps’s sticky in the main forum).
Fancy a bottle, Amanda?
@P20 Darker rum with Oatly chocolate milk is a great start (or actual chocolate milk, if you believe in that)
@kit I’m on my way to the forum…
@amandawishart @dangeourbrain
Every one knows is an expresso martini before breakfast THEN neat vodka then rum
Expresso Martini
double vodka
single expresso
single kahlua or tia maria
single sugar syrup (optional)
I would get out more often but can’t walk in a straight line after breakfast
Ross has a dog called Race Sealant?
Even if you didn’t pay for it, I wouldn’t spend the time putting it on the wall. Just renovated a whole house and the worst paint finish is the farrow and ball, even after 3 coats it is still patchy and peeling. Other brands have been fine with one coat over the wash coat on new plaster.
Daimler – 2nd’d!
*Update* Farrow & Ball was hard to use (seems to dry the second it hits the wall) but it looks great… It barely needed two coats and it looks like I’ve Photoshopped my wall to see how it would look. I’ll bang a photo in Fresh Goods next week, but honestly apart from the comments on price I’m going to call shenanigans on all your other comments!