Fresh Goods Friday 550 – The ‘Month To Midsummer’ Edition

Yes, make sure you’re enjoying every day of the summer so far, you’ve got a month before it all starts fading away. OK, OK, it’s not all bad. We know that a British summer tends a little nicer after midsummer’s already gone. All those long, hot July days and endless August days of adventure. You know, with the parched grass and blazing sun? We can hope, anyway. Just like your passport, you might have forgotten where you put your Factor 30 suncream, but it’s worth digging it out now because when the good weather does arrive, you’re going to need it…

We’ve got lots of fun things starting to arrive here at Remote STW Towers, as adventure bikes, XC race bikes and summer kit starts to make itself known. Obviously we can’t get things like brake pads or chains for our existing bikes, but we’re hopeful of those appearing again one day too.

Let’s leap into this week’s Fresh Goods Friday and see what’s been lurking in those big boxes, or behind those ‘You were out, missed delivery – although you were in and waiting for a parcel’ notes.

Onwards to the weekend! And, as it gets harder and harder to work out if someone’s riding an e-bike, this tune seems appropriate.

NS Bikes Synonym RC2

Price: €4799
From: NS Bikes

Well, there’s no getting around the sheer, goldness of this bike. Just as you shouldn’t turn up to an event wearing white or gold shoes unless you intend to win, this XC race bike from NS gives off similar vibes. This 100mm race bike is rather different, though, coming as it does from the rad folks at NS. NS says ‘Thanks to the slack head angle, massive reach and very steep seat tube, this bike descends like it was on rails, climbs like a goat… we deeply believe that short travel, hardcore, lightweight XC/Trail bikes are the most fun you can have on two wheels when you don’t have a chairlift. No pressure then

Canyon Grizl CF SL 8 1BY

• Price: £2,949
• From: Canyon

The Canyon Grizl was launched just last week and we’ve already got a review of it up here, which you should check out if only for Amanda’s gorgeous pictures. It’s a carbon fibre gravel bike designed for the rougher side of gravel, and comes with some nicely thought out touches such as the bolt and torque specifications for all your luggage points. You can add up to 50mm tyres, and it’s designed to be easily customised, with no proprietary bars or stem. They are of course sold out in this model and almost completely sold out in other builds too, but more are on the way.

Apidura/Canyon Grizl Bikepacking Bags

• Price: £71.95 (top tube bag), £129.95 (frame pack), £179.95 (seat pack)
• From: Canyon

To go with the Grizl we were sent the Apidura/Canyon collaboration bags, specially designed to go with the Grizl. They’re designed as waterproof packs so you can ride packless on your daily rides, or perhaps fit in a bigger adventure – though they’re not intended for epic heavy duty bikepacking across continents. We also got a nice promotional picnic set so there’s no need for any disposable cutlery or plastic tubs. We like.

2022 Fox Factory 34 FIT4

• Price: £1059
• From: Silverfish

Well, we think it’s 2022 model year now… but anyway, these are the brand new Fox 34 forks announced recently by Fox Racing Shox. While the 36 and new 38 have had all the fuss in the last year, now it’s the turn of the Fox 34 – the all-round performance trail fork. There are several new features, like the new, sturdy brace, the air channel to equalise the pressure in the lower leg and more. And they’re orange, which everyone needs more of in their lives, right?

Alpkit Koro Mountaineering Stove

• Price: £47.99
• From: alpkit.com

This cute stove has three retractable legs, a carry pouch, armoured gas hose, a large burner head for your big pan, and a brass pre-heat tube for efficiency, and less gas usage. It weights ~124g.

Alpkit Hunka Bivvy Bag

• Price: £49.99
• From: alpkit.com

Weighing in at roughly 400g, this lightweight waterproof bivvy bag is a simple, packable option for bike packing. It comes in Kelp, Lego or Chilli flavours (green, blue, red) and pairs perfectly with…

Alpkit Numo Inflatable Sleeping Mat

• Price: £47.99
• From: alpkit.com

This lightweight sleeping matt packs down to about the size of a 500ml bottle of Coke. There’s a two-way rubber valve inside that saves you losing air as you pop the cap on, and acts as a deflator if you pop it out the other way. It’s listed as ‘self inflating’ but it took so much puff to inflate that Amanda pulled a whitey, so we’re not sure on that one yet…

Well, that’s it for Fresh Goods Friday 550 – and talking of 550, it surely must be about the time for the Highland Trail 550 to set off. Make sure you spare a thought for those hardy folks riding around Scotland with a plastic bag to sleep in and half a spork to fix their bikes with…

So, what song to send them off round Scotland with? And to send you on to a weekend of fun? This seems like a legit reason for a bit of Survivor… right?

Amanda Wishart

Art Director

Amanda is our resident pedaller, who loves the climbs as much as the descents. No genre of biking is turned down, though she is happiest when at the top of a mountain with a wild descent ahead of her. If you ever want a chat about concussion recovery, dealing with a Womb of Doom or how best to fuel an endurance XC race, she's the one to email.

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