Fresh Goods Friday 657 – The Hand Dryer Edition

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Hannah says: I have a conundrum of the most modern and first world variety. I need to decide what to do with my name when I get married next week. Maybe I’ve already decided what I’m going to do, and maybe I haven’t, but in true STW fashion I think asking the audience is appropriate. Here are the options:

Hannah Dobson

– stay as is. You know me as this, it’s my professional-ish author name. It matches my kids’ names (easier for travelling). But it does not feel like it belongs to me, it belongs to my ex-husband.

Hannah Reeve

– back to maiden name. I wouldn’t match my kids or my husband. Seems complicated. And I was so bored of spelling it out, and telling people it has no s on the end.

Hannah Dwyer

– I might be over taking the names of men. And, Han Dwyer = Hand Drier.

Hannah Freeride

– sets excessive expectations. Might be good for Only Fans. And he has just bought an e-gravel bike, so how much longer can Fahzure Freeride last?

Just Hannah

– like Cher, or Jesus. No surname.

I am actually genuinely in search of modern type solutions/alternatives to Mr and Mrs. I’m currently a Ms. Is there a Ms version of Mrs that doesn’t require surnames to match? Answers in the comments sections please!

☀️

Intense Tracer Pro 29

We’ve got a bike test coming up themed around Classic American Mountain Bike Brands. And there is arguably no more of a U! S! A! mountain bike brand than Intense Cycles. This is perhaps their finest offering in their current line-up. The Tracer is so enduro it … goes beyond hurting and becomes rad again. It’s a 170mm travel bike that does a very good job of belying its bigness. We have no fears about taking this bike anywhere. Whether it be moorland traverse slogfests through to bike park hot lapz. The dust(!) on this bike is not American import. It’s from Havok Bike Park. Where we went playing midweek. The Intense Tracer 29 Pro is just like one of those bikes that feels/rides light and is very quiet everywhere. Stealthy. This is an XL by the way. So will be piloted by Benji (GBR) and Ex-Pat Fahzure (USA). Cue: lots of brake lever swapovers! Would could possibly go wrong..?

Topeak Joeblow Mountain EX

You can never have too many floor pumps. You need one for pretty much every room in the house. And in the boot of every vehicle you own. Maybe. Certainly, it makes our STW HQ life a bit easier being no more than six foot from a track pump at any one time. Like London has rats, Todmorden has track pumps. This Mountain EX from Topeka has a pleasingly large 3.5in easier-to-read gauge. The “super-sized barrel delivers nearly 50% more air per stroke than normal floor pumps and inflates up to 60 psi quickly”. Which is nice if true. Topeak’s usual SmartHead pump head automatically adjusts to Presta or Schrader valves. Not a bad price for a track pump of this quality.

Birzman Salut Shock Pump

Looking a bit like a pocket shock pump with elephantiasis, the Salut features a slimmish shaft with a bit ol’ head on the end that you can really get a good grip on. Behave. Goes all the way up to 400psi. So ideal if you have one of those mad Scott Ransoms(?) from the noughties with a proprietary pull shock that needed a LOT of pressure. Like most Birzman stuff, the Salut shock pump is a nicely made item with a certain style and élan to it. The eccentric/concentric positioning of the gauge display inside that big metal end… No need. But it’s just nice.

Peaty’s Holeshot Tubeless Stuff

  • Price: £7.99 (X Chris King Tubeless Valves Accessory Kit), £34.99 (CO2 Tyre Inflator Kit), £24.99 (Tubeless Puncture Plugger Kit), £7.99 (BioFIbre Tubeless Tyre Sealant 120ml), £29.99 (X Chris King Tubeless Valves MK2), £19.99 (BioFibre Tubeless Tyre Sealant 500ml)
  • From: Silverfish UK

We’ve seen much of this Peaty’s tubeless tuff in the hallowed pages (screens?) of Fresh Goods Fridays of yore but this sort of stuff is always useful. We don’t think we’ve used the latest ‘BioFibre’ version of Peaty’s sealant before either.

SDG Bel-Air V3 Max & Bel-Air V3 Galactic Saddles

The totes black saddle is the Bel-Air V3 Max. SDG don’t want to call it an eMTB saddle but… it sort of is. Having said that, there a plenty of biobiking folk who like a raised tail saddle too. And decent amount of padding. And a wider saddle nose.

The black and gold (GOLD!) saddle is the modern classic Bel-Air V3 in Galactic flavour. The Bel-Air V3 features summink called “ATMOS Shaping”; a seamless vacuum sealed cover with sonic welded edges. What you can’t see on this saddle is the hidden undercut (a relief cut-out in the underside).

Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Mix

This is not your usual sport drink powder. Other conventional sports drinks are very sweet, fake-flavoured. Some don’t really replace what is lost through sweating very well either. This stuff claims to be a sports drink with less sugar (4% or 4 g per 100 ml) and a ratio of sugar (glucose + fructose) that is designed for faster absorption, an electrolyte profile that better matches what is lost in sweat (800 mg sodium, 80 mg potassium, 100 mg calcium, and 80 mg of magnesium per liter), and real fruit for flavour.

Michelin Power Adventure 700 x 42c

Mr Bibendum writes: “Designed for riders who want to explore beyond the road. Tubeless Ready with a fast-rolling tread design, this new tyre completes the Michelin gravel range for limitless fun in a variety of conditions when the road ends.” One for Our Amanda then.

100% Airmatic Shorts Men’s

DWR polyester/Lycra 4-way stretch woven fabric. Yet more stretch-mesh venting for airflow and mobility. The unique metal-buckle-into-slots closure design is “mountaineering-inspired”. Silicone print on inner waistband to reduce slippage. Zip pocket and a “stabilization pocket” for phone/multitool. Also available in navy, charcoal or caramel (colour, not flavour).

100% Airmatic Shorts Women’s

Sharing the name Airmatic name as the Men’s version above but quite a significantly different short really. The lightweight stretchtasitc materials are the same but the closure system and pocket array are wholly different. Also available in black.

100% Tarka Vest

We’re approaching MTB Alps Holiday Season. And people will be sorting themselves out with a bit more protection that their usual weekend warriorings. This Tarka vest promises to be less ‘otter than most. Mesh body with anti-microbial and wicking properties for maximum comfort. Off-set front zipper for removal ease. Silicone elastic at hem to aid keeping the whole thing in place. Three individual layers of removable protection inserts provide a bit of perfecting. You can even use any of the removed inserts as a handy kneeling pad for doing a light bit of garden weeding before you go off on your Alpine jollies.

100% The Racecraft 2 Goggles

These are the Racecraft 2 goggles with the Arsham Red/ Mirror Silver Flash lens option. Improved fitment and seal. Increased field of view. Triple layer face foam soaks up sweat. 45mm wide silicone-d strap. Anti-fog coated. Nose guard (which is removable if not required). Are these as good as goggles get?

CushCore Trail

A couple of days ago we dropped our CushCore XC review on to The Internet, and here we have the new Trail flavoured CushCores. Designed to offer a performance/weight balance between CushCore’s PRO and XC inserts. The Trail inserts’ design claims to “provides more progressive sidewall support: the harder you push, the more support you’ll feel. Experience supple tire feel on flat corners and a stable feel when railing berms.” The Trail insert weighs around 212g for the 29in size.

CushCore Bead Dropper

The ultimate tyre lever? The Bead Dropper tyre tool was designed to help in the removal and installation of tyre inserts; especially when dropping the bead into the rim. The most comfortable tyre lever you’ll ever use? Depends what you do with it. Regardless, the plastic lever claims to be strong enough for DH tyres, yet won’t damage your rim.

CushCore Bead Bro

Much like the Bead Dropper above, this Bead Bro is useful for tyre insert installation but not exclusive to it. It’s actually a very useful thing to have for any tyre/rim combo that is a PITA. The Bead Bro holds the bead down in the rim, allowing you to use both hands to get the rest of the b*st*rd tyre installed. No more bracing a tyre lever against your inner thigh whilst you go at the last bit of bead with two other tyre levers (one of which will be a crap one because you’ve broken all your good ones by now). Like having a third hand, as CushCore say.

Pirelli Scorpion Enduro Tyres

We’ve got a big bundle of Pirelli tyres in. BIgger than this mere trio. We’ve got a few for cross-country duties, a few for enduro racing and a few for your regular reliable trail riding. Pirelli’s mountain bike tyre range isn’t the easiest to quickly get your head around (them ALL being called “Pirelli Scorpion” is the main odd thing) but we’ll do our best to simplify things in an upcoming article. Pirelli are certainly offering something different to The Usual Suspects. Watch this rubbery space…

Klean Kanteen Insulated TK Wide Mug Flask with Cafe Cap

Charlie says: “The best thing about this is its thermal qualities. They claim it will keep your drinks hot for 14 hours, and cold for a whopping 47 hours. In real terms this means, you can have hot coffee all day, and cold cocktails all night. To be honest, I am not sure how hot it will be at 14 hours, as mine is always empty way before then.”

Pirelli Scorpion Smartube

If it’s THAT yellow, it must be Pirelli. These are spare tubes for when space and weight saving are at a premium. TPU () A specific formulation of Thermoplastic Polyurethane for “the best balance between protection against punctures, weight and volume”.

Thread Of The Week

A hearty “well played” this week goes to Harry_the_Spider this week. Because it’s hot and this is about cold things.

The winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. And it’s the fabulous majestic Singletrack Forum Bottle Opener! So, BONJOUR! to Harry_the_Spider! Please email editorial@singletrackworld.com. Please include your postal address, as it really speeds up delivery logistics init.

The best guest spot by quite some margin

What is Fresh Goods Friday?

It’s Singletrack’s long running, weekly roundup of all of the new products that have been sent in to the magazine.

Where do all of the goods come from?

They’re sent in by bike companies and marketing agencies

What happens to all of the products?

They’re featured and then some are reviewed down the line in either Singletrack Magazine or in online reviews and photoshoots.

What happens to them when you’ve finished with them?

They’re usually sent back after review, or kept on long-term test bikes. But no one ever asks for shorts and shoes back. Trust us on that. Once we were asked to return some brake pads.

I’m a company making the next big thing. How much does it cost to feature in FGF?

Nothing. Nil. Zero. Diddlysquat. Sod all. Just send all ‘next big things’ to us at – Fresh Goods Friday, Singletrack Magazine, Lockside Mill, Dale Street, Todmorden. OL14 5PX. Please note that if you require the products back after they have featured then you are responsible for arranging collection at your cost. While it is our policy to feature everything we receive in FGF if we decide your product is not suitable for publication we won’t do it. Publication is at our discretion. Whether a product goes on for publication as a review is at editorial discretion. Beer, coffee & spirits will ALWAYS be tested.

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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Home Forums Fresh Goods Friday 657 – The Hand Dryer Edition

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 40 total)
  • Fresh Goods Friday 657 – The Hand Dryer Edition
  • 4
    Woo
    Full Member

    Names? It doesnt matter what you choose, you will always be SingletrackHannah.

    For what it’s worth, my daughter always used her maiden name professionally, and now her scoundrel of a  husband has got his just deserts (hooray!) she only uses his surname when it is helpful to match the boys. If she marries again her new husband should change his surname to match her maiden name.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Mmmm, that gold saddle. 🤘

    nickc
    Full Member

    My wife retains her maiden name for all the professional reasons you do (but with the added Library of Congress hoity-toitiness of academia) my kids have my surname but were provided at birth with the same middle name (their birth mother’s maiden name) JIC they felt like they wanted a change. I don’t think anyone really cares no more, do the thing that feels right for you.

    1
    ratherbeintobago
    Full Member

    I’d go back to Reeve – it’s 2023 (and the Spanish have done this for centuries anyway, I think).

    Can have an alias in your passport for travelling with kids (wife has this having retained her maiden name for all purposes apart from, oddly, getting post from her auntie)

    12
    IHN
    Full Member

    Hannah Banana
    Hannah McHannahFace
    Hannah Guessthatswhytheycallittheblues

    1
    reeksy
    Full Member

    No love for the double barrel?

    Ms Hannah Dobson-Freeride has a certain ring to it…

    We named our first son with my wife’s maiden name to keep it going. She chose to have my surname (not sure why).

     

    landslide
    Full Member

    Your name, your title, you do whatever feels best for you.

    Yours sincerely, Mr Landslide (they/them) and Ms Original Surname (she/her).

    2
    Gritstone
    Full Member

    go spanish

    Hannah Dwyer Reeve

    hasta la vista

    1
    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    Mrs The Spider kept her maiden name when we married. Kids have both of our surnames. Hers, then mine. They also have two forenames, so writing out any official documentation for them takes time and runs the risk of running out of those little squares.

    Oh, and I got thread of the week again! So I have asked for the bottle opener to be sent to someone else.

    1
    edhornby
    Full Member

    my friends got married and generated a new surname – one Patchman and one Marchwood became Patchwood – but I think just generating a completely new one could also be good

    Having no surname would be a right pain trying to fill in forms on the interwebs because a non-response in the surname field would generate an error message everytime…

    mlindarets
    Full Member

    Sadly there’s little more USA! than an entirely gun-themed model naming scheme.

    1
    FB-ATB
    Full Member

    go spanish

    Hannah Dwyer Reeve

    That’s not Spanish-  their format is:

    First name; father’s family name; mother’s family name and the women never change their name on marriage.  So Hannah would be Hannah Reeve + whatever her mother’s maiden name was.

    her children would be first name Dobsen Reeve

     

     

    mlindarets
    Full Member

    On a lighter note, it’s hard not to see that model without hearing Banky from Chasing Amy screaming “Your mother’s a tracer!”

    AD
    Full Member

    Intense aren’t the only ones – I still have vaguely fond memories of my Tomac Revolver…

    IHN
    Full Member

    Or go Icelandic, the women take their mum’s given name and the fella’s their dad’s. So you’d be

    Hannah [your mum’s first name]dottir

    roger_mellie
    Full Member

    100% vest looks interesting. 🤔

    1
    bensales
    Free Member

    Friends of mine got hitched and they both changed their name, creating a new family name. They became HerFamilyName-HisFamilyName. The names were only that way round because they sounded better like that.

    Obviously they now have a pretentious middle-class hyphenated name.

    1
    ratherbeintobago
    Full Member

    Obviously they now have a pretentious middle-class hyphenated name.

    Not sure that double-barrelled names are a middle class thing.

    specialisthoprocker
    Free Member

    My wife shed her ex-married surname and took mine. To get over the problem of her daughter having a different surname we changed her surname by deed poll to be double barrelled with my name (and now also her Mum’s) and her Dad’s name. Obviously with her Dad’s agreement.

    It also helped when I had to show that I was guardian to my step-daughter as I had shared at least part of her surname.

    4
    tomhoward
    Full Member

    Not sure that double-barrelled names are a middle class thing.

    chap I work with has a double barrelled first name and second name. Not sure if he’s a redneck or posh.

    Have all the names.

    Singletrack-Hannah Reeve-Dobson-Dwyer.

    SHRDD for short. Probabaly get on the Canyon Collective with a name like that.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Name: why not choose a completely new name and get it legally changed?

    Esmerelda Anneka von twenty-nine III?

    2
    IHN
    Full Member

    Name: why not choose a completely new name and get it legally changed?

    Esmerelda Anneka von twenty-nine III?

    You take the name of your first pet and your mother’s maiden name 😉

    3
    IHN
    Full Member

    Oh, and I’m not the only one looking at that bead dropper/tyre lever and thinking, well, butt plug, right?

    LAT
    Full Member

    you may need to spell out dwyer as often as reeve.

    1
    chipps
    Full Member

    Hannah McHannahFace gets my vote.

    How about the Icelandic thing where you get your dad’s first name? (I don’t know his name, but let’s call him Harry… – you’d be Hannah Harrysdottir… )

    2
    tthew
    Full Member

    my friends got married and generated a new surname – one Patchman and one Marchwood became Patchwood – but I think just generating a completely new one could also be good

    Honestly not seeing the problem with Manwood.

    IHN
    Full Member

    How about the Icelandic thing where you get your dad’s first name?

    Ahem, keep up

    IHN
    Full Member
    Or go Icelandic, the women take their mum’s given name and the fella’s their dad’s. So you’d be

    Hannah [your mum’s first name]dottir

    2
    tjagain
    Full Member

    Maiden name – thats you not a mans chattel

    Ms – the whole aim was that does not denote if you are married or not

    So its Ms H. Reeve

    Thats you told woman 😉

    Northwind
    Full Member

    The solution to the name problem is obviously anagrams.

    Also, that Birzman shock pump would be good if it weren’t a 400psi one. The big gauge would add really useful subtletey to a lower pressure one buit if you’re going to 400psi you don’t care and if you’re going to 150 with a 400psi gauge the margins for error are massive so it doesn’t really matter.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Ask the kids if they want to go double-barrelled?

    Also, that Cushcore tyre lever is THE BEST THING EVER for fitting inserts. Worth every penny of its expensive price. Wish I’d got one years ago!

    Big-Bud
    Free Member

    HRH

    HANNAH REEVE HANNAH

    you can just sign everything HRH

    Then regardless of everything you will still be called Hannah regardless

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Whilst I understand Hannah’s new name is maybe more prescient surely “Ex-Pat Fahzure” needs a new name more pressingly since they’re still using the name they’ve given up?

    4
    johnmu
    Full Member

    Hannah Lou Jah

    1
    fruitbat
    Full Member

    I rather like Hannah Job 🤔😳

    2
    tomparkin
    Full Member

    Point of technicality, Jesus did actually have a surname, “Jesus Ofnazareth” was his full name.

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    chap I work with has a double barrelled first name and second name. Not sure if he’s a redneck or posh.

    It’s a fairly easy two part test:

    are either of both first names better suited to being surnames – yes? Proceed to step two. no? Redneck.
    Are either of the surnames anachronistic names for counties or similar (additional points for whole countries) – yes? Posh. No – grasping middle class.

    RustyNissanPrairie
    Full Member

    Hannah Dwyer as I’d have never thought of Handwyer and it’s made me chuckle whilst sitting on the loo just now!

    thenorthwind
    Full Member

    Just Hannah.
    Not just “Hannah”, “Just Hannah”.

    edhornby
    Full Member

    How about just a random one based on your job like medieval families did?

    Hannah Write/Wright?

    Hannah Editor?

    Kip
    Free Member

    I regret on a regular basis losing my maiden/family name. I chose to take Mr Kip’s surname and am now lumped in with the mentalness that is his family, as opposed to the awesomeness that is mine! I wish I’d kept it, genuinely, at least in some part. Plus Kip Jr has no links to it, so I regret not adding it to her name in some way. Not double barrelled, but in there.

    Step-nephew has just taken my brother’s (and my maiden) name so they are all the same. That was a massive moment of family coming together and I am envious they all have that surname.

    You could always to what Dawn Porter did and merge her name with Chris O’Dowd’s to become O’Porter.

    Personally I’d get the Reeve part back in as a middle name, get rid of Dobson and add Dwyer to you and the kids name (doesn’t have to be double barrelled) at any point at least one name matches any one person with parental responsibility!

    Simple innit!!

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