Fresh Goods Friday 673 – The Mashing Perfectly Edition

by and 25

Merry October to you and and all! We shall do our best to keep your mountain biking stoke levels as high as is feasible. May we recommend getting some mud tyres? Don’t do expect anything to be any nicer on the trails until you get yourself sorted with some nice new rubbers. Hmm… rubbers.

If you’re not currently in a position to purchase any… thing at all really, then take solace in the fact that it’s the final round of the World Cup Downhill this coming weekend. What’s that you say? It costs money to even watch the World Cup DH these days? Ah yes. It does dunnit?

At least shooting the breeze is free eh? Who do you want to see claim the World Cup DH Overall title? The Elite Womens and Junior Mens titles have already been decided. Mathematically we *think* there are still four riders in the Men’s Elite who could take the win: Loic Bruni, Loris Vergier, Jackson Goldstone and even Finn Iles (who must still be rueing his exiting-the-tape crash earlier in the season). Anyway, GO GOLDSTONE!

In the Junior Women there are three possible winners of the Overall: Valentina Roa Sanchez, Lisa Bouladou and Erice Van Leuven. Erice is a bit of a longshot but… we can but dream. GO ERICE!

Anyhoo… ’tis time for Fresh Goods Friday at last!

‘ere y’are…

1982 calling

Zipp 1ZERO HITOP SW Wheelset

  • Price: £2,000
  • From: SRAM

Super-premium hoops from the House of Zipp. Zipp: “Zipp’s 1ZERO HITOP SW and 1ZERO HITOP S wheelsets reimagine what’s possible with a cross-country wheel. Trail compliance is vital for modern cross-country riders—your wheel should feel alive. Zipp’s HITOP carbon layup makes for a compliant wheel, so you’ll rip through rocks, ruts, and roots without losing speed, traction, or confidence. The 1ZERO HITOP SW premium carbon wheelset is ready to shred the most challenging XC trail at a light weight (1325g).”

Hutchinson Griffus Racing Lab 29 & 27.5 x 2.4in Tan

If you know anything about me [Benji] then you probably know that I like my tyres. Specifically, I like having the correct tyres for the task in hand. Another thing you may know is that I have an Orange Switch 6 project on the go (codename: The Pink Pig). What tyres for a Pink Pig? Tempting as it was to just go down an obvious MaxxiSchwalbe route, I figured it was time to spend some quality time with a tyre brand that I’ve enjoyed in the past (specifically their classic Toro tyres) – yep, Hutchinson. I’ve not gone with Toros this time. After looking out of the window – and also factoring the type of sketchy riding I’ll be doing on The Pink Pig – I’ve opted for a set of Hutchinson Griffus 2.4 in Bronzewall. When can we expect to see a completed Pink Pig on the trail? It depends on the Italian postage system.

Lezyne Mega Drive 2400+ Light

Possibly called the Genesis in North America, the Mega Drive 2400+ is Lezyne’s most powerful light in their lineup, delivering 2400 lumens of output for over two hours. Waterproof USB-C 2A+ fast charging capability. CNC-machined aluminium construction with cooling fins ensures durability and efficient heat dissipation. This results in improved overall performance, ensuring illumination remains consistent for the entirety of the runtime. A strap securely fixes the light to all handlebar sizes and additional accessory mounts allow alternative mounting locations.

Lezyne Super Drive 1800+ Smart Light

1,800 lumens, Tri-Focus optics, waterproof USB-C charging port, 2A+ fast charging capability, CNC-machined Aluminium construction, cooling fins, ‘Smart Connect’ compatible, IPX7 waterproofing and you can customise your modes using the LED Ally smartphone app.

Lezyne Helmet Lite Drive 1200+ Light

Eight LEDs, delivering a broad 1,200 lumenbeam. 60-hour runtime. USB-C port, coupled with 2A+ fast charging, allows rapid recharging. CNC-machined aluminium “guarantees endurance while efficiently managing heat”. The MOR lens coupled with its GoPro mount “ensures optimal light dispersion and mounting flexibility.”

Canyon MTB Performance Flat Pedals

Have we had these in FGF before? Soz if we have. Aayway, a(nother) pair of Canyon flatties has touched down through the letterbox this week. That’s not true. I answered and opened the front door and a parcel was given to me containing this items. Whatevz the mechanism of delivery, what about these premium peggles? Well, they look bigger-than-most. These are the Large size: 109mm x 110mm x 17mm. Bi-concave (is that even a word?). DIN 15CrMo axl. Sealed DU bushing. Pedal edge designed to slide past rocks, which is nice. 8mm Allen key instalation for small version, 6mm for larger version. For some reason.

Park INF-2 Shop Inflator

So, after years of faffing around with tubeless tyres and a track pump, or a converted fire extinguisher charge pump, you’ve splashed out on the cheapest compressor you could find in Machine Mart. Now, however, you find that getting the car-tyre biased inflator to work with your Presta valves is a faff, trying to use leaky brass adaptors, as no one makes a Presta gun for a compressor… or do they?

Enter the Park INF-2 Shop Inflator. It’s a reassuringly heavy inflator that fits a standard compressor hose. It features Presta and Schraeder heads, a trigger to inflate and a button to deflate, plus a gauge that will go up to 160PSI.
It probably costs more than you paid for your compressor, but hey, it’s made in the USA and is covered by Park’s lifetime warranty.

Park CN-10 Pro Cable Cutters

Buy once, cry once, as someone trying to justify a hefty purchase once said. However, Park’s Pro cable cutters really are the gold standard for bike-related cable and outer cutting duties. The cold forged and heat-treated handles feature ground cutting jaws as well as cable, and outer cable end cap, crimpers. If you only replace a gear cable once every few years, these are overkill, but if you run a fleet of bikes, with an assortment of cable-shifting and cable-braking setups, you’ll probably be happy at the amount of time you save by not having frayed cable ends and squished housing…

Madison Cycling Socks

  • Price: From £4.99 to £14.99
  • From: Freewheel
Madison socks

New cycling socks give you the biggest emotional boost of any cycling purchase. Fact! While getting a new groupset or pair of suspension forks will make your bike feel better, new cycling socks will make YOU feel better. We know many endurance riders and pro racers who keep a brand new pair of socks kept back just for race day, or for day two of an overnighter. You might have slept in a bin, but at least you have new socks…

And we’ve just seen that Freewheel has a MASSIVE sale on socks going on. These are some of the jauntiest socks on the block, so go get some – and then give them to yourself for Christmas.

Singletrack World Awards 2023 Voting!

The Readers’ Choice component of the 2023 Singletrack World Awards kicked off yesterday with the Most Desirable Mountain Bike category. The plan is to open up a new round of voting for each category every day from now on until well… until we’ve done them all. Have your say. This is dirtbike democracy in action people!

Idahoan Potato Pots

These are Hannah’s own private Idahoan potato pots and she’s not sharing. Just add boiling water and you will have a pot of tasty flavoured mashed potato. Mmm…. Not to be confused with porridge pots in the morning, perhaps. The last time Hannah had Idahoan instant mash it was the bagged variety for which you need an actual pan, and she was deep in the woods of actual Idaho. She is going to close her eyes as she eats these in Gisburn forest and pretend she might have to be worried about bears, and locals with big guns.

Actual raffle prizes to be won in rural Idahoan raffle: a quilt, a massive hydraulic log splitter, or a big gun.

Anyway, they also grow lots of potatoes in Idaho. Maybe it’s a big potato gun?

In fact, Idaho is rather nice. Big mountains, excellent mountain biking, lots of hot springs. You should go. And if you can’t, you can eat these potato pots while sitting in the bath just after you’ve cleaned your toilet with pine scented cleaner, and it’ll almost be like you’re in a hot spring deep in the Sawtooth mountains. Almost.

Singletrack World Magazine Issue 151

Cover pic deets…

Camera:  Sony A7 iii
Lens: Sony 70-200mm f4
Rider: Ben Platt
Location: Les Vallons de la Meije, La Grave

“I’d heard stories about the resort of La Grave, and of its wild and untamed trails hugging the mountain side underneath a glacier festooned with ice caves. Ben and I had been riding there all day, dropping repeatedly from 3,200m back to the valley floor and the stoke was high. I grabbed my camera bag for our last run down the ridge, to be met with some of the most perfect conditions I’ve ever had the pleasure to shoot in. Our tyres were spitting up thick clouds of dust that hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. Glorious late afternoon sunlight streamed through, and good times were had.” – JAMES VINCENT, ISSUE 151 COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Thread Of The Week

Congratulations to stevious this week for this very timely reminder of lubing protocol and what are The Best Mountain BIke Chain Lubes

The winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. So @stevious please email editorial@singletrackworld.com for your random prize. Don’t forget to include your postal address, as it really speeds up delivery logistics like. Ta!

1979 saying bye-bye!
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.

Nothing found.

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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Home Forums Fresh Goods Friday 673 – The Mashing Perfectly Edition

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)
  • Fresh Goods Friday 673 – The Mashing Perfectly Edition
  • nickc
    Full Member

    Anyway, GO GOLDSTONE!

    I believe this is called nailing your colours to the mast. **** jouro impartiality, eh? 🤣
    Also, finally some tan walled tyres that are the correct shade of tan. Might get some of those. Just ordered some jaunty winter socks as well, thanks for the heads up, those Madison merino socks last for ages, and I normally go through socks quickly

    1
    Yak
    Full Member

    Smashpot?

    7
    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Also, finally some tan walled tyres that are the correct shade of tan

    Black?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    I’ve opted for a set of Hutchinson Griffus 2.4 in Bronzewall.

    Eldest_oab is running them, he really rates them.

    7
    duncancallum
    Full Member

    135 quid for a tyre inflator…

    Get in the bin…

    1
    stumason10
    Full Member

    I’ve been running the Griffus in 2.4 and 2.5 flavours on my Orange Stage 5 when it went to the Alps this summer. Great tyres. Popped some Toros on my ebike and they are great too and set loads of PBs on trails I ride all the time. But they are like Magic Mary’s in knob size so feel a bit draggy, however, the times appear to prove other wise.

    On the ebike I’ve now popped the 2.5 Griffus ebike on the front, and in the wet weather last weekend it was brilliant, loads more grip than DHF Maxterra, damped like a EVO Shwable Super Trail and made in France, rolls better than the toro and has more lateral grip.

    Big fan of Hutchisnon tyres now I’ve spent some time on many variations. And a I am serial tyre tinkerer so I’ve tried plenty of others from Maxxis and Schwable. Temped to try the Wyrm on my more XC focussed hardtail.

     

    2
    GavinB
    Full Member

    135 quid for a tyre inflator…

    …is what I came here to say.

    stumason10
    Full Member

    One thing to note the 2.5 Griffus is a different tread pattern to the 2.4. 2.5 more like the lovechild of a DHF and a DHR.

    1
    Woo
    Full Member

    Instant mash in FGF? Life is looking good.  Read Ronald Turnbull ‘s Book of the Bivvy to lean of the ultimate meal: haggis and instant mash cooked and eaten under the Shelter Stone.

    mattcartlidge
    Full Member

    Cheapest good alternative to £135 inflator? Wife has a compressor but as noted the brass presta adapters are crap.

    3
    vmgscot
    Full Member

    Thankfully, it was closed during our trip…

    2
    charliedontsurf
    Full Member

    The park shop inflator…. worth every penny when you run a workshop (and charge people £10 labour to change an inner tube)

    1
    johncoventry
    Full Member

    I like the idea of the tyre inflator but not at £136 so will stick to removing the core then blasting the air in to seat the tyres then put the core back in to inflate with the track pump or brass adapter.

    1
    rickon
    Free Member

    I’ve had my Park Cable cutters for more than 15 years, and they still cut like new. They’ve had a well used life. Totally worth the money.

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    This amazon link air hose is much less painful on the pocket than the park one. Can’t promise its any good mind as I’ve not had any reason to buy one.

    Otherwise this ebay one is much cheaper than either and bit more sophisticated than the brass adapter

    Sufficiently so I’ve just ordered one though always been happy enough with the adapter to be honest.

    onewheelgood
    Full Member

    I got a Prestaflator, but at £60 it’s quite painful too 

    chrismac
    Full Member

    I hope the pressure gauge is more accurate than the one on thier track pumps. 

    I bought a griffus tyre this summer in the alps as it was £50 v £100 for a maxxis and I was feeling tight. Anyway what a revelation it’s been brilliant and is still going strong. It’s so predictable and grippy but doesn’t want to make me feel like I’m dying dragging it up the climbs. I’m a bit of a convert

    doomanic
    Full Member

    Dunno what’s going on with that Amazon link, but hopefully this will work; https://amzn.eu/d/16ksQC6

    1
    mahalo
    Full Member

    £135! theres absolutely nowt wrong with them little brass adapters…

    MiloBloom
    Full Member

    I agree with pulling the presta stem to seat tires. The brass adapter works fine to inflate a tire and it doesn’t really matter if it leaks. I actually have some really cheap plastic adapters that work the same as the brass. But I’ve never been able to seat a tire with the presta valve core in (except for Reserve valve cores, which work great but expensive). With the core pulled my Schraeder inflator head seats well enough against the presta stem, no adapter needed.

    davidmoyesismydad
    Free Member

    Re the griffus the 2.4 is rear specific and the 2.5 front specific…totally different tread patters ,I wouldn’t reccomend the 2.4 up front round hebden this time of year 

    Northwind
    Full Member

    You can literally just chop the end off one of the dirt cheap car inflators (if you get a cheap compressor, you might even already have one, along with the hose and air duster and terrible paint gun) and fit a bike pump head. Might take a couple of attempts to get one that plays nicely with the hose, but since they start at around £3 you can buy an awful lot of em for the price of that Park one. Or I suspect that this’ll do the job nicely too, if that’s took much work?

    Also those Park cable cutters are ****. They feel amazing til you’ve done a few bikes and then they blunt and become sort of cable-crushers instead. Wire rope cutters are what you want and every bike shop has a set. Silverline do some, £8 on Amazon, they’re even blue. They work almost as well with the first cut, better by the 10th cut, and they last for ages. Though, I have to say the cable-end ferrule squisher on the Parks is really good.

    (Park ones are ironically really decent spoke cutters, or for other similiar wire- weirdly they blunt quickly with bike cables but once they reach that level of bluntness they’re very robust. Mine may have been crap for bike use but they’ve still been really useful over the years)

    zerocool
    Full Member

    Save yourself a lot of money, buy Schraeder valves and a decent car inflator. Or spend £99 on a Presta to schraeder adapter

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    I always assumed Park pretty much gave those to workshops then everyone had a laugh when regular punters paid the ridiculous price for one? A few years ago I’d have paid a few quid for something similar but these days it’s rare I even need the Flashcharger to seat a tyre. Tubeless really has improved a lot.

    zerocool
    Full Member

    @mattcartlidge – the best thing we’ve found was cutting a little bit of tubing (I think it was from an old bleed kit (?) that fit over the Presta valve. Works a charm for compressors. 

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