Ian Bailey takes a trip to Stanton Bikes’ Peak District HQ to talk about steel bikes,…
What is the most bored you have ever been? Waiting for a serially delayed plane? Recovering from an injury that has kept you off your bike? Waiting in A+E to be seen about the aforementioned injury? Double physics lesson at school? Sanding down skirting boards? Sitting through a school nativity show?
Battling boredom is arguably one of the key tenets of Fresh Goods Friday. It exists to fill a bit of time at the end of a working week when a lot of folk have run out of motivation to keep going with What They’re Supposed To Be Doing.
Way back when, Fresh Goods Friday 001 even started out as something to do instead of What We Were Supposed To Be Doing? What was it that we were supposed to be doing? We can’t remember. Writing or subbing something for an overdue issue of the magazine probably.
And here we are, 677 weeks later, still staving off doing any Proper Work. Enjoy!
Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2
- Price: £4,799 (plus £32.95 Gear Groove Computer mount, £31.95 Side entry bottle cage, £93.95 DEFEND Fast Fenders, £74.95 Canyon LOAD FidLock QuickLoader)
- From: Canyon
Amanda: “If I could review a bike based on the first 10 minutes with it, this would wipe the floor with any other gravel bike on the market. Expertly packaged with no plastic, a few bolt-tightenings off full built, with so many neat frame features it almost seems too nice to take outside and get dirty. Standout first impressions: The frame storage isn’t a pig to access, and comes loaded with tools that don’t rattle. The optional extra frame bag follows the paint line of the front triangle and clips into place effortlessly and solidly. The mudguards also have their own little goobers to click into place on, and every detail is flawless. This bike is good quality and I can’t wait to ride it.”
Fizik Terra Ergolace GTX Clip Shoes
- Price: £199.99
- From: Extra UK
Waterproof shoes for riding with clipless pedals. Plenty of toe protection protects both the waterproof membrane and your toes. The offset lace is designed to be ergonomic, and there’s the all-important elastic lace keep to keep them tidied away. Plenty of tread means they’re designed to be grippy off the bike, and the slim form is designed to blend in when you’re off the bike and in the shops. Handy for the mountain bike or gravel tourer who doesn’t want to take multiple shoes with them on their trip.
Mag Features
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Fizik Terra Ergolace GTX Flat Shoes
- Price: £199.99
- From: Extra UK
The flat version of the clippy shoes above. Vibram soles are designed to be sticky on the pedals as well as grippy on the ground. Fizik has designed these Terra Ergolace shoes to be versatile and appeal to ‘trail riders, bikepackers, and off-road endurance racers alike’.
Madison DTE 3-Layer Women’s Waterproof Jacket
- Price: £199.99
- From: Freewheel
DEFY THE ELEMENTS! I think that’s what DTE stands for. You don’t have to shout it as you begin your bike rides but it can’t do any harm to do so. Think of it as a bit like that scene in that film with that guy (Gladiator? Braveheart?) Anyway. This mango jacket then. What’s it all about? This is the sturdiest of the Madison waterproof jacket range, with a 3-layer waterproof fabric that should shrug off the rain and mud, but also the occasional crash. Large two-way zippered pockets double up as vents, the hood drawcord stops it billowing when it’s not over your hood keeping the elements out, and reflective details (as well as this Mango Orange colour) help keep you visible.
Madison Flux Women’s Long Sleeve Trail Jersey
- Price: £49.99
- From: Freewheel
One of them there long sleeve mountain bike jerseys. “Contrast arm fabric” offers increased durability and protection. Moisture wicking. Quick drying. Stretch fabric. Articulated fit. Strategically placed reflective bits.
Cycling Finds Mug
- Price: £12.00
- From: Cycling Finds
‘Tis nearly the season. Cycling Finds: “We designed some mugs for cyclists. The are a bit ‘quirky’. They’ve got phrases on them. They hold coffee and tea and water and vodka. We’re skint and are hoping a few people will buy some.”
Madison Eyewear Cipher Photochromic Lens (Cat 1-3) Glasses
- Price: £69.99
- From: Freewheel
Classic half-frame design frames made from TR-90 plastic, which is pretty lightweight, flexible and durable (“plastic memory allows them to flex and return to their original shape without breaking or bending”. Non-slip rubber arm tips. Flexible nose-piece allows adjusting for extra venting as well as general fit. 129mm lens width, 56mm lens height, 141mm frame width, 13mm bridge height and 127mm arm length.
Painting STW Office Room
- Price: N/A
- From: Over there
We believe this is what is known as a WIP. Work in progress. We’re having a spruce up of a spare-ish office room in Singletrack World Towers. What once was a depostory of random camera gear and general dust-covered old PC monitors and such like, shall be reborn phoenix-like into a(nother) studio for video shoots. Slightly more informal videos. We think. Possibly along the lines of Fresh Goods Friday Vid… sound okay to you? Any other little vid ideas you’d like to see? Leave a comment below, as per.
Top Secret Wheels
- Price: £TBC
- From: The Future
This is all we can show you for now. Sorry! In fact, we probably aren’t even supposed to show this. Ah well. EX511 rims are nice aren’t they?
Thread Of The Week
This week’s winning forum post was committed by tpbiker who kicked off the following discussion about just how crazy gearing used to be BITD…
The winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. So @tpbiker please email editorial@singletrackworld.com for your random prize (it will probably be a Singletrack Forum Bottle Opener). Don’t forget to include your postal address, as it really speeds up delivery logistics like. K thx 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.
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