Fresh Goods Friday 688 – The Weight For It Edition

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Hello! Good afternoon! And welcome to this week’s Fresh Goods Friday. Come on in, the water’s lovely. Actually, it’s not. It’s not even water. It’s ice.

Do you weigh stuff? We’re not talking about cookery here. (Although, while we’re at it, why on Bod’s Green Earth do Americans use cups as a measure?k A cup of butter?! Are you insane?) No, we’re obviously talking about weighing bike stuff.

Much like the pavement down to the canal behind the the Singletrack Office, weighing things is a slippery slope. Not to mention a slope that is rife with misinformation and ill-figured myths. Mark our word: nothing good comes from weighing bike stuff.

If you absolutely positively HAVE to weigh stuff, just stick to wheels, tyres and… clothing. Yep, clothing. Apparel is the secret world of non-pointless weight saving. With a bit of thought, just by being canny with jacket and shoe choice, you can save a surprising amount of grams. Grams which will genuinely save you energy.

Or, just live in ignorance. It’s easier. And cheaper.

Yep, we done gone done another Fresh Goods vid. “Enjoy!”

Specialized Women’s Insulated Jacket

This packable down jacket really is packable! Stuffed down to the size of a medium burrito from Rick’s Mexican, it should fit in whatever pack you’re wearing. It has a two-way zip, two zipped front pockets and two really big internal pockets. ALLIED Feather, Down Fill and Primaloft Bio gives it an 800 fill power, so stopping for mechanicals can be a cosy experience. This is going to be used for all of my bike packing adventures this year.

Gusset Sleeper Grips

The bestest grips in the whole wide world. Well, in my [ Benji ] opinion anyway. After mucking about with various other grips (lock-ons and push-ons) for my Orange Switch 6 long term test bike, all it took was one swift grab of a set of Gusset Sleepers on another bike as I moved it around the garage to remind me that I just need to stick with ’em for everything. The bonus of them coming with really great bar plugs is nice too.

Fidlock Twist Bike Base

Fidlock is one of those inventions that you initially get because of a problem (ie. you can’t fit a normal cage in a bike frame) but then you realise that the invention is actually a better solution anyway! The Fidlock system is just betterer than yer trad cage and bottle set-up. Quicker, more consistent, secure, better looking, you can get Fidlock bottles with really good nozzle cover caps. Fidlocking is more expensive yes. But at least it’s very, very, very good.

Top Secret Flat Pedals

  • Price: £TBC
  • From: The Near Future

You haven’t seen this, right? RIGHT? What can we say about this? Not a lot. Maybe we’re allowed to say that it is a pedal from a brand that has never made pedals before. We’ve said too much. Forget we said it.

Soylent Green

  • Price: £4.99
  • From: eBay

Speaking of the near future… “In a densely overpopulated, starving New York City of the future, NYPD detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) investigates the murder of an executive at rations manufacturer Soylent Corporation. With the help of elderly academic Solomon “Sol” Roth (Edward G. Robinson), Thorn begins to make real progress — until the governor mysteriously pulls the plug. Obsessed with the mystery, Thorn steps out from behind the badge and launches his own investigation into the murder.” Still holds up well this fillum.

New issue deets!

  • Price: £10.00 (or subscribe from £29 for a whole year’s worth of mags)
  • From: Subscribe page

Change is afoot! Some new things are happening in the pages of Singletrack World, and you’ll be wanting February’s issue if you want to find out what it is. As ever, it’ll be packed full of adventure, inspiration, information, and a dose of things that were once shiny – before we got our hands on them. We’re excited about the change, we think you’ll like it too! Read a bit more about its contents – and think about getting yerself subscribed – here.

Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer

My [ Benji ] household has just got embroiled in air fryer culture. It reminds me of the late 1980s when my parents first got a microwave and all of a sudden each and every meal had to be made with it. Baked potatoes for breakfast etc. In the glorious era of the air fryer it’s corn on the cob with everything. Which is absolutely fine by me.

Thread Of The Week

This week’s winning thread goes to nickc because who doesn”t like talking about the weather eh?

The winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. So @nickc 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!

Members Newsletter

We have more than the just the free-to-all Weekly Word newsletter you know. Singletrack World subscribers can also get themselves on the list to receive the was-monthly now-fortnightly Members Newsletter. How do you make sure you’re on this list? Pop on over to the singletrackworld.com/newsletter page linked above (make sure you’re logged in first etc) and check the tick boxes as to which newsletters you’re currently opting to receive.

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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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