Fresh Goods Friday 694 – The TFFT Edition

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TFFT meaning Thank Fully February is Through. And whose idea was it to stick an extra flipping day on the end of The Most Annoying Month on the calendar?

Now that March is here everything will be okay. That is a 100% cast iron guarantee*. Regardless of the vagaries of the weather, one thing that month of March is guaranteed to bring is more hours in the day. Whilst this is not strictly – or indeed anywhere near being – true, most people will feel like there’s some sort of daylight bonus scheme in operation as the days really do start to contain noticeably less darkness.

And because we are mountain bikers, this change is vibrancy immediately gets the brain cells working. At what point can we go for a ride that fulfils all of the following criteria?:

  • After work
  • Doesn’t require lights
  • Fits in with family life

Much like Mr Bontrager’s “strong, light, cheap: pick two” mantra. I fear that for a good while yet, a weekday ride window that ticks all of the bulletpoints above (can you tick a bulletpoint?) is a pipedream. You’re going to have accept a two out of three combo, at best.

RIP Ewen MacIntosh

Orbea Occam SL M-LTD

  • Price: £10,995
  • From: Orbea

Another day, another Occam. You may remember we had the bigger sibling – the Orbea Occam LT – in a previous Fresh Goods Friday. This one here is the Occam SL. The SL has 140mm rear travel. Compared to the LT, the Occam SL has a longer effective top tube and reach, a shorter wheelbase, a steeper seat angle, a lower stack height and a steeper head angle. The Occam SL is the lower-slung, quicker steering machine. Whereas the Occam LT is the more heads-up and stable ride. The Occam SL comes with remote suspension lock-out and the shock yoke is made from carbon fibre. Standby for a more an in-depth feature on the duality of Occams coming soon to this very website.

Patagonia Worn Wear Patch Kit

Pre-sticky patches for repairing your gear – no iron needed so you could even do this on the trail. These come in a variety of fun shapes, as well as some plainer ovals and a big patch you could cut as required.

Patagonia Worn Wear Repair Roll

This repair roll consists of two organisers plus a Field Repair Kit to get you started. Whether you kit it out entirely with fabric repair items, or perhaps a mix of lesser needed bike items and gear items, is up to you. You can split it into two separate rolls, or keep them connected as a single large item. Handy perhaps for those round the world travellers.

Schwalbe Tacky Chan & Big Betty

  • Price: £70.99
  • From: Schwalbe SQUIRREL_TEXT_13021866
  • SQUIRREL_TEXT_12999142

No, we haven’t had these tyres in before. They were TOTALLY different tyres. Oh yes. The previous Schwalbe Tacky Chan and Big Betty tyres weren’t in the newish Super Trail casing flavour. Compared to the Super DH versions (which are the only Chans we’ve really had), the Super Trail versions lose around 200g, and they a bit more supple (not hugely though, it has to be said). The Chan is purple-stripe Addix Ultra Soft. The Betty is orange-stripe Addix Soft. Anyhoo, while the ground conditions are still a little bit knob-cloggy, we’re glad of the gappier treads of the Tacky Chan and Big Betty.

SDG x Orange Strange Bel Air III Saddle

This is clearly destined for Benji’s Orange Switch 6. A Strange branded SDG Bel Air III Saddle. Strange being Orange’s sort of colab/proto department. The Bel-Air V3.0 saddle stil echoes the profile of the original Bel-Air but has seen a lot of tweaks over the years; bit slimmer, bit more rear risey, bit hsorter front to back. Still a very popular perch for a whole lorra folk.

Panaracer GravelKing

  • Price: £54.99 GK, £64.99 Plus & R-Line
  • From: ZyroFisher SQUIRREL_TEXT_13021867

Time for a shiort gravel interlude in Fresh Goods Friday. 2024 is the 10th anniversary of the original Gravelking. The original Gravelking spec was designed around 17mm wide rims. The new Gravelking aims to bring “better hookless rim compatibility, ease of mounting, new compounds, beads and puncture protection”. An entirely new bead called BeadLock, a new tread compound called ZSG Gravel and an updated anti-puncture material called TudTex. The first new Gravelking model since the SS in 2017, the Gravelking X1. The X1 is the “fastest Gravelking ever and yet hits all the important points for gravel riding and racing today; aggressive, fast rolling tread, superior cleaning in wet/muddy conditions, and greater control in rougher terrain.”

Muc-Off Ride Pack

*Quite* a lot of features to get through on this 20L pack. Here goes… Cordura roll-top for expandable storage. Hiplok FLX slot. Military ‘Molle’ attachment system. Easy-access front zipped storage compartment. Waterproof and reflective rain cover. External storage straps. Removable hip straps. Elasticated bungee straps for additional front stowage. Ventilated shoulder straps and hydration clip. Adjustable chest straps. Climate Control air channel system. Padded waist protection. Insulated bladder compartment. Patch attachment(!) Roll top security clips. Microfibre lined sunglasses/phone pockets. Waterproof zips. Side key/money pockets. D30 back protector compartment (protector available with the Ride Pack + D30 Back Protector combo).

Canyon MTB Clothing

  • Price: £65.95 jersey, £90.95 pants
  • From: Canyon

These didn;’t quite make it in time for the Canyon Spectral review we published the other day, so here there are now. Very much of tell of two halves; the top half (jersey) being a rather lightweight garment ideal for layering up with, the bottom half (pants) being some pleasingly robust suitable-for-the-UK riding trousers. There’s not a lot to say about the jersey apart from it’s pretty clingy and comfortable. Oh, it has a very discreet zipped storage pocket. The kecks have a bit more about them: press stud closure with ratchet thingy, school trousers-tastic fabric that repels muck a bit, elastiated waist with silicone gripper lines, zip front pocket and a pretty-tailored-without-being-essentially-compression-wear fit.

Granite Designs RocknRoll TQ

This is the latest version of Granite Design’s RocknRoll TQ’s torque ratchet tool. Reassuringly (to Benji at least who is always worried about using torque wrenches for undoing things for fear of messing up their accuracy) the RocknRoll TQ explicilty states that it can be used for both tightening and loosening duties. Well TFFT. What else? Impressive range of Nm (2-10Nm), 10 bits (2 to 8mm Allen, T20, T25, and PH2 bits. An extension rod is included to extend your reach. And last but not least, the 600D Polyester bag integrates with Granite Design’s Rockband carrier strap.

Thread Of The Week

This week’s winners winners chickens dinners is binners for this thread shown right here like…

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

Privateer Bikes Gen 2 141 – The Rise ft. Harry Barrett

Have a lovely weekend y’all!

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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.

*not a guarantee

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 694 – The TFFT Edition

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Fresh Goods Friday 694 – The TFFT Edition
  • sharkattack
    Full Member

    I want to buy some tyres but the Bike Inn link is broken. Will you get a backhander if I wait for you to fix it?

    Mark
    Full Member

    We will. Let me look at it and see if I can straighten it out

    Try this link instead https://fave.co/3SXuvHp

    1
    hardtailonly
    Full Member

    Those exact tyres are exactly what I’m running on my Bird Aeris AM. They’re good.

    (Not the GravelKings!)

    prettygreenparrot
    Full Member

    Oh dear. Faff is a British thing then?

     

    This might explain the British economy and the British riding ethic?

     

    Reminded that as a young ‘un I’d return from school, spurn book work, and just play on my BMX.

     

    Now I work, work, work and produce what is needed. Then I think about riding. Then, at the weekend, I actually do it. Well, 40% of the time. Life intervenes in the rest.

     

    But, actually going for a ride? Yep. Faff is a big part of that. Is the bike I’d like to take ready? Do I need to jizz it up? Does it need more chain lube? Do I need to pop it in the back of the car or can I ride from the driveway? Are the pads evenly spaced from the discs? Are the lights charged enough? Is the saddle just so, or does it need a tweak? Have I got the right tool or parts in my disaster bag?

     

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Ah, so I need a sword as I turn on my dandy horse?

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