Fresh Goods Friday 697 – The Sprunnng! Edition

Spring is here! Woo! Yeah! Alright alright alright! Time to break out the shorts and slap on yer semi-slicks yeah? Nah. Regardless. Here is your weekly allocation of Fresh Goods.

Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day

Clarks CRS C4 Brakeset

Price: £199.00 (F&R brake set), £37.99 (203mm rotor)
From: Chicken Cycle Kit
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In the era of the new generation of mega-expensive (albeit mega-excellent) brakes, here’s a box for £200 that seemingly has everything in it that you need to slap on to a bike. There’s two rotors in the usual box (180mm and 160mm) but we’ve also asked for a big ol’ 203mm rotor as well, in case you’re wondering. If, like us, you’ve only encountered Clarks brakes with entry level but decent enough stoppers (ie. the marvellously named Clout brake) then these C4 brakes are much more of a swish lookin’ ‘n’ feelin’ product. The CRS series from Clarks sort of reminds us of when Tektro introduced its TRP offshoot. Which is somewhat by the by but may be illuminating to some readers. Some basic deets: 2 x 22m pistons, 10mm lever pistons, CNC’d one-piece caliper, reach adjust, mineral oil flavoured and the floating rotors are stainless steel.

Fresh Goods Friday 697: The Motion Picture

Blame Ross for this one.

Boardman ADV 8.9 E

Price: £2,799
From: Boardman Bikes
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What is the point of an electric gravel bike you may ask? Indeed, it is a question that many of us here in the Singletrack Squad have been asking. Which is why we’ve got one in to have an extended go on. Surely the 15.5mph cut-off will be an issue? Maybe it won’t. Maybe this is really a commuting bike in disguise? Maybe it isn’t. Enough pontificating, what are the facts? Well, it’s an alloy gravel bike (with carbon legged fork) with the Fazua Evation motor and battery. Motor kicks out 60Nm of torque and the battery contains 250Wh of energon cubes. The battery is fully removable should you wish to take the bike out without any pedal assistance, which ideally requires a blanking plate (requested!), but the motor claims to have minimal drag in it. We shall see. SRAM Apex does the hydraulic braking and the 12x gear shiftings. Boardman own-brand kit completes pretty much everything else apart from the tyres (Vittoria Terreno Zero 700x38mm).

Julbo Forest MIPS & Forest Evo MIPS Helmets

Price: £150.00 (Forest), £180.00 (Forest Evo)
From: Julbo

A couple of deepish-cover open-face lids from Julbo. Adjustable two-position visor. 19 vents. Fidlock magnetic closure on the Evo version. Coolmax Comfort liner. Eyewear Storage System! Large Divider Strap adjustment system (on the Evo) with lateral adjustment. MIPS. Ponytail compatible!

Shadow Stands

Price: €17.00 (The ShadowStand) and €25.00 (The Photographer’s Stand)
From: Shadow Stand

“Invisible bike stand that fits in your back pocket to help you capture your beloved machine in any picturesque landscape.” There are three sizes to choose from. Two smaller size ones support the bike via pedal axle. A bigger one supports via the bottom bracket area (as depicted in photo above). An absolute must-have for all you influencers out there!

RRP ProGuard Bolt On V2 Mudguards

Price: £39.99
From: Extra UK

Unfortunately these are a very much welcome arrival into Singletrack Towers. The trails are very much not-dry out there. I [Benji] have even resorted to digging out the Maxxis Wet Scream to help me to stay upright. Enough moaning about the weather! What about these mudguards? Essentially, these don’t require zip-ties. They fix to the rear of fork crown via bolts. Hence the name Bolt On. You do have to order the correct version though (we’ve got a bundle of Fox 36 compatible ones here). There’s also an optional Stability Plate if you find that the guard doesn’t quite sit how you like it. They also comes with some adhesive squidgy pads for stickiing on to that shiny bit on the (Seal Shield) side wings; to keep things extra stable as well as not-scratting up your expensive fork. We’ve been sent all three sizes (Mini, Standard and Max Protection). We’ll be fitting the Max Protection because why wouldn’t you?

Fizik Vento Proxy Shoes

Price: £229.99
From: Extra UK

An off-road racing shoe. Low weight, high stiffness (newly redesigned X3 fibre composite). CX, XC or gravel. Translucent PU laminated mesh upper. BOA textile lace guides. Featuring a single Li2 BOA Fit System dial that’s see-through and therefore cool. Fizik: “Speed that blurs lines – One thing CX, XC, and gravel racing all share is a need for speed—and Proxy is made to move. Whether that’s the explosive responsiveness required to be first off the line in cyclocross competition, the nimble feeling needed to quickly navigate technical cross-country trails, or supportive comfort for fast gravel racing, Proxy’s performance delivers across off-road disciplines.”

Bontrager Ballister MIPS Helmet

Price: £229.99
From: Trek

“Less wind. More win.” That sounds like a life motto we can all get behind. This aero hathas arrived for one of our more roadcentric assiociates. It’s claimed to be Trek’s “fastest” helmet. We haven’t seen it move yet though.

Bontrager Velocis MIPS Helmet

Price: £229.99
From: Trek

Staying with dropbars, we’ve had a fast hat, and now here’s a light hat.

Trek’s lightest road helmet. Improved ventilation and channelling. The Mips Air system is designed to improve comfort and protection. The single-lace BOA fit system. Rubberised sunglasses docking port. Bevelled front edge improves field of view.

Thread Of The Week

Congratulations this week goes to zippykona for this thread:

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

1 Hour of Late Night Driving Doomer Jazz

Needed.

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.

Ben Haworth

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.