Fresh Goods Friday 717: Sound The Sun Klaxon!

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Apparently it’s only a week ago that I was on holiday. Since my house is currently shaking thanks to neighbours having their front garden paved over, let us cast our minds back to more serene times. Unless you are currently on holiday, in which case you can close your eyes and relax and enjoy your surroundings. Maybe take a few happy family photos, or some scenic landscape shots? I… erm… took these pictures. Partly because my kids weren’t speaking to me because I committed the unforgivable sin of entering into audience participation at a comedy show.

Anyway, as it turns out, Chicago has a fabulous public transport system ($5 for a 24 hour ticket that covers the ‘L’ elevated train and buses!), decent bike lanes, and excellent clean sandy beaches and swimming in Lake Michigan. Worth exploring if you get chance to visit.

Usually you get home from your holidays to realise you left your charger behind, or a swimsuit. In my case, I’ve left my husband behind. I did realise this as I boarded the plane – it’s not like I only noticed when I got home and it was bin day. He’s stayed on to look after his mum, because he’s a good son (and… acceptable…? husband). To stop myself pining away in his absence (nothing to do with the dishes he’s not here to wash) I think I might go on a little van/bike adventure this weekend. The forecast is for SUN! Make plans NOW! Or, at least after you’ve read FGF. Here we go!

First, music…

Scott Voltage E Ride 900 Tuned

This carbon fibre bike with tucked away everything hides a TQ HPR50 Mid Motor drive with 50Nm max Torque, a TQ Internal 360Wh, plus (not hidden, obvs) a 160Wh range extender. Up front it’s a FOX 36 Float Factory Grip 2 fork with 160mm travel, and tucked inside there’s a 155m FOX Float X NUDE, with TracLoc. Your left thumb will be kept busy with the TracLoc lock-out, dropper post AND assist controls. This isn’t the top of the range model, so you get SRAM GX AXS Transmission instead of full XO. SRAM Code 4 Piston disc brakes should haul you to a stop when someone wants to ask you about that retro-inspired paint job. Mark is sad that he is too small to ride this bike, which is Benji sized.

Trek Rally WaveCel Helmet

  • Price: £149.99
  • From: Trek

An all-new design, this is in the middle of the Trek WaveCel helmet range. It incorporates their new WaveCel structure, which is 10% more open than the previous version. This is supposed to help with cooling, and also brings with it a 15% weight saving. Coverage has been increased to provide more protection for the trail rider.

Trek Blaze WaveCel Helmet

  • Price: £199.99
  • From: Trek

This is the top of the new range, in more of an enduro style. You get a bit more coverage, and you also get removable ear covers. These are actually really easy to take in and out – not fiddly at all. Like the Rally above, you get a BOA fit adjuster, and FidLok strap fastening.

CatEye AMPP 1700 and AMPP2200 Front Lights

Front lights to help you see where you’re going, with wraparound lens to the side to give you a better chance of being seen (by drivers, or trailside monsters). Both will give you a maximum of 60 hours run time (in flash mode). The 200 lumen ‘enduro’ mode on the 2200 model will give you 12 hours of run time, or 1.5 hours at 1500 lumen.

KMC Go Chain Wax and Chain

Get yourself a pre waxed chain, then give it a re-waxing at least every 100km. No black goop. No cleaning off old wax. Just smooth runnings. Just make sure your chain is dry before you apply the top up coat, and let it dry before you set off on your ride.

Readers Ride Of The Week

  • Price: #stwreadersrides hashtag
  • FromInstagram
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A post shared by Tom Stephenson (@tomste_00)

Whether you’ve got a special new bike or just a bike that’s special to you, this is how you get to tell everyone about it! You can either tag the bike pic with #stwreadersrides on Instagram or you can send us your submissions via this form.

OK, time to go and make your sunshine plans. Let’s have a tune to see you on the way. Yes, I’ve been watching Netflix since I’m home and husbandless. Name that show.

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 717: Sound The Sun Klaxon!

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • Fresh Goods Friday 717: Sound The Sun Klaxon!
  • nickc
    Full Member

    Yankee Foxtrot Hotel by Wilco

    Love the track Radio Cure

    desperatebicycle
    Full Member

    Vitamin C has been my earworm since reading the Can Story “All Gates Open” ! Awesome song. Dead Kennedys gets the thumbs up too

     

    Love the 5 switches on that Scott, use for all 5 thumbs there!

    brakestoomuch
    Full Member

    You can tell the nights are drawing in when there are lights to test. :(

    johnnystorm
    Full Member

    I treated myself to some Sungod glasses using the STW codes, very impressed with them and the 8KO lenses, arrived really quickly as well. ?

    biggee
    Full Member

    Great to have you back Hannah. Loving the music…

    oldnick
    Full Member

    That Scott Voltage is ruined by the untidy dangly-ness of the front brake hose – so I’m oot.*

    C’mon bike and fork manufacturers, how hard can a headset-routed inside-the-fork telescoping hose be? Preferably with the caliper mounted onto an o-ring hydraulic seal direct to the fork and stay? For that matter why not integrate the levers into the bars to eliminate the shame of visible hoses once and for all?**

    * Nothing to do with the price or the horror show of maintaining or adjusting it.

    ** I bet at least one of these ideas will exist in the next 5 years.

    zomg
    Full Member

    Telescoping hose? As you compress the fork you’ll lock the front brake… Electronic brakes are clearly the correct fix.

    oldnick
    Full Member

    Brake by wire, now there’s an accident waiting to happen! I didn’t say all my ideas would happen, and certainly not my self servo-ing brake hose, but someone set a timer for 5 years time.

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