Fresh Goods Friday 734: The Most Popular Owl Edition

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We may be deep into The MegaSack Period now but that won’t stop us from throwing out our regular round-up of new kit.

Fresh Goods Friday is like Christmas every week; you don’t get quite what you wanted and it doesn’t feel as fun as it did when you were younger. LOLz.

As ever when the calendar turns over to December, the bike industry appears to think that means the year is over and the flow of product into STW Towers slows considerably. Who can blame the bike industry bods for feeling that way this year? It’s not been a great one for most of them.

STW Tea Towel

he UK’s most popular owl? Why that would be the Teat. This isn’t the first teatowel we’ve produced (Has any other cycling mag ever sold a teatowel with their name on it? We think not), but this one is the best we’ve ever produced. Pimp daddy/mummy of tea towels. Made in the UK. Thick cotton, hemmed all the way round.

FGF 743: D’Movie

Boy’z n the hoodie

Galibier Zephyr Adventure Jacket

Personally, I [Benji] have just about had it with jackets. Especially £three-figure ones. They just so very rarely do what they’re supposed to. When mountain biking at least anyway. They all just wet-out after a few months and that’s that. Let’s see how we get on with this reasonably priced attempt from Galibier. Stats: 2.5 layer jacket, 100% fluorocarbon-free AquAVent light fabric (50% recycled mix), YKK watertight zipper with reflective pulls, PFAS-free DWR finish, breathability and waterproof ratings: 12k/13K (FWIW), packs into its rear pocket and can be hung from your frame/bars via Velcro loops.

Galibier Ardennes Winter Headband

Perhaps surprisingly, we have a lot of time for headbands. Not only do they help you look like Steven Van Zandt, which is undeniably a good and useful thing, but they are very useful at this time of year. Basically they’re gilets for your head; just enough of an extra layer to keep the chills away but not too much so as to end up being too hot.

Galibier Peloton Multi Scarf

How may Buffs do you own? Yes, we’re just going to call this item a Buff, even though technically it isn’t a Buff. But we all call these things Buffs so there. Collectively, the Singletrack Staff own 144 Buffs. That’s perhaps a gross overstatement. Should you need yet another one, well here’s one from Galibier. Nice colour combo.

Gorilla Tape Black 9m x 25mm

  • Price: £3.99
  • From: Lidl

AKA the real world’s tubeless tape. Here’s our method: disc brake cleaner er… clean the inside of the rim, wipe off, a layer of insulation tape, a layer of this 25mm Gorilla tape, install an inner tube and tyre, inflate to 40psi, go have a snack, remove inner tube, insert tubeless valve, insert tubeless sealant, fully install tyre beads, inflate to 40psi, have another snack, return to check on things. Guaranteed to work (at reducing hunger anyway).

Shimano SM-MA-F220P/PL Bracket

Is this correct?

AKA Shimano Disc adapter for post mount calliper, for post 203mm fork/frame, for 220mm rotor. Maybe we’re wrong but it doesn’t seem possible to buy a single bracket for running a 220mm rotor on the back of a bike with IS mount. This bracket goes on top of another bracket. It’s essentially an 8.5mm step-up. it’s a Are we wrong in this? Please leave a comment below if you know of such a bracket. TIA.

Stan’s Original Tubeless Sealant

One of your five a day

One of the greatest liquids yet deivsed by mankind. No, not Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Nor pickle juice. Nor Ambre Solaire After Sun. We’re talking about Stan’s Tubeless Sealant. You’ve tried the rest, now just go back the original best.

Great British Folklore and Superstition Map

An prezzie suggestion, if you will. “P”erfect for folklore and history lovers! Britain is a bubbling cauldron of myth, legend and barely believable but bewitchingly tall tales. A land of marauding monsters and dastardly demons, where mythical beasts run amok and spooky spirits lurk behind every creaking door. Have your pants scared off by over 1,400 legendary locations, ghost-written and craftily conjured into cartographical form for your fiendish delight. But watch out – the Devil is in the details.”

‘Ard Rock Entries

Mark your calendars! The UK’s largest and premier Enduro and Mountain Bike festival, Ard Rock 2025, done gone opened entries last Sunday. Don’t miss your chance to secure a final spot at one of next year’s most anticipated mountain biking events.

Thread Of The Week

TOTW is back! And this week’s winner is MoreCashThanDash for this seasonal thread right here:

TAs ever, the winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. So MoreCashThanDash 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.

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 734: The Most Popular Owl Edition

Viewing 16 posts - 1 through 16 (of 16 total)
  • Fresh Goods Friday 734: The Most Popular Owl Edition
  • jeffl
    Full Member

    Those marvelous maps are great. I got a rude place names one that used to sit behind me in the home office. Lots of people thought I was very professional having a map, until I pointed out it was of rude place names ?

    5
    voodoo-rich
    Full Member

    Love the double standards – happy to bodge the rim tape, but only the proper sealant will do 🙂

    5
    nickc
    Full Member

    That Zephyr jacket encompasses all the things I dislike about hard shells designed for cycling, 1. Hood, 2. Storm collar, 3 pointless pockets – interior or otherwise 4. bad colour choice for an off-road jacket. 5. bar Velcro tab at the wrist that’ll catch on everything it pulls across as it curls with age.

    It’s as if the designers of these things don’t actually do the sports they design for.

     

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    Anyone else triggered by that tea-towel touching the floor?

    zerocool
    Full Member

    don’t, I donmt know why anyone ever bothers with anything other than Gorilla tape or electrical tape for tubeless setups. i’ve been using it for years with no problems. I seem to remember that ENVE (when they started) used to supply pre-cut Gorilla tape with their wheels

    matt_outandabout
    Free Member

    Well the STW fridge load is ‘eclectic’…

    1
    tthew
    Full Member

    I’m ambivalent about most of nickc’s design choices, but…

    4. bad colour choice for an off-road jacket.

    Is that white colour the only choice? That’s madness for a cycling jacket.

    sharkattack
    Full Member

    I’ve been using Gorilla tape for tubeless for at least 10 years amongst various ‘proper’ tapes and Gorilla tape is the only one guaranteed to work first time, every time with zero faff.

    The insulation tape is ESSENTIAL though. You only make that mistake once.

    Mat
    Full Member

    Love a tea towel – and you used one of my favourite Dad jokes! (Just thinking about it I can hear my kids saying “Ugggh Daaaaad!”)

    Link has been forwarded to Mrs Mat

    2
    pisco
    Full Member

    “gross overstatement”

    badoom tish

    doomanic
    Full Member

    Tried Gorilla tape without much success (but without the insulation tape). Now use 38mm insulation tape on it’s own with great success.

    kimbers
    Full Member

    Ive got that folklore map for my wife for xmas, only problem is the frame from Amazon (black Friday special) turned up the other day in a huge box so she knows she’s getting a picture

     

    mashr
    Full Member

    That Zephyr jacket encompasses all the things I dislike about hard shells designed for cycling, 1. Hood

    It’s worse than that. If you are going to have a hood, why on earth make it so it would have to go under your helmet?

     

    Is that white colour the only choice?

    apparently it’s grey.

    It’s a shame though, it’s nearly a really nice jacket. Especially for that price

     

     

    tall_martin
    Full Member

    How are you getting the gorilla tape residue off the rims?

    I have a rim 3/4 covered in residue that needs redoing.

    Is this what the insulation tape is for?

    filryan
    Free Member

    Because it’s the worst stuff ever to get off when it’s time to change. Leaves residue everywhere. Used it once and never again

    filryan
    Free Member

    When your out in proper weather having a good that goes over the helmet is amazing. I’ve ridden DH uplift venues a few times with my hood that way, also never felt one gets in the way when down. What’s your reason for not liking them ?

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