Some actual things in this week’s FGF. Including things that aren’t going to be things.
After a super slow (non)start to 2026, we actually have items to show you this week. For any newbies out there (hello!) Fresh Goods Friday is a fast ‘n’ friendly scroll through the latest stuff and nonsense that has landed on our radar. Let’s dive in…
Fresh Goods Friday is sponsored by…
Most riders insure bikes through home insurance.
Pedal Cover builds home insurance specifically for cyclists
Matthew Fairbrother: “Over Christmas I completed a deliberately minimal endurance challenge: riding 500km around a single McDonald’s drive-thru loop. No scenery, no elevation, no variation. Just pacing, fueling, and managing mental fatigue. The idea was to strip ultra riding back to fundamentals and create a challenge that was physically manageable but mentally relentless. The real challenge wasn’t the physical effort, it was purely about keeping the peace within my head.”
Focus Jam2 Next
- Price: N/A
- From: Focus Bikes
This bike doesn’t exist. Well, clearly it does (did). But it is no longer going to make it into production. Long story short: Focus tried to use an alt carbon fibre process called ‘thermoplastic’ to make an ebike, but the manufacturing company (REIN4CED) went bust. And this is rather a shame. This new process essentially meant that there was an end-of-life potential for a carbon bike.
Focus explain: “When exploring new paths, things don’t always go as planned, and an unexpected (but insurmountable for us) obstacle has emerged: The company producing our thermoplastic carbon frames, REIN4CED, has unfortunately gone bankrupt. Our JAM² NEXT had it all to redefine (carbon) bicycle manufacturing as it is practised today – entirely automated, European-based and with materials that can be fully recycled. Since this was realised with the innovative production method of REIN4CED, there is no substitute manufacturer to take over production, and the JAM² NEXT will therefore remain a concept.
“In summary: Yes, the bike won’t ever be sold. But it shows that it is possible to build a recyclable carbon bike that is actually ready for purchase (and would have been sold if REIN4CED had not closed its doors). Product, material and manufacturing process are ready for the market; there are no technical issues.”
Marzocchi Bomber Air Shock
- Price: £509.99
- From: Silverfish UK
AKA the shock with the kinky reservoir. Yep, the piggyback is meant to look like that. Possibly for ergonomic reasons. Possibly for better shock pump access. Possibly for increased frame clearance. Possibly just because Marzocchi like to be different. And that’s all fine. This shock is destined for Mark’s 2020 Norco Sight, which we are having a go at en-mulletisation ie. sticking a 27.5 in the back and trying to make it not-suck. One thing I’ve not noticed before: the non-indexed compression sweep dial can be adjusted to stop within a narrower window. That’s very good that.
Bontrager Rally shoe
- Price: £129.99
- From: Trek Bikes
Burly bikey bovver boots from Bonty. Features: relaxed fit for more comfort on the bike (and more utility off the bike), abrasion-resistant coating on the heel and toe caps, reinforced toe box for improved, shock-absorbing EVA midsole, hook-and-loop strap provides a more secure fit, synthetic leather upper. Also available in black.
Trek Foray shoe
- Price: £149.99
- From: Trek Bikes
Dirty disco slippers not for the trypophobic. Features: slightly roomier performance fit, ‘METNET’ relief zones stretch and conform to the foot, nylon composite plate, BOA fit micros-adjust system, tachyon rubber outsole, removable toe and heel spikes, ‘GnarGuard’ rubberised coating, shoe upper is 20% recycled material (by weight).
Granite Design Crust Bicycle Tyre Covers
- Price: $39.99
- From: Granite Design
Granite Crusts are designed to help keep your car and home less filthed-up after a ride. Made from a durable, washable material. When you’re done, it packs down into its own carry bag. Fits 24-29in wheels. “Ride hard and dirty—Crust keeps everything else clean.”
Forum Thread of the Week
The winner this week is pistonbroke for the What’s the strangest thing you’ve received as payment for a job? thread:
The winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. So pistonbroke please email editorial@singletrackworld.com for a random prize. Don’t forget to include your postal address.
2027 Tour de France UK stages route
- Price: €0.00
- From: Le Tour
We wouldn’t normally be overly excited about the TdF route unveiling but this time it appears to be going right past my Mum’s house. Also, kudos for the esperanto-tastic ‘Côte de Trough of Bowland’ climb.
The Return of Reader’s Rides
- Price: £0.00 – but you could win a T-shirt and stickers!
- From: This form right here
We think it’s time we kickstarted Readers’ Rides back up. So we’ve rejigged the online form and pic uploader to make it clearer, quicker and simpler. Not only that, we’ll be rewarding any submission published with a piece of STW merch. What are you waiting for? Send in your bikes! NB: they don’t have to be new bikes. Or expensive bikes. Or even clean bikes. We want to see real bikes from real riders please.
Featured Member Reward – 20% off Ass Saver
- Reward: 20% off Ass Saver
- From: Singletrack Member Rewards
About Ass Saver: “Since 2011, Ass Savers design and produce minimalistic mudguards and weather protection gear for cyclists out of Gothenburg, Sweden. With the ambition of doing more with less, through the smart use of mainly recycled materials, they provide simple and clever products to make life on the bike more enjoyable.”
Stale Goods Friday – 2011 Rocky Mountain Slayer 70
- Price: £4,198.99 (or £6,264.26 adjusted for inflation)
- From: Fresh Goods Friday 90
Back in the mists of times, when companies thought it was a wise idea to put Ardents on burly bikes, we wrote: “It’s in for Issue 66’s Winching and Plummeting test. It’s an evolution of the original Slayer that we tested years ago brought up to date with a hydroformed alloy frameset with 165mm of rear wheel travel and 160mm up front via the Fox 36 TALAS R fork. It uses a four bar style SmoothLink suspension linkage driving a custom valved Fox RP23 shock. Finishing kit is all rather shiny, with carbon Raceface SIXC cranks, Formula The ONE brakes and an X9 10spd drivetrain. We’re looking forward to doing some plummeting – and hopefully the winching won’t be so bad.”
Covered by the crew
Insurance handled by people who ride, wrench and understand mountain bikes.
When something goes wrong, your claim is handled by people who genuinely understand how mountain bikes are ridden, repaired and put back together after a bad day on the trails.
From blown suspension to cracked frames, decisions are made by cycling specialists – not general insurers.
We also keep key bike parts in-house and work directly with trusted bike workshops, helping reduce delays and get riders back on the trails sooner.
What this means for you
- Cyclist-first decisions focused on getting you back on the trails
- Claims handled by people who ride and work with bikes
- Experience with real mountain bike damage, including off-road riding
- Repair-first approach using specialist cycle workshops
Fresh Goods Friday is sponsored by Pedal Cover
I’m old and sad. My favourite item on there was the tyre covers. I assume that’s for the pair.
Wonder if these would make it easier to get wheels in the pockets of an Evoc travel bag
It’s a shame about the focus technology not seeing production. A friend of mine was playing around with this making kayaks. It can essentially be sprayed into a mould so is a lot less labour intensive, and this cheaper, and it’s recyclable because you could effectively melt away the resin and then reconstitute it to be sprayed into another mould. Hopefully someone else will be able to make it work on a commercial scale
Real shame about REIN4CED, hopefully someone else will pick up this tech/process and make it financially viable. The Jam 2 looks like a really nice bike as well.
Not sure about those wheel covers. If its wet and muddy I usually just find a puddle to ride thru and clean off the tyres that way before I get back to the car. Most of the crud is on the bike frame anyway and a rag or brush will removed most of that. Alternatively I take my bike rack and avoid the problem of a dirty car all together.
My favourite bag is this from MTB Vans – makes travelling back and forth with my bike in the back of the car so much nicer and easier.
Do you think they tyre covers are thick enough to protect the rest of our possessions from ice spike tyres?
I’ve been looking for something like this that doesn’t leave everything the tyres touch in the garage/car scratched.