In case you missed the memo, it is now officially autumn. And yes, autumn does not get a capital letter. Even though it is every right-minded person’s favourite season. That’s just how it is.
We don’t make the rules. We just enforce them.
On with the Fresh Goods!
Technically you can’t buy this bike yet but it should be available very, very soon. In our previous Boardman MTR review from a year or so ago we generally really liked the bike but we did comment: “It’s only really the relatively limited dropper insertion and pretty mediocre standover that limit the bike’s radness”. And this new MTR appears to addressed both of these issues. Gone is the super kinked seat tube. Gone is the humpback top tube. Other changes include a slight reduction in suspension travel (to 130mm at either end) and a pretty comprehensive overhaul of the geometry. Steeper seat angle and longer reach are the two standout changes. This is the top 9.0 model. There will also be MTR models starting from an impressive £1,300. Our First Ride Review will hopefully be up on the site at end of next week.
Annnd… ROLLING!
Autumn is here. Okay, so this still-in-its-wrapper conker only hit the deck due to some high winds that broke it off its anchor. But still. We had to break out the Briskers the other morning too.
Knee pads for the hands? Using D30 “specifically designed to reduce vibration and shock on bike grips”. The tread pattern of the grip is pretty techno also; “Angled waffle pattern with oversized top rib that matches finger articulation points for control … waffle pattern coupled with convex traction pads for superior comfort and control”. Double reinforced ends are a nice touch to help keep these not-cheap grips from damage as long as possible. Also available in black and grey.
This different-looking helmet is the Canyon Disruptr, featuring a new strap technology called Highbar. Although it initially looks like an ice hockey lid (or Geordi Le Forge’s glasses) the strap hinges down under the chin, where a twist-buckle tightens it in place. And that’s it. The lock on the strap stops it from going further back. The claimed advantages are that it’s simpler and quicker to put on, even one handed, the strap being plastic doesn’t get caked in salt and Canyon even claims that its quieter (and therefore faster) with no loose strap ends flapping around. Review coming soon!
“Optimised for high speed on gravel routes… and beyond!” so says the sales blurb. These wheels come in two different depths, 30mm and 50mm and the internal width is 24mm, which is wide for a gravel wheel, offering good support for 40mm tyres. The deeper 50mm rims flare out dramatically into a fat, aero shape in the centre of the rim, narrowing to a tyre-friendly width at the edge which is said to improve performance in side winds. The carbon rims are left raw and unpainted out of the mould to keep the weight down. Hubs are DT Swiss 240s with DT Aero Comp spokes and the all-up weight of the 50mm versions is 1643g.
The Gravitas is so ultralight it’s transparent. That ‘pattern’ you can see in the material is actually the shirt underneath (more about the shirt shortly). Designed as a multi-activity sorta garment for activities scuh as (shudder) running. 3-layer construction with a 10-denier recycled outer fabric. Weighs around 200g depending on size. Classic stats: 20K HH, 20K MVTR. Say yes to hoods. Especially hoods with bend-able peaks and cinch retainment should you need to reduce the ‘parachute braking’ effect. Also available in grey and dark/royal blue.
More blueness for Alpkit. Made from 4-way stretchy double weave water-resistant softshell. Which is a lighter weight fabric than you may expect; these are more like ‘chilly weather’ kecks than wintery one. Wat else? Vents. Pocktes. Cinch waist adjust. Press stud zip fly. Articulated knees with room for knee pads. Elasticated ankles to keep drivetrain stain at bay as well as keep out drafts and excess amounts of roost. Available in multiple leg lengths, which is nice. Also available in boring black.
The aforementioned shirt. Presumably named after the Dirty Kanza gravel event, this is a shirt designed for gravel riding. Which should mean it’s also great for commuting and camping. Which is where gravel apparel very much gains its point/VFM in our experience! Cycling-specific fit with articulated shoulders, a drop hem and side splits. Fast-drying, sweat-wicking, UPF 50+, contains something called ‘Polygiene’: “odour control allows minimal washing on multi-day trips.” Or when commuting and camping.
New tyre tread. New tyre construction. Radial construction basically means that the threads of the carcass material don’t cross each at 45° (as with regular bike tyres). Despite being called ‘Radial’, technically they’re aren’t radial because the casing still uses threaded material that criss-crosses over each other but it criss-crosses at a much shallower angle than 45°. Apparently. We’re not sure what angle this is currently. Maybe we’ve missed something in the info? Why? Claims of more contact patch – and more damping – for the same pressure. Aside from the radial-ness, the Albert Gravity is a brand new tread pattern. And yep, it’s one of those 3-2-3 Assegai-ish affairs. In form over function news, we’re really digging the new aesthetic/logo/font of Schwalbe tyres.
Speaking of Schwalbe’s new aesthetic. Very pale blue is the new black. We like. The mug is especially lovely. Shallow? Us? You knows it.
Tyre pressure advice software is not a new thing. We vaguely remember Schwalbe and TyreWiz (maybe?) doing something like this. But this new app from Wolf Tooth is pretty good actually. It’s clear, quick and fairly logically laid out. And best of all it spits out pressure advice that is definitely in the ballpark of where you should start from. NB: don’t forget to add your bike’s weight to your own in the ‘Weight’ entry field!
Boot dryers. They’re always not quite as good as you hope them to be. Benji has acquired this Renogy dryer as it’s apparently a little bit less fragile and prone to failure compared to other similarly affordable dryers. The timer delay is a nice touch; putting on toasty warm shoes just as you head out on your morning constitutional is a delight.
Congratulations to Daniel Chapman! He’s the lucky winner of a complete set of Magura MT7 Pro disc brakes and rotors from our recent 502 Club Raffle. Keep an eye out on the homepage for the next 502 Club Raffle which should kick-off any day now.
I [Benji] didn’t really think these ‘sweets’ would actually taste of cheese. I just thought they’d be cheese shaped. I was wrong. Still, they were surprisingly palatable. Int cheese brilliant?
Gott in Himmel! Yet more music history literature. There’s more to life than mountain biking and music (or is there?).
Pact Coffee: “Explore a rotation of the world’s best, award-winning speciality coffees, grown ethically and delivered fresh to your door from Pact Coffee. *Free gift only available for new Pact customers.”
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.
It’s Singletrack’s long running, weekly roundup of all of the new products that have been sent in to the magazine.
They’re sent in by bike companies and marketing agencies
They’re featured and then some are reviewed down the line in either Singletrack Magazine or in online reviews and photoshoots.
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.
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.
