The word hectic does not do justice to the average week at BikeRadar.
Each of the site’s razor-sharp, eagle-eyed staffers alternate between reviewing and researching the latest technology, unearthing the juiciest news stories, and imparting the wisdom they’ve picked up along the way to you, our dear readers.
It goes without saying that this week was no less ‘average’, with an avalanche of exciting stories on the ground.
Rewind to the depths of Monday, a megalithically proportioned (at least in the context of the internet) four days ago, when we broke the news of Coros’ first bike computer, with solar charging and a £250 price tag. Is it an alternative? for Garmin’s Edge 1040 Solar? We’re looking for a review sample to find out.
Monday – and several other days this week – saw the rhythmic march of Bike of the Year reviews, this time from the trail bike category with Tom Marvin’s in-depth look at Scott’s aluminum Genius 940.
On to Tuesday and we headlined with Katherine Moore’s take on Liv’s Langma carbon road bike. Katherine looked beautiful but was also skilled at speed and loved the driving and building so much, culminating in a score of 4.5 out of 5.
The deep, dark belly of the week – also known as Wednesday – brought with it some excellent content. Tom Law told us how he’s making progress with his Transition Smuggler long-term test bike and Jack Evans announced that Fizik will be printing custom saddles that are perfectly shaped for your rear end.
A jubilant Thursday (as it was almost the weekend) saw RockShox update its electronic wizardry; Flight Attendant has been updated with Charger 3.1 dampers, just like the rest of the brand’s fork range.
And if that wasn’t enough, Pinarello unveiled its latest Dogma F, which is more aerodynamic and 108 grams lighter than its predecessor. Speed demons rejoice and read Oscar’s first ride review to get an idea of how he performs.
Finally, without further ado, keep reading to check out this week’s tempting product news.
More and more, brands are finding ingenious ways to hide and store tools, pipes and other essentials on their bikes.
They range from frame storage to storing things in pivots, steerer tubes and on secondary mounts.
Topeak’s BB Hide ‘N Tool ties into this theme, using one of the most underused spaces on a bike to store specialty tools; the pedal crank or bottom bracket.
This cylindrical multi-tool fits snugly into BB spindles with an internal diameter of 18.5 to 20 mm. Conveniently enough, that range includes the most popular pedal cranks, including SRAM’s DUB, Shimano’s Hollowtech II cranks and FSA’s cranks, among others.
The Hide ‘N Tool is secured in place using an expanding rubber gripper and simply slides into the bottom bracket.
The tool itself is impressively functional.
In addition to the special chain tool that is compatible with 13 gears, there is also a chain hook and a separate multi-tool.
The multi-tool has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 mm Allen keys, a T25 Torx bit and a flat screwdriver.
All this weighs just 91 grams and should be enough to get you out of most trail side bindings.
7iPD Project.21 helmet
7iPD’s latest helmet, the Project.21 – named after its 21 vents – is said to combine a huge amount of airflow while still offering plenty of protection for park cycling, enduro and all-mountain riding.
The level of protection is increased by the brand’s Energy Reduction Technology, simply called ERT. This is a 4mm layer of force-dissipating material, which is claimed to reduce both impact and rotational forces that affect the wearer in a crash.
Also present is ConeHead technology. Although it sounds strange, this is a major ‘crush zone’ made of dual-density foam and two materials that are claimed to reduce the risk of concussion. In addition, the visor is designed to break off in the event of a crash.
The strap closure is made by Fidlock and there is a dial on the back of the lid. Included are two sets of pads to further fine-tune the fit.
This limited edition holographic model combines the under-the-radar style of a matte black finish with shiny silver reflective details. Fashionable!
Dynaplug Micro Racer tubeless repair plug
As someone once said, good things come in small packages and Dynaplug’s Micro Racer may be one of those things.
Weighing just 15 grams, 73mm long and 13mm thick (at its thickest), this tubeless repair tool is made of smooth aluminum and can be comfortably slipped into a pocket or backpack without impact.
This USA-made tool – from the raw aluminum to the machining – features two pre-installed puncture repair plugs to combat trail-side flats.
But at $49.99 it’s not cheap, and neither are replacement tubeless repair plugs.
Official Dynaplug refill plugs retail for $14 for five. Yes.
This beautifully finished tool is definitely a heart-over-head purchase.
Hope Dropper lever
Aftermarket dropper post lever upgrades are a great way to spruce up your bike and potentially improve the performance of your post.
The Hope Dropper Lever takes the brand’s high-quality CNC machining expertise and applies it directly to droppers.
The thumb-operated lever rotates on a bearing and is said to move smoothly without unwanted wobble.
It has adjustable leverage; decrease the leverage to increase how much cable is pulled compared to how much the level is moved, speeding up dripper operation. Or you can raise it to increase the lever movement and lighten the feel of your thumb.
In true Hope style, it is completely rebuildable, with every part of the lever available for purchase.
It is also available in a wide range of colors depending on your personal taste.
At 39 grams it is also impressively light.