Check out: A huge mudguard, soft grips, a unique heart rate monitor and affordable knee pads – Pinkbike

HRM-Fit heart rate monitor for sports bra wearers

Earlier this year, Garmin released the HRM-FIT, a heart rate monitor strap marketed specifically for women. Unlike traditional chest strap heart rate monitors, which stay in place thanks to the elasticity of the strap, this one clips onto a sports bra. Compatible with medium to high support sports bras only. I tested it with a Shock Absorber Ultimate Run bra.

There are three clips, one in the middle and one on each side. They all have a very firm grip on the lower elastic band of the bra, without any risk of it wriggling loose. The HRM-FIT is quite comfortable to wear. Importantly and uniquely to this design is that it does not compete for space with the bra itself, as it is neatly tucked away under the band.

When I used the HRM-FIT for the first time, I got some very questionable heart rate readings sent to the Garmin Edge 840 device I paired it with. Turns out I skipped an important step: wetting the electrodes before applying them. Sweat would normally take care of that, but I took part in an activity with a very high effort-to-effort ratio: pedal testing on a shuttle-assisted day that involved exclusively downhill riding. And it was very cold. I’m not sure I sweat much that day.

The next few rides were under my own steam and the heart rate monitor seemed to work flawlessly. I did notice that it can feel like the electrodes are lifting slightly from my skin when I exhale and contract my chest – especially when doing a hard workout. Now I can’t tell you that the monitor did anything other than work as intended – the heart rate readings were sensible and responded quickly to changes in exercise intensity, as expected. It seems that 100% of the surface area of ​​each electrode doesn’t always need to be in contact with the skin to take readings.

Adjusting the sports bra so that the bottom band was a little tighter than I normally would has seemed to alleviate that problem, but not completely solve it. I think the design could be improved a little by adding two elasticated sections – one on either side of the central gripper. My reasoning for this is as follows:

A regular chest strap monitor can adjust 360° to a person’s expanding and contracting chest because it is held in place by the friction created by the elastic tension of the strap. Meanwhile, the HRM-FIT attaches to the sports bra in three specific places. It is not a full wrap. This essentially prevents the front portion of the sports bra from expanding or contracting as your chest inflates and deflates. The grippers are very effective and do not allow the material to slide through, so the length remains consistent at the front.

Many riders with different body types do not experience the above at all and will only benefit from the convenient placement of the monitor under the band of the sports bra. For me personally, the HRM-FIT’s unique design offers no comfort or performance benefit and I don’t feel it justifies the $150 USD price.

Madison Flux D3O knee pads

The Madison Flux D3O Knee Pads are an affordable option for those looking for a lightweight knee pad with a sleeve. At £49.99 they are half the price of the £100 Rapha Knee Pads and £30 cheaper than the new Bluegrass Aura pads. Like the Rapha pads, the Flux pads consist of a stretchy sleeve that accommodates a removable pad that hardens on impact.

While the Rheon pad in the Rapha Pads is certified for Level 2 Type B Protection, the D30 pad in the Madison Flux pads is a Level 1 Type A matter. The former protects against penetration by gravel and sharp objects with a force of at least 250 N, while the latter protects against forces up to 100 N. The Madison pad also does not extend as far as the shin.

There are silicone grippers above and below the cushion that keep the cuffs firmly in place without sliding or chafing.

I tried the XS/S pads first. I found that the lower cuff that secures the pad around the shin was way too tight, while the cuff around the thigh was snug. I then tried the M/L size and still found that the lower cuff was a little too tight, while the upper cuff was a little too loose. I know I don’t exactly have large calves (not by most standards), so I think many riders find the cuff too tight as well.

Madison says they size the top cuff to the width of the thickest part of the thigh. That’s a bummer because the top cuff isn’t actually long enough to reach that high up on the thigh – it actually sits a lot lower than the one where my thigh is thinner.

While riding, the chamois conforms reasonably well to the kneecap, but it does not provide the comfort that the Rapha chamois offers all day long.

Although they don’t offer as much protection as other lightweight knee pads, the Madison Flux D3O pads are lightweight, breathable and offer excellent value for money if you can get a good fit – which can be quite a trial and error process . if my experience is something I can rely on.

Mud rocker front fender

The SKS Murocker front fender offers good front tire coverage, similar to that of my favorite Mudhugger EVO. It can be mounted a couple of different ways; either with hook-and-loop straps or via a bolt-on adapter. Foam patches and stickers are included to protect the finish of the fork where the fender meets it. The quickest and easiest way to mount it is to simply use the straps, although the adapter is included to make the fit more secure if you can get it to work on your fork.

The bolt-on solution is not an integrated affair like the RRP Guard or the Mudhugger EVO Bolt-On. You have to screw the adapter into the mudguard through one of the four available slots. So there is that extra installation step that takes a bit of time. Then you bolt the adapter to the fork arch. All the necessary bolts and screws are included with the mudguard.

I tried the Mudrocker with a Rockshox Zeb, an Ohlins RXF 38m.2 fork and the Fox 36. I had success with the first, but only with the Velcro attachment. The adapter does not have the correct mounting holes for the Zeb. The straps hold the fender nice and securely, and do not restrict the use of the full suspension travel. There is a distinct lack of coverage around the fork seals, which ultimately makes it difficult to recommend.

I couldn’t find a good fit between the Mudrocker and the Ohlins fork, and therefore I can’t recommend it. Using the Velcro straps, I discovered that the fender sits too high, to the point where it restricts the fork’s full movement. I can get it low enough with the adapter mount, but this position creates clearance issues between the bottom of the fender and the tire. I also noticed that the upward flared portion at the rear of the Mudrocker can affect the bottom of some downtubes when bottoming out. Shortening it here would be the solution.

I was eventually able to get it to work with the Fox 36, but only just on, and only after much trial and error. In my opinion the fork leg sections are pointed way too far back. If you place the adapter all the way forward on the fender (necessary in this case to use the full stroke), tightening the straps around the legs will cause the rear end of the fender to bend downward, allowing it to reach the tire touches.

Overall, I am not impressed with the design of the Mudrocker front fender and would recommend anyone consider other fenders such as the RRP ProGuard or the Mudhugger EVO.

The SQlab 70X grips have a single-sided locking design

SQlab 70X grips

The bottom line is that these grips are good. Nuance below.

The SQlab 70X grips, like almost every other SQlab product, have been designed with ergonomics in mind. That is to say, the design process places a lot of emphasis on how the product fits the rider’s anatomy – more so than most other brands in this space. The first evidence of this is the fact that the 70X grips come in two sizes; S and M. Both are 135mm long, but have different circumferences.

At 1/3 of the length they are 98 mm and 103 mm respectively. SQlab provides this size chart to help you determine which one fits you best.

I have small hands so have tested the 70X grips in S and the fit is excellent. I would say there is a justification for making them shorter as there is still a fair bit of unused grip area on the inside, but the feel of the grip in my hand is very good.

The rubber itself is quite soft and has a low rebound, in stark contrast to the rubber of the Burgtec Bartender Pro grips they replaced

If you look at the side profile, you’ll notice that the rubber is much thicker where the grip meets the rider’s palm. This is entirely intentional, with the extra material helping to dampen vibration. Additional rubber has been added to the front of the grip to give the grip a shape that complements the rider’s fingers as they wrap around the grip. If you look at the shape your fingers take in this position, it’s not round.

Of course, I didn’t notice any of this when I was actually riding. In fact, I forgot about the handles altogether. And that’s how it should be. If a product can fade into the background, chances are it’s performing just fine.