Hurrah! We’ve made it through February and rolled into March. In the Northern Hemisphere at least, the unrelenting march of time brings us yet closer to spring and summer – and hopefully some drier weather.
What’s also unrelenting is the procession of shiny new bike-related items to land in our hands at BikeRadar, some of which are featured below.
But first, in yet another display of unrelentingness, is a quick round-up of what’s been happening on BikeRadar this week.
It’s been a quiet week when it comes to launches, although we learnt about the new Norco Optic and Sight. Norco briefly disappeared from the UK market, so we’re stoked to see the brand back on our shores – the new bikes look chef's kiss.
Elsewhere, we rounded out our trail wheelset reviews with the Reserve 30|HD 6069 alloy wheels and then presented you with our list of the best mountain bike wheels on the market.
Every day is a school day and so if you’re in the mood for a little maintenance lesson, why not check out our guide to using a torque wrench, as well as an informative piece on strength training for cyclists.
If you like your bikes a little different and your adventures, er, adventurous, why not check out Lael Wilcox's Alaskan ultra setup.
Feedback Sports Team Edition Tool Kit
Feedback’s tools are well regarded and this all-in-one tool kit has pretty much everything you’ll need to keep your bike rolling, outside of suspension or hydraulics, which tend to be component-specific.
The tools are held in a weather-resistant carry case, with a weatherproof zip, making it ideal for slinging in the back of your car, or bringing out at damp rides and races ready to service your bike on the go.
The various straps and supports mean it can be hung off a wall hook, or your workstand, where it’ll sit open, ready for you to grab whichever tool you need.
The list of tools is long, with each one generally coming with a grippy handle to keep things comfortable.
There’s space in there, too, for your own favourite tools.
- £380 / $350
Race Face Chester grips
The Chester has been in Race Face’s grip line-up for a while now and has become a perennial favourite over the years.
Recently, It has had a refresh, and this is the result.
There’s a lot of mushroom ribbing going on, there to add comfort via a soft 20a rubber compound.
It varies in thickness, though, to avoid the grip feeling vague, while the ribs are there to prevent your palms getting sweaty if you’re riding glove-less.
Over at the palm area, the rubber is thicker to aid comfort, while there are finger grips to help keep you secure when you’re pulling hard.
Internally, the plastic core is perforated, meaning there’s more rubber between your hands and your bars – another nod to comfort.
At the end, there’s a single lock-on collar, available in 10 different colours and secured with a 3mm Allen key.
The other end has a stout integrated bung, while the flared ends of the grips should give your hands plenty of notice before they start hanging off the edge.
Two diameters, 31mm and 34mm, are available.
- £24.95 / $27
NZO clothing
NZO has been around for over 25 years, based in the Southern Hemisphere's MTB heartland of Rotorua.
It might not be a big name in the UK, but the brand has a widening range of kit, and now UK distribution, bringing decades of experience to our shores.
We’ve a few items in the office, but the below caught our attention.
NZO Dusters
The Dusters are NZO’s lighter-weight trail pants, though the brand says they’re much more versatile than that, being equally at home off the bike and on it.
They’re built from a four-way stretch material, which should aid fit and comfort while pedalling around.
The Dusters are secured with a pair of poppers and a fly zip, while Velcro adjusters cinch the waist in. Between the waistband and the seat of the pants is a ribbed stretch panel, which should help prevent the waistband being pulled down while you’re on the bike.
Two regular pockets are joined by a pair of zipped thigh pockets and a 'secret' zipped pocket.
The material is treated in Polygiene, a coating the brand claims means they don’t need to be washed as often, saving water, time and wear.
- £94 / $118 / €87.95
NZO Sifters
The Sifters are NZO’s do-it-all trail shorts, again featuring a four-way stretch material for additional comfort.
The panel under the waistband at the rear is here too, as are the four main pockets and waist popper. The newest version comes with black stitching.
The thigh pockets are located to sit just under the thigh when you’re pedalling, which should help keep items such as phones or keys from getting in the way.
Want to dump some heat? The pockets are backed with mesh, so double up as vents.
Both the Sifters shorts and the Dusters trousers come in XS-XXXL sizing.
- £93 / $118 / €108.95
NZO Trail Gloves
Winter gloves are a key part of any cycling wardrobe and the Trail Glove from NZO looks as though it ticks plenty of boxes.
The non-padded palm reduces bulk, while there’s silicone detailing to aid grip.
There’s terry towelling around the thumb, for wiping up snot and sweat, while the index finger is said to be phone-screen compatible.
The upper is lightweight, while there’s a handy pull-tab for getting the gloves on.
- £30 / $38 / €34.95
OneUp EDC Tube Strap Mount
OneUp has built its brand around well-designed, nicely integrated items to make carrying your essentials as pain-free as possible.
The EDC Tube Strap Mount might not be as innovative as OneUp's pumps and tool holders, but it’s a well-designed solution to carrying an inner tube (and potentially a few other bits) neatly on your bike.
The baseplate is well-sized to support a tube, and the Gear Tension Strap (the, er, strap), is secure, easy to use, tidies away nicely and is long enough, too.
Don't want the carrier? The straps can be purchased, as a pair, on their own, for £17.99 / $17.99 / €18.99.
- £19.99 / $19.99 / €24.50
