11spd: This week’s best new bike gear
Riding in the new year with new gear from Bontrager, ENVE, Pearl Izumi and more
We hope your 2018 is off to a good start. The first 11spd of the year comes to you from BikeRadar‘s Colorado cowboys. Bags, shoes, jackets, wheels and ‘mid-chub’ rubber — we’ve got plenty of good stuff for your perusal.
Did you miss our Headline Bikes of 2018? We spelled out the key machines of 2018, and detailed a few trends that these bikes illustrate.
- Gear of the year: Jack Luke’s top 5 products of 2017
- BikeRadar bargains: 5 of the hottest bike deals
Rapha Brevet Flyweight Wind Jacket
A little wind protection can make a big difference, but nobody likes to carry an enormous jacket in a jersey pocket.
Rapha’s new Brevet Flyweight lives up to its name, weighing in at a paltry 2.6oz and packing down compactly.
The Brevet Flyweight comes in six sizes but does not come in the container above — that’s just to demonstrate compaction size.
- £120 / $175 / AU$210
- Buy now from Rapha
Chrome Brigade backpack
Chrome has a slew of messenger bags and backpacks, and the new Brigade is a larger pack.
There are a few internal pockets, including a padded laptop sleeve for computers up to 15 inches. Externally, the Brigade has side pockets for water bottles, two big reflective straps for big cargo, two felt-lined zippered pockets and more.
At 20.5 x 12.5 x 6.5in, the Brigade boasts 28 litres of capacity, plus you can strap things to the outside, as well — including your helmet with a stretch, magnetic-snapping strap. However, at 1.6kg/3.6lb, it’s a little on the heavy side.
- £N/A / $170 / AU$N/A
- Buy now from Chrome
Gaerne G. Stilo +
Sidi may be the better-known Italian cobbler of cycling kicks, but Gaerne has been at this game for generations.
The G. Stilo + is the latest and greatest from Gaerne, with a thin, vented carbon sole and a pinched heel closure with unidirectional textured fabric to keep the heel locked in place.
The G. Stilo + comes in white/black as shown, as well as yellow, red, black and anthracite.
- £N/A / $500 / AU$N/A
- Gaerne
Ravemen CR900 front light
You’ve seen touchscreen on cycling computers, but what about cycling lights?
Brightness ranges from 35–900 lumens for this 130g light, and it has a variety of intensity and pulsing/steady settings, like many lights. But two features set it apart — the LED indicator shows the run-time (from 1.5 to 36 hours, depending on the setting) for the current setting, and you toggle between settings by swiping forward or back on the touchscreen, which runs along the top.
The CR900 also comes with a little wired remote if you want to control the light while keeping your hands near your shifters.
- £85 / $74 / AU$N/A
- Buy now from VeloSport Imports and get a free rear light
Continental Grand Prix 4 Season
Continental’s Grand Prix 4000 clinchers are a gold standard of sorts for road tires. The Grand Prix 4 Season model is a sturdier version of the GP 4000, featuring a double Vectran puncture-protection belt and DuraSkin sidewall protection.
The Grand Prix 4 Season comes in 23, 25, 28 and 32mm widths, with this 32mm version marked US-only on the packaging. We weighed the tire at 364g.
If our experience with the 28mm 4 Seasons is any indication, these wide, sturdy tires should be good for the long haul. Unlike some other winter tires, Conti’s 4 Season has a reasonably supple ride. You won’t mistake it for a race tire, but it doesn’t feel like a sluggish cyclocross tread either.
- £TBC / $TBC / AU$TBC
- Continental
Shimano S-Phyre Toe Covers
The specificity of this product is cool for S-Phyre shoe owners and irrelevant for everybody else.
But, if you do indeed have Shimano’s latest top-shelf road shoes, then these toe covers are a tidy cool-weather accessory.
- £N/A / $35 / AU$N/A
- Buy now from Glory Cycles
Mission Workshop Helmsman
If you prefer to carry your daily gear on your bike, rather than on your back, Mission Workshop’s Helmsman is worth a look. It’s a weatherproof duffel that mounts to porteur-style front racks.
This US-made bag features an expandable roll-top main compartment that’s large enough to swallow a day’s worth of gear. There’s also a padded laptop sleeve, four quick-access pockets on the exterior and two zippered pockets on the sides.
In addition to straps to secure the Helmsman to your rack and handlebar, there’s a pair of grab handles and an adjustable shoulder strap that can be tucked away when not in use.
- £200 / $265 / AU$345
- Buy now from Mission Workshop
Pearl Izumi X-Alp Elevate
The X-Alp Elevate is Pearl Izumi’s latest trail shoe intended to handle trail riding and enduro racing, as well as bikepacking.
These new kicks have aggressively lugged Vibram rubber outsoles. The upper is constructed from three seamless layers with plenty of protection around the toe box, while mesh panels and perforations along the sides should keep the shoes from getting too steamy.
Fit adjustments are handled by a Boa IP1 dial that can be tightened or loosened in 1mm increments. A single Velcro strap allows the wearer to adjust the volume of the forefoot just behind the toe box.
- £150 / $180 / AU$239
- Available from authorized Pearl Izumi retailers in late January
ENVE M635 wheelset
One of the largest trends of 2017 was the rise of mid-sized mountain bike tires. These 2.5–2.6in tires certainly aren’t fat — they’re not quite plus, so I’m calling them ‘mid-chub’.
ENVE’s M635 hookless carbon rims have an internal width of 35mm, which works well with high-volume mountain bike tires.
These slightly wide rims come in 27.5 and 29in versions. ENVE offers the M635 wheelset with DT Swiss 240 or Chris King hubs. Our 29er test wheelset is laced to King hubs and weighs in at 1,726g.
Stay tuned for our review.
- £2,220 / $2,980 / AU$3,880
- Buy now from Competitive Cyclist
Bontrager 29×2.6 XR4 Team Issue tires
Bontrager is introducing three new widths of XR4 Team Issue trail tires in 27.5 and 29in sizes, and riders can choose 2.6, 2.8 or 3in versions.
Shown here is the 29×2.6in XR4 Team Issue. This tubeless-ready tire weighs in at 1,065g.
- £50 / $85 / AU$95
- Buy now from Trek Bikes
Showers Pass Ultralight Wind Jacket
The Ultralight Wind Jacket is constructed from Elite Wind Fabric that stops the wind in its tracks and shrugs off light precipitation. Stretch panels under the arms and along the sides allow for breathability and improved fit.
This 165g jacket packs down into a jersey pocket or stows easily in a hydration pack when not in use.
- £TBC / $79 / AU$TBC
- Buy now from Showers Pass
