11spd: This week’s best new bike gear
Hot new goods from POC, Mavic, WickWërks and more
Happy Friday, happy April Fool’s and congratulations on surviving yet another work week.
To celebrate the weekend’s riding ahead, check out the latest road and mountain bike gear to land in BikeRadar‘s Colorado offices.
New mountain bike gear
POC Tectal Helmet
The all-new Tectal blends design cues from POC’s Octal road helmet with elements of the company’s first half-shell mountain bike helmet, the Trabec.
POC claims the Tectal is nearly as well-vented as the Octal. The Tectal has nine vents across the forehead, three over the crown, and five exhaust vents at the rear.
In addition to being more airy than the Trabec, the Tectal is also lighter, with a very respectable weight of 340g.
$190 / £155 / AU$TBC
Dainese Aria-Lite Windbreaker
If you ride in a region where unpredictable weather is the only constant, a packable shell to ward off wind and rain is an essential item to keep with you.
The Aria-Lite is constructed from Nylon and has a water resistant coating. When not in use, it packs into its own pocket for easy storage.
$150 / £110 / AU$190
Mondraker Crafty RR+
There will always be riders that want more and the new Crafty RR + definitely delivers on that front. Not only does it serve up an extra slice of reach thanks to Mondraker’s ultra-long Forward Geometry, it also gives you fatter rubber, sporting 3in wide Maxxis Chronicle treads on the 40mm wide 650b rims. To keep the plus-sized goodness under control, you also get Boost hub spacing both front and rear, while the 140mm of suspension travel at either end should be just about spot on for all-round trail riding use. We’re big fans of Mondraker’s non-plus wheeled bikes, so we’re keen to see if more is really better in the Crafty’s case.
€4,599 / £3,699
Dakine Hellion Knee Pads
The Hellion is the burlier big brother to Dakine’s slimmer, trail-oriented Slayer pad set.
The gravity-focused Hellion has a thick, confidence-inspiring layer of CE-certified reactive foam padding over the knee cap.
Unlike the lighter weight Slayer model, the Hellion also offers an adjustable Velcro strap around the thigh and additional padding around the sides of the knee, increasing your odds of shrugging off encounters with terra firma.
$75 / £60 / AU$100
Giro Truant Jersey
Giro’s Truant Jersey features classic three-button Henley styling in a trail-ready top.
Features include a stash pocket on the right side of the jersey, a relaxed fit and longer than average sleeves that provide a bit more coverage from the elements (and better looks when wearing elbow pads.)
The Truant Jersey is constructed from recycled polyester with a dash of cotton to improve its next-to-skin feel.
$78 / £60 / AU$ (Not available)
Giro Truant Short
Unlike the shorts released with Giro’s New Road line several years ago, the Truant Short is designed specifically for mountain biking.
The fit is still rather slim, but it has a longer, 14in inseam with leg openings that play well with knee pads.
The Nylon/Spandex blend and stretchy rear panel make the Truant Short quite comfortable.
$100 / £80 / AU$ (Not available)
New road bike gear
POC Fondo kit
POC’s spring Fondo line is less expensive than the Swedish brand’s previous clothing. The Fondo Light jersey uses multiple styles of thin polyester, plus flush arm grippers and pockets that are neatly integrated into the lower and side seams. Although not as loud as POC’s trademark neon orange, the kit still features large branding in reflective print for recognition by cyclists and motorists alike.
The Fondo bib shorts are made with “warp knitted stretch fabric” in a four-panel design. The chamois has silicone-based inserts to reduce road vibrations.
$150 / €150 bib shorts; $130 / €1140 jersey
Avex MixFit drink mix bottle
Sure, you can mix your recovery drink in a water bottle, but this 28oz option with a mixing ball works much better. Shaking up a protein drink and then washing it out is much easier than using a standard bike bottle.
The top has an integrated carabineer-like clip. Just in case you want to take it, you know, rock climbing or something.
$10 / £N/A / AU$N/A
Mavic Cosmic Ultimate shoe
There are a few points of interest with this shoe from the French wheel brand. Ergolite memory foam is used in the insole, for absorbing small shocks and comforming to your foot. Tongue protectors prevent the thin laces from digging into your foot, and Mavic’s own-brand dials (no BOA here) fine-tune the fit in 1mm increments.
The heel lock wrap around to the carbon outsole.
If Mavic yellow is a bit loud for you, the shoes also come in black and white.
A US size 8 weighs a claimed 240g.
$399 / £265 / AU$N/A
Nuun Active and Energy tablets
Nuun continues to roll out new flavors (nine to be precise) of its ultra-low-calorie Active and caffeinated Energy tablets. Each tablet is good for one tall water bottle, and dissolves in about two minutes. The portable, 10-tablet tube format is handy when you’re starting a ride from somewhere other than your home.
$7 / £N/A / AU$N/A
WickWërks 53/34 road rings
While wide-range cassettes are becoming more common, wide-range chainrings are not. WickWërks’s 53/34 is an extreme combination, but the company claims its Bridge shift ramps make for smooth shifting and reduced stress on the chain.
For reference, the standard combinations are 53/39, the compact 50/34 and the semi-compact 52/36, which has found favor among bike brands recently.
We have been using a 53/36 Shimano Dura-Ace combination for about a year now, and the shifting between the rings works just fine. We’re curious to see how the 53/34 shifts.
$179 / £N/A / AU$N/A
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