11spd: This week’s best new bike gear
New gear from Gore, Platypus and more
While many of us have been gripped by the plethora of political happenings taking place this week, we here at BikeRadar have been getting our hands on Shimano’s new Ultegra groupset, recovering from a hectic weekend at the Fort William World Cup and taking a first ride on SRAM’s more affordable 12-speed drivetrain, the GX Eagle. But now it’s Friday, and almost the weekend, so of course that means bikes, yaks, a bar fly, dragons, a platypus and more. Say what? This week’s 11spd has a little bit of everything.
Sealskinz Dragon Eye Trail gloves
Sealskinz is best known for its waterproof gloves and accessories, but the company also makes more traditional mountain bike mitts for fair weather riding.
The Dragon Eye Trail has a synthetic leather palm with pre-curved fingers and stretch panels for improved dexterity.
Conductive stitching on the thumb and index finger will allow you to get your ‘Gram on.
- £38 / $58 / AU$TBC
Platypus Duolock Softbottle 1L
This flexible new water bottle from Platypus might be a hit with bikepackers.
The DuoLock SoftBottle has a double locking cap to reduce the likelihood of spills and the flexible BPA-free soft plastic body is easy to fit in a frame bag and can be rolled up when not in use.
The DuoLock is available in 1 liter and .75 liter versions
- £11 / $13.95 / AU$18
GORE Fiber Socks
The material specialists at GORE have some new socks to show off.
Merino/synthetic blend socks are nothing new, but GORE has combined the wicking and naturally odor-resistant elements of Merino with ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) fibers to improve durability, so you can love them long time.
There are short, mid and long lengths to choose from.
- $25.99 / £TBC / AU$TBC
MODe cold-pressed juices
MODe has a different take on sports nutrition than most other companies. It combines organic, cold-pressed whole foods and natural extracts to boost performance.
You can choose from the Beet + Berries endurance booster, Mango + Ginger to lessen cramps and increase energy, or Cucumber + Lime to aid in recovery between workouts.
All the products are WADA approved and each six-pack includes overnight shipping.
- $54.99 / £TBC / AU$ TBC
Kora Azog Jersey
We’ve highlighted numerous types of wool products in past 11spds — including socks made from possums — but this might be our first jersey made from yak.
The Kora Azog Jersey is made from yak wool. It’s a heavyweight long sleeve jersey designed for long days in the saddle. The three rear stash pockets are extra deep to hold additional food and accessories, and there’s reflective striping on the zipper to improve visibility.
The thumbholes will keep the cold out when paired with gloves, or give your hands a bit of cushion when used without.
- £170 / $225 / AU$300
Bar Fly Air Levers
You need tire levers and you need a CO2 for a quick fix on your ride, so why not make two into one? That’s Bar Fly’s take with the Air Levers.
The CO2 inflator built into the lever is compatible with both Presta and Schrader valves. The Air Fly is only compatible with threaded CO2 cartridges. Both levers weigh a measly 40g.
- $29.95 / £24 / AU$30
Stan’s Avion R
Stan’s may indeed be the first name in tubeless — Stan Koziatek came up with his liquid sealant back in 2001 — so of course the company’s wheels are tubeless.
The new rim-brake version of the Avion Pro weighed 1,470g out of the box, and with Stan’s that means with tubeless tape and valves already installed.
The Avion R rim packs a whopping 21.6mm internal width. It is 40.6mm tall and 28mm across at its widest point.
The rim weighs 444g, compared to 415g for the original disc rim weight.
The wheels come with brake pads, extra spokes and a detailed graphic printout of the tension of each spoke.
- Price TBD
Garmin Forerunner 735XT
Wrist-based heart rate, smartphone connection for incoming calls and text notification as well as wirelesss uploads, color graphic with custom layouts and Strava Live Segments are just a few of the features on this Garmin watch.
The 735XT is the second of six Forerunner watches. Only the new 935 has more features.
This watch is ideal for triathletes, but can also be a good solution for cyclists who also run. (Hey, we know a pair of shoes is a lot easier to take on work trips…)
- $449 / £399
SIS Go and Rego
You may know SIS as the isotonic gel provided to Team Sky. (What’s isotonic, you say? Basically it means you don’t need water with it.) SIS also has hydration and recovery drink mixes.
GO is a hydration mix that comes in various flavors by region, providing carbohydrates and electrolytes.
Rego is a recovery mix that comes in two flavors, with a mix of protein, carbs, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals. It is gluten-, wheat- and nut-free, but contains soy.
- Go (500g): £11 / $17
- Rego (500g): £13 / $20
Blackburn Raceday Fluid
The Raceday Fluid is a portable trainer designed for pre-race warm-ups. It also works as a home trainer, although its top-end power is limited.
The trainer adjusts for wheelbase length, is compatible with quick release and thru-axle frames, and folds down into a handy carrying case.
BikeRadar will be testing the Raceday against the original Feedback Sports Omnium soon.
- $399 / £TBD
Custom Lux-735 D
First things first: custom wheels aren’t custom wheels. They are made in an unusual way, though, and sold at competitive prices.
The LUX-735 D is made with filament winding, meaning carbon is wrapped around a mandrel in the shape of the rim. Once the mold is removed, a carbon rim bed is inserted, and heated and pressed to solidify the structure.
Custom claims this method is better than the normal process of putting multiple pieces of carbon cloth into a mold because the fibers in that process can end up curved and thus weaker, whereas the filament-wound fibers stay straighter.
Custom also claims that this process is greener and more efficient because Custom uses raw filament and wet resin instead of pre-preg cloth that has to be refrigerated.
This disc-brake carbon clincher set weighs 1,460g with rim tape.
- $1,449 / €1,286
