11spd: This week’s best new bike gear
Trek, Giro and Pearl Izumi make the list
Rejoice for 11spd is here! Your weekly roundup of the most rootin-tootin-est, freshest new road and mountain bike gear to land at BikeRadar.
This week we’ve seen what could be a new disc race platform from Cannondale, weighed in on Cervelo’s newest all-round race bike, looked at a weird 0mm stem for the road and spent some time on Canyon’s first e-MTB the Canyon Spectral:On.
If all of that didn’t quite sate your appetite for fresh swag, then read on!
Karcher OC3
What we have here is a diddy pressure washer from the biggest name in pressure washing.
Small enough to easily fit into a car boot, the Karcher OC3 holds just four litres of water in its detachable tank and sources its power from an integrated lithium-ion battery. That means you won’t have to be plumbed into the mains, nor will you need to connect to a water hose, during a clean.
It’s said to deliver 5 bar of pressure, which Karcher says is ideal for rinsing and thorough cleaning of bikes. Its coiled hose and spray gun tuck neatly below the water tank making the OC3 easy to lug about.
Should you blast your way through the OC3’s tank then its feed can be piped into any large bucket. It’s claimed to run for up to 15 minutes from a single charge.
- £149.99 / $180 / €147
Genesis Fugio 1x
Genesis now sells a more affordable version of its Fugio adventure bike in the form of this 1x SRAM Apex build.
Compared to the more expensive 105 hydro equipped version of the Fugio that the brand launched with, this bike sees a step down to mechanical TRP Spyre brakes and a SRAM Apex 1x drivetrain, but the thru-axle equipped chromoly frame and carbon fork remain identical apart from a fresh lick of burgundy paint.
No front derailleur simplifies maintenance, saves weight and makes for chain retention that a double configuration simply cannot match. It’s a trade-off that most will feel on longer rides though, particularly with 11.32kg of steel to propel.
Gaping clearances and wide-footed Jalco rims allow for the all-important 50mm Donnelly (formerly Clement) X’Plor MSO tyres.
- £1,999.99, international pricing not available
Saracen Ariel-E
Saracen has been hard at work developing an e-bike version of its Ariel trail bike, and the Ariel-E is the result.
Major efforts have been made to keep the Ariel-E from stepping too far from the original Ariel, so you’ll find a near identical suspension system with only minor tweaks to pivot placement and geometry.
Shimano’s E8000 STEPS motor takes pride of place beneath the bike’s front triangle, it’s a drive system that we’ve often praised for its smooth power delivery and we’re sure it’ll perform just as well here.
- £5,299.99, international pricing N/A
Shimano T23 Tokyo urban daypack
We first saw this bag from Shimano way back in August last year and we’ve finally got our mitts on one and have been portaging all manner of cycling garb in the 23-litre boxy backpack since.
The bag is available in the pictured shade of tan, as well as black or a fetching camo finish.
Curiously, the bag lacks a waist strap, but otherwise has pretty much every other loop, pouch, zip and strap that you could ever want.
- £132 / $165 / AU$227
More tyre levers than we could possibly ever need
Fans of tyre levers (seek help, there’s much better stuff to obsess over) will be delighted to hear that as part of an upcoming grouptest, we have pretty much every tyre lever under the sun.
With entries from Crankbrothers, Tacx, Pedro’s, SKS, Schwalbe, Park, Cyclo, Topeak and VAR, we’ve got pretty much all of the big names covered.
There’s still time before testing starts in earnest, so is there anything you think we’re missing?
Giro Fixture MIPS helmet
All helmets meet required safety standards, but pricing can vary widely due to features, ventilation and styling. Giro’s Fixture MIPS helmet apparently didn’t get the memo though.
From 20-feet away, most riders would be hard pressed to tell this is a budget lid. With a modern silhouette, six on-point colors and decent venting, the Fixture does a fine job of posing as a much more expensive helmet.
Also, like more expensive brain buckets, on the inside there’s a MIPS liner for added rotational crash protection.
And what’s even more interesting is that the Fixture is a one-size fits most helmet. That takes away any guesswork if you’re between sizes.
- £69.99 / $65 / AU$117
Velotoze Cycling socks
Happy feet are important. But keeping your ‘dogs’ content can be a challenge, especially in the often tricky weather of the off-season.
Velotoze’s cycling socks feature a bit of active compression which it claims improves blood circulation.
The socks are spun from a blend of Merino wool for warmth and to keep the stink at bay. Plus, the 15cm / 6in length adds some additional warmth, looks sharp and lines up well with Velotoze’s shoe covers.
- $20
Mongoose LED Skull lights
Lights are an important part of staying safe and seen. These Mongoose Skull lights aren’t the most high-tech, but they do feature LEDs, offer steady and flash modes, and can be installed and removed without tools.
And they look mean.
Best of all, they’re inexpensive and they add a bit of don’t mess with me attitude to any bike.
- £5.97 / $8.21 / AU$9.99
Evoc Stage 18l backpack
When it comes to big days on the bike there’s simply nothing better than a well-sorted hydration pack. Backpacks simply carry more water, tools, protection and riding essentials than any other option.
Evoc’s Stage 18l does all that with the promise of a bit more.
The Brace Link is claimed to adjust automatically to the unique width of every rider’s shoulders.
To counter the sweaty back syndrome so common with wearing a pack, Evoc employs its Air Flow Contact system. It’s said to provide ventilation through the use of grooved and perforated EVA pads.
The pack itself is loaded with thoughtful organization and can carry up to 18l of tools, gear, and clothing. There are straps for hauling leg armor as well as an open or full face helmet.
The one thing it doesn’t include is a reservoir, but in all honesty, that’s perfectly fine as inevitably a Camelbak bladder will find its way in.
- £119.95 / $150 / AU$169.99
Hydaway bottle
Staying hydrated before and after riding is an important part of being a cyclist. But, unfortunately, most water bottles take up the same amount of room whether they’re filled or not.
That’s not the case with the Hydaway bottle. When it’s not filled with 21oz of liquid, a Hydaway collapses down to about 25mm / 1in.
It doesn’t fit in a standard water bottle cage but does fit in most automobile cup holders.
Like any good bottle it’s BPA-free and comes in a whole range of colors.
- £19.95 / $22 / AU$62
Pearl Izumi Versa Barrier jacket
There’s commuting gear that works well on the bike but looks goofy off the bike and then there’s commuting gear that looks good off the bike and still works nicely in the saddle.
Pearl Izumi’s Versa Barrier jacket slides distinctly into the latter group.
It features a DWR finish to keep rain and puddles beading off, an under the helmet hood for some warmth, and some very unique hand mitts tucked into the inner sleeve hem.
The hidden mitts are smartly cycling specific with a separate index finger for hassle-free braking and shifting. When tucked into the inner sleeve hem pocket, the thin glove material is largely unnoticeable.
- £119.99 / $140 / AU$TBD
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