Congratulations on making it to Friday. Here is the latest batch of fresh mountain and road gear that's arrived at BikeRadar this week, including fresh items from Pearl Izumi, Gore, Gios, Specialized and more.
New mountain bike gear
Gore ALP-X 3.0 jersey
The ALP-X 3.0 jersey proves not all Lycra jerseys are created equal when it comes to mountain biking. This slim-fit jersey has two side stash pockets that can be easily accessed when wearing a hydration pack, and the shoulders are imprinted with a silicone pattern that minimises abrasion from the straps of a backpack.
US$109.99 / £89.99
Kitsbow Women’s Soft Shell A/M shorts
High-end mountain bike apparel maker Kitsbow has a growing number of women’s items in its collection. The women’s Soft Shell A/M shorts come in straight fit as well as a curved fit (shown here) versions to suit different body types. Like the men’s version we reviewed last year, the Women’s Soft Shell A/M shorts are constructed from Schoeller-dryskin fabric and feature zippered waist pockets that are reversed for comfortable storage while riding.
US$269 / £N/A
Osprey Verve 9 hydration pack
The Verve 9 is a women’s hydration pack suitable for one to three-hour rides. It comes with a three-litre reservoir and has ample storage space for a pump, multi-tool, spare tube and rain jacket. Osprey incorporates a number of creature comforts into its hydration packs, such as a magnetic hose holder to prevent the hose from flopping around as you ride, and LidLock, which allows the rider to fasten their helmet to the pack when travelling to and from the trailhead.
US$100 / £65
SRAM Guide RSC hydraulic disc brakes
The new SRAM Guide RSC hydraulic disc brake uses the same four-piston calliper as the Trail brake it replaces, but adds a redesigned master cylinder that's developed to be more robust, and a new brake lever assembly intended to improve modulation. While our first impression of the Guide RSC was favourable, we’re looking forward to seeing how this pair holds up over a season of riding hard riding.
$199 (per wheel) / €177 / £TBA
Yeti Cycles Tolland jersey and Teller shorts
In addition to making well-regarded mountain bikes such as the esteemed SB66, this Golden, Colorado-based company also has a line of cycling apparel. Each piece in the collection is named after a Colorado ghost town.
The Tolland is a relaxed-fit jersey with an understated look. It features a sunglass wipe and two rear pockets. The Teller shorts are lightweight with zippered hand pockets and a 14in inseam.
- Tolland jersey US$45 / £TBA
- Teller shorts US$75 / £TBA
Pearl Izumi BMC team kit
Pearl Izumi is supplying Team BMC with clothing that's considerably higher up the food chain than standard Lyrcra kit. The high-compression Repilca shorts have gripper-less leg hems and flatlock seams.
The BMC replica jersey has vented side panels, skinsuit-like shoulders and long arms, and comes in a generous run of sizes from S to XXL, plus two 'tweener' S/M and M/L sizes for a just-right fit.
- Bib shorts: US$150
- Jersey: US$110
- Not available in Europe
Specialized S-Works Turbo 26mm tyre
After finding success with the 24mm version, Specailized has beefed up its race rubber slightly with a 26mm model. Light (220g), compliant (220tpi) and great in corners, the S-Works Turbo is certainly not flat-proof. But as it says right there on the label: For Racing Only. There is a thin BlackBelt layer for some protection against flats.
US$65 / £N/A
Gios Aero Lite
Best known for blue steel frames, the Italian maker is back with some fairly radical tube shaping. The Gios Aero Lite is more aero than light, with a frame weighing about 1,200g. But for such a heavily sculpted aero frame, the bike is surprisingly comfortable and forgiving to ride. Note the semi-integrated water-bottle holders in the down and seat tubes.
Bontrager Velocis helmet
After a slow start, Bontrager has ramped up its helmet game. The Velocis was developed with the input of its top international pro team, Trek Factory Racing. The CE version of the helmet weighs a claimed 229, and we weighed our US CPSC version at 228g. Lots of vents, comfortable, easy-to-adjust fit and a few colour options if 'visible' isn't your thing.
US$249 / £159
MOA Mavro bib shorts
The Mavro sim-fit bibs use Lycra Power fabric for compression with a ceramic-reinforced material on the inner panels for "better protection and good grip". As with most bib shorts, the most important part is what you can't see: the chamois is a no-nonsense smooth, single layer on the skin-contact side, with two thin pads sewn in underneath to support the sit bones.
Pricing TBA
