The weekend is finally upon us and with it comes another installment of our Friday Five-a-side round-up of some the most interesting road cycling and mountain biking gear that has recently landed at BikeRadar. Take a closer look at what we'll be testing in the upcoming weeks and months.
New road cycling gear
Assos S7 Equipe bib shorts
Assos calls it the ‘Golden Gate’ – a free-floating portion of the chamois pad inside the new S7 bib shorts. Reactions from test riders have been mixed; most love the shorts overall, but a few riders with thicker legs found the free edges of the chamois to mildly chafe the inner thighs. The padded inserts underneath the chamois are spot-on, and the purple material is soft and remarkably breathable. The Equipe is the third in the four-short S7 series.
US$260 / £165
Louis Garneau P-09 aero helmet
With a flip-up shield and ear flaps that pull away from the head, the P-09 does a good job ensconcing the head in an aerodynamic helmet while still being relatively easy to get in and out of. A dial adjustment strap at rear is complemented by soft fabric right behind, ostensibly assisting with aerodynamics without hindering function. The helmet comes with two plugs for the front vent.
US$349 / £TBC
Clif Bar Mojo Bars
We have lost track of how many Clif Bar flavors and off-shoot products are offered by the Berkeley, California, company, but now there are five new gluten-free Mojo Bars in the mix as well. Flavours include Cranberry Almond, Wild Blueberry Almond, Coconut Almond Peanut, Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond. Made with organic whole nuts, organic fruit and organic dark chocolate, the gluten-free bars are low glycemic and high fiber. Oh, and they taste really good too.
US$1.49 / £TBC
Nuun Energy
Want some caffeine with your electrolytes? Nuun has you covered. Coming in three flavors — Wild Berry, Lemon Lime and Cherry Limeade — Nuun tablets dissolve in water in two minutes. Besides the electrolytes, caffeine and B vitamins, there is virtually nothing else in Nuun Energy; at less than 12g of carbohydrates, it's not exactly a high-calorie drink. The caffeine dose is 40mg per tablet (about half a shot of espresso).
US$24 for four-tube pack (each tube has 10 tablets) / £TBC
Pandana
Although Buff may have been the first to mass market a tubular, wicking sports bandana, it is certainly not the only company with such a product these days. Pandana recently got in the game with a variety of styles, including this Colorado flag option. The versatility of the layer is great, from a full-face cover to a neck gaiter to a hat. And there is a ninja-looking Panda face on it, too, which has to count for something.
US$16 / £N/A
New mountain biking gear
Niner One 9 RDO frame
The One 9 RDO is a no-holds-barred singlespeed race rocket. It’s carbon frame has a tapered head tube, internal cable routing, a 142x12 thru-axle rear end and, should you decide you need more than one cog to get up the climbs, it can also be set up with a 1x drivetrain.
We opted to spec our test bike as a “fun XC” bike, because dropper seatposts make every ride more enjoyable. Other component highlights include XTR brakes with 180mm front and 160mm rear rotors, a RockShox SID World Cup fork, and Reynolds carbon wheels.
US$2,149 (frame only) / £2,099
Bell Transfer-9 helmet
The Bell Transfer-9 packs all of the features of the carbon-shelled Full-9 in plastic/composite full-face that costs half as much. It’s got a breakaway GoPro mount, overbrow ventilation, removable pads to keep the stink to a minimum and a moto-inspired D-ring closure. The Transfer-9 is also compatible with the Eject Helmet Removal System, which allows first responders to inflate a bladder installed in the helmet with air to remove an injured rider’s helmet with minimal neck movement.
US$200 / £159.99
Ergon GE1 grips
If any other company were to label grips as 'enduro-specific' they would likely get laughed out of the marketplace. But Ergon, with its reputation for obsessive attention to ergonomic detail, is likely the only company able to pull it off. The GE1 is designed to be used with wide handlebars and an aggressive 'elbows out' riding position. The GE1 features a dual rubber compounds, textured zones to prevent hand slippage, and a single, inboard, aluminum lock-on clamp.
US$34 / £25
Promount Billet Enduro Garmin mount
While we’re on the subject of enduro gear, mounting a Garmin can present a bit of a conundrum to trail riders and enduro racers, particularly when running a short, 50mm stem. Promount Billet offers a solution by combining a Garmin mount with a headset top cap.
US$39.95 / AU$39.95 / £21.68 (exc shipping)
RaceFace 35mm Next riser bar and Atlas 35mm stem
Initially developed for gravity components, the 35mm handlebar clamp standard is gaining steam for trail and all-mountain riding. For 2014 RaceFace is offering 35mm options throughout its cockpit line.
The Next carbon riser bar is suitable for cross-country and trail riding. It comes in a 760mm width and has a weighs 180g. There are two rise options: 10mm and 20mm.
The Atlas 35mm stem is constructed from 6061-T6 aluminum and comes in 35, 50mm (as shown) and 65mm lengths.
Next 35mm riser bar: US$220 / £129.99
Atlas 35mm stem: US$100 / £79.95
