We travelled to the HQ of UK distributor Moore Large for its annual Geared show. Here we got a preview of what to expect from its roster of brands in 2015.
New clothing from Proviz
Proviz has released a child’s version of its ultra-popular Reflect 360 commuter jacket, available in four sizes to fit four- to 12-year-olds. This scaled-down garment will retail at £60.The £75 adult's Reflect 360 will continue to be sold, but there's now also an upgraded version, the Reflect 360 plus, which costs £20 more than the original due to the use of a more breathable material.
The Switch jacket is a newcomer, a reversible garment that allows its user to pick from a full-on high-vis yellow or the toned-down yet reflective grey found on other Proviz kit. It’ll cost £95 or £60 for the gilet version.
Proviz will also be offering a performance clothing line for the first time in 2015. The range will feature an Italian-made water-resistant and windproof jersey that makes use of pixel fabric, already used by the likes of Sugoi.
This material is subtle in daylight but comes alive when exposed to artificial light. The company is expecting this to retail for around the £125 mark.
Onza returns to MTB
Legendary trials brand Onza has returned to its mountain bike roots this year, and will be offering two complete-build steel hardtails. The Jackpot 27.5in and Payoff 29in will be constructed from chromoly tubing (unlike the Reynolds prototypes on display), are 1x specific and have tapered head tubes.
You can expect these tough and trail-ready builds to cost below the £2,000 mark. 17in and 19in frame size options will be on offer too.
Those old enough to have a beard should remember the Ules grips from Onza. Their design was contoured to complement the ergonomics of a clenched hand. Now they’re back, this time featuring a single Loc-on clamp. They’ll be £14.99.
Onza also had a £65 flat pedal on display and, despite being a design you might well recognise from a few other brands, the low-profile body, wide platform and aggressive pins should tick all the boxes for a lot of flat fiends.
We also spotted Onza-branded Thomson-esque stems, including a nifty 35mm option that’ll retail for £54.99 and 50mm, 60mm and 70mm versions priced at £49.99. For those who aren’t interested in a dropper, Onza also had a twin-bolt inline seatpost for £35.
American Classic Carbonator wheelset
American Classic had a new carbon wheelset on display. It's badged the Carbonator and is targeted at the enduro race crowd. It's available in 27.5in and 29in wheel sizes. The carbon rim features a 26mm internal diameter and a hookless profile for tubeless tyres. Tough, 3.5mm thick walls add up to a stout 33mm outside diameter. Claimed weights are 1,595g for the 27.5in version and 1,676g for the 29in set. Pricing is very competitive at £1,000 a set.
BOX Components
BMX specialists BOX Components has shifted some of its focus towards mountain biking, and this year offers a selection of handlebars and stems as well as its well-publicised forthcoming drivetrain componentsWhen pressed on the specs of the derailleur, BOX confirmed that the 10-speed part will come in both a clutch-equipped and non-clutch version, and will support wide-range cassettes. It’s expected to retail for around US$125 and is currently being tested by riders on the Hutchinson UR team
BOX also had a downhill cockpit setup on display, which comprised a direct-mount stem and an 800mm carbon downhill handlebar. Both components use the recently introduced oversized 35mm clamp diameter
Joe’s self sealing tubes
For those who want more protection than a tough tube but don’t want to take things fully tubeless, there are these self-sealing tubes from Joe’s. They're pre-filled with Joe’s eco sealant, and should work to fend off thorns and other small cut punctures. You’ll still be prone to snakebite punctures though, so keep an eye on those pressures. Sizes are available for most applications, and pricing starts at £8.99 per tube.
SR Suntour forks and e-bike system
Fresh goodies on the SR Suntour stand included the Aion, a more affordable alternative to the 34mm stanchion Auron all-mountain fork. Available with either a 27.5in or 29in chassis and in configurations ranging between 130mm and 160mm of travel, the Aion goes without the hollow crown and titanium axle of its bigger brother and in doing so will apparently save your wallet a considerable amount, although pricing is still to be confirmed.
In other news, the Auron will now also be offered in a 29in version for 2015.
SR Suntour has also come up with an e-bike system. Known collaboratively as HESC (Human Electro Synergy Components), the kit uses a motor at either the front or rear wheel and various crank mounted sensors to provide up to 400 watts of assistance.
We had a quick spin on an HESC-equipped bike and were impressed by the smoothness and simplicity of the system. Currently the technology will not be sold aftermarket but we expect to see plenty of HESC-equipped electric bikes in the near future.
Peugeot AE21 hybrid bike
Car manufacturers are well aware of the growing popularity of e-bikes and that’s why many of them are having a pop at it. Peugeot are of course no strangers to bicycle production and this is its latest hybrid effort, the AE21 hybrid.
Its looks are certainly striking – in fact it’s one of those designs that appears more concept than production. Contained within the unusual frame is a lithium-ion battery, a large commuting bag and an optional collapsible lock from Abus.
It features a host of low-maintenance parts from Shimano’s Nexus range, including a hub gear and matching drum brakes. It’ll retail for £2,300.
