Plus the latest news and reviews
The end of the week is soon upon us which means we get to share some of the lip-lickingly lovely new tech that’s crossed our desks at BikeRadar HQ in First Look Friday.
Before we get into that though, let’s have a recap of what we covered this week.
We kicked things off with a review of Milkit’s Hassle’off multi-tool before Simon von Bromley shared his lab findings after testing the rolling resistance of 8 of the latest road tyres with Silverstone Sports Engineering.
We also brought you reviews of the Silca Pista Plus Floor Pump, Madison Crypto Sunglasses and the Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR tyres.
Yesterday saw the launch of the new Shimano GRX gravel groupset with Liam Cahill giving an in-depth review of the new GRX Unstoppable groupset. Shimano also announced the new 1o5 R7100 mechanical groupset, after the brand launched the electronic version in June last year.
The bank holiday weekend saw the return of the Malvern Classic bike festival in Herefordshire, which we stomped around to produce a mega-tech gallery that had me deep in the BikeRadar Forum researching 1990s mountain bike lore.
Patagonia Dirt Roamer Jacket
The Dirt Roamer Jacket is a breathable and packable mountain bike jacket that Patagonia says will keep you comfy through all conditions.
The jacket is made from breathable 100 per cent recycled nylon with in-built stretch to accommodate on-bike movement.
A durable water-repellent (DWR) finish is applied to the jacket, so it should shed light precipitation.
The interior has a soft knit backing which is said to reduce claminess and to make the jacket comfortable against the skin.
Patagonia says the material is so breathable it decided to eliminate pit zips from the design.
Like many riding jackets, the Dirt Roamer features a helmet-compatible hood that can be stowed away when not needed.
An elastic drawcord tightens the hood, with a plastic clip used to keep it rolled away.
There is also a rear pocket which you can pack the jacket into.
Patagonia says the Dirt Roamer Jacket is made in a Fair Trade Certified factory which aims to provide employees with premium pay for their labour.
The jacket comes in sizes XS to XXL and is available in Plume Grey or Basin Green.
- £230/$249/€250
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Leatt 3.0 Enduro Helmet
Leatt’s 3.0 Enduro Helmet combines three different types of mountain bike helmet styles into one seemingly versatile package.
The helmet can be worn as either a full face, open face or ‘jet style’ helmet, with the latter including ear protectors that add more protection to the side of your head compared to the open mode.
You can transform the 3.0 Enduro Helmet by pressing the buttons located on the chin bar and ear protectors. This releases different parts from the main helmet.
With the chinbar attached the helmet is certified to the ASTM F1952-10 standard which means it can be used for downhill racing.
The helmet features a PowerBridge construction. Leatt says this adds reinforcement to the top of the helmet for shock absorption and helps reduce the weight to a claimed 690g (size small) with the chin bar attached.
The 3.0 Enduro Helmet features Leatt’s 360 Turbine technology, which is designed to protect your brain against rotational forces, similar to the MIPS system found on other helmets.
The helmet comes with two washable padding options, 8mm and 10mm as well as different cheek pads to find the correct fit.
- £249.99/$289/€269.99
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Fox Union Canvas Shoes
The Fox Union Canvas Shoes look to combine pedalling performance with casual styling for off-bike escapades.
As the name suggests, the upper of these mountain bike shoes features a canvas textile that gives a relaxed style compared to the rest of the Fox Union range.
The shoe uses a lace closure, with an elasticated lace-keeper used to stop loose ends from interfering with linkages and drivetrains.
Only available for flat pedal riders, the Union Canvas Shoes feature a custom-tuned EVA midsole that Fox says balances pedalling performance and walkability.
The soles of the shoes are made from Fox’s Ultratac compound and feature hexagonal lugs that have been designed to engage with flat pedal pins.
A reinforced toe cap is used to fend off rock strikes and keep your piggies out of harm’s way.
The shoes are available in Black, Red, Grey, Olive Green and Mocha Brown, with all colourways featuring a two-tone design.
- €119.99/£109.99
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Canyon MTB Performance Flat Pedals
The Canyon MTB Performance Flat Pedals are the first mountain bike pedals produced by the direct-to-customer brand.
The pedals are available in two sizes, with the smaller size suiting shoe sizes 36 to 42, and the larger size covering 43 to 48.
Canyon says the pedals use a concave design with varying pin heights to keep your foot in place on the pedals when riding through rough terrain.
Each side of the pedal features 10 pins that can be replaced using an Allen key from the other side of the pedal.
Canyon says these pins are sturdier than threaded pins while remaining easily replaceable.
The pedals use a DIN 15CrMo steel axle with sealed DU bushings which is said to increase wear resistance as well as strength, giving the pedal a max rider weight of 200kg.
You can open the pedal for servicing with an Allen key.
Canyon offers the pedals in black or a limited edition raw aluminium (pictured here), which should do a good job of hiding pedal strikes.
- £93.95/€103.95