Plus this week’s highlights from BikeRadar
Welcome back to another edition of First Look Friday, where we share the hottest tech that has landed on our desks in the past week.
This week on BikeRadar has been Adventure Week, where we’ve highlighted the best of bikepacking, touring and just escaping from the house for a couple of hours.
Before we get into this week’s picks, let us unpack what we’ve been up to for the last seven days and remind ourselves of the excellent content we’ve covered.
At the head of the week, Katherine Moore shared her recent experience of riding Sri Lanka’s red gravel tracks, where she sipped from coconuts and enjoyed spectacular and secluded views.
We also had on-the-road advice from Robyn Furtado, who revealed her learnings about bike repair, hospitality and hiding pesos from her Cuban bikepacking adventure.
Deputy editor Jack Luke showed off his recently completed randonneuring bike, with a whole host of counter-culture component choices, including cantilever brakes.
Entwined with this was the usual generous output of reviews, with products ranging from Rab’s Cinder Crank Pants to Canyon’s new Lux Trail CFR LTD downcountry race bike.
Without further ado, here are the choice products we got our hands on this week.
Timber Mountain Bike Bell
Timber’s Mountain Bike Bell is designed to avoid angry encounters out on the trail, alerting other users to your presence and hopefully clearing the path ahead.
Unlike traditional bike bells, the Timber Bell isn’t actuated by your thumb; instead, the clapper swings freely within the body and hits the side walls when you ride over bumps – essentially turning you into a mountain goat.
There are three settings for the bell, with two ride modes dictating how fast the bell dings and an off switch to enjoy peaceful fire-road ascents.
A spring-loaded piston in the lever is said to make it easy to change between these settings without the bell twisting on the bar.
Two mounting options are available, with the quick-release version featuring a UV-protected rubber band and the direct-mount using a hex-key closure, both of which come with rubber shims to fit 35mm, 22.2mm and 31.8mm tubes.
Timber says the bolt-on model is better for riders who are keeping the bell on a specific bike, because it mounts more firmly to the bar.
The bell uses a modular design that’s said to make swapping out worn or damaged components quick and easy, with Timber offering full replacement parts.
A quick ring in the office didn’t summon my morning coffee, but the bell sounds loud and there’s a friendly chime that I may soon associate, like Pavlov’s dog, with gnarly trails.
- £35 / $29.95 / €27.95
Scott MTB Volt EVO shoes
These flat-pedal mountain bike shoes from Scott feature a casual aesthetic that looks to be matched with on-trail performance.
Like many flat mountain bike shoes, the Volt EVOs close with a lace system, but in this instance flat laces with wide eyelets are used to reduce bunching and make for easier fastening.
Scott uses its familiar Sticki rubber on the outsole, which it says provides excellent traction and control on the bike, enabling you to navigate confidently through technical terrain.
The lightweight polyurethane upper features perforations in the toe box and up the side of the foot to aid cooling, while the structure is built into the inside of the shoe to protect your feet from the crank arms.
Scott has given the shoes its 3D-moulded ErgoLogic removable insoles, which it says provide a stable foundation for improved comfort and power transfer by adding support to the foot in critical zones.
The shoes are only available in one colourway, with the two-tone black and beige design giving serious driving-range vibes.
- £109.99 / €109.95
KS Lev Circuit wireless dropper post
KS is widely regarded as the first brand to release the modern mountain bike dropper post.
With its latest post, KS has joined rivals such as RockShox and made a wirelessly actuated post.
The Lev Circuit uses Bluetooth technology to communicate a signal between the bar-mounted remote and the dropper post, resulting in a claimed faster and more consistent actuation.
KS says the Lev Circuit is aimed at all disciplines, and the post is available with 125mm, 150mm, 175mm or 200mm of travel, in a 30.9mm or 31.6mm diameter.
Being in the Lev range, the Lev Circuit has the same top-spec internals as other posts, except it has been flipped upside down, with the trigger and servo now sitting at the top of the post. This makes space for the valve and adjustable cartridge at the bottom.
The post is IP67-certified, meaning it can sustain water jets and full submersion in one metre of water for 30 minutes – which should make riding through puddles worry-free.
Unlike other wireless dropper posts, the Lev Circuit features a lever-shaped button on the remote, which is powered by a CR2032 battery.
KS claims the post can last up to eight weeks on a single charge, and a separate USB-C charging port is supplied to juice up the battery.
- £729.99
PNW Loam grips
PNW’s Loam grips are said to feature an ultra-tacky compound to help keep your hands planted on the bar.
This is aided by an ergonomic pattern that PNW says supports your palms and helps relieve fatigue caused by trail chatter and long days in the saddle.
Like many grips, they come in two sizes, OG and XL, with the later version boasting a 34mm diameter designed for riders with bigger hands.
A single clamp is used to keep the grips from twisting on the bar and there is a built-in end cap to stop your handlebar from becoming a flesh-eating spud gun.
The grips come in a multitude of colourways, and the claimed weight is 90g for the OGs and 120g for the XLs.
- £25.20