Happy Friday! Soon after the previous edition of First Look Friday, we brought you news of a High Court ruling where hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall won the right to remove people from wild camping on his land on Dartmoor.
The ruling was quickly met with outrage from many, with organisations such as Right to Roam saying they would appeal the ruling.
While that looks set to draw the case out, on Thursday an agreement was struck between Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) and landowners, which will mean wild camping can continue in certain parts of the park as long as campers “leave no trace”.
An interactive map showing where you can wild camp will be published on the DNPA’s website.
The DNPA will pay landowners a yet-to-be-determined sum to make wild camping possible. Right to Roam has described this as a “stitched up deal” with landowners snatching away the public’s right to wild camp.
If people not having access to the countryside has you galled, our latest video will likely bring some cathartic relief. We visited the New Forest Off Road Club, which looks to increase representation in the great outdoors.
Sticking with gravel, we brought you our gravel and racing predictions for 2023. Will gravel suspension go mainstream? We’re not so sure.
In pro racing, the Tour Down Under kicked off this week and Simon von Bromley took a look at the novel tech used in the men’s prologue.
Jack Luke dived into the world of road bike tech via the UCI-approved frameset list, which reveals there will be three frame tiers for the new Cannondale SuperSix.
Jack Evans covered a Scott recall that’s required reading if you’re the owner of a 2023 Speedster road or gravel bike and the news Giant has started consumer direct sales in the UK.
Official launches this week came in the form of the Giro Aries helmet, which the brand says is its lightest MIPS Spherical helmet ever, the new Orbea Gain electric road bike and the YT Capra Core 1.
In the world of mountain bikes, Nick Clark covered what a recent chain decoupler patent from Fox will mean for suspension and eight things we wish we knew before starting mountain biking.
As ever, we brought you a host of reviews and collated our picks of the best winter cycling shoes, best hybrid bikes and best waterproof jackets.
Meanwhile, I updated you on my Ridley Noah Disc Essential long-term test bike and how getting back to riding after a terrible case of flu has been oh-so-sweet.
Classified G30 Powershift wheelset
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Classified has caused a stir in the cycling world with its Powershift hub. The design does away with the need for a front derailleur, bringing the gear range of a 2x drivetrain to a 1x drivetrain via a two-gear system integrated into the rear hub.
This is what sits at the centre of the G30 Powershift wheelset, which we’ve just got in for testing. The G30 is a gravel wheelset with a 30mm-deep, tubeless-ready, hooked carbon rim.
Classified says its Powershift hub works with either an 11-speed or 12-speed Classified cassette that fits to the smart hub, which contains the “electronically actuated clockwork-like shifting mechanism”.
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The smart hub fits into a hub shell, but it’s removable, so you can use the same smart hub across different wheelsets.
Classified requires you to use a smart thru-axle, which receives a Bluetooth shift signal from the handlebar unit. Alternatively, electronic groupset STI shifters can be modified to actuate the hub.
Classified says the system shifts faster than a front derailleur – at 150 milliseconds – and can be used under full load up to 1,000 watts.
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While not having to tune a front derailleur or shift under load may be the main appeal of Classified’s system for many, if you’re Jules de Cock the advantage is it avoids using a front derailleur in a sandy, salty and wet environment.
Classified will also make an appearance at the 2023 Tour de France with Uno-X, which has been granted a wildcard entry.
- £2,299 / $2,999 / €2,599
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GripGrab Explorer gravel overshoes
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When the GripGrab Explorer overshoes launched in November 2022, they received a mixed reception, scoffed at by some and applauded by others.
Some thought the idea of overshoes tailored to the needs of gravel riding was a pedal stroke too far, while others thought that was a great idea. After all, if gravel bikes are proliferating why not gravel-specific kit?
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Whichever camp you fall into, GripGrab says it has fine-tuned these booties for gravel riding.
GripGrab says the Explorer Overshoes have reinforcement suited to off-road riding, with a TPU cap and reinforcements said to increase durability and protect areas exposed to abrasion.
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The overshoes have a three-layer waterproof construction, with an insulated layer sitting closest to your gravel shoes, then a waterproof membrane and finally a knitted outer layer.
GripGrab says the stretch in the Explorers enables it to create ‘form-fitting’ overshoes without zips, minimising potential irritation and increasing the product’s lifetime.
- £79.95 / $89.95 / €89.95
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Invani men’s regular fit reversible cycling jersey
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Invani creates reversible cycling jerseys and gilets, providing you with more colour options and potential outfit changes for the cost – and environmental impact – of one item.
This Invani reversible cycling jersey is one example, with the jersey providing a contrast black and gold design and a less flashy grey-on-grey alternative the other way around.
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This jersey is a ‘regular fit’, which Invani says is a more relaxed fit “well suited to gravel riding” – so it’s not just overshoes, then. There is also a ‘slim fit’ geared more towards road riding.
To create a reversible design, the jersey has a YKK zip with a toggle that can be flipped from one side to the other.
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There are three rear pockets on either side of the jersey. Invani says it has never received any complaints of the interior pockets causing irritation. This may be because riders would have a set of bib shorts and a baselayer between their skin and the pockets.
The sleeves have raw-cut edges and there are reflective strips on the tail.
- £85
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Pro Griffon Team saddle
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Senior technical editor Ashley Quinlan recently went for a bike fit and was recommended the Pro Griffon Team saddle.
The saddle is designed for less flexible riders who tend to shift their weight around while riding.
This is somewhat different to the trend we’ve seen in recent years for short-nose road bike saddles that curve up towards the back.
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Shorter-nose saddles don’t allow so much movement and can give a more planted feel than flatter, longer saddles such as the Griffon Team. However, as Ashley’s bike fit suggests, there is still a place for these longer saddles.
The saddle has a durable PU cover over lightweight EVA padding.
There is an ‘anatomic recess’ along the centre of the saddle to relieve pressure, according to Pro.
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On the underside, the saddle has a carbon base and carbon rails.
Ashley has a 142mm width, but it is also available in a 152mm width.
The saddle is compatible with Pro saddle accessories, which can attach to the two screws you see on the base.
The Griffon Team weighs 165g on the BikeRadar scales.
- £199.99 / $219.99
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ROCKNROLLA by Josh Murphy
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If you enjoyed Josh Murphy’s Silk Road Mountain Race Horse for the Course, you’ll enjoy the zine he’s made to commemorate his race.
Titled ROCKNROLLA, the zine brings together Murphy’s photography of Inner Mongolia, where the race happens. Murphy delves into what led him to enter the race and what it was like to complete the 1,900km odyssey.
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Murphy talks about how ultra-distance rides are a “personal protest” against the trappings of adult life and the work-life balance that’s at odds with the time he spent travelling when he was younger.
He also explains the nerves he felt before undertaking the race and the highs and lows – mentally and geographically – of completing the gruelling event.
The zine is available to purchase via Slow Press. Murphy expects to release a second print run shortly.
- £15