Another week, another Five Cool Things, and this time, it’s packed with exciting goodness. We’ve got the bike that won its debut race under Tahnee Seagrave, the all-new Orbea Rallon, and a more affordable entry into Shimano’s new wireless lineup, XT Di2. There’s also Maxxis’ revamped Dissector, hoops from DT Swiss, and fresh Sidi kicks.
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But before we get into the cool things, let’s glance over what happened throughout the week. We kicked things off with a review of OneUp Components’ Aluminium Handlebar, a bar that takes the brand’s patented oval shape and applies it to a more accessible alloy package, all in the name of great comfort and control. As things are getting wetter, Jimmer took a look at Mucky Nutz’ Mudguard Long and if you’re after a strong, and very hands-off wheelset, Mavic’s E-Deemax S e-MTB wheels look set to fit the bill. Then, we delivered our verdict on Lauf’s rather different approach to cross-country mountain biking, the Elja.
Next up, South African multi-disciplinarian Alan Hatherly has been having an incredibly successful couple of years. Now with two World Championship wins to his name, and a bronze medal scored at the Paris Olympics, our Steve caught up with the man himself to fine out just how he gets the job done. Then, to further prepare you for the incoming wet winter, we collected our range of the best MTB mudguards we’ve tested.
As for news, plenty has been going on as YT Industries has filed for insolvency, but we’re told that the brand’s original owner is looking to buy the company back. Surly has also revamped its Straggler gravel bike after 10 years of service.
Orbea Rallon E10
£5,400
The latest version of Orbea’s Rallon has had a mighty shake-up, and since its unveiling after Tahnee Seagrave piloted it to a win in Bielsko-Biala, it’s had a mighty buzz around it. Departing strongly from the previous model, the new Rallon is two bikes in one. A full, dual-crown-equipped downhill bike and a slightly pared-down enduro bruiser – the bike that you see here.
Although this E10 isn’t in its proper downhill guise, it gets all of the bells and whistles that’ll please serious gravity riders. It dons tonnes of adjustment, with an adjustable head tube angle, adjustable bottom bracket height, and two suspension progression options. However, what’s perhaps the most interesting feature of the new Rallon is that it comes with bolt-on weights that sit just forward of the bottom bracket. These allow for even more track-dependent tunability. Riders can also pick from a pair of 29in wheels, and a mullet wheelset, and if you’ve got a dual-crown fork lying around, and a longer stroke shock, you can easily set up the Rallon to its DH guise thanks to replaceable shock mounts.
Set up for enduro, the Rallon boasts 170mm of suspension at the rear, with 180mm up front, and there’s tonnes of space for a generous-length dropper post, as the bike offers 240mm of travel on this large frame. There’s then internal cable routing which can be run through the headset (not that you would really want that), and there’s downtube storage.
A lot is going on with this bike, so we’ll leave it for the incoming review to explain in more depth.
Shimano Deore XT M8200 Di2
£1,075
For Shimano’s new electronic drivetrain range, the good ol’ trickdown magic has happened quickly, as merely weeks after the unveiling of XTR Di2, the brand’s first truly wireless drivetrain, XT Di2 was released. XT Di2 is nearly identical to its pricier range-mate as it uses much of the same tech, such as Shadow ES and a stabiliser unit that’s built into the derailleur. However, instead of a weight-saving carbon cage, it uses an alloy alternative.
The new cassette uses the brand’s Hyperglide+ design, and it’s built using a combination of alloy and steel cogs. And there are two cassette sizes available – 9-45t and 10-51t. There are two crank options, too. One is built for cross-country and the other is a little burlier, to please those with a more trail and enduro persuasion.
Then, the XT brakes follow the same shape as the latest XTR offerings, and they use the new low-viscosity mineral oil, which is slated to solve the wandering bite point woes that plagued Shimano brakes of old.
Maxxis Dissector G2 EXO+ MaxxGrip
£75
A few weeks ago, Maxxis announced updates to Troy Brosnan’s signature tyre, the Dissector. Before, it was a tyre that was designed to balance rolling speed and overall control, while excelling mainly over dryer surfaces. But now, the second-generation Dissector looks a little more like a mini Assegai, as the brand has completely reworked the tyre’s tread pattern in a bid to provide more stability and predictability when cornering.
We’re also told that the new tread is more resistant to deflection, which should make for a harder-wearing tyre. The transition knobs have then been spaced a little further from the centre, too, to provide a more consistent feel as the tyre is leaned into a turn.
Maxxis then goes on to suggest what kinds of bikes the tyre works for. The brand reckons that it makes a great front tyre for bikes with 130 to 140mm of travel, then as a rear tyre for bikes with more suspension travel.
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DT Swiss EXC 1501 Spline One wheelset
£1,550
DT Swiss reckons that its EXC 1501 Spline One hoops are ‘everything a modern enduro rider needs’. That statement is backed up with the wheels’ 30mm internal width, carbon rims and DT Swiss’s competition race straightpull spokes. The wheelset as a whole is built to balance strength and weight, with its carbon rims coming with plenty of reinforcement while the straight-pull spokes and Pro Lock Squorx nipples boost overall longevity.
These wheels use DT Swiss’s Ratchet DEG hubs, which means that the freehub is compatible with the brand’s latest Degrees of Freedom system that we checked out in last week’s Five Cool Things, and yep, we’re running it in these wheels. But the standard DEG freehub comes with 90 teeth that achieve a four-degree engagement.
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Sidi Atomus shoes
£169
Designed for enduro and technical mountain biking styles, Sidi’s Atomus shoes use a Materiis rubber outsole that’s been formulated by the very folk behind the brand. We’re told that these are some super durable clogs that promise to be tough enough to withstand motocross riding (why you’d ride clipless shoes on a motorbike, we don’t know), so they should be more than capable of coping with the rough and tumble of modern mountain biking.
These shoes then use a ripstop fabric for the upper, benefit from impact protectors and get Firmor lateral support. Those impact protectors are said to ‘excel in jump landing performance’, so wear these and you’ll be gapping like Brendog in no time.
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