We’ve got a real mix of gear in on test this week, from super light carbon wheels with their own spoke technology to a budget gravel bike that looks twice the price from Giant. Then there’s gear from Muc-Off and lastly, a neat little bell from Lezyne that we reckon would look pretty sweet on a gravel bike.
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Spinergy GXC gravel wheelset
These superlight wheels may look a little odd with their blue ‘spokes’, it’s probably time you took another look as they aren’t spokes as we know them, these wheels are laced with PBO Fiber Spokes, the companies very own invention. PBO stands for Polyphenylene Bensobisoxazole and each ‘spoke’ contains 30,000 fibre strand of PBO encased in a chemical resistant, water and UV proof composite.
Spinergy says this material is half the weight and three times stronger than steel. They say that the outcome is a flexible spoke with incredible strength that will absorb impacts more efficiently while staying in true as well as absorbing vibration. We weighed the wheels in at 1490 for the pair with a Shimano freehub.
This pair of carbon, 700c, 24mm wide (18mm internal) wheels that come taped and tubeless-ready retail at $1,776.00. There are also other alloy options using the same ‘spoke’ tech at just under $850.
- $1,776.00
- www.spinergy.com
Muc-Off Essentials Case
This ‘hard-as-nails’ case can house a phone, essential tools and/or puncture repair kits, with a tough camo fabric and water-repellent zipper combining to ensure your essentials have all the protection they need. The heavy-duty rubber-encased rope zip pull means quick and easy access on the bike, while the Molle Webbing straps on the back of the case are compatible for easy attachments to Molle accessories or bags. Inside there’s a divider for your cards, and a zipped section for coins and keys; it will also fit plus-size phones at 17 x 9 x 2cm.
Muc-Off Puncture Plug
Muc-Off describes their Puncture Plug as the ultimate backup tool when a puncture is simply too big to seal. It has a durable handle and a 2-in-1 puncture plug tool with five thick plugs and five thinner ones included, all coming packaged in a handy storage pouch. It’s compatible with all tubeless road, mountain bike and gravel tyres, and you can stock up with refill packs when you eventually run out. Find out if they got David Arthur back on the road and gravel in his upcoming test report.
Lezyne Classic Shallow Brass Bell
A bell without any bulk, the Classic Shallow Bell weighs in at just 27g and is made from high-polished brass mounted to a machined aluminium base. The dinger has what Lezyne describes as a “sharp, definitively loud ring”, and the o-ring will work with a wide variety of bar sizes and shapes. Will this bell end your hunt for something suitably loud to alert others of your presence?
Giant Revolt 1
We took a first look at Giant’s Revolt 0 gravel bike a while back and now its the turn of the cheaper Revolt 1, a bike that isn’t quite bottom of the range but is very nearly so. At £1,149 the Revolt 1 gets an alloy frame and carbon fork (with the brands Overdrive steerer), a Shimano Tiagra drivetrain and Giant’s own brand brakes. We’ll get the first look of this bike coming along soon.
- £1,149
- www.giant-bicycles.com
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