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Five cool things coming soon from Giant, Boardman, Sigma Sport, Birzman and Crankbrothers

Some more of the best bikes, gear and clothing we're testing at the moment, with full reviews coming soon...

The Tour might be over but sun is still shining, so we're getting as many miles in as we can before those nights draw in! Here's the pick of the test pile bunch this week...

Boardman SLR 8.9 Carbon 2021

£1,000.00

2021 Boardman SLR 8.9 Carbon.jpg

As we've come to expect from Boardman, you get a lot for your money with their 2021 carbon SLR 8.9; a full carbon frame and fork with 105 shifting would usually command a greater price tag, but if you can have a reasonably lightweight (8.8kg) package with aero tube profiles on the Cycle to Work scheme, you might as well commute a little quicker. 
Boardman have refined the frame so it mimics their top-end SLR 9.6, with dropped seatstays, an integrated seat clamp and a carbon layup that Boardman says will deliver day long comfort. Mr Chris Boardman himself gave his input to make changes to the contact points, and plenty of time was spent in the wind tunnel to validate the changes. Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Graphene 2.0 tyres, Boardman SLR tubeless-ready wheels and Tektro R315 long drop rim brakes to give you the option to run 28mm tyres complete the package. The ideal £1k racer? Stu Kerton's verdict is coming soon. 
boardmanbikes.com/gb

Birzman E-Grip 16g CO2 Inflator

£14.99

2020 Birzman E-Grip 16g CO2 Inflator

This handy little CO2 features an ergonomic neoprene sleeve to stop your hands getting 'burnt' while filling up your tube. Being compact in stature and weighing 164g, it won't take up much space in your saddle bag/pocket and is made of CNC machined aluminium so it will last you for years. It's also compatible with Presta and Schrader valves "for an efficient and effort-saving experience". Find out if it saved Mike Stenning some roadside hassle in his full test report next month. 
silverfish-uk.com

Sigma iD.TRI Triathlon Watch

£160.00

2020 Sigma iD.TRI Trianthlon Watch.jpg

Some smart watches are so neat and convenient nowadays they threaten to make the bike computer redundant... and looking at the specs of the iD.TRI from Sigma, it could be all you need on and off the bike if you're not really one for using extensive mapping features on your GPS. 
Weighing just 42g, the watch does have its own special mounting bracket to attach it to your bars and will pump out all the usual data such as speed, altitude or watts with a compatible power meter. You can customise all the training views in the Sigma Data Centre or the Sigma Link app, which allows you to display up to three values at once on screen - "that way the most important data is always in view", say Sigma. A host of other features such as targeted training, workouts and a crash alert system means you really do get a lot for your money on paper... but how does this watch work out on the road, in the pool and in everyday life? Simon Smythe will be reporting back soon. 
sigmasport.com

Giant Power Pro Ultegra R8000 Power Meter

£799.99

2021 Giant Power Pro Ultegra R8000 Power Meter 6

Giant began integrating their own power meters onto their off-the-peg bikes a couple of years ago now, and you can now buy them separately for a fair bit less than some of the competition. Our test rig is assembled on a tried and tested Shimano Ultegra R8000 chainset, and weighs in at 712g. Claimed accuracy is +/-2% at a cadence of 80rpm, and Giant say their "exclusive algorithm" should ensure accurate and stable data without environmental distractions. An accelerometer is also included to allow for magnet-free measurement, and an LED indicator displays battery level and alerts you to recharge when power gets below 20%. As you'd expect, there is full waterproofing and Bluetooth/ANT+ compatibility so it works with a wide range of modern head units and smart watches. 
Power to the people? Dave Atkinson's verdict is due shortly. 
giant-bicycles.com

Crankbrothers Sterling Short hand pump with gauge

£34.99

2020 Crankbrothers Sterling Short hand pump with gauge 1.jpg

If you're forced into a roadside repair, the Sterling Short hand pump from Crankbrothers allows you to reinflate more accurately thanks to a little integrated pressure gauge. It will fit on Presta or Schrader valves and the large dual piston will allow you to get up to 100psi in your tyre. A 6061 aluminium build should make it robust, and the 17cm length should allow you to store it in a sizeable jersey pocket if you're not the type to attach a mini pump to your frame (some people are funny about that, beats me though).
Did it provide Steve Williams with perfect pressure? Find out in the full review, coming soon... 
extrauk.co.uk

For all the latest road.cc test reports, head over to our reviews section. If you want some more advice before splashing the cash, check out our buyer's guides. 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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10 comments

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sgdrerz | 3 years ago
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Wasn't the Sigma iD.TRI Triathlon Watch launched last September?  

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/09/hands-on-sigmas-id-tri-id-free-multi...

 

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Fluffed | 3 years ago
1 like

Dual sided power meters on Shimano cranks kind of have an issue with L/R accuracy,  something about the crank constuction gives you flaky resulty. The Giant one isn't super cheap or anything, it's alright if you buy it with the bike but you can do better for the money.

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michophull | 3 years ago
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If the Boardman SLR has a threaded bottom bracket then I'll seriously consider buying one. Looking forward to seeing your review.

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armb replied to michophull | 3 years ago
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"FSA BB-CF86/CZ Pressfit for MegaExo Chainset"

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2341-slr-8.9-2021.html

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iandusud replied to michophull | 3 years ago
0 likes

Whilst not the be all and end all of things, I'm surprised at the weight of the Boardman at 8.9kg for an all carbon rim braked bike. A lighter set of wheels would probably shed 500g of that weight but it would still be over 8kg. I would expect it to nearer 8kg with a 105 group and the std wheels. Which makes me wonder if all the aero profiling has added to the weight. 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to iandusud | 3 years ago
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It is not full 105 group though, just the derailluiers and shifters. Cranks and brakes are different make. And to get a full carbon bike for 1k, I will be surprised if the carbon used is the lightest and strongest.

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alotronic replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
1 like

Yes the Tiagra chainset is very heavy indeed - getting up towards a kilo. I swapped mine out for a 105 and the bike felt noticeably lighter...

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FlyingPenguin replied to iandusud | 3 years ago
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Remeber that pretty much everything on it other than the frame is basically made out of pig iron.

I've got the 2018 Tiagra version, heavily upgraded.  I haven't properly weighed it, but every component I removed was noticeably heavier than the ones that went back on.

It's a lovely bike, my only regret is that if I'd known then how much I'd use it (a lot...) I'd probably have upped my budget in the first place.

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othello | 3 years ago
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We have two of the Giant Ultegra R8000 power meter chainsets in the house, and they are brilliant. No faffing with not connecting or needing calibrating. Just get on the bike and ride, and they record. 

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RobD | 3 years ago
0 likes

I have the non gauge version of the sterling pump and it's been brilliant, the adjustment between high volume and high pressure is handy for getting tyres up to a decent pressure quickly, and it feels like it should last years. Happy to have mine attached next to the bottle cage, I hate having jersey pockets over stuffed with things.

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