After a couple of weeks off, we’re back with another weekly Five Cool Things. In this week’s edition, we’re going to take a look at Hope’s latest brakes as well as a recently updated RockShox XC fork. On top of all that, we’ve got gloves from Leatt, an MTB-specific Ass Savers mudguard, and Funn’s single-sided pedals for gravel riding.
- Cross-country mountain biking: everything you need to know
- Downhill mountain biking – everything you need to know
- The best places in the UK for autumn cycling
But before diving into the techy goodness, let’s have a look back at the stories that appeared on the site over the week, and to start with features, there are plenty. We started the week off with an interview with Isla Short, who delved into how ADHD has affected her life and career, and how she’s achieving her most successful career yet as a privateer racer. Moving on, and after coming home from the inaugural RiftMTB in Iceland, I brought back 10 things I learnt while racing my first multi-day race. Then, ahead of her effort at this week’s XCM World Championships in Verbier this weekend, we checked out Amy Henchoz’s super light prototype Carbon Wasp.
A tonne of reviews have hit the site too, as our expert team checks out the Sonder Falco Eagle 70, Specialized’s Butcher Grid Trail T9 TLR tyre, and Funn’s Ripper2 clipless pedals.
As we’re heading into September, news is ramping up as Pembree unveiled its new high-performance compontry lineup, and Cube brought the heat to Specialized with its posh, Podium-equipped AMS Hybrid 177 e-MTB. Anyway, those five cool things…
Hope EVO TR4 brakes
£225
Back in June, Hope announced updates to its braking lineup, introducing a new range, dubbed EVO. Comprised of three brakes, the EVO range aims to cover cross-country, trail, and gravity riding with the X2, TR4, and GR4 models. Here, we’ve got the trail-focused TR4.
All of the brakes use the same master cylinder at the lever, but it receives a new cam design that reduces the free stroke while providing a firmer bite point, says the brand. There’s also a roller bearing at the pivot and a bush at the pivot with the aim of achieving a smoother lever feel. The lever itself has also seen a bit of a tweak, as it now uses a more defined hook for better control and a new dimple pattern. Additionally, there are two aftermarket lever options on offer, which Hope promises optimises the shape based on the desired reach. There’s also a new specific bleed sport, so riders no longer need to remove the reservoir’s lid for bleeding.
To suit the trail application, blending power and lightweight, the TR4 caliper boasts four smaller pistons compared to its gravity sibling, although they’re larger than the outgoing Tech 4’s.
RockShox SID SL Ultimate fork
£1,339
Promising to “unlock next-level speed”, RockShox has given its cross-country race fork a bit of a facelift. Now using a new air spring and chassis, the fork has been built to offer more tyre clearance to keep it up to date with modern XC trends.
This time around, the SID SL Ultimate drops the DebonAir air spring in favour of the DebonAir+ model to bring more comfort and an action that requires less breakaway force. So we can expect this fork to be suppler. The damper remains unchanged, with the fork employing the Charger Race Day 2 damper. As found on the rest of RockShox’s newest forks, there’s more bushing overlap thanks to the new chassis, which we’re told can accommodate up to 2.4in rubber.
Ass Savers Win Wing MTB Detour
£30
Ass Savers has made its space in the market with the Win Wing. It’s a rear mudguard that’s until now, has been reserved for road and gravel bikes. However, recognising that mountain biking can get rather muddy, the brand has built the Win Wing MTB.
Claiming to provide full backside protection from the knee up, it comes in at a claimed weight of 114g, and it works with 26in to 29in wheel sizes. It clips into your bike without the need for any tools, thanks to an adjustable and reinforced wishbone.
To suit the needs of mountain bikes, the guard itself is larger and wider, and Ass Savers reckons that it can fit almost any mountain bike.
Leatt MTB Endurance 3.0 gloves
£35
Built to balance breathability and comfort, Leatt’s MTB Endurance 3.0 gloves get a 360-degree vented upper and a MicronGrip palm, which is lined with padding to boost vibration damping. The 10 fingers then benefit from FormFit stitching to further boost comfort, whether it’s wet or dry out.
Funn Clast Clip-In Pedals
£75
Funn’s Clast pedals aim to bring the best of both worlds in a small package that’ll suit gravel, road riders, and commuters in one hit. One side offers an SPD mechanism for all of that clip-in goodness, while the other features eight pins for flat-shoe grip. These pedals are built from die-cast aluminium and use a cartridge axle for easy maintenance.
We’re told that the Clast pedals weigh 385g, measure in at 73x92x21mm, and provide a release angle of 18 degrees and five degrees of float.
