The week running up to the Corebike show is always a huge one for fresh releases, and this year is certainly no exception. In this week’s Five Cool Things, we’re going to check out Starling’s entry into the growing 32-inch wheel market, Renthal’s fresh clipless pedals, brakes from Lewis, and a neat gravel saddle from Seido. That’s not all, as we have Fast Suspension’s latest shock, and of course, we’ll take a look back at this week’s news to get you caught up.
- Bikepacking basics: bike repair and first-aid kit
- The Rules of Faff – A mountain biker’s guide
- Gravel racing – what’s next for cycling’s growing discipline
As I’ve mentioned, a lot has gone on this week, and surprisingly, for wheels especially. That’s because Nobl has unveiled two new wheelsets that make up its new Signature line. These get reinforced rim lips, and we’re told that they optimise torsional flex. Interesting stuff. Then, the second brand to bring another two fresh wheelsets to the market is Boyd with the Reiver and Jocassee, which aim to please those who prioritise strength, or lightweight, respectively. Moving on from wheels, Specialized has announced an over-the-air update that boosts the power of its Levo e-MTBs, and Dangerholm has been at it again, smashing the Foil RC and Scale Gravel to create what may be the future of gravel.
Perhaps the biggest news to hit the site this week is the launch of Starling Cycles’ Big Bird. While it hops onto the burgeoning 32-inch wheel trend, being equipped with a 32-inch wheel up front, it’s the first production mega-mullet bike, utilising a 29-inch wheel at the rear. However, the brand isn’t yet convinced of the fresh wheel size.
But that’s not all, as Norco has entered the lightweight e-mountain bike space with the Norco Sight VLT TQ. As you might have guessed, it rocks TQ’s HPR60 drive system to deliver 60Nm of torque but in a package that weighs no less than 19kg. I’ve managed to squeeze in a bit of time on the bike ahead of its launch, so here are my first thoughts on the Norco Sight VLT TQ C2. As for other features, we caught up with none other than Joe Breeden to learn more about his Axess Racing team, and how the outfit has taken on its newest high-profile sponsor – Nukeproof.
Starling Cycles Big Bird
From £2,456
We’re pretty excited about this one. We’ve managed to get our hands on Starling’s 32-inch-wheeled Big Bird. Available as part of a very limited run through Starling’s Rare program, the Big Bird takes the brand’s renowned Murmur formula, but builds it around that rather large front wheel. Because of that, the bike not only adopts that instantly recognisable silhouette, but it gets many of the same features as Starling’s well-established trail platform.
The Big Bird comes as a bit of an experiment from the brand, as expected of its recently unveiled Rare program, but interestingly, Starling hasn’t gone for a full 32″ setup, rather, the bike uses a 29″ rear wheel for simplicity’s sake, as a new rear triangle hasn’t had to be designed. Of course, the whole bike revolves around a steel frame, but where the Big Bird flies from the Murmur’s roost is that it benefits from a shorter 470mm reach (on this large frame), and its front end is 40mm taller, as a result of that big front wheel. The bottom bracket’s height has been corrected to account for that 40mm rise, too.
A big challenge 32-inch wheels currently face is the availability of compatible componentry, so they’re offered as frame-only. That said, Starling can offer a suite of compatible components, with Intend’s Samurai fork rustling up 120mm of travel, paired with Intend’s Hover shock. You can also go for a set of wheels that are built from Nextie carbon rims laced to Hope’s Pro5 hubs. The brand can also supply a pair of Maxxis Aspen tyres.
Lewis LHP+ U4 brakes
£450
Lewis has been a name that’s quickly grown over the past couple of years for producing rather good commentary that at least looks fairly similar to big-name competitors, but with a much less painful asking price. The LHP+ U4 is one of those products, and it’s absolutely rammed full of features. First up, it uses a four-piston caliper with cooling fins that are separate from the brake pad, meaning that they’re reusable, and that brake pads are a bit more affordable. The whole brake is CNC-machined from 7075-T6 aluminium, and there’s a set of stainless steel and insulated pistons.
At the lever, there’s an impressive amount of adjustment. Reach and bite point adjustments are accounted for and present, but a cool bit of tech here is that there’s a leverage ratio adjustment. The brake comes with braided hoses as standard, a nice touch, and its olive and barb design is reusable.
Rethal Revo-DHC and Revo-TRC clipless pedals
£164.95 – £189.95
With the Revo-F flat pedal launching a couple of years ago, clipless pedals from Renthal have been a long time coming. Both the Revo-TRC and Revo-DHC benefit from proprietary bindings, but fret not, they’re still SPD compatible. However, compared to regular SPD mechanisms, the Revo’s are designed to be easier to clip into, which is always a welcome feature. Both models feature forged, then machined pedal bodies, but the Revo-DHC is shaped to mimic the support of a large flat pedal, while the Revo-TRC tames things down a bit to cater toward gravel, BMX, trail and enduro riders.
Much like the brand’s flat pedal, these use Renthal’s easy-service internals that consist of two cartridge bearings and an Igus bushing. The Revo-DHC gets a tonne of pins that are adjustable from 1.5mm up to 5.5mm, and the Revo-TRC is claimed to weigh 394g.
Fast Suspension Ride D shock
£649
Fast’s Ride D shock comes as a result of a bunch of learnings taken during the 2019 Downhill World Cup, as Tracey Hannah won the overall title, riding on a Fast shock. It adds something rather fresh to the mix, too. As usual, it boasts high and low-speed compression adjustments, but the Ride D brings medium-speed compression damping to the game. Additionally, the shock employs a speed-sensitive hydraulic bottom-out that sits in the final 25% of the stroke, and there’s an external low-speed rebound adjustment.
Each shock is then tuned and valved to your specific bike. The Ride D shock is available in standard and trunnion mounts, in an impressive range of sizes.
Seido Course saddle
£58
Seido’s Course saddle isn’t designed for just one bike type. Rather, it’s built to achieve an aggressive, yet efficient riding position. It’s built with what the brand says is an “ideal” profile, but we’re told that it’s supportive when ridden in a more upright position. While there’s a carbon-railed model available, this is the stainless steel version, which benefits from a synthetic cover, and of course, there’s a perennial relief cutout.
Sitting at 244mm in length and 148mm in width, Seido claims that the Course weighs 255g.
