We’re back with yet another Five Cool Things, and this week, we’ve got quite the selection. Rolling into off.road.cc HQ is Revel’s latest mountain bike, a coil shock from XFusion, and gravel-specific tyre sealant from Joe’s No Flats. But that’s not all, as we’ve got a fresh batch of chain lube from Smoove and Praxis’s updated Brodium pedals. Let’s dive in.
But first, let’s take a look at the news, features, and reviews that have appeared on the website throughout the week. We started things off with a look at hydraulic brakes. They’re super complicated, and there is a ton that can affect how they perform, so we addressed how to get the best out of your hydraulic brakes with some handy tips. On top of that, we looked back at 10 controversial gravel and MTB trends that have stuck around for the long haul, which we now take for granted. Lastly, on the feature front, we delivered our top pick of the best gravel bikes we’ve ridden, all to help you buy your first or next gravel bike with confidence.
As for news, DT Swiss has brought an update to its pedal-kickback-combatting Degrees of Freedom tech, making it compatible with a greater range of hubs and introducing a new race-specific version. Pirelli also revamped its MTB tyre lineup with simpler naming and loads of choice, so there should be a Scorpion tyre for trail, enduro, downhill and everything in between.
Finishing up with reviews, our crack team of testers has delivered its verdict on Giant’s latest Anthem cross-country bike, Wolf Tooth Components’ Shift Gravity clipless pedals and Shimano’s Deore M6200 four-piston brakes.
Revel Ranger SRAM XO Transmission
£7,999
Earlier this year, Revel made its return to the UK, and we’ve been hot on the brand for test bikes ever since. Shortly after its long-awaited comeback, the brand unveiled quite a serious update to its Ranger, a short-travel trail ripper that’s promised to be exactly what a downcountry bike should be, whether you agree with that genre or not. Utilising a CBF suspension layout, absolutely every part of the frame is constructed of carbon, from the swooping front triangle down to the smaller details, like the uber-sleek linkage.
Compared to the previous model, there have been an awful lot of changes, so that CBF platform has been rejigged to produce 120mm of travel, but it features a boost in anti-rise to promote performance under braking loads, and it dons a 5.1% increase in progression. That’s in a bid to balance small bump sensitivity with mid-stroke support and plenty of bottom-out resistance. Anti-squat is higher, too, to bring pedalling efficiency and traction.
Though perhaps the biggest deviation from Revel bikes prior is in the geometry. Where the brand’s bikes are known for being a little shorter in reach in pursuit of a fun and nimble ride, the Ranger gets a 485mm reach on this large frame. There’s then a 65.7-degree head tube angle, a 77-degree effective seat tube angle, and a 437mm chainstay length.
With small-travel trail bikes very much in vogue at the moment, I’m excited to see what Revel has brought to the table.
XFusion H3C RCP
£300
Although its name reads a little more like a car’s registration plate, XFusion’s H3C RCP coil shock is primed to bring performance without the price. As you might expect of a coil shock, it’s pointed towards the all-mountain and enduro end of the mountain biking spectrum, and although it’s aggressively priced, it’s packed with all of the adjustments you’ll usually find on a much pricier shock. Those include a three-position platform, a low-speed compression adjustment, as well as a rebound dial.
The H3C RCP is available in metric and trinnion sizes, and the Metallurgy spring is not included.
Smoove Universal Chain Lube
£15.99
Alright, we’ve already reviewed Smoove’s chain lube, but as we’ve received a very welcome care package from the brand, we thought it was well worth a highlight. Promised to perform in any conditions; its formula is designed to stay put even during longer rides. Though, since we tested the lube, there’s been one key change: the Lubretta applicator.
Rather than a nozzle, as we’ve seen on nearly every lube bottle, this neat little contraption puts a drop of the lube on each link as a chain runs through it. It also scrapes off dirt as it applies the solution. As for the lubricant itself, we’re told that it’s self-cleansing while being totally biodegradable and free of solvents.
Joe’s No Flats Gravel Tubeless Sealant
£14.99
So tubeless sealant isn’t one of those things that I thought could or needed to be gravel-specific, but the folk at Joe’s No Flats clearly disagree. As you might have guessed, it’s formulated to provide reliable puncture protection over unpredictable terrain, thanks to its ‘micro-sealing’ particles. We’re told that it seals punctures up to 7 mm, but where it gets all gravel-specific is that it’s designed to work best at tyre pressures between 16 and 60 PSI, so all of the pressures most commonly used in gravel. It’s compatible with Co2, too, so it shouldn’t freeze during those desperate scenarios.
Paxis Gen2 Brodium pedals
£140
Boldly claiming to be the ‘go-to’ pedal is Praxis’s second crack at its Brodium flat pedals. These benefit from the very same shape as the first generation but get a few neat improvements. Although the shape is the same, the 6061-T6 aluminium body is CNC-machined and then glass-blasted for a new and smarter finish, and there’s a new hollow spindle, which I expect would shed some grams. Additionally, the brand has revised the pedals’ bushings and thrown in larger bearings in a bid to boost longevity.
The pedal is equipped with 12 steel rear-loading pins per side, and that spindle is built from heat-treated chromoly steel. If the pedal’s 400g claimed weight is a little too much for your tastes, there’s also a Gen2 Brodium-SL on offer, which has had more material shaved off to achieve a claimed weight of 364g.
