Another week, another Five Cool Things, and this time around, we’ve got a bit of a belter on our hands. That’s because we’ve got Hope’s mental six-piston brakes as well as Giant’s latest Trance Advanced E+ e-mountain bike that’s equipped with a fresh and more powerful motor. On top of that, we’ve got Boyd’s Bracken wheelset that’s built to cope with all sorts of trail shenanigans; we’re getting prepped for winter with Altura’s new jacket, and there’s some new brake cleaner from Gtechniq.
As always, before we dive into the cool things, let’s take a look back at what happened on off.road.cc last week. It’s been a big one, because off the back of his efforts at the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, Matt Page has been busy documenting his race and delving into the details of the kit he rode. With that, we kicked off the week with a recap on everything that went on in Western Australia, as we reckon that it’s delivered what riders have been waiting for. Matt then went on to tell us all about his event and how he wound up finishing in a rather impressive 18th place in his category. Lastly, he took us for a tour of the kit he chose to tackle the event aboard.
Moving on to news, it’s been a fun week as Canyon unveiled the latest version of its Spectral:ON e-mountain bike, and yep, it’s kitted with an Avinox M2S motor, ditching the Shimano EP801 it used to be powered by. DT Swiss then entered the chat with its gravel-specific F 132 One and F 132 suspension forks. Previously seen on select gravel bikes, they’re now available to buy aftermarket, with the top-end model costing just south of £1,000.
As for reviews, Ty delivered his verdict on Hope’s interesting-looking 20mm Gravity Stem, claiming that it’s a compelling choice for those who are looking to change up their riding position. We then reviewed Revel’s Ranger in its X0 Transmission build, deciding that it’s a bike that’ll change your mind on what you might think of small-travel (or downcountry) trail bikes.
Hope EVO V6Ti brakes
£1,400
Six-piston brakes are nothing new for Hope, with its Mono6ti coming to the market back in 2003. But earlier this year, the brand revived its big-caliper brakes with the EVO T6Ti, and there’s a lot going on under the hood here. Of course, it’s all CNC-machined, as expected from the brand, and the caliper is cut from a single billet, so it’s a one-piece caliper that’s been built to balance stiffness and low weight, but don’t expect these to be crazy light.
Inside that caliper are six Ti-Nitride-coated pistons, with that coating promising to reduce friction while improving durability. The caliper then uses radial mounts, which we’re told offer space for bigger pistons and larger brake pads. As a result, Hope thinks that the EVO V6Ti produces more consistency and confidence in enduro and downhill riding.
These brakes are then built to stop updated T-Slot vented rotors. Of course, these are constructed to manage heat, and between the two friction surfaces are fins that significantly reduce rotor temperatures, says Hope. It’s a fully floating rotor, too, and there’s one degree of freedom in that rotor design to prevent warping and distortion under the increased power I’m sure the brake will provide.
Giant Trance Advanced E+ 1
£6,999
The latest e-mountain bike to grace Giant’s lineup is the Trance Advanced E+, and it’s packed full of connectivity and integration. First up, it uses the new SyncDrive Pro 4 motor, which brings 120Nm of torque and, differing itself from other motors, it senses input from torque, not cadence. It also doesn’t taper its power at speed, so it can deliver up to 850W of power regardless of how fast you’re pedalling. It also gets a bunch of neat features, like traction control.
Where integration comes in is through components like its dropper post. Much like what we’ve seen with Orbea’s more recent e-mountain bike, the Trance Advanced E+ gets an electronic dropper post that’s hardwired into the battery. That’s then combined with a fancy new remote that allows users to scroll through the motor’s modes and actuate the dropper post.
This bike offers 150mm of Maestro-delivered suspension at the rear with 160mm up front, and it uses a mullet wheel size. The bike also benefits from tyre pressure sensors and neat e-MTB-specific componentry like the KMC chain, which is built with pins that are 35% stronger, apparently. The wheels also get a boost in durability with uber-strong internals.
Boyd Bracken wheelset
£720
Boyd recognises that trail riding can mean many things, so its Bracken wheelset has been built to cope with all of those things. This pair of wheels uses a heat-treated 6061 aluminium, which is new for Boyd, and apparently the extrusion has been engineered for impact resistance. The rim then benefits from a ‘reverse hook’ at the leading edge of the extrusion which is said to add material in areas where impacts take the most of their toll.
There are also fresh spokes that feature reinforced elbows, which boost the spoke’s tensile strength by 30%, says Boyd. Finally, this wheelset revolves around the brand’s Sixtus rear hub that boasts an impressive 0.5-degree engagement. These roll on ABEC 5 bearings and mount six-bolt rotors.
Altura Ridge Lite Men’s Waterproof Jacket
£120
While it’s still rather warm out, and certainly dry… ish, the rain is definitely on the way; it’s just a matter of when. To keep us dry throughout the winter, Altura has revamped its wet-weather lineup, with the Ridge Lite waterproof jacket being just one of the updated offerings. This jacket uses a three-layer 15k/15k fabric as well as taped seams to keep wet out. Better still, it all packs up into its own chest pocket, making it easy to carry around when not worn.
Its hood can be worn over helmets, and it’s elasticated for when it isn’t, and the whole jacket has a slim fit, which Altura says is ideal for endurance and gravel riding.
Gtechniq Brake Cleaner
Up to £14.95
Alongside its range of ceramic coatings and bike care goodness, Gtechniq, this week, unveiled its brake cleaner. What makes this different from the rest is that it has been formulated to provide a longer dwell time before it evaporates, so it stays put for a little longer to help clear gunk better before it evaporates. Also, it’s not an aerosol, so it’s kinder to the environment.
Gtechniq’s simply-named brake cleaner is available in two sizes, with the 250ml bottle costing £7.95 and the larger 500ml bottle costing £14.95.
