We’re back with yet another Five Cool Things. This week, we’re going to take a glance at Canyon’s latest mountain bike, Topeak’s pressure gauge with a bit of a difference, grips from Cast, Adidas’s riding shades, and Albek’s low-capacity backpack, all ahead of testing. Let’s go ahead and dive in.
But before we get stuck into the cool things, it’s well worth looking back at what went on in the world of off-road cycling over the last week. First up, our Steve caught up with the legendary John Tomac to find out just how he got so good. Steve then got all sentimental on us as he highlighted his beloved Giant XTC, which, despite being 21 years old, is still his most modern mountain bike. Then, with the lovely weather still upon us and making our trails incredibly dry, we brought some top tips on how to master summer trails on your mountain bike.
It’s been a big one in the news, too. Specialized has wrung more out of its Levo 4 e-MTB platform and unveiled its Levo R Ultralight. It revolves around the Levo R (who’d have guessed?), but with a host of fancy componentry, the brand claims that it weighs a mere 18.8kg, which is pretty impressive for a full-power e-mountain bike. Speaking of lightweight, Kali Protectives entered the mix with its Kru helmet. While its looks might be polarising, its titanium chin-bar wraps around the head, resulting in a helmet that exceeds protective certifications, while boosting breathability and visibility, says Kali.
As for reviews, our crack team of testers delivered their verdicts on Gloria’s All Gravel Titanium SRAM Force gravel bike, praising it for its capability, versatility and keen price. Then, there’s our review of Coast Optics’ Nita XL glasses, which were loved for their coverage, comfort and eco credentials. Anyway, those cool things.
Canyon Lux Trail CF 7
£3,799
A couple of weeks ago, Canyon unveiled its latest iteration of the Lux Trail. Now, the Lux Trail started life as a slightly radder version of the Lux cross-country bike, which benefited from a slacker and more relaxed geometry to make for a more comfortable and capable ride away from racing. The latest version of that bike takes that formula but turns it up to 11, as now it offers 125mm of flex-stay-actuated suspension at the rear, combined with a surprisingly lengthy 140mm of bounce at the front, delivered by a Fox 36 SL Performance fork.
Then the Lux Trail borrows some geometry cues from the well-received Spectral trail bike. It’s a little longer, and a little slacker with a 64.8-degree head tube angle, a 76.1-degree seat tube angle and a 470mm reach on a large frame.
As always, Canyon has aimed to blend value with performance, and that can be seen in the CF 7’s specification. It rolls on carbon wheels, and it is driven by SRAM’s Eagle 90 T-Type drivetrain. A pair of sorted Maxxis tyres provide the traction, while SRAM’s Motive Bronze brakes slow everything down.
Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital 2.0
£49.99
Pressure gauges are pretty useful things to have on you, whether it sits in the back of the van or in your backpack. With a press of a valve, a solid gauge will let you know what pressure is in your tyres without having to whip out a track pump for a proper reading. Topeak’s Shuttle Gauge Digital 2.0 brings more usefulness to the humble pressure gauge, however. Not only is it digital, so it should be easy to read its large screen, but it can be paired with a pump, which may not have a gauge, making reinflation to your desired pressure that bit easier.
This little thing is equipped with a head that rotates fully, so it can be read from any angle, and it fits Presta and Schrader valves. It runs off a single CR2023 battery, and it’s built from CNC-machined aluminium, so it should last the test of time… but we’ll leave our testing to see if that’s true.
Cast Yum Yum grips
£21.99
After testing the brand’s excellent Protagonist and Antagonist tyres, I got very interested in what else Cast’s range has to offer. The Yum Yum grips are built for comfort and damping by utilising thick but shallow rings throughout their construction. These have been added to reduce ‘float’, while the soft and tacky A20 rubber compound is employed to address damping and traction.
These get special high-grip zones to boost said traction where it’s needed the most while reducing hand rotation when they get wet. There’s then a half flange beside the lock ring, which is said to stop your hands from slipping inboard.
Adidas Alkator glasses
£132.95
Adidas’s Alkator sunglasses are built for everything cycling, whether that’s on or off-road. With the mirrored lens, these shades are designed to provide comfort and clear vision when the sun’s seriously blazing. It then wraps around the face for top-notch coverage, while the nose pad has been added for stability and comfort.
Albek H20-Haul Three hydration pack
£69.98
Performance-driven, Albek’s H20-Haul Three is a minimalist backpack that’s shaped to carry 1.5L of fluids within its included hydration bladder. It prioritises functionality while balancing simplicity. Similar to what’s found on USWE’s backpacks, the H20-Haul Three uses an X-brace harness system that wraps around the body and joins at the sternum. This is to blend comfort and outright stability, so this back shouldn’t go jumping about as you rattle through technical terrain.
Things get extra fancy when we look at the rotating swivi-lockster buckle and Hiflex 4-point suspension system. The shoulder straps are vented for airflow, and there’s a water-resistant phone pocket. Speaking of airflow, the pack uses an ergoflow back panel, which should allow more air to circulate around your back, and there are attachment points for LED lights.
But best of all is the price. The H20-Haul Three looks like excellent value for money!
