We’ve got another fresh batch of Five Cool Things to show off, from the weird and wonderful, to a couple of backpacks with a difference. This week, we’ll take a look at Rimpact’s polarising TMD Gravel, Santa Cruz’s latest trail bike, and some budget-friendly pedals in a lovely oil slick colour. But that’s not all, because we’ve got two backpacks from USWE that take the strap game a little differently.
But before we get into the cool things, let’s take a look back at the news this week, and it’s been a pretty big one, especially if you’re all for Shimano kit and e-MTBs. Shimano has been on fire this week, as it released two new mechanical drivetrains, fresh brakes, new rotors, and two pairs of pedals. Now, the brand’s Deore and XT mechanical lineups have received a welcome update, using the clutchless design found on its Di2 offerings, and the new Deore brakes benefit from the trickle-down tech found on the pricier options. Then, there are two sets of pedals, both built for durability but one features a platformed design, whereas the other is shaped to be lightweight. Then there are the rotors. Now, Shimano offers its latest rotors in standard 200 and 220mm sizes, and they’re 2.3mm thick, for better durability, feel, and consistency.
Moving on, two new e-mountain bikes have hit the market. Merida has unveiled its new flagship bike, the Lithos. It’s a carbon-framed offering that dons Bosch’s Performance Line CX and CX-R motors, depending on the model, and it’s of the enduro persuasion, offering up to 174mm of bounce at the back, with 170mm up front. Then, there’s the new Orbea Wild, which ditches Bosch power in favour of Avinox’s latest M2S, a move which will surely heat up the e-MTB power race. That’s not all for bikes as Nukeproof has jumped into the mix with the Tracker FS, a regular mountain bike that takes much of what made the Mega great, but whittles it down into a package that costs just £1,999.
As for features, Steve pulled the cover off seven bikepacking adventures everyone should add (or better still, tick off) their bucket lists, and I went internet shopping with an imaginary £1,500, to see if I could fully kit myself out with everything I need to start mountain biking with. Anyway, those cool things.
Rimpact TMD Gravel
£229.99
To much controversy (well, according to our Facebook comments), Rimpact has brought its Tuned Mass Damper to gravel. This unit that sits on your fork’s brake mount works similarly to the dampers used in really tall buildings, and Formula One cars of old, all to absorb harsh vibrations.
Inspired by the TMD V2, which sits inside of a fork’s steerer tube, this one is entirely external, and although it’s not without a 450g weight penalty, Rimpact says that the TMD Gravel can stave off fatigue and give your gravel bike a more planted feel as it soaks up trail feedback. This is headed off to our resident UCI Gravel World Champs qualifier, Matt, to see if adding this weight can make him faster.
Santa Cruz Tallboy XT Di2
£6,999
Santa Cruz’s trail bike, the Tallboy, has been put on a bit of a diet, while benefiting from a useful boost in suspension travel to 130mm rear, 140mm front. But the most noticeable change is the move from the brand’s famous VPP linkage to a four-bar design, one that’s not too dissimilar from the Vala and Bullit e-MTBs. With this rethought design, Santa Cruz says that it has lowered the anti-squat and anti-rise to achieve a more traction-rich ride. But that’s not without sacrificing the character that a smaller-travel trail bike is known for.
It’s not just the suspension that sees a strong tweak, as the frame itself has been rejigged to shave grams, but each Tallboy model benefits from Santa Cruz’s lightest CC carbon frame that’s tuned per frame size. The geometry is proportional, too, with the chainstay stretching from 435mm up to 444.5mm on the XXL frame. The bike’s geometry is adjustable via a flip chip found on the lower shock mount, and its Glovebox downtube storage system has been refreshed, featuring better sealing and a latch that’s easier to open.
We’ve got the bike in its second-from-priciest XT Di2 spec, so you’ve probably guessed that it features Shimano’s wireless shifting, but there’s also RockShox’s Pike Ultimate fork and Deluxe Ultimate shock, and its Reserve wheels utilise DT Swiss’s Degrees of Freedom tech, if you’re after some pedal-kickback reduction.
For more details, keep your eyes peeled for a review coming soon.
USWE Rush 8L Bike Hydration Vest
£139.95
This week, we’ve got two backpacks from USWE, and the first of which is the Rush 8L Bike Hydration Pack. It’s available in a selection of sizes to fit your body as best it can, and it’s built to provide quick and safe access to everything you’ll need while riding. What makes this pack more interesting than others, perhaps, is its NDM, or No Dancing Monkey, strap design. In fact, it doesn’t really use straps at its sides, and front pockets are one and joined by the NDM buckle. The whole idea of this design is to keep the pack from moving around while getting rowdy on the bike.
The Rush features five quick-access front pockets, a main compartment that’s sizey enough to fit extra layers, and a two-litre hydration bladder that’s included with the asking price.
USWE Race 2.0 2L Hydration Pack
£109.95
The second USWE backpack to grace this week’s Five Cool Things is the Race 2L Hydration Pack. Claiming to ‘change the game of MTB race hydration’, this pack is designed to be super light (at 230g claimed) and even aerodynamic. Of course, it uses a more traditional form of the brand’s No Dancing Monkey harness system. Better still, it comes with a two-litre hydration bladder and a thermal packet for it to slip into, to keep fluids cool on warmer rides.
This is a smaller pack, so it’s crafted to fit just the bladder and any smaller essentials.
Kranx Trail Luxe Alloy Platform Pedals
£44.99
Last but not least are Kranx’s alloy platform pedals in a rather lovely oil slick finish. These are built from CNC-machined 6061 aluminium, and they spin on Cro-Mo axles and sealed cartridge bearings. If the oil slick isn’t for you, they’re available in seven other colours, all of which measure in at 120x110x20mm in size, and all of the pins are replaceable. In fact, there’s a spare set in the box, as well as a tool to get the job done.
