Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Five cool things coming soon from Smith, Monton, CES Sport, Muc-Off and Birzman

More cycling swag our reviewers are rating at the moment...

We're making the most of this spring-like weather before The Beast rears its head again for Easter (if the forecasts are to be believed) - so here's our pick of this week's test products... 

Smith Attack sunglasses

£195

SMITH Attack Sunglasses.jpg

Smith call the Attack their "next generation" of performance eyewear, with fast and easy interchangeable 'Chromapop' lenses that have rated highly in our previous tests. Our pair has a green mirrored lens and a lighter pair with a red hue for duller conditions, and you also get a fancy presentation case with cleaning cloth included. The Attack also features a two-position nose piece for the best possible comfort. Do they rival options from the big O? Check back for a review soon.  
smithoptics.com/uk

CES Sport RC50 Carbon Clincher wheelset 

£600.00

CES Sport RC50 Clincher Wheelset.jpg

This new Welsh wheel brand came to our attention late last year, and their 50mm deep carbon clincher set is the first product we've had in for review from CES. They've done their homework and already had all the RC range UCI-approved, and claim the RC50's are manufactured using the same rim moulds as some of the leading bicycle manufacturers using Toray T700 carbon fibre sheets. The braking surface is basalt for high temperature resistance and brake force, and they're built with precision CNC machined hubs and super strong spokes. The decals are also customisable if you fancy shocking pink instead of red. Do you get big performance for the relatively small price? Stu Kerton is riding these hoops now...    
ces-sport.co.uk

Monton Fourth Field Ear Protection Cap

£22.00

Monton Fourth Field Ear Protection Cap.jpg

Ok, so we partly picked it for the purposes of mocking our poor hat model Matt here... but still we're keen to see if this cap with added ear protectors fits the bill for chilly days! It's one size and unisex according to Monton, and supposedly fits perfectly under a cycling helmet. The Italy MITI Stelvio fleece fabric is designed to be warm and breathable, and there's also a reflective strip around the brim of the cap which may or may not add a tiny bit of extra visibility. Sean Lacey is waiting for our next arctic blast to try it out in some seriously abject conditions... 
montonsports.co.uk

Muc-Off Dirt Bucket with Filth Filter

£64.99  

Muc-Off Dirt Bucket Kit - bucket.jpg

It's far more than just a massive bucket to put all your bike polishing stuff in... Muc-Off's Dirt Bucket also has an innovative Filth Filter that traps dirt at the bottom to prevent sponge contamination! It holds up to 13L of water, and is made from a tough and durable Copolymer plastic. Of course 65 quid for a bucket would be on the steep side, so you'll be pleased to know that the products included inside make for quite a good deal: highlights include 500ml of protecting spray, a wheel and component brush, dry and wet lube plus an expanding pink sponge. You can find out if our reviewer Liam digs the Dirt Bucket or not soon.  
muc-off.com

Birzman Maha Push and Twist II Floor pump  

£74.99

Birzman Maha Push and Twist II Floor pump.jpg

This innovative pump from Birzman aims to make pumping your tyres up even easier, with their 'push and twist' system for attaching the nozzle to your valve. You just push the black part of the head onto the valve and then twist the gold ring a quarter turn to secure. When attached the pump has a pressure gauge to get precise PSI, and has a solid aluminium construction. It sure looks neat, but can it handle the pressure? Dave Atkinson's review is coming soon.   
i-ride.co.uk

To read all the latest road.cc test reports, head over to our reviews section. If you want more advice before splashing your cash, check out our buyers guides
 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

Add new comment

8 comments

Avatar
Fish_n_Chips | 6 years ago
1 like

It’s not the acid of chloride from sodium chloride that could turn into HCl. 

Its the bleach and ammonia (alkaline) contained in washing-up liquid break down the wax that is applied to the paintwork.

I’m sticking to muc off or car shampoo.

Avatar
zero_trooper | 6 years ago
1 like

First  mega-potholes, now corrosion pits (filled with chloride nests)!

Is this the cycling version of Jumanji?

Avatar
Doug.F. | 6 years ago
0 likes

Not very good  and expensive.

Washing up liquid,cheaper and just as good.

Avatar
Fish_n_Chips replied to Doug.F. | 6 years ago
1 like

Doug.F. wrote:

Not very good  and expensive.

Washing up liquid,cheaper and just as good.

 

Washing up liquid wrecks paintwork on cars.  Wouldn’t use it on my bike.

Cheap car concentrate shampoo is better.

Have a look at the many articles and videos online.  It strips the protective wax layers in the paint.

Not sure if they use the same paint type on bikes.

 

Avatar
Russell Orgazoid replied to Fish_n_Chips | 6 years ago
2 likes

Fish_n_Chips]</p>

<p>[quote=Doug.F. wrote:

Not very good  and expensive.

Washing up liquid,cheaper and just as good.

 

Washing up wrecks paintwork on cars.  Wouldn’t use it on my bike.

Cheap car shampoo is better.

[/quote

Washing up liquid ruins car's paintwork?

What a load of guff!!

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Russell Orgazoid | 6 years ago
4 likes

Plasterer's Radio wrote:

Fish_n_Chips wrote:

Doug.F. wrote:

Not very good  and expensive.

Washing up liquid,cheaper and just as good.

Washing up wrecks paintwork on cars.  Wouldn’t use it on my bike.

Cheap car shampoo is better.

Washing up liquid ruins car's paintwork?

What a load of guff!!

I've heard about washing up liquid containing 'salt' so I switched to using cheap car shampoo just in case (and in case it makes my bike shinier with the wax).

However, I thought I'd see if it's true or not and after a quick search, I found this page on cleaning a motorbike: https://www.morebikes.co.uk/3729/can-clean-bike-fairy-washing-liquid/

It contains this little nugget from Dr Bob Eden (Member of the Institue of Corrosion)

Dr Bob Eden wrote:

“Washing up liquid does contain a ‘salt’ but this is the active ingredient and should not be confused with road salt.  There is nothing in a washing-up liquid that will exacerbate corrosion – there’s no sodium chloride salt to worry about. The issue regarding corrosion is the ‘chloride’ bit of the salt. In ‘chloride nests’ at the base of a corrosion pit, the chloride exists as hydrogen chloride, which in damp conditions creates a solution of dilute hydrochloric acid, and it’s this acid that does the damage.  You need to avoid ‘chloride’ from any and all sources, e.g. seawater, road grit and fish & chips (but not washing up liquid). When I wash my aluminium bodied Lea Francis, a dash of Fairy is just fine…”

Looks like Fairy's back on the menu, boys!

Avatar
zero_trooper | 6 years ago
0 likes

I've never considered plastic buckets to be cool, but there's always a first time.....
#filthfilter

Avatar
tonyleatham replied to zero_trooper | 6 years ago
0 likes

zero_trooper wrote:

I've never considered plastic buckets to be cool, but there's always a first time..... #filthfilter

Yeah - but £64.99??????

Latest Comments