Happy Friday the 13th! Nothing spooky planned here since I just finished the Wednesday series on Netflix (super fun, recommend it), but if you want a slow burn horror story, read the Omnivore’s Dilemma…I can’t put it down, and also don’t want to shop at a grocery store ever again. If you eat food and give two f&%ks about where it comes from, this will get under your skin.
Now, back to bikes. Here’s the best new stuff this week:
- Fezzari Veyo aero road bike
- Angel Heaven ti road bike
- Handlebars w/ touchscreens
- White Ind. buys Rolf, Astral
- Cane Creek Visco headset
- SRM power meter pedals
- Spot Ryve 115 MTB
- Kogel SRAM XPLR Kolossos
- Prologo ultra-thin winter gloves
- Bomber Strap 1-bike tailgate pad
- Fox Active Valve suspension
Fezzari Veyo is an all-day aero road bike
The new Fezzari Veyo rolls fast, light & smooth with clean cockpit cable integration (that’s easy to adjust), an 860g frame (size M, 350g fork!), and big 32mm tire clearance. Dropped seatstays and a short-ish seat tube allow more post extension to add compliance, while the BB & chainstays are stiff for max power transfer.
Truncated airfoil shapes make it aero, and size-specific geo puts you in a comfortable-yet-aero position, too. I’ve been riding one for a couple months, and overall handling is spot on, perfectly matching nimble steering with high-speed and cornering stability.
The derailleur hanger is a custom piece that’s replaceable with a common SRAM UDH for MTBs in a pinch – it’s slightly different, and optimized for road, but they’re compatible, which is very interesting. Prices from $3,999 to $9,799, frameset for $2,799. Zipp 303 & 404 wheel upgrades available.
Angel Heaven ti road bike blends 3D printing w/ unique adjustability
The new Angel Heaven titanium road bike uses 3D-printed dropouts and junctions to achieve stunning looks & ride quality, but that’s just the start. Adjustable dropouts change chainstay length by 25mm, letting you fit 700×30 tires for road, or 700×38 for light gravel, and switch between 140mm or 160mm rear brake rotors in either position.
A compliant carbon tube replaces the seatpost and fixes inside the seat tube at the upper bottle boss, requiring only slight snugging at the top of the seat tube. Cut the tube to length, then micro-adjust saddle height with the ti seat mast. The tube is replaceable if you need a new size, or use any 27.2 seatpost you like.
The frame is super light, just 1,200g claimed; about ~400g lighter than normal ti frames. The 3D-printed stem is made custom to any length and angle and hides all cables (and most bolts, too!). Frame kits from €9,600, complete bikes from €17,100.
Smart Cockpit handlebars have Apple Car Play-equipped touchscreens
Forget tiny computers, the RP Designs’ Smart Cockpit road handlebars use a custom 5″ OLED touchscreen that can sync with your phone via Apple Car Play or Android Auto, giving you easy control of your apps. A custom Strava app provides a large landscape view of your data, letting it act as a cycling computer, too.
They say it lets you keep your $1,200 phone safely in your pocket, but the road bar costs $1,500, so… (MTB is $800, Cruiser model coming later). No specs on width, reach or drop, but pre-orders are open for delivery in late February.
White Industries acquires Rolf Prima & Astral Cycling
White Industries has been making custom hubs for Rolf Prima for many years, and provides their own premium hubs for domestic rim manufacturer Astral Cycling’s wheel builds.
Now, all three brands are under the same ownership. Considering White Ind. also makes headsets, cranks, bottom brackets & more, it’ll be interesting to see what comes from the closer relationship.
Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Visco headset damps steering for better control
The new Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Visco headset uses friction plates and a viscous grease to stabilize your steering and prevent speed wobble. Aimed at cargo bikes and gravel/adventure bikes used for loaded touring, it’s designed to minimize oscillations and (slightly) slow the reaction to small bumps that cause fatigue or loss of control.
The stainless steel friction plates can be repositioned to tune the amount of resistance, and they’re available as upper or lower cups (you only need to replace one or the other, not both) to fit many bikes (unlike the fully integrated system Canyon is working on). MSRP is $100-110. (video here)
SRM X-Power Meter MTB pedals get a refresh
The SRM X-Power mountain bike (and gravel!) power meter pedals get a bigger platform body, better supporting your shoe’s treads. The new, more robust SPD retention bindings are from Look, and the spindle is an upgraded steel with a black rust protection coating.
They claim +/-2% accuracy with dual- or single-sided kits, pairing with ANT+/Bluetooth cycling computers, Zwift & their iOS/Android apps (for updates). Weight is 172g/pedal, 54mm Q-factor, 10.5mm stack height, 30h run time per charge (with 2-5% daily standby drain). MSRP is $1,499/pair. Also available in flat pedals for some reason.
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Spot Ryve 115 short-travel trail bike gets stiffer, slacker & smoother
The 2nd gen Spot Ryve 115 mountain bike increases front travel to 130mm, slackens the head angle by 1.2º, and stretches out the reach to give it more modern “downcountry” capability.
It keeps the same 115mm rear travel, but uses a revised titanium Living Link flexible lower linkage and stiffer, stronger upper rocker to improve lateral & torsional stiffness by 28%. The suspension curve smooths out in the middle for more consistent performance while also softening the start for better small bump action.
The Raw (black) looks better without the red highlights, too, or go full Hot Tomato. MSRP from $5,599 to $8,999.
Kogel Kolossos oversized derailleur pulley cage for SRAM XPLR
With a 1x specific design shaped for bigger-than-road-yet-smaller-than-MTB 10-44 cassettes, the SRAM XPLR rear derailleurs naturally needed their own OSPW. The Kogel Kolossos SRAM XPLR gets a mid-sized machined alloy cage with ceramic bearings and their low-drag road seals to maximize performance.
The stiff cage design delivers crisp shifts, and a massive 18T narrow/wide lower pulley works with the derailleur’s clutch to keep the chain in place over washboards and potholes. Pre-launch price is $375 with a free bottle cage ($475 regularly, ships in February, in raw or black ano). Get $130 off when bundled with a bottom bracket.
Prologo Kylma winter gloves are thin, yet warm
The new Prologo Kylma winter cycling gloves use a thin triple-layer (windproof, water-resistant barrier/thermal/fleece) top that’s been proven in cross-country skiing & biathlon. Their sponsored pros seem happy with them, and this is exactly what I’ve been looking for.
The palm is grippy and thin, too, for better wet and dry grip and maximum handlebar feel. A long, elasticized cuff goes under (or over) your jersey or jacket for complete protection down to freezing temps. MSRP is €49, black only.
Bomber Strap single-bike tailgate pad
Designed to carry a single bike, the Bomber Strap is a simple, minimalist bike carrier for pickup trucks. Strapping around the tailgate, it uses two well-padded Velcro cradles to hold your bike steady and keep your wheel and any frame or fork parts from touching the vehicle.
Fidlock magnetic buckles make it quick and easy to install or remove, and it won’t cover your backup camera like a full size pad. It works for any single-crown fork and retails for $170-$180. A longer e-bike compatible downtube strap is available separately.
Fox Active Valve automatic, infinitely adjustable suspension
I found a patent application from Fox that shows an incredible new electronic suspension control concept. If you thought Live Valve was overkill amazing, the Fox Active Valve takes it to the next level with the ability to tune compression damping anywhere in it’s range from fully open to locked out. It’s wild, and there’s a lot more interesting tech in there, too. Read my full story here.
Small Bites
- Belgian Waffle Ride adds Utah, Kansas & Mexico events for 2023
- The Rad’s Stubborn Delores route is Life Time GP’s Wild Card event
- Registration is open for the ENVE Grodeo gravel party weekend
- Tour Down Under is back & starts tomorrow! Here’s how to watch it.
- If you’re at TDU, swing by Chapter2’s pop up shop & ride with them
- Get 20% OFF one full price item at Backcountry w/ code “NEW20”
- EVO’s New Year sale has an extra 10-20% off w/ code “POWDAY”
- Complete this survey for a chance to win a new Rockshox ZEB
- Performance Bike has the new Specialized Diverge STR framesets
- Porsche is hiring for their new e-bike division
- The Rider Box’s winter sampler kit is out, packed with women-led brands
- The Stone King trans-alpine MTB tour video will have you packing bags
- Preorder the new Winspace aero road bike to help get more kids on bikes
- Get $299 Motion Plates FREE w/ purchase of a Tacx NEO2T trainer
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The Lunch Ride is a weekly TL;DR recap of the best new cycling products and tech, written for Riders, not Algorithms. SUBSCRIBE HERE to get it in your inbox every Friday.
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