Eurobike 2019 gallery, part four: Topeak, PRO, Birzman and Lezyne
Eurobike may be done for another year, but that doesn’t mean the content must end. In this gallery, I share a bunch of new accessories from brands known to offer well-priced goods.
Much of this focuses on what’s new from Topeak, a company whose large booth was dedicated to showing off some 50 new products. Yep, 50. Don’t worry, I only cover some of them.
Shimano’s component brand, PRO, was another with a heap of new goods, and like Topeak, many of them are designed to go groad. If it wasn’t an e-bike, Eurobike was the land of the gravel product.
Finally, the gallery looks at a few new pieces from Lezyne and Birzman.
Pumps are a core part of Topeak’s line-up and it wouldn’t be a Eurobike without a new model. Topeak now has two models with digital gauges for easier and clearer pressure accuracy. Both also feature new longer hoses and rubber-protected bases. The Sport Digital will retail for US$75, while the bigger and burlier Pro will be US$110. On the left is the new Sport 2-Stage, a pump that aims to be excellent for the high volume needs of mountain bikes, and the high-pressure needs of road bikes – all with the flick of a switch.
Need a hands-free front brake? Joking about the displayed model aside, the new Topeak BarLoader Rolltop bag can be attached directly to the bar or to the front of a handlebar roll. That handlebar roll it’s attached to is the updated Frontloader, now with improved drybag functionality and a rigid flap where it contacts the bar.
Topeak’s new Tetra Rack is designed to provide pannier and bag carrying capacity on bikes that lack mounting provisions. It’s a concept that’s been done before, but Topeak’s version offers a little more adjustability to put the bags at your preferred angle. There are four options in total, covering road and mountain bike, front and rear. They’re made from aluminium tubing, weigh between 840-960g and cost US$100 each.
Want a cycling gear bag with a little more anti-crush protection? Topeak’s new Packgo bag offers a 40L capacity and plenty of divided storage. Expect to pay US$130 for this semi-rigid organisational cube.
The Topeak Burrito Pack is a velcro-based tool wrap that’s designed for use with dropper posts. It’s not a fresh idea, but Topeak’s version does offer deep storage pockets and a fair US$30 pricetag.
Topeak has long offered its great D-Torq digital torque wrenches, but the brand has always lacked a more affordable adjustable torque wrench option that is, well, good. The new US$90 Torq Stick looks promising, and offers a useful 2-10nm torque range, a ratcheting head, and a storage wand for the five included bits.
In a previous gallery I mentioned that a number of cycling tools are starting to offer somewhat trendy colour-coding. Topeak is yet another example with this little pocket-sized tool kit. Personally, I’m trained to know the 4mm is yellow, the 5mm is orange and the 6mm is red. Using this tool would slow me down for sure. For those not used to the colour coding of premium hex tools, it’s likely an absolute non-issue.
Chain masterlinks are quickly becoming the normal way to connect a chain, and Topeak’s new PowerLevers are tyre levers which double as masterlink pliers. A company called CleverStandard was the first with the idea, but Topeak’s version feels more refined.
Tubeless tyre plug tools were everywhere at this year’s Eurobike, and Topeak introduced a number of options. Top left is the Topeak Tubi Bullet-X (US$35), a slimmer more race-focused option that comes with a strap for mounting to your bike (or wrist?). Below it is the regular Tubi-Bullet (US$30) which is closer to the Dynaplug Pill and is a self-contained unit with room for more spare plugs. And then there are the multi-tool options.
Yep, Topeak has integrated plug tools into a couple of fold-out multitools, too. Pictured is the Tubi-Tool X Mini at US$30. The plugs themselves are stored in a small plastic container.
PRO Bike Gear was one of the early adopters of the stub-nose saddle concept with its Stealth saddle hitting the market a few years back. For 2020, the Stealth range grows by two. There’s the Superlight version which features a one-piece carbon fibre rail and shell, and the new Off-Road version which offers more padding and a covering that should be more durable.
That Off-Road version also gets a unique saddle rail concept that’s designed to let the shell float (flex) where it would normally be held rigidly against the rails.
The SuperLight version almost goes the other direction, all in the name of a lower number on the kitchen scales. Its full carbon construction shaves 65g off the regular carbon-railed Stealth (for a figure of 145g), but does so while keeping the same padding.
The new Pro Vibe Carbon stem is designed to be stiff, aerodynamic and still relatively light. It features an 8-degree angle which can be used in either a positive or negative direction. For this, the updated “puzzle” handlebar clamp system is now reversible. The stem is available in 80-130mm lengths and is quoted to weigh 120g (weighed length unknown).
PRO has a wholly new gravel cockpit range under the name Discover. The Discover Carbon handlebar is designed to offer compliance and comfortable angles. It offers a short 110mm drop, 75mm reach, 20-degrees of flare (at the drops) and 5-degrees of flare on the ergo-shaped tops.
The Discover Carbon bar was made with Shimano’s GRX groupset in mind. The bar’s bend works with the shape of the new levers, the top is optimised for the new inline hydraulic brake lever, and there are wiring provisions for clean Di2 installs.
PRO has used layers of Dyneema fibre in its new Discover Carbon seatpost in an effort to reduce vibrations. The brand states this post reduces vibrations by 50% compared to its own Vibe Carbon seatpost.
PRO has expanded its dropper post range with a gravel-specific version. This 27.2mm post is available with a 70mm drop and weighs a respectable 417g. Yep, droppers are still far heavier than a fixed post.
The Discover dropper post remote is bolted just below the brake lever clamp – in the inner radius of the handlebar drop. Its clever shape means it can be used in two-directions, either pushed from above, or swung in from the drops.
Expanding on the range of bikepacking bags PRO introduced last year, there’s now a compact framebag available, too.
PRO also has a smaller version of its roll-top seatbag. Like the other bags in the range, this one is made from a waterproof material.
Need more space for bottles when using frame bags? PRO now offers an adapter which allows you to reposition your bottle cage. Also pictured is a new side-access cage.
Announced a couple of months ago, Lezyne has updated its GPS range with the new Macro Plus (US$100) and Super Pro (US$150). Both computers share a number of premium features with the larger (and more expensive) Mega C and Mega XL units previously reviewed. The Super Pro is very much a smaller version of the top-end computers, while the cheaper Macro Plus is made with fewer internal sensors, more basic GPS connectivity, and no ANT+ (it does, however, offer Bluetooth connection).
Lezyne is just a few weeks away from having Bluetooth-enabled lights. The KTV range will consist of one bright rear light, and three front lights (two of which pack a punch). While there are many directions such tech could go, for now, Lezyne is using it to allow customisation of the light modes and brightness. You’ll be able to configure them to have as many or as few modes to click through as you like.
Just as rims eventually wear down from rim brake pads, so too do disc brake rotors. The typical way to measure for disc rotor wear is with a set of vernier calipers, but Birzman has created this clever go-no-go gauge for shops to use. Simply match the slot with the brand of rotor, and if the tool fits, a new rotor is needed.
Now this is pretty clever. Many brands are doing basic tubeless tyre repair plugging tools (which aside from the original Dynaplug, all look and work the same), but Birzman has designed its to mimic the shape and size of a 16g Co2 cartrige. Birzman even threaded the end so you can carry the plug kit within its Co2 mini pump frame holder.
Tubeless tyres and foam tyre inserts are leading to a new wave of tyre mounting accessories hitting the market. Birzman’s offers plenty of leverage and aims to let you hook a tyre into place.
A picture of how the Birzman lever works. In my experience, the tightest of tyres can be really tough to hook onto with similar tools, but I’m keen to see how Birzman’s approach goes.
Birzman’s Apogee pump head is a clever bit of kit. For Presta, you press it onto the valve, push the collar down and give it a quick twist. To remove from the valve, you simply pull back on the collar – it’s really quick and easy. It’s a pump head that won me over in the recent best mini pump test. New from Birzman is the next generation of the Apogee head, now adding the same functionality for both Presta and Schrader. It’s also said to be more durable and features a larger locking collar.
Birzman has launched a range of saddle rail-mounted accesories. These cover everything from bottle cage attachments to action camera holders. They feel pretty solid with their twin-bolt connection.
Enough of the good-value and sensible stuff. Tune has the right idea when it comes to creating a coffee hub within your home. They’ve taken an idea first done by Chris King and saved precious grams in the process.
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