Hype This! 9 Items of MTB Bling
Below you’ll find 9 of the finest MTB related products and bling to feast your eyes over! Continue on reading or head over to issue #019 to check out the original article.
Crankbrothers Mallet E Pedals
Crankbrothers have introduced a totally new pedal platform, the Crankbrother Mallet E, perfect for aggressive trail riding. A little lighter and smaller than the Mallet DH pedal, the Crankbrother Mallet E still has plenty of grip and support should you find yourself unclipped when the going gets wild. Six removable pins and a concave platform provide secure footing, and customisable traction pads can be added to optimise grip with different shoes. The Crankbrother Mallet E Pedals also feature a totally new double seal system to keep nature’s worst grime out of the bearings, and a tapered grease port pushes any debris that gets in back out past the seals. You can read more about them in our pedal group test.
Price: € 165
Weight: 419g
You can find more information on the crankbrother website.
E*thirteen TRS+ Cassette 9–44
Just when you thought a 10-42 tooth cassette was all the gears you could ever need, E*thirteen have gone one step further, bringing us a crazy 9-44: madness! E*thirteen claim the new cassette is compatible with SRAM and Shimano drivetrains (though an XD driver is needed) and is constructed in three separate parts. Each of the parts can be bought separately when wear becomes a problem, which is great news if you are a winch and plummet kind of rider – and can be converted to 10-speed easily (though we’re not sure why you would want to). However, when it comes to that 9-tooth sprocket, less is certainly more as the cassette costs a whopping €319 (11-speed version).
Price: € 319
Weight: 300 g
You can find more information on the E*thirteen website.
ION Insulation Jacket Radiant
It’s that time of year again, as “suns out, guns out” is now a long-distant memory. The ION Insulation Jacket Radiant, however, is just the thing for year-round shredders. Rocking a Primaloft Silver insulation lining, the ION Insulation Radiant Jacket will keep you warm and toasty through the winter while the excitingly named Thermo_Mapping ensures that you don’t ‘boil in a bag.’ The jacket has a durable water repellency treatment to keep you dry in a light shower and comes in any colour you want – as long as it’s lime. The Radiant will look equally cool off the trail while you enjoy a beer, and everyone will know that you are a winter pinner.
Price: € 199
Sizes: S-XXL
You can find further information o the jacket on the ION website.
Leatt Hydration Pack DBX Enduro Lite WP 2.0
Better known for their class-leading neck braces, it comes as no surprise to hear that Leatt has now moved into back protection. Their innovative Leatt Hydration Pack DBX Enduro Lite WP 2.0 we had a closer look at some time ago packs a level 1 back protector and is crammed full of great features. The X-shaped retention system keeps the load stable while the waistcoat-like harness makes it super comfortable. The pack features five litres of storage, a transparent pocket for smartphones, a full face / open face helmet carrying system and a thermally insulated bladder pocket. To top it all off it’s fully waterproof, which is great news as we move into the shit weather season – you can also joke with your mates that it’s a parachute.
Price: € 161
Size: One Size
You can find further information on the backpack on the Leatt website.
Lupine Piko R4 SmartCore
When looking at the tiny 55g Lupine Piko R4 Smart, it’s easy to underestimate its formidable brightness, pumping out over 1500 lumens of bright, white light. With a run time at maximum power of 1h 45mins, it’s the perfect helmet-mounted light for a quick after-work blast. The light has a Bluetooth receiver, so it can be operated from a Bluetooth remote control on the bars (which saves lots of overhead arms waving). Another clever feature of the Lupine is that you can control it all from a smartphone app, turning it on and off remotely, adjusting the brightness, and monitoring the temperature, voltage, and estimated battery life. With all these features the Pico R4 SmartCore was the worthy winner of our helmet light group test. If you like to have power at your fingertips, then this is the light for you!
Price: € 350
Weight: 55g
Find out more information on the Lupine website.
Magura Vyron eLECT Dropper Post
The Magura Vryon eLECT Dropper Post is sure to be a product that will change everything! For the first time, we now have a dropper seat post that is truly wireless and ‘plug and play.’ Without any wires, the hydraulic Vyron Seatpost can be moved easily from bike to bike and installed in seconds; simply slide in the post, attach the remote to the bars, and then go shred – it’s as easy as that! The Magura Vyron eLECT Dropper Post uses ANT+ technology to stop the post anywhere within the 150 mm range and the USB-chargeable battery should give up to two months of use before charging. The 446 mm post is a little more expensive than the competition at €400, and will be available in both 30.9 and 31.6 mm standards. This is the first post to offer fully wireless operation, and it’s a game changer. This pioneering technology was awarded with the highly sought-after Design & Innovation Gold Award 2016. You can be sure this will herald a new generation.
Price: €400
Weight: 595g
You can find out more information on the dropper Post on the Magura website.
Schwalbe EVO tube
Since the introduction of Procore, Schwalbe has been known as mavericks intent on revolutionising tire technology…and it looks like they have done it again. Their new EVO tubes are not made out of butyl rubber like most tubes, but a thermoplastic material called Aerothan which is claimed to offer the same puncture protection, but in a much lighter package. At €19.90 per tube it’s certainly not cheap, but weighing just a third of the weight (72g) of a standard tube, the EVO saves weight where it really counts. You have to use a special patch to repair them, but if you are looking for a lightweight spare tube for racing, or to shed some weight, then for € per gram, these sure punch above their weight.
Price: € 19.90
Weight: 72 g
You can find out more information on the EVO tube on the Schwalbe website.
Smith Optics Squad Goggle
When it comes to snowboarding and ski goggles, Smith Optics have it dialled. The new Smith Optics Squad goggle is their first full-on mountain bike goggle, and it offers a truly massive field of view. The huge premium mirrored lens looks super-distinctive and will be the envy of your own riding squad while an additional clear lens is also supplied if you want to run something a little less loud. The Smith Optics Squad Goggle is available in a host of frame colors so you can colour match with your bike or gear, or just choose something super-lairy. We are big fans of the Smith Squad, and the price is pretty sexy too.
Price: € 80
You can find out more information on the Smithoptics website.
Trickstuff Direttissima Brake
If ever there was a brake that could hang in the Louvre, it would be the Trickstuff Direttissima. Hard to spell but impossible to ignore, the beautiful brakes feature four ball bearings and teflon seals to produce a super light, but immensely powerful braking action. The German fabricators offer the Direttissima in dual or quad piston using an updated caliper of the already established CLEG, and the levers are reach-adjustable and Matchmaker-compatible. Weighing just 220g, the Direttissima is the Lamborghini of brake technology, but the price is equal as exotic at €800 for a complete set with rotors.
Price: € 800 for complete set with rotors
Weight: 220g
You can find further information soon on the Trickstuff website.
Words: Trevor Worsey Photos: Manufactors