Hype This! – Say goodbye to winter with these 9 cool products
The first rays of sunshine tickle your nose, it’s getting warmer, and the days are finally growing longer once again. It’s time to crawl out of your cave and get on your bike! We gathered 9 cool and convenient products to prepare you and your bike for the first rides and trips of the season.
Caámate. Mate Tea Set
Good morning! So, you’re not big on coffee, but you’re looking for a pick-me-up that will get you out of hibernation? How about some real mate tea? With the mate set for 2 by Caámate., you’ve got everything you need to prepare the tea for you and your better half, going for € 33.90. The package includes 2 special mate teacups, a.k.a. calabashes. The folks from Caámate. offer 6 different cup colours to choose from, including everything from green to white and catering to a wide range of preferences. Of course, the set also includes the special mate tea straws. These are closed at the bottom but are perforated with 168 holes, so they double as tea strainers. There are 3 types of tea in the set to get you started: yerba mate, erva mate, and the classic mate tea. Incidentally, the 2 guys behind the brand are very environmentally conscious and are working on making the drying process more sustainable and making this technology accessible to as many producers as possible, which is quite an honourable thing to do.
Price: € 33,90
Info: caamate.de
BETTER BOLTS Fox Fork Top Cap
The first long days of sunshine are just around the corner and our anticipation of the first rides and trips is growing, especially with fresh mate tea coursing through our veins. You’ll also want to get your bike in tip top shape. BETTER BOLTS are here to help you do just that, letting you pimp your fork with their Fox Fork Top Caps. The boys and girls from BETTER BOLTS didn’t just design the caps to match the colour of your bike, but also to improve your fork’s functionality. In particular, their high-speed compression dials are manufactured with minimal tolerance, thereby providing a better adjustment feel. With a range of 10 colours from brown to gold, you should find any colour your heart desires. What do you pay for such a fine piece of kit? € 46.95. Those who we can’t interest in the top cap might still want to take a look at the BETTER BOLTS range, as you’re likely to find something fresh.
Price: € 33,90
Info: betterbolts.com
Carhartt FIRM DUCK APRON
After the winter, your bike will probably need a little more care than just a new top cap on the fork. The drivetrain, in particular, will need a thorough service, which can be a rather dirty affair. To prevent you from messing up your brand-new riding jersey, Carhartt offer a robust and practical apron. And with 125 years of experience in workwear, the specialists should know what you need in a workshop apron. The apron features many pockets and is made of Carhartt’s most durable duck cotton material. As such, the price of € 69.95 should be justified, as it promises a very long service life. Of course, you can also rock it outside of the bicycle workshop and use it for grilling or cooking instead.
Price: € 69,95
Info: carhartt.com
Hiplok Minischloss
Lunch break in the beer garden – what could be better? If only you didn’t have to fear for your bicycle. Even though the bike is in sight, a nimble thief can make away with it quicker than you can run – except, they didn’t expect your new Hiplok Z Lok. Weighing just 20 g, the cable tie lock is extremely light and can be stowed pretty much anywhere, be it on your belt loop or the handlebar. Of course, it isn’t the most secure lock, but it has a metal core and should prevent opportunistic thieves from getting away with their deeds. It’s available with a combination lock or a key, though it can be unlocked with 2 toothpicks in a pinch. Depending on the version, the lock goes for € 9.99 or € 19.99.
Price: € 9,99 – 19,99
Info: hiplok.com
Nature is Adventure Seilsäges
Now you’re ready to hit the trails! But just a few metres in, you realise winter has left its mark on the trails, too. In the worst case, parts of it will be blocked by fallen trees. This is extremely annoying and usually means having to get off and push. Of course, the best would be to get rid of the obstacles right away so that you can enjoy the trail to the full extent on your next ride, but how? Nature is Adventure have a solution: a rope saw. Thanks to its small pack size, it fits into any trouser pocket or hip pack. The included 11.5 x 9.5 cm storage bag even has a loop so you can attach it to your belt. The chain of the rope saw is 65 cm long, making it suitable for branches or trees up to 25 cm in diameter. For € 24.95, Nature is Adventure offer the perfect tool to quickly make your trails rideable again.
Price: € 24,95 €
Info: handsaegen.com
Zempire Aerobase 3 Pro
So, you’ve packed all your things and are ready for the first trip of the summer. If one of these things is the Aerobase 3 gazebo by Zempire, you can rest assured that you’ll have a cosy post-ride shelter. Who wants to arrive back at the car after a strenuous day on the bike and have to set up their complicated gazebo? The Aerobase 3 by Zempire can simply be inflated with the supplied pump. With a footprint of 3.5 x 3.5 m, it should easily accommodate you and your gear, while the pack size is just 74 x 37 x 33 cm. To prevent things from getting too muggy under the tent, there are ventilation ports in the roof. Another special feature of the gazebos by Zempire is that they can be combined with the help of separately available connecting tunnels, allowing you to build an entire fortress.
Price: € 849
Info: zempire.com
Greenakku Solartasche 100Wp mono
Power supply is always tricky on bike trips. Even if you have a power bank, even the biggest battery will need recharging eventually. But how do you charge your mobile phone or even your light eMTB? Solar energy seems to be a sensible solution. Fortunately, Greenakku offer a compact, mobile solution – a power plant on the go, so to speak. The solar bag is easy to fold out and align to the sun, and it also works perfectly as a power-generating heat shield behind the car windshield. It even has a USB port that you can use to charge mobile phones or cameras without the need of an external charge controller. The 100 Wp version is currently available for € 213.45 and is a must-have for every trip.
Price: € 299
Info: greenakku.de
SKOTTI GRILL MAX
Grilling and biking go together like cookies and cream. Unfortunately, most gas grills are very bulky and dirty. Not so with the SKOTTI GRILL, which is collapsible and can easily be transported in the included tote bag. You might have heard of SKOTTI before, but the smart grill is now also available in an XL format. The grilling area of the MAX measures 39.5 x 30 cm and relies on two parallel burners. As a result, the gas supply can be regulated separately, letting you have different temperature zones on the grill. Or you can simply go full gas and serve all your guests at the same time. Thanks to the centrally divided grate, the pack size of the SKOTTI GRILL MAX is hardly larger than that of his little brother. At about 6 kg (including the bag), it’s no featherweight, but makes up for that with its small pack size.
Price: € 299
Info: skotti-grill.com
Fast As Fuck Corduroy Bucket
With the corduroy bucket hat by Fast As Fuck, you’ve got permission to be chill as fuck under your gazebo. It’s a classic organic cotton bucket, made from fabric supplied by Hemp Fortex. Hemp Fortex are among the world’s leading manufacturers of environmentally friendly fabrics. The company produce high-quality and durable fabrics from environmentally friendly fibres and use organic cotton and hemp. So, you can look stylish and be environmentally savvy, too. The front of the bucket hat is decorated with a stitched two-tone logo, which doesn’t just look good in the bike park parking lot, but also at the next festival. For $ 50, anyone can get their head covered with one of these fine hats.
Price: $ 50
Info: fastasfuckbike.com