What we're excited about this month, including RockShox's revised Reba RL, 7Mesh jacket, Azonic pedals and Hope seat clamp
RockShox Reba RL – £460
The appeal of the 2015 Reba RL isn’t just the great price — it has a level of adjustment and sophistication that we’ve only seen previously on top-end suspension forks. The fact that it looks totally bad-ass with its black lowers and stanchions is a bonus, too.
In terms of hierarchy, the Reba RL sits between the XC-specific SID and the more trail-orientated Revelation. It has the same magnesium lowers as the SID but gets a tapered steerer, hollow-forged aluminium crown and 32mm alloy stanchions.
The damper is the Motion Control RL, which has Rapid Recovery rebound, low-speed compression and a simple on-off lockout. In the opposite leg there is a Solo air spring but the big news is what you can’t see.
RockShox has added Bottomless Tokens, just like those in the Pike, to allow you to modify the spring curve and increase the progression and ramp-up. The upshot is that you can run a softer spring for increased small-bump compliance and grip, but with extra support for riding hard or dropping into steeper trails.
The number of installed tokens from the factory depends on the fork travel. The 120mm Reba doesn’t have any installed as standard, but RockShox fits one token for every 10mm of travel under 120mm, so, for example, a 100mm fork will have two tokens fitted.
The new tokens are also compatible with the 2015 SID, Revelation, RS-1 and the fat-wheeled Bluto forks. RockShox even sells a kit that includes a new threaded air cap and five Tokens, so you can also upgrade older 32mm forks too. Price for this kit is around £25.
If you want a short-travel fork that’s absolutely blinding value, look no further than the new RockShox Reba RL.
Dirty beads – £10
With micro-particles to get into all the nooks and crannies, Muc-Off’s Nano Grit Hand Cleaner is great for removing ingrained dirt and bike grime. It even contains a moisturiser so your hands stay baby soft. muc-off.com
Dry bag – £25
If you want to keep your phone dry you could use a simple zip-loc bag, but the Ortlieb Waterproof case is nicer, waterproof to over a metre, and has a touchscreen panel so you can use the phone while it’s inside. ortlieb.com
Seventh heaven – £339
Beautifully finished and cut like a Savile Row suit, the 7Mesh Revelation jacket represents the haute couture of outdoor clothing. It features advanced Gore-Tex Pro fabric, a removable hood and weighs just 270g. 7meshinc.com
Ape hanger – £99.99
Azonic’s new in-your-face neon yellow Big Foot Pedal features a massive 120x110mm platform, 10 pins per side, a low-profile 12mm forged aluminum body and stiff cromoly construction. Also available in black. oneal.eu
Trail ale – £20.20 per pack of 12 or £1.90 a bottle
At seven per cent, the Saddle Black dark beer carries a punch, but the ‘cycling-friendly’ craft brewery Purity makes it so it’s probably good for you. Tastes good too. puritybrewing.com
Clamp down – £25
For riders rocking externally routed dropper posts, the new Hope Dropper Seat Clamp has a built-in spherical guide that keeps the cable snug against the frame. You can even remove it if you upgrade to stealth routing. hopetech.com
Everlasting pads – £13.99 (pad inserts £8.99 per pair)
Uberbike has launched a range of replacement disc brake pads with built-in cooling fins. But with a
replaceable braking surface, you don’t have to bin the whole lot when they wear out. uberbikecomponents.com
Tango top – £99
Take a traditional road jersey, extremely soft and temperature-regulating merino wool and give it a contemporary twist, and you get the Vulpine Alpine jersey. Includes a full-length zip and three useful rear pockets. vulpine.cc
Rubber king – £36-42
With input from 1993 DH World Champ Mike King, Vee Tyres is new to the UK and offers 27.5 and 29in rubber for trail rippers. The Crown F is an aggressive, High Roller-style front and the Crown R is a quick-rolling rear. veetireco.co.uk