Pressure washers break, it's a fact of life, but you're in safe hands with Norwegian brand Ava's stonking 20-year guarantee. Also new: waterproof pants, a smelly water bottle, carbon wheels from Hunt, and the new Crank Brothers Mallet Trail pedals
Have a look at the latest tasty bike stuff to land on our desks! From carbon wheels to shiny new pedals, waterproof pants to innovative water bottles, there’s plenty of nice new things to catch your eye.
Top spot this month goes to the Ava Pressure Washer Go, and not only because it’s got a warranty nearly as long as Ikea’s…
Ava Pressure Washer Go P40 L £144.90
Ava of Norway might sound like the grand title of a minor royal, but it’s actually a new pressure washer brand with some interesting models stacked with new features, not least the 10-20 year warranty they all come with.
The Ava Go P40 L comes with a range of attachments, and a class-leading warranty
Ava says its ethos is to make products that are sustainable, that have a long life and let you the end user repair the product – as such its a member of the Right to Repair Europe scheme, which requires companies to supply parts and user manuals for 10 years after manufacture. The attachments like lances and guns are all rebuildable too.
The Go P40 is the dinkiest in the range; it’s designed for people who want a small unit to wash delicate objects. Like bikes. That doesn’t mean it’s not powerful though, the claimed figures are 120bar of power and 390 litres per hour, which makes it more than tough enough for your bikes (or your patio).
There’s a place for everything on the Ava… we’ll have to let you know what this one if for when we test it though
There are some really cool features going on here as well, like the built in tool holders for the gun, lance, cable and hose. That might sound like a nonpoint, but we’ve had our fill of pressure washers that drop their accoutrements the moment you pick them up.
The gun itself also looks useful because you don’t need a great long lance to attach it to, like every other pressure washer on the market requires. Instead it’s more like using your regular garden hose, which is useful if the object you’re washing is up high on a workstand and not 2m away. Naturally there are a host of accessories Ava is willing to sell you, but pick the Large bundle here and it also comes with a foamer bottle, a lance and two different nozzle options, which is pretty much all you need.
Fex Defend pants combine wet weather performance with the best cut in mountain biking clobber
Fox Defend 3 Layer Water Pant £179.99
Fox’s new Defend 3 Layer Water Pant is a step up from the old Ranger Water, it gets Cordura reinforcing for durability, and stretchy nylon and elastane for comfort. Zippered cuffs replace the Ranger’s elastic openings too. DWR coating, taped seams, three colours.
Scott’s Shield glasses offer great coverage – and rest assured, the central bar between your eyes isn’t noticeable when they’re on
Scott Pro Shield LS Sunglasses £99.99
The Scott Pro Shield LS Sunglasses have some of the biggest lenses going, at 133mm wide and 61mm high. The Shield sits close to your face to prevent debris creeping round the sides, with venting from big slits in the top outside corners. Frame material is 45% bio-based polymer, from castor beans.
The Leatt Velocity goggle gets triple layer foam to create a comfy and secure fit
Leatt Velocity 5.5 goggle £79.99
The 170° WideVision lens in Leatt’s Velocity 5.5 goggle is tough enough to pass European impact test standards, it boasts a permanent anti-fog coating, and comes in multiple tints and colours, from 22-83% VLT. There’s a roll-off version too, and the triple-layer, dual-density foam sticks it to your face.
SunGod Sierras… because you’re not always riding
SunGod Sierra glasses 8KO lens £60
SunGod is now certified CarbonNeutral, meaning you can enjoy the Sierras with an easy conscience. There are four lens options of different clarity, including two polarised, and multiple frame and lens colours. The top end 8KO lens is made from nylon, not polycarbonate, and gives superior clarity.
Hunt’s premium carbon wheelset comes with a lifetime crash replacement warranty, and still costs less than £900
Hunt Proven Race Enduro Wide wheelset £899
The Hunt Proven Race Enduro Wide wheelset uses a different carbon layup, weave and spoke gauge front and rear to make the former more forgiving and the latter stronger. Lifetime crash replacement, 30mm internal 23mm deep rim, 5 degree rear hub engagement, 1929g claimed weight.
Leatt’s 4.0 shoe offers great winter weather protection
Leatt 4.0 Clip Pro shoe £159.99
Leatt’s new 4.0 Clip Pro shoe uses a micro-adjust MOZ retention system like BOA for fine tuning fit. The upper is vented, but also features a neoprene ankle collar to keep it stable. Underneath is a wide cleat channel and RideGrip rubber.
Torq has been doing Hydration for a long time, pushing fluids into your body with the help of carbs and sugars
Torq Fitness Hydration Red Berries flavour £22.50
Torq Fitness Hydration comes in a new flavour called Red Berries, it’s designed to get fluids into you as quickly as possible, using a hypotonic formula to pull liquid into your bloodstream alongside sodium and glucose. Comes in sachets or pouches, multiple flavours.
Big headed shock pumps are best, especially if – like us – you’re no spring chicken
Bontrager Digital Shock Pump £74.99
With an oversized gauge and head the Bontrager Digital Shock Pump is easy to read and hold. It goes up to 300psi, and features a bleed button to fine tune your pressures. Bonty says the threaded valve also reduces air leakage after removal too.
The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail brings the Mallet DH tech to regular trail riders and gravel riders too
Crank Brothers Mallet Trail pedal £179.99
The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail is a slimmed down version of the Mallet DH, the brand has taken the award-winning idea from its downhill pedal and packaged it into a smaller, slimmer and lighter design. We’re just surprised it took so long.
What made the Mallet DH, and its cousin the Mallet E, so good was the level of support your shoe could have from the platform and pins; combined with the feel, security and efficiency of a clip-in pedal. Other brands nearly got there, producing caged pedals that looked the part, but offered no extra support for your foot. Crank Brothers’ genius was to let you move your foot around on the pedal while still remaining clipped in.
Change the plastic contact patches and make the Mallet Trail to increase or decrease grip
The new Mallet Trail uses the same approach, there’s what Crank Brothers calls a “four-sided entry”, meaning that unlike with a Shimano SPD you can clip in with either side of the cleat. Your foot then rests on two grippy polyurethane traction pads, either a 1mm or 2mm deep version. Two adjustable pins complete the grip, to the front of the cleat, designed to nestle into your shoe rubber. You can also adjust the float and release angle of the spring.
The Mallet Trail keeps the long spindle and 57mm q-factor of the DH pedal, to stop you whacking your heels on the chainstays, and the whole package uses enduro cartridge bearings and Igus LL glide bearings to keep it running smoothly.