What we're excited about this month
Here’s what we’re excited about this month: insulation jackets, long kecks, shoes for gravel, rolltops and more…
>>> Cyber Monday mountain bike deals 2019
‘Buy Now’ links
You will notice that beneath each product summary is a ‘Buy Now’ link. If you click on one of these links then mbr may receive a small amount of money from the retailer should you go to purchase the product from them. Don’t worry, this does not affect the amount you pay.
Most wanted
Endura MT500 Freezing Point, £149.99
Endura’s new MT500 Freezing Point jacket is for those chilly, dank days of winter. Those days when it’s not properly raining, but it’s cold — dreich but not drookit, as Scottish riders and Endura itself might put it. Endura has lined parts of the jacket — the sleeves, front torso and hood — with PrimaLoft Gold Insulation panels to stave off wind, wet and mud where it’s most likely to come at you. This is then backed up with stretch thermal softshell fabric on the back and under your arms to let you move properly.
Endura often comes top in our jackets tests, so we’re expecting great things from the Freezing Point jacket. Endura boasts that it has a class leading warmth to weight ratio, packs down small, repells water and has superb breathability, so they obviously expect you’ll like it too. If you don’t, there’s a 90 Day Satisfaction Guarantee included, so you can return it if you don’t like it, even if it’s been used.
Buy Now: Endura MT500 Freezing Point from Wiggle for only £127.49
Second most wanted
Nukeproof Blackline Trail Pants, £80
Once the preserve of downhillers and dirt jumpers, trousers have exploded in popularity over the past couple of years, largely because you can now get a pair that doesn’t restrict your freedom of movement or roast your legs as you ride. Combine that with the added mud and wet protection they bring and it’s easy to see why shorts are relegated to summer wear for plenty of riders.
Nukeproof now has its own version, called the Blackline Trail Pant and made from four way stretch fabrics with triple-stitched hems for durability. It’s not waterproof, instead Nukeproof has concentrated on breathability, with a DWR coating on top to make them splash proof. There’s a slim, tapered fit to the Blackline Trail Pant that Nukeproof says keeps the material out of your chain and stops it flapping in the wind too.
Buy Now: Nukeproof Blackline Trail Pants from Wiggle for only £85.00
Gravel drive
Shimano RX8 shoes, £219.99
Shimano’s RX8 is designed as a gravel shoe, meaning it’s way lighter and more svelte than Shimano’s XC shoes, but still features big grippy lugs for walking, a stiff sole of pedalling and a BOA dial for easy security.
Buy Now: Shimano RX8 SPD MTB Shoes from Tredz for £219.99
LIttle shredders
Early Rider Helion 20, £1,099
Kids have it good these days: check out the Early Rider Trail 20HT, with CNC’d 7075 narrow wide aluminium chainrings and 11-34 9 speed cassette, Ritchey finishing kit, Maxxis tyres and a 50mm travel air-spring fork.
Book bag
Chrome Industries Mazer Ensign, £150
Chrome Industries’ Mazer Ensign backpack has a waterproof rolltop, decent 27L capacity and dedicated 15in MacBook Pro sleeve. It’s made from rip-stop nylon and features compression straps, side pockets and hidden reflective detailing.
Rainbow jersey
Troy Lee Designs Flowline, £35.00
You don’t need to be a world champ to rock this Troy Lee Designs Flowline tech-tee. Available in a wide range of retro designs that includes long-sleeve options, the stretch fabric will keep you dry, comfortable and cool however hot you get on the bike.
Buy Now: Troy Lee Designs Flowline Tech MTB T-Shirt from Merlin Cycles for only £15.76
MBR sweats
MBR sweatshirt, £29.98
mbr now has its own range of off the bike ride wear, like this natty sweatshirt with exploded bike print on the front. Super comfy, high thread count cotton and perfect for telling everyone you support the World’s best mtb magazine. Too much?
Camo contact
DMR OiOi saddle, £35
The DMR OiOi saddle is for gravity riding, it features CroMo rails to keep the weight down, a low profile and blunt nose for ease of movement and it’s been designed by the Deakinator himself, OiOi! Comes in two camo colours and weighs 270g.
Buy Now: DMR OiOi saddle from Merlin Cycles for only £31.50
MET Off-Face
MET Parachute MCR, £300
Met invented the detachable chinbar concept, and now it has a new, revised lid called the Parachute MCR. It uses a magnetic Fidlock system to make detaching the chinbar easy and safe, BOA for security, MIPS for protection and a great flexible peak.
Buy Now: MET Parachure MCR MIPS MTB helmet from Merlin Cycles for only £237.00
Walk the line
Deity Bladerunner, £109.99
The Bladerunner is Deity’s thinnest ever pedal, at just 11mm tall at the exterior edges. It’s made from 6061 T6 alloy, uses a concave pin profile and sealed bearings and DU Bushing internals. Comes in eight colours too.
Spin cycle
X-Tools Pro Chain Cleaner, £19.99
Keep your drivetrain moving freely this winter with the X-Tools Pro Chain CLeaner. Clip it over your chain, fill the reservoir with degreaser and turn the cranks to let your chain pass through two roller brushes, and a wiper and sponge to finish.
Buy Now: X-Tools Pro Chain Cleaner from Wiggle for only £15.99
Free wheeling
CeramicSpeed OSPW X jockey wheel cage, £499
With ceramic bearings the CeramicSpeed OSPW X jockey wheel cage is designed to offer superior shifting with less drag when fitted to your SRAM Eagle rear mech. Four year guarantee, two colours, fits all SRAM 12 speed. Be warned though, it invalidates your SRAM warranty.
Steam power
Mirafit Kettlebell, £12.95
Build power this winter with a kettle bell. Mirafit’s are made from cast iron before being powder coated, and you can get them in sizes from four to 32kg to suit your strength and specific exercise requirements.
Internal affairs
Bontrager Inspection Penlight LED, £19.99
The Bontrager Inspection Penlight LED is for peering into interesting little crevices. In your bike, specifically. The idea is to make fishing for internal cable routing easier, for example. Outputs 54 luments in a really focussed beam, in a lightweight aluminium body.