Hot stuff: what we’re excited about this month…

Read more: Dirty Deals, c-c-c-cold weather survival special

Nukeproof Oil Slick Sam Hill Range, £360

The Oil Slick range was designed for team riders only, its purpose was to show off Nukeproof’s creative prowess on the world stage. Then social media got hold of it and we asked, no demanded, that regular riders get access to the slick look too. Nukeproof relented, turning it into a Sam Hill Signature range.

Look past the cool looking oil slick shimmer and you’ll see some genuine innovation. The grips come in a softer compound for better bar feel and comfort. The famous Horizon flat pedals were revised earlier this year for better stability, and the stem now uses titanium bolts for extra durability.

The saddle is new, developed on the EWS circuit, where Sam used 3D printed prototypes for the nal few rounds in 2019 to make sure they worked during seven hours of Enduro World Series racing.

The upshot is a short, 143mm wide saddle with a big channel down the middle to reduce pressure on your bits. It’s also 8mm lower than other mountain bike saddles, Nukeproof says, giving you better standover height. Those low-profile saddle rails are made from titanium which helps keep the whole saddle’s weight down to just 261g.

Individual component prices: Sam Hill Signature Pedals, £125; Sam Hill Signature Grips, £30; Sam Hill Enduro Saddle, £80; Tubeless Valves, £25; Sam Hill Ti Stem, £100.

Carbon for kids

Specialized Hotwalk Carbon, £999

The Specialized Hotwalk Carbon is made from Fact 9r carbon, just like mum/dad’s bike. Carbon wheels, slim-casing Rhythm Lite tyres, and a skinny carbon bar for small hands completes the build, which weighs a ridiculous 2.1kg, lighter even than Strider’s 12 Pro.

Something blue

Scott Trail Tuned Pant, £119.99

Trail trousers don’t need to be black — Scott’s Trail Tuned Pant comes in Atlantic Blue with a silver logo. Slim fitting with a tapered leg for aero performance, it’s made from tough Cordura four-way stretch fabric, with two zip pockets and aluminium hook closure.

Stamp collection

Crankbrothers Mallet shoes, £164.99

Crankbrothers makes great pedals, so why not shoes? Its new collection features clipless Mallet shoes and e-bike versions. Also at pedal shoes like the range topping Stamp BOA here with Crankbrothers’ MC2 rubber compound sole and BOA closure.

Cool caddy

Fizik Alpaca Tool Carrier, £39.99

Fizik’s new under-saddle caddy, the Alpaca Tool Carrier, comes with a 12-feature multitool, two 16g CO2 canisters, inflator head and reusable zip-ties. It’s removable with just one bolt, works with Fizik Gravita and Terra saddles, and doubles as a winter mud flap.

X-Factor

Brand-X G-1 Outrigger, £25.00

Goggles don’t have to cost a bomb, this Brand-X G-1 Outrigger is great value at £25 and still features a flexible plastic frame, clear lens (forget tints in winter), removable nose guard, three-layer foam and a silicone-backed strap.

Nylon flattie

DMR V11, £50.00

DMR has a new pedal called the V11, it uses the same great Vault shape but it’s made from glass-reinforced nylon. Fully serviceable, it has a 4140 cromoly steel axle, 11 replaceable Vault Moto steel pins each side, weighs 450g a pair, comes in eight colours.

Wax on

Squirt E-Bike Chain Wax, £14.99

Squirt E-Bike Chain Wax is more viscous its regular wax, offering better protection from the demands of a motor-assisted drivetrain. Squirt says it can handle the higher torque outputs of e-bikes, and last longer in the wet than regular lubes.

Giant Recon HL 1800, £119.99

Giant’s Recon HL 1800 headlight monitors ambient light and adjusts its output accordingly, saving the battery and letting you ride for longer. Pairs with Garmins, has 270 degrees of visibility, CNC machined body, 190g, 1800 lumens, 6400mAh battery.

Dry January

Specialized Trail-Series Short, £125.00

Specialized is using clever clothing tech from Swiss brand Schoeller for its new Trail-Series Short. Called 3XDRY, the fabric is water and dirt repellent outside, and wicking inside. It has a micro-adjust waist belt, rear phone pocket, 13in inseam and male/female sizing.

7Mesh Thunder Pant, £279.99

The first thing to get out of the way is the name. Yes, 7mesh really has called its new waterproof trousers Thunder Pant. We asked if they were named after Panthro from the 80s kids TV series Thundercats, but didn’t hear back. What we know is the Thunder Pant is made from two different weights of Gore-Tex Pro fabric, with greater levels of waterproofing in the areas that need it most — your bum and upper legs — and extra breathability for the lower legs and waist.

But the most interesting part of the Thunder Pant is that you are positively encouraged to cut off the bottom few inches to make them the perfect length. So, like your mum adjusting your school trousers before the first day of term, you can take
a sharp pair of scissors to the bottoms and snip o the excess.

Cut lines are marked to help owners tailor the fit with sharp scissors

Gangly riders are going to love this, because many mtb trousers increase proportionally, so as the waist grows so too does the leg. Tall, skinny people usually have to choose between wet and cold ankles or baggy trousers that fall down. Not anymore, Thunder Pants do have sizing, but it’s to take account of your hip, waist and thigh sizes, rather then leg length.

The hem length is adjustable by three inches, and there are cut lines to help the cack-handed amongst us get it right. The advice is to ride your Thunder Pants as they come, then adjust them by a single cut line at a time to ensure you don’t dismember them too much.

There’s a full host of details to help justify the price, like taped seams, waterproof leg zippers so you can don the Pants over your shoes, and a waterproof pocket too. Thunder Pants are go!