The Shimano biking sneakers bridging the opening between freeway and XC, and three new merchandise in for testing
It’s the very best of 1 completely different week, which suggests it is time for the most recent mannequin of First Look Friday – our weekly round-up of the proper new bundle deal to attain at BikeRadar.
Ahead of we get onto that, although, let’s have a fast recap of the week merely gone.
On the freeway facet of factors, the massive information of the week was the launch of the mannequin new Colnago Y1RS aero freeway bike.
Its radical seems to be have divided opinion, nonetheless the Italian model claims it is quicker than one factor at present obtainable. We’re constructive as shortly as Tadej Pogačar swings a leg over one, that will develop to be true.
On the equal day, Van Rysel lastly launched its RCR-F aero bike. First noticed by BikeRadar’s head of content material materials supplies, George Scott, in the long run 12 months’s Tour de France, the RCR-F seems to be like a beefed-up model of the RCR Expert – the model’s light-weight all-rounder race bike.
Though presumably a bit heavier than that bike, we’ve little doubt the RCR-F will uncover favour among the many many many sprinters, rouleurs and classics specialists on the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale WorldTour group.
As his change saga from Ineos Grenadiers to Q36.5 concluded this week, it was launched that Olympic cross-country MTB star, Tom Pidcock, will journey each Scott and Pinarello bikes subsequent 12 months – Scott for freeway and Pinarello for off-road.
Near to driving off-road, Rob Weaver sparked debate this week by proclaiming “Everybody shall be driving an ebike in 5 years” – a minimal of for mountain biking, anyway.
Do you agree with him? Inform us what you assume contained in the strategies beneath – when you’ve watched the video – and for individuals who need to hear extra from Rob, Tom and the BUK group, why not subscribe to their new YouTube channel? It doesn’t price a penny, and the group is inserting out new movies each week.
If driving indoors in the course of the winter is extra your concern, I’ve been laborious at work in current weeks testing only a few of the latest sensible trainers.
This week, my overview of Van Rysel’s D100 Residence Coach was printed. At solely £259.99 / €299.99 with a Zwift Cog and Click on on on shifter included, it’s definitely one in every of many least expensive methods to get a direct-drive sensible coach and affords good all-round effectivity. Must you can dwell with the low most energy specs, it’s positively one to take a look at.
With all that out of one of many easiest methods, let’s strive only a few of the shiny new swag to attain at BikeRadar this week.
Shimano RX801 gravel biking sneakers
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Having launched its RX8 biking sneakers as soon as extra in 2019, Shimano refreshed the mannequin line-up in 2022 and we’ve lastly acquired our palms on a pair.
In contrast with the originals, the RX801 sneakers attribute up to date, multi-directional Boa Li2 dials and refreshed shade picks.
There’s furthermore a model with an built-in gaiter – referred to as the RX8R – designed to maintain up particles out of your sneakers, if that’s been a problem for you.
Up to date dials and shade picks apart, the RX801s seem identical to the distinctive RX8s, with a carbon fibre sole, wrap-around uppers and narrowly spaced rubber lugs.
Shimano costs the stiffness of the RX801 sole at 10 by itself inside scale, which is 2 lower than the 12 ranking given to its flagship freeway biking shoe, the S-Phyre RC903.
In contrast with the Japanese model’s off-road sneakers, the XC7s have a carbon-reinforced sole rated at 9 on the stiffness scale, whereas its S-Phyre XC903 sneakers attribute a full-carbon sole rated at 11.
As at all times, it’s price remembering these rankings are each unitless and arbitrary, so whereas they could assist to steer looking for selections, they are going to’t be used for inter-brand comparisons.
On the scales, our set of measurement EU45 Shimano RX801 sneakers weighs 621g, for a suggest of 310.5g per shoe.
That’s an sincere 139g lower than the dimensions EU46 XC7s we examined in 2022.
- Shimano RX801 sneakers: £229.99 / $275 / €229
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Vittoria A Dugast Rhino TLR tyres
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Having acquired A Dugast in 2021, Vittoria has now launched its personal variations of the Dutch model’s legendary cyclocross tyres.
Accessible in tubular and tubeless-ready type, each are made utilizing Vittoria’s newest cotton-casing know-how (as discovered on its flagship freeway bike tyre, the Corsa Expert TLR), with a neoprene coating utilized to forestall the tyre absorbing moisture in muddy circumstances.
The Rhino is designed for muddy circumstances, with tall tread knobs to assist grip. Vittoria claims the open tread design helps the tyre shed mud and particles shortly, resulting in decrease rolling resistance.
The tubeless variations are applicable with hookless rims and have a most inflation stress of 72.5psi / 5 BAR, though we think about most CX riders gained’t go anyplace close to that prime.
When BikeRadar’s freeway and gravel presenter, Liam Cahill, examined the Dugast Storm TLR cyclocross tyres closing winter, as an illustration, he went as little as 11psi / 0.75 BAR in some races
Accessible in a single 700x33c measurement, the Vittoria A Dugast Rhino TLR tyres are claimed to weigh 420g every.
- Vittoria A Dugast Rhino TLR tyres: £85 / €89.95
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Koo Hype sun shades
Koo says its new Hype sun shades have been designed with “most air circulation” in concepts.
The Hypes attribute a one-piece lens, made by famed optical specialists, Zeiss, with the look of a two-piece design – because of large air circulation gap above the nostril bridge.
Together with vents on the perimeter of the frames, that is designed to maintain up fogging to a minimal.
In response to Koo, the polycarbonate Zeiss lens makes use of a “double-curvature type”, which is designed to forestall optical distortions for the clearest potential view.
The nostril bridge pads are interchangeable, with Koo together with two sizes inside the realm, and there are 9 physique and lens shade mixtures obtainable.
The frames are furthermore applicable with Koo’s optical inserts for prescription lenses.
- Koo Hype sun shades: £180 / $215 / €200
Halo Hiya Circulation tubeless valves
Halo says its Hiya Circulation tubeless valves are designed to “eradicate the ‘faff’ from tubeless setups”, as they allow a claimed “300 per cent elevated airflow” than common Presta valves.
This, the model says, ought to assist with seating the beads of cussed tubeless tyres, due to the tyre may very well be filled with air quicker – with out the necessity to resort to a loyal tubeless inflator.
The valves furthermore permit most tubeless sealants to be injected by them with none hazard of clogging, though Halo recommends sealants with higher particles, equal to Silca’s Closing tubeless sealant, should nonetheless be added on to the tyre.
Made out of CNC aluminium, Halo’s Hiya Circulation tubeless valves attribute quite a bit a lot much less tech than some rivals, nonetheless this implies they’re comparatively gentle at 10g for the 44mm variations.
- Halo Hiya Circulation tubeless valves: £22 / $29.99 / €28.99
