Fresh Goods Friday 639: Beating The Heating Edition

This is the tintro… eerily reminiscent of the pewtero but a bit more silvery. What? No idea. We’re just riffing here. What does it means when a Lancastrian says "tintintin"? Answers below.

We’ve had a fair few BOA shoes in of late. Most of the time they’ve been for clipless pedals. BOA shoes for flat pedals do exist but there ain't many of them. This is Ride Concepts flat shoe offering with the BOA dial-up system. MAX GRIP rubber outsole with the usual Hexagon pattern. D3O High Impact Zone Technology insole. Hook-and-loop strap for additional forefoot adjustment (tip: don't overdo it!) TPU mud guard to protect against dirt, debris and rubbing. TPU toe and heel protection with reinforced anti-abrasion film. Fully gusseted tongue prohibits intake of dirt and debris. Heel pull tabs.

This came with a couple of very exciting shoes (more about those later). It's essentially a Buff. This particular ‘neck tunnel’ garment tickled us (not literally) because we were pretty much freezing to death whilst taking this week's Fresh Good photos above Portsmouth (no, not that one), and the product description of this Multi Gaiter is very much concerned about protecting you from the perils of extreme heat and harmful rays of evil sunshine. We would have LOLed if we could have moved our face muscles.

Much like the not-a-BUff above, this BB is here to act as a piece of canny foreshadowing of an item further down this page. Having said that, we think the fact that is has the words "Axe 30" in its product name has pretty much killed the surprise. Sorry about that. Interestingly, this bottom bracket is in boring black. Hmm…

Yes to brake pads. Always useful. Particularly if you want to not-die, but also if you want have your brakes working as well as they can. Tempting as it is, try not to just buy the cheapest AF pads from eBay/Amazon. Good brakes + bad pads = bad brakes. Not only that, currently mediocre brakes + good pads = good brakes. Here we have some in sintered red flavour and organic blue flavour. Sintered in the back, organic in the front. Well, that's what we do anyway.

Ooh… what's this? A DMR chainring? Possibly related to the DMX Praxis Bottom Bracket above? Maybe baby. Well, yes obviously really but we’ll try and wring what pointless mini drama we can here if that's okay with you. 7075 T6 aluminium wide/narrow chainring. Will also fit any SRAM 3-bolt Direct Mount crankset.

Can you have too many pairs of waterproof socks? Benji is on a noble-hearted mission to find out. Having said that, these are technically in Medium size so he may have to pass them on to somebody svelter of foot. What do these particular socks have to offer then? Drirelease wool blend inner promises quick moisture wicking and warmth, plus there’;s an in-cuff seal to keep the water out.

This week's winning product in terms of innuendo and lewdness potentiality. Industrial strength exam gloves. If you’ve never tried nitrile gloves when working on a bike, you probably should give them a go. Perhaps not straight in at the rubbery deep end with a 100 pack (you can if you want to though). Tight-fitting, grippy, tactile… a good nitrile glove can actually make workshops jobs easier. And your skin will thank you for it too. These Black Mamba gloves are noticeably tougher and hopefully less tear-prone than cheapy (usually clear) affairs.

We’ve got this in to replace the KMC chain that came on the Saracen Ariel 60 Pro test bike that we’ve been thrashing about the place. Now then. Normally we’d just put up with a rough-feeling chain and just bleat about it a bit in the ensuing review. But there's something about the Ariel 60 that we are really, really digging at the moment. It just has a couple of spec niggles (the crackle-and-pop KMC chain being one of them) that we want to sort out, so we can further unleash the joy of Ariel-ing.

Charlie says… Let me give you a quick update on Singletrack merch things.

The Rider Resilience Issue 147 Art Prints are arriving this afternoon and I will get all the pre orders out this arvo.

Get your Valentines Bum Butter and Bobble order in soon. All of these will go out in first class post as the 14th is getting very close.

Outcast Zine. You may remember I stressed that lack of quality and warned you about things such as "willy stuff". One Singletrack member missed that and quite rightly had his sensibilities assaulted, and money refunded. So don't just take my word on this, let's see what a Singletrack member thought of it:

"Hi Charlie, I ordered what I thought would be a fun celebration of singlespeeding but got a pamphlet that obsesses more about w***ing rather than cranking and I’d like my money back please. All the best, Stu"

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The Vault needs no introduction. This is the magnesium version. DMR aren't (just) promoting the mag version in terms of being lighter, they’re also bigging up the eco creds of the materials; "Most of the magnesium used is extracted from seawater. Magnesium uses less energy to process the material than aluminium (bauxite). Casting magnesium uses less energy to make the finished product (than CNC aluminium). The casting process wastes very little material. Any waste material is recycled on site (zero waste). Magnesium is non-toxic and is very safe for manufacture and use." So there you go.

Here it is! The show your telly made for! The thing you’ve all been waiting to see! Oh. Just me [Benji] then? Fair dos. Silver-grey cranks in 165mm length. For a silver-grey bike build that has a rather looooooooow bottom bracket height. The Stif Squatch in other words. Is silver the new oil slick? Mabes. Still lovin’ it. 30mm axle spindle. SRAM-style bobbly direct mount interface thing. External bearing-ed bottom bracket (that Praxis Works one up there ☝️

After around 20 years of making sticky AF climbing shoes, in 2018 Unparallel introduced their mountain biking shoes to the world. Based in California, Unparallel do everything in house. "From design and testing, cut and sew of materials, hand gluing and assembly, finishing and quality control, to the final packaging of each pair of shoes. Using only premium materials and industry leading high friction rubber compounds, Unparallel creates climbing and bike shoes that are designed and engineered for improved performance. UP Mountain Biking shoes are built for strength, grip, comfort, style and function. Equipped with a high-friction, sticky UP Rubber outsole, all UP Mountain Biking shoes can endure anything the bike trail will throw at you. Our Mountain Biking shoes are designed by experienced MTB riders guaranteeing you an unparalleled biking experience."

Ooh! High tops. The Westridge mid-cut is a flat pedal shoe designed for "all-terrain use". It's constructed with a dual compound outsole, using higher durometer rubber for the outer perimeter and softer, vibration-absorbing rubber compound for the centre tread.

It's not every week you hear of somebody adopting a little old lady…

The winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. And it's the fabulous majestic Singletrack x Granite Designs RockBand Strap! Thus, BIGGUPS! to davespike1981. Please email [email protected]. Please include your postal address, as it really speeds up delivery logistics init.

It's Singletrack's long running, weekly roundup of all of the new products that have been sent in to us.

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"tintintin" = it is not in the tin

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It's Singletrack's long running, weekly roundup of all of the new products that have been sent in to the magazine.

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They’re featured and then some are reviewed down the line in either Singletrack Magazine or in online reviews and photoshoots.

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Cotic RocketMAXer. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan.I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld.Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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Tintintin? – it's not out.

Only the <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> and the </span> are silent.

Can you stick a link to the TOTW in future? Saves going via the username if it's fallen off the forum front page.

It isn't in the tin

Dear singletrack

have you ever done a fresh good friday based on products that are affordable by a normal person and not a rich one.

a good value or budget fresh goods friday would be good for more people in todays financial climate i feel.

yours hopefully

tony.

FGF is just what gets sent to them that week.

£30 for the nitrile gloves?

Out by a factor of 10!

Black-Disposable-Strong-Nitrile-Powder-Free-Gloves-100-Safetouch | Bulk Workwear

Ton – FGF is (or at least, used to be – please correct me if I’m wrong Benj et al) exclusively based what gets sent in to the office. The mag doesn't get much of a say in that – lots of things are unsolicited – unless it's a product that's come in specifically for a test. Some of the products will be cheap; some expensive (although which is which will highly vary by reader).

I’d guess this is pretty much what ‘Cheaper Things Tuesday’ was created for…

barney, thanks for pointing that out. i genuinely never knew that. i thought they were good chosen by the staff.

thanks v much.

Ain't those Unparallel shoes a rejig of the Teva shoes from a few years ago?

those magnesium vaults are £72 with a quick google, 25 grams lighter than regulars ones, they any good?

I sure it is based on what gets sent to the office, but there is an editorial decision as to which ones get featured in the article unless everything and anything gets automatically featured

Those Axe cranks are only compatible with Axe specific BB's. (here: https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Components/Cranks/Axe-Crank-LE) assume it's 28mm ID one side and 30mm the other.

so, different to DUB, different to 30mm, like an oversized GXP.

with all of the other options currently available, why? why not just make them 30mm?

@ton If we chose the items I’d expect to see guitars, drum kits, at least 7 bikes per week, an Omega De Ville Prestige Women's Watch, a snowboard and maybe an electric van. Fantasy Goods Friday!

I sure it is based on what gets sent to the office, but there is an editorial decision as to which ones get featured in the article unless everything and anything gets automatically featured

Last week had tubs of fruit so i’m guessing the later not the former.

I might have to get the Vault mags to match my old v12 mags. Also, silver grey cranks seem genius saves you the trouble of spending a year making them look that way it's basically the equivalent of buy buying factory aged denim

I like the Black Mamba gloves but you can get a box of 100 for around £20 in most places.

Everything goes in!

I sure it is based on what gets sent to the office, but there is an editorial decision as to which ones get featured in the article unless everything and anything gets automatically featured

IIRC the only reason something wouldn't be featured is if there was an embargo from the manufacturer, for whatever reason.

Unparallel is the new venture by the Five Ten founders….

I’d added our FGF FAQ to the bottom now. Hope that helps explain what happens 🙂

Pretty much everything goes in.

I have added my dog, motorbikes, some crisps, skateboards and even my new wife.

Oddly she didn't qualify for a "How Much???"

If we chose the items I’d expect to see guitars, drum kits, at least 7 bikes per week, an Omega De Ville Prestige Women's Watch, a snowboard and maybe an electric van. Fantasy Goods Friday!

Sounds more interesting than latex gloves! 😀

Could the eco credentials of magnesium mean a return of the Kirk Revolution.

Sounds more interesting than latex gloves! 😀

But probably a similar price.

Those Ride Concept shoes look good. But what's the little velcro strap at the bottom of the lace area for? I’ve got one on my Boa type shoes too and really can't see the point in it.

£180 shoesies :O

Aren't Chinese Daps ever expensive these days ? 🙄🙄🙄🙄

The founder of Five Ten was Charles Cole. He died a few years back. Maybe best to say that Unparallel was founded by ex-Five Ten employees when Adidas took over.

Tintintin ? — the tin has not been delivered yet

Those hightop flats look ace except they seem to have vent holes? Why would they do that?

those magnesium vaults are £72 with a quick google, 25 grams lighter than regulars ones, they any good

they look good.

Other advantages of magnesium over aluminium? Same transatlantic spelling? Burns wonderfully?

Is that a Polaris tor jacket in cyan being "modelled" with the Black Mamba nitrile "exam" gloves (fnar fnar)? I’ve just given mine the classic ‘badge of honour’ ripped look in an innocuous but still rather painful crash on my gravel bike…

I bought the Outcast magazine. Thought it was brilliant. Says a lot about me. It really is mini though, like A6 mini.

@woody83

Yes, those unparallel dust ups are identical to my old Teva Pinners which were some of the most comfortable riding shoes I’ve ever owned.They have the same sole pattern and everything but the strap over the top is new.

@gbozo49 – Yep! Polaris Tor.

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