Review: Aeroe Spider Rack
Review by Odin Woods
RRP: $199
Find out more here.
“The Spider Rack system is comprised of a rear rack, rear cradles, front cradle, and some nice dry bag options to suit just about every bikepacking pursuit.”
When I think bikepacking, I think of drop bars, janky bags and loose straps hanging off every corner of the bike.
Some of those janky seat bags, front rolls and frame bags have become more refined over the years – to stop stuff bouncing, swaying, and ultimately falling off your bike – but there still isn’t the perfect solution for all occasions by any means. Consumers pushing for cleaner, simpler, less faffy ways of mounting bags on bikes continues to drive innovation. Innovators, like brothers Mike and Paddy Maguire at Aeroe, have certainly played their part in that move. You can thank them for the original freeload rack (now sold by Thule) – which I’m sure many of you have seen over the years – and now for the Aeroe Spider Rack system. The Spider Rack system is comprised of a rear rack, rear cradles, front cradle, and some nice dry bag options to suit just about every bikepacking pursuit. All the parts have a very modular feel about them, and you can tell each component has had a lot of love poured into it, design-wise, allowing for a very simple and easy-to-use product.
I’m kind of a ‘rip the packaging open first, read the instructions later’ person, and if how something is supposed to work isn’t immediately apparent then, in my opinion, it isn’t effortless for the customer. I applied this logic when first fitting the rear rack to my gravel bike and was quickly impressed with how simple and easily adjustable everything was. The mounting brackets can rotate to accommodate different seat stay angles and the rack itself can flex to achieve different widths. The rack height can also be adjusted +/- 30mm by loosening the four bolts and sliding it up and down through the mount to adjust the clearance around the rear tire. Nipping up the 5mm Allen key, the Silicone coated straps effortlessly tension up to keep the rack secure, without risking damage to your frame.
“I more or less forgot that there was a 12L dry bag strapped to the back of my bike. The rack was rock solid and didn’t make a sound.”
I pulled it off and within three minutes had it mounted on my Santa Cruz 5010. I chose to flip the entire rack 180° so the cradle sat back a bit further and lower down to clear my seat on compression. Aeroe note this as a ‘hot tip’ in their install guide.
It was time to put this stuff to use! We gapped it out of town to a quiet wee hut for the night and opted to use the Spider rear rack, with a single cradle, and the 12L dry bag to hump our gear up-river to the night’s accommodation. It was a quick transition in the pouring rain from empty bike to loaded bike. We simply clicked the cradle’s integrated buckles over the dry bag, then we were off. Jordan opted to mount his rack facing back as well, and had plenty of clearance over a 29er rear wheel as we bounced our way across tussock, river lands and the beech forest beyond. Without the usual constant swaying of a loaded seat bag, I more or less forgot that there was a 12L dry bag strapped to the back of my bike. The rack was rock solid and didn’t make a sound. When it came to dismounting and crossing some of the bigger rivers, I could fully drop my seat and climb off easily! Getting to the hut, it was nice to just unclip two buckles and not have to fumble around under the seat trying to pull straps through to remove a bag. My clothes and sleeping bag were nice and dry, courtesy of the super durable dry bags.
Loading up was, again, as easy as stuffing a bag full of gear and strapping it on. I gave my rack the once over just to see if anything had moved, but everything was where it was supposed to be and riding behind Jordan over some of the rougher sections of trail made me realise how little the entire system moved as well.
As mentioned, we only used the Spider rear rack with one 12L dry bag, but it’s worth noting that if you wanted to you could add another two cradles to each side and strap on another two dry bags – or a tent, fishing gear, whatever you want. One small thing to mention is that the straps that hold the rack on could be easily lost when the rack is removed, so putting a small rubber band around the end while on the rack would stop them being accidently dropped.
The weight weenies will note that the rack and cradle weigh in at 996 grams, not as light as a seat bag, but there is no questioning the robustness of the rack and cradles solid design. With that in mind, if you are planning to use this system for bikepacking, on rougher trails, it is reasonable to accept the 400-odd additional grams for the sake of longevity.
Rounding out, I found my time using the Spider Rack system sturdy and reliable with no surprises. For the price, I think it’s fairly good buying considering its versatility to move between bikes without too much hassle – plus, you can add to it when you need to.
Bike Review: Trek Fuel EXe
This is a review of the Trek Fuel EXe, a great example of a new category of mountain bike.
It will not be like any review you have read before. To be honest, there is not much point in rattling off the geometry, the parts spec, the wattage and the torque figures. Anybody who is remotely interested in this bike has already watched a dozen in-depth videos, and people moderately interested probably know more about the kit that comes on each model than I do.
The exact version I got to test is not even available in New Zealand, so I am not going to pick that apart in much detail either.
What I am going to try to do is relate how this bike has affected me, and what it has meant to my bike riding. My last year or so has been so weird and life-changing that I have been planning to write a story about it, and this bike has come along at the right time to get me started.
Some context: I took up mountain biking almost 40 years ago. I had taken a few years off bike riding after I threw in the towel on my track racing career, and got sidetracked by learning to be a designer. I didn’t really miss bike riding until I saw my first mountain bike. I bought the first one I saw that was for sale.
Since then I have slowly worked my way through many kinds of bike riding. Six-week bike packing trips, cross country races, downhill enduros, a short stint on a BMX, over 20 laps of Lake Taupo on various road bikes, single speed races, 24 hour races, multi-day mountain biking expeditions - I even ended up back on a velodrome.
I have always been able to ride enough that if any of the above activities came along I could select the appropriate bike and have a go at it. Even as I got older, fitness was never a consideration - I could get away with going on any of these outings without any need to prepare.
2020 was one of my best years since bike riding once again became my thing. A weekly fang on the track bike, an unusually mild winter for mountain biking, some great days out on the gravel bike, then two trips to the South Island for long weekends riding legendary trails in great company.
Come February that summer, a swelling in my neck became a major health problem. I was very lucky - what I had was treatable. The treatment was pretty heinous.
So this story is about what it means to be a bike rider who is fairly capable, rendered completely incapable in order to stay around.
Treatment lasted seven weeks, plus another six or seven in a bit of a mess, and as many months in a much reduced state. On the plus side, I got down to what was my 1977 racing weight. On the down side I was weak as a kitten and needed to sleep a lot.
I started back on regular food about a month after treatment, and got the last of the tubes that were installed taken out a couple of weeks or so later. I had my first bike ride post-illness about then, and managed ten slow kilometres on the flat. With some half-hearted wheelies and skids.
Over the next few months I got better at bike rides, got busy on some landscaping projects, and tried to remember what I do for a living.
My specialist, to whom I owe the success of the treatment he designed, happened by chance to also be a mad-keen bike rider. Bizarrely, he ordered a product from our online business the day before our first clinic, quite by coincidence. He understood what I would be trying to do when I got back into it. He encouraged me, with a round of cautions. Don’t expect too much, you won’t be like you were before, and get yourself an e-bike.
I sort of listened, but mainly figured if I ate a lot and was patient I would get back to normal eventually.
I didn’t get an e-bike.
I slowly added kilometres to my distance covered and metres to my altitude climbed. By six months out I could do a decent three hour ride in the trails, and climb up to the best bits under my own steam several times in a ride. I was probably back to being ok for my age, regardless of being in recovery. So, pretty good.
My problem was a ride like the one described would lay me out for several days. I might not get back on a bike until midweek, if at all. My old coach used to say “a little, and often” was the best formula. I didn’t follow that adage, I went out and did the ride I really wanted to do, smashed myself, then took days to get over it.
That was my status when I got the chance to do a long-term review of the new Trek Fuel EX e.
Getting acquainted with the bike was very easy - my daily ride is a Fuel EX from 2021. The e-sled shares that DNA, and is a logical development of a model that has been around in the Trek range for seventeen years.
It looks really good. Whether you like the look of a bike is obviously a matter of personal taste, and for me it is one of the best looking mountain bikes of any kind, ever. The design of the full-carbon frame is considered and resolved. That it is electric assist is irrelevant, it is a good looking thing.
The initial thrust of the bike industry’s e-bike thinking was to give riders heaps of grunt over a long day out. Like, if we want to sell any of these things we have to make them go as far as any of our customers will ever go, even if they only go that far once a year.
Well, OK. But that means riding a big, heavy beast on all your outings. The Fuel EXe weighs in around six or seven kilograms less than its full power brethren, and the electrics are packed into a much smaller part of the bike.
The motor and electronics from German robotics company TQ fit into a slightly enlarged bottom bracket casing, and under a neat little display buried in the top tube. A discreet pair of switches next to the left grip controls the system.
Whether it matters or not to the general populace, it doesn’t look like an e-bike.
On my first ride I met some people I know at the top of the trails, about to head into the jungle. One of them came and had a good look at the bike, which certainly is attention-grabbing with its one piece carbon bar and stem, honeyed butter-coloured frame and electronic gizmos on the suspension and valves. We chatted about it. We rode more or less together to the first junction on the trail. Later that day I posted a photo and a few notes on Instagram and my friend messaged to say he had not even realised the bike was an E.
The other thing that really stands out on the EX e is the noise it doesn’t make. If you are used to hearing what sounds like a blow dryer coming up the trail, you will be surprised by the silence of this bike. Honestly, I struggle to hear it over my tinnitus.
It does emit a bit of a whine when it is really under load, but even that is usually smothered by tyre noise and heavy breathing.
Which brings me to next part of my story - what the Fuel EX e is like to ride.
It feels like my regular Fuel EX. The motor is not engaged with the cranks when it isn’t driving, so riding the bike around with the system turned off just feels like a normal bike. In factory default settings, the Low power mode feels like a normal bike might feel to Anton Cooper. The way the power comes on is very subtle, almost imperceptible, you just feel a lot stronger than usual.
That is where the heavy breathing comes in. In Low power, I was working as hard as I normally would, or nearly as hard, just going faster. It isn’t at all like the full powered bikes I have giggled my way around the trails on. If you don’t punch the power up you still have to earn your turns.
Mid power offers more of a surge at the pedals, but is still fairly muted and gentle. Full gas is definitely a big boost, but nowhere near the rowdiness of the Rails or Levos I have ridden.
And going hard on the power will rinse the battery fairly quickly.
I started a lot of my rides with a 150m, one and a half kilometre, singletrack climb. Low power would see me use seven or eight percent of the battery charge, high power double that.
By riding nearly everywhere in Low power, I squeezed 49 kilometres and 1350m of ascent out of a charge.
On another day, using a bit more throttle here and there, I got 40ks and a little over 1000m vertical.
But for this bike and me, the sweet spot was about 35 kilometres of trail and around 800 up. At that distance and elevation gain, I could ride the entire distance on Mid power or Full power, which is at least 37% more fun, and get a really good workout at the same time.
On the example I had, with its 150mm RockShox Lyric fork and RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate (seriously, that is what it is called) shock working at their best, it was a real pleasure on the trails. Going downhill the bike was quiet and predictable. And quiet - it will be interesting to get astride one that doesn’t share the AXS shifter and seat dropper of the review sled. I wonder if having two less cables makes the bike less clattery, but honestly the only bike I have been on that made less noise was a single speed.
One of the interesting aspects of the motor is the lack of drag. On some other e-bikes, once you hit the built-in speed limit, you go from having considerable assist to having the drag of turning the motor over. This one completely disengages, so you dont feel like you are fighting anything.
Another aspect of the lower power of this bike compared to the full-on versions, is that the rider is rewarded for maintaining a good cadence. For me, a pretty fast spin seemed to be the way to get the best out of the motor, I found myself changing gear maybe more often than usual to keep the revs up especially on flat or climbing trails.
And that right there is the real beauty of e-bikes in general, for me anyway. Trails that are a bit of a chore become a lot of fun. There is a favourite of mine in our local patch called Old Chevy. It is three kilometres of tight singletrack, with 49 metres of ascent and 78 metres of descent. It is full of short pinch climbs, and fun but very quick downhills, connected by contorted trail. Like I said, it is one of my favourites, but it always hurts. I am sure it is fun for the very fit, but now I KNOW it is fun for the electrically assisted. And on the EX e, it is fabulous. Coupled with enough torque to make the climbs fun to attack, the light and natural feeling of the bike means the downhill and traverse sections just feel like you are having the best day on a bike, ever, fitness wise. Every time.
And that brings me to the effect having this bike for a month has had on me.
As my specialist predicted, access to an e-bike has been a big help. I can go out on consecutive days, and give it what feels like a decent serve. I have ridden the bike much more than I was riding my bike before, and while the assist obviously makes that easier, the extra riding is putting kilometres in the bank and the benefits that brings.
I have done a couple of rides on my other bikes during the month of the EX e, and they have been the longest and hardest since I got going again. A big ride on the roadie, in the wind and rain, which incorporated a decent chunk of forest gravel, and a week later a long mountain bike ride all over the forest - neither one made feel anything other than satisfied. I could ride again the day after both outings, and did!
So not only did riding the EX e get me out more often, it added to my ability to get out more often.
That is a big deal from my perspective. I feel like I am more or less back, if not to normal (what exactly does that look like?), at least to a stage where I am up for whatever kind of bike ride presents itself. Like I was before I got hammered.
I have figured out what it’s good for. And who it’s good for.
It isn’t the guy who overtook me the last time I took the regular bike out. He came past me on a big climb, seat about ten centimetres too low, gear about four sprockets too high, shorts maybe a size and half too small. On a big e-bike, motor hauling him skyward while he pedalled with feet akimbo, heels on the pedals. He would not like the EX e, he would feel short-changed by its comparatively low power package.
But a mountain biker, looking for a way to cram more riding into a busy schedule, or get a decent ride in when not at peak fitness, or maybe a person on the rebuild trail, I can’t recommend the bike enough.
Trek sells a range extender, which sits in the bottle cage and provides an extra 40% of range. Well, “up to 44%”, according to Trek. I will get one, when I get my own Fuel EX e.
There, I said it. When I get my own Fuel EX e. It’s that good.
Words: Gaz Sulivan
Images: Savanna Guet
Review: 100% Trajecta Helmet
If you’re racing enduro, you are often faced with a bit of a dilemma when it comes to helmets. Do you wear your downhill full-face helmet? Or stick with your regular open face? Full-face helmets are by default, a lot hotter and heavier - but there is no denying the extra protection that you get from having proper chin and cheek protection. Having to wear a full-face helmet all day – with all the climbing you inevitably do - is a deal breaker for some; the sense of overheating outweighs the benefit in protection. But, what if full-face helmets were lighter, breathed more, and still gave you all the protective benefits? Enter the 100% Trajecta, which does just that.
The Trajecta is a modern, enduro-friendly full-face that seeks to offer all the benefits of a traditional full-face in a lighter weight and more breathable package. What’s apparent even before you put it on, is the massive vents designed into the chin bar. I have owned plenty of full-face helmets over the years and, while they all had vents around the chin bar, none of them come close to the amount of open space the Trajecta has.
Safety wise, the Trajecta has its own Smartshock® Rotational Protective System, designed to act as a version of the MIPS system popularised by other helmet manufacturers to reduce the severity of oblique, angular impacts that produce both rotational acceleration and deceleration forces on our brain. Taking the liner out reveals some blue elastomers moulded into the main polystyrene body of the helmet, and these are what the liner connects to. The system improves protection by immediately compressing and absorbing direct impact, and allows the elastomers to move independently from the helmet's shell. Both features help reduce energy transfer to the brain over a wide range of speed and impact types.
Style is a personal thing, but I think the 100% gear always looks on point. The Trajecta has the super aggressive moto look about it and just looks fast. I tested the matte black option, but it is available in six other more colourful options too. Weight wise, the Trajecta weighs in at 860gm (size medium) and feels light in your hand and on your head. Regarding fit, I find I sit on the cusp of a medium and a large. Testing the medium, I found it was just on the tight side and I would go up to a large if I was doing it again. Each helmet comes with a spare set of pads so you can customise your fit, however the medium came with a thicker set of pads that would have resulted in a tighter fit still. There isn’t too much margin when it comes to full-face helmets so it is something I would try on in a shop instead of ordering online.
Out on the trail, I began to really appreciate the gaping vents in the chin bar. They create airflow like no other full-face I’ve worn, and I definitely found my breathing more natural than the huffing and puffing I usually end up doing when wearing my downhill helmet. No surprise, but worth mentioning, the helmet shape around the main opening sits great with my goggles and they didn’t seem to interfere with each other.
Could you ride in this helmet all day? Yes, definitely. Is it hotter than a regular helmet? Yes it is. But can you live with it? Well, I rode this helmet during the changeable weather of spring, and on the odd colder day I really appreciated wearing a full-face - it takes the chill off nicely. I didn’t get a chance to ride it on a full-on summertime scorcher, so it’s hard to tell just how it would feel then. For all bar mid-summer, I think I would be pretty comfortable in this temperature wise, but it really comes down to what you’re setting out to do on your ride. If you’re just smashing out an XC loop of the forest then no, you’re not going to wear this. But, if you’re doing a few shuttles, or doing a more skills-based day where you might be working on a particular jump or drop, there’s no reason to wear an open face. Save your pretty teeth! Personally, I’ve got a few enduro’s I’m tentatively booking into the calendar, and I think this will be my helmet of choice. I believe this will be a helmet that really appeals to those riders who go a bit of everything, the odd DH race, the odd enduro, the odd just mucking-around-on-some-local-jumps and, while regular downhill helmets no doubt offer a greater level of comfort and protection, if you are only going to have one full-face helmet, having one that you will actually wear on a larger variety of occasions surely means there is a greater likelihood that it will actually be on your head when you need it. For that reason, I think these are a great option.
Words: Lance Pilbrow
RRP: $449
Review: 100% Tarka Body Armour
You don’t have to be in this sport long to know that there is some real potential to hurt yourself. In fact, if I’m away on a group ride for a weekend I almost always assume someone will be going home with a body part in plaster, a sling, on crutches, or all three. My own X-ray file is proof of all of this, so I’m a big fan of riding within my limits these days and, if I want to push them, I will only do so when I’ve armoured up.
Lots of people own the requisite full-face helmet, elbow pads and knee pads, but fewer people opt to go for a chest and shoulder protection system like the 100% Tarka. And that’s understandable. Chest protection is kind of another level of hassle and has tended to be uncomfortable to wear, bulky and awkward fitting. The Tarka seeks to address some of these issues.
The Tarka is available in three versions: a vest (chest and back only); a short sleeve (chest, back and shoulders); and a long sleeve (chest, back, shoulders and forearms). We tested the short sleeve option. The Tarka features unique ‘Smartshock’ material in all three impact zones, and is impact tested and certified to the highest level of CE impact protection. The Smartshock panels are a blue, impact resistant material that look a little like they are made from camping pad foam, albeit a fair bit firmer and, on the front and back, there are three of them stacked on top of each other. They are malleable yet firm. How firm? Well, I think you could hit a rock at any speed and if it hits you in the blue zone - that zone will be the least of your worries. All Smartshock plates are removable, so if you just want the back protection, you can remove the chest protector for example, which also means you can easily wash the vest to keep it fresh.
Fit wise, it is slim. I would err on fitting up a full size from normal, but once it’s on it's comfortable enough. Some other body protection I have worn seemed to itch from the get-go, but this felt fine. I didn’t need to wear a liner shirt underneath generally, but some people might. Silicone logo grippers on the lower hem also keep it from riding up your back too. All the blue panels are ventilated, and the material of the body is a breathable mesh. Don’t get me wrong, wearing body armour is still warm, but this breathes about as well as you can expect from this kind of product. On the trail, I was impressed with the free range of motion, it never really felt ‘in the way’ like some armour can. It’s definitely a solid piece of kit, so much so that I’m not going to put it on for a regular trail ride but, if I was spending a day on the shuttles or a gondola, it’s something I would definitely take. It’s got enough heft to it that I think the target market is much more the gravity/DH crowd, rather than trying to add a little bit of protection to your everyday trail riding. Basically, I think if I was doing something where I was planning to wear a full-face helmet, I would take this too.
At $399 it’s a wee bit of an investment, but it’s cheaper than time off work when you injure yourself or when you have to take care of your young grom who’s smashing out laps on the bike park, trying to be the next Blenki or Bulldog, but ends up smashing themselves. I also think that wearing appropriate protection for the risks that are taken in our sport is not only common sense but, really, it’s about being a good citizen too. So, if you’re taking risks, suit up, your future self will thank you for it.
Available through FE Sports.
REVIEW: LANCE PILBROW
DISTRIBUTOR: FE SPORTS
RRP: $339
Review: 100% Corridor Stretch Wind Jacket
“I’ve tested this jacket in all possible riding conditions...”
The 100% Corridor Stretch Wind Jacket is currently my go-to for riding. It’s the one thing I’ll carry with me no matter the conditions. Made from mechanical stretch woven fabric, with a water resistant coating, this jacket protects against the harsh weather conditions Wellington is so well known for. Thanks to it being super lightweight, it’s easy to stash away in a small pocket without being a hassle whilst riding when ‘Welly on a good day’ makes an appearance.
I’ve tested this jacket in all possible riding conditions. It’s been great riding through light winter snow on back country trails down south, keeping me warm and protected in harsh and exposed conditions. Being lightweight and protective, I reckon it’s a go-to jacket when riding under the trees. It’s proven to be great on the trail in light showers and snow, though not extremely waterproof when riding through heavy rain in less sheltered and more exposed environments.
With zippered pockets on each side, I’ve found that I can keep my essentials – phone, sunglasses and keys – with me, securely, when going out for a ride. 100% has also paid attention to the finer details on this jacket. With one pocket equipped with a microfiber lens-cloth, it’s easy to stop and wipe dirt and sweat off the phone. This jacket is slim fitting and flattering, designed with back-venting making it not only warm, but breathable too. With reflective taping and logos on the front and back for visibility, the jacket stands out from your regular bitch ass riding coat.
Overall, the 100% Corridor Stretch Wind Jacket helps in battling the elements, is lightweight and compact, and has proven to be highly effective for blocking wind and light rain on the road or trails. The 100% Corridor Stretch Wind Jacket is made of robust material and has, so far, been exceptionally crash proof. The perfect cool-season accoutrement.
REVIEW: KHULAN TUMEN
DISTRIBUTOR: FE SPORTS
RRP:$183
Review: Giro Merit Spherical Helmet
“I haven’t tested the impact protection (for obvious reasons!) but would never under invest in protecting my noggin. The Merit offers a ton of protection to a very high standard.”
Put simply: lids protect your noggin. But it’s not just protection we want from a helmet, it’s also comfort, airflow, lightweight, style, a fair price... and the list goes on. Thankfully nowadays, the cycle industry does a pretty good job at delivering on most of the above, and Giro is at that forefront of innovative design and sturdy protection. Their top-tier Manifest helmet, which dropped a few years back, uses Spherical Technology powered by MIPS. It’s also heavily ventilated, supremely comfortable but a little pricey. Learnings taken from this top-tier helmet design have been put to use in the new Merit – but for a fraction of the cost.
The Merit box arrived, and with it came a cover letter from the brand manager. I opened the letter and the first thing that caught my attention was: ‘enjoy this new helmet and the ride snacks – and sorry we couldn’t host you at our HQ in Santa Cruz for a media junket’. My immediate thoughts were: ‘nice lid – bloody pandemic’!
The Merit is light and littered with vents. Let’s go over the Spherical Technology: the two halves of the helmet rotate independently, which create the slip plane that is said to reduce trauma to your brain in rotational impacts. The Spherical Technology also uses what Giro call ‘progressive layering technology’. This basically means the two halves of the helmet use different density foam layers. One layer works best with high-speed crashes and the other works best at low-speed crashes. That’s clever aye?! It also means that the layers work together for a safer helmet, for all impacts at any speed.
Just after I received the helmet, I headed to Nelson. The trails there provided the perfect testing ground for the Merit. Firstly, the comfort is great. After multiple long days wearing the lid, it never annoyed me – this has continued with the rides I’ve done back home. The fit employs a RocLoc Trail Air cradle which is height adjustable, with a sliding central ladder rather than press studs, which makes the tuning pitch a lot easier. Not to mention, the security and comfort are excellent. The design uses a thin Ionic+ padding which grips around your head.
The coverage and depth of the Merit run close to the Manifest, dropping slightly down at the temples, with the occipital lobes at the rear giving the lid a down-country/trail/enduro feel and style.
The ventilation delivers too, and it does a good job at cooling. Ok, so perhaps it’s not been used in the hottest of weather, but it wasn’t cold by a long shot. There is ample ventilation – fifteen vents, in fact. These are backed up with internal channeling to suck air over your noggin and out of the exhaust ports at the rear. The air flow does a fine job on long climbs and swift descents. The Merit kept my noggin cool and stopped the sweat from dripping down my face and fogging up my sunnies. This is thanks to small brow vents in both inner and outer shells. And if you want to stow your sunglasses, the arms will slide securely into the vents. For goggle users, there’s a rubber goggle strap retainer strip on the back of the Merit, too.
I haven’t tested the impact protection (for obvious reasons!) but would never under invest in protecting my noggin. The Merit offers a ton of protection to a very high standard. And, whilst I didn’t visit Santa Cruz on this occasion, I have visited Giro’s HQ and can tell you these helmets are put through the toughest tests with their crash test protocols. Giro have been at the forefront of MTB tech for the last thirty years and the Merit continues in that vein.
REVIEW: LIAM FRIARY
DISTRIBUTOR: WORRALLS
RRP: $369
Review: CamelBak M.U.L.E 12L 100oz Hydration Pack
“The icing on the cake is the twist-lock chest strap, which has a magnet on the bladder tube so that it stays in place when you’re descending...”
A last-minute invite to a backcountry mission in the Craigieburn Forest is something you should always say yes to. The Broken River and Cheeseman ski area offer world-class trails only an hour and a half from Christchurch.
Long alpine descents amongst the beech trees, whilst riding over cornflakes, are what a mountain biker’s dreams are made of. In fact, throughout the day when the wind picked up, it was literally raining cornflakes from the trees. Big mountains mean lots of water, snacks and tools need to be carried, to keep me fuelled for the whole day, since we would be out for over eight hours. Thankfully, the CamelBak M.U.L.E 12L 100oz Hydration Pack was the right tool for the job.
Now, for someone like myself who had shoulder surgery nine months ago – which has left me with a massive scar running across my collarbone – I was wondering how a Backpack would go, as this was my first time riding with one since the injury. The M.U.L.E pack has so much adjustability to ensure the best comfort for every rider. The 3D Vent Mesh Harness is super lightweight, breathable and has extra storage for those quick-access gels when you’re needing a boost of energy. The bag has lots of ventilation on all the main contact points on your back, with its AirSupport Back Panel, and it’s designed with Body Mapping Technology which allows for maximum ventilation on the hottest areas of your back. Considering it was 25-degrees and not a cloud in the sky, for my day in the mountains, the Air-Support kept my back cool and my shoulder comfy all day.
12L of total storage, with a 3L bladder to ensure you stay hydrated, is the setup. There’s a total 9L of storage for everything else you could need for a big day out. The icing on the cake is the twist-lock chest strap, which has a magnet on the bladder tube so that it stays in place when you’re descending – a perfect addition o the bag. Carrying a jacket in a bag is often a pain, but with the M.U.L.E’s Stretch Overflow pocket it was tucked away nicely at the bottom of the bag, but still easily accessible if the weather took a turn for the worse. Tool storage for all your necessary spares is super well organised as there are plenty of pockets to keep everything in its place nicely. You’re able to fit literally anything you could need to get yourself out of a trailside mechanical. My favourite part: the slot for storing your pump. It doesn’t get caught at all on the zips, nor does it take up any unnecessary space, a big win.
The Helmet Carry is a handy aspect of the bag as well. Not only is it perfect for carrying your helmet on ‘hike-a-bike’ sections, but it also doubles as a good spot to store your rubbish. Now, carrying tuna and rice on a ride might seem strange, but the most important thing is that it doesn’t leak in your bag – the outside pocket is the perfect way to avoid this.
Stats of the day: 40km; 1900 vertical metres gained; 5L of water; 2 bags of Haribo lollies and 1 tuna and rice.
Safe to say the M.U.L.E carried me through the day in the mountains. I don’t usually wear a bag riding, as I’ve always had comfort issues, but after eight hours of wearing the M.U.L.E, its comfort, useability, and storage systems are just too good to pass up. It is now my go-to bag for epic backcountry riding or long days in the saddle.
REVIEW: MAX HIDES
DISTRIBUTOR: SOUTHERN APPROACH
RRP: $199
Review: Bontrager XR1 Tyres
“There is something really, really appealing about the instant speed you have on offer from a lighter tyre…”
If there is ever one change I make to my bike, to make it go faster, it’s always my tyres. Whatever discipline you are trying to excel at, tyres are a critical part of making that possible. Tyres are also the one area where you can gain or lose weight dramatically, and the increased impact this has, via the inertia factor, means that if you haven’t thought about changing your tyres to better suit your riding style – you should! Fortunately, they are one of the easiest things to change, which makes experimenting a breeze.
A lot of today’s trail bikes come with pretty chunky tyres, which look great – and give great confidence rolling down the hill – but if you haven’t at least tried a set of lightweight XC tires, you might just not be aware of how much rubbery lard you are dragging around with you. If you predominantly keep the wheels on the ground, and tend to ride in drier conditions, you might be able to try a lighter tyre.
Bontrager’s XR1 are their new, lightest of the light, fastest of the fast race tyres. I’ve been riding the 2.2 TLR (tubeless-ready). The XR1’s weigh in at just 630g, which guarantees speed off the line. The tread is extremely low profile across, with slightly raised outer knobs. It also features the Bontrager ‘TM-Speed’ compound that rolls faster, making it the go-to race tyre for Trek Factory racers. Under the skin, the XR1’s feature a 120tpi construction giving them a nice supple feel and ‘Inner Strength Casing’ which is made of a lightweight nylon insert that provides strong, supple sidewall protection for added tire durability, with minimal weight penalty.
Setting them up on the bike was a breeze. They mounted straight up with minimal fuss and were seated easily with my Blackburn Chamber Tubeless floor pump. Out on the trails, I was again reminded that everything is a trade-off and, as much as I do like riding with larger tyres generally, there is something really, really appealing about the instant speed you have on offer from a lighter tyre – they transform your bike into feeling quite different. The XR1’s really motor along, and the combination of low rolling resistance and low weight means you just seem to be able to ascend in one or two higher gears than you usually would.
The XR1’s are naturally most at home in dry conditions – did I mention those centre knobs are small? They are probably only 2mm tall but, in the dry, they are still surprisingly effective at generating traction. Heavy braking, however, needs to be executed with awareness as it’s not hard to move from slowing down to front wheel drifting – brake on the straight before it’s too late! The TM Speed compound was also impressively grippy over tree roots. In the wet, they have their limitations, and if I knew I was racing in the wet I’d opt for something like the XC2 or XC3. The close knobs don’t shed mud as easily as some others – but, on the plus side, the low knobs don’t hold as much mud either. The side knobs provide surprisingly effective cornering support considering the overall size of their bite. In the dry, I found myself impressed with just how far I could push them. The Inner Strength Casing, so far, has kept the puncture tally at zero – which is great.
Experimenting on tyres isn’t something most of us can afford to do too often but, at an RRP of just $79, the XR1’s fall a decent amount under the cost of some other name brand tyres. So, if you’re looking for a lighter tyre for some summer racing, bikepacking, or even just to make it easier to keep up with your fitter friends, the XR1’s are definitely worth a look.
Review: Lance Pilbrow
Distributor: Trek NZ
RRP: $79
Review: Camelbak Rogue Light
“The Rogue feels like it’s barely there.”
The Rogue Light is Camelbak’s latest lightweight hydration system. With its minimalist setup, the Rogue is ideal for when you need to take a bit more than a bottle, but still want to take as little as you can get away with.
The Rogue comes supplied with a two litre bladder, which is just right for a decent ride. For storage, there is the main compartment that the bladder sits in – this has a small internal zippered pocket, great for glasses or wallets – then there is another zippered pocket on the side, which is ideal for keys, muesli bars and multitools. Lastly, there is an open pocket which is ideal for storing a raincoat, and having it open means you can whip it out quickly when a shower comes through. It’s available in no less than five colours; on test is the Fired Brick / Koi version.
The fabric of the Rogue is noticeably thinner than previous Camelbak’s I have owned, and this obviously helps keep the weight down; being lightweight and breathable is clearly the defining goal. The shoulder straps are a mesh material, as are the side panels of the pocket, while the back panel is Camelbak’s Air Support system which, again, creates a sort of lightweight, padded mesh panel on either side of your spine, creating a groove for your spine to comfortably sit in. On the front, there is only a single strap across your sternum. I thought I might miss having a hip strap, but on a lighter bag like this I didn’t notice its absence one bit. The Rogue stayed in place just fine and I never noticed it rocking around, side to side. Internally, the bladder sits neatly in its pocket and is held in place vertically by a hook and loop system, with the plastic loop of the bladder hooking into the sewn loop of the bag.
Camelbak’s Bite Valve system is tried and true, I find the flow just right and really like having the shut-off valve that prevents anything leaking out when something is sitting on it in the boot of the car.
I’ve had a number of Camelbaks over the years, and they’ve always been larger versions, such as the M.U.L.E. However, I can see real appeal in these lighter versions.
Often, a larger bag on your back feels heavy and sweaty on hot days – comparatively, the Rogue feels like it’s barely there. Because of that, there are a number of people that the Rogue might really appeal to – for starters, younger riders. The Rogue is fundamentally just a small, light hydration pack. With a lot of smaller kid’s bikes not having room for a water bottle in the front triangle, having a backpack is ideal – but most packs are adult sized.
The Rogue is small enough that it actually looks just right on kids. Our kids (aged eight and ten) can attest that the Rogue is a winner for them. (There is a heap of adjustability in the shoulder straps so don’t think that it’s not a good fit adult’s too!)
The second unique group that might be really interested in the Rogue, are the bikepackers – or ultra-distance riders – who, again, want minimal equipment but often need to carry extra water through a section, or the ability to stow more food than their bags can easily hold.
The Rogue fits the bill nicely for them too and, as a bikepacker myself, I think I will be taking this on my next mission for this very reason.
I really liked the Rogue Light. It’s minimal, durable, cool, and comfortable.
At first, I thought this probably wasn’t a product I would have bought for myself, but after having a chance to test it, it’s actually got a lot of use – I probably grab it more often than I do my M.U.L.E now, and the fact that it makes a great fit for the kids as well means that it’s getting used by someone on just about every ride. •
Review: Lance Pilbrow
Distributor: Southern Approach
RRP: $139
Review: Bontrager XXX Shoes
“Not only do these shoes ‘feel’ fast – in the sense that you can indeed feel them not flexing – they also give you a very secure and connected feel on your pedals.”
When it comes to XC riding and racing, it’s all about getting the power transferred from your legs, through your feet, and into the pedals. But – there’s a critical link in that chain that can make a massive difference: shoes.
Having a stiff shoe that won’t flex under the massive power that you’ll be generating as you sprint off the line, is vital to achieving good results. But there’s more to it than just a stiff platform – the whole shoe needs to be comfortable too, so getting the form and shape of the shoe ‘last’ is essential when creating footwear around the additional goals of being both lightweight and flex-free.
The XXX shoes are Bontrager’s top-of-the-line XC race shoes. And kind of like their name suggests, they are a bit racey. The XXX’s key features include a 100% OCLV carbon sole – that is extremely lightweight and stiff for efficient power transfer; dual independent BOA dials for precise, zone- specific fit adjustments; and their ‘inForm Pro’ last that delivers an ergonomically optimized and high-performance fit.
Out of the box, the Nautical Navy/ Radioactive Pink version that we tested was, well, eye-catching, to say the least – perhaps a little too much so for some, but they are also available in a plain black on black. Slipping them on and dialing up the Boa retention system, they felt just right in terms of sizing, and the Boa system gave a nice even tension across the top of my foot. I run a size 44 shoe normally, and these felt true to that. I would say I have a wider than normal foot and, somewhat surprisingly, these still felt spot on.
Walking around, it was clear that these shoes are meant to do business; they are extremely stiff. Bontrager rate their shoe’s stiffness on a scale of 1 to 14 and, as you might have guessed, these are a 14. Having never owned or tested an XC race shoe of this calibre, I was really impressed with how they felt to ride. Not only do they ‘feel’ fast – in the sense that you can indeed feel them not flexing – they also give you a very secure and connected feel on your pedals. On the bike, I was really impressed by just how comfortable they were.
My expectation of a shoe like this was that they would be light and stiff at all costs – maybe even at the expense of some comfort – but that wasn’t the case at all. They have ample padding in all the right places.
At the same time, there isn’t padding where you don’t need it and the shoe uppers themselves feel thinner than other more casually oriented shoes; I found this makes them breathe well, as well as dry out rapidly.
After a few rides, I had an opportunity to really put them through their paces on the Old Ghost Road. Surely 86km would be a real test for these! By the end of the day, I truly had put them through their paces, and did find just one or two areas worth noting. The underside of the shoe has a very thin layer of what I assume to be paint, on the carbon sole. After the numerous times we had to get off and walk on the OGR, as well as descending the significant rock staircase of the Skyline Steps, the paint on the sole was fairly trashed. Not only that, walking down the rock stairs I became aware that these really are indeed not walking shoes. The centre area under your arch, on the outer sole, is the aforementioned painted carbon and this offers very little grip. There is a little patch of rubber in this area, but walking down the rock staircase with my bike on my shoulders, over uneven ground – often standing on this carbon patch – the underneath of my arch felt fairly treacherous. Also, the rubber Tachyon tread on the front half of the sole is OK but, if I could have my way, it would be a softer, grippier compound to give you some more confidence in these situations. Obviously, these shoes are meant for XC racing which, generally, doesn’t involve a lot of hike-a-bike, so to be fair I was probably using them outside their intended use. But the reality is, a lot of consumers will use these for much more than just racing. Speaking of rocks, what I was happy about was the GnarGuard coating that surrounds the toe box, after the OGR and a number of other rocky rides, the toe box still looks in great nick – so, even though the soles are well scratched, for the most part you don’t see that and the uppers look great. Our ride was 10+ hours and at about the nine hour point I started to get some pain in the centre of my foot but, again, that was probably due to using these beyond their intended use. The inner soles are quite thin, so better insoles with a little more support is something I would look into for the longer term. On the whole, I was really impressed with their comfort over the whole day.
At $599 the XXX’s are a premium price, but they are also – undoubtedly – a premium shoe that will be appealing to a lot of riders looking for a stiff, light, fast shoe to tear up the race track this summer. •
Review: Lance Pilbrow
Distributor: Trek NZ
RRP:$599