Tech Roundup: Bling from Michaux Club and Quella bikes, candy-coloured Paul Smith saddles, Sportique creams...

Quella unveil The One fixie/singlespeed

If you like all things fixed or singlespeed, you'll probably love Quella's new signature 2013 model in... gold (this could become something of  a theme in this week's Tech Round-up)

It's a vintage-inspired light weight steel Cr-Mo 4130 track frame, coming as standard with Quella 50mm Deep-V rims, and bullhorn bars allowing, say Quella, for a huge variety of riding positions - perfect they reckon for cruising round the city or charging round the track they don't give details as to whether the bottom bracket is at track height but it certainly looks fairly high in the publicity shots we've got.

Every component on the Quella One is brand new; from the light weight crank set, to the heavy duty HP1 Series chain, to the Uno 3D forged stem.

Jordan Emery from Quella said: "Quella Bicycle aims to provide all who cycle with beautifully crafted, high quality fixed-gear/single-speed bikes for use in the city or as high performance machines on the road and track.

You will find the engineering and aesthetic quality of the Quella One completely unrivalled in the market today at the prices we are able to offer."

Any colour or finish you can imagine can be arranged - although we're quite taken with the blinging gold handpainted finish - ooh and for extra piece of mind if you don't like your choice of colour option when you get your bike you can swap it for another for no extra charge… although that doesn't apply to the gold version. Quella plan to launch a Custom bike builder option on their website soon too. The Quella one will be availabe from

The price is pretty tasty too - from £399 delivered for the gold version and from £369 for other colours. Bikes will be available in the first week of January.

For more info see www.quellabicycle.com

Bling bar tape and the perfect commuter cyclist's handbag

We're rather taken with these luxe bike goodies from Michaux Club over at road.cc. They mix bling, practicality and chic in a way that's quite rare in cycle gear - and they make perfect pressies for someone you'd really like to treat this Christmas.

First up is the leather/reflective bar tape which also caught TR's eye in his list of Christmas Gifts for Urbane Cyclists. It comes in black, tan and gold (gold!) that's perforated, allowing the 3M reflective backing to shine through like little stars - giving you a bit of extra visibility on dark nights.

Each set comes with neat leather and wood end plugs to complete the luxe vintage feel, and it's handmade in London.

We've not tested any yet, so can't attest to the roadbuzz damping properties - but for your stylish around-town commuter bike it's a rather sweet addition. £39 a set.

Also from Michaux Club are the Commuter and Weekender handbags. The visibility principle is the same - the cutout details allow the reflectives to show through, but don't scream 'biker' - so the handbag is just as practical at a bar or at work as on the bike.

The Weekender styles come with a coloured canvas body and leather trim, and at £159 are a slightly more affordable alternative to the £290 full-leather Commuter, which is available in tan or black.

But all flavours are shower-resistant, with an adjustable shoulder strap and a courier-bag style chest strap to stop the bag from falling in front of you as you ride.

A front zip pocket takes keys and a phone, and a printed lining contains various compartments to keep things organised.

For more info, see Michaux Club

Saddleback to distribute Sportique's natural body care products

Having tried Sportique's Czech-made Century Riding Cream, we can tell you that you'll be pleased to find these products in a bike shop near you, having announced a distribution partnership with Saddleback.

Sportique's creams and balms are all-natural, containing botanicals and nut butters to keep your posterior in tip-top riding condition all year round.

Unctions include a joint and muscle gel, a foot gel, and the Century Riding Cream, to prevent irritation and help skin repair.

Jan L. Pivoda, owner of SPORTIQUE said: “Teaming up with a leading performance cycling distributor will open a window of opportunity for SPORTIQUE to formulate, design and present new high octane products to support athletic performance and endurance sports such as cycling and triathlon.”

For more information, see Sportique

Award-winning Brompton Toolkit now for sale

We were impressed with this when we first saw it at the Taipei Cycle Show in March, and it's finally out, just in time for the Christmas stocking of your favourite Brompton-riding buddy.

The kit incorporates thirteen tools, including:

    •    A ring spanner – making light work of removing wheel nuts
    •    Innovative interlocking tyre levers (patent pending) – making tyre removal easy and intuitive
    •    A reversible ratchet wrench drive and four double-ended tool bits – perfect for working in confined spaces
    •    Self-adhesive patches – to repair punctured inner tubes
    •    Two sizes of spanner incorporated into the tyre levers – ideal for adjusting mudguards and quick-releases

What we really love, though, is how the whole ensemble fits into a case that slots neatly inside the front frame, held in place by magnets and a moulded rubber grip. Hidden out of the way of dirt, it's always to hand, ready to use.

And for the uninitiated, there's full instructions on how to use all the tools on the Brompton website.

Will Carleysmith, Head of Design at Brompton Bicycle, said: told us: "At Brompton we see our bike as doing the next best thing to disappearing when you’re not riding it.

"If we were going to make a set of tools they had to perform the same trick, having kit in your pockets or bag wasn’t good enough.

"After two years of working with the Goodwin Hartshorn design firm and our manufacturing partners we’ve built something we’re quietly proud of that fits with how we solve problems."

For more info, visit Brompton

 
Paul Smith saddles for the ultimate fashionista

Here's a bike accessory that's going to have to be treated with care - not only is it a beautiful leather saddle - it's brightly coloured enough to turn the head of any casual thief, and it's emblazoned with a designer name.

The Paul Smith + Kashimax leather saddle comes in the designer's trademark candy cane array of colours. It's not his first foray into the bike seat department - he previously brought out a limited edition blue Team GB edition.

It doesn't come cheap, at £160, and it's not the highest spec we've ever seen, at 339g in weight, with a nylon body and chrome bars, but if you're seriously considering one of these then that's probably not what you're all about.

For more info visit Paul Smith

Cycle route 'Top Tube' map of Brum

It's a bit niche, maybe, but we absolutely love it. Whether you've just moved to the area or you've lived there all your life, it's unlikely you'll know all these traffic free cycle path routes around the city.

Each route is colour coded, both to make it look like a London Tube map, and also to highlight the different types of path - canal tow path, city cycle path etc.

In fact, it shows 21 different routes all across Birmingham. They use a mixture of surfaced paths, unsurfaced paths and canal towpaths.

Thanks to the Bourneville Village Trust, the map has also been printed on leaflets to be handed out around Birmingham.

It's the result of a suggestion on the BiminghamCyclist website, and it's as effective as a piece of artwork as it is a working map. It's £22.

For more info see Top Tube.

Be seen from all directions even if your batteries run out with the MovoBright Scotchlite stick

Here's one that's so simple you'll wish you thought of it - but packs a serious road safety punch.

The Movobright Scotchlite stick is, well, just a stick of Scotchlite reflective material that hangs from your bag, clothing, saddle rail, or anywhere really, by a carabiner.

It's light, at 22g, and because it's stick-shaped, it can be seen from all angles. What's more, because it's swinging from its carabiner, it's always on the move, and it's moving or flashing things that motorists tend to notice.

It won't soak up the rain, won't run out of batteries and it can be seen from 1000ft away. Oh, and it's only £11.99. What's not to love?

For more info visit MovoBright