There's a heatwave going on out there, and there's a wave of hot products coming through road.cc Towers at the moment as prepare to get out in the sun this eve and try 'em all out. Happy riding!
Endura Pro SL Roadsuit MP
£179.99
This one-piece from Endura brings aero down to a somewhat sensible price point (their Drag2Zero range is considerably more expensive) and still offers high quality Italian fabrics with cooling technology to keep you cool and comfortable on your next TT or fast and furious road race. The padding comes in various different widths (our tester has the medium version) to suit different shapes, sizes and sit bones, and was developed with the Movistar team to create a pad that provides support where you need it and cuts out extra material that can cause bunching and friction. 'Coldblack' technology provides cooling despite it's colour, and there are still three pockets at the rear if you want to use it for training rides as well as racing. Is it the perfect combo of airy and aero? Stu Kerton's review is coming soon.
endurasport.com
Bontrager BackRack Lightweight
£49.99
This rack "fits almost every road bike and carries almost anything you need" according to Bontrager/Trek, with a simple quick release system to attach it to your bike. Weighing just 465g, it includes an adapter kit for fitting (your frame must have brake bridge or seat stay eyelets, and it's not recommend to use it with carbon dropouts) and with a max load of 22.7kg you can really load it up. It's made with long-lasting and corrosion-resistant alloy, so all in all it should be a good option for commuting and touring alike.
trekbikes.com
B'Twin Ultra 900 CF
£1,399.00
Decathlon's bike brand B'Twin are renowned for value, and that continues with this carbon racer with a full Shimano 105 groupset for under £1,500. You also get a set of sturdy Mavic Aksium wheels, plus B'Twin's 850g Evo Dynamic frame and carbon forks, and their oversized Ergo alloy bars. It looks like unbeatable value, but does it provide an unbeatable ride? Find out in Stu's review shortly...
decathlon.co.uk
Goodyear Eagle All-Season tubeless road tyre
£60.00
We've had a few sets of Goodyear's all new tyres in recently, and while these tubeless options come with a price tag, the promise of 'ultimate year-round performance' and best in class wet grip might make them a seriously good investment. Goodyear's Dynamic:Silica4 compound is responsible for the improved traction, while also purporting to minimise rolling resistance. They're available from 25mm up to 32mm, and tubeless-ready means no worries about pinch flats. Does Dave Arthur agree with the lofty claims? Check back for the verdict soon.
paligap.cc
Shutt Velo Rapide Women’s Elite jersey
£110.00
Shutt Velo Rapide's men's kit has rated highly with us previously, and the women's Elite jersey promises a luxurious pro fit made from the finest Italian fabrics. A simple design with a flash of colour across the middle should suit a wide variety of tastes, and you get all the features you'd expect on a jersey at this price including silicone grippers, a reflective tab and three large rear pockets. To keep you cool a textured lycra is used at the back and sides, and throughout the jersey is optimised to provide insulation and breathability for temperature control. Does the Elite do the job in all weathers? Sarah Langridge is testing it now...
shuttvr.com
To see all the latest road.cc test reports, head over to our reviews section. If you're after some more advice before splashing your cash, check out our buyer's guides.
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7 comments
Eyeletted seatpost clamp and P-clips, sorted.
A rack attached via a QR is a great solution if your bike doesn't have rack mounts.
You can run the rack without the QR adaptor if your frame has mounts. The adaptor is only for people who don't. In that situation, putting up with the extra faff is a neccessity you can't avoid.
Agreed, I'm basing my comment on using QR tabs to mount PDW mudguards. That was tricky enough. It also means you lose your rear wheel alignment each time you remove it. At least in this case the tabs are hard-mounted to the rack which may help, but you're going to end up scratching your dropouts if you're not careful.
Worked perfectly for me on a 2-day trip - used a Blackburn EX-1 Disk rack on a road bike with no rack mounts. Next time, I might get a frame builder to drill eyelets in the drop-outs - there's plenty of meat to do it. In fact, a friend of mine has the same frame, different year, which comes with them, so not sure why mine doesn't.
Had a home-made bracket zip-tied to the wishbone above the rear brake, but have since discovered seatpost clamps with rack eyelets, so will be using one of them next time.
I agree with Kil0ran about punctures, though.
Or if you run tubeless....
A rack attached via a QR is a terrible solution, unless you like fixing punctures without removing the rear wheel.
If you do remove the rear wheel then you've then got the challenge of handling the mech, rack, chain, and QR simultaneously to get the wheel in, probably on a freezing cold December evening on the outskirts of Stoke. Probably never an issue in Santa Cruz.
I did that for years, never a particular problem. Use decent tyres and you'll never need to move it.