Check Out: Fenders, Flat Pedal Shoes, a Protective Pack & More - June 2019
A lot of gear comes across our desks here at Pinkbike. Check Out is a monthly round-up of anything our tech editors have gotten their hands on. Sometimes it's products we're doing long-term tests on, other times it's stuff we're stoked on but don't have time to review. And, sometimes it's a crazy, unsolicited doodad, and we're having a laugh.
Bontrager Flatline Shoes
Elastic bands keep the padded mesh tongue in place. The profiled insole is washable.
The toes are reinforced and each end of the sticky rubber Vibram sole have tough gripper inserts for off-the-bike scrambling traction.
Features
• Vibram sticky rubber outsole
• Directional tread at toe and heel for off-bike traction
• Shock absorbing EVA midsole
• Synthetic leather upper
• Ortholite insole
• Directional tread at toe and heel for off-bike traction
• Shock absorbing EVA midsole
• Synthetic leather upper
• Ortholite insole
• Sizes: 36 - 48 in half sizes
• Colors: Black or red
• Weight: 680g (size 42.5)
• Women's-specific range offered
• MSRP: $129.99 USD
• Bontrager
• Colors: Black or red
• Weight: 680g (size 42.5)
• Women's-specific range offered
• MSRP: $129.99 USD
• Bontrager
 | The folks at Bontrager's gear department have been on fire in recent years, I've been especially impressed with the manufacturing quality and function of their soft goods, and this Flatline shoe follows suit on both accounts. It's lightweight, Only 680 grams in my 42.5 size, and that's without any shortcuts. The toe boxes are reinforced. Vibram soles are molded in a wide, rectangular grid to maintain consistent grip on flat pedals, while high traction inserts at the toe and heel provide scrambling traction. A stiff heel cup ensures proper power output, while the mid-sole is padded to mute harsh terrain. The out-sole is synthetic leather and stitching is pro level. Other details are a ventilated mesh tongue, stabilized by elastic bands inside the shoe, metal eyelets, and an elastic batten to stow the laces. I'll be riding flat pedals for a while later this summer, so I'll most probably post a full review at that time. Until then, if you are looking for a good flat shoe, Bontrager's Flatline, with its very reasonable $130 MSRP and excellent features should be a top performer. Bontrager believes you'll like them, and they back it up with an unconditional guarantee: "Ride it and love it. If not, We'll take it back." |
Mucky Nutz MugGuard
The extended coverage comes in handy on those extra-wet days.
Installation is quick and easy, and a roll of Velcro wrap is included for riders who plan on installing and removing it regularly.
Features
• Made in UK from recycled material
• Short MugGuard: £19.99
• Long MugGuard: £24.99
• Compatible with 26", 27.5" and 29" wheels
• Short MugGuard: £19.99
• Long MugGuard: £24.99
• Compatible with 26", 27.5" and 29" wheels
| In a perfect world, summer time would mean the end of muddy, wet rides, but that's not always the case. Mucky Nutz's new MugGuards 3D-molded fenders only take a couple minutes to mount up, and they provide plenty of coverage for those extra soggy days. I installed one in time for the opening day of the Whistler Bike Park, and it worked exactly as intended, blocking most of the mud and water that was being flung up by my front wheel. There are two versions, short and long, but even the shorter option covers much more real estate than your typical flat fender. They do cost more, but I'm willing to pay a little extra if it means I can ride down a saturated trail without needing to constantly stop and wipe my goggles or eyeballs. |
SQlab Insoles
According to SQlab's chart, I need the yellow, medium-arch insole.
Perforations, crease-lines, and a molded arch support all work to balance the pressure from heel to toe.
Molded guide lines virtually guarantee you won't mess up the final fitting process.
Features
• Molded arch support
• Thin, highly engineered cushion material
• Four sizes, three different arch heights
• Washable and anti microbial
• Molded arch support
• Thin, highly engineered cushion material
• Four sizes, three different arch heights
• Washable and anti microbial
| High quality insoles are not on the radar of most riders, but maybe they should be. We pound over rocks and roots for hours at a time, but not many of us worry about the beating our feet take in the process. SQlab offers a range of insoles designed with three different arch supports, and further sculpted to ensure that all of your foot is sharing a portion of the stress. Pressure graphs show that the correct insole dramatically reduces stress concentrations, which SQlab says, provides increased power in addition to less fatigue and discomfort. SQlab offers a free sizing kit on line so you can assess your arch type and foot size. Insoles are color coded to simplify the process: 216 Blue for low arches, 215 yellow for medium height arches and 216 red for high arches. A number of sizes are offered, and guidelines are molded into the toe area so you can further trim the inserts to fit your shoes. These are not simply contoured foam. There's a molded arch support, a reinforced heel cup and every square centimeter of the sole is perforated or grooved differently to control flex. Do they work? I put some in my Specialized 2FO's and they are feeling pretty good. It will cost you $39 USD to find out, but if you know anything about SQlab, it's a sure bet they'll deliver on their promises. |
Silca Viaggio Travel Pump
Ever wish that you could pair your phone with your Bluetooth floor pump and see your tire pressure in large, easy to read decimals on a touch-screen? Me neither, but if you did, Silca's Viaggio floor pump is waiting for you at up-scale retailers world wide. "Travel pump" refers to the Viaggio's detachable handle, fold-up feet and its waxed canvas carry bag. Hidden inside the sleek, polished pump is Silca's trademark leather-sealed piston for smooth action. Perched at the end of its authentic rubber hose is Silca's acclaimed Hiro air chuck - its smooth, ergonomic metal lever gleams understated quality, and a discreet magnetic latch displays it well.
The pump's Italian minimalist narrative prohibits unsightly external pressure gauges. Instead, a hidden i-Gauge compatible Bluetooth-enabled sensor telegraphs your tire pressure (accurate to less than one percent) to your handy smart phone, which also ensures proper inflation when you must delegate the task. Silca's asking price for the Viaggio Travel Pump is $275 USD
Features
• iGauge compatible Bluetooth® enabled pressure sensor
• Premium 731 leather piston gasket
• Brass check valve assembly
• Detachable handle & folding feet support
• Schrader chuck & HIRO locking Presta chuck with a magnetic dock
• Weight: 2.95lbs/1.34kg, Length: 57cm,
• Max PSI: 220
• MSRP $30.99 USD
• Silca
The pump's Italian minimalist narrative prohibits unsightly external pressure gauges. Instead, a hidden i-Gauge compatible Bluetooth-enabled sensor telegraphs your tire pressure (accurate to less than one percent) to your handy smart phone, which also ensures proper inflation when you must delegate the task. Silca's asking price for the Viaggio Travel Pump is $275 USD
Features
• iGauge compatible Bluetooth® enabled pressure sensor
• Premium 731 leather piston gasket
• Brass check valve assembly
• Detachable handle & folding feet support
• Schrader chuck & HIRO locking Presta chuck with a magnetic dock
• Weight: 2.95lbs/1.34kg, Length: 57cm,
• Max PSI: 220
• MSRP $30.99 USD
• Silca
Silca's Hiro air chuck fits both Presta and Schrader valves.
The canvas carry bag you won't want to hide in the trunk of your auto.
"Traditional travel pumps sacrifice too many features in the name of portability. We set out to design a compact, folding pump that incorporated the stability and ergonomics of a full-sized floor pump combined with a highly accurate and easily readable gauge solution." - Silca: Why we designed it.
| So, there you have it. Silca's mic drop turns out to be a darn good pump. The only thing it leaves us wishing for is an external gauge. |
EVOC Neo 16L Airshield Backpack
It's a conundrum that riders many times face if they're riding bigger days in the backcountry or even hauling gear around in the bike park - how to stay safe while still carrying a bag. The Neo uses EVOC's Airshield system which is positioned between the pack and the rider to keep the protective lattice structure close to the thoracic and lumbar spine.
It's made of a nanotech elastomer for durability and the back protector can deform if exposed to the tension or pressure of a crash but then it returns to its original form. This also helps the protector adapt and conform to the rider's spine. There are twelve elastomer pads with mesh structure that form part of the lattice layer. The pads are positioned to provide carrying comfort and have minimal contact points on the back and a snug fit with minimal slippage so the backpack won't slide in the case of a fall. The Airshield system allows for lots of ventilation and moisture wicking from the back.
EVOC claim that the hexagonal elements also help distribute the impact force and absorb a large amount of the impact from a shock. It maintains its protective qualities in temperatures ranging from -20 to +40 Celsius (that's extremely cold to hotter than you'll typically ride in for those in the States).
Features
• 16l of storage, Two sizes - S/M, L/XL
• Colors: Gold or Carbon Grey
• Rain shell
• Certified according to TÜV test standard PSA 1621-2
• Free crash replacement
• Weight: 1580g (S/M)
• 250.00 €
• EVOC
It's made of a nanotech elastomer for durability and the back protector can deform if exposed to the tension or pressure of a crash but then it returns to its original form. This also helps the protector adapt and conform to the rider's spine. There are twelve elastomer pads with mesh structure that form part of the lattice layer. The pads are positioned to provide carrying comfort and have minimal contact points on the back and a snug fit with minimal slippage so the backpack won't slide in the case of a fall. The Airshield system allows for lots of ventilation and moisture wicking from the back.
EVOC claim that the hexagonal elements also help distribute the impact force and absorb a large amount of the impact from a shock. It maintains its protective qualities in temperatures ranging from -20 to +40 Celsius (that's extremely cold to hotter than you'll typically ride in for those in the States).
Features
• 16l of storage, Two sizes - S/M, L/XL
• Colors: Gold or Carbon Grey
• Rain shell
• Certified according to TÜV test standard PSA 1621-2
• Free crash replacement
• Weight: 1580g (S/M)
• 250.00 €
• EVOC
EVOC's Neo 16l has plenty of room for gear, organization for tools, and a rain cover.
The back protector is designed to be comfortable and durable with plenty of ventilation and a nanotech elastomer that conforms to the rider's back and absorbs impacts.
| The Neo 16 has all of the organization anyone can really want in a backpack. It's designed to carry plenty of gear on a big day in the backcountry and protect your spine while you're on the bike. It's not the lightest, but its comfortable fit and the protection it offers more than make up for that heft. It's price you'll be more than willing to pay the first time you tomahawk yourself into some rocks on your backcountry heli-drop. |
Author Info:
Hell no. What kind of cretin do you think I am?
I like your stuff. Its real shiny. The chuck I bought from you for my air compressor works great. Can you please make an affordableish high volume pump with a gauge that goes to 30?
Sincerely,
Your dirtbag MTB bros who are cheap but like nice things.
www.amazon.com/LEZYNE-Alloy-Drive-Bicycle-Silver/dp/B072MHV6YX/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2754LM1K8NV4X&keywords=lezyne+high+volume+pump&qid=1560301851&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=lezune+high+volu%2Csporting%2C215&sr=1-3
silca.cc/collections/accessories/products/disc-wheel-mini-chuck
I like accurate tire pressures so I almost always use a dedicated pressure gauge for fine tuning after I inflate w a compressor.
At that price I'd expect it to blow me too!
So many conflicting statements here. Have you have you not used those shoes? How can you comment on weather the shoe is good or not. $130 for a shoe isn't reasonable.
My Impacts look goofy, are heavy and are hot during summer but they grip like no other- thats why I'll buy 5-10 again.
Make a better gripping shoe and I'll buy it over the Impact or Freerider
As far as the Silca air chuck is concerned, it does look nice and is super well made but on 36 spoke rims it's a PITA. It was the reason I opted for a Bontrager pump, which was also 1/3 the price. Also I don't recall if the Silca chuck has a air bleed button, which my pump has.
I actually do like the idea of an accurate gauge, even if it is Bluetooth connected. My pumps all display different pressures, with my good pump being the only one that is accurate. The nice thing about not having a "physical" gauge is their being prone to damage. Pumps fall over, a analog gauge can easily get damaged when it impacts the ground.
However for $275 I can buy a Topeak handheld digital gauge, a decent travel pump and about $200 worth of booze.
Also a copy of this: www.amazon.com/KUWAHARA-HIRAME-Pump-Head-Yoko/dp/B003EIIXSG
$275. maaaan, that's crazy. Leather seals? It's not 1908!!!
flatlines + oneup pedals = definitely recommend
That's the price, deal with it or go get some Walmart New Balance and stfu.
It has a dwr finish that should help with soaking, although I haven’t tried it.
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And these...
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I've been riding in Adidas Terrex Swift Solos lately and the rubber is much grippier than the stuff on their cycling model (I suspect it's the softer stealth). The only issue is that the flex is really soft for a bike shoe. Would this make them a bit stiffer?
*I don't make a single dime from this. I just believe in a product that is far superior
Wait a minute... the rubber on my 5.10s is derived from rock climbing thus the ENTIRE sole is suitable for off-the-bike scrambling traction. Unless I want to tippy toe my way around the woods.
They need to calm down and keep the sport accessible.
...showoff
Mudguard: Are these compatible with all front facing arch forks? Just for peace of mind, it would be nice to see a picture of it with a fully compressed fork. Whether the fork crown hits the mud guard and if so, whether it flexes the fender so much that it touches the tire.
Insoles: Why would anyone need arch support? The foot is not "designed" to be supported under the arch. It should be supported under the ball and under the heel, the rest of the foot should support itself.
Pump: It would be cool if someone would develop a pump where you can set a target pressure so that you can pump like a mad(wo)man and when the pressure has been reached, the blow off valve opens so that you know you can stop. For the British market you'd actually want to connect it to a whistle so that once the tires are up to pressure, they know it is time for tea. More than for a tire pump, I think it would be cool to see this in a shock pump. Regarding this particular pump, not sure how much the bluetooth feature adds to the price but I suppose if it is much getting a Tirewhiz instead would be a more useful way to spend the money. Especially as Silca pumps aren't cheap because they're built to last. The electronics kind of compromise the timeless nature of this product.
Bag: It maintains its protective qualities between -20degC and 40degC. What if the bag is being stored or transported outside this envelope? Does it permanently lose its protective qualities or does everything restore once you go back?
@arrowrush: That was written in less than a minute. You deserve this kind of attention.