5 cool things from Specialized, Hope, Altura, and Ere
New lids, clipless pedals, pants and grips fresh for testing
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A new lid, a hydration pack, clothing and eyewear make it into this week's 5 cool things
Brand new pedals, gloves and saddles flying through the office
A brand new full face helmet, the first ever mtb first aid kit and more in this week's 5 cool things
Flat pedals, clipless shoes, a hydration vest and a posh saddle
This week we've welcomed a raft of new and interesting kit into our office and have already bunged it out for testing. Here we've got some clipless pedals from Hope, underwear from Altura, and Specialized's new helmets. There are also some grips built especially for curly bars that look like they've been taken straight off of the Ninja Turtles' bikes.
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Altura Tempo Men's Undershorts
£25
First off, come in for testing are Altura's Tempo Men's Undershorts. The brand says that they're totally invisible under clothing making it possible to take full advantage of the memory foam pad without looking like a cyclist. They're made from a moisture-wicking fabric with an elasticated waist.
Hope Union Clip Pedals - RC
£160
We've had the trail focussed Hope Union Clip TC with a review coming very soon and we thought it would only be right to take a look at the cageless, lightweight model, the RC. These pedals are built for racing and are built with a stainless steel mechanism, a titanium axle as standard and the bodies are fully CNC machined.
These rock three cartridge bearings with an IGUS bushing and Hope says that they're fully serviceable and rebuildable. They're also supplied with two sets of cleats offering 4° and 5° of free float.
Ere Tenaci Bar tape
£35
Next up is a new product for Ere, the Tenaci bar tape... Well actually, tape and grips. In the pack you get two slip-on grips that can be trimmed down to suit the length of your drops. Then, there's a stretch of actual bar tape. The grips make use of what Ere calls KNHDS or knuckleheads that are designed to boost grip, especially in muddy conditions. They come in a total length of 225mm and can be cut down to suit a range of bars.
Going back to the tape that's included, it's based around Ere's existing Explorer bar tape that's 35mm wide with an elongated chamfer flange to create a smooth overlap.
Specialized Ambush 2
£150
Hot off the heels of Specialized's announcement of two new helmets being added to the range, we wrangled a couple in for testing. Starting off with the Ambush 2, it's the long-awaited update to the original Ambush that was praised for its light weight and airflow. This iteration gets a new look with eyewear storage and has earned a five star Virginia Tech rating. The Ambush 2 is also designed with ventilation in mind and makes use of channels cut into the interior along with MIPS SL, keeping those vents perfectly clear.
Specialized Camber
£70
Then we've got the brand new Specialized Camber. This one sits at the more budget-friendly end of Specialized's helmet range but like the Ambush 2, it gets a five star Virginia Tech rating. Along with that, there's MIPS, Tri-Fix web splitters, and an airflow encouraging design.
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