After a week's break, Five Cool Things is back and it's back with a bang. Stealing the show is Canyon's latest e-MTB, the Spectral:ONfly, a brand-spanking-new wheelset from Fulcrum and USE's long-awaited entry into the bouncy stem market. On top of that, we're getting ready for night riding with Exposure's updated Zenith MK3 light and we've already been putting the SKS Renkompressor NXT to the test.

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Let's dive into some of the top stories of the past couple of weeks. First off, we've been hot on the rider interviews front and caught up with Lachlan Morton in 'on and off the record with Lachlan Morton' where we found out more about his 12,400km record attempt around Australia. Additionally, we sat down with YouTube sensation, Fabio Wibmer to learn about his video career and where his roots lie.

As for our other features, we teamed up with Cannondale and sent our Ty up to Ard Rock to race aboard the Moterra SL and ask the question, is racing an e-MTB easier? Turns out, there's a lot more than meets the eye. Speaking of teaming up, we also joined forces with Granite Design to bring you a guide to on-bike tool and spares storage.

Then onto bikes and reviews. Earlier this week, we were at the Saddleback's house show where the high-end bike and kit distributor showed off the latest products in its portfolio. While there were a few things we're not allowed to talk about, Fergus Ryan's 'Ferg's Flat White' Privateer 161 Gen 2 stole the show, and it's well worth a look. Canyon also brought a new bike to the market, the Spectral:ONfly complete with TQ motor.

Canyon Spectral:ONfly CLLCTV

£6,800

Here is the Canyon Spectral:ONfly in its special CLLCTV model designation. The TQ HPR50-equipped e-MTB is draped with heavier-hitting components edging on enduro. That means it trades the Fox 36 fork found on other models for a fatter stanchioned Fox 38, and the Maxxis Minion DHR II front tyre for a Maxxis Assegai.

However, what's special about this bike is that it takes everything that makes the regular Spectral a great bike, but gets small adjustments to help it perform better as an e-mountain bike. With that, its reach is a little shorter, but its chainstay is slightly longer to keep weight more central when climbing. There's a longer stem, too, to keep the cockpit feeling identical. 

The bike also benefits from Canyon's K.I.S technology, gets a 300Wh battery as standard and the brand claims that it can assist an 85kg rider up to 1,000 metres of climbing.

For more, we've got an early verdict in our Canyon Spectral:ONfly first ride review.

• www.canyon.com

USE Vybe stem

£180

When we think of USE and Vybe, we think of its suspension seatpost but, with gravel riders looking to eke out every ounce of comfort, the brand has stepped into the vibration-absorbing stem game with the Vybe stem. This stem benefits from the brand's 35 years of component-creating experience and USE says it's infinitely adjustable. 

In the pack, five elastomers can be swapped and adjusted to dial in the level of feedback and suspension provided by the stem. But it's the arrangement of the elastomers where things get interesting – there's an upper elastomer that acts as a bump stop to address rebound forces. Then the lower elastomer sorts compression forces. Although the lower elastomer is interchangeable, both are adjustable using the top and bottom bolts. 

The Vybe stem comes in two lengths, 70 and 90mm with claimed weights of 195g and 205g.

• www.ultimateuse.com

Fulcrum Metal Carbon wheelset

£1,525

Only last week Fulcrum marked its commitment to MTB with the introduction of its trail wheelsets, the Metal Carbon and Metal ALX. Perhaps confusingly named, we've got the Metal Carbon wheelset built with carbon rims. Weighing 1,540 grams on our scales, these hoops get a 32mm internal width that Fulcrum says is ideal for tyres ranging in widths from 2.4 to 2.6in.

These rims utilise the brand's Nip(ple) Force design that promises to balance vertical compliance with lateral stiffness and that's through the use of Fulcrum's own formula of carbon fibre and resin. Both wheels get 24 spokes at the front and 28 at the rear. We're also told that these wheels can cope with the rigours of a lightweight e-MTB with a maximum torque rating of 60Nm. So while these are trail-focused wheels, we reckon they're up for some serious riding.

• www.fulcrumwheels.com

Exposure Zenith MK3

£295

The nights are drawing in but that doesn't mean that the post-work rides need to stop. Exposure's latest and greatest Zenith MK3 boasts an upgraded Lumen count, now promising 2,200 Lumens that can illuminate the trail at full blast for up to an hour. It gets Exposure's famed TAP technology, so riders can reduce the output simply by tapping the light.

However, that burn time can be adjusted using the optimised mode selector that allows the user to scroll through nine programs. Exposure also builds the light with clever circuitry that will lower the output of the LED before it overheats to help protect the light in the necessary conditions.

• www.exposurelights.com

SKS Renkompressor NXT

£130

The Renkompressor is an absolute classic and the NXT model gets modern features to meet the demands of modern riders. Impressively, it's almost collapsible with its base built to fold and the handle held in place by a screw-thread, so it can be packed down neatly to fit in even the smallest of spaces.

With a taller steel tube, the Renkompressor NXT promises to deliver more air to make seating large tubeless tyres easier and there's a new version of the MV EASY MULTI VALVE head, as well as a neat beech wood handle. 

• www.sks-germany.com

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