Cranks from 5Dev and Hope, Topeak's digital torque wrench, dungarees from Endura and Vittoria's Air Liner tyre inserts
This week's Five Cool Things and the best stories.
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This week's five cool things and the top stories of the week!
Five Cool Things is back – and we've got some seriously cool kit to show off.
We take a look at the best coffee table literature as well as this week's hottest products.
The five coolest things to come into the office alongside this week's top news.
As we dive into the Christmas period, the cool things keep flowing and this week we're kicking off our aftermarket crankset testing with cranks from 5Dev and Hope. Adding to the stoke, there are Vittoria's Air Liner tyre inserts, Endura's new Bib Pant, and a digital-but-portable torque wrench from Topeak. But first, let's take a look at the top stories of the week.
- 7 best mountain and gravel bike upgrades for less than £50
- Best way to transport mountain bikes
- 5 best upgrades for your new mountain or gravel bike
Stealing headlines everywhere this week was the news of Outlier's new pedal, the Pendulum and it lives up to its name because not only does it look insane with its axleless design, but its platform is placed below the axle. The idea behind this layout is to lower weight while making for a more solid platform to drive weight through. And did I mention that it's a single-sided flat pedal?
In fact, news in general with out there in terms of releases as Carbon Wasp unveiled its latest mountain bike, a gearbox-equipped hardtail. While definitely niche, the brand has gone for ease of maintenance and all-out durability.
We've been all about the features this week as we sat down with Ciovita founder, Andrew Gold in 'From Africa to the world', to learn about how the Italian-named, South Africa-based brand came to be. South Africa became the theme of the week as we also chatted to Kevin Vermaak, the man behind the Cape Epic to learn more about his new event, the Gravel Burn. Wrapping up this week's interviews, our latest Industry Insider focuses on Si Paton, the brains behind the Malvern Classics.
Once again, our reviews cover all corners of off-road cycling with the latest Trek Checkpoint being awarded four stars for its compliant yet racy ride, and CeramicSpeed's BSA Bottom Bracket proving itself a worthy investment for those who want to save every watt they can. Also hitting the site is Matt's review of the Camelbak M.U.L.E. saddle pack, the brand's first go at bikepacking kit.
Topeak E-Torqbar 1-10Nm
£150
2024 topeak digi torque wrench 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The E-Torqbar from Topeak is a torque wrench that focuses on lightweight and portability. But what makes it stand out from the slew of portable torque wrenches on the market is that is uses a digital readout that employs ten rather sizey LEDs to highlight torque values. Powered by a single AAA battery, the digital torque unit comes in an aluminium housing.
As for the rest of the pack, it includes Allen bits from 2 to 6mm as well as T10, T15, T20 and T25 bits. That's all turned by a small ratcheting handle and there's an extender thrown in for good measure. The ratchet is made from chrome vanadium steel whereas the bits are S2 hardened steel.
5Dev R-Spec Trail/Enduro crankset
£550
2024 5dev r-spec enduro crank.jpg, by Liam Mercer
5Dev is best known for its mega-spendy, very high-end titanium cranks machined using its five-axis CNC-machining process. Where those cranks will set you back £1,500, the R-Spec Trail/Enduro cranks bring that unique 5Dev aesthetic to a more accessible price point while using the same patented tooling system and CNC machines.
Instead of titanium, this crankset is cut from 7050 billet aluminium chosen for its blend of lightweight and strength. 5Dev is also a brand making a name for itself for being a mascot for shorter cranks, so these are available in lengths from 135mm up to 175mm. Here, we've got the 160mm length.
As well as the crankset, we've also got the brand's aluminium chainring that can work with SRAM T-Type chains – as well as Shimano 12-speed and SRAM Eagle variants.
Endura MT500 Bib Pants
£200
2024 endura dungarees 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Bib Pants or dungarees? This new product for Endura is its MT500 Waterproof Bib Pants and they look set to boost versatility while providing all of the wet weather protection. These are built using an ExoShell30DR fabric that's super durable but also very breathable. They get a pair of adjustable straps, and the high-back bib design is shaped to fend off all manners of spray and wetness.
There are plenty of zips and pockets, too, with zips at the ankles allowing the pants to be taken off and put on even with shoes on, and there are a pair of hand pockets with water-repellant zips.
Hope Carbon Cranks
£550
2024 hope carbon crank 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Next up in our lineup of cranks for testing is Hope's Carbon Crank and, although they're built to shed grams where possible, they're also primed for longevity through the inclusion of small aluminium components. Two of those aluminium bits include replaceable pedal threads, and every metal part is interchangeable.
Even though it's made using T700 carbon, it's still designed and manufactured on home turf and to further improve durability, Hope has included a 1K outer fabric for its abrasion resistance, so it should look as good as it does out of the box, years into service. Hope has also tuned the crank's stiffness to balance power transfer with vibration absorption.
Vittoria Air Liner Protect Enduro
£50
2024 vittoria air liner 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Last but not least is Vittoria's Air-Liner Protect Enduro. It's a tyre insert aimed at enduro, as its name suggests, and it uses a lighter-density foam than the downhill version. The result is tuned shock absorption and enhanced handling, says the brand. However, this updated version comes as a full loop, so users won't need to cut the insert to size and join its ends with zip ties.
Unlike other inserts on the market, the Air-Liner Protect uses a 'T' shape designed to create a barrier between the rim's edges and the inside of the tyre under compression. This shape promises to improve the lateral stability of the tyre without taking up as much of the volume. Vittoria states that users can achieve even lower pressures while reaping the rewards of the insert's stability.
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