The YT Industries Jeffsy and Michelin's e-MTB tyres

And the top stories of the week.

Liam Mercer

Mar 22 2024

Leading this week's Five Cool Things are the YT Industries Jeffsy trail bike and Michelin's e-bike-specific rubber. We'll also take a look at some sunglasses from 100%, SDG's extra cushy saddle and Bluegrass's enduro full-face helmet. Of course, we'll also glance back over the week and bring you our news highlights.

This week has been pretty hot on the news front with the 2024 Cape Epic well underway. Not only did we bring you the riders you should watch last week but, to kick things off on Monday, Steve Thomas jumped into his time machine and took us back to the first-ever event, celebrating 20 years of the Cape Epic. This year, we'll also be bringing you a host of bike checks from the event, starting with Daryl Impey's Scott Spark RC 900 World Cup Edition. Then, don't forget to check out our review on the Schwalbe Rocket Ron, a tyre that's seen on many an XC circuit.

And cross-country remains the flavour of the week as Yeti unveiled its new ASR mountain bike. We managed to get hands-on with the bike too, so check out our Yeti ASR T3 first ride review for some early impressions. On the bike front, Norco bolstered its range further but this time with an e-MTB, the Fluid VLT.

With Spring just around the corner, you might be planning your first ever day at a bike park so we've rounded up some tips on everything you should know about bike parks for beginners. There has also been an update to the RockShox fork range for 2024, now including the new Flight Attendant tech.

And for the gravellers out there, a new SRAM patent has got us asking, are four-piston brakes finally coming to gravel?

Michelin E-Wild Racing Line Front and Rear e-MTB tyres

£80

Michelin has recognised that e-MTBs demand specific tyres, not just burlier carcasses. As such, the brand has introduced its E-Wild Racing Line tyres that use some of the tech and patterns seen on the regular rubber but it's all beefed up and shaped especially for the greater weight and assistance of e-MTB.

The pair of tyres come with front and rear-specific tread patterns, with the former being crafted for confidence at speed – the rear has been built especially for traction. Both tyres use the brand's new Magi-X rubber compound that's supposed to work down to three degrees centigrade and the tyres get pinch puncture protection designed around an e-bike's weight.

www.michelin.co.uk

YT Industries Jeffsy Core 4

£5,000

Late last year YT Industries brought long-awaited updates to its Jeffsy platform and, before its launch, we headed out with the brand to get some first-ride impressions. Now, we've got a more wallet friendly model in for review.

The Jeffsy Core 4 is an all-killer, no-filler build that features a full suite of SRAM and RockShox kit, including an Ultimate-level Lyrik fork with 150mm of travel and a Super Deluxe shock that damps 145mm of bounce. There's SRAM's GX Transmission drivetrain and Code RSC brakes. Then built around a carbon frame, it gets all the mod-cons including an accessory mount, room in the front triangle for a bottle cage and internal storage inside the downtube.

This bike's going to bike tester Ty Rutherford, who's spent some serious time on the old-generation Jeffsy, so be sure to catch the review when that comes in for a super scrutinous look at the new machine.

yt-industries.com

100% Glendale sunglasses

£140

The 100% Glendale glasses deliver a balance of timeless style with handy tech that cyclists should appreciate. That tech comes in the form of an Ultra HD lens that's built to be shatterproof and impact-resistant. It's a cylindrical shield lens for increased peripheral view and it offers 100 per cent UV protection. It's scratch-resistant and comes with loads of venting to fend off fog. Boosting the incredible amount of tech is its hydrophobic and oleophobic treatment which has been added to repel water, dirt and oil and it is housed within a TR90 frame. Lastly, that lens features HiPER tech that boosts contrast and the glasses are compatible with 100%'s large RX insert.

100percent.eu

SDG Bel-Air V3 Max

£50

Now, SDG's Bel-Air V3 comes in multiple forms and this is the model that's been shaped more towards e-MTB applications, however, we reckon it could work great on regular mountain bikes, too. Living up to its Max name is its exaggerated rise at the rear and it comes with more EVA foam than the regular models. It's weightier than the bog-standard Bel-Air V3 but it should be more comfortable, especially with the pronounced perennial-relief channel.

All of that foam sits upon a nylon glass base and there are free-float rail inserts that allow the saddle to flex more towards its wings. The nose of the saddle is then a little bit wider.

sdgcomponents.com

Bluegrass Vanguard Core Mips

£295

Being the gravity off-shoot of MET, it comes as no surprise that Bluegrass has entered the lightweight full-face helmet race with the Vanguard Core Mips. It's certified to downhill and e-MTB, ASTM F1952 and NTA 8776 standards and it has scored five stars at Virginia Tech's helmet lab.

The helmet features a Mips C2 liner and a Fidlock magnetic buckle. There's a pair of c-shaped cheek pads and a 360-degree head belt with three vertical adjustments that should help properly dial in the helmet's fit. Providing airflow are 24 vents and an internal air channelling system. All of that is contained within an in-mould polycarbonate shell with an EPS foam liner.

www.met-helmets.com

Author block

Liam Mercer

Since beginning his mountain biking career while working as a resort photographer in Greece in 2014, Liam became a freelance contributor at off.road.cc in 2019. From there, he’s climbed the journalism job ladder from staff writer to deputy technical editor, now finding his place as technical editor.

Partial to the odd enduro race, heart rate-raising efforts on slim-tyred cross-country bikes, hell-for-leather e-MTB blasts or even casual gravel jaunts, there’s not a corner of off-road cycling where Liam fears to tread. With more than 40 bike reviews under his belt and hundreds more on MTB, e-MTB and gravel parts and accessories, Liam’s expertise continues to be cemented and respected by the industry.