Trek's new Top Fuel, the DJI Osmo Action 4, Maxxis' High Roller, Tru-Tension's Grime Guard and a torque wrench from Prestacycle
This week's coolest kit and top stores.
Friday may have come around quickly this week but we've still got Five Cool Things to show you before they go off to our testers for an in-depth review. This week, we'll look at a new Maxxis mountain bike tyre, DJI's action camera and Trek's brand-new Top Fuel Gen 4. Furthermore, we'll take a look at something new from the Tru-Tension's range and torque wrenches from Prestacycle.
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Let's start with a recap of the best stories of the week. We kicked off with a buyer's guide on the best mountain bike saddles to help you make the right saddle purchasing decisions. We also updated our best mountain bike and gravel bike deals of 2024. In this piece, we've scoured the internet for the best savings and deals covering full bike builds and accessories.
There's been some pretty big news, too, with Guava Bikes blasting onto the UK market and offering new customers the chance to collect their new bike from the brand's HQ in Barcelona. Maxxis unveiled the new High Roller 3, giving it a more mixed condition look and YT Industries revamped its Dirtlove dirt jump bike. Boardman also unveiled its new ADV and TRVL range with suspension fork models and wireless drivetrain builds costing less than £2,000.
Moving onto reviews, Matt checked out Fara's £667 Modular Cockpit, a carbon-integrated drop handlebar with an adjustable stem length. We looked at Shimano's GE7 gravity-focused shoe and G-Form's new Terra Knee Guards which are eco-friendly and biodegradable. We also tested Prologo's X-Shred grips.
Maxxis High Roller III
£80
2024 maxxis highroller 3 5.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The biggest news this week came from Maxxis and its new High Roller mountain bike tyre, which now takes the form of a mixed-condition gravity tyre. Now in its third iteration, the High Roller middles occupies the space between the Assegai and Shorty with taller and widely spaced centre tread. Interestingly, the shoulder knobs look rather different too as the front edges are angled outwards.
Because the new High Roller is a tyre intended for gravity riding, it's only available in Double Down and Downhill casings, although we're told that there's an EXO+ build on the way. It's only available in widths of 2.4in with MaxxGrip rubber.
DJI Osmo Action 4 Adventure Combo
£379
2024 dji osmo action 4 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
If you didn't film it, did it really happen? While GoPro still dominates the best action camera market, gimbal and drone giant, DJI is making strides in the segment.
Pictured here is the Adventure Combo bundle that includes a three-battery charger/case, an extendable pole and a handful of attachments. The Osmo Action 4 can be picked up for a competitive £289. The Osmo Action 4 shoots up to 4k at 120fps with a super-wide 155-degree field of view. The camera is then sorted with several stabilisation modes including a horizon lock for buttery smooth footage.
Something we reckon is properly cool and very useful is that the Osmo Action 4 uses a magnetic clip, which lets users quickly shift the camera from mount to mount or from horizontal to vertical shooting without touching a single bolt.
Trek Top Fuel 8 Gen 4
£3,500
2024 trek top fuel 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Last week Trek announced its updated Top Fuel and we've already got one in for testing. Here we have the Top Fuel in its reasonably priced 8 that's built around an Alpha Platinum alloy frame. It gets internal frame storage, a BITS bag and Mino-Link that adjusts the geometry and the progression rate in the rear suspension.
It comes with a 130mm fork and 120mm of rear suspension but Trek says that the travel can be boosted to 140mm at the front and 130mm at the rear through a longer fork and longer stroke shock. As for geometry, we've got a large frame that boasts a 477mm reach in its low position, a 65.5-degree head angle, a 75.9-degree effective seat tube angle and a 440mm chainstay length.
This 8 balances performance and accessibility with a Fox 34 Rhythm handling the front suspension and a Float DPS shock out back. A Shimano XT derailleur and shifter combo with an SLX cassette and Deore crank drive the Top Fuel 8. Shimano also handles braking with M6100 levers and M6210 four-piston calipers. The rest of the build comes from Trek's parts brand, Bontrager including the 170mm Line dropper post.
Tru-Tension Grime Guard
£15
2024 tru-tension grime guard 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Drivetrain cleaning products and disc brakes don't mix if you like solid and consistent braking power, and that's why several brands are bringing neat guards to the market – to stop overspray from finding its way onto your delicate braking surfaces. This is Tru-Tensions bash at an overspray guard dubbed the Grime Guard.
Rather than wrap around the brake rotor itself, like Muc-Off's Disc Brake Covers, the Grime Guard hooks around your freehub allowing for free rearwards rotation of the drivetrain. This should stop any stray cleaner particles from ever getting near your brake rotor, while the little scoop at the top can be filled with a rag to catch used cleaner for easy disposal.
Prestacycle Torqratchet Elite
£56
2024 prestacycle elite torque 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
If you've used Granite Design's Rocknroll TQ Torque Ratchet Tool Kit or Upgrade's Compact Torque Driver, chances are you've used a Prestacycle product without knowing it. This is Prestacycle's premium portable torque wrench, the Torqratchet Elite, boasting top-notch accuracy and a dial that reads in 1/2 Nm increments.
Its range stretches from 2Nm up to 10Nm and can be used to remove and tighten bolts. Prestacycle says that this tool can remove pedals as it's rated to withstand up to 60Nm of force. The brand also states that it's accurate for over 5,000 cycles and weighs 68g.
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