WTB's e-MTB wheelset, Leatt's new helmet and winter shoes, Absolute Black's GRAPHENpads, winter pants from Endura

And much more in this week's five cool things

Liam Mercer

Dec 16 2022

Many, many more cool things are landing at off.road.cc HQ which making feel more and more like Christmas. This week, we've got some interesting brake pads, e-bike-specific wheels, a budget-friendly helmet, and some waterproof shoes.

As usual, we've been bringing you some exciting news and features such as the launch of the new Scott Scale and Mondraker's Crafty Carbon XR which gets that Bosche Performance CX Race motor. Though in more controversial news, social media has been buzzing about the rumour that Specialized ends contracts for paid ambassadors.

Moving over to our reviews, we've got full write-ups on the Lezyne Pocket Torque Drive, Parcours Alta gravel wheelset, and the Alpina Rootage Evo helmet.

We've been cranking out the features too, bringing you the best festive off-road cycling events to keep your legs spinning through the festivities as well as a recap on the UCI MTB World Cup 2022 season. And we can't forget about Team ORCC EP.11 where our racers show off their Canyon race bikes.

Absolute BLACK GRAPHENpads

£50

AbsoluteBLACK's new GRAPHENpads come with claims as bold as their asking price. First off, they're the first brake pad to be made using modified graphene in the friction material and it's said that this improved braking performance and durability while reducing heat build-up to the pad's backplate. That backplate is wholly coated in graphene, which is said to dissipate heat more effectively.

The most noticeable feature of these pads is that long cooling fin which has been cut with angles to provide three benefits, says the brand. The first is that it increases surface area and it benefits from more airflow than without the angles. This construction also provides further heat dissipation.

AbsoluteBLACK has performed a tonne of tests on these new pads to find out more, head over to the website.

absoluteblack.cc

Leatt Shoe HydraDri 7.0 flat

£190

Leatt touts the HydraDri 7.0 as an all-weather shoe that features the brand's new HydraDri membrane, offering 10k/10k water protection. The shoe's outer shell is fully taped and tightened up thanks to a quick lace system hidden underneath it.

This shoe benefits from Leatt's soft RideGrip Pro rubber compound, rather than its standard RideGrip compound in order to offer even more grip when things get extra slippery, as they would when it's wet. Speaking of the sole, the HydraDri 7.0 uses an inverted version of the WaffleGrip which is said to boost traction when using pedals with shorter pins while improving traction off of the bike.

WTB HTZ i30 wheelset

£600

This wheelset is WTB's first crack at a full e-MTB-specific wheel and it's been designed for those who ride e-mountain bikes but want the confidence to rattle through the most horrific of rock gardens without wrecking their rims. To do so, the rim's walls are 20% thicker and the freehub body is built from heat-treated steel, and inside the six pawls engage simultaneously.

There are oversized 17mm axle sleeves, double stacked enduro bearings and there are heat sinks built into the rotor side of each hub to help dissipate heat built up under the heavier braking expected of an e-bike. The wheels are built with some mighty fat 13-gauge butted spokes in order to boost stiffness and durability.

www.wtb.com

Leatt Helmet MTB AllMtn 1.0

£70

Leatt's AllMtn 1.0 features the brand's 360 Turbine rotational impact system at a rather reasonable price point. This lid gets 14 vents complete the brand's MaxiFlow air channels. Along with that, there's a three-point adjustable visor with a breakaway function and an extended rear portion for more protection.

It's claimed that this lid weighs 320g in its smallest size and it's kitted with a moisture-wicking washable liner.

leatt.com

Endura MT500 Freezing Point trousers

£150

Ideal for the cold snap the UK is facing at the moment, Endura's MT500 Freezing Point trousers offer warmth when the temperature plummets thanks to the Primaloft Gold insulation built in. This trouser still comes with stretchy panels for free movement over the bike and there's a stretch waistband to help achieve a great fit.

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.