Bell's Full 10, Deity Deftrap pedals and EVOC bike bags

And the coolest stories of the week

Liam Mercer

May 5 2023

Once again, we've got Five Cool Things to show you this week. This time the kit comes from Bell in the form of one of the most technologically advanced helmets on the market and Deity's budget friendly flat pedals. We've also got some waterproof EVOC bike packing kit, a hip pack from Camelbak, and the Elite Neto Sterilizer. We'll also bring you this week's news highlights.

This week we've been big on the review front. Matt shared his thoughts on the Hope XCR Pro X2 brakes and the CloseTheGap ErgoMyRide XC-M inner bar ends. Pat tested a classic in the Lizard Skins Oury V2 grips and Stu gave the skinny on the 3T DiscusPlus i28 LTD gravel wheelset that'll cost you £1,949.

However, we haven't slowed down on our features as we met with Dan Hicks of The Rider Firm early in the week to learn how brands build bikes and Lance gave some tips for beginner mountain bikers.

As for news, it's been a pretty big week - especially for Specialized and its latest Levo SL. Liam jetted off to Snowdonia to ride the range-topping S-Works Levo SL Gen II, so be sure to check out the first-ride impressions. We also caught a glimpse of Nino Schurter's 2023 Scott Spark RC Special Edition, a bike that celebrates his 10 World Championship titles.

Deity Deftrap pedals

£50

First up we've got the Deity Deftrap pedals. The brand has some very bold claims behind these as it has aimed to defy the usual convention of quality and value by 'revolutionising' the expectations of nylon composite pedals.

To do so, these pedals get a true concave design and a non-offset symmetrical platform that's said to boost stability behind the pedal's spindle. There are 10 pins per side and the pedals spin around Deity's sealed bearing and DU bushing system.

www.deitycomponents.com

EVOC Boa WP bikepacking bags

€80 - 160

Next up we have some bags from EVOC's latest WP line-up. WP stands for waterproof, and each of these bags gets a waterproof, abrasion-resistant and dirt-repellant material with welded seams and waterproof zips. Where there aren't zips, Boa dials help keep the bags in place on the bike and where Velcro straps are employed, they can be cut down to size. These bags also get reflective logos for visibility in the dark.

www.evocsports.com

Bell Full 10 full-face helmet

£580

While the Bell Full 10 is one of the most expensive mountain biking helmets, it's also one of the most advanced. Featuring Spherical Mips, Bell has focussed on safety and comfort rather than reducing weight. But that doesn't mean it's not a light helmet, as a full carbon-fibre shell (medium size) is said to weigh 1,000g.

Elsewhere on the helmet, there's a fully adjustable flying bridge visor complete with air intake vents and it uses T.E.A.S. or Bell's Thermal Exchange Airflow System. All in all, this helmet certifies to NTA 8776 (e-bike), CE EN 1078:2012, ASTM F1952-15 and DH ASTM F2023-15 BMX certifications.

www.bellbikehelmets.co.uk

Camelbak M.U.L.E 5

£90

The MU.L.E 5 comes packed with a 1.5L lumbar reservoir and a host of other handy features. At the top, there's a bungee for overflow storage and integrated tool organisation. If the Crux reservoir isn't enough, there are two bottle pockets on either side of the pack and there's a magnetic tube trap to keep the tube in place.

The load-bearing hip strap comes sorted with extra pockets for easy access to snacks or other useful bits and there are reflective details around the pack to keep you safe at night. Completing the M.U.L.E 5, it uses an Air Support back panel for breathability and comfort, and there are cargo compression straps to keep the pack close to the body.

www.camelbak.co.uk

Elite Neto Sterilizer

£23

The Neto is Elite's answer to the clean bottle conundrum. The Neto Sterilizer does what it says on the tin - it sterilizes your water bottle killing 99.9% of bacteria and mould using just water vapour, no harmful chemicals here. The entire cleaning process takes just one minute and is carried out in the microwave. This kit is ideal for trail centres, training camps or health-conscious riders out there.

The kit includes a sanitising cup equipped with a silicone ring to facilitate the insertion of bottles with varying diameters. It also has a support grid for the placement of the bottle, cap and valve.

How does it work? Just fill the Neto with plain water up to the level limit marker and place it in the microwave for one minute at 700 watts.

www.elite-it.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.