This weeks' cool things come in the form of some extra wide gravel handlebars with a dinky stem from PNW, plus some uber-expensive chain lube, care of Ceramic Speed. There's also a new dropper post and a mountain bike stem from 9point8 and lastly a pair of Thunderpants! Read on for more.....

• Your complete guide to the RockShox rear shock range
• How to choose the best dropper post for your mountain bike
• Your complete guide to the 2021 Giant Bicycles gravel bike range

PNW Components The Coast Handlebar
£54

Want to go wide for gravel? The Coast Handlebar from PNW could be just the thing, available in widths of 480mm and 520mm, its the former we have on test. There are quite a few reasons to have a wider drop bar,  a wider bar with shallow drop can provide ergonomic relief to the wrists and neck,  it also makes your bike more stable, plus gives more room for bar bags and the likes. 

• www.pnwcomponents.com

PNW Components The Coast Stem
£54

To match our Coast 480mm wide bar, we've got a 70mm stem with a 7 degree rise in on test too. There are plenty of options of lengths from 60 to 100mm, plus it comes with a mount for you to attach lights or a camera too - should be handy heading into night riding season. 

• www.pnwcomponents.com

Passport Lug-Kage Fork Rack
£22

For carrying a myriad of extra things on your gravel adventures, the Lug-Kage is best for larger items such as sleeping bags, tarpaulin rolls or even drinks flasks. Attaching to forks with dedicated three-bolt mounting lugs, it has two straps to secure your load. It weighs 172g and can carry up to 3kg. Passports make bikepacking gear nearer the budget end f the scale and this, at under £22, is no different. 

• www.passportcycles.co.uk

9point8 Fall Line seat post
£289

We've heard good things about the 9Point8 dropper post and now the time has come to test one. We are intrigued by the tool less disconnection system and the infinite adjustment controlled by a 'mechanical brake' that locks the post in position. 9Point8 says that the system works so if there is an air pressure loss the post can still be locked in any position and adjusted manually. 

We have a 150mm post on test but you can also buy 175mm or 200mm post for a slightly higher price of £309. Also included in the package is a £50 upgrade of the new Digit 2.0 remote lever. The new lever has a redesigned bar clamp featuring three mount options to fine tune the lever position on your bars. Other new features in comparison to the first version of the remote include, a neat machined pocket to tuck the cable end away and
the plastic axle of the previous Digit has been replaced with a stronger one piece alloy axle which is less susceptible to damage.

• www.shore-lines.co.uk

9point8 Stout stem
£75

A stumpy option from 9point8, the Stout stem is a slick black, alloy stem offered in both 31.8mm and 35mm diameters and in lengths from 30-50mm weighing from 113g. 

• www.9point8.ca

7mesh Copilot jacket
£220

New to 7mesh for winter 2020 is the Copilot jacket for women and for men. The mountain bike jacket is seam-sealed, features GORE-TEX Paclite® for breathability and has a 100% recycled nylon face fabric. There is also a hood to fit over helmets, a dropped hem, elasticated cuffs and reflective logos.

• www.7mesh.com
   

7mesh Thunder Pant
£280

Firstly we just wanted to wear these for the name, Thunder Pant..... well, who wouldn't? Elsewhere, the trousers look like they will be a hardy pair of full waterproofs for mucky riding. They use GORE-TEX PRO fabric, a stretchy waistband, shaped knee articulation, with velcro-secured stretch fabric at the end of each, plus you can trim the total leg length to perfectly suit your height. These are the women's trousers but they come in a men's fit too for the same price. 

• www.7mesh.com

You might also like:

• 5 cool things from Garmin, Scott and Ruzer
• 5 cool things from DMR, Schwalbe, Sweet Protection, Look and Juice Lubes
• 5 cool things from Specialized, Osprey, Leatt and Topeak