The Heat is on
Summer means a slew of new cycling products are hitting the market, but it’s also a great time to stay stocked on tried-and-true gear as you rack up the miles.
HydraPak Stow
The Stow provides a unique way to keep an extra water bottle on long, hot summer rides. This collapsible water bottle is available in 350-ml, 500 ml and 1-liter configurations. The bottles are made of a lightweight TPU that’s 50% lighter than typical bottles. They can fit in a pocket full or empty and are even compatible with HydraPak’s filtering options if you’re sourcing water from the wilds. HydraPak products are available at Academy Sports, Gearhead Outfitters throughout the state and The Community Bicyclist in Little Rock. Also available at hydrapak.com.
Continental Dubnital
Continental’s Dubnital is a mountain bike tire that succeeds the popular Race Kings. But it’s become a popular choice for bikepacking and gravel rides that may venture down some of Arkansas’s rougher roads. Continental noticed riders using the tire more and more on gravel and has released a slimmer 50-mm version geared for gravel racing. All Dubnitals are available in a race casing or a more durable trail casing. Most local shops should be able to help you score a pair and they’re also available at continental-tires.com/bicycle.
Ergon GDH Grip
Ergon has expanded its popular downhill/enduro GDH grip line with two new thicknesses and a wide range of color options so riders can get the perfect grip and style for their downhill adventures. The grips are now available in slim (30 mm), the standard (32 mm) and fat (34 mm) and in seven colors. Ergon products can be found at most local bike shops and ergonbike.shop.
Silca Chain Waxing System
Once seemingly reserved for serious racers, chain waxing has started to become commonplace for those looking to extend the life of their drivetrain parts and to keep things quiet on rides, rather than the marginal gains made from waxing. Silca has made things even easier with its waxing system that includes a wax warmer with precise temperature control, making the process pretty fool-proof. The system also includes a drip stand and cable coupler so you can hang your freshly waxed chain to drip dry over the pot, allowing you to reuse the dripped wax. Local shops carry Silca products, or visit silca.cc to build an entire waxing bundle.
Swagman Co2 Pressure Preset Tire Plugger
Tubeless tires are the norm on trails and on gravel and increasingly popular on the road as well. And flats are an inevitable part of cycling no matter the system you use. The Swagman Co2 Pressure Preset Tire Plugger allows you to rapidly inflate your punctured tire through the hole in the tire and plug the tire. As the name suggests, the inflator has preset PSI settings (up to 110 PSI, which is overkill for most tubeless systems). The tool comes with several tire plugs and rubber bits to ensure a proper fit for your puncture. You have to supply the Co2 cartridge yourself, though. Champion Cycling in Fort Smith is a Swagman dealer. The tool is also available at swagman.net.
Allied FITZ and ECHO
The latest offerings from Northwest Arkansas-based bike manufacturer Allied Cycle Works are the FITZ, a super lightweight trail bike and the ECHO, a road bike that can go virtually anywhere thanks to its large tire clearance. The FITZ’s frame weighs just five pounds without a shock. Once the bike is built, you get 140 mm of travel, making it able to gobble up technical terrain with ease, but its light weight won’t leave you fighting for your life when you have to go uphill. The ECHO’s frame, as you’d expect from any modern carbon road bike, is also lightweight. The size 56 frame comes in at 790 grams, just shy of two pounds. The bike can fit 45 mm tires, which gives riders the option to tackle darn near any surface. It maintains an aggressive geometry even with wider tire clearance, so make no mistake – the ECHO is built for speed. Framesets and full build options for both bikes are available at alliedcycleworks.com.
All images courtesy of vendors
