In a shameless rip off of our sister site MTB Britain, Offroad Adventures - Online present you with a list of the ten products that have made the greatest difference to our riding in the last year. These products may not necessarily have been invented or first marketed in the year 2000, but never-the-less have made mountain biking life easier for all concerned in the new century.
Certainly not the highest quality, most technologically advanced, or even the best sealed headset on the market. At last, after all these years of mountain biking there is a cure for "lower headset decay" - fresh grease! A relatively cheap and very simple headset (standard 3/32" balls with non-replaceable races) is transformed into the best UK conditions headset ever seen by the addition of grease ports. Flush with grease after every wet ride and they just keep on turning forever.
For many years there has always been a bomb-proof Mavic rim. First it was the M7CD, then the 117CD, and then…..nothing. Downhill rims are too wide for XC bikes, and the 217 & X517 rims suffered from eyelet cracking and sidewalls wearing through. The X618 is a welcome return to an un-bustable XC rim, with double eyelets and thicker braking surfaces. It is amazing the difference that a meagre 60g makes to durability, and the overall package is exactly the same width as the existing X517. Top marks!
If you are one of those poor sods who got through a full set of brake pads at the bikemagic peaks ride, then I'll just rub it in about disc brakes. Not content with the all-purpose green pads, which would just about last a winter, the new EBC gold pads were purpose designed for the horrendous conditions that the British call November. The pads are made of sintered bronze, last 2-3 winters and actually work better in mud!
After several years of accepting the crud-catcher type front mudguard as de-rigueur winter wear, I've been very slow to catch on to the benefits of a clean, dry posterior. Arriving in a café without half of the local countryside stuck to your backside provides much better etiquette. Similarly, the joys of the cold water enema must be restricted to memory.
I used to be a great fan of the buffalo windproof pullover. Unfortunately, the introduction of the Camelbak rucsac made the pit-zips and huge front pocket not quite so easy to access. Once my buffalo was decrepit and ripped, it was replaced with another super-lightweight pertex jacket; the Karrimor Vail - boasting a full length front zip. Huge amounts of ventilation can be quickly accessed, even when riding fairly technical tracks. Now the pertex Vail has been joined by an Activent version; so the same no-fuss garment offers almost waterproof protection, coupled with enough breathability to wear all day, all winter.
This is one of the few garments that I have ever bought on impulse - and true to form I almost immediately regretted buying it. I would stare at it in disbelief that I had actually paid £10 for nothing more than a tube of fabric. I even tried to sell it to my friends to alleviate my shame in falling for such a con! But then, after realising that I may as well use the item that I'd "wasted" my money on, it was eventually pressed into service as an under helmet ear warmer. It may well be a simple tube of fabric, but the fabric is far from simple! The Buff is one of those breathtakingly simple items that is worth its weight in gold. It soaks up forehead sweat like it isn't there, protects balding bonces from headache inducing winds, and can be quickly tugged over the ears when it approaches zero. To avoid that appalling "cold helmet sweat" experience after your café stop, simply re-tie it so that the dry end cossets your forehead for the ride home - bliss!
Once again the Karrimor name crops up in the list of top products, what does this tell you about the quality of their products?
This daysac replaces my Vango one which served me well for a over three years until the zip finally went during my South Downs Way trip this September. This product has been designed with the mountain biker in mind and it works so well. It has an "airflow" channel down the back, an external pouch for a camelbak or similar up to 2L, mesh pockets of all shapes and sizes and two main compartments. The top compartment is big enough for a tool kit, first aid kit, mobile phone and snacks, while the main compartment is ideal for clothing, maps and even a small sleeping bag. Additional features include the helmet holder and brightly coloured waterproof cover. It is perfect for a day ride of any length in any weather.
An excellent pair of gloves! Being a southerner I've found that a pair of 2 finger gloves are adequate almost all year round with only the coldest winter days needing extra protection. It wasn't until I lost my Gills down the gap between a train and a platform that I realised how good they were. They were padded in all the right places, almost sweat free, ideal for greasy or muddy repairs without taking your gloves off and they stood up to anything! Perhaps not one for this time of the year but well worth considering for the spring. I'm now using Gill Neoprene MTB Gloves which are almost as good but don't seem to be as breathable as they claim.
These have made my year in terms of mountain biking kit! I was really having problems with my knees and my Shimano SPDs, now I can ride for days without any knee pain. I think these are excellent and anyone who is considering new SPDs should give them a try! Read the review on the site.
These socks are just ideal. Since I got a pair back in October I won't go out for a ride without them, simply because they are the ultimate in waterproof socks! They are warm, dry, soft and comfortable and they do everything that they claim to impressively effectively. There is not a lot more you can say about them other than get the New Year off to a good start and buy yourself a pair!
Last Updated 28-12-2000
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