DT Swiss aluminium DH wheels, Nukeproof summer riding kit, high

Feb 02, 2024

Plus highlights from this week on BikeRadar

This competition is now closed

By Alex Evans

Published: June 23, 2023 at 7:00 am

Unless you’ve been subjected to an internet blackout – or prefer communicating via carrier pigeon or tin cans connected by string – you’ll know the world’s biggest bike show, Eurobike 2023, is under way.

By the time you read this, the show will be in full swing, so be sure to keep checking the BikeRadar homepage or our dedicated Eurobike 2023 page to ensure you don’t miss a single, juicy bit of new bike tech.

Elsewhere on site, it’s been another bumper week, of course.

Two electric bike motor brands have launched interesting new products.

Bosch, on one hand, has finally revealed its much-anticipated lightweight Performance Line SX motor, joining the brand’s impressive full-power Performance Line CX. With 55Nm of torque and 600W of peak power, we’re sure this motor can go toe-to-toe with Fazua’s Ride 60, Specialized’s Levo SL 1.2 unit and Trek’s TQ.

Arguably, Pinion’s E-Drive MGU all-in-one motor and gearbox is more innovative. Removing the need for a traditional external drivetrain, the ex-Porsche engineers have combined drive and gearing into one, rather compact unit.

Boasting a whopping 600 per cent gear range, up to 160Nm of torque and 600W of peak power, the MGU weighs around 4kg all in, which is lighter than most other drive units, with a drivetrain combined.

If electric bikes aren’t you thing, we’ve also seen plenty of non-assisted tech this week.

Two new lightweight XC tyres have launched; the Hutchinson Wyrm Racing Lab and the Goodyear Peak SL, both designed for the speed of cross-country and marathon racing.

If you’re feeling as energetic as Jonas Vingegaard et al, then Oakley’s bright yellow Tour de France limited-edition glasses might be right up your street.

Orbea’s house-brand Oquo has announced eight road- and gravel-specific wheelsets made from both carbon and aluminium. Although Orbea riders will probably love these, the discreet styling means riders from any bike brand can run them without clashing.

And finally, after Raleigh blew up the internet by announcing the return of the Chopper at the end of May, we’ve taken a deeper dive into the history of the model and what makes it such an icon.

Without further ado, below are some of the best bits of kit to cross BikeRadar’s virtual desks this week.

Synonymous with quality, the all-new FR 1500 Classic wheelset from Swiss-based wheel-building experts DT is made using the brand’s venerable 240 Classic hubs and the burly, range-topping aluminium FR 541 rims.

The new rim profile, DT claims, means the wheels are lighter than before, while improving on the previous model’s impact and pinch-flat resistance.

Joined using welding, the aluminium rims are said to be the most resistant in DT’s portfolio.

They’re laced to 240 hubs using the brand’s Competition spokes.

In a further drive to lose weight, the front wheel has 28 spokes (compared to 32 on the previous model), while the rear has 32 for more strength.

Onto the 240 hub. This has DT’s Ratchet EXP 36 freehub with 10-degree engagement points, quickly and easily interchangeable freehub bodies, and is fully rebuildable.

Full wheelsets are available in either 27.5in or 29in diameters and have a 30mm internal width. They use a standard 6-bolt disc mount, and rears are offered in 148mm or 157mm Boost widths, while the fronts can be bought with either 110x15mm or 110x20mm axles for enduro or DH forks.

Our set of 29in-diameter, 148x12mm rear-axle, 110x15mm front-axle, XD Driver wheels weighs 2,079g (1,009g front, 1,070g rear).

Harking back to Five Ten’s original Impact High’s increased protection, the updated Impact Pro Mid puts the clumpy looks and feel of the old shoe on a diet.

By adding D3O protective sections on the ankles, Five Ten hopes its latest high tops won’t skimp on keeping your feet safe.

Increasing the height of the shoe’s upper, and therefore lace closure, they should offer increased ankle support and stability.

Unchanged, however, is the Stealth S1 outsole, which has kept Five Ten at the top of the pile when it comes to outright flat-pedal traction.

The Polyurethane midsole is compression moulded, and claimed to give a stiff, supportive feel.

Despite slimming down the design, they’re still quite weighty shoes.

Our pair of EU42 Impact Pro Mids weighed 1,123g.

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Something that’s often overlooked is the conundrum of finding a bottle to fit within the confines of smaller-sized full-suspension bike frames.

Usually, bike manufacturers will fit bottle mount bosses to their XS and S bikes, but not leave space for a decent bottle without it hitting the rear shock, top tube or both.

Conventional cages and bottles – even smaller ones – usually sit too proud and are too square to fit.

Some brands, such as YT, have made their own bespoke bottles (YT’s is dubbed the Thirstmaster 6000) to fit with a specific frame’s design.

Fidlock’s Twist Bottle 450 is intended to achieve that goal but on a more universal level.

The low-slung profile of the mount and bottle means it sits just 86mm proud from the bike’s frame, and end-to-end it’s 169mm long. Its curved ends help it squeeze into tight gaps.

A hinged cap means no muck gets onto its teat and spoils your drink’s taste, while the BPA-free plastic is dishwasher safe.

With a 450ml capacity, it’s the perfect size to supplement an additional bladder on longer rides, or provide enough liquid for shorter ones.

Together, the Bike Base and Twist 450 weigh 124g (bottle 101g, base 23g).

Nukeproof’s riding kit is a firm favourite here at BikeRadar, offering impressive performance and quality.

The brand’s new season of summer kit is no exception.

This jersey, made in Italy, uses a lightweight 115gsm polyester fabric front, designed to wick away sweat and dry quickly, with a wrap-knit (mesh) 110gsm rear to maximise air flow.

An anti-bacterial finish helps it resist odours, and it offers UV protection.

Dubbed ‘trail fit’, it’s designed to be worn loosely against the body.

Rounding out the package is Nukeproof’s Bluesign-certified fabric, where textile production is sustainable and achieved without using harmful substances.

Finally available in women’s specific fit, the Blackline Trail Pants are some of the best mountain bike trousers on the market.

A four-way stretch fabric ensures flexibility, while the DWR coating will brush off those pesky summer puddles without flinching.

Adjustable waist tabs are accompanied by popper buttons and a YKK zipper, so getting the right fit is easy.

With a slim, tapered fit, they don’t flap in the wind or become overly baggy when wet, but thanks to laser-cut ventilation holes, breathability is impressive.

Senior technical editor

Alex Evans is BikeRadar’s senior mountain bike technical editor. He started racing downhill at the tender age of 11 before going on to compete across Europe. Alex moved to Morzine in the French Alps at 19 to pursue a career as a bike bum and clocked up an enormous amount of riding. Hitting those famous tracks day in, day out for eight years, he broke more bikes than he can remember. Alex then moved back to the UK and put his vast knowledge of mountain biking to good use by landing a job working for MBUK magazine as features editor. Since working for MBUK, Alex’s focus has moved to bike tech. He’s one of BikeRadar’s lead testers and knows how to push bikes and products to the limit, searching out the equipment that represents the best value for money. Alex is also a dedicated eMTB rider, and still dabbles in racing of a sort, doing his best to top the Strava leaderboard on the steepest, gnarliest and twistiest trails the Tweed Valley has to offer – just for fun, of course. Alex is also a regular on the BikeRadar YouTube channel and BikeRadar podcast.

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