It’s Friday, it’s Fresh Goods and all is back to normal – well, as normal as things get round here. We’ve had one knife fight, a drunken brawl, the printer has been pawned for coffee beans – and it’s only just afternoon. Strictly decaf on deadlines from now on.
Jeff Jones Steel Diamond frame and Truss fork
This is one bike bike guaranteed to draw love and hate in equal measure; the Jeff Jones designed, Taiwanese built, 4130 steel tubed and conventionally framed version of the innovative geometry used on the rather more rare, exclusive and much more expensive handbuilt Ti Spaceframe bikes the bearded builder is renowned for.
It uses a Bushnell eccentric BB for singlespeed or gear compatibility and uses 135mm spacing at both ends, with clearance for 29×2.55″ and 26×3.7” fat tires.
Truss forks up front…
There are the classic H-shape bars too, but these are the much more affordable Loop H Bar in aluminium…
Price: $750 for diamond frame and unicrown fork, $120 for aluminium Loop H bar
From: Jeff Jones
Continental Mud King 1.8″ tyre
Seeing as it’s British summer time, we’ve been getting in lots of mud rubber for a forthcoming test in the mag. Hopefully we’ll struggle to use it – but that’s a bit optimistic isn’t it?
The Mud Kings are Conti’s tyre developed with the aid of the Athertons and they come in your pick of a cross-country orientated 1.8 with ProTection sidewall (weighing a claimed 550g) or a more downhill biased 2.3″ with tougher Apex sidewall. Both are available in the delightful Black Chili compound which gives all the benefits of super sticky rubber but with improved wear and rolling resistance. A good reason to get out on the grey days…
Price: £44.95
From: Cambrian Tyre
Shimano Deore XT drivetrain
Yup, the drivetrain we first got a ride on last week has turned up for test in the office. Aren’t we lucky? If you want to know all about the latest incarnation of Shimano’s evergreen mountain biking groupset then take a look at our reports from the Press Camp here and here, but in the meantime here it is, all up close and personal.
As it happens you could win an entire groupset like this at the Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender taking place at Lee Quarry on the 9-10th July. What more reason do you need to take part in what’s been called* the most entertaining weekend of racing since mountain bikes were invented?
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT FC-M785 double chainset
Hollowtech arms and available in a 42/32/24T triple, 38/26T Trail double (pictured) or a 40/28T Race double, as well as your pick of black or silver finishes…
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT FD-M785 front derailleur
Just what you need for shifting cogs at the front. Available in pretty much all the mounts you could like including E-type and Direct…
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT CS-M770 11-36T cassette
Your picks of 10 ratios are the back, ranging from 11-32, 11-34 and the 11-36 we’ve gone for. The sprockets are held on alloy carriers to protect your delicate freehub and they feature Shimano’s HyperGlide technology, which helps the chain shift across cogs at selected points on the cassette..
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT BL-M785 disc brake lever and calliper
Jon was rather impressed by the power these all-new XTR alike brakes delivered at the launch. Loads of adjustment, magic heat sink fins on the pads and a nice lever feel…
Price: £109.99 for pre-bled lever and calliper
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT RD-M780 SG rear derailleur
The revised rear derailleur is available in long and mid length cages ad has revised pivots to work with the new Vivid indexing and reduce the effort needed to change..
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT Ice-Tech rotors
The new aluminium cored rotors claim to increase heat loss and reduce pad temperatures to improve braking consistency and reduce the chances of fade on long descents. All we want see is a video of how they make them, but we do spend too much time watching Mega Engineering Super Giant Structure Machines on the freeview channels.
They’ve now available in a 6-bolt pattern if you don’t have Centrelock wheels and you can get them from a dinky 160mm to a mighty 203mm.
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT SL-M780 pair of 10-speed Rapidfire pods
The new XT shifters take their cues from last year’s XTR and have Multi release, Instant release and 2-Way release – in fact more releases than a ‘special interest’ DVD. They also use the new Vivid Indexing system to keep the amount of force needed to shift consistent across the block, so it takes no more effort to shift between the two smallest cogs and the two largest.
Price: £94.99
From: Madison
Shimano Deore XT Ispec integrated brake/shifter mount kit
If you’re in search of a clean cockpit then these new mounts will help you attach your XT shifters to any of the new range of Shimano brake levers. You get XTR style reach adjustment too…
From: Madison
Specialized Body Geometry S-Works MTB shoe
These top-end carbon soled race shoes use the Boa twisty retention system on the ‘Engineered Micromesh’ uppers. The sole has fully replaceable rubber tread blocks and uses the Body Geometry system to keep you feet nice and comfy. We’re liking the shiny white finish lots…
Price: £199.99
From: Specialized UK
Filthy filthy booze with twigs in
Mr Matt Wild dropped this bottle of twig filled liquer from the sunny Isle of Mallorca. No information on what’s in it but it has a golden train smashing through green leaf on the front, which probably represents what it’ll do to your mind.
Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender prizes
Yup, here’s just a small selection of the lovely things you could win (as well as an XT groupset) at this year’s Shimano Singletrack Classic Weekender. You’d be a fool not to enter. Get yourself an entry online and we’ll see you at Lee Quarry, Lancashire on the 9-10th July…
*by us