Shiny, shiny… shiny bits of product. Not so shiny anymore. The Singletrack Test Team has put this little lot through the wringer.
Lauf Elja Trail Ultimate Flight Attendant
- Price: $7,690 currently
- From: Lauf Cycles
- Tested by: Hannah, Heather, Mark and Benji for 2 months
To say the Elja is ‘interesting’ is to damn it with faint praise. However, it is – and by being a little different from the rest of the pack, it will tick the boxes of some riders who aren’t seeing what they want elsewhere. Interesting is good. But only if the bike is not bad.
The Elja manages to be light like XC, but capable like trail. It’s what we should just go back to calling a Marathon bike; big mileage, done quickly, over many, many hours. This particular model tested was dominated by two things: RockShox Flight Attendant ‘intelligent’ suspension and Goodyear tyres. The latter were just not very good. We swapped in a set of WTB Peacekeepers and things improved exponentially. As for Flight Attendant, we wouldn’t kick it out of bed but we also wouldn’t scrimp and save for it either. We’d totally go for the significantly more affordable Trail Race build (currently $5,490) which ditches Flight Attendant but retains the amazing Zipp 1Zero Hi-Top S carbon wheelset. For testing’s sake, we did ride the Flight Attendant with the batteries removed a couple of times and the bike handled just fine. Some of us actually preferred its consistency. Counter-intuitively, the Flight Attendant builds are best suited to those who aren’t willing/able to spend time setting up the suspension [or those who forget to unlock it at the top – Ed]. If you’re fine with dialling your sag and your rebound (which admittedly can be hard with not-much-travel), you don’t need it.
The frame feels pleasingly solid, making that low weight something of a surprise when you stop to pick the bike up. On climbs and flats the Elja accelerates like an XC bike; you find yourself frequently out of the saddle and hammering. On descents the Elja doesn’t feel frightening or like you’re fighting the bike. It definitely has a limit that’s less than a modern trail bike but it’s predictable. There’s no WTF moments of panic or danger. In terms of suspension then, the diminutive SID rear shock is a punchy little number with a pleasing amount of support. The rear suspension design is excellently firm and linear (single pivots can be ace) with no excessive squidge or spiking. Just goodness. And there aren’t many 130mm travel forks better than a RockShox Pike; a little bit more off-the-top cush compared to the rear, which was really useful for maintaining cornering traction (and letting the rear break-out to shorten corners and keeps things speedy).
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In terms of frame feel, I wouldn’t say the Elja is flexy or anything but it’s way less ‘brittle’ and stick-feeling than other carbon XC/marathon frames. What amount of chassis ‘give’ it has makes it way more forgiving in terms of steering, line-holding and general real world riding.
Niggles? The front end is really low and it needn’t be. Swapping in some modest rise bars improved comfort and confidence without any impairment of front end handling. All in all, the Lauf Elja is a marathon (Downcountry?) mountain bike par excellence. This top end model is way OTT so we’ve rated this bike with the less expensive build in mind. Because the Elja is an amazing bike that doesn’t need the headline price tag build.
Rating: 4.5/5
100% Altis Gravel helmet
- Price: £89.99
- From: Silverfish UK
- Tested by: Hannah for 4 months
This is my first time wearing a ‘gravel’ helmet, and I think my first 100% helmet experience. Have I noticed that it’s a gravel helmet without a visor? Well, it doesn’t catch the wind like some MTB helmets do, so maybe. The shape seems perfect for my head, meaning I forget I’m wearing it – which might be just as well as it’s a bit bulbous to look at. It’s got large vents for pedally and heat-generating rides, although the large central vent isn’t compatible with my bike light options. Fit adjustment is easy, although I do find the chin strap requires semi-regular tightening – not every ride, but every few. It’s got ‘Smartshock’ rotational impact protection, which I haven’t put to the test. I wouldn’t say it’s a looker, but it is comfortable. I would also try other 100% helmets in the MTB range on the basis of this experience.
Rating: 4.5/5
Patagonia Women’s Nano-Air Ultralight jacket
- Price: £220
- From: Patagonia
- Tested by: Hannah for 1 month, Serena for the Badger Divide
This is quite fabulously expensive, however I think it’s rather brilliant and possibly justifies itself in its flexibility. It’s not as warm and insta-cosy as a down jacket, but I always find them too hot to actually move around in. This has been specifically designed to be active in, while still providing some insulation. It’s nicely warm over a basic jersey, and pretty good at keeping the wind out. But it also layers well under a waterproof jacket for extra warmth in poor weather. You can also layer it over a couple of other merino and jersey layers to use it as an outer layer when stuff isn’t falling from the sky. The hood is thin and snug enough to fit under a helmet, and stays up well when the jacket is zipped up. It’s just a shame it’s not a two-way zip so you could keep the hood up while venting your body. It packs into itself, small enough to stuff into a jersey pocket, and it’s really light. I’m not that keen on the colour, but others are available, and the men’s colours are really nice.
Rating: 4/5
Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One
- Price: £449.99 (+ subscription fees)
- From: Zwift
- Tested by: Hannah for 4 months
The Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One claims almost universal compatibility with any 8-12-speed bike. Instead of a cassette, it comes with a ‘Zwift Cog’, rather like a single-speed sprocket. You select the right combination of rear wheel adaptors (not too difficult to understand), stick your rear triangle onto the trainer, adjust your gears until you’ve got a straight chainline, and then it’s a case of setting up the apps you want to work with (Two for using Wahoo, and another two for Zwift). A quick ‘spin-up’ alongside all your personal info calibrates the trainer, and you’re good to go.
If you have an especially small front chainring, you won’t be able to reach the speeds needed for calibration. The 24T granny ring on my old hardtail was too small to be compatible. This two-ring drivetrain needed the updated Zwift Click version of the Zwift Cog. This gives a range of rear sprocket positions, enabling a straight chain line with the 38T big ring. If your gears are worn out, they’re not going to run smoothly on this, making for annoying training. And make sure your drivetrain is very, very clean before you start pedalling and spraying oily dirt onto your carpets. It’s not compatible with super boost rear ends, and for really putting the effort in you’ll want to make sure you can lock out your fork and shock. The simplest trainer I’ve had to use, but if I had the money I’d get the (£1200…) Zwift Ride Smart Frame to complete the perfect setup.
Rating: 4/5
Fox Enduro Pro Knee Guards
- Price: £89.99
- From: Fox Racing UK
- Tested by: Hannah for 2 months
The D3O-alike Koroyd feels more flexible than D3O and moulds well to the shape of your knee. Protection wise, Koroyd pads seem to be very similar to D3O ones. These Enduro Pros are held up by a single broad band of silicone gripper dabs around the upper thigh. The calf strip has no silicone, just the stretch of the Lycra seam. The fabric sleeve is pretty substantial, and starts relatively high (and /finishing low) on the leg. I have found that the silicone gripper is a bit much for my thighs – maybe it’s in part because they sit higher, and on more sensitive skin. Maybe it’s also because there’s such a broad band of silicone. But I do find myself feeling relief when I get to peel these off, which is sad because I found the old version so comfortable. On the plus side, these do stay up without any need for hitching and adjusting, so I guess that gripper is doing the job. In cooler months, the heat of these pads is not such an issue. If you were sad that you ripped your mesh backed kneepads on your pedal pins, you might be happy at this new and more robust design. Overall: flexible to pedal in, stay up well, robust against pedal pins, long sleeve area, some may not like the silicone gripper and they’re better suited for cooler temperatures.
Rating: 3.5/5
HoverAir X1 Pro Max Cycling
- Price: £1,029 Cycling Kit (£639 Standard)
- From: HoverAir
- Tested by: Hannah, Heather and Mark
It’s a ‘flying camera’, not a ‘drone’ (legal classifications and stuff). We tested the ‘Cycling’ package, with a handlebar mount, some lens covers for sunny days, a homing button you can attach to your handlebars or carry in a pocket, plus battery charger and two spare batteries (three in total). The batteries do drain fairly quickly, so you’ll probably find yourself needing to swap them out during a ride, especially when learning. You can manually fly the camera using a phone app controls, although it is far easier to use one of the preset automatic ‘follow’ settings, which are arguably the key selling points for this camera. In the app, you can adjust each setting (different distances from you, different heights from the ground etc). Each preset option is quite flexible. In the time that we’ve had the camera, software updates have resulted in new preset modes. We imagine by the time you read this there will have been more updates released.
The camera has a sensor behind it and in front of it, but not above or to the sides. This means you need to keep an eye out for trailside gateposts, fences, tree branches and so on as you’re riding along. As it is, the camera is not great at tree-lined singletrack, if that’s your thing. It also doesn’t do well in gusting or high winds. Initial learning frustrations aside, the Hover Air X1 Pro Max has been largely easy to use – especially in open areas. The quality of the images is very good, although there is a fair amount of image warping towards the edges when looking at stills.
If you’re trying to solo-shoot a video (or photos) with a range of different angles, this is by far the easiest method we have encountered yet. Practice does help you get used to what will work and which distance settings will give the required results. If you’re able to be flexible in your outlook and happy with whatever shots you get – rather than seeking one particular framed moment – then you’re likely to have a happier experience. Compact, light, and yet reasonably robust – the caged rotors are great – it’s not a burden to carry with you. The frequency of updates and new features is reassuring.
Rating: 4.5/5
Aenomaly SwitchGrade 2.0
- Price: £135.00
- From: WindWave
- Tested by: Benji for 3 months
A niche product, executed brilliantly. Chances are, you don’t need this product. Move on. But if you have a bike with back-end geometry that is not suited for climbing (slack seat angle and short chainstays, basically) this on-the-fly saddle-angle altering component is a revelation. I’ve used it on a Specialized Levo SL Alloy and it has genuinely transformed the experience of ascents; grabbing the lever under the saddle nose and tilting the saddle nose down a few degrees makes a massive difference. Better hip position for power, more weight on the front wheel, less of the saddle sides being in the way of your thighs. And I’m not alone thinking this. I’ve loaned the bike to cynical naysayers and every one of them has gone similarly “wow”. Nicely made, positive action in use. If you think you need one, you need one.
Rating: 4/5
Peaty’s Monarch Knurl Grip (Thin)
- Price: £24.98
- From: Silverfish UK
- Tested by: Benji for 9 months
I’d rather not run lock-on grips (which these are) but sometimes the practicalities of bike/product testing life mean I need to. When I do need to run lock-on grips, these are the grips I opt for. Aside from the nice softness (20a durometer rubber) and Goldilocks diameter (32mm) the grip offers three neat textures: a comfy mushroom gill section for your thumb, a minimalist high-control diamond knurl top section, and a bunch of discreet but effective ridges for fingertip anchoring. Can I have some push-on versions now please Steve?
Rating: 4.5/5
