24 SEVEN DARK ANGEL SL

SL stands for Super Light, and at just under 6lbs this new version of the classic Dark Angel is possibly the lightest 24” dirt jump frame we’ve ever seen. The geometry has also been tweaked a bit, the head angle is now a little steeper at 72°, and whilst the top tube has stretched a little to 22”, the back end is now even shorter. The midsize BB is a little odd in that it uses non–standard size bearings, but they seem high quality and it’ll cost you less than £25 to replace the lot (the fame comes complete with BB as standard). Elsewhere you’ll find a semi–integrated headset and 14mm dropouts, and the frame comes complete with a lifetime warranty. Great price, great frame.

www.24sevenbikes.com

DAKINE WINDBLOCKER ZIP HOODIE

Thanks to this new ‘technical’ hoodie from Dakine you can now keep warm whilst hanging around outside any shopping centre that’s just kicked you out. Seriously though, the windproof material will keep you nice and cosy whilst looking cool on any hillside. I never thought I’d see the day when I could use the words practical and fashionable in the same sentence, but that’s exactly what this top is.

www.dakine.com

GRAVITY DROPPER SEATPOST

I’m not sure I’d use one of these everyday purely because I’m normally grateful of the short rest that dropping a seatpost provides, but for the Megavalanche this is going to be perfect. With a flick of the handlebar mounted switch the seat will drop (or raise) by 4”, and you never know I might end up wondering how I ever lived without one. It’s also available without the remote switch, and in a choice drops and lengths, but probably the most useful thing when compared to its slightly neater looking competitor, the Maverick Speedball, is the fact that you can get one to fit any seat tube from 26.8 mm and up. If you’re so fit that you hate having to stop, get one of these.

www.gravitydropper.com

INTENSE DUAL COMPOUND TYRES

It seems like everyone is now starting to make multi–compound tyres and Intense are no different. The new tyres feature a long lasting 60 compound in the middle and then a leech like 55 on the shoulders, combining to provide the best of both worlds. There are also two new carcass options, both are72 tpi but one is single ply whilst the other is double. The later might not be quite up to full–on DH standards, but it does feel as though it might be the perfect middle ground. Sadly both the System 4 and Edge patterns are only available with the lighter weight sidewall, the tread itself is capable of so much more, but then I suppose with the 909, DH and World Cup patterns Intense have pretty much got every condition covered anyway.

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