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Gear Roundup: Plus/fat tubeless conversions, brake upgrades & Lights, Camera, Speakers!

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Effetto Mariposa makes the toughest tubeless rim tape around, and now it’s available in new Plus and Fat widths. They’re sold as a kit with two strips and two tubeless valve stems, with sizes based on rim width and options for just about anything. The strips are a firm, nearly impenetrable rubbery plastic-like material that stretch over the rim to create a tight seal without needing adhesive. Check the size options below, along with interesting new ways to listen to your music on the ride without drowning out ambient noise, a couple of brake lights for your bike and more…

Six sizes are rated according to the exterior rim width. Options include:

  • Plus S (35-40 mm)
  • Plus M (41-45 mm)
  • Plus L (46-50 mm)
  • Fat S (60-65 mm)
  • Fat M (75-80 mm)
  • Fat L (95-100 mm)

Oh, Campy Seatpost, it’s been a while…
The Rivet Imogene is their new wide performance saddle. It’s 270mm long but measures in 175mm wide and comes in solid and cut-out versions. Like all of their thick leather saddles, this one’s vegetable tanned and water resistant. Available with chromoly (490g) and titanium (395g) rails. The firmness is adjustable via a bolt under the nose.

Their upcoming Sonora saddle is shortened version of the Imogene, coming in at 175mm wide and just 260mm long. If they made a women’s specific saddle, this would be it. Still prototype, looking to launch in spring 2017.

Brightspark’s dual headlamp and signal light combo units are attached to premium alloy and rubber lock-on grips to provide 360º visibility. Thumb buttons allow you to switch headlight modes from regular (300 lumens) to high (600 lumens) or strobe mode as well as operate the left and right turn signals. When blinking, they also send a laser arrow to the ground to further call out your space when you’re turning. Their video shows all of the features:

Check them out at BrightsparkGlobal.com and pre-order now to get a deal.

The Stoptix rear light doubles as a flasher (blinky) tail light and an automatic brake light. It uses the same 3-axis accelerometer found in smart phones to sense deceleration, turning solid when you slow down. It puts out 50 lumens and weighs just 50g, retail is $69.99 with a 13-piece mounting kit (to fit virtually any size or shape of seatpost) is sold separately. The back has a clip to fit into any loop on your jersey, seat bag or backpack.

To make those brake lights work, you need good brakes. SwissStop teased their Catalyst rotors back in August and now they’re available and shipping.

The two piece design uses a rounded rotor edge, which should make it UCI compliant should that become a mandate for peloton safety. Joining the rotors are new Disc 34 models of their finned brake pads for Shimano’s latest road disc brakes.

Aftershokz takes a different approach to earphones by relying on bone conductivity to send the music into your skull. We’ve tried an earlier version and it works, leaving your ears completely open to traffic and nature. Their latest is the Trekz, which comes in regular and mini sizes. It sits over the ear and rests the “speakers” directly in front of them. We couldn’t really feel the vibrations, but the music came across relatively clear even while riding at speed. I wouldn’t try to listen to a podcast, but your favorite tunes should be fine. They make several wired versions, too, that don’t use a hard connection between sides and may work better with some helmets.

Why wear a separate action camera and earphones when you could just combine them all into your helmet? The Sena Smart Cycling Helmet condenses a lot of the tech they’ve introduced for motorcycle riders into a bicycle helmet that puts an HD camera and near-ear speakers directly into the shell. There’s even an intercom system that lets you communicate with up to three additional riding buddies. All of it is configured through a smartphone app.

Controls for volume and playback are on one side, filming on the other. There’s even an optional Bluetooth remote control for your handlebar. Now you can listen to this to get pumped up for your next Strava segment. You’re welcome.

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Allan
Allan
7 years ago

In the above picture… Jamming a ball point pen into the tape doesn’t do anything for me. Most objects which cause flats are things like thorns and shards of glass. Do that same test with a needle and I’d be impressed.

Mr. P
7 years ago
Reply to  Allan

It’s rim tape.

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago
Reply to  Allan

Like Mr P said, it’s rim tape. Your concern isn’t applicable.

Busted spokes punching through tape has happened to me. These rim strips look like they would cope with that no problem.

Ron G.
Ron G.
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

You’re almost there. It’s not basic rim tape, it’s tubeless rim tape. Its purpose is to cover the holes in your rim so that the air doesn’t get out when you’re running tubeless, not to protect a tube from nipple chafing.

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago
Reply to  Ron G.

Ron, you’re almost understanding me. I’m talking about tubeless tape being punctured when a busted spoke punched through stans tape causing a tubeless flat.

Joe G.
7 years ago
Reply to  Allan

You have thorns and shards of glass puncturing your rim tape, causing flats? That’s not very neat.

Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward
7 years ago
Reply to  Allan

That tape looks like generic 3M polyurethane protective “helicopter” tape without adhesive. Plenty of it on eBay in different thicknesses, though with adhesive backing. The stretchiness would be beneficial for single wall fat rims that have spokes sticking out.

keville
keville
7 years ago
Reply to  Allan

Would jamming a framing nail into the tape do something for ya? ‘Cause that’s what they’re using; not a ball-point pen.

Chris R
7 years ago

Will this tape work alone in a fat bike rim like the Sun Mulefut without the additional fat bike rimstrip to support it? It would be great to simplify the tubeless set up of some fat bike wheels.

Ol Shel
Ol Shel
7 years ago

Ummm, I think they’re demonstrating how tough the tape is, not trying to insinuate that a pen, or any other sharp object is likely to harm it. Don’t blame them; people love demonstrations like this.

myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  Ol Shel

That’s all somewhat meaningless. The adhesive is the real ticket.

Ol Shel
Ol Shel
7 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

People love meaningless demonstrations. They fall for them all the time. Just look at the election.

Thesteve4761
Thesteve4761
7 years ago

But, Campy Seatpost!

Schwanny
Schwanny
7 years ago

That inspector gadget helmet is great except isn’t a helmet is supposed to be disposable? I mean once “used” you’re supposed to replace so it might be a dumb idea to pack in $500 of tech. Hate to be the safety police.

1111
7 years ago
Reply to  Schwanny

You’re not supposed to think, just buy! Buy! BUY!

Soze
Soze
7 years ago

The Aftershokz actually don’t suck. I bought a pair on a lark and now my husband won’t give them back.

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