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

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)

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.