SRAM officially presented its new e-Bike powered drivetrain system at Taichung Bike Week.

Originally teased back in March, the system is a ground up new design that uses chain torque and frame flex sensors to gauge user input and automatically shift and adjust power. The motorized rear hub has a 2-speed internal gear system with a user adjustable shift point. The system is super clean, what you see here is what you get. The only wiring runs from the battery pack on the rear rack to the rear hub motor – no wires, controls or displays to clutter up the cockpit.

This photo and more on the system at Bike Europe.

ENVE Composites’ carbon fiber rims are a lust worthy item. Light, sure, but also proving to be pretty strong out in the real world.

The latter point is something ENVE wants to drive home, so we approached them with a project that will put them through their paces in some unexpected ways. Our test rims are the 29″ XC Tubeless Clincher models, which retail for $899 a piece. For the money, there are lighter rims out there (but not by much as you’ll see further down). So there must be something more to them.

Jake Pantone, ENVE’s marketing manager, says it’s the strength and durability that really set them apart. In the real world, we’re hoping that translates to wheels that stay true and stiffness that keeps us on point. Feedback on that will come in time. For now, let’s check out the weight and specs…

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It’s hard to get too excited about a miniature ratchet wrench, isn’t it? After all, if tools are cool, than big tools must be cooler. And Prestacycle’s Prestaratchet isn’t big- it’s tiny. Sometimes, of course, smaller is better. Read in to learn more about how this tiny tool and wrench set has earned its own place on my tool board…

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Photo submitted by Chris Webster.

To see more Pics of the Day, click here, and to submit your own photo to be shown to the world, go here.

A while back we got a close up look at the Specialized Venge S-Works frameset before our Specialized PR guy even knew they were shipping (granted, that’s not his job), and now we’ve got what’s claiming to be the first McLaren version to ship to the States.

Word is this is the only one in the U.S. and unless you’ve already plunked down the $18,000, it’s not going to you. Seriously.

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Twin Six has just released what’s sure to be a favorite stocking stuffer. The stainless steel 6oz flasks are etched then stained with a “proprietary” whiskey stain. It’s the little things, really. While it won’t hold a whopping 64oz like this guy of your favorite good time cheer, it will fit on your bike using their handy bicycle cage flask holder, shown after the break. They’re $25 each for the flask or cage.

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Floating around the Weight Weenies forum was chatter about some secret documents, Japanese blogs and rumored wireless electronic systems.

This isn’t the first we’ve heard of a possible move to 11-speeds by Shimano, but it’s the first time there’s been any sort of visual proof.

Of course, we’ve seen grainy photos from Japanese blogs before that claimed to show the new SRAM XX before it was launched a couple years ago. While we doubt this leak was intentional, the timing is spot on for trumping some other news slated to release this week from a competitor (stay tuned…). Generally, the large manufacturers publicly shy away from leaks on massive new product intros because the news can hurt dealer stocks on existing inventory. Whether this is legit or not is anyone’s guess, but the buzz seems to be pointing toward a yes.

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Clif Bar and Gu aren’t the only ones releasing limited edition holiday flavors. Cytosport’s Muscle Milk is getting in the game with an Egg Nog rendition of their protein recovery drink mix. It’s only available in their 2.47lb canister for $53.49, but they’ve got free shipping.

Of course you’ll need something to put it in, and Kleen Kanteen has partnered with Nau to offer a set of four stainless steel travel pint cups. We were looking for something like this all summer for our six week road trip, so you can be sure we’ll be getting a set in here for “testing.” They’re stackable, retail for $39 (which is pretty good if you’ve ever price shopped SS cups!) and should do a better job of keeping your hands warm than a thermos should you brew up some coffee at cyclocross races this winter.

Photo submitted by Bertocq, “Crossing the Cantabrian Mountains from Huergas de Babia to Pola
de Somiedo, with AsturconBTT. (Spain)”

To see more Pics of the Day, click here, and to submit your own photo to be shown to the world, go here.

It seems like every time you turn around Giro has a new product, and with an ever expanding catalog that may not be far from true. Some of their latest goods showed up recently, including their newest MTB helmet, the Feature, some fancy new waterproof gloves, and even some socks! So are the goods worthy of the Giro name? Read on to find out.

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Founded by Adam Clement as an alternative to running (sometimes very) expensive mechanical levers on dirty, muddy, crash-prone cyclocross bikes, Retroshift takes an age old shifting idea and gives it a fresh spin.

Retroshift levers combine a metal brake lever with a simple indexed “thumb lever” style shifter arm, much like the ones found on down tubes from bikes a couple decades ago. Ergonomically, hitting the full range of gears with a single hand movement has now been race proven under Kona’s Erik Tonkin.

“What I most like about them is how quickly I can shift up into harder gears – I can easily go thru 4-5 gears at a time,” said Tonkin, after racing the levers to a win at the muddy Kruger Farm race in Oregon a couple weekends ago. ” I can also plow through a lot of gears on the downshift.  This is a feature only offered by down-tube and bar-end shifters–modern STI levers don’t really afford two-way, multiple-gear shifting with one throw of a lever.”

Check the video after the break to see it in action. Basically, you can dump (or climb) the entire cassette’s worth of gears in about one second, quicker even than the 1.5 seconds it takes Campy’s new EPS electronic group to do it.

Photos and a little Q&A with Adam and Erik after the break…

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• Swiftwick is selling their Coal-graphicked merino wool socks for 30% off, letting you put coal in someone’s stocking without ticking them off.
• Fyxation is offering 20% off all orders, just enter “cybermonday” at checkout.
• Endurance Conspiracy has all T-shirts for just $20 all day.
• Timbuk2 has marked almost everything up to 50% off, today only.
• CycleFilm, the ones that bring you the CyclePassion calendars, have their videos up to 70% off.

Got more for us? Add them to the comments!