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EB15 Randoms: Tools, Tires & Components from Wera, Challenge, Tufo, SKS & More

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Wera_Hex-Plus-wrench-set_Bit-Check-mini-ratcheting-tool-bit-driver-set

This week we’re picking through some of the last things that jumped out at us at Eurobike. Today we get a truly random round up of tools, tires, and components that cover a range from exciting and new to just good to know. While each of these piqued our interest they didn’t quite warrant individual write-ups.

We’ll start with a pair of nice tool sets from Wera, which get distributed with Syntace. The 30€ 9-piece rainbow Hex-Plus wrenches have a fluted head, almost shaped kind of like a Torx that claims to offer better bit with less chance of rounding bolts, plus a ball-end on the other side. The 35€ Bit-Check kit is a small 6″ drop-forged ratcheting driver and 9-piece bit set that should make quick work of regular bolt tightening. It includes a some standard Phillips bits, a T15, T20 & T25, plus 4 & 5 mm hexes, but can use any other standard 1/4″ bits as well.

There’s plenty more from Challenge, Innova, Ambrosio, Tufo, Strider, Joystick, SKS, Shutter Precision, and Jagwire after the break. So read on for some more eye catchers…

Challenge_Gravel-Grinder-Race_38mm-gravel-road-clincher Challenge_Forte-Race_25mm-road-clincher Challenge_TE-Pro-Plus-Race-series_cyclocross-casings

Challenge was showing mostly updates and new sizes, but no new tread designs. The Gravel Grinder widens their popular Chicane tread to 38mm and puts it on a low cost Race level vulcanized clincher casing for the gravel road segment.  The all around road Forte grows to a 25mm width in clincher as well. For cross tires, Challenge was showing the four casing levels that  they offer in Race, Plus, Pro, and Team Edition that satisfy every market level from entry OEM to pro teams.

Innova_Spider-2214A_fat-bike-tire-tread Innova_Spider-2214A_fat-bike-tire

Somewhere deep in one of the setups of a small brand, we spotted this Innova tread.  Its IA-2214A name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but the 26×4″ fat bike tire surely gets one of the more entertaining tread designs. I’m not sure what I would think to find this things foot prints in the mud or snow?

Ambrosio_Tors-disc-carbon-wheelset_accent-color-series Ambrosio_first-aluminum-production-tubular-1940

Ambrosio was showing a new semi-custom program that covers many of their complete wheelsets to offer a bit of color accents for matching graphics. They were also showing one of their first aluminum 470g tubulars from 1940 which looked like it had seen better days.

Tufo_Calibra-Plus-25_25mm-light-road-clincher

Czech tire maker Tufo has widened up their most recent line of clinchers with 25mm Calibras and Calibra Pluses. We saw the 23s last year at the show along with their cross offerings, and have had a chance to gets some kms in road riding their lightweight version.

Strider_push-bike-skis

The kids bikes from Strider are of the simple push bike sort, to start off those new riders, but their $35 strap-on ski set was what caught our eye. It is designed for their bikes exclusively and just straps to the wheel and fork, but should fit any 12″ tire bike to turn your kid into a sliding, balancing terror.

Joystick-bicycle-components_Binary_Enduro-mountain-bike-saddle

The Binary saddle is another eye catcher from Joystick. Behind the graphics is a thinly padded, light saddle designed for enduro riding. It gets a real, perforated leather cover, a pressure relief channel down the middle to come in at 235g. A ti-railed LT version is also available that drops to 190g.

SKS_Fatboard-rear-fender SKS_Fatboard-front-fender

SKS broadens out to offer a new fat-specific set of strap on fenders. The Fatboards come as a pair, seatpost mounted in the rear and velcro strapped to the downtube up front.

SKS_Raceblade-Pro-XL_wide-road-clip-on-fender SKS_Raceblade-Pro-XL_wide-road-clip-on-fender_new-connectors

For wide road tires, the Raceblade will get a new Pro XL version that adds coverage for 25-32mm road tires. The easy on-and-off fenders for bikes without eyelets gets a new, improved mounting system with simple reusable straps that should be more secure. New extra long versions with longer mudflaps will also be available for up to 25mm tires.

SKS-BigWheel_fat-bike-low-pressure-pump

Last from SKS is a new fat bike specific pump, with a steel barrel and plastic base. The new Big Wheel puts out just 24psi/1.6bar max on a large dial that should make it easier to dial in those low pressures. As with all of the new SKS gear, it should be available from January 2016.

Shutter-Precision_SP_PD-8x_PL-8x_15mm-thru-axle-centerlock-6-bolt-disc-brake_dynamo-hubs

The dynamo hub specialists at Shutter Precision had some new thru-axle compatible dynamos at the show to show that hub generators can work with modern trail bikes too. We saw this same PD-8X on the Ghost Ro-Amr adventure bike outside at the Demo Day, but inside they were showing that it is available in both 6-bolt and centerlock variants.

Jagwire_Elite-Vented-Disc-Brake-Rotor_tech Jagwire_Elite-Vented-Disc-Brake-Rotor_on-bike

Finally, Jagwire was showing off a new vented disc brake rotor to go up against Shimano’s Freeza. The new rotors offer riveted-on aluminum cooling fins to help dissipate heat away from the braking surface (and caliper.) Available in both 160 and 180mm sizes and only in 6-bolt, they will likely bring better cooling to all of those wheels out there that don’t use centerlock and therefore can’t take advantage of the Freeza tech. We’ll try to get ahold of a set this winter/spring to see how they handle road, cross, and mountain descents.

Stay tuned for Eurobike roundups of both bikes and clothing this week.

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Tom
Tom
8 years ago

That spider tire has been around since at least 2008. I saw a set on a bike right after I bought my Pug. They were unfortunately not for sale.

Dsand
Dsand
8 years ago

No don’t make wera tools popular. I like having 300 dollar ratchet sets that no one has ever seen or known of such quality.

Brian S
Brian S
8 years ago

That Shutter Precision has been out for a bit, over a year. I have one mounted to some Stan rims and Schmidt eDelux II light. The SP dynamo may not be a fancy SON hub but you can’t beat the price.

gino
gino
8 years ago

Those jagwire rotors are a nice option, but they’re not quite up to freeza level. The freeza rotors have their aluminum core of the icetech rotors extruded out to form those fins. The jagwire fins look they’re simply pinned on, so less area across which to transfer the heat to the fins.

DRC
DRC
8 years ago

Some coworkers turned me on to Wera tools, especially their hex bits/drivers. Only bits they will use on $50k assemblies where they don’t want to strip bolt heads.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
8 years ago

Some critical advice for Challenge tires over this Winter. Make your tires durable enough to last more than a handful of outings! Of the 200+ shops I’m in constant contact with over the last 5+ years this sentiment is echoed often. Stop taking marketing cues from geezer midwesterners for tire names like “gravel grinder”, EVERYBODY is completely done with that term.

Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen
8 years ago

@Dsand – too late! I already shop Wera on Amazon, and have for years.

Like @gino said, those are nowhere near Freeza level. The entire core of a Freeza is aluminum, and conducts heat around the entire inner circumference. This has to conduct ALL the heat through those rivets. That’s pretty crap.

Colin
Colin
8 years ago

Ball ends on >3mm allen’s are the devil, why to people keep making them!?!?!

deralex
deralex
8 years ago

Wera tools: already own a larger Bit-Check set that comes with that small ratchet and like it very much. Nice tools.

Eric
Eric
8 years ago

Totally sold on the Hex-Plus tools from Wera, they’re the absolute best. I had an M5 fastener that I was totally sure was completely stripped-out by a cheap Craftsmen socket (ruined the socket too by the way) and the Wera Hex-Plus key pulled it out without any issue at all. I was totally blown away. You can get these individually on McMaster sold as “High-Torque Ball-Point Hex L-Keys” (look for Hex-Plus in description) for around a dollar, no fancy colors but they work just the same.

Velociraptor
Velociraptor
8 years ago

I have the Wera hexes in all green. The differentiated rainbow of colors is a great idea.

Bill
Bill
8 years ago

– amen to that. When you can’t even drive brand new brake pad holder screws with a brand new wrench, it’s a bummer. I also don’t like the round tools machined down to a hex because it prevents you from driving some deeper fittings like crank arm attachment bolts on sram cranks as well.

That said, I have a torx set from Wera.. they’re not as pretty but have held up as well as my PB Swiss hex set.

jusedi
jusedi
8 years ago

The Wera mini wrench is nice. Just not cycling specific with that bit set. As you buy the necessary bits, this purchase becomes a lot more costly. Prestaratchet is a cycling specific mini wrench with a tire changer on the handle. They have been supplying this type of system for a while.

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