We have a whole bunch of cool cycle clothing to tell you about from Rapha, MAAP and Jack Wolfskin, and news of a very pretty Colnago, but we're starting this week with a specialist part from Muc-Off that's been used at the highest level by the likes of Ineos Grenadiers...
Muc-Off launches £1,000 oversized pulley wheel system
Muc-Off’s Lightweight Oversized Precision Shifting 2.0 system (LOPS 2.0, to its friends), previously available only to sponsored pro teams and athletes, is now available for general sale – although the price is well into the “you could buy a whole bike for that” category. The idea is that it’ll improve your drivetrain efficiency and Muc-Off says it outperforms other key players in this respect.
Muc-Off LOPS 2.0 was designed, developed, tested, and hand built in the UK for Shimano Dura-Ace RD 9100 and Shimano Dura-Ace RD9150 11-speed rear derailleurs.
Yes, 11-speed rather than the newer 12-speed. Interestingly, Muc-Off’s in-house testing found 11-speed chains to be on average 36.6% faster than 12-speed (we need to ask them about that; it's a helluva claim).
“LOPS 2.0 works by placing the chain at an optimised angle to reduce both articulation and friction, when compared to a stock set up – less friction, more speed, greater efficiency,” says Muc-Off.
Muc-Off launches ‘pro-level chain optimisation service’ using new Ultrasonic Tanks
Muc-Off says that in its internal testing LOPS 2.0 proved to be more efficient overall than the CeramicSpeed OSPW, AbsoluteBLACK Hollowcage, Kogel Colossus, and stock Shimano cages (Shimano Dura-Ace RD 9100/9150) – although you’d expect it to say that, wouldn’t you?
Muc-Off says, “The bearing choice inside systems like LOPS 2.0 has a big impact on the overall efficiency. MucOff’s was designed in the UK and has been treated with a special coating which reduces friction.
“Stiffness is also a critical ingredient to efficient shifting, but adding stiffness usually means adding weight. LOPS 2.0 features a ground-breaking lightweight design to minimise this impact, thanks to its construction through additive manufacturing using a combination of 6Al/4V titanium and military-grade carbon fibre.
“The 13-tooth upper pulley wheel and 19-tooth lower are made from aerospace-grade aluminium that features a friction reducing coating meaning it has 88% less friction than aluminium alloy, and 71% less than hard anodised metal.”
The original Muc-Off LOPS 1.0 was developed with Team Bahrain-McLaren in 2019, designed specifically to provide Mikel Landa with enhanced drivetrain efficiency for a time trial in the 2020 Tour de France. Muc-Off’s systems have since been adopted by EF Education EasyPost.
The LOPS 2.0 has a claimed weight of 79.4g and is priced at a whopping £999.99. An equivalent CeramicSpeed OSPW with coated bearings is about half the price.
Find out more here
Rapha releases limited edition L39ION kit
Rapha has unveiled a new L39ION of Los Angeles limited edition kit with the first $43,000 (£35,400) in sales to be donated to CYCLE Kids, an organisation that helps grassroots cycling programmes in schools.
The Rapha Legion Tulsa Pro Team Crit Supporters Jersey – available in men’s and women’s versions – is a collaboration with Tulsa-based clothing line Greenwood Ave and is priced at £180.
The Legion Tulsa Pro Team Training Supporters Jersey – also in men’s and women’s cuts – is £95.
Find out more here
Check out Nathan Haas’ “Purple Rain” Colnago G3-X
Aussie racer Nathan Haas will ride a Colnago G3-X in a special “Purple Rain” finish at the SBT GRVL gravel event in Colorado, USA, this weekend.
In recent weeks, we’ve shown you his bikes in other finishes for the Unbound and Rift gravel events.
We must say, though, that this one is the coolest of the lot.
Find out more here
MAAP unveils new season clothing
Yes, it’s blazing sunshine in most of the UK right now but if past experience is anything to go by autumn will be along sooner or later. Those clever folk at MAAP know this and have announced a new clothing collection for the cooler weather.
For the first time, the Evade design is available in a Thermal Long Sleeve Jersey (£180, men’s and women’s versions). We’ll request one for review here on road.cc.
Check out our review of the MAAP Women’s Draft Team Jacket
Popular products like the Evade Pro Base LS Jersey (£145, men’s and women’s) and Draft Team Vest (£105, men’s and women’s) are available in new colours too.
The new clothing is on MAAP’s website now.
Find out more here
Reynolds: not all steel frames are equally environmentally friendly
Reynolds Technology, the UK-based metal bicycle tubing manufacturer, has published the findings of its first Environmental Impact Study which “aims to quantify the belief that steel is an excellent and sustainable choice for bicycle manufacturers.”
Reynolds says, “Not all steel frames are created equal. Ferrous steel frames produce the lowest carbon emissions during manufacture, followed by titanium, followed by stainless steel. A conventional ‘double diamond’ ferrous steel frame produces 17.2kg of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), titanium 53.92kg and stainless 59.44kg.
“Airfreighting goods to and from Reynolds is the manufacturer’s biggest environmental impact, which has been worsened by logistical challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Reynolds will be working with suppliers and customers to improve planning and avoid airfreight.”
We'll be publishing a feature on the environmental impact of bike frames soon.
Find out more here
Wahoo announces new sports science facility
Wahoo – you know, bike computers, smart trainers, fitness tech generally – has launched its own sports science centre in Boulder, Colorado, that will cover “research, expertise, and testing through physiology, biomechanics of movement, nutrition and sports psychology to consistently deliver leading hardware innovations and training solutions across Wahoo’s physical and digital products.”
Read our review of the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt
In other words, the idea of the facility is that it’ll help Wahoo offer new tech and, ultimately, improve the athletic performance of its users.
Wahoo says, “This new facility will be at the forefront of driving and informing future innovations – leveraging expert insights and analytics focusing on personalised training, data insights, knowledge and sports science protocol to inform the world of connected fitness.”
Find out more here
Check out the bikepacking lineup from Jack Wolfskin
Outdoor specialist Jack Wolfskin has a “premium series of apparel” called the Bikepacking Collection that’s designed for… well, you can probably work it out, to be honest.
The Tourer Shorts (£60) are available in both men’s and women’s cuts and feature what Jack Wolfskin calls its brrr° technology, designed to wick moisture away, dry rapidly, and cool your skin.
The Tourer 2.5L jacket (RRP £160, but priced from £96 at the time of writing, again available in men’s and women’s versions) is intended to be both windproof and waterproof and comes with a stowable hood.
The clothing collection sits alongside Jack Wolfskin’s range of cycling packs and bags.
We’ve reviewed a couple of items from Jack Wolfskin on road.cc in the past – the Allspark Daypack and the Neuron Backpack – and they’ve both done well.
Find out more here
In case you missed it earlier in the week...
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9 comments
Reynolds: not all steel frames are equally environmentally friendly
When a company starts talking about being environmentally friendly I always assume it's all virtue signalling BS.
My employer started moving UK production to Eastern Europe years ago even though 95% of it is sold in the UK at the same time as trumpeting its push to become more green. Then we got taken over by a company with production sites all over the world so now we get product from all over the EU, Ukraine, Mexico, Egypt and others as it is cheaper.
Lately they have been using air frieght as deliveries from Egypt are getting held up by container shipping supply chain problems.
It's the same with other issues as well. They recently made a big deal about celebrating Pride Month but had no comment when we asked if that extended to their factories in countries where being gay is illegal or leads to discrimination.
Profit is the only thing that matters.
Sorry. Someone at MAAP saw that terracota jersey and grey short combo and went "Yep, that's the look we're going for"?! It's absolutely honking. And if I see anyone sporting that Muc-Off branded jockey wheel, I'm going to openly guffaw at them. One - these claims of increased power are utterly laughable and two, that Muc-Off branding on a £1,000 part is hideous. It looks like it belong is the middle of Lidl.
Yep, if it looks shit on a gorgeous slim model it sure as hell ain't going to look good on me!
I rather like it...
Muc-Off ? Jezus what a crap of bs. Their top end lube tests as the worst thing you can put on your chain eating it away like cookies. Btw the 12-speed chain is better then the 11 speed shimano. Just follow zerofrictioncycling... Luckily I followed Adams advise and saved me many many chains. Currently running my 11-speed ultegra and praxis chainrings already for 23k km and no signs of wear though riding them in bad weather too. Happy to run the less wear resistant dura ace cassette too on my other bike as it will go a long long way before replacement is needed
Hasn't the use of 'military grade' as an indicator of quality been widely debunked? Would expect more from a company asking for a grand for £20 of materials. Will save my money and buy ceramic speed instead 😂
Save even more money and stay with the original items, if there were any real savings then these big wheels would be on Super Record, Dura Ace and Red by now and trickling down in a few years time. The big 3 would incorporate big wheels into their top product if there was any proof that it gave them an advantage over a competitors equivalent range.
When I was in the army (admittedly a long time ago) the mention of 'military grade' stuff would have made me run like hell. Usually it meant heavier, with severe limitations and overpriced to the nth power (less than fond memories of observer/bivy bags that made noise like a pack of crisps in the hands of a 3-year old, started leaking and/or condensing after a couple of hours and were rumoured to cost upward of 2k a piece. If only we'd have been able to purchase our kit in a camping store...).
Anyway, the Muc-off kit isn't for me, not even if I had the money to blow on such a marginal gains item. Fools and their money.
Even if MucOff's claim is correct, most calculations I've seen state that a perfectly set up and lubed top-end chain can save you 5 watts max, so a 36% improvement...a grand is a heck of a lot to pay for less than two watts!