Less grind, more grin! – Bike Magazine Australia

Stan’s NoTubes ZTR Avion Pro Wheels

PRICE $3,000  

WEIGHT 1,540g/pair

With these 40mm-deep carbon wheels, Stan’s set out first to make hoops that could bang over rough roads. The larger surface area of the rims adds durability, and shorter spokes create a stiffer wheel. That translates to better power transmission, in addition to the aerodynamic benefits of the deeper rims. 

To counter the harsh ride feel that can come with deep-section rims, these have a generous 21.6mm internal width, which adds volume to tires. Stan’s also claims that its unique carbon layup adds 5mm of vertical deflection to soften the ride, with no compromise to side-to-side stiffness. In testing, the wheels rode nearly as smoothly as shallower offerings. 

Stan’s excellent new Neos Ultimate hubs have 5-degree engagement for quick power transmission—and survived power washings and general misuse. All the tyres we tested seated to the rim without the use of an air compressor and held down to pressures in the teens. The rims withstood the bashings invited by those pressures too.—Mike Yozell

Ornot Bar Bag

PRICE $105  WEIGHT 242g

I like having my snacks, extra layers, and cell phone on hand during a long ride, but I hate overcrowded pockets. Luckily, there’s the Ornot Bar Bag. This handlebar pack is sized to hold most of your essentials (I’ve toted two cans of beer and still had room), but short enough to fit comfortably between the drops without interfering with shifting. It really works best when you fill it up to near capacity – there’s only one compartment inside, so small, loose items will rattle around on rough terrain (stuffing an extra clothing layer inside helps, as does organising tools in a pouch before dropping them in). The Bar Bag is easy to attach to your bike – two Velcro straps wrap around the flat part of the bar, while a tether cord circles the headset and holds the bag securely without bouncing or swaying, even on bumpy stuff. Reinforced sides prevent sagging, and the durable fabric stands up to bushwhacking. And there’s an easy-to-access pocket on each side for your mobile phone to quickly capture those Instagram-worthy moments.—Taylor Rojek 

Clement X’Plor MSO Tyre

PRICE $77.49 WEIGHT 467g (36mm tubeless)

Picking gravel tyres is about more than choosing a tread. Durability, size, and rolling resistance matter, and because most jaunts include some pavement, overall efficiency is key.

Over the last year the 36mm-wide Clement X’Plor MSO has become my go-to for long days that include everything from singletrack to unimproved rail beds to dirt and gravel roads.

A tight, modified chevron shape lines the middle of the tread for fast rolling in a straight line. The tread morphs outward through a mixture of smaller, siped (split) dots and coffin-shaped blocks for traction on loose surfaces, ending with larger, Y-shaped blocks for serious cornering grip. The tyres roll fast and grab well at the low pressures (22–40 psi) that provide the traction you want off-road. When riding through mud, the closely spaced blocks resisted packing up. And the siping helped the tires stick to wet pavement and in icy conditions. A protective belt beneath the tread layer resisted punctures from debris during city rides too. The MSO is available in 700×32, 36, and 40 versions.—M.Y.

Effetto Mariposa Zot! Nano and Caffélatex

PRICE Zot! Nano $20 / 30ml; Caffélatex $18 / 60ml

When used with sealant, tubeless tyres offer a great ride and better ability to resist flats by sealing up small punctures quickly. Effetto Mariposa’s Caffélatex is one of our favorite sealants because of its foaming action, which helps it to work faster. But rougher surfaces can punch holes in tyres that are larger than the quarter-inch limit of most sealants. That’s where the new Zot! Nano catalyzing polymer comes in. Designed to work specifically with Caffélatex, Zot! Nano mixes with the sealant to quickly harden the fluid and close larger cuts – we used it to seal holes up to a half-inch in length. The 30ml bottle sits on your frame in a supplied holder under a bottle cage. When needed, you insert the tip of the bottle at the puncture and squeeze. The seals held up off-road and under the higher pressures associated with road riding.—M.Y.

Yokozuna Motoko Road Disc Brake

PRICE $168 per wheel WEIGHT 175g (w/160mm adaptor)

Yokozuna’s Motoko disc brake offers an affordable upgrade over the mechanical disc brakes found on most lower-priced ’cross and gravel bikes. These are the best cable-actuated disc brakes I’ve used, with power, modulation, and feel that’s on par with good full-hydraulic systems. In dry, muddy, and snowy conditions, the Motokos were quiet, with a smooth pull and firm engagement. The caliper is lightweight, compact, and attractive.

Most mechanical disc brakes use a cable-actuated system to push one moving pad against the rotor, which presses the rotor into a fixed pad. This can be noisy and cause a mushy feel. On the Motoko, the brake cable pulls a pump arm, and both pads are hydraulically pushed out of the caliper onto the rotor. It’s a similar system to TRP’s well-regarded HY/RD hybrid disc caliper, but the Motoko doesn’t self-adjust for wear. It just takes a knob twist, but it’s still down to the rider. 

The Motoko also has no system for dealing with heat-induced fluid expansion like the HY/RD does. Representatives at Yokozuna told us that while they didn’t have data on it, the brake may not resist heat-induced fade on superlong descents as well as some other designs. However, they maintain that it is “ample” for ’cross and trails. I tested it exclusively for ’cross and gravel riding, which doesn’t generate as much heat as road descending, and it performed flawlessly. But at this point I can’t recommend it for pure road use.

The biggest advantage of a cable-actuated caliper is value: You can use your existing cable-actuated shift/brake levers, rather than switching to a full hydraulic system. Included in the Motoko’s price is compressionless brake housing, a brake cable and rotor, and an adaptor. The HY/RD caliper is also pretty much the same price, but does not include those extras.—Matt Phillips

Shimano XT PD-M8000 Pedal

PRICE $95 WEIGHT 390g/pair (with cleats and hardware)

Road pedals and shoes work fine for riding well-groomed dirt roads, but on adventurous gravel rides, you’re better off with mountain bike pedals and shoes. Off-road pedals resist clogging with mud and debris and are easier to get in and out of in tricky sections. Walking, and even dabbing, is far easier with treaded soles too. 

My favorite pedal for gravel riding is the Shimano XT PD-M8000. Being the cross-country pedal in the XT line, it lacks the outer cage platform of the XT trail pedal, which is less necessary on gravel roads where you have more time to clip in before a rock or tree tries to kill you. But the PD-M8000 maintains a large interface with the shoe’s outsole, providing excellent stability and power transfer that feels close to a road setup.

It also plays nice with a variety of shoe treads, and has class-leading feel – and ease – of entry and exit. Although not the best choice for extreme mud, the PD-M8000 clears itself far better than it looks like it would. And with durability and performance that’s nearly indistinguishable from the pricier XTR version, there’s no need to upgrade unless you’re a weight weenie (the XTR version is 13 grams lighter).— Ron Koch

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