New Arrivals – November 10, 2004 Edited by John Stevenson Got Tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads. Welcome to New Arrivals, a section showcasing the latest equipment that's landed on the Cyclingnews tech desk. Look out for reviews over the next few months when we've clocked up some saddle time with this stuff. Ridley Damocles Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Ridley Damocles The Damocles is the second from the top of Ridley's road bike line for 2005, with a carbon fiber frame and a Campagnolo Record/FSA equipment set. Our review bike - which has already been successfully raced by Cyclingnews chief online editor Jeff Jones - boasts copious use of Record carbon and Mavic Cosmic Carbone SSC wheels. Ridley looks set to expand dramatically out of its Belgian heartland this year, with distribution deals in the USA and Australia and from our first impressions of the Damocles, we think it's a safe bet the bikes are going to be popular. More info: www.ridley-bikes.com Fondriest Luxter Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Fondriest Luxter It's not every day we get to test a bike belonging to the owner of the company, but that's what we have here - Francesco Fondriest's own Luxter. The Luxter is based on Fondriest's Lex carbon frame, but with more resin in the composite, making it stiffer and easier to construct. As befits a top Italian bike, our Luxter is all Campagnolo equipped with striking Gipiemme wheels and Cinelli's one-piece Ram handlebar. And if the striking white/silver finish of this bike isn't outgoing enough for you, it's also available in blue and red carbon. More info: www.fondriestbici.com PowerBar cookies and cream Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin PowerBar cookies and cream From the creator of the original energy bar comes a new flavour. Cookies and cream PowerBars boast all the traditional PowerBar virtues - 43 grams of carbohydrate per bar, 9g of protein and 3.2g of fat, plus vitamins E, C, B complex and minerals - with a new taste. There's no doubt that PowerBars work when it comes to delivering a hit of available carbohydrates when you need it. Any cyclist who hasn't tried them at some point probably only took up riding last week, so you won't be seeing an in-depth review of the new flavour down the track - at a couple of bucks a bar, we figure you can afford to try them and make up your own mind! More info: www.powerbar.com Planet Bike Super Spot Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Planet Bike Super Spot LED lighting has come a long way since the first three-LED rear lamps back in the eighties. They had decent visibility and a long life, but were only suitable for hanging off the back of the bike to help motorists spot you in the dark. A few years ago some bright sparks (sorry) figured out how to make white LEDs and since then we've begun to see viable front lights based around them, such as this Planet Bike Super Spot. Running on four AA cells, the Super Spot uses a one watt Luxeon Star LED to light the way and make you visible to others (and if you don't think being visible from the front is at least as important as from the rear, consider how many junctions you emerge from on a typical evening ride...). A cam-action handlebar bracket is included More info: www.planetbike.com Panaracer Stradius tyres Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Panaracer Stradius tyres Panaracer's Stradius range of tyres comprises five models: TT, Extreme, Pro, Elite and Sport, counting from lightest to heaviest. We're currently playing with three of the range, the slick, 210g 23mm Extreme, the 235g 23mm Elite and the 300g 23mm Sport. The Extreme and Elite both have Kevlar beads while the Sport's is steel, which accounts for most of the weight difference. The TT, Extreme and Pro boast Panaracer's ZSG Ultima tread compound, with a blend of silica and carbon in the rubber to provide both grip and durability - the abbreviation stands for 'Zero Slip Grip' for TLA lovers. The Elite has ZSG Natural tread material while the Sport uses regular rubber. For increased puncture resistance, the Pro also gets Panaracer's Shark Skin casing. More info: www.panaracer.com Velo Pronto SL Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Velo Pronto SL.S1 Saddle maker Velo is best know for inexpensive seats that appear on ready-built bikes, but the Taiwanese manufacturer is making greater and greater efforts to become a brand people will consider as a replacement. Spearheading that effort for 2005 is a range of 14 performance saddles carrying the name 'Pronto'. Prices range from US$43.99 to US$224.99 and available features include titanium rails, pressure-relieving cut-outs, leather covers, and so on. More info: www.velosaddles.com Selle SMP Strike Pro Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Selle SMP Strike Pro Shaping or cutting away the middle of a saddle for soft-tissue pressure reduction is nothing terribly new, but the Selle SMP Stroke pro probably takes it further than any saddle we've seen with a cutaway you can quite literally get most of your hand through. Selle SMP claims the shape reduces pressure on the soft tissues and blood vessels along the centre of the crotch and well it might as there's now saddle there to put pressure on anything. One immediately noticeable feature is the unusually long saddle rails, which should make for a wide range of options as far as positioning goes. Beyond, that, we'll get back to you in a few weeks with a report on how well this dramatic design actually works on the road. More info: www.sellesmp.com Selle San Marco Rever Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Selle San Marco Rever Selle San Marco's latest top-end saddle is built on hollow titanium rails with a nylon/carbon fiber hull and a cover made from lightweight Lorica synthetic leather. Underneath, the rails mount the saddle with titanium and magnesium anchor points, and the whole thing weighs in at a sensibly low 195g. More info: www.sellesanmarco.com The latest Cyclingnews jersey Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin Cyclingnews jersey Need a high-visibility jersey that tells the world your favourite website? Our new Cyclingnews jersey is made by top Italian manufacturer Ellegi and boasts a full-length zip for maximum ventilation, highly breathable polyester fabric and the Cyclingnews.com logo. More info: shop.cyclingnews.com