New Arrivals – April 8, 2005 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. Thomson X2 stem Photo ©: John Stevenson Thomson Elite X2 stem With a range of weights from 140g for the 100mm version to 155g for 130mm, Thomson's Elite X2 31.8mm stems are reasonably light, but not so feathery they have you reaching for the micrometric torque wrench to get the adjustment just so. Bars and steerer are both held by two-bolt clamps (hence the name). That's a departure for Thomson from the previous concealed clamp design, which the company admits was heavier than the new version. While it's intended for road bikes, Thomson says the Elite X2 is also strong enough for cross-country mountain bike use, but recommends the beefier X4 for downhill and 'freeride' applications. Price: $89.95 More info: www.lhthomson.com Ultimate Alpine Scale Photo ©: John Stevenson Ultimate Support Digital Alpine Scale by Feedback Sports A few of us actually need to know what our bikes weigh - to keep within UCI regs, for example - but plenty of us would like to put a number to our rigs, if only for bragging rights. (Of course, if you have a bike that weighs substantially less than 6.8kg, be ready for the peer-mockery that ensues if you get to the top of a hill anything other than first!) These digital scales weigh up to 25kg with 10g precision, which makes them just right for resolving squabbles over whose bike is lighter, and have a handy support tube under the rubber-covered body so you can clamp them in a workstand. Price: $64.95 More info: www.ultimatesupport.com   adidas adistar XC Photo ©: James Huang Adidas Adistar XC shoes Adidas has jumped into the cycling footwear market with both feet (pardon the pun) with an extensive line comprising no fewer than twelve road models and sixteen off-road ones. The Adistar XC is their top-of-the-line off MTB model, offering a stiff carbon fiber sole plate and a Climacool mesh and synthetic upper, along with an injection-molded heel cup and removable toe studs. The ratcheting buckle is standard issue these days but Adidas's "Climacool" hook-and-loop straps offer yet another option for providing a more even fit across the top of your foot. More info: www.adidas.com/cycling Price: US$209.99   Sock Guy Royale socks Photo ©: John Stevenson Sockguy Royale Royale is the thinnest and lightest of Sockguy's extensive range, and is intended for use in tough, high-intensity conditions; in other words, for road racing and training. It's thin and light, with a mesh upper to help keep your feet cool and a 3.5in ribbed cuff to snug round your ankle. Decoration in the standard range is fairly subtle coloured bands, as you can see, though custom versions are available. Price: $9.95 More info: www.sockguy.com   M2Racer Power Module Photo ©: James Huang M2Racer Power Module This gadget makes for quick, on-the-bike fore-aft saddle positioning without the need for tools. According to M2Racer, this allows you to selectively engage your fast- or slow-twitch muscle fibers as needed during the course of a ride. Additionally, this should make life easier for those who use the same bike for both road racing and time trials or triathlons and need to frequently adjust saddle position in order to alter the effective seat angle. More info: www.m2racer.com Price: US$43.00   M2racer Wrap and Roll Photo ©: James Huang M2Racer Wrap & Roll From the land of 99g pedals and 5g bottle cages comes the Wrap & Roll. Although M2Racer is better known for its ultra-high performance line of components, this simple bit of molded silicone rubber provides an easy and lightweight solution for securing any number of gadgets to your handlebar, including your mobile phone, GPS, or iPod. More info: www.m2racer.com Price: US$8.99   Lance Armstrong's Mom's story Photo ©: John Stevenson No Mountain High Enough - Raising Lance, Raising Me by Linda Armstrong Kelly Lance Armstrong has frequently said in interviews and his books that one of the biggest factors that shaped his life and his determination to succeed was his mother, Linda Armstrong Kelly. No Mountain High Enough is Linda Armstrong Kelly's own story, "the totally biased, slanted, rationalized, and confabulated story of my life according to me," as she writes in the acknowledgements. There's a foreword by Armstrong himself before you get into the meat of the book: the story of how his mother was thrown out by her family when she got pregnant at just 17, and subsequently struggled - successfully - to bring up young Lance and make her own way in the world. Price: $24.95 (hardcover) More info: www.amazon.com