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The Musette is Cyclingnews’ Friday series in which we take a quick look at some of the world’s best cycling gear. We’ll take a look at pro-level equipment, bikes and components, alongside some of the most desirable clothing and newest accessories in the sport.
It’s that time of the week again when we’re all looking forward to the weekend, and craving any opportunity to kick back with a cuppa and take it easy for a little while. Luckily for you, the Cyclingnews team has once again rounded up the latest batch of exciting tech to land on their desks, ready to whet your appetite for some of our upcoming reviews.
With another UK bank holiday under our belts and the sun starting to make a reappearance here in the northern hemisphere, it’s proving to be the perfect time for us to start trying out some new products, including a sub-£1,000 gravel bike from Sonder, some naked carbon weave shoes from UYN, a SIS Energy bundle and an unusual looking bike lock that weighs just 476g including the bracket.
Get the kettle on, put your feet up, and treat yourself to some product nerding before you plan your weekend riding.
Sonder Camino Al
With gravel cycling still being very much a la mode, the pricing and availability of the best gravel bikes can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a helper for those wanting to get into the sport for the first time. That’s why whenever we come across a sub-£1,000 gravel machine that looks half decent, we want to check it out and make sure if delivers as much as it promises.
Enter the Sonder Camino Al, a 6061 aluminium framed graveller from the team behind Alpkit. This particular build is kitted out with a mechanical SRAM Apex 11-speed groupset, a carbon fork, Sonder Nova 700c wheels and clearance for up to 700 x 50mm or 650b x 2.1in.
According to Sonder, the Camino is “infused with DNA from cyclocross, gravel, and adventure race bikes”, which shows up in its relaxed geometry, long wheelbase, slack head angle and lengthened headtube. It’s got a low bottom bracket and short chainstays to help it feel agile in the corners, while the more upright riding position that comes courtesy of the slackened head angle, is designed to make descending a more relaxed affair.
The 6061 aluminium frame comes with mountain points for bottle cages, while a triple cage mount on the down tube makes this easily adaptable to your needs. There are also barnacles for mounting a front and/or rear rack and mudguards, including three mounts on each fork leg for extra carrying capacity.
The 1×11 Apex groupset features an 11-42T cassette, so I anticipate some effortless climbing here in the bumpy South West. Meanwhile I’m intrigued by the Donnelly X’Plor MSO TL tyres, having never ridden with them before. The Sonder finishing kit is a mixed bag in my opinion, I’m very much not into the unisex saddle and will be swapping it out before doing any kind of distances on this bike, however I’m digging the very wide, flared and shallow Sonder Bomber handlebars.
I’ve not yet had a chance to venture out on this bike, but with the Rapha Pennine Rally fast approaching in June, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be out taking it for some long day rides and overnighters in preparation. I like the fact that it’s kitted out with all the mounting points I need to carry all my essentials, and the frame looks spacious enough to fit some of the best bikepacking bags onto, despite being in a size small.
If you’re curious to check out the Camino Al for yourself, then head over to Sonder and have a look at the various build options on offer.
Mildred Locke – Reviews Writer
UYN Man Naked Carbon shoes
Unleash Your Nature, or UYN as it’s better known, produces a wide range of sporting goods for all disciplines, including cycling. It’s grown in stature over the past couple of years, with the Italian brand having supplied Israel-Premier Tech (formerly Israel Start-Up Nation) with performance undergarments. The product you see here is its first foray into the best cycling shoes space – something which represents a natural progression for UYN given the comprehensive running and urban shoe portfolio.
It’s called the UYN Man Naked Carbon shoe. Featuring a sock-like construction not too dissimilar to what you’d find on the Specialized S-Works Ares shoes, it aims to provide a balance between performance and comfort. As a result, it’s targeted more towards competitive riders than hard-core racers but is adequately endowed to be used as a bona fide race shoe should you live in warmer climates. The ‘Naked’ nomenclature is a testament to its ventilation properties which UYN claims ‘is so breathable and comfortable that it feels like being barefoot’. As a result, the UYN Man Naked Carbon shoes are better suited to summer riding or indoor cycling.
Looking at the specification sheet, there’s a lot to like. The knitted material is made from Natex – a 100% bio-based yarn that keeps weight low all the while staying drier than regular leather-clad options, which minimises odour, too. The 3D-knitted upper works in unison with the exoframe which has been designed for foot stability and power transfer, both attributes of which are wound together by a Boa-like micro-tune retention system. It works very well and allows incremental adjustments to be made on-the-fly, but it’s not as precise as the Boa equivalent. While there’s no stiffness index rating available, the sole is particularly rigid and features a lightweight nylon construction enriched with carbon powder.
The shoe comes in two colourways – black/blue (pictured here) and silver/blue. Sizing spans 11 options ranging from 37-47 EU. We’re still in the testing stages but the UYN Man Naked Carbon shoes seem to be holding up pretty well. While there are a couple of teething issues – particularly when it comes to the bunching up of the exoframe when closed – the shoes feel airy and possess a cosseting fit. I’ve been using them both outdoors and for indoor racing, and will have the full review available for your perusal shortly.
Aaron Borrill – Tech Editor
SIS Energy
Anyone who read my Gear Of The Year article at the end of 2021 might recall that one of my picks was good old fashioned table sugar. I’ve long had an interest in cycling nutrition and the reason for its inclusion is that I spent much of last winter pushing my sugar intake higher and higher during rides to allow me to process more without gastric discomfort, resulting in quite significant gains in performance as I could fuel my rides better. So when the option arose to create buying advice around the countless energy products marketed to athletes (drinks, gels, etc), I immediately volunteered.
Science in Sport is perhaps the most well-known brand in the space, and its latest Beta Fuel is on the cusp of modern understanding of fuelling athletic work, combining Glucose and Fructose in a ratio of 1:0.8. The previous understanding was that the body’s ability to process sugars was limited to 60g of glucose and 30g of fructose – a ratio of 2:1 – however, recent research suggests the fructose element can be increased.
In preparation for the buying guides I’ll write, over the next few months I will be testing SIS alongside Torq, Maurten, High 5, Enervit, Skratch and anything else I can get my hands on to compare not only the ingredients and nutritional composition, but also the eco-friendliness of the packaging, the price, taste, texture and everything else that dictates what makes the best energy products for cyclists.
Josh Croxton – Senior Reviews Writer
TiGr BLUE mini u-lock
When it comes to choosing the best bike lock to keep your pride and joy out of the hands of thieves, sometimes carrying something big and heavy is just not on the cards. That’s of course why we have a guide to the best lightweight bike locks, and we’re always on the lookout for innovative new products that promise to keep your bike safe.
We were recently contacted by TiGr and asked to take a look at its new Blue Mini u-lock, which is instantly distinctive-looking. Curious about it, I agreed to give it a try, and am genuinely intrigued by it.
It’s essentially a mini shackle constructed from hardened high carbon blue steel, which feels lightweight and flexible. It’s coated in a clear plastic to prevent it from scratching your bike’s paintwork. According to the brand, TiGr locks are tested extensively against all the common tools used by thieves – bolt cutters, angle grinders, you name it – and those that come into production are claimed to be able to withstand everything the team’s thrown at it.
It comes with a bracket that yo
u affix to the seat tube in place of a bottle cage, and the lock simply slots in and is clipped into place to keep it sturdy while you’re riding. The shackle is held in place by a stainless steel cylinder with a push-button locking mechanism, which is designed to be robust and quick to use, and claimed to be pick-resistant.
The compact and unusual shape of the lock is designed to be used for locking the frame to a bike rack, using the Sheldon Brown method of locking the rear wheel to a rack through the rear triangle, keeping the entire back end of the bike secure.
For a more in-depth look, check out the Blue Mini u-lock by heading over to TiGr.
Mildred Locke – Reviews Writer
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