The Radavist

… yet we all know that you don’t have to be a weight weenie or a racer to appreciate a good set of XC wheels. Lighter, more durable wheels mean you can get out to your favorite loop with less rotational mass. Roval’s new Control SL Team Wheels come in at 1240 grams for the set, have a rim wall that is 4mm wide, offering up protection against pinch flats, and offer a 29mm internal rim width.

Specs:
-54t DT Swiss Star Ratchets for Precise Engagement
-Included Double Wheel Bag
-Team-Spec Metallic Blue Graphics
-MSRP $2650

See more at Roval.

Spencer and Donny have two different styles and preferences when it comes to riding bikes. One is the ultra XC hardtail guy and the other loves downhill. What could bring them together after such a schism has formed?

If you have the room to fit a 29er by 2.3″ tire on your tourer or gravel bike, then check out these new tires by Hutchinson. The Kraken has minimal side knobs, with a fast-rolling center tread pattern and is vailable in two constructions, ultra-light 127 TPI or ultra-versatile 66 TPI. The Kraken is in stock now at your local dealer and retails for $79.99.

XC tires usually make great tires for bikepacking or touring bikes. Their tread patterns usually roll quite fast on many surfaces but in my experience, it’s the width that keeps many people from mounting them up. Maxxis looked at two tires and plumped them up for trail use, designed for use on wider rims, resulting in the Aspen and Rekon Race tires measuring 2.40″ wide.

The Rekon Race, in particular, has been a favorite pattern of mine and this new width makes them even more appealing. See more at Maxxis.

These days, it seems a lot of brands are looking to their heritage to market their new bikes. Sure, nostalgia sells, but more often than not, throwbacks are more like head-scratchers. Not with the new Cannondale XC frames. Two new F-Si Hi-MOD framesets come with matching Lefty Ocho forks and painted in the classic livery from the early days of XC racing. Choose the Viper Red or Team Blue.

The Team Blue color features yellow “quad-wrap” decals, a head nod, without the head shock, to the CAAD3, CAAD4 and CAAD5 raced in the late 90’s to early 2000’s.

See more at Cannondale.