Fresh valves from Funn, Lazer's Coyote Kineticore, carbon hoops from Reynolds, Seido's gravel fork and bar tape from Easton
As well as our best stories this week
It's Friday and that means Five Cool Things. Today, we've got Funn's new valves to show off, as well as Lazer's Coyote helmet that uses the brand's latest Kineticore slip-plane tech. We've also got some blingy carbon wheels from Reynolds, a carbon fork from Seido and Easton's microfibre bar tape.
- Buyer's guide to mountain bike helmets: get the best bike helmet for you
- Which MTB freehub body do I need? XD, Micro Spline or HG?
- Mountain bike icons - the Gary Foord story
But first, let's talk about some of the most exciting articles that have shown up on off.road.cc this week. First off, Red Bull Hardline returns for 2023. After a year of being closed to spectators, the toughest downhill race in the world will see scores of visitors at this year's event.
There's also been a range of cool tech releases, such as Giant's Revolt X - a suspension gravel bike, and POC's Omne Lite and Omne Ultra. ENVE also introduced a new frameset, the MOG, a modern gravel slayer.
The bike review of the week comes in the form of the Haibike AllMtn 2 e-MTB which is a great entry-level e-MTB contender. We've also reviewed Hope's latest F22 flat pedal and POC's VPD System Lite knee pads.
Funn FastAir Tubeless Valves
£34
2023 funn fastair valve 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
First, it was 76 Projects with the HI FLOW 'No Clog' valves, then it was Reserve and the Fillmore tubeless valve. Now, Funn has jumped on the bandwagon offering a clog-free, high-flow tubeless valve but with a bit of a difference. Funn claims that this valve offers three times greater airflow than a Presta valve, so seating tubeless tyres should be easier on the arms.
The FastAir valves are compatible with tyre inserts and CO2 canisters and are completely rebuildable, so you can easily clear that clog. Similarly to the Fillmore, the cap can be loosened slightly and pressed to release air pressure.
They're fully CNC machined and the stainless steel core offers strength and durability.
Lazer Coyote KinetiCore
£80
2023 lazer coyote 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Lazer's Coyote KinetiCore promises performance and ventilation in a practical package and rather than opting for Mips or similar, it uses a proprietary KinetiCore tech, which gives it a five-star Virginia Tech rating. KinetiCore is different to popular rotational impact protection systems, as it uses EPS foam that deforms under impact - just like the crumple zones of a car.
And because KinetiCore doesn't rely on a cradle, it allows Lazer's designers to better sculpt airflow through the helmet. It's also claimed to be lighter while reducing the use of plastics.
As for the Coyote itself, it gets easy vertical adjustability, LED light compatibility and a Fidlock buckle. It can also accommodate goggles and other kinds of eyewear.
Reynolds G-Series Blacklabel G650 Pro wheelset
£1,350
2023 reynolds g-series 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The G-Series wheelset from Reynolds is designed to be lightweight, and bombproof, making them ideal for gravel scenarios. The wheels are built with a low 26mm profile combined with a fancy carbon layup in a bid to keep them nice and light. They're equipped with a 25mm internal width and get a hookless, tubeless design that's said to mate just fine with even mountain bike tyres from 38 to 52mm in width.
They also benefit from the brand's Impact Dispersing Matrix which is found on the downhill and enduro wheels, so these should be super strong.
Easton Microfibre bar tape
£30
2023 easton microfibre bar tape 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Easton's new Microfibre Tape has been made to minimise road buzz and damp vibrations. It gets an adhesive gel backing as well as an anti-shock foam. It's coated with a microfibre surface, as suggested by its name. Easton also claims it shouldn't get slippery with use.
Seido RGT fork
2023 seido rgt fork 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Last up is Seido's RGT fork. It's said to boost tyre clearance up to 29x1.8in and 650bx2.1in, and accepts rotors up to 180mm in diameter. It can also accommodate fully internally routed cables and there are triple cage mounts on each leg to up your cargo-carrying capacity.
It's a carbon fork with a 50mm offset and 400mm axle to crown measurement. It's then claimed to weigh 510g without the through axle and with an uncut steerer.
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