Zyro – Giro, CatEye, Altura – First Look
Following the Zyro trade show we received a load of fresh goodies. We’ve been having a quick look at them.
Giro DND gloves – £26.99
The DND (Down and Dirty) glove focuses on the basics, fit, comfort and affordability. I personally like a simple glove without too many features and little extra padding. These fit that really well. The ‘Super Fit’ engineered palm does a good job of stopping excess bunching while the 4way stretch upper fits the contours of my hands very well. Features include: touchscreen technology, reinforced fingertips, slip-on design, absorbent wiping area, flex-zones at the knuckles. In the brief time I’ve had these, I’ve come to find them very comfortable and will be happy to keep using them to bring you MRS updates soon.
Giro Jacket Shoes – £99.99
For those of us that run flat pedals there is one obvious choice that most of us immediately think of, those that come from a climbing background. With the limited riding I have done in these offerings from Giro, I have to say they come close if not quite reaching the levels of grip offered by the afore mentioned. I’d like to think the sole on these will last longer though and only time will tell that. The ‘Vibram’ rubber outsole features a pattern that has been specially designed for grip that doesn’t breakdown easily. So hopefully as well as being good grippers, they will stand the test of time. The fit is good and they are far less bulky than other riding shoes I’ve had in the past. As well as concentrating on grip, they have put a lot of work into comfort, the shoes have different pads and inserts in both the mid-sole and heels to reduce shock and the impact of hard landings.
Altura Attack 360 Waterproof Jacket – £149.99
This is a great all-day riding jacket, the fit is great and it’s pretty lightweight. I’ve not had it out in truly horrendous weather but when it has been raining it has kept me dry. What I have noticed though is it’s good as a wind-stopper too. The integrated storm cuffs loop around your thumb and fit neatly under gloves. While this isn’t a new idea, Altura have got it just right here and it does stop rain and wind going up your arm. Sometimes these loops can be uncomfortable around your thumb but I forgot I had these on. The hood is detachable which is ideal for me as I’m not a fan of wearing one but for those of you that want it, it’s there and it’s designed to stretch over your helmet too. I’ll be getting out in the bad weather soon to bring you more info on how it handles the rough Yorkshire winter.
Cateye Volt 700 – £99.99
The Volt 700 is a USB rechargeable headlight with, you guessed it, 700 lumen output. It has five operating modes: Dynamic, Normal, All-night, Hyper-constant and Flashing. With so many products these days being charged via USB, it’s very handy that this light is another one. The battery is interchangeable with some of their other lights, should you be riding along and this light battery become low, if you have a comparable rear light, simply swap out the batteries. The button on the top doubles as a low battery indicator, quite useful but I’ve not yet run it that low. Suggested lumen levels and burn times below.
Dynamic Mode – 700 lumens – approx 2 hrs
Normal Mode – 300 lumens – approx 3.5 hrs
All-night Mode – 100 lumens – approx 10 hrs
Hyper Constant – max 800 lumens – approx 7 hrs
Flashing Mode – 100 lumens – approx 50 hrs
In use, the Volt doesn’t have the widest beam but for the 700 lumens it has it does throw out a light to where you need it most, forward. Next time out I’m hoping to get this mounted on the helmet to see how it fairs up there. Initial tests are very good though. A small but powerful, dependable light that feels like it is built to last.
Altura ProGel Shield 3/4 Bib Shorts – £69.99
These are a multi-panel bib short, the best feature being the waterproof seat panel. I have ridden these in some pretty damp conditions and I have to say that waterproof panel works really well. One of the worst things of winter riding is getting a wet rear, avoid that and buy a set of these. They are also really warm, with the cold weather we are having now they are easily my first choice for every ride I go on. With more wet and cold weather riding over the coming months, watch this space for updates.
Words – Chris Lazenby
Pics – Tom Laws, Jerry Clelford and Chris Lazenby.