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Bike accessories: Nirvana aero helmet from Kask
- Price: 360 Euro >> available here
- Sizes: M, L (52 to 58, 59 to 62)
- Colours: Black, white, orange, purple, blue
Its shape makes all the difference: the new Nirvana aero helmet from Kask is characterised by a shell that extends halfway over the ears. No other manufacturer has ever done this so consistently. The sleek head protection from Italy has four ventilation openings at the front and three at the back, with three deep, flat padded channels to channel the airflow around the head. This works well, the air flows noticeably cooler over the head, whereby insects that have flown into the helmet find it difficult to find a way out again through one of the three rear outlets.
The medium-weight helmet weighs 262 grams in size M and has a good all-round fit, although our tester with a head circumference of 58 centimetres felt slight pressure at the back of the head. Its head ring with swivel adjustment and the chin strap with click fastener are of a good standard and can be adjusted comfortably. If you want to afford the sleek Kask, you should definitely try it on with glasses, as the side cheeks leave hardly any room for protruding temples.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: Processing, ventilation
- Minus: Little space for temples
Straede trousers and jersey: a fast duo
- Prices: 89 (jersey) and 110 euros (trousers)
- Sizes: XXS to XXL
- Colours: Shirt and shorts in eight and five colours respectively
Straede is a young cycling clothing brand based in Cologne. The founders are enthusiastic road cyclists and want to make functional clothing without frills for like-minded people. Their name is derived from the Danish "sträde" and can mean either "road" or "tight-fitting". Our test kit, consisting of the Aerlig Jersey Men and the Aero Bib Shorts Men, is tight-fitting and correspondingly flutter-free. Both items fitted our 1.80 metre tall test rider in size M like a glove.
The material was spontaneously praised for its pleasant feel against the skin, although putting on the trousers and jersey was a little "tuggy" due to the sticky silicone prints - especially in midsummer temperatures. The trouser legs are normal length, the trouser box reaches above the navel; the sleeves of the jersey reach to the elbows and the collar is cut wide. When heavily loaded, the jersey pockets tug at the elasticated fabric; the small zip pocket in the middle for small items is practical. The well-fitting and comfortable braces on the trousers are impressive, but our tester found the seat pad relatively hard. Both items are also available as women's models.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: fair prices, workmanship, wearing comfort
- Minus: sticky gel prints
Bicycle accessories: Light from Osram
- Price: 50 Euro (variants 50 and 80 Lux) >> available here
Osram is known for light, primarily in the home or for cars. Now the Munich-based company is also offering road-legal bicycle lighting. The LEDsBIKE Race 100 immediately impresses with its smart operation: at the first press of the switch, the 115 gram headlight lights up at full power if its brightness sensor detects darkness, while it provides adapted daytime running light when there is residual light. In the three other stages and when the sensor is deactivated, it lights up at maximum, medium or low power; in the latter case, the spotlight is more of a position light, for example in poor visibility during the day. At the highest level, the spotlight shines for three hours, which is a very good value for the set's price of 50 euros.
Its bright carpet of light, which also illuminates the edge of the road well, is also impressive. The rear light shines brightly, is also clearly visible from the side and lasts for eleven hours, with an indicator warning about two hours before the light switches off. The indicator on the headlight flashes around one hour before switching off, while the battery status display with four bars provides precise information. The rear light needs to be charged for two and a half hours and the headlight for three and a half hours before both batteries are fully charged again. The mounts with thick, perforated rubber bands are easy to attach to round oversized handlebars and seat posts, but are not suitable for large cross-sections and aero profiles.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: Handling, light output, light duration
- Minus: Holder
Saddle from Ergon: The Ergon SR Allroad
- Price: 90 Euro >> available here
Ergon SR Allroad is the name of the new model from the German saddle brand, which is designed to offer a good fit on tarmac and gravel. We tested the 245 gram saddle (Comp version, metal frame) in width M/L, priced at 90 euros, on a gravel bike and on a road racer. A relief channel is designed to take pressure off the soft tissue, while the sit bones are supported laterally. This worked well for our test rider with a sit bone distance of 13 centimetres in the more upright gravel position.
On the other hand, he felt a little more pressure in the perineal area when stretched out on the road bike, probably because the slightly bulbous shape of the channel towards the centre did not exactly match his anatomy. The pressure decreased after he fixed the saddle with the tip tilted slightly downwards. Otherwise, the saddle flanks leave enough room for the thighs; the workmanship and adjustment range of the SR Allroad are impeccable.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: All-round fit, workmanship
- Minus: -
Cycling accessories: cycling glasses from Naked
- Price: 80 Euro >> available here (replacement glass 20 or 25 euros)
- Colours: Six colour and filter variants
The new The Blade model from Naked Optics is a typical shield goggle: large lens in a half frame, adjustable and replaceable nose pad, coarse rubberised temples. So far, so usual. Details deserve attention, such as the inexpensive replacement lenses for 20 (clear) or 25 euros (tinted). The material (proper name Core) of the frame is also worth mentioning. It is a mixture of conventional petroleum-based plastic and a bioplastic made from renewable raw materials, the proportion of which is to be gradually increased.
In practice, the goggles, which weigh a good 33 grams, impress with their firm fit, wind protection and good contrast of the filter (orange), which provides a crisp image, especially on grey asphalt. The goggles fit well on heads with a circumference of around 56 centimetres; testers with a larger head circumference complained about the pressure of the temples. The bridge is too narrow for wide noses and leaves pressure marks.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: Affordable replacement lenses, good protection
- Minus: Very narrow nose bridge
Matthias Borchers
Editor
