POC Trabec Mountain Bike Helmet
Just like their winter lids, the POC Trabec is sleek, yet bulbous. It’s design is simple, well ventilated and light…and bulbous. But bulbous is good, it means more coverage and better protection. As with all helmets, you don’t know how well they work until you royally screw up. The thing about POC is you can trust they are legit. A good buddy of mine nearly killed himself in a POC one day. Thanks to the lid, he’s still pretty much 100 percent.
Pocsports.com; $145
Giro Monaco lf Gloves
I know this is designed as a road glove but the truth is that it beat out the other mountain gloves I’ve tried. It’s got supple, grippy all-leather palm and thoughtful dense padding. I didn’t even know this was a road glove until we read the tags. Perfect for cross country rides on warm days
Giro.com; $45
Princeton Tec Byte Headlamp
At 64g and 20 bucks this headlamp can live in your pack for those late afternoon rides while the days are still short. It’s not bright enough to get you down a single track at top speed but it’s plenty bright for the road ride back to your house.
Princetontec.com; $20
Maxxis Minion DHF Mountain Bike Tire
As far as I’m concerned this is as close to the one tire quiver as I have ever come. Big knobby tread grips well in mud and snow, yet it rolls fast on hard pack. The tread does hold a little dirt in the wettest conditions but a quick bunny hop clears them every time. It’s definitely skinnier than other 2.35 I’ve ridden but the sidewalls are tough as nails. That can make the ride a little harsher but you’d have to be on a rigid to really notice. And if that’s the case, you got bigger problems anyway.
Maxxis.com; $45
Nuun Electolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs
Nuun is simple and clean. I like that in an energy drink. No horsing around with measuring spoon and powder. Just drop one tab in your water bottle and head out. It dissolves completely every time so it doesn’t leave you with that salty sludge at the end when you need it most. Added bonus—the tri-berry flavor goes well with vodka.
Nuun.com; $6
