Over the last two-and-a-half years, BikeHubStore.com of Chapel Hill, NC, has made a name for itself by offering great deals on hubs, rims, and spokes.  For the past couple of months, GRAVELBIKE has been testing two of the company’s latest offerings–the SL218 rear hub, and the SLF85W front hub.

BikeHubStore.com’s SL218 and SLF85W hubs.

Both hubs feature CNC-machined 6061 alloy bodies, 7075 alloy axles, and roll on Enduro sealed bearings (which are easily serviced with common hex keys).  Our samples came in a 28/32 configuration with a Campagnolo-compatible freehub (130mm rear spacing).  Weight was dead-on at 85g (front) and 218g (rear).  For this review, the hubs were laced to H Plus Son Archetype rims by local expert Peter Chisolm of Vecchio’s Bicicletteria.  Sapim spokes completed the build, with 2.0/1.5/2.0 Lasers being laced 2x in front, and 2.0/1./8/2.0 Race laced 3x in back (both using brass nipples).

The heart of the SL218 rear hub is a six-pawl, alloy freehub.  The hub is available in Shimano- or Campagnolo-compatible versions, and both drivers are fitted with two Enduro sealed bearings.  Engagement is solid (even below freezing), and the axle’s drive-side end cap features an additional rubber seal that does an excellent job of keeping water and dirt away from the bearings.

The SL218′s freehub is well sealed and easy to service.

For this test, I used a Campagnolo Veloce cassette with separate cogs, and couldn’t detect any excessive gouging or notching of the freehub body’s splines.  One thing to note, however, is that the SL218′s freehub positions the largest cog very close to the spokes.  Extra care should be taken when adjusting the rear derailleur’s inner limit screw so that there’s no contact with the spokes when the chain is on the large cog.

One of the highest compliments I can bestow on the BikeHubStore.com hubs is that I basically forgot about them.  They worked (very) well, and didn’t require any babysitting or tweaking whatsoever during the test period.  Whether I was exploring dirt roads or riding pavement, they became “invisible” and let me focus my energy on enjoying the ride.  And in all honesty, you really can’t ask for more than that.

Disclosure: BikeHubStore.com provided review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

In the world of bicycle tires, there is rarely such a thing as a “free lunch.”  Puncture resistance often comes at the expense of ride quality and light weight.  Faster-rolling tires usually don’t last as long, and can sometimes be more prone to flats or cuts.  For riders who want a blend of performance and durability and reliability, SOMA Fabrications offers the New Xpress tire.

Made in Japan by Panaracer, the New Xpress utilizes the same micro-tread as the company’s popular Pasela tire.  The New Xpress comes in steel- and folding-bead versions, and is available 26″, 650B, and 700C sizes.  The 700×32 (folding) samples that I received measured 30.5mm wide (mounted on 23mm rims) and weighed 420g each.  Suggested retail for the blackwall, folding-bead model is $44.99/each.

To help reduce punctures and cuts, New Xpress tires feature a HyperTex-reinforced casing.  SOMA claims that HyperTex is more flexible than Kevlar (for a smoother ride), but still strong enough to improve durability and reliability.  In my testing I found that the HyperTexvcasing felt stiffer than a plain skinwall, but didn’t have the harsh ride found on more heavily-armored tires.  I noticed that the reinforced casings enabled the use of lower pressures without resulting in a squirmy feel (which was especially welcome when riding off-road and in snow).

HyperTex layer runs bead-to-bead for added protection.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve ridden the SOMAs on pavement, dirt roads and trails, and yes, gravel.  Transitioning between the different surfaces proved to be no problem.  A few of those rides included snow and ice, and the tires performed surprisingly well–especially when I dropped the pressure to 40psi front and 50psi rear.  And while it’s hard to predict how long the tires will last, the high-carbon rubber shows very little wear thus far.

Testing the New Xpress tires during a Front Range snow storm.

The New Xpress tires do a fine job of balancing performance and reliability.  I found the latter especially reassuring when commuting in sub-freezing temps before and after dark (but I would opt for the version with reflective sidewalls for increased visibility).

Disclosure: SOMA Fabrications provided review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

In the days before saddle packs, riders used an old toe strap to secure their spare tubular to the saddle’s rails.  Then, as clinchers gained popularity, saddle packs became more ubiquitous.  When saddlebags became passe, tubes and mini-tools were then relegated to jersey pockets.  But now there’s another option for carrying spare kit–the SeatSleev retention system.

Conceptually, the SeatSleev is the exact opposite of a saddle pack.  All your gear is visible–and more importantly, accessible–even when strapped to the saddle’s rails.  With the SeatSleev, there’s no rummaging through packs or sagging jersey pockets.

OK, it’s convenient, but is it secure?  Absolutely.  I’ll admit that I was a little skeptical at first, but I’m pleased to report that the SeatSleev is very secure.  The heavy-gauge elastic conforms to the items’ individual shapes, and cinching down the dual hook-and-loop keeps everything in place (even on dirt roads and trails).

A compact and convenient alternative to traditional saddle packs.

Capacity-wise, I was able to able to carry everything that normally resides in my medium-sized Lezyne saddle pack (with room to spare).  And while I’m certainly no featherweight, the SeatSleev is about half the weight of the aforementioned saddlebag (45 grams vs 85 grams).

The SpeedSleev retails for $34.99, and can be purchased on the company’s website.

Disclosure: SpeedSleev, LLC provided review samples for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

If you ride in road-style cycling shoes, there are dozens of suitable shoe covers on the market to make your cold-weather riding more bearable.  If you’re like me, however, and prefer MTB-style shoes, compatible shoe covers can be few and far between.  With my Sidetrak booties on their last leg (no pun intended), I needed something that would accommodate my Sidi Dominator 5 shoes.

Northwave’s Husky shoe covers have a sleek profile, but looks can be deceiving.  The covers’ neoprene upper, combined with the semi-open sole, enables compatibility with a variety of shoe styles and profiles.  The XL size (44-46) Husky easily accommodated my size-44.5 Sidis, yet they weren’t so bulky that the covers rubbed my bikes’ crank arms.

Getting in and out of the Northwave booties is easy thanks to the full-length rear zipper and the underside velcro strap.  The 3.4mm thick neoprene uppers feature taped seams, which helps reduce cold spots and moisture infiltration.  Kevlar reinforcements protect the heel and toe, but it’s not rugged enough for extended hike-a-bikes.  After several weeks of near-daily use, the Husky shoe covers show only minimal signs of wear (mostly from walking).  The stitching and seems are holding tight, and the zippers still operate smoothly.

So, how warm are the Husky shoe covers?  Everyone has their own personal thermostat, but with thin, wool cycling socks, I was comfortable down to 32°F (0°C).  For colder temps, I substituted warmer/thicker socks, or added a sock-type shoe cover under the Northwave overshoe.  I wasn’t able to test the shoe covers in rainy conditions, but the Huskys easily shed splashes from snow melt.

Additional information on Northwave’s entire line of products is available on company’s website.