Kokopelli Platte Inflatable Packraft Kayak Review - Side Profile

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  • Beautifully simple flat pedals

    Many modern cycling products have non-serviceable designs or utilize cheap materials that only last a few years. That’s why we’re excited to be reviewing the MOTO urban flat pedals which combine a sleek modern design with high-quality materials. MOTO is a small German company that makes a few variations of the pedals from their original wood Classic to the budget friendly plastic Reflex. The main feature of the pedals are their low profile flat designs which ensure you’ll never hit your shin on exposed bolts or metal pedals. The $176 Classic pedals are one of their most iconic products and…

  • The Blinder gains long distance visibility

    The Knog Blinder taillights have been a popular series thanks to their creative illumination pattern and sleek form factor. With the new Knog Blinder R-150, Knog has taken the Blinder series to a new level by incorporating a dedicated focused LED on top of the COB LEDs to improve long-distance visibility. The Blinder R-150 retails for $64.95 and offers an impressive 150 lumen output. Knob has combined a multi-channel COB LED along with a single focused LED to ensure the taillight is visible from close and far distances equally well. There are nine creative output modes to choose from which…

  • Join the Grid Skin Revolution

    Even a low speed crash can burn through standard cycling kits and cause painful road rash. The new Q36.5 Grid Skin series is one of the first road cycling specific cycling apparel product lines that integrates strategically placed protection into a lightweight and aerodynamic cycling kit. Q36.5 has incorporated GRDXKN technology which is a 3D printed structures into their jersey and bib shorts which help reduce aerodynamic drag and provide protection against a crash. In this review we’ll be looking at two items in the Grid Skin collection: the $265 Grid Skin Jersey and the $304 Grid Skin Bib Shorts.…

  • The sleeker and lighter ARO5

    Oakley’s new ARO5 Race helmet combines the sleek aerodynamically optimized shape of the previous ARO5 helmet with a lightweight construction and improved ventilation. Introduced as a part of Oakley’s 2023 cycling collection this is their current top-tier road cycling helmet. The helmet retails for $205 for the standard version we have in this review and $240 Ice Black Reflective version which has an integrated twICEme NFC chip. Oakley markets the ARO5 Race as being designed for peak performance and breathability thanks to its aerodynamic shape and 19 vents. The helmet features MIPS Air for additional safety as well as a…

  • PEARL iZUMI’s PRO lineup

    PEARL iZUMi’s PRO level of apparel are the brands top-tier lineup and feature high-performance fabrics and form-fitting cuts. In this review we’ll be looking at the warm-weather men’s PRO kit with their new Navy/Wild Orchid Jasper color scheme. We specifically have three items for this review: PRO Mesh Jersey, PRO Bib Short and the PRO Barrier jacket. The PRO Mesh` Jersey retails for $150 and is one of their most technical jerseys with a variety of technology such as PRO Transfer Mesh Fabric and recycled polyester construction. With matching color schemes, the $225 PRO Bib Shorts feature the latest Levitate…

  • The entry-level performance SPD-SL pedals

    Shimano 105 is widely known as Shimano’s entry-level performance lineup and sits under the more expensive and lighter Ultegra and top-of-the-line Dura-Ace product lines. The Shimano R7000 series is Shimano’s current 105 series which consists of everything from full groupsets to the SPD-SL pedals we have in this review. With a retail price of $150, the PD-R7000 are lightweight single sided performance pedals designed for Shimano SPD-SL cleats. As with other Shimano 105 products, the PD-R7000 inherits many of the design features and technology from the more expensive products including the carbon composite body and an adjustable entry / release…

  • Restrained styling with better ventilation

    Oakley’s Encoder sunglasses combine the unique curved lens design of the Oakley Kato but with less polarizing styling. The new Oakley Encoder Strike Vented sunglasses we have here are the latest addition to the Encoder product line and add vents along the top for improved ventilation to avoid fogging. These sunglasses are part of Oakley’s 2023 cycling collection and retail for $255. Aside from the six narrow vents on the top of the lens, the Encoder Strike Vented have similar specs with a frameless construction and Prizm Lens Technology.  The large sculpted lens features Oakley’s PhysioMorphic geometry to contour around…

  • Bell’s budget friendly all-rounder

    The new Falcon XR helmet lineup utilizes that same “deep road” design as Bell’s XR Spherical helmet but at a more accessible price point. This lineup consists of the base XR MIPS, the XRV MIPS which adds a visor and the XRV LED MIPS which includes the visor and a taillight. In this review we have the Bell Falcon XRV LED MIPS which adds a detachable rear taillight for improved visibility on top of the standard Falcon XR MIPS helmet. The helmet retails for $150 which is a $20 premium over the standard XR but significantly cheaper than the XR…

  • Stay on the edge

    Developed specifically for cycling, the new Julbo Edge sunglasses offer an aggressive oversized lens design with a number of performance features. Julbo offers the sunglasses in a variety of variations from $184.95 with a Spectron lens, $259.95 with a REACTIV photochromic lens and a $289.95 option that includes both lenses. The Julbo Edge are full frame sunglasses with a Base 5 curvature and a thin minimalist frame design. Grip Tech temples and nose pad provide soft and flexible contact points that can be easily adjusted for a perfect fit. One of the main features of the Edge is the new…