Run by all-round bike enthusiasts Giulio Neri and Simon Cittati, Bike Connection Agency events bring together industry brands and journalists to highlight some of the year’s upcoming new tech and gear. This year’s spring event was hosted in Massa Marittima, Tuscany, and while we just missed the neighbouring Strade Bianche, I was soon coated into enough of the famous white dust to feel suitably involved.
The event’s offerings included new tyres from some well known Italian brands – we can’t tell you about them yet, but keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks – along with new shoes from Northwave and gravel gear from SQlab, as well as some useful updates from Komoot. We also got to test out the YT Szepter that may just be a mountain bike in a drop bar disguise – we already have a first ride review of this one, look out for a full review in the near future, both in Cyclist magazine and here on this website.
Northwave
Extreme Pro 3 road shoes
Road Bike Connection Spring – Mirror Media
Northwave was up first with its new top-tier road shoe, the Extreme Pro 3. It’s in the name but in case you weren’t sure how Extreme they are, these unidirectional carbon soles rate as a 15 out of 15 in Northwave’s stiffness scale and are fully focussed on performance and power transfer.
The shoe features a Powershape carbon arch support that Northwave says works in conjunction with its in-house X-Dial SW3 closing system to create the perfect fit.
Road Bike Connection Spring – Mirror Media
New for this model of the Extreme Pro, the bottom dial has been lowered to provide additional support, which Northwave says helps divide the shoe into two sections and maximises closure of the front end. The shoes also focus on Speedplay compatability, with an adaptor available which claims to almost fully reduce the added stack from the cleat in comparison to other spacers.
Rockit Plus gravel shoes
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
As with the Extreme Pro, the Rockit Plus is the brand’s 2023 update to an existing model, in this case adding Northwave’s X-Dials to the current gravel shoe. It may say gravel on the tin, but the brand aims to target the all-round off-road audience with a focus on a highly-walkable sole and comfortable fit.
The shoe features reinforcements under the ball of the foot, which Northwave says provides better power transfer without compromising overall comfort, and the sole is made from Vibram’s Wolftrax material, commonly used in the outdoor market.
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
Northwave originally started in the snowboarding industry and says that it has transferred this knowledge across to its cycling range, particularly when it comes to choice of fabrics. The Rockit Plus uses a Ripstop upper for added protection from all those off-road adventures and has added TPU reinforcements to the toe cap area.
SQlab
614 Ergowave gravel saddle
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
Without wanting to perpetuate stereotypes too much, SQlab seems to have stuck to the notion of German logic and efficiency with its range and model categories. Each number in a product name means something different, either pertaining to the discipline or type of component. Take the 614 Ergowave saddle: the 6 denotes that it’s a saddle, while the 14 highlights that it is part of the brand’s gravel range.
The gravel range is new for 2023, with the Ergowave saddle highlighting the brand’s focus on ergonomics and fit. The saddle features a double-dip profile, which SQlab says created the least pressure on soft tissue when tested among different saddle shapes. It also has Kevlar ‘crash panels’ at the rear and the brand says it has used grippier material to help keep riders in place while on rough terrain.
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
The USP of the Ergowave saddle is its ‘active’ technology, using elastomers to allow varying degrees of up-and-down play on either side of the saddle. SQlab says this accommodates hip movement while pedalling, providing increased comfort and performance. The elastomers are included with the saddle, and come in three densities for different rider weights and preferences.
712 bar tape
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
SQlab focusses heavily on fit, and took all our measurements to show how each component can be tailored to a specific person. Its bar tape is no exception, with each tier of dots denoting where the tape should be wrapped to to provide different thicknesses of tape for different hand sizes.
Rather than sell three or four different bar tape thicknesses, SQlab says it prefers to have an adaptable tape to fit all. The tape is also very grippy which, in our books, is great.
SQ-Short One 12 bib shorts
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
Unisex rarely means truly unisex and, while we don’t typically recommend a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, it was interesting to try SQlab’s SQ-Short One 12s in action, even if the women’s-specific bib shorts aren’t available yet.
SQlab says it wanted to move away from the traditional thick chamois padding used in the industry, instead using a ‘high density’ padding that measures only four to five millimetres thick. The brand says its padding provides better comfort and support than high volume padding as it doesn’t crease or compress while riding.
The bib shorts are designed to run as a close fit and to work seamlessly with the brand’s saddles. While we can’t divulge anything yet on the upcoming women’s bib shorts, SQlab promises they are on the way with some useful specific features.
YT Szepter
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
Super slack, suspension fork, dropper post option, long wheelbase – you’d be forgiven for thinking we were talking about a mountain bike, but we aren’t. YT is certainly known as a MTB brand but the Szepter, which launched in November of last year, is definitely a gravel bike. It’s got drop bars, 45mm tyre clearance and while it does have front suspension, it only offers 40mm of travel.
YT says that it wanted to make a bike that boosted confidence for all, whether you’re a road rider getting into gravel or a MTBer who doesn’t fully trust drop bars yet.
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
The Szepter has some fun features, like a Fidlock magnetic bottle cage and integrated stubby mudguards (fenders) which YT says are there to protect you to a degree but won’t stop you getting good and muddy on the trails.
We won’t delve too deep into the bike here – read our first ride review – but we will say that it’s a hoot of a bike and a nice change from those targeting out-and-out performance.
Komoot updates
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
If you haven’t heard of Komoot, chances are you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years. Founded by a set of outdoor-obsessed friends, Komoot is a route-planning/route-finding/route-building app, which it says focusses on how communities can be built by a mutual love of being outside.
The app partners directly will all of the big cycling tech companies like Garmin, Wahoo, Hammerhead, the list goes on, and has launched several new updates for 2023 that aim to make both the online and device transfer systems even easier to use. The platform now features an interactive map for looking at different routes, as well as several new route filters, including start location, route type and surface type.
Road Bike Connection Spring – Rupert Fowler
In collaboration with Garmin, and in a bid to stay on top of technical difficulties that some users were experiencing, Komoot has introduced a ‘Send to Device’ feature. Komoot says this makes transferring new routes to Garmin devices much easier, and should only require the tap of a button to send to a connected device.
Things to come
Road Bike Connection – Rupert Fowler
Patience is a virtue and, while we’ve run through many of the new products on offer, there are still some that are under wraps. The likes of Vittoria, Fulcrum and Pirelli all have exciting new things on the way so watch this space for news and first ride reviews in the coming weeks.
We’d like to thank Bike Connection Agency for organising the event and hosting us throughout.
Raring to go ride bikes in beautiful lands? See our guide to the best places to cycle in the French Alps
Tags: Gravel
