One (chain)ring to rule them all: SRAM’s single-ring-minded XX1 chainset.

SRAM XX1 group

SRAM’s Olympic gold medal winning 11-speed, single chainring transmission is the most single-minded go-faster gearing system ever created for mountain biking. By losing the complication of a front derailleur and double or triple rings, SRAM reduces the number of things that can go wrong, while a wide-range set of 11 sprockets out back provides race-ready gearing.

You don’t get super-low gears but you aren’t going to win any races by winching up hills in 22/34 anyway.

Up close and personal with SRAM XX1

More information from SRAM
UK supplier: Fisher Outdoor

Exposure’s new Reflex light is a genuine advance in light usability.

Exposure Reflex front light

At £450 it’s not quite the most expensive light around, but with self-regulating electronics that dim its three LEDs when you slow down it’s definitely the cleverest.

That functionality means that you’ll usually get three hours of full power out of a charge instead of just two, and the ten other modes on offer give you up to 36 hours of run time. Best of all, the LED display on the back tells you exactly how much light you have left, so you know when it’s time to head home.

Exposure Reflex front light review

More information from Exposure Lights

Shimano XTR Trail pedals are light, shiny and lovely.

Shimano XTR Trail pedals

Sure, you could ask for the Deore XT equivalent, which are only a tad heavier and less nicely-finished, but their hollow axles, top-quality bearings and non-stick finish make the Shimano XTR trail pedals the Bugatti of clipless pedals. Shop around a bit for a deal, and they’re even an affordable luxury.

Shimano XTR Trail pedals review

More information from Shimano
UK supplier: Madison Cycles

Enve carbon fibre rims are light, tough and stiff.

Enve AM carbon fibre rims

If you genuinely want to save weight, your wheels are the best place to start, even though the old claim that weight on the wheels counts double isn’t quite true. As well as saving static and rotating mass, lighter wheels also reduce your bike’s unsprung mass, which can make your suspension work better. Triple win!

But very light aluminium rims are flexible and fragile. Enter carbon fibre – is there anything it can’t do? Carbon rims are stiffer and stronger than equivalent aluminium rims, the best of them even shrugging off the near-abuse that is downhill racing. Enve made the first rims to win a downhill World Cup, and the AM rims are the all-round incarnation of that technology.

More information from Enve
UK supplier: Saddleback

It must be Christmas: time for a new edition of the immensely popular GoPro Hero.

GoPro Hero 3

It’s surely no coincidence that GoPro has launched a new version of its incredibly popular helmet cam just before Christmas for the last couple of years. The latest GoPro Hero 3 Black edition features wifi connectivity, 4k video shooting, 12 megapixel stills, 120fps shooting at 720p, all in a smaller, lighter body than the Hero 2.

GoPro unveil WiFi-enabled Hero 3 camera

More information from GoPro
UK supplier: Madison Cycles

Pedro’s Master Tool Kit is a toolboard in a box.

Pedro’s Master tool kit

With 64 essential, top-quality tools in a waterproof, pressure-resistant case, this is the tool kit you pass on to your grandchildren. There are a few unique items in here, like Pedro’s ingenious Vise Grip sprocket tool, and plenty of space to add extras like a torque wrench.

Best of all, you just open the box and fold out the wings and it’s all laid out and ready to use – it’s like having a toolboard in a box.

More information from Pedro’s
UK supplier: 2pure

Lezyne CNC Dirt Floor Drive is a luxury big-volume pump. Mmmm, shiny!

Lezyne CNC Dirt Floor Drive ABS Track Pump

Brilliantly practical as well as great-looking, the Lezyne CNC Dirt Floor Drive pushes a large volume of air per stroke, so it’s quick to get a mountain bike tyre up to pressure. The guage is at the bottom so it won’t smash when you knock the pump over and the hose is long enough to reach a bike on a stand easily.

Lezyne’s threaded chuck is unusual, but really practical as it holds and seals well, without requiring you to fight with a quick-release lever. If you’re in a hurry, a slip-on Presta chuck is included.

More information from Lezyne
UK supplier: Upgrade Bikes

Asgard’s Large Cycle Shed does exactly what it says on the tin.

Asgard Mb5 Large cycle shed

Every mountain biking bloke and blokess needs a shed. Asgard’s Large cycle shed is exactly what it says on the tin, a three-metre long steel box to protect your rides from the elements and deter the light-fingered from nicking them. There’s room here for several bikes, or, if you can resist the constant siren song of N+1, a couple and room to work on them.

It weighs a third of a tonne and needs a flat concrete base, so this is a serious invstment in storage, but surely your ikes are worth it? We’d be tempted to combine it with a Pragmasis metal shed shackle or ground anchor for ultimate security.

More information from Asgard

The top-spec edition of the fi’zi:k Gobi saddle is a featherweight 149g.

Fi’zi:k Gobi 00

At just 149g, the Gobi 00 is one of the lightest cross-country saddles you can buy. It’s swoopy shape provides support for big efforts, while its carbon Wing Flex shell moves with you to make it one of the comfiest seats for day-long efforts.

Most of the weight saving comes from replacing metal rails with braided carbon fibre and how can you resist a saddle with “glossy thigh slides”. Ooooh, missus!

More information from Fi’zi:k
UK supplier: ExtraUK

Saris Bones RS rack is brilliantly designed and simple to use.

Saris Bones RS bike carrier

Hanging bikes off the back of your car keeps fuel costs under control and it’s easier than hefting them up on the roof. But many boot-mounted bike racks are faff of straps and hooks to fit.

The Saris Bones RS holds three bikes and is held in place with ratcheting steel straps that can be locked into place. Once it’s set up, it’s a doddle to pop off and on.

More information from Saris
UK supplier: Paligap

Transport and accommodation all in one. Beach not included.

Danbury Caravans VW Camper

For the very deep of pocket and self-indulgent, here’s some retro transport that combines a way of getting to the trails with somewhere to stay once you’re there. Prices start from about £25,000.

More information from Danbury Caravans

The Reflex is Exposure’s new flagship light and is special in several notable ways. Not only is it their brightest ever light at 2,200 lumens (and smaller than the previous Six Pack, a chunky light if ever there was one), but it houses some clever electronics they’ve dubbed Reflex Technology. This automatically adjusts the brightness of the light depending on your speed.

That means when you’re pootling up a steep hill at 5mph, the accelerometer and temperature gauge inside the light reduce the light output and conserve the battery. Such is the sheer brightness of the light that even when you’re going very slowly, there’s still enough light to see your way ahead.

When you ramp up the speed, the light powers up to full beam. It’s very clever and in use it works extremely well. It takes a little getting used to, but after a while it’s completely natural. The transition is seamless, and after a while you barely notice it.

Three LEDs pump out 2,200 lumen in a well balanced beam with good spread and reach.

If you prefer a bit of manual control, you can have that. With the Optimised Mode Selector (OMS) there are 11 modes to choose from, only three of which use the Reflex functionality. The burn time for each of the modes is handily printed on the base of the light and there are combinations to suit everything from trail blasting to 24-hour racing to commuting. It shows Exposure have really thought about who will use this light and how.

Choosing between modes is simply a case of holding down the power button for a short while, then cycling through to the desired mode, displayed on a digital screen. From the factory the light is in Reflex mode. This LCD screen displays the remaining battery time and is far and away the best battery gauge we’ve ever used on any light. It vastly increases the light’s user friendliness and is almost worth the money alone.

Digital readout shows battery life and mode selection.

Three XML LEDs are arranged in the lens and encased in a compact and smartly designed CNC-machined case. It’s light at 252g and you don’t notice it on the handlebars. The light emitted by the three LEDs gives a good broad spread and there’s ample reach for all but the very fastest trails, where it lacks a little depth. There’s good punch in the centre of the beam where it hits the ground so that you can pick out details in the trail.

It’s smaller than the old Six Pack yet brighter. Shown next to popular Allen key tool for scale.

Battery life is two hours on the full-power mode but can be extended out to 36 hours on one of the lower settings. The burn time on Reflex mode will depend on how fast you ride, but you will get closer to three hours on the first of the three Reflex modes.

Fitting the light to the bars is simple with Exposure’s tried-and-tested quick release mount. The mount fits 31.8mm and 25.4mm bars, with a 4mm bolt holding it in place. The light slides and clicks into the mount, and can be remove by pulling down on the red plunger. There’s still no easy angle adjustment, but by leaving the clamp just loose enough you can adjust on the trail without the light beam bouncing about.

Sturdy mount is very secure. No vertical angle adjustment though.

Any scepticism we might have had when the light arrived was quickly banished when we got riding with it, and now we’re fans. The Reflex tech is impressive in the way it smoothly alters the output of the light. We just turn the light on and ride, no worrying about switching power modes frequently to conserve the battery. It’s a bit like the speed-adjusted volume on car stereos: at first it’s a bit odd but you soon get used to it and grow to really appreciate it. Sure it’s pricey. but every part of the design just makes it so much nicer to use. We’d buy one. Yes we really would.

Verdict

We’re really impressed with the Reflex Technology and can’t wait to see it trickle down to more affordable lights. The Reflex, while expensive, is a staggeringly good light for the frequent and serious night time riding addict.

Pros

Reflex technology really works
Very light
Compact
Bright with good beam pattern
No cables
Good battery life
Choice of 11 modes

Cons

Lacks a little punch on faster trails – best combined with a good helmet light

It’s at the top-end of pricey (but you can pay a lot more if you want)

Price: £449.95
More information: Exposure Reflex Mk1 front light

What Exposure says about the Reflex Mk 1

The Reflex is the ultimate cycle light and the new flagship model of the 2013 Exposure range. It boasts innovative new Reflex Technology and the very latest LED and Battery developments. The Reflex produces an incredible 2200 lumens output in a compact lightweight package. 200 lumens brighter than the Six Pack but as light as a MaXx-D.

The Reflex is capable of producing such incredible outputs by using Exposure’s new Reflex Technology which monitors the surroundings to intelligently distribute light power to suit the terrain. When climbing Reflex gradually eases off the power preserving battery life for when it is needed most. As soon as the light senses acceleration or that it is heading down hill, Reflex quickly brightens to give the maximum output.

The Reflex benefits from a brand new digital fuel gauge and mode indicator display which gives an accurate burn time countdown leaving you free to concentrate on the ride ahead.

OMS, Optimised Mode Selector is a new feature for 2013 and allows you to easily select from a concise number of programs to provide the optimum lighting for your ride. OMS programs enable you to obtain the lights full potential and optimise the output whether it’s a two hour trail burn or a week’s commuting.

Exposure’s Reflex Mk 1 light adjusts its brightness according to your speed.

The flagship of the 2013 Exposure range the Reflex Mk 1 puts out a claimed 2,200 lumens from its three XML LED emitters – more than the previous top-of-the-range Six Pack –  but at 252g weighs less than 2012’s number two model, the Maxx-D.

But more light and less weight isn’t the whole story, welcome though that is in any light. Exposure has built two very clever new features into the Reflex Mk 1.

The first is Reflex Technology, which uses a combination of accelerometers and temperature gauges to estimate your speed and therefore how much light you need. Because the Reflex has an aluminium body that reacts quickly to cooling from air flow, John Cookson of USE says that this gives a usefully accurate indication of your speed.

“There’s been lots of product development time in this,”  John tells Bikemagic over the phone from Exposure HQ in West Sussex. “Lots of test runs with a back up light on the handlebars just in case.”

No need to remember what the functions do; they’re summarised on the body of the light.

“We’ve now got it working really well, to the point where you almost don’t notice it happening as you ride. You crest a hill and start to accelerate and the light just brightens so you can see where you’re going. Get to the bottom and slow down and it dims to conserve battery power.”

As well as reacting to your riding speed, the Reflex Mk 1 can be set to behave differently according to the type of riding you’re doing. Exposure calls this Optimised Mode Selector (OMS) and it provides no fewer than 11 different modes that give run times from 2 to 36 hours for a range of uses from commuting to dark-of-the-moon off road night riding.

To set the mode, “you don’t need a USB cable or anything like that,” says John. Instead, you switch mode with a single button on the back of the light, and a numerical display tells you which one you’re in. You don’t need to remember what they are or carry round a manual either as there’s a simple list printed on the underside of the light.

Initially, only the Reflex light will get Reflex Technology, according to John. “It will no doubt
filter down the range in the future,” he says.

Numerical LEDs indicate the mode you’re selected.

Most of the 2013 Exposure range will get the OMS function though. “This will be in the range right down to the Joystick,” says John. “It’ll raise most of the maximum outputs by 25% and provide a better output selection to make the lights more adaptable to a number of potential uses.”

The Reflex Mk 1 will be available at the end of August.

For more information see Exposure Lights.

Three XML LEDs pump out a retina-searing 2200 lumens.