A raft of new products have just landed on the Bikemagic desk for testing, here’s a shufty at what’s new before it goes into the test mill.

Easton bars and stem

I’ve been getting excited about getting much wider and shorter in the cockpit with short stems and wide bars, and these Easton Havoc parts have just turned up.

The Havoc Carbon bar has been updated for 2012, being wider than the previous version at 750mm. Made from carbon fibre and weighing 235g, the Havoc bar is a lovely looking bit of kit. Carbon has come along way, to think you can now get a tough bar like this (Easton claim it’s their ‘strongest ever’ of any material) would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

It uses the familiar Taperwall technology they’ve been using for a while now, where there are extra layers of carbon in the higher stress areas of the bar, and less material where it’s not needed. They use computer controlled benches to create the multiple layers in the bar with incredible precision.

Easton bars have always felt just right, and with a 20mm rise, 9 degree backsweep and 5 degree rise should continue this trend.

To complement the Havoc bar is this 65mm Havoc stem. Unlike the handlebar it’s machined from aluminium, with a really high quality finish; there’s no rough edges or burrs around the clamping edges, and only the graphics raised an eyebrow among the more conservative in the office.

Continental 29in tyres

Tyre choice is the biggest concern with the new wheelsize, and in the early days was a big limiting factor for us UK-based riders. For 2012 German tyre brand Continental has upped its offering with a full range of 29er tyres, using its existing tread pattern designs and Black Chilli compound.

This is the Mountain King, an ideal all-round UK tyre that excels in wet and dry conditions, and everything in-between. It’ll be going on the Specialized Epic 29er test bike soon.

Sponser nutrition

As the weather continually improves it’s most likely you’re riding your bike more often, and you’ll probably want some energy product to keep you going? We’ve just got a batch of Sponser nutrition, a Swiss company that has been going over 20 years, so they certainly know what they’re doing.

Most intriguingly of the samples they sent is this gel in a toothpaste-style tube. Is this a moment of creative genius or is it a little bonkers?

Oakley

For the gloomy early morning starts or night riding, I’ve just got some Oakley Hi Persimmon lenses for my Radars. Light Transmission is 59%. They’re spot on for flat and low light, boosting contrast and make the world look a far prettier place.