by Smith Rhythm & Loam Goggles
Smith has added two new mountain bike goggles to its range, Rhythm and Loam.
The Rhythm is a slightly more race-oriented option, thanks to roll-off compatibility and kickstands designed to help it sit securely in a full-face helmet. Roll-offs are available separately and are pre-installed on the clear lens. By pulling the drawstring on the left side clear film and eliminate all the ugly torn debris. Two foil containers are included for use on particularly sloppy days.
A screen is also available for the Rhythm goggles to prevent sand and grit from entering through the upper vents.
There are six colors to choose from: Black, White, Amethyst, Slate / Fool’s Gold, Bone Gradien and AC / Iago Garay. All options have a tinted ChromaPop lens and an additional clear lens. MSRP: $95 ChromaPop lens, $80 clear lens only. Dirt Screen – $25. Roll off – $60.
The Loam goggles don’t have the kickstands, roll-off compatibility, or triple foam of the Rhythm goggles, but they still offer plenty of ventilation and a wide field of vision.
There are four color options: black, amethyst, slate and poppy, and several lens options. All goggles come with an extra clear lens, or in some cases are only available with a clear lens. MSRP: $55 mirrored lens, only $50 clear lens. More information:
Chromag RIZA stem
Chromag’s latest machined aluminum creation is the RIZA arm. It replaces the BZA and Ranger shafts to take its place as the company’s top-of-the-line Canadian-made shaft. The rod attachment area is machined to avoid sharp edges, reducing the likelihood of stress spikes.
Designed to handle a variety of riding styles from trail to enduro, the stem is available in 32, 38 and 45mm lengths. The color options are black, blue, red, gold and silver. MSRP: $146 (31.8mm) or $150 USD (35mm). On my scale, the 38mm version weighed 196 grams.
PNW Components Pebble Tool
PNW Components’ new Pebble multi-tool keeps making its way into my pack or pocket, not because of the parts it holds (it’s not perfect in that regard), but because it feels good in my hand. There’s something soothing about the round shape – it’s like a worry stone for cyclists.
As far as functionality goes, this isn’t the tool if you’re going on a big trip deep into the backyard. It simply doesn’t have all the necessary bits, and the ones it does have are on the shorter side, limiting its functionality. I wish the 5mm blade was longer for easier access to the lower caliper bolt on the SRAM front brake, and the lack of a 2, 2.5 or 8mm blade further detracts from its capabilities. Against OneUp’s EDC tool, the Pebble is 7 grams lighter and $0.50 cheaper, but not enough to give it the edge in terms of usability.
Still, the Pebble should do the trick for removing the wheel, adjusting the position of the stem, shifter or brake lever, and it also has an integrated Dynaplug to help fix a flat. The colors are black, orange, purple and bronze. MSRP: $37 USD.
Tubolito pipes
Tubolito has added mixed bike compatibility to their lightweight thermoplastic mountain bike tubes for 2023, meaning riders no longer have to choose between a 27.5″ or 29″ tube – one size fits all, at least in this case. Tubolito already had the 650b and 700c sized for road bikes, so they applied those lessons to their mountain bike range, tested the results and made sure it passed ISO fitment and durability tests.
There are two options, Tubo and S-Tubo. The Tubo weighs 84 grams and Tubolito claims it is 2x more puncture resistant than standard butyl rubber tubing. The S-Tubo is a very light version designed to be transported as a spare. It weighs just 43 grams thanks to a thinner wall thickness and now features the same fixed valve stem as the Tubo, instead of the removable stem previously used.
Prices haven’t been announced yet, but for reference, the current S-Tubo is priced at $37.95.
Tech Week 2023 offers an opportunity to explore the latest mountain bike components, clothing and accessories. Click here to see all related content.
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