Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for brakes which fit Shimano Road and Gravel brake pads. The equivalent Shimano pad models are K03S, K05S, K03Ti,  K05Ti, K04S, K04Ti, L03A, L05A, L04C. A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found in the compatibility tab above.  We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads, a new local brand. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We are stoked to finally see a NZ brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, it’s something we can fully get on-board with. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compound, brake model comparability and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compatibility Shimano: - Dura Ace BR-R9170, BR-R9270- Ultegra BR-R8070, BR-R8170, BR-R9170- 105 BR-R7070- Tiagra BR-4770- GRX BR-RX810 / RX400- Metrea BR-U5000, BR-RS805, BR-RS505, BR- RS405, BR-RS305- XTR M9100, M9110Tektro / TRP: HD-R310 Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

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Suspension setup is pretty sensitive to your suspension pressure. Changing the pressure is made a little easier with digital shock pumps. Here's a great quality digital shock pump just for the task :) Features: Digital Gauge. Units can be changed between PSI, bar, kg/cm^2 300psi maximum pressure 80 second auto shut-off Pressure adjust button to finely tune your pressure Rotating hose so it doesn't take up too much space Replaceable coin cell battery (CR2032 3V) Note: These are the same base shock pump as the Rockshox digital (and many other brands) shock pumps are. The differences are: Body colour Adapter type -  this adapter is slightly shorter and has an easy engage lever Branding

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DMR Deathgrips are our favorite grips because of their waffle pattern and knurling that provide excellent grip. Additionally, they feature a mushroom on the inner side for added comfort. If you have large hands or prefer a softer grip, choose the thicker version. However, if you prefer a more direct feel of your front wheel, opt for the thinner version. We offer both flanged and flangeless versions of Deathgrips.  This is a pair of refill grips. They do not come with collars, you will need to use your own collars from your last pair :) 

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These cable cutters will help you get a clean cut when cutting gear inner, outer and hydraulic cables. None of the fraying that you get with pliers or side-cutters! They have rubber handles and a spring for ease of use. Notes: These cable cutters do not have a crimping surface for attaching cable ends. You can use some pliers for that. As with other cutters, these will ovalise the end of the outer cable. After cutting your outer, push an inner cable through from the other end to open it up and it should be good! To get good leverage these open reasonably wide. The downside of that is if you have small hands they may be difficult to use. If for some reason you are unable to use them please get in touch with us to return them and we will offer a refund.  

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Tubeless inserts reduce wheel damage and improve the feel of your bike. For a long time Cushcore ruled the insert market and none of the cheaper options had decent performance, but Rimpact has changed that. Rimpact are simply a well-performing product at a better price-point than the alternatives. This listing is for a set (two) of inserts with valves. Please consult the rim width diagram at the end of this listing to determine whether this particular product is appropriate for your bike. Rimpact Tubeless Inserts help in the following ways: They minimise the impact force on your rim. We’ve had far less rim dings since riding them. They help stabilise your tyre sidewall. The level of stabilisation will depend on the combination of rim and tyre that you are running. They reduce trail chatter. The extent to which they do this surprised us but it was very welcome 😊 They reduce the chances of damaging your tyre. In late 2022 Rimpact released an update to their inserts (hence V2) which changed the shape slightly to better fit modern rims. They also released some new insert models. We carry all Rimpact models and sell combinations of them so you can mix and match to get your ideal setup. If you're curious about other Rimpact models you can see all of our listings here. Original, and gravel/xc, inserts are made of a single type of foam and provide great performance at a great price point. We ran Original inserts very happily for 6 months at the Christchurch Adventure Park and were very happy with their performance. Pro, and cx, inserts are made from a dual-density foam which provides even more rim protection, tyre stability and tyre damage prevention than the original inserts. EDH inserts also have a dual compound like the PRO model but the outer layer is even more supportive and protective. This is the highest protection model and is best suited for serious downhill riders and for heavy e-bikes. Note that installing the EDH in a 2.4” tyre is quite a strength and patience requiring process. If you’d like to purchase a different model of Rimpact inserts / a combination of them check out our range here. Our experience using RimpactAfter a number of years on Rimpact on our gravity bikes we’ve found our favourite front insert to be the Original model because it has the best vibration damping characteristics and lowest weight. On the rear we prefer the heaviest duty model we can afford/be bothered installing, whether that be a Pro or EDH model. We’ve not tried the XC/Gravel model but have been running the CX model for years. We’ve been impressed by how much smoother it makes our gravel bikes ride and blown away by how much traction we can get at cyclocross races when we drop the tyre pressures to 25psi (and don’t have any issues!). Model Information  Model Size Weight per insert (grams) CX 700C 55 Gravel / XC 29" / 700C  70 27.5" 60 Original V2 29"  110 27.5" 100 Pro 29"  160 27.5" 150 EDH 29" 180 27.5" 170 ​  Notes A note about sealant: Tyre inserts will significantly increase the surface area inside your tyre so we suggest using 30% or so extra sealant than you would usually.If you've got this far, we may also have some clearance stock of old V1 rimpact models. It would be worth having a look as they will be at a discount.  

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Here's 2m of Jagwire 5mm diameter Slick-lube Brake housing, suitable for SRAM and Shimano setups. In the centre is a long lasting slick lubricant that reduces shifting friction and reduces water penetration. Encompassing that within the housing is a steel coil for improved stiffness for braking. All of this makes for a high performance and long lasting brake housing! We sell this in 2m and 10m lengths. 2m will do a long cable for all non-tandem bikes (except extra extra extra long bikes). 10m is slightly cheaper per metre, but you also get much better usage of cable (less wastage, so even cheaper again). We don't include ferrules with brake cables because different models of brakes use different numbers of ferrules. We do suggest that you replace your ferrules each time you replace a cable though, so if you need some you can grab them here. Make sure you grab the brake version!  Please note: Your housing may need a few days to relax after being opened, it may have been stored in a circle for a while... Offcuts: The 50 metre rolls we purchase aren't quite 50 metres after all... Instead of binning the small bit at the end, we offer it for you to purchase. We don't stock these lengths as standard, it's only if a bit is cut off. A 1-1.5m offcut will be somewhere between 1m and 1.5m long, the same is true for other lengths of offcuts. Please don't email us asking when we will have offcuts in stock next 😅

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Sometimes it feels like the primary purpose of chains is to slap your chainstay... They wreck your paint and make a hell of a racket! Apply this tape to your bike to reduce the damage done and quieten sounds made while you ride. These seem to do a much better job than plastic frame protectors! This tape is thick, moisture sealing and flame retardant - just in case you shred too hard. Each strip is 25mm wide and comes in whatever length you order. 50cm is plenty enough to apply to a chainstay. Make sure you measure up before purchasing so you know how much you need :)

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Cable outer end caps are useful for interfacing your outers/housings with your brakes, shifters or derailleurs. We sell two different types: Gear (Plastic) and Brake (Alloy). Both types are great quality products which are manufactured by Jagwire. Both are sold as singles or a ten pack. Gear The end caps we sell for gear/shift housing fit standard housing of 4mm outer diameter. Gear ferrules experience low forces so you can get away with plastic ones without issue, you may as well save the money. BrakeThe end caps we sell for brake housing fit standard cable housing of 5mm outer diameter. We only sell brass (metal) brake ferrules because they experience high forces and must be robust.

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Sick of the split pin on your shimano (or magura) brake caliper? Here's a retaining bolt to use so your pads are more secure and changing them is easier.  Shimano note: These are only compatible with Shimano calipers that have a thread in the casting for the bolt. The thread is located on the outboard side of the brake caliper as illustrated by the photo below. If you have the thread you can use this bolt. Also note that these bolts also fit shimano "road" brakes (ultegra etc.). The standard bolt that comes with these brakes is slightly shorter and has a flat-head drive but these bolts also fit and it's much nicer to use a hex head bolt. Magura note: These can also be used on Magura MT5 and MT7 calipers. Here's a photo from a fantastic customer, Jacob, which shows what that looks like on an MT5.

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Behind brake pads, tyres are among the most frequently replaced parts of your bike. But with the price of many of decent tyres hitting $130+, it’s getting quite painful replacing them. This seems to be a bit of a talking point on the trail, is a decently priced tyre with reasonable performance too much to ask? Well, we've been stoked to discover that there is finally a brand that's trying to address this: American Classic. The American Classic Basanite MTB tyre is a 2.4" wide tubeless tyre which performs best on the rear wheel. It has a tread pattern that is reminiscent of a Maxxis minion dhr 2 tyre, and the enduro casing is most similar to a Maxxis double down casing. The Basanite has the following features: Chunky (stable) cornering lugs that provide great cornering bite An alternating center lug pattern which provides good traction during braking and pedalling  Ramped central knobs which improve rolling speed. On the other side they're vertical which means good braking A medium tread spacing gives decent traction in all conditions. We've been impressed with how well it clears mud. A sturdy 120TPI casing for puncture protection American classic suggests running the Tectonite up front and the Basanite in the rear and we tend to agree. This is a combo that performs well on hard pack and well enough when it's loose. The vulcanite might be a better tyre for you if you're consistently riding loose conditions or want a mud tyre, particularly for race days. Give it a go and let us know what you think 😊 Notes We only sell the enduro casing version of this tyre. Whilst the trail casing is lighter it's undoubtedly more susceptible to punctures. Let us know if you'd to order a trail casing version and we're happy to order it in for you. As with all tubeless tyres, these can sometimes be a challenge to get on. We recommend spraying the tyre and rim with some soapy water for lubrication. When things get tight, work your way around the tire, pushing it into the central race to gain those extra millimeters needed to get the tire onto the rim. Installation approach is particularly important if you are installing the tyre with inserts. Also, please install in a warm environment, having cold hands when doing this task simply sucks. Comparison of American Classic tyre models:​  

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A basic fact of riding is that wheel spokes slowly become loose. They also tend to become loose unevenly so certain areas of the wheel become weaker than others. You can however do a decent job of wheel maintenance, even without a truing stand. It's amazing how often we find floppy spokes in our wheels so it's always worth having a spoke wrenc close by. This Basic Spoke Wrench is compact in size and will work on three different nipple sizes: 3.2mm, 3.3mm and 3.5mm. It is a very useful tool to have in your pack or car glove-box.  Note that this spoke wrench engages on two sides of the spoke nipple, whereas some other spoke wrenches engage on three sides of the nipple. If you are building wheels, or doing regular truing using a stand - it would be worth investing in a tool with three side engagement. We sell tools like this here. It would still be worth having this tool for your pack though, because those are a little larger and only fit one size of spoke.  

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Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for brakes which fit Shimano BR-M775 brake pads. The equivalent Shimano pad models are A01S and M06. A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found on the tab above.  We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads, a new local brand. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We are stoked to finally see a NZ brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, it’s something we can fully get on-board with. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. FAQ Shimano: - XTR BR-M975/966/965 - XT BR-M776/775/765 - SLX BR-M665, - LX BR-M585/665/605 - DEORE BR-M596/595/535 - ALFINE BR-S501/500- SAINT BR-M800- HONE BR-M601, BR-M545, BR-R505Tektro / TRP: Dash, Dash Carbon Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

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