Matt Whitaker from Wide Open Distributors popped into the office yesterday with a few items of bling stuff from Thomson. Like you I was eagerly waiting for him to pull out a Thomson dropper post, but it wasn’t to be. Instead I got to check out the new Thomson Dress Up Kits, which are bags that contains a matching coloured stem faceplate and top cap. The faceplate will fit any Thomson X4 stem. RRP on the Dress Up Kit is $59.
The X4 stem is arguably the raddest stem in existence and is available in 10mm increments from 70mm up (there is also the X4 50mm stem as well). RRP is $128.
Along with the X4 Dress Up Kits, the other new must have accessory out of the Thomson factory is the new 730mm wide Titanium bar. It’s currently only available as a flat bar with a 12 degree back sweep and a weight of 310 grams, and RRP is $440 (but you can’t really put a price on love, right?) There is a riser bar coming in late July that will feature a 780mm width and a 15mm rise as well as 8° backsweep x 5°upsweep. Pricewise it’ll be pushing close to the $500 mark with a weight of 345 grams.
Thomson built their name on seatposts and it’s worth noting that the classic Thomson Elite post is still going strong in both the straight and layback styles and in a 410mm length. RRP on these puppies is an insane $128.
The MRP Carbon G3 chain guide features MRP’s patented integrated skid, which protects critical drivetrain components like the crank and chain ring from damage and glides over rocks and obstacles. New to the G3, the skid and lower guide are combined into one solid structure. By unifying these two parts, MRP have made the portion of the guide most exposed to damage able to take hit after hit. The skid and lower guide also feature MRP’s new attachment system, the Swingset. The Swingset system features a pivot at the forward skid mount that allows the skid to swing down for super easy crank and chain ring installation. This feature along with the retained and pivoting upper guide allow for quick and frustration-free installation – achievable with just one single 4mm HEX wrench.
The G3 is designed to allow the user to easily change out the lower guide to suit preferences and conditions. The user has a choice of running either a sealed-bearing pulley or the new G-slide slider block (included with all G3 guides). Free of moving parts, the G-slide provides quiet, low-resistance performance – especially well suited to muddy conditions and wet climates. Produced from urethane, the G-slide was extensively tested to achieve maximum durability and minimise lost efficiency over the pulley option. It’s only available in ISCG 05 and retails here for $335.
All these items are here now and should be available at your local bike shop. If they aren’t, find a new shop…
