Tech of the week: a new Ridley Noah Fast, a redesigned Giant Trinity TT bike, Stinner's 'affordable' steel gravel bike and Tifosi shades for smaller faces

For bike nerds, the start of the racing season is always fun. Many brands launch new ‘team machines’ at this time of year; having been thoroughly tested at winter training camps we get to see the latest models resplendent in the livery of the respective outfits. With the Tour Down Under almost here and the one-day races in Belgium and Northern France on the horizon, the bikes will come thick and fast. And we have two here.

First up is the redesigned Noah Fast from Ridley, which will be ridden by the Uno-X team, followed by Giant’s latest TT bike that will support the Jayco AlUla squad in their efforts against the clock.

And if racing and race bikes aren’t your thing, we provide balance in the shape of Stinner’s all-steel Refugio Select gravel bike. Made in the US from Italian tubing, it's beautifully understated while looking as though it would be a huge amount of fun to ride. And last but not least are some new shades from Tifosi, that appear to possess all the features you need without a three-digit price tag.

Ridley Noah Fast

The Noah has quite the racing pedigree. A multiple Grand Tour stage winner, it was launched in 2006 and helped Robbie McEwan to his third green jersey at the Tour de France the same year. It morphed into Noah Fast and became a favourite of another Australian sprinter, Caleb Ewan. This newest version, the third-generation Fast, will also see plenty of action in the peloton as the chosen aero bike of the Uno-X Mobility team.

So what’s new? It wouldn’t be an aero bike launch without claims of saved watts, and Ridley says that this Noah Fast is 8.5 watts faster than the previous model. To achieve these gains the designers have utilised changes in UCI regulations to create longer and narrower tube shapes in the forks and seat stay areas and a far deeper headtube, while the oversize downtube now guides airflow around the bottles.

The cockpit is new too, and has been designed in conjunction with the bike; it’s a holistic approach that’s now commonplace, with every aspect of the bike, including the rider, taken into account during testing. Ridley says that by integrating the Nimbus cockpit into the top tube it’s reduced turbulence in this area. The shape is also designed to aid aerodynamics, helping to angle the shifters inwards to help the rider into a smaller, tucked position. There’s also a flared element, so while the bars measure 36cm at the shifters, they measure 40cm at the drops.

Ridley is also releasing an updated Noah, which enjoys many of the same design developments as the Fast, but with a different carbon layup and cockpit to keep the cost down. You can read more about both bikes in more detail in our launch story.

Giant Trinity Advanced SL

A new season of racing means that time trials will again draw the attention of the racers and the fans alike. Giant, which sponsors the WorldTour Jayco AlUla team, has released an all-new machine ahead of the big stages races, the Trinity Advanced SL.

The bike is offered in two guises, the Trinity Advanced SL for triathlons and the TT version for time trials. While the frameset remains the same, the set-ups differ. The Tri models are available with a variety of component levels, including those with the AeroVault integrated fuelling system and top tube bento box. Meanwhile, the TT bike comes with an integrated bottle cage.

As for the frame and forks, Giant says it's some 558g lighter than the previous generation, which is an impressive saving, to say the least. There’s the inclusion of disc brakes too, as well as a redesigned cockpit, with greater adjustment available to the armrests, which also have some added compliance built in. Other details include modifications to the tube shapes and more seatpost options to enable a more personalised and hopefully powerful position. Certainly, it proved to be the case for Jayco’s Luke Plapp, who won his third straight Australian Elite Men’s National Time Trial Championship in January aboard the Trinity.

Stinner Refugio Select gravel bike

The Refugio Select is Stinner’s do-it-all gravel bike. Previously offered as a custom build, it is now part of the brand’s Select line, which delivers models in six stock sizes with the aim of making them more affordable. At $3,995.00 for a complete build and $1,695.00 for the frameset, it’s fair to argue that Stinner has achieved its aim. Far from cheap of course but competitively priced when you take into account the frameset is handbuilt in the USA from Columbus Zonal and Life steel tubing, with the paint and assembly also done in-house. The result, from the photographs at least, is an exquisite-looking bike with the timeless quality that only steel can deliver.

As stated though, it’s a practical machine at heart with clearance for 50mm wide tyres, mounts for fenders and a front light, as well as three fork bosses and internal Dynamo routing. Complete bikes feature a wireless 12-speed drivetrain comprised of both SRAM Apex and Eagle GX AXS components, which adds up to a huge gear range that should be capable of tackling a variety of terrain. You also get a pair of DT Swiss wheels and a two-piece Easton cockpit to round out the build.

Tifosi Vogel XC sunglasses

I’ve always been impressed by Tifosi’s ability to deliver contemporary-looking shades that perform well yet don’t cost the earth. And it might have done it again with the Vogel XC.

Delivering full coverage but designed with smaller faces in mind, the compact XC has a claimed weight of just 24g, while still delivering 51mm x 127.5mm of eye protection. The lens, offered in six different versions, features vents for increased airflow, while the hydrophilic rubber nose pieces aim to keep the glasses in place no matter how much you are sweating.

As for the frames, they are made from Grilamid TR-90, a hard-wearing thermoplastic that is used frequently in sunglasses that cost far more than the $39.99 price tag attached to the Vogel XC.