Tech round up: Canyon Inflite, De Marchi Selle Royal-Alan replica jersey, Silca eco cleaning range and Pink collection and Scott La Mokka commuter helmet
A cross bike, a retro wool jersey, a spa treatment for your bike and a hi-tech helmet made for the urban jungle
Cyclo-cross season is here, which also means it’s about to get cold. If you’re one of the discipline’s disciples then you’ll be rubbing your hands together at the thought of the mud, the rain and the competition. You’ll also likely have your interest piqued by the return of Canyon’s cross machine, the Inflite, which is profiled here.
If cross isn’t your thing however, then winter can be less appealing. We’ve got you covered this week though. Firstly there’s a stunning De Marchi replica merino wool jersey - the 1977 Selle Royal-Alan team top no less - which combined with a winter base layer and some arm warmers should keep you cosy while you polish your vintage Alan Competizione.
Talking of cleaning, the cold season can be pretty unkind to your faithful winter bike. Thankfully Silca is on hand to offer it the TLC it deserves in the shape of its booze-inspired Bicycle Spa Collection. Cleaning products may never have smelt this good.
And finally, winter also means, for many, commuting in the dark. Safety and visibility are always important on your journey into and from work but never more so when you’re doing both legs in low-light gloom. Scott’s new urban helmet aims to bring integrated tech to the fight to be seen with its La Mokka Plus Sensor helmet that alerts those around you when you hit the brakes.
Canyon's carbon cross machine is back... and largely unchanged
(Image credit: Canyon)
Cross season is coming and Mathieu van der Poel, for one, is likely to be over the moon. Given his recent travails he’ll surely be glad to return home where he always looked most comfortable; getting muddy in a field while duking it out with the likes of Wout van Aert and Tom Pidock. And once again he’ll be doing it on the Canyon Inflite.
If the ‘23 Inflite looks a lot like its predecessor that’s because it is. The funky frame, with the top tube kink for easy shouldering of the bike, is unchanged. What is new is the range of components used across the line up. The top-tier CF SLX platform is World Cup-ready, with the CF SLX 9 featuring a 1x SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset complete with Quarq power meter and DT Swiss CRC carbon wheels.
(Image credit: Canyon)
The CF SL platform is designed to be a little more accessible. However, all but the CF SL 6 still come with Quarq power meters, using SRAM’s Rival wireless groupset to make this possible. The CF SL 8 also comes with a one-piece carbon H31 Ergo cockpit. The entry-level CF SL 6 features a Shimano GRX 600 1x drive chain and DT Swiss Cross LN wheels.
Frame it or wear it? De Marchi's latest retro offering is stylish enough for both
(Image credit: De Marchi)
If you’ve ever pored over photos of Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Louison Bobet, and other legends from the ‘golden era’ and wondered about the origins of the woollen jerseys they wore, chances are they were made by De Marchi. Emilio De Marchi, a bicycle mechanic, started to make jerseys for a host of champions at the end of World World II in Conegliano, Italy under the Maglifico Sportivo De Marchi name. The rest truly is history. Bartali’s Legnano team kit. Coppi’s rainbow stripes jersey from ‘54 celebrating his Worlds win the year previous. Francesco Moser’s Paris-Roubaix triumph in ‘74. All De Marchi wool.
If you fancy donning a De Marchi retro jersey of your own it’s released a limited-edition replica of the classic, and oh so stylish, Selle Royal-Alan jersey. Mariano Basso wore the jersey while winning the second ‘semi-stage’ on the eighth day of the 1977 Giro d'Italia in what was Selle Royal’s first year of sponsoring a professional team.
(Image credit: De Marchi)
The replica is of course made in Italy from a merino wool blend. It also boasts lots of other details reminiscent of the era, including genuine mother of pearl buttons on the rear pockets, a zip neck (De Marchi was encouraged to switch from buttons to zips by no less than Bobet after his Milan - San Remo win in ‘51) and machine-embroidered logos and lettering in authentic chain stitch. It’s limited to just 100 pieces and can only be bought online directly from De Marchi.
Silca offers a spa treatment for your bike plus teams up with Tadej to help fight cancer
(Image credit: Silca)
Given the value of many of today’s road and gravel bikes - and the cost of their replacement parts - keeping them clean isn't just about helping the bike run smoothly, it’s also about protecting your investment.
I can’t say I’m overly familiar with spa treatments but if I were a bicycle Silca’s Bicycle Spa Collection sounds like the kind of pampering I’d appreciate. The Ultimate Brake + Drive Cleaner begins the cleaning process and is a three-minute treatment that targets dust, grime and oils. Once this is rinsed off, the second stage can begin. The Ultimate Bike Wash is a bubble bath for your bike, complete with a cherry scent! Again, after another rinse with water and you’re ready apply the Ultimate Spray Wax with Graphene. This is for the bike’s painted surfaces only and is designed, Silca says, to seal the clean and add a protective lean to protect your frame. That it apparently smells like a Margarita can surely only be a good thing.
Finally comes the Ultimate Ceramic Waterless Wash and Protectant, which Silca says is “meant to keep on refreshing your bike up to the point that you have to go back to Step 1 & 2”. This one has a Piña Colada scent, so Silca presumably don't subscribe to the 'never mix your drinks' theory. Importantly, all four cleaning products are designed with the environment in mind, with Silca reducing the number of chemicals used in the pursuit of an eco-friendly outcome.
(Image credit: Silca)
Silca is also doing its bit for breast cancer awareness. It’s an annual commitment for the brand and this year It teamed up with the Tadej Pogačar Cancer Research Foundation with 20% sales of its Pink Collection going to help the foundation’s metabolic research. The collection comprises special edition pink bottle cages, shop tools and bottle opener. Silca will also donate proceeds from any pink bar tape or pink aero socks sold.
Scott integrates lights and sensor to improve safety
(Image credit: Scott)
Designed for commuting and city cycling, Scott’s La Mokka Plus Sensor helmet sensibly has placed a premium on visibility.
It features an integrated, wide-angle rear light, which is visible not just from the back but also the sides. The light has three modes - continuous, flashing and intermittent flashing for extended battery life. An additional integrated motion sensor is activated when the rider brakes, which in turn changes the signal of the light to make it brighter, warning drivers and fellow cyclists. Cleverly, the light goes into a sleep mode when the helmet’s not in use, helping to preserve the battery. However, when you pick the helmet up it’s activated again, meaning you don’t need to remember to turn it back on.
(Image credit: Scott)
In case of an accident the La Mokka comes equipped with MIPS technology, which is designed to protect the brain against rotational impact. The design also features extended coverage at both the back and the sides of the helmet.
The La Mokka Plus Sensor helmet is offered in two colours - black and white - and three sizes - S,M and L. It’s also available in a more affordable option without the sensor.
Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
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