The arms on the sunglasses rotate inwards as opposed to a traditional hinge(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Koo Open Cube sunglasses(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Sportful Super Giara bib shorts(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The Musette is Cyclingnews' weekly look at the world's best cycling gear. We'll take a look at pro-level equipment, bikes and components, alongside some of the most desirable clothing, accessories and more in the sport.
Scroll down for this week's look at a pair of cargo, gravel-specific bib shorts from Sportful, a 12-speed groupset from Campagnolo, Peter Sagan's favoured nutrition brand Osmo, some ceramic bearing jockey wheels from C-Bear and some sunglasses from Kask helmets' off-shoot brand Koo.
Campagnolo Chorus 12-speed mechanical groupset
Campagnolo's new Chorus 12-speed groupset can be set up in a disc or rim brake format with a wide range of gearing options also available. The move suggests that groupset could be used on gravel or adventure bikes to help with heavier loads or longer, steeper climbs you wouldn't normally take your road racing bike on – there is also no 53/39 chainring option for the groupset.
The additional sprocket on the rear cassette is especially welcome as the cassette will still fit Campagnolo 11-speed wheel.
The Chorus line-up sits below the Campagnolo Super Record and Record groupsets and while some carbon and titanium is swapped out for alloy and steel, the crankset is still finished in an aesthetically pleasing carbon as per it's more expensive siblings.
Available with 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm or 175mm cranks, 52/36, 50/34 or 48/32 chainrings, disc brakes, dual-pivot rim or direct mount rim brakes and 11-29, 11-32 or 11-34 cassettes.
Sportful's Super Giara bib shorts are all new additions for 2019 and a more race-focused version of the brand's gravel-specific clothing launched back in 2017. Sportful say the fast-developing segment has edged towards competitive gravel racing events recently – such as the Dirty Kanza – and so utility, gravel-specific clothing from the brand now features several race features you see in their traditional road racing lines.
The Super Giara bib shorts feature a compression fit for improved performance and aerodynamics, alongside a gravel-specific chamois pad which features a shorter length and different pad densities to cope with the rougher gravel surfaces.
The shorts also feature additional cargo pockets on the left leg and at the bottom of the bib straps to the rear. This additional storage was first seen on Rapha's Cargo bib shorts, which feature the additional storage on both legs.
The C-Bear brand has been used by Lotto Soudal for several seasons, contributing recently to four stage wins during this year's Tour de France. As the name eludes, C-Bear are a ceramic bearing specialist, with products focusing on bottom brackets, wheel hub bearings, headsets and in this case, jockey wheels.
These are tailored specifically for SRAM's AXS offerings, namely Red eTap AXS and Force eTap AXS. However, the Belgian company also make jockey wheels compatible with Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo road derailleurs, as well as mountain bike derailleurs.
Each jockey wheel is machined from Delrin, like the new Red & Force eTap AXS derailleurs, and uses the same 12T upper & lower specific tooth shape as the standard SRAM offerings. However, where the C-Bear pulleys earn their price tag of £89.99 / €98.00 is in their claim to increase drivetrain efficiency by using ceramic bearings.
Given derailleur bearings spin faster than any other in the drivetrain, it's safe to assume this is where the greatest efficiency benefits can be gained. There are also longevity benefits, as a ceramic bearing will be more resistant to wear.
Osmo nutrition is one of a handful of companies to offer gender-specific nutrition. With these Preload Hydration, Active Hydration and Acute Recovery powders being available in both ‘for men' and ‘for women' variants.
Per 500ml of correctly mixed Active Hydration, men will consume 72 calories, while women will consume 2 fewer calories, with a tailored construction of vitamin and minerals.
Osmo's Preload Hydration aims to boost sodium and plasma volume before exercise, which, when used ahead of intense exercise or events in hot climates, can maximise thermoregulation and thus, maximum sustainable power, says the brand.
The Acute Recovery powder is designed to be used in that post-workout golden window of opportunity. It is made up of a 2:1 protein to carbohydrate ratio, with the added inclusion of 30mg caffeine, which is said to accelerate glycogen replacement by 66 percent. Acute Recovery also excludes antioxidants from its formula, as the recent school of thought suggests these antioxidants would hamper the body's adaptation to stress.
The Acute recovery for women contains 20g protein per 250ml serving, whereas the men's formula contains 15g.
Equipped with Zeiss lenses, the Koo sunglasses range is the offering from the Italian helmet brand Kask.
The Open Cube sunglasses are available in an array of colour options, while the frame surrounds just the top and nose surround of the lenses for improved field of vision.
Interestingly, instead of a traditional hinged arm on the frame, the arms rotate into the centre of the frame allowing for different positioning on the face and the rubberised nose piece is also adjustable.
Small vents in between the top of the lens and the frame should also contribute to a reduced risk of fogging up.
Available in 12 colour/lens options and two different size fits.
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