Five cool things coming soon from Giant, Surly, dhb, Sealskinz and Oxford Products

Well it's been a miserable weekend, and there's more rain incoming over the next few days. But the road.cc test team will still be trying to put in as many miles as possible on a selection of shiny new things! Here's what we got...

dhb Merino Bib Tights

£140

For dry, winter rides, these are dhb’s first Merino bib tights which have been developed as part of a fabric partnership with European experts Thygesen & Birk, who have spent the past 15 years perfecting their advanced Sportwool blend. Suitable for temperatures down to 5°c, this fabric promises to provide plenty of warmth and fast wicking. It's paired with extrafine Merino for its natural elasticity to ensure a comfortable fit, and this also has the benefit of being odour-resistant. Contributing to the snug feel of these tights is the minimal seam construction, and providing comfort in the saddle is an Elastic Interface Paris HP chamois. Testing out whether these are as comfy and warm to wear as dhb claim is Paul Robson. His full report will be landing on the site shortly…

www.wiggle.co.uk

Surly Disc Trucker

£1900

The Disc Trucker is Surly’s value-packed dropbar disc-brake touring bike.
The last time we had the joy of a Disc Trucker about the road.cc HQ was way back in 2012. Significant changes have been made, and Simon Withers is excited to see what the update model has to offer.

Shortened chainstays have been introduced to increase stiffness and manoeuvrability, while a shortened seat tube and a sloped top tube provides greater stand-over clearance. In terms of riding position, an increased stack height shifts you back into a more upright and comfortable angle, that is more suitable for longer distances. Other notable touches include Surly’s Truckstop bar, tubeless ExtraTerrestrial tyres and clearances for 47mm tyres on 700c wheels, with or without mudguards. Simon Withers will be delivering his review soon…

www.ison-distribution.com

Sealskinz All Weather LED Cycle Overshoe

£55

100% waterproof. That’s the big, bold claim Sealskinz makes about these 90% neoprene overshoes and it looks like they are pretty confident about it. They do have a Lifetime Waterproof Guarantee after all.

Not only shielding you from the rain and cold, these overshoes also have a claimed visibility of up to 500 metres thanks to an integrated LED rear light. This can be toggled between a slow and fast flash, and continuous beam. Runtime is said to last up to 240 hours and it has a replaceable battery. Neil Gander has been out riding in miserable and low light conditions to put these weather protection and visibility promises to the test, and his verdict will be out soon…

www.sealskinz.com

Giant Recon HL 1800

£119.99

Giant’s Recon HL 1800 has a lumen capacity of… that’s right, 1800 lumens! Riding out and about in this top setting, Giant reckons it should last up to 1.5 hours. This can be extended to seven hours in a lower continuous beam of 450 lumens, and up to a whopping 65 hours in the flash setting of 100 lumens. Interestingly, this front light features a Smart Mode light sensor which adjusts the light output (from 100 to 450 lumens) according to the darkness of your surroundings, and Giant claims it can last a solid 40 hours set up like this.

Other highlights include a heat-dissipating CNC-machined aluminium casing, power status indicator alerts and an adjustable GoPro mount. Sounds smart and practical, but how has Ash Quinlan been finding it during night rides? His report is incoming…

www.giantbicycles.com

Oxford Products Aqua V 32 Double Pannier Bag Black

£54.99

With a waterproof roll top and buckle closures on the sides, these 32 litre capacity pannier bags from Oxford Aqua are spacious and should keep your contents nice and dry. There is also a large water-resistant zipped pocket to separate bits and bobs which could get lost in the main inner compartment. Reflective detailing is hard to miss, as it coats the back and sides in a smart pattern.

Testing out how its lower locking system works and how effective its water-resistance qualities are, Lara Dunn has filled these bags and attached them to her bike for jaunts to town and longer adventures. She will be sending in her detailed review soon…

www.oxfordproducts.com

For all the latest road.cc test reports, head over to our reviews section. If you want some more advice before splashing the cash, check out our buyer's guides.