In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
Finish Line Halo Wax
120 ml / 38,50 Euro >> available here
Liquid waxing can sometimes turn into quite a mess - some colleagues even swear by spreading the wax on the chain by hand. To make this process easier, Finish Line adds the Smart Luber to its Halo wax bottle. A U-shaped gripper with small sponges surrounds the chain, making it easier to apply the lubricant. The whole thing works perfectly and without wax dripping on the bottom - but don't forget to close the tap at the end. If the bottle tips over, the spare sponges in the lid will be greedily soaked. Spherical tungsten and ceramic boronite plates are supposed to reduce friction and minimise wear - difficult to prove without a laboratory test. In practice, the chain stayed nice and clean with the Halo Wax and the lubrication intervals were on a par with comparable products. The price for the 120 ml bottle is steep, but the Smart Luber also fits on the dispensing tips of other products.
The idea with the Smart Luber is great. Unfortunately, the overturned bottle caused a huge mess in my toolbox - user error and not the fault of Finish Line. Stefan Frey, BIKE test editor
Ortovox Sequence Hip Pack
3 litre volume / 386 grams / 100 euros
Officially, three litres of accessories fit into the new hip pack from the mountain sports experts, which is pretty much the ideal size for hip bags. If they are overloaded, they will otherwise rock like a dinghy in wind force 6. Pump, mini-tool, spare inner tube and the like are well organised in the main compartment. But the Sequence has more to offer: The smartphone is stored scratch-free in the extra compartment, a schooner holder is hidden under the main compartment and two bottle holders can be folded out to the side - pretty clever. The Sequence has a compression system to counteract the swell, which noticeably improves the fit off-road. This means that the hip pack hardly bounces even on fast descents. However, I wouldn't recommend loading both bottle holders or carrying an optional hydration bladder, as the hip belt then cuts into your stomach and cancels out the otherwise very airy feel. As is typical for Ortovox, the price is high, but the workmanship is excellent.
Stefan Frey
Editor
