After an enforced absence due to several spectacular race-related injuries (Bennetts road gap, anyone?), Paul Caffin is back on the race track... and on the podium! He took some time out from polishing his beloved collection of Commençals to answer our painlessly invasive questionnaire. 
  

Discipline(s)?

Craving some extra visibility during these black winter nights? Let your rear end be seen from almost 360 degrees (must...resist... Lohan joke...) with the new Topeak RedLite UFO. Four yellow and six red super-bright LEDs make you visible from any direction and have a 60 hour run time. You can choose from three displays (constant, blinking, or cruising) plus multiple ways to mount it (e.g. seatpost, seatstay, bag, or rack). UFOs: they're not just for conspiracy theorists and rednecks anymore!

Don't let ESI Grips' meek appearance fool you. Once you try them on your bike, you will be a convert. Made from silicone foam, ESIs are extremely comfortable and give you great hand traction regardless of what you're riding through. What's more, they're super-shock-absorbing, aren't sticky, won't harden or fade, and don't need clamps, glue, or hairspray to install (all of which is more than we can say about William Shatner these days). If you're tired of having that fun moment where your grip becomes a throttle during a wet or muddy ride, ESI will be short for, "Every Situation's In(control)." (Yes, I know. Well, you come up with a better one.)

As we like to have a little something for everyone, we're expanding our Schwalbe range, starting with some impressive road racing tyres. At a tiny 180 grams, the Ultremo R is the lightest professional racing tyre on the market. You can read about radial construction principles and nano-sized particles and patented puncture protection until the cows come home (the part about their ceramic particle coating is pretty interesting, admittedly), but it's easier to read this: Fast, fast, fast! Light, light, light! The Stelvio HS 376 is also fast, fast, fast, but less light, light, light (235g) although it makes up for that by being more puncture resistant, puncture resistant, puncture resistant. (Gee, I wish I hadn't started doing that.) Regardless, weight weenies and roadies galore, we've got you covered. In German rubber, no less. ("Ah, the usual weekend," you say.) 

Your toes -- be they froze? Could your feet be on fire for a good twenty seconds before you notice? Then we've got the sock for you! Official spiel: the New Zealand Sock Company's Mountain Bike sock is a lightweight performance sock made with merino wool. Our spiel (because we wear 'em everywhere, on and off the bike): they're warmer than a standard sock but they fit in your bike shoes, plus they're super-comfy. Even better, they're on special! Normally $26.50, we'll give you 15% off one pair, 20% off two pairs, and 25% off three pairs. Even with my crappy maths, I know this is a good deal. According to the manufacturer's website, you'll be so happy with these socks, you'll do this -->
(Seriously, you should see the large version. They look insane.)