From cleaning your chain to changing a bottom bracket, all mechanics are a heck of a lot easier with your bike lifted off the floor. With that in mnd, there are essentially two styles of workstand: those that clamp a tube and those that the bike frame sits on, and the key feature of both is that they lift the bike to a working height and hold it securely, allowing you to work all-round and most importantly turn the pedals and wheels easily.

As you might expect, the two styles have distinct differences with no clear advantage of one over the other as long as your bike has a standard frame. If you have an odd-shaped seatpost, then the support style is the better option. It’s also worth noting that if you use a clamp version only clamp carbon tubes designed to withstand compression, ie seatposts. 

Also beware of over balancing. Most of the ones we looked at are designed to be folded up  after use, so it’s possible to put too much weight on one side and then find yourself doing a little shriek as you watch the whole thing  tumble over...

Bici Sport XL Folding Clamp

Weighing in at 9.3kg, it’s hard to call the XL Folding anything but industrial. The footprint from the three steel legs is large too, measuring 106cm so there should be no stability issues. Three height settings are available via the locating bolt, while the rubber cush swivel allows a quick and simple 360 degrees of rotation. As for the bike clamp, again it’s quite industrial looking, and although effective lacks any form of quick release for the plastic jaws that incorporate rubber grippers. 

£138, chickencyclekit.co.uk

Tacx Cyclestand T3000

This stand cradles the bottom bracket shell but also supports the down tube. Suspending the front wheel in mid-air allows both wheels to be worked on without repositioning. It also offers two angles of tilt. Keeping the frame in place is a simple, rubberised arm that hooks over the top of the down tube. If you have a wide carbon frame, you’ll want to double check the side doesn’t touch this adjuster. Being an A frame, it’ll need a flat surface to stand on and lacks height adjustment. The plus side is that it folds down to be very slim. A simple height-adjustable tray is a nice addition.

£85, zyro.co.uk

Topeak Prepstand Race

Coming in its own travel bag and folding up into a compact unit, you know that the Prepstand is primarily made for easy transportation and that’s matched with its lightweight construction as it tips the scales at just 4.6kg. Another of the support style, it’s designed to work with mountain bikes as well as road machines. The addition of the front wheel hook is certainly innovative and saves leaning it up against something and risking damage. With a collar and clamp, the height is quickly and simply adjusted and also easily swivelled to save having to keep doing circuits around the bike.The wide stance of 102cm should provide ample security.

£175, extrauk.co.uk

X-Tools Home mechanic

The X-Tools take on the clamping stand is another budget option with more to offer than you might expect at the price, with many similar features to others here plus a few subtle additions. Once deployed, the legs give a base of 68cm; folded up they make storage easy, especially when combined with the quick-release activated head that folds down inline. These elements combined with the 4.45kg weight means this stand should be easy to transport and pack away. The jaws have a somewhat loose action to the double pivot, and the quick-release cam is only mild, meaning a certain amount of winding is still necessary, yet both certainly do the job. The rotational angle is controlled by a set of serrated teeth.

£90, chainreactioncycles.com

Minoura RS 1600 workstand

With its sleek Japanese design, Minoura’s RS 1600 offers a few touches other similar styles miss out on. First off, the fork and frame clamp are independent so either can be set for the one bike or adjusted to suit differing machines. Secondly, the main supporting beam can be adjusted to one of three open positions via a locating pin, an innovation we’re not seen before. With this pin removed, the whole stand will pack down into a small space for storage and thanks to its alloy tubes, it weighs just 3.65 kg so transportation is easy, too. Along with the axle clamp, the bottom bracket is held in place with a Velcro strap.

£150, zyro.co.uk

Parktool PCS-12 Home Mechanic Bench Mount Repair stand

While touted as a home mechanic item from Park Tool’s huge range, PCS-12 is really targeted at the sort of customer who is growing in repair confidence rather than the first timer. it offers plenty of added value with replaceable jaws that open to accommodate up to 76mm tubes and a micro-adjustable quick-release clamp, so there’s no reason to crush tubes or spend hours twiddling. The sturdy cone-in-cone tilt function also allows complete micro adjustment of the bike’s angle in the stand. This is a serious bit of kit.

£150, madison.co.uk

Lifeline Workshop

If there is one thing Wiggle knows how to do, it’s deliver excellent value on its own-brand offerings such as this Lifeline Workshop stand. In one sense, it’s easy to see how they’ve kept the cost down as it’s quite basic but there really is nothing wrong with that – it’s still fully functioning and attention has obviously been paid to the crucial details. Offering adjustment to height, angle and rotation of the bike means the relatively narrow stance and plastic serrated teeth, which control the angle, are given a good workout, but with care and attention we see no reason it won’t last well. At 6kg it’s a respectable weight and folds down to a good size too.

Mini stands

While it’s great to have an all-singing all-dancing workstand, it’s not always practical so here are three mini stand options for those short on space. Or, we suppose, just short.  

Left to right

Topeak Workstand Flashstand, £29.66, extrauk.co.uk

PRO bike display stand, £24.99, madison.co.uk

Tacx T3125 Gem bikestand, £29.99, zyro.co.uk

Chapeau Autumn/Winter range

Clothing brand Chapeau has today launched its new autumn/winter range, typifying the brand with its classical looks, clean lines and familiar stripes. In the words of Chapeau: 'For the days when you daren’t open the curtains to check the weather, when the alarm clock seems to go off in the middle of the night and when café starts bringing you hot soup instead of ice cream.' Sounds like just the ticket. 

chapeau.cc

Cervelo P5X and BMC Timemachine TT bikes

Both Cervelo and BMC have used the Ironman World Championships, being held this week in Kona, Hawaii, to launch new triathlon-focussed time trial bikes. Cervelo's P5X is solely dedicated to multisport and falls well outside of the UCI rule specifications, but the BMC Timemachine 01 can be altered so that it conforms, making it useable for us pure cyclists in any UCI-sanctioned event. Read the full story on the Cervelo here, and the BMC here. 

Endura Pro SL Bibtights

Endura introduced its three-pad bibshort system back in 2014, which enabled buyers to choose between three different chamois sizes depending on their body shape. Now the brand has continued the idea and introduced it to this year's winter range, including the Pro SL Biblong, which also features reflective materials and grippers at the ankle hem to eliminate the need for stirrups or zips. 

£139.99, endurasport.com

Mason Bokeh

British bike brand Mason launched its new adventure bike this week, the Bokeh. It's an aluminium framed, disc-braked affair that is available in four build options as well as a frameset, but each come with the same ability to be run with either 700c or 650b Hunt wheels (Mason's sister brand), allowing the user to decide how they want their bike to feel, and indeed on what sort of terrain they want to ride. The Bokeh is due to become availble soon, and a titanium version is also in the pipeline.

masoncycles.cc

Oakley Radar Pace

After initial reports circulated earlier in the year, Oakley has now launched one of the most advanced pair of sunglasses you're likely to find. The Radar Pace is made in collaboration with Intel, and provides live data for the user while riding by way of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, as well as pressure, humidity and proximity sensors built in. There's even a touch pad, and the evident earbuds for audio feedback. Space age indeed, and yours for £400. 

uk.oakley.com

Cyclist holiday

This November, Cyclist is hosting a luxury road cycling break in the south of Spain, with four days of great riding, fine food and high-quality relaxation at Real Agua Amarga villas, secluded in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. It's the perfect opportunity for some winter sun in a region with quiet roads, challenging climbs and amazing views, and so numbers are being kept to a minimum to maintain the personal touch. 

Dates: Thursday 10th November to Tuesday 15th November. Click here for more information, or here to register your interest.

Clockwise, from left

1. Crankalicious Cycle Care - from £3, crankalicious.com

While we’d never recommend eating your dinner off your chainset, we’re pretty sure you could attain near-medical cleanliness of your drivetrain with Crankalicious’s list of cleaners and buffers. Our personal favourite is the ‘Like Pneu’ tyre cleaner, which does an excellent job of restoring stained tan-wall tyres. 

2. Rie:sel Design Rit:ze and Fla:sche - €9.95 (approx £8.45), riesel-bike.com

Deed Poll says it will refuse name changes that contain symbols or punctuation marks, but ask German graphic designer firm Rie:sel and it will tell you these are precisely the things all names need, whether that’s the funky comic-print Rit:ze Ass Saver or Fla:sche water bottle. We’re willing to forgive the grammatical floutings, yet we remain sad that Deed Poll also discourages changing your name for a bet. There goes our dream of being called Captain Quads, MBE.

3. Knog Blinder Mob Mr Chips lights - £34.99 (each), todayscyclist.co.uk

We’re not entirely sure if Knog’s designers have ever seen Catchphrase, but no matter. Like that cheeky little neckerchiefed fellow off the telly, we’re just going to say what we see, and here that’s a pair of gratifyingly well designed rechargeable lights that knock out 80 lumens front and 44 rear courtesy of the latest LED chipsets. Oh 
wait, maybe that’s what Knog is referring to. We’re good but we’re not right.

4. Garmin Vivomove - from £139.99, garmin.com

In the 19th century time literally was money. A lady by the name of Ruth Belville would set her watch to the Greenwich clock, then walk around London letting people look at it for money. Little is known of the timepiece she used, but were she alive today then the Vivomove would undoubtedly be her watch of choice – highly accurate, classically styled and with the ability to count steps and monitor sleep, relaying the data to your smartphone for analysis.

5. Unior Tyre Levers - £3.49 (pair), 2pure.co.uk

Put down your teaspoons! Because Unior is here with these colourfully resplendent tyre levers. Made from rim-friendly injection-moulded plastic, they might not be the most glamorous editions to your toolbox but, like a map-less rambler, you’d be lost without them.

Muc-Off is a name as synonymous with cleaning one’s bicycle as Dyson and Hoover are with vacuuming your lounge floor. Any brand that can count the likes of Team Sky as a customer is going to be of a high standard, and whilst your bike might not travel quite as fast as theirs, it can certainly look just as neat and shiny. Muc-Off’s 8 in 1 Bicycle Cleaning Kit comprises four different brushes, a sponge, a litre of bike cleaner and a post-wash protection spray, all stowed in a handy carry tub that doubles as a bucket.

What you don’t find in the box is the time saved by having all your cleaning essentials in one package. Most cyclists place washing their bike on a scale ranging somewhere between ‘loathsome’ and ‘ mild annoyance,’ but Muc-Off’s kit goes a long way to making the process far less of a chore. Although spending £40 on bicycle cleaning products may seem strange to those outside the cult of velo, in reality the package represents excellent value when you consider that the cleaning solution alone retails at £9 and brushes for £6 each.

Premium products are often the sum of a number of well thought out details, and Muc-Off’s package is no different. The brushes all feature chunky handles that are easy to hold when covered in suds, and swing tags suggesting each brush’s best application are a nifty touch. If we had a negative observation on Muc-Off’s cleaning kit, it would be that a drivetrain degreasing fluid might have been preferred over - or as well as - the included protection spray. However, whichever way you look at it this package equates to less time cleaning, and more time riding. You can’t say fairer than that can you?

muc-off.com

As summer (or those few weeks which were a bit hot) draws to an end we must prepare for the changing of the seasons. For those of you who are dedicated enough to stay on the road during the colder months, that ultimately means cracking out the tights and the mudguards. For those of you who aren’t, that means you either hang up the bike for months and let the seasonal feasting/boozing do its worse, or invest in a turbo trainer and take your cycling inside. As the first of those options is – in our opinion – utterly self-defeating, we’d recommend investing in a turbo trainer.

For the most part, as these training devices require your bike to be attached to it via its rear wheel – which then sits on a roller – it’s also an idea to stump up for a special turbo tyre. Something like Tacx Trainer Tyre (£32.99, zyro.co.uk) will do you as it’s more resistant to heat build-up than a regular tyre. But which is the best turbo to keep you pedalling to spring time? We studied six at three different price points.

FWE Turbo Trainer

We all have to start somewhere and like the majority of the products in Evans’ in-house FWE range, this turbo trainer is a great place to start. There are no gimmicky features or flashy colours, this is a trainer that is simply designed to make you sweat and suffer. Using magnetic cylinders, it offers five levels of resistance which provide a smooth transition from recovery pace to really pushing it. The main drawback with this unassuming device is that it doesn’t come with any accessories such as a mat or front wheel riser (which keeps the front wheel level with the rear) – though these are available separately at not too much extra expense. However, this is still a solid trainer at a solid price.

£110, evanscycles.com

BKool One

With its sleek design, this has a whiff of the future about it, not least because it’s a step forward in turbo design. The ability to hook it up to a simulator is a special feature at this price point. The lack of a quick-release clamp makes set-up a little fiddly, and despite its sturdy construction the tripod could be a bit more stable when out of the saddle, but these are minor quibbles.  Because when all is said and done, the ride feel is smooth while the magnetic roller uses progressive resistance, which simply means it increases with your pedalling speed. It’s incredibly quiet, too, which earns it another Brownie point. Finally, the smart design means it’s easily packed away, when it can do a fairly good impression of  an abstract sculpture.

£164, i-ride.co.uk

Kinetic Cyclone 2.0

Much like Kinetic’s more expensive fluid-based turbo trainers, its wind trainer (basically a fan and roller system) has a similar power resistance curve – ie the more power you push through, the more resistance it generates. Early incarnations of wind trainers were noisy and usually so light that the resistance bit of the equation didn’t really add up. Kinetic’s Cyclone 2.0 has solved these problems by having bigger 2.5in-diameter rollers – which helps solves the noise issue – and using a heavier fan to increase resistance.  In fact, the Cyclone uses not one but two fans, each six inches in diameter and weighing in at a kilo a pop. A quick-release skewer is included but an adapter is available for bolt-thru wheels. It also comes with an unconditional lifetime guarantee – which we’re, erm, big fans of. 

£210, kurtkinetic.com

Minoura FG540 Rollers

The hunt for the perfect turbo trainer will inevitably lead you at some point to the world of rollers. Unlike turbo trainers, where you clamp your rear wheel to a frame, these require you to ride on actual rollers providing an experience that’s closer in feel to actually being on the road – not least as it requires a similar level of focus when it comes to avoiding falling off! Thanks to Minoura, though, you can now dip your wheel into the world of rollers thanks to their hybrid. Simply remove the front wheel and attach the fork securely to the stationary stand, then your rear wheel is placed on two 80mm rollers. Unlike many trainers, it’s a pretty nifty little object, too, that folds up very compactly. So if you don’t have a garage or a shed where you can permanently house your pain cave set-up, this is an ideal way to work around that. Resistance is magnetic with seven levels selected by a handlebar-mounted switch, and the entire device is compatible to be used with just about any kind of bike. 

£350, zyro.co.uk

Tacx Vortex Smart

On its own, the Tacx Vortex Smart is just like any other fluid trainer, providing progressive resistance via the impellers in an oil bath, as you push and pedal harder. The true nature of this beast isn’t fully revealed, however, until you whip out your smart phone or tablet and hook it up to the Vortex via Bluetooth. Once connected, you can use Tacx apps to do everything from ride Classic races and stages to developing your own training programme tailored to focus on heart rate, gradient or power output. Alternatively, you can use the pre-set fitness level tests, but either way all your data will be stored for you to then analyse later, allowing you to work out how best to keep improving. The Vortex Smart is a sturdy, mid-priced, high-tech option that’s ideal if you want to up your training or just make indoor riding more enjoyable. 

£400, zyro.co.uk

Elite Drivo Direct Drive FE-C

Much like the NEO Smart, this is Elite’s direct drive offering. Like many direct-drive trainers this includes its own power meter which Elite claims to be accurate to within 1% of your actual power, making it not only a great trainer but to our reckoning the most accurate power meter available to the public. Unlike the NEO smart, though, the Drivo does require occasional minor recalibration, although this is done through the software that it comes provided with so hassle is minimised.

The Drivo can simulate slopes with a gradient up to 24% (1% less than the NEO) while providing – magnetic – resistance of up to 2,000w (200w less than the Neo below) all while costing £100 less than its pricier rival. Elite claims that the internal 6kg freewheel has been engineered to cope with higher RPMs meaning that at much lower cadences the trainer feels smoother and closer to conditions out on the road. Like many trainers of the same ilk, the Drivo works across a range of software such as  Zwift and actually gives owners a lifetime subscription to Elite’s own ‘My Etraining’ app, which would usually cost about £8 a year. Owners of bikes with thru-axles need not worry about getting left behind either, whether your bikes got them or quick-release wheels, it’ll fit seamlessly onto this splendid contraption.

£1,100, madison.co.uk

Tacx Neo Interactive T2800 SmartTrainer

Looking like something straight out of Star Wars, the Neo is one of the new breed of ‘direct mount’ trainers. They see the bike attached directly to a cassette on the trainer and secured with a Quick-Release skewer. By removing the rear wheel, wear and tear on the tyre is no longer an issue. This trainer doesn’t just look impressive, though, the technology it contains is also applause-worthy. Through its powerful motor, it is able to apply a resistance of 2200w and simulate slopes of up to 25% – which is surely more than anybody could ever want – and it can even simulate a descent of -5%. It also communicates via Bluetooth Smart and Ant+ allowing it to be connected to Tacx’s excellent training apps on your phone, laptop or tablet. It’s also all but silent to use, unlike a lot of the cheaper models which can be quite noisy. So no chance of disturbing the family or neighbours when bashing out a quick 100km then! 

£1,100, zyro.co.uk

While we recognise the need to wear a helmet, they’re not always the coolest looking pieces of kit. So, we’ve hunted down seven hard hats around £80 that’ll keep your skull safe while not leaving you looking awkward out on the road.

Carnac Notus

What they say: Carnac’s Notus Road helmet mixes striking industrial design with sleek aerodynamics. The Notus uses three massive rear facing vents to offer maximum cooling without and still offering maximum protection within.

What we say: With it’s ‘striking industrial design’ you could be easily fooled into thinking that this helmet offering from Carnac was actually a Specialized Evade, what with their incredibly similar shape and design. While the US company retail theirs at £160, Carnac’s Notus is half that price but doesn’t look it. The venting aspect of the helmet is where the value really plays a part as, unlike the other aero offering in this test (the LG Sprint), this has 14 vents to allow air to pass through. While we doubt this allows ‘maximum cooling’, certainly in comparison to non-aero helmets in this test, it does offer a good amount for a helmet with this design. As soon as we saw this lid, though, we were smitten It looks good, feels good and, at 80 quid , oozes value. 

£80, planetx.co.uk

See related 

Buyer's guide: Cycling sunglasses

Lazer Blade

What they say: Dripping with the same style and class as the top end Z1, the Blade combines great looks with high performance. This is the helmet you wear on your weekend rides and your daily commutes. Its compact style combined with the Advanced Rollsys System provides an excellent fit and great adjustability.

What we say: Lazer makes great helmets and the Blade is no exception. The main reason for our fandom of the Belgium company is the fact that they have nailed it when it comes to fitting a shell to our heads. With the Advanced Rollsys System, the Blade fits snugly without awkwardly sitting between sizes that sometimes come with other adjusters. The company, which has been going since 1919, has recently been appointed as suppliers to British Cycling and it’s clear why with the Blade. This is one of few helmets out there which looks ace on anyone’s head. The slimline build and tough-guy design (oooh, camo!) both work well and look cool. Unfortunately, it is one of the heaviest on test, weighing in at 312g. But we’ll give it for being a tad chubby for  feeling so natural upon our nut. 

£80, madison.co.uk

LG Sprint

What they say: A traditional summer cycling helmet, designed to aid air ventilation and keep a rider cool doesn’t fit the colder climates through the winter as well or border seasons of late fall and early spring.  Hence the Sprint; it fits the transitional times of year abecause it keeps the coldest air from the rider’s head. The Sprint offers enough airflow to keep sweat from building up but not so much that it’ll dissipate all of the rider’s heat.  Paired with a thin winter hat, it’’ll take you through your coldest riding days.  

What we say: Looking like they’ve drawn inspiration from both Giro’s Air Attack and Synthe models, the Canadian company behind this has created an affordable aero lid that could help you shave a few seconds off your local loop. Initially designed as a winter riding helmet due to the lack of vents, the Sprint also enhances the rider’s aerodynamics. Although there are lighter helmets on the market, at 295g the Sprint isn’t exactly lumbering, and while the fluoro finish may not be to everyone’s taste this is a glowing example of  a functional aerodynamic lid  that offers real value for money. And if you really can’t stick that colour, it also comes in a cool matte black and white with silver accents. We were impressed with the comfy fit, too. 

£80 evanscycles.com

Carnac Aura

What they say: Carnac’s Aura Road helmet mixes striking industrial design with sleek aerodynamics. The Aura offers maximum ventilation for long days in the saddle and is packed with advanced design features and the most comfortable strap and adjustment system that we’ve ever designed.

What we say: One of the lightest helmets on test, the Aura is Carnac’s answer to weight-watching road riders who don’t want to spend a fortune. Coming in at 212g, the Aura is a bike helmet that isn’t just unlikely to give you neck ache but represents incredibly good value for money. With plenty of vents lining the top, it provides more than enough room for air to pass through and cool your boiling bonce. While some fastening systems can be fiddly, we found the Aura’s clicker at the rear worked easily enough even when we were blundering around with it in gloves. That said, the straps are a little simplistic and don’t run perfectly parallel to your head causing us some minor irritation. But in all honesty that is an incredibly minor criticism of a helmet that we were seriously impressed by. In fact, you could say this is one lid that has a certain, erm, aura about it. Sorry.  

£80, planetx.co.uk

Bell Overdrive

What they say: With clean lines and a modern, compact shape, the all-new Bell Overdrive Helmet was designed with key trickledown technologies from Bell’s pro-level helmets. The Overbrow Ventilation system channels cool air over the head to regulate temperature. And the new Lightweight Kit uses a special webbing material that’s lighter and less susceptible to absorbing sweat.

What we say: The person who named this helmet from Bell was clearly a sci-fi fan of some kind with a name like (adopts booming American movie voice-over accent) the Overdrive. But the name isn’t the only place where space was clearly the inspiration. With an alien-like Styrofoam mould on the inside and aerodynamic design on the outside, the Overdrive definitely hopes to take its wearer light years into the future. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite take off for us. It lacks internal padding and the TAG (Twin Axis Gear) fit system feels a bit fiddly at times. However, being a reasonably lightweight model (at just 270g), the Overdrive is a good choice for anyone obsessed with counting the grams of their gear. 

£80, zyro.co.uk

Giro Foray MIPS

What they say: The Foray™ drafts off the bold design language of our premium Synthe™ helmet, and offers many of our key features including durable in-mould construction and the Roc Loc® 5 fit system with two-way fit adjustment. The slim design is very light, offers great ventilation and is available in three Super Fit™ sizes so that you can get a helmet that looks, fits and feels like it was made for you. MIPS models are available with the Multi-Directional Impact Protection System. We believe MIPS can redirect energy and provide more protection in certain impacts.

What we say: With its chunky profile you could be forgiven that this helmet is for the slow and cautious but its streamlined design suggests it’s really for people who want to go fast. It is one of the heaviest on test, weighing 326g, but this is forgivable when you realise it includes MIPS – the new helmet technology  being implemented across many brands that gives your noggin effective extra protection should you go rubber side up. To find it at this price point is a real positive for us. Giro know how to make a great helmet and the Foray MIPS is proof positive of that. The smooth-looking matte grey finish is pretty cool, too. 

£75, zyro.co.uk

Madison Peloton

What they say: Our top end road helmet uses the latest construction technologies to create a lightweight and stylish helmet. With a dual in-moulded polycarbonate top shell, we’ve kept weight to a minimum. Utilising our infinity loop fit system, the helmet incorporates a thermoplastic elastomer loop along with a height adjustable cradle to provide the ultimate fit.

What we say:  We really like the design of Madison’s own Peloton road helmet with its aerodynamic, futuristic looks. Its angular shell is clean cut and consummate in its finish, fitting firmly to our head. It weighs only slightly more than the Bell Overdrive (278g) but misses the mark with its incredibly rigid adjustment dial at the rear. We found this a bit finicky particularly in comparison to the silky smooth adjuster on the Lazer Blade. Having said that, the helmet’s well-placed vents and general feel make up for what is a very decent starting helmet. We were impressed enough with this one to make sure it found a place in our round up of the best new helmets if you’re on a budget. In fact, at £70 we feel this represents a bit of a bargain. 

£70, madison.co.uk

With Europe just a budget-airline flight away offering famous climbs and electric descents, it’s not surprising so many of us are booking cycling holidays abroad these days. And if you’re taking your bike on a break, you’ll need to pack it up for transit. Here we take a look at some of the best bike-case solutions on the UK market. 

Evoc travel bag

Size: 135 x 25 x 75cm

Weight: 9kg

Unlike hard case boxes, the Evoc Travel Bag uses Woven PE (polyethylene) to produce what Evoc describes as an ‘extremely lightweight, tear resistant and highly water-repellent fabric’. While that may be true, not having a hard outer shell has its drawbacks. The biggest one being that if a heavy item of luggage gets placed on top of it, your bike risks getting damaged. This is particularly true if your bike has disc-brake wheels as sideways pressure on the disc could potentially warp it. Meaning you’d either have to bend it back (far from ideal) or buy a new disc and fit it (a very long way from ideal). 

Thankfully, this bag’s wheel sections have their own rigid disc protection area designed to prevent that eventuality. The use of Woven PE instead of ABS plastic, along with the aluminium frame the bike stands on inside the bag, means the whole thing is fairly light, too, and can be folded down for easy storage when not in use. Well positioned grab handles and skate wheels also mean it’s easy to shift about.

£300, silverfish-uk.com

B&W Bike Box

Size: 118 x 85 x 25cm

Weight: 9.5kg

Size matters, especially if you’re having to lug your bike and all your other luggage around. Which is why this offering from B&W is a bit special. Measuring just over a metre in length, and 85cm tall, its petite nature means you won’t be struggling to juggle your worldly possessions as the baggage drop-off lady asks to see your terrible passport photo. 

Being smaller by design doesn’t mean that those of you with bigger bikes need miss out, however, as the case can easily swallow bikes all the way up to a huge 62cm frame. Being at the budget end of the scale, you could also be forgiven for worrying about the box’s protective attributes but as it uses the same ‘strike-proof’ ABS plastic you’ll find in more expensive products, your bike’s safety will be guaranteed in the event of bruising encounter. 

Lined with a foam housing, B&W also includes two padded wheel bags and a fork spacer to ensure your ride will have a comfortable trip. As with the other bike transportation devices on display here, packing your bike means disassembling the handlebars, seat post and wheels and strapping them in separately, although being smaller it’s obviously a tighter fit.

£250, bike-cases.co.uk

BikeBox Alan’s GPRS-RACE 

Size: 105 x 90 x 30 cm

Weight: 11.7kg

Right at the top end of the market is BikeBox Alan whose premium products are made from super-tough ABS hard plastic. How tough? Check out the various Youtube vids of the eponymous Alan testing boxes by slinging them off viaducts, bumper-hauling them behind a souped-up Subaru, and even blasting them with a shotgun! 

His latest offering, the GPRS Race, has added to these nuclear levels of protection by incorporating a fully functional tracking device which you’ll then be able to use to trace your beloved bike in real time via an app using your smartphone. 

Packing is easy – a simple case of removing the wheels, bars, pedals and seatpost and clipping or strapping them into place. There’s also a carbon anti-crush post that fits between the lid and the base, plus a thick foam pad for added peace of mind. Chuck in a seven-year guarantee, a customisable exterior, wheels and a pull strap and you’ve basically got the Rolls-Royce of bike boxes. And if that price is making you wince, Bikebox Alan even offers a hire service with prices starting from as little as £65 a week – and around half that if you collect it from the company HQ in Rotherham. 

£550, bikeboxalan.co.uk

Scicon Aerocomfort 2.0

Size: 118 x 90 x 25cm

Weight: 8.8kg

While 445 quid might seem a lot of dosh for what is effectively a big bag, bike-case godfathers Scicon have come up with a superb bit of kit in the Aerocomfort 2.0.  Packing the bike saw us get away with only taking the wheels and pedals off, reducing faff time considerably. Fixing the bike into the bag is pretty simple thanks to its built-in rack, meaning you just have to place your frame onto the internal mount and secure with skewers to the dropouts. The bag’s padding is formidable and provides safe storage for wheels on either side of the bag. However, if you fancy packing a few other bits in there, you’ll find it’ll sag, making it less than perfect when going over anything but completely flat terrain. That accompanied with the price tag can make some people wince but overall this bag is perfect for lazy riders
like us who hate taking apart their bikes.

£445, uk.sciconbags.com

Polaris Pro Bike Pod

Size: 116 x 86 x 30cm

Weight: 11.4kg

Being joint most expensive in this group, the Polaris Pro Bike Pod is definitely aimed at the serious cyclist. Or perhaps the seriously wealthy ones. Using a composite polypropylene, this hard- case box is extremely tough, and with four clamps – two of which are lockable – very secure. Unlike some others here, which have moulded compartments or sections, or even an anti-crush pole in the middle, this box’s main internal protection is provided by two heavy-duty slabs of foam. Wheels are strapped against the hard case, while the foam then forms a sandwich between them and the rest of your bike which you’ll need to dismantle right down to your rear derailleur. That, along with the lack of sophistication in this box’s internal design were the down points for us. On the plus side, though, this box is incredibly compact easily fitting in the boot of a car and we’d be confident it could take some serious bashing about without your bike coming a cropper. Which is what it’s all about, really.

£550, polaris-bikewear.co.uk

Bikebox Online Velovault bike box

Size: 116 x 91 x 30cm

Weight: 11.6kg

Bike boxes don’t need to be the prettiest objects but they do need to be practical. And practicality is the word that  springs to mind with the VeloVault bike box. 

You see, bikes boxes are only as strong as their weakest point –  their catches. Recognising this, the British-made VeloVault uses Protex Catchbolts (which have a track record in Formula 1) that have  a claimed 400kg strength rating per catch. In plain English, this means you could dangle a baby elephant off of one of those catches and it still wouldn’t break! 

There are also integrated anti-crush poles in both walls of the case, so no faffing around trying to install the pole every time you open and close it. The box is compact, which is great for being on the move, but that comes at the price of having to remove everything from the pedals to rear derailleur to fit your whole bike in. 

£450, bikebox-online.co.uk

Thule RoundTrip Transition

Size: 132 x 89 x 41cm

Weight: 15.8kg

Probably the most innovative of the lot, the Thule RoundTrip Transition is not just a bike box, as it comes with its very own work stand. Using a simple framework, you easily put together a tripod work stand that also serves to hold the bike upright in the box. 

Like many work stands, you clip in the fork dropouts and secure them using skewers while resting the bottom bracket area on a small plinth, tying it down with Velcro straps. By taking the legs off, you can then easily put the bike into the box before fastening it and placing the wheels either side. Thought has clearly been invested in the design process, crafting a product that offers a lot of features for the price and is intelligently designed. Having said that, all these features add a bit of weight and size compared to the others shown here. But when you consider how easy it will be to reassemble the bike at the other end of your journey, that’s entirely forgivable.

£500, madison.co.uk

There’s simply no excuse anymore. Oh it’s too wet out... Gosh it’s so cold my eyelids have frozen shut. Just when you thought you’d been given the day off, the turbo trainer reminds you that it’s always perfect weather in the pain cave. Wahoo’s Kickr is its flagship trainer and it's seen an update for 2016, making it quieter and more responsive than the previous model.

‘Our goal this year was to improve the indoor training experience even more,' says Wahoo’s CEO and Kickr designer Chip Hawkins. 'We already knew that the key to achieving realistic indoor ride feel was through real inertia, and the best way to create inertia is by using a flywheel.’ 

Indeed the Wahoo Kickr features an impressively sized flywheel and getting the Kickr out of the packaging filled our gym quota for the week. Out of the box the trainer is positioned easily thanks to the built-in handle, which is a new feature for the model. The weighty feel of the Kickr is actually very reassuring, as it feels sturdy enough to withstand even the highest of wattage assaults without shifting an inch - a fact confirmed by the design team.

‘Wahoo Trainers spend hours at 500+ watts on a dynamometer during product development. So far we have not been able to destroy one,' Hawkins added.

Set up

Setting up a bike in the trainer is remarkably straightforward - simply remove your rear wheel, pop your chain over the Kickr’s (included!) 11-speed cassette and fit your rear dropouts to the included quick release skewer - we’ve had rear wheel changes that have been more stressful.

Equally fuss free is connecting the Kickr to the Wahoo Fitness mobile phone app - simply turn on Bluetooth, and location services, and the app will start displaying speed, cadence (with the included sensor fitted) and power data. From the app you can also control a number of the Kickr’s settings, such as resistance, simulated elevation or target power output.

Close your eyes for long enough and you can probably convince yourself you’re riding on the road. The direct drive style of the Wahoo Kickr means it suffers from none of the annoying wheel slippage that plagues many ‘wheel-on’ turbo trainers, with resistance being applied smoothly all the way through the pedal stroke.

Noise

Perhaps the only interruption to your imaginary outdoor ride is the noise - like all turbo trainers the Wahoo Kickr does make a bit of a din - something Wahoo has made a design focus.

'Flywheel based trainers will always have some level of noise associated with them, but through numerous component redesigns and optimisations we were able to reduce operating decibels by 14% as well as decrease sound frequencies by 90%,' says Hawkins.

Noise from the Kickr is hardly deafening, like some of the trainers we have used, but the distinctive ‘whine’ did take a few minutes to sink into the background. So all in, not the quitest but not the loudest either.

Zwift 

Most people considering the Kickr will no doubt have its ‘smart’ capabilities in mind, with connectivity to online programs such as Zwift and TrainerRoad being a huge selling point. If you haven’t had a chance to jump on a bike hooked up to Zwift, it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Riding around in a virtual world competing against friends and strangers is hugely motivating, and using a direct drive trainer like the Kickr is without a doubt the best way to do it. 

Like the team they sponsor, Wahoo has sought a series of ‘marginal gains’ with the 2016 Kickr that take an already impressive product to an even more refined level. As with all things though, there is the question of price. There's no doubting that being just shy of £1000 does put the Kickr at the top-end of the market, although sneaking in just under the Tacx Neo at £1,079. If your budget can't quite stretch, Wahoo does offer the Kickr Snap for half the price (£499), although you do lose the direct drive. Is it worth it? Well, that's depends on how much you value your training and how much you hate bad weather.

wahoofitness.com

POC Sports have signed a three year deal with American pro cycling team Cannondale-Drapac, which will see the Swedish brand supply the team with kit from 1st January 2017 through 2019. 

The deal builds upon a relationship that began in 2014, when POC - a brand with its roots in gravity and winter sports - entered the road cycling scene with the then-called Garmin-Sharp, supplying the team with the instantly recognisable Octal helmet and Do Blade sunglasses. 

Since then the brand has been building up its apparel department, with a number of innovative releases and popular designs launched to the mass market, but without a shop window team to showcase them on. With the new deal, POC now finds itself the helmet, sunglasses, and apparel supplier to a WorldTour team.

'We are excited about the future and our continued partnership with the Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team, especially as our experiences since 2014 have been very positive,' said head of product development at POC Sports, Oscar Huss. 'The team is packed full of cycling talent and we are really looking forward to supporting and helping them fulfil their on and off bikes objectives over the next three years. Likewise, as the team operates in a unique, high-performance environment we are constantly able to refine our equipment, ensuring that our products and the riders excel at the very highest level. Naturally the experience and feedback we gain is an important tool which allows us to continually improve, innovate and refine our award winning products and support our mission.'

Cannondale-Drapac's manager, Jonathan Vaughters, said: 'We’ve been partners with POC since the 2014 season and their innovation and support to the team has been critical in many of our achievements. I’m proud to call POC a partner, as they offer performance and quality, understand our needs perfectly and can support our future objectives. In addition, their mission, coupled with our overall approach to rider sustainability, is a true reflection on our goals with Cannondale-Drapac team riders. The emphasis POC puts on performance and safety is important to all of us on the team.'

So with POC in, that means Castelli is off. But where to? Do Gabbas come in black with a blue stripe? 

The Mio Cyclo 305 was one of the first products we ever featured in Cyclist. It was 2012, Wiggo had just won the Tour, and it was good. The 305 had a proper colour touchscreen way before any other manufacturer, and made an excellent fist of directing you places and connecting to ANT+ stuff. But it was about the size of a bar of soap and a tad clunky.

Two years on, and a massive firmware update later, the Cyclo 505 was born, and it’s this unit that’s been my go-to device ever since. And here’s why…

How it stacks up

You could be forgiven for thinking the Cyclo 505 is a bit ‘touring bike’, and indeed it was – and in some cases is – marketed as such. But after extensive use, and the aforementioned update, I think it’s much more than that.

Firstly, it’s pretty svelte. At 61 x 103 x 19.6mm and weighing 129g it’s no Garmin Edge 820 (73 x 49 x 21mm, 68g), but it’s on a par with the Edge 1000 (58 x 112 x 20mm, 115g). Secondly, it has all the functionality of those units and then some. It displays every data field under the sun, from right-left power balance and pedalling efficiency to barometric altitude and road gradient; it syncs to your smartphone for call and message alerts when riding; it auto uploads data via Bluetooth or WiFi to Strava (although you need to have enabled the option in MioShare, Mio’s equivalent to Garmin Connect) and it can control your music from dashboard buttons, although we’d hasten to add riding with headphones is dangerous, kids.

Battery life is between 8 and 12 hours even when paired to various devices (concurrent power meter, heart rate strap and smartphone pairing sees the lower end of that spectrum); the Cyclo 505 contains a protocol that allows it to connect to some models of turbo trainer to control resistance and log sessions, and it will display Di2 shifting information based on pre-set cassette configurations or custom inputs (eg, it will tell you you’re now turning 53x16).

Yet the jewel in the Cyclo 505s crown is none of these things. It’s the mapping, which exists to provide turn-by-turn directions, like a pared down version of a car satnav. Punch in a street name, postcode or point of interest and it’ll happily take you there. You can choose to automatically avoid major roads, unpaved roads or find the nearest bike shop. You can also download and follow pre-planned routes in GPX form, manually choose to avoid certain roads (eg if you know there’s road works), and ride Strava Live Segments – it will alert you when a segment is coming up so you can get your game face on. It also has a ‘Surprise me’ function. Put in how far or how long you want to ride for and it will design a route in seconds based on your current location.

Of that latter point the function has limitations. If you’re in central London and ask for a 30km loop the Cyclo won’t present anything memorable, but that’s not it, that’s central London and the uninspiring, busy roads. But if you’re in unfamiliar countryside things get a lot better; even in known territory the Cyclo can present hitherto unknown roads.

It’s certainly an interesting function, but it’s the satnav abilities that have kept me coming back to the Cyclo. Despite the same resolution screen as an Edge 1000 (240x400dpi), the Cyclo’s screen is just that much clearer thanks to the Mio software. It’s top-down 2D, but for bike speeds and roads it’s good enough, and road names can even be made out fairly clearly for that extra bit of tying together your surroundings and the Cyclo’s virtual rendering.

Admittedly it does struggle on occasion in densely populated areas. When loads of roads are packed in together it can be hard to make out the occasional turning, but should you miss yours it will quickly re-plan the route, and besides, I still find a great deal more clarity in the Cyclo 505 touchscreen than in anything else I’ve used, bar a car satnav.

If there are annoyances it’s over the two navigational modes – ‘car’ and ‘bike’. ‘Car’ will always take the shortest route, whereas ‘bike’ will avoid major roads. Great if that’s the M3, but less so if you’re on a quiet B road and the Cyclo prompts you to start winding through an estate. On the plus side, it has a good handle on cycle routes, such as down canal towpaths or one-way streets, but if there was some hybrid mode between the two, quick but non-major road safe, that would be ideal.

Should you buy one?

The answer is it rather depends on what kind of riding you do. If you never do A to unknown B routes, nor want to follow your own GPX pre-planned routes nor need to navigate around new places, then the answer is the Mio Cyclo 505 is probably overkill. But then I’d say the say about the Garmin Edge 1000.

However, if you want a device for logging and displaying data day to day, plus the added benefit of the above, the Cyclo is currently as good as it gets. There’s still room for improvement, but as it stands its mapping is the best in the business, and the rest of the features are plenty enough for even the most tech or data obsessed rider. 

Verdict: Takes mapping and real-time navigation to a whole new level while doing everything you’d expect of a cutting edge bike computer. Has its foibles, but overall a reliable, intuitive device you’ll struggle to live without. 

£329.99, eu.mio.com

Elite Quick-Motion Rollers

If you grew up loving Transformers, you might have to force yourself to train on Elite’s new rollers instead of merely playing with them. The Quick-Motion rollers won a gold award at this year’s Eurobike, and feature a unique central beam construction, allowing the unit to be folded down to a compact size for storage. Three levels of magnetic resistance are available, and the rollers themselves feature an antistatic coating to reduce noise and wear. Now just resist the temptation to yell ‘Autobots, roll out!’ before every session.

madison.co.uk

Le Coq Sportif x Look shoes

For years French brand Look has been a jack of all trades and fortunately a master of many. Bernard Hinault rode to victory pushing their pedals during the 1985 Tour de France, and Greg LeMond the next year atop their first carbon bike. Likewise Le Coq Sportif - the traditional manufacturer of the Tour de France's yellow jersey - has always broken new ground in the field of sports-fashion, so a collaboration between the two brands comes as no surprise. The capsule collection features a jersey, tee-shirt and two pairs of shoes. Apparently Greg has just bought the lot and never looked so stylish. 

lecoqsportif.com

Ortlieb Framebag and Rack Box

Nothing says ‘I like to travel unusually long distances on my bicycle’ like a frame bag. Since 1982, German brand Ortlieb has produced high quality waterproof panniers, back packs and handlebar bags, and will soon add a frame bag and a Rack Box to their extensive range. The Rack Box is perhaps most exciting - essentially a rack mounted cool box designed with chilling food and drinks in mind. The box’s capacity maxes out at 18L, although whatever you might want to transport 18L of, we’ll leave to your imagination…

lyon.co.uk

Salsa x Brooks 150th Anniversary Warbird

Birthday presents seem to get less exciting the older you get - robots and racecars gradually morph into socks and spanners. Not so however if your name is Brooks and make some of the world’s most well known saddles. American brand Salsa has produced a limited edition version of their carbon framed Warbird adventure bike, honouring Brook’s 150th Anniversary. A full SRAM Force 22 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes adorns the ‘dirty champagne’ frameset - a Brooks Cambium C15 saddle finishing the look. With gifts like these, we're already getting excited for our 150th birthday.

ison-distribution.com

Sealskinz Halo Gloves

‘I just need to change the batteries on my gloves,’ was a sentence that probably didn’t exist ten years ago. Today our gloves are waterproof, windproof, heated - we really live in the golden age of gloves. Now they can keep you safe whilst keeping your fingers from freezing. Sealskinz have added L.E.D lights to their already impressive hand wear, with the Halo Gloves offering both flashing and continuous modes, visible up to a claimed 500 metres away. An added bonus is touch-screen compatibility, so you can let your Twitter followers know you’ve reached the office safely.

sealskinz.com

Clockwise, from left

1 Maap Socks– £17.53, maap.cc

If Jacob gave out socks instead of Dreamcoats, Joseph would no doubt have been padding around Egypt in these Technicolor beauties from Aussie brand Maap. Featuring a fashionable six-inch cuff and breathable mesh uppers, Maap’s funky designs will inspire you to draw back those curtains and see for certain that you should definitely go cycling. Because any excuse to wear these socks will do.

2 BikeRibbon Gel Pads– 15.99, bikeribbon.com

Legend has it that Bernard Hinault is so hard he can kill two stones with one bird and once made Greg LeMond cry with a single arch of his eyebrow. But as nails as he was, even The Badger admits he could have benefitted from BikeRibbon’s Gel Pads during his illustrious career. Available in two densities, the pads simply slip under your bar tape to dampen road buzz and lessen fatigue. Because as long as we breathe, we attack.

3 Spray Bike Paint– £7.95, bricklanebikes.co.uk

They say a leopard can’t change its spots, but they’ve obviously never tried these rattle cans from Brick Lane Bikes. Available in a rainbow-rich smorgasbord of colour, the Spray.Bike paint promises an easy way of rejuvenating old bike frames, restoring frame chips or just making your own moggy look shiny and new. Please don’t actually spray-paint your cat.

4 Tribe Bars– From £8.95 for 6, wearetribe.co

Whole natural foods are all the rage, which on one hand makes us wonder how long we’ve been eating wholly unnatural foods for, but on the other makes us glad for Tribe and its delicious high-protein, high-carbohydrate energy bars. Expect chia and cocoa nibs, kianga pineapple, bogoya banana and, of course, wild apricot and lucama, a fruit that interestingly is a symbol of fertility in Peru.

5 Brancale Winter Leather Gloves– Approx £140, brancale.cc

In 1839 Count Alfred D’Orsay, the proclaimed ‘King of the Dandies’, decreed that gentleman should wear six pairs of gloves a day: reindeer gloves en route to a foxhunt and chamois leather gloves during; gloves of beaver when driving a carriage; coloured kid gloves when making purchases for ladies; yellow dogskin gloves at dinner and white lamb-skin gloves for a ball. Quite what such fellows should have worn bestride velocipedes is undocumented, but one could imagine Brancale’s fleece-lined leather gloves being just the ticket. 

Brooks’ trendy bag is a great piece of stealth cycling gear, but better suited to casual riding than a tough kit-stuffed daily commute

Brooks England, famed for its iconic leather saddles, treads the thin line between being a cycling component manufacturer and a fashion brand. And no single product embodies that more than the Barbican shoulder bag.

With European tanned leather trimmings and a fine cotton canvas body, the Barbican seems on the surface to be a simple trendy man-bag. But on closer inspection there are some nice features for cyclists too.

The elegant, understated strap feeds through two tastefully set metal hinges on either side of the bag. The ends of the strap can then be pulled through the hinges to form a waist strap for riding.

Fittingly this relates to one of Brooks founder John Boultbee’s original patents for a cycling satchel. Given the simple mechanics of the strap, it grips the body with a surprising level of comfort – spreading the load of the bag fairly evenly.

When cycling, the leather pads on the rear of the bag also create some nice cushioning but also some much needed space between the bag and the rider’s back.

Keep it casual

While the bag has a handsome classical look that will suit casual use off the bike, it’s not suited to the harder demands of road riding.

The rigid vertical strap attachment means that where normal courier bags will tend to hug your body with a large load, the Barbican begins to stick out awkwardly when completely filled.

This, importantly, is a bag best suited to a fixie or town bike, for carrying essential personals. Separated into two compartments and four pockets on the front, the Barbican’s 13-litre volume is partitioned at the centre making it ideal for a laptop and books but a little tight for any clothing or kit.

The front pockets offer two slots for pens and a phone compartment, behind which sits a zippable interior pocket, ideal for storing a wallet, or a phone if it’s raining.

There is also a zippable pocket between the two main compartments, which is best put to use storing papers and documents.

The outer is comprised of a water resistant cotton canvas that works surprisingly well at keeping the contents dry in wet conditions – I was caught in the rain several times and never saw the contents become damp.

The Barbican is probably best described as a very fetching bag with a cycling theme, rather than a bag purely for use on a bike. That said, for casual urban riding I found this bag to be a perfect partner.

Verdict: Brooks’ trendy bag is a great piece of stealth cycling gear, but better suited to casual riding than a tough kit-stuffed daily commute.

£235 / extrauk.com

With Christmas just around the corner we all know the cost of it all can take its toll, what with food bills, presents and a bicycle to take care of. So we teamed up with Madison and MuleBar to offer one lucky winner a month's supply of MuleBar goodies worth around £80!

This includes 24 MuleBar energy bars of different flavours with 24 mixed flavour energy gels for those quick boosts you may need whether you're out on the bike or in the kitchen waiting for that mammoth Christmas turkey to finally cook all the way through.

All you have to do to stand a chance of winning this great prize is hit the link below before Wednesday 30th November 2016. Good luck!

Click here to enter

From 1988 and the Factory Pilots aboard Andy Hampsten’s nosebridge to David Millar’s Over The Tops at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Oakley has been no stranger to headline grabbing sunglasses. Hampsten’s would have looked more at home on the ski slopes were it not for a blizzard up the Gavia in stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia; Millar’s, well, not only did he race through the dark, he also got dressed in it. And now, ladies and gents, here are two more, very different, yet equally ‘Oakley’ pieces for your delight and delectation.

Oakley Radar Pace, £400

Image 1 of 10

Image 1 of 10

Although based on Oakley’s modern day classic, the Radar, the Radar Pace has some striking resemblances to another set of shades, the Oakley Thump. Released in 2004, the Thump had integrated headphones and MP3 player that boasted a whopping 256MB of storage, barely enough room to swing a digitised Cat Stevens. It’s fair to say they never really caught on, but the idea was admirable, and 12 years later you could be forgiven for thinking it’s been rebooted. Only there’s something a-brewin’.

The music is still present in the Radar Pace courtesy of the ‘in-ear booms’, ostensibly little pull down in-ear headphones. However, the source is now your smartphone and accompanying app. And it’s arguably the app that’s the really exciting story here, developed with Oakley parent company Luxotica and tech giant Intel.

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Image 2 of 10

Beyond cruising to your favourite podcast (we like the Adam Buxton Podcast, but ONLY on your turbo trainer), the genius of the Pace lies in the smart coaching system built into the app. ‘Coaching’ because it operates like a coach, guiding your riding through the headphones like a smooth-talking spin class instructor, and ‘smart’ because the app can plan your sessions based on certain parameters to build up your prowess in areas such as stamina or power. Furthermore, Oakley says the Pace app will enact a training plan based on a date and event. Got a 100-mile sportive 8 weeks away? Tell the app, enter information such as how much time you have to spare to train each day, and Pace will develop a blow-by-blow training programme. It will even adjust the programme to reflect missed sessions and tweak subsequent ones, and ask it a question mid-ride such as ‘What’s my heart rate?’ and it will chirrup back with an answer.

It’s a very interesting new world that Oakley has painted, though whether the Radar Pace catches on is another matter. But until we have the benefit of time-travel, the implications for real-time, personalised robotic coaching seem pretty huge, and history might just recognise Oakley as the pioneers. Watch this space/barricade the door because the robots have come.

Oakley Trillbe, £100

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Image 9 of 10

The next big release for Oakley couldn’t be more different. The Trillbe is a much more relaxed, and considerably robot-free set of shades, although the styling is somewhat sci-fi.

Technically the Trillbe’s are ‘Performance Lifestyle’, which means they lie somewhere between posing and exercising, which is good for us cyclists. After all, when was the last time you bought something on functional merit alone?

As such there’s no fancy lens shaping or vents, but what you do get is a set of sunglasses where high-fashion meets sports performance, a mode kicked off by Poc and continued by the likes of Rapha, but ultimately traceable back to those first Oakley Factory Pilots (as before that, well, there was kind of nothing but the goggles of the 1900s and Coppi in his Persol aviators in the 50s).

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Image 10 of 10

The lenses come from the Shield range, which while to our eyes don’t offer quite the same enhanced vision of Oakley’s superb Prizm lenses (which feature on the Radar Pace), still offer exceptional clarity and wide field of vision. It’s probably this last point that will divide or conquer opinion over the Trillbes. The fact the lenses extend over the nose bridge is a big plus-point for wide angle vision, but equally is what makes the Trillbes so striking and Tron-like, which won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

For our money, though, with the right helmet like a Giro Synth (INSERT LINK) or Met Manta they look rather good, but whether you agree is subjective. That they feel perfectly comfortable to cycle in is more objective fact.

uk.oakley.com           

When it comes to choosing a set of bike lights for riding through the winter months, getting a set that allows you to both see and be seen is key to staying safe. We’ve pulled together a selection of the latest and greatest light sets in a winter light buying guide to show just what you can get for around £150.

Measuring the output of bike lights should be a simple enough task, but sadly there is no industry standard so manufacturers can sometimes get a little carried away.

Most quote a figure in lumens, which is the total light output, but lux (a measure of lumens per unit of area), gives a more representative figure for what will be illuminating the road ahead; this also varies depending on the distance from the lamp, though.

Generally speaking, if you’re mainly cycling in well-lit urban areas look for something that kicks out a broad beam, while if you’re planning to ride a bit more off the beaten track then look for a more focused beam that helps pick out obstacles, which means both the reflector and lens play a key role.

Here’s our pick of the best front and rear bike lights to banish the shadows and keep you riding through the winter.

Cateye Volt 800 and RapidM Kinetic X2

One of the oldest names in bike lights, Cateye knows how to deliver and the Volt 800 and Rapid Kinetic X2 live up to the reputation.

For the Volt front light, five settings (three constant plus ‘hyper’ and flashing) give you from two hours of burn up to eight hours, or 80 on flashing.

As the name suggests, the Kinetic X2 monitors movement and switches from flashing to constant as you stop, with three modes and a 50-lumen total output.

Cateye’s mounts are certainly tried and tested and work well despite diminutive construction.

With a low-battery indicator built into the switch, there is plenty to like, although changing the light setting while riding in winter could prove a little awkward as the switch is slightly recessed.

Verdict: The Volt 800 offers a bright central beam while the X2 offers a strong rear option. Does the job - 8/10

Front £100, Rear £50 - zyrofisher.co.uk

Infini Super Lava 500 and Sword Super Bright 30 COB

One of the smaller head units here, Super Lava still manages to pack a 500-lumen punch as the most powerful of Infini’s range.

It’s ably backed up by the Sword with its 30 mini COB LED’s for that glowing strip effect. Both feature five modes, including pulsating, as well as low battery indicators.

Expect burns times from three to nine hours in constant modes and up to 400 in flashing, while the rear will last two hours on full power or up to 200 in flashing.

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Cateye rear, the rubber bumper sits neatly on seatposts and the adjustable strap holds tight.

At the front, the strap fits the majority of bars but has a lightweight quick release that can be far too easily rotated when changing settings.

Verdict: Despite the iffy fitting this is an excellent value combo, not least because the rear light is a proper bargain - 8/10

Front £60, Rear £30 - madison.co.uk

Moon Meteor Storm and Shield-X

As you’d rightly expect at the very top end of our budget, these Moon units are loaded to the hilt with light-giving features.

Dual Cree XM-L2 LEDs provide plenty of brightness, with an output of 1300 lumens and a run time of a good three hours. There’s also a 10-second 1700-lumen burst option if you know a tight spot is coming up.

Meanwhile, the Moon Shield-X rear light offers up to 80 lumens for 80 minutes and up to 40 hours on 15-lumen flashing mode – there is also a further hour available in a ‘get you home’ mode – all thanks to a central CREE and 20 miniature COB LEDs.

Both units offer several mounting options which look as though they’ll cover just about any fitting. Which is handy.

Verdict: The Shield is a truly clever unit and is a great option paired with the Storm’s strong, broad beam - 9/10

Front £110, Rear £39 - raleigh.co.uk

Bontrager Ion 700R and Flare R

The timing of our group test has slightly caught Bontrager out as it’s about to launch an updated Ion, raising its output from 700 to 800 lumens for an extra £20.

This 700-lumen option has five modes with burn times ranging from 1.5 hours to six hours for the 200-lumen setting, plus two alternative flash settings offering a good set of options.

The Flare R rear light, meanwhile, has five modes, split in two with three for day and two for night in the full 65-lumen mode; in flashing mode it’ll last over four hours and up to 23 hours in ‘night flash’ mode.

Connection to the bike is reliable and offers fine adjustment. An extra £60 gets you the 800R and Flare as a package with the Transmitr handlebar-mounted wireless remote.

Verdict: Small but powerful, ideal for shorter rides with a beam weighted to the centre in a very positive manner - 7/10

Front £75, Rear £45 / trekbikes.com

Blackburn Central 700 and Central 50

Pumping out 700 lumens, this version of the Central is currently Blackburn’s most powerful front unit, making it an obvious pair to the Central 50, the brand’s brightest rear.

Three main settings provide 700, 400 and 200 lumens respectively, with a minimum run time of 1.15hrs and max of 16hrs on Pulse; with three, five or seven hours on the rear.

A broad footprint and 4mm rubber strap, complete with secondary hook, gives a secure fitment but lacks a quick release to aid removal for charging. The power/selector button is flush, making adjustments in winter gloves awkward.

At 50 lumens, the rear is bright enough that having it angled down is probably a sensible option but there isn’t an option to change either.

Verdict: A neat, bright and compact pairing that offers a wide throw with a strong and narrow centre - 7/10

Front £80, Rear £35 / zyrofisher.co.uk

Light & Motion Urban 800 and Viz 180 Micro

Urban 800 offers four modes, including ‘pulse’, with the most powerful 800-lumens setting giving a run time of 1.5hrs, while the constant 175-lumen setting promises six hours.

The Viz 180 rear has a less regular set of outputs, with 25 lumens in either a solid light (four hours), or pulsed (six hours).

It also has a 13-lumen setting for up to 12 hours, and there’s a particularly neat feature in the Paceline amber setting for riding with others you don’t wish to dazzle.

At the rear, the rubber strap combines with a clip to hang it off a bag plus a hinged plate for your seatpost.

Up front, it’s a less conventional arrangement with a locating tab and swivel which means you can adjust the centering of the beam – but it does also mean it can be knocked off-centre easily.

Verdict: We wonder about its mount but applaud the quality of the well-controlled, hot-centred beam - 8/10

Front £100, Rear £40 - madison.co.uk

Lezyne Power Drive 1250 XXL and Strip Drive Pro

On numbers alone, the Lezyne pairing are smashing it. As you’ll guess from the name, the front has up to 1250 lumens via three LEDs and the rear up to 100 from five.

With six modes, run times range from just under two hours at maximum power up to 35 hours for the pulsed 150 Lumen setting.

If that wasn’t enough, the Strip Drive rear light offers nine modes and importantly returns to the last used when restarted.

Also of interest is that Lezyne states you can use a 2A fast-charge point to reduce the complete refill to five hours. Both are quite sizeable units so use hearty straps which are easy to get on, but hard to knock off.

Ideal for cyclists who want a light powerful enough for riding on unlit roads as well as the urban commute.

Verdict: Versatile and powerful enough to cope with whatever the dark winter months can throw at them - 10/10

Front £105, Rear £42 - upgradebikes.co.uk

Christmas is nearly upon us, and if you're looking for the ideal present for the road cyclist in your life - or maybe you just want to treat yourself - you've come to the right place.

Our Christmas gift guide is packed with great gift ideas to cater for all tastes and budgets. Variety is the spice of life they say, and if you're willing to spend a bit of money this Christmas you'll find all manner of spicy bike-related loot to tuck away under the tree.

Read on for our selection of great cycling gift ideas for the festive season, including some less than obvious options if you're struggling to find the right match.

Alternatively, if your budget's a bit tighter, check out our selection of more affordable budget gifts and interesting cycling-related stocking fillers.

PERFECT PRESENTS

Specialized S-Works 6 shoes

If you and a buddy have decided to do a big ride next year, why not treat each other to a pair of these? The choice of many top pro teams including  Astana and Etixx, these splendid shoes offer a fine ergonomic fit thanks to their  BOA dials and Body Geometry footbeds, while the seriously stiff carbon sole equals excellent transfer of power. Which means you and your mucker will be hard to keep up with!

£280 – cyclesurgery.com

Exposure Diablo Mk8 light

There’s lots to like about this light, from its good looks and light weight to its innovative tech which, if its fitted to a helmet, allows the wearer to change settings with a tap. It has a maximum power output of 1,400 lumens, lots of different modes, and up to 30 hours run time. Perfect, then, for that special someone who likes getting lost in the woods!

£200 – cyclesurgery.com

Spokesman Printed Thermal long-sleeve jersey

Check out the design on this, it’s based on a contour map of famed cyclocross circuit Dalby Forest in Yorkshire! The jersey itself is made from a high-density, stretch polyester that’s hard to snag, plus it’s also thermal, water resistant and windproof, too. There’s even a large ring-pull on the zip for getting in and out of it easily before and after a race.

£100 – cyclesurgery.com

Endura FS260 Pro SL Primaloft gilet

Endura’s unique selling point is that they make clobber specifically designed to cope with the British weather. This gilet is a great example of that. Made with Primaloft for added warmth it’s ideal for morning rides when it’s chilly but not cold enough for a full jacket. And it’s so light that you can even scrunch it up, like a normal gilet, and stuff it in a work bag.

£100 – cyclesurgery.com

Castelli Women’s Windstopper Gabba jersey

Still regarded as the queen of all-weather jerseys, the Gabba’s great whatever the conditions. Made with Goretex’s Windstopper X-Lite fabric, it offers top protection against the elements, but is also highly breathable, and as is the case here can be cut into a snug, racy fit. Comes in this blue or in a simple black – so you can’t go too wrong colour-wise!

£140 – cyclesurgery.com

Orca S6 full-sleeve wetsuit

Triathlon wetsuits are different to ordinary wetsuits, with varying thicknesses of material in different areas – so this one from top makers Orca has a 5mm-thick Yamamoto neoprene panel on the front for extra buoyancy, while the arm, shoulder and underarm panels use 2mm neoprene for extra flexibility. As a lot of triathletes rent suits for their events, this really would be the gift that keeps on giving.

£169 – cyclesurgery.com

Mavic Ksyrium Elite

Exclusive to Cyclesurgery in the UK, this jacket from French dudes Mavic is as functional as it is smart-looking. It’s a mid-weight softshell made of a three-layer membrane fabric, with a fleece-lined collar for extra protection against wind chills. A neat feature is the asymmetric zip, which makes for easier opening and closing.

£75 – cyclesurgery.com

TickR X heart rate monitor

For anyone looking to up their fitness, a heart-rate monitor is an essential bit of kit as it’s a great way of measuring your efforts. This one’s especially ace for cyclists as it’ll capture your beats per minute plus measure things like cadence when paired with Wahoo’s app on your smart phone.

£80 – uk.wahoofitness.com

Chris King espresso tamper

OK, we admit it. This is a bit of a bling thing but if you know someone who loves their coffee, this could be a lovely thing for them to unwrap. Reminiscent of a Chris King headset in stainless steel and aluminium, this pro-grade device for levelling coffee grinds will ensure their shot of the black stuff is perfect every time. 

£95 – rapha.cc

Ekoi Guerra goggles

The thing about sunnies and cycling is that it’s cool to be able to match your shades to your look. Which is why we like Ekoi. They offer a customisable service online, which means you can change the colour of just about every part of the frame as well as the lenses. They even do a gold pair – ideal for any Elvis fans out there.

£70 – ekoi.fr.en

Luxury leather washbag

Buy the best you can afford is a top bit of advice and while forking out 75 quid for a wash bag may seem steep, it’s not really if it lasts a lifetime. With a waterproofed interior, and cyclist-motifed exterior in Italian leather, you could do worse than ask the fat chap in red to leave one of these under your tree.

£75 – annabeljames.co.uk

Lezyne Port-a-Shop tool kit

Doing your own bike maintenance is not only hugely satisfying, it can save you an awful lot of money in the long run. But to make sure you do it properly, you need the right kit. Luckily, this set from Lezyne has all the essentials you’ll need to keep a modern road bike in shape – and it packs up neatly for use on the road.

£110 – upgradebikes.co.uk

Shimano RW5 winter boots

Overshoes are great, protecting your best road shoes (and your feet) from the worst of winter conditions, but we reckon these are even better. With a Dryshield membrane, a neoprene ankle cuff and a total weight of just 340g, they’re ideal for any cyclist who wants to keep riding all year round.

£125 – madison.co.uk

X-Tools home mechanic stand

Although this isn’t the world’s most expensive work stand, you get a lot for your money. Its 68cm base makes it very stable, while the easy-to-use quick-release clamp will hold your bike securely. Its light weight and small size when folded make it ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a lot of space in their home workshop/kitchen.

£80 – hotlines-uk/com

Kask ProTone helmet

The helmet of choice for Team Sky and other pro teams, the key features of the Protone are its superb aerodynamic performance and very light weight. It’s also very well ventilated, so won’t boil your bonce, and we’re big fans of the highly adjustable retention system which ensures a good snug fit.

£189 – cyclesurgery.com

Blaze light

Judged as a typical 300-lumen light, the Blaze is a decent enough performer, with a good main beam and long battery run time (up to 13 hours claimed). But its real party piece is the secondary laser light that projects a bike symbol onto the road ahead of you, helping to warn other road users that there’s a bike in their presence!

£125 – cyclesurgery.com

Thule Pack’n’Pedal backpack

Perfect for year-round commuting, this versatile cycling backpack from Thule boasts a waterproof 24-litre main compartment with roll top closure, helmet attachment system, crushproof ‘Safe Zone’ for delicate items, reflective details and light attachment points, plus airflow channels to keep your back cool.

£125 – madison.co.uk

Giro Republic LX shoes

A great all-rounder of a shoe, but an especially good choice for commuters thanks to their literally brilliant safety feature – the whole upper of the shoe is reflective! The nylon sole has high-traction pads and they use a recessed two-bolt cleat system, so they’re much easier to walk in than the average road shoe too.

£150 – cyclesurgery.com

CYCLING GIFTS ON A BUDGET

Hand-made screen print

Made in Bristol by ‘a lovely chap called Jonny Akers’, from a design called The Ride by illustrator Joren Joshua, this smart, modern graphic wall-hanging measures 40 x 50cm. It’s a strictly limited edition, printed on fine quality art paper, so snap it up quick – or choose from one of their many other splendid designs.

£40 – urbangraphic.co.uk

Rapha Brevet socks bundle

Rapha’s Brevet collection is designed for long days in the saddle. To fill that brief, these socks are made with a quick-drying merino wool and Primaloft blend that promises to keep your feet feeling both comfortable and fresh. And the stripe around the top isn’t just decorative – it has a highly reflective silver yarn woven in. Available in two lengths, six colours and four sizes.

£45 – rapha.cc

Kitbrix

Pro teams use these bags on race day to keep kit organised for individual riders – each has enough space for a pair of shoes, helmet and two days worth of clothing, including outer shells, and accessories. And if you need even more space, they’re modular, zipping together into even bigger bags. Clever!

£48 – kitbrix.co.uk

Fabric FL300 light

This neat little light packs a 300-lumen main beam from its single CREE LED, with a claimed run time of two hours at full power, or up to six hours in flashing mode. But the really clever bit is the four-LED 30-lumen strip on the top that allows it to double up as a ‘get you home’ light – ideal for those dusk and dawn commutes.

£49.99 – fabric.cc

Evoc washbag

Weighing a meagre 250g, this 4-litre washbag is an essential for anyone getting into the bikepacking trend. An integrated hanger and internal mirror, plus loads of useful compartments, make it almost a complete bathroom on the go – no more rooting around in the bottom of a grubby saddlebag for your toothbrush!

£29.95 – silverfish-uk.com

Lezyne Twin CO2 inflator kit

This compact all-in-one tyre repair kit comes with a Speed Drive inflator head, two 16g CO2 cartridges, a pair of tyre levers and a pack of instant patches, all neatly bound up with a Velcro strap. Slip it into your jersey pocket and you’ll almost look forward to those unscheduled deflation incidents. Almost!

£24.99 – cyclesurgery.com

Gore Universal Windstopper gloves

Aiming to be versatile gloves suitable for a range of different riding conditions, these look simple but are packed with features. A Windstopper membrane keeps out the chills while gel inserts in the palm aid comfort and reflective detailing on the fingers enhances safety. Plus they look great, too!

£39.99 – cyclesurgery.com

Muc-Off 8-in-1 cleaning kit

Everything you’ll need to remove the worst of winter from your bike, in a neat storage container that doubles up as a bucket. The kit includes Muc-Off’s classic Nanotech cleaner, a Microcell sponge, Soft Washing Brush, Detailing Brush, Claw Brush and Two Prong Brush, plus a can of Bike Spray for the finishing touch.

£40 – muc-off.com

Fabric TP02 track pump

A good track pump is an essential item for any cyclist's workshop and this one from Fabric is a good-looking option that could be mistaken for a much more expensive item. The smart head is compatible with road and MTB tyres, the hose is extra long and there’s a large pressure gauge for easy reading.

£49.99 – fabric.cc

Token Alloy aero bar extensions

Time-trialling can be an expensive business but if you know someone who’s getting into it, these clip-on bar extensions will help them knock seconds off their PB without you having to spank your credit card. The S-bend shape is comfortable to use and the simple clamps make them easy to fit to your bike.

£40 – i-ride.co.uk

Birzman Dragonfly Chain Tool

It doesn’t look much like a dragonfly to us, but this elegant tool would look good in any workshop, elevating the mundane task of extracting chain rivets to a work of art. The T-shaped handle and long tail give plenty of leverage, while the pin is reversible to make it compatible with both 9/10-speed or 11-speed chains.

£49.99 – i-ride.co.uk

Fabric FLR30

Another clever light from Fabric, this one features an accelerometer that detects when you’re slowing down and switches from flashing mode to steady, then back to flashing when you start to move again – a useful safety feature. While this isn’t the first ‘smart’ rear light to hit the market, it’s one of the less expensive options, and a very well-designed bit of kit.

£30 – cyclesurgery.com

Bicycle Cup

If you’re not familiar with Etsy, it’s like a kind of eBay/Amazon for hand-crafted items from independent producers. Take this cup, for example – made by hand in Chicago, its design is screen-printed and coated in a lead-free glaze to ensure it is dishwasher and microwave-safe. Ideal for your post-ride cappuccino.

£27.71 – etsy.com

Velopac Ridepac

Bearing the Belgian tricolore and iconic Lion of Flanders, this stylish pouch is actually a British design. Made of waterproof outer materials, with a soft, padded inner lining, it measures 100mm x 185mm – big enough to hold an iPhone 6 plus credit cards, cash etc, but svelte enough to slip neatly into a jersey pocket.

£30 – velopac.cc

Cycling UK membership

The CTC has been supporting British cyclists for 138 years. Now rebranded as Cycling UK, it still offers the same great benefits, including access to rides and events, discounts on bikes and cycling products and comprehensive insurance. Sign up before 12 December and they’ll throw in a set of Lezyne lights worth £34.

£43 – cyclinguk.org/gift

Rapha Shoe Tree

Looking after your cycling shoes will help increase their life and improve your foot comfort while riding. As well as treating them to a regular cleaning regime, you can help keep them in shape with these smart shoe trees. Made of aromatic cedar – a wood known for its fragrance and durability – they also help to neutralise those nasty odours.

£35 – rapha.cc

iSport Strive headphones

Designed for the active music fan, these earbuds feature partial noise cancellation (so you can still hear what’s going on around you while riding), an inline microphone for hands-free calling, and an anti-tangle cable. They’re also sweat-proof, so you won’t ruin them no matter how hard you ride.

£39.95 – monsterproducts.com

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE: STOCKING FILLERS 

Pro Cycling Trumps

The classic card game from your childhood. This handsome ‘Legends’ edition features 54 greats of pro cycling from Abdoujaparov to Zoetemelk. Other sets include 2016 Pros, Track and Climbs. You can also get custom cards digitally illustrated with your own face!

£7.99 - Cycle Surgery

Muc-Off Nanotech Bike Cleaner

You might not be able to give the gift of a new bike, but a clean bike is the next best thing. The iconic big pink bottle of foaming spray is a welcome staple of any cyclist’s workshop – and at this time of year, we’re getting through rather a lot of the stuff.

£9 - Cycle Surgery

Zwift subscription

Putting the fun into indoor training, Zwift turns mind-numbing turbo sessions into an immersive 3D computer game set in a virtual online world. Train solo, race against your friends or a global community of 60,000 like-minded cyclists, all from the comfort and warmth of your own home. (Compatible turbo trainer not included!)

£8 per month - Zwift

SiS Team Sky 4-Hour Fuel Pack

From the people who feed Chris Froome, this nutrition pack features everything you’ll need to keep yourself performing at your peak on a four-hour ride, including a range of SIS GO isotonic energy gels and bars, REGO for post-ride recovery and a Team Sky bidon.

£13 - Science in Sport

BikesEtc subscription

Possibly the best gift money can buy for any devoted cycling fan. Order now and we’ll throw in a free pair of fantastic BikesEtc cycling socks from DeFeet, worth £8.99 – but not available to buy anywhere else! Visit the website below or call 0844 826 5024 and quote the code P1701PXL2. Alternatively, get three issues of BikesEtc’s award-winning sister title Cyclist for just £5, plus a free rechargeable bike light and L wrench tool set.

£24.99 (6 months), £49.99 (12 months) - Dennis Publishing

Pocket Road Bike Maintenance

Handy guide to keeping your bike in tip-top condition, easing you through the most common problems that can occur on a road bike and telling you how to fix them, including all the latest equipment. High-quality photography and an easy-to-follow format make this ideal for all levels of ability.

£9.99 - Cycle Surgery

Cycllng books

Ideal for when winter weather turns too bad for even the most hardcore roadie, here are some of our favourite 2016 bike-based reads – Chris Boardman and Jens Voigt’s autobiographies; a peek inside the mad world of pro cycling from photographer Camille McMillan; a riding guide to classic Grand Tour stages; the colourful history of some of cycling’s greatest hellraisers; scientific training tips and great recipes for grub on the go.

Cycle Surgery

Summit Finish route mugs

Give your coffee break that personal touch with a mug commemorating your favourite ride. Summit Finish produces custom designs to order, in any colour you like – just supply a profile of your route. There are also standard designs for major events such as the Haute Route or Ride Across Britain.

£10-£15 - Summit Finish

Elite L'Eroica bidon

Evoke cycling’s heroic age with this classically styled water bottle – the perfect finishing touch for that vintage bike restoration project. Hand-made in aluminium, it has a natural cork stopper, but while it looks retro, its modern antibacterial coating will help keep germs at bay.

£22.99 - Madison

Pedro's Chain Pig

A long-time favourite of the BikesEtc team, this looks like a novelty item with its cutesy pig design but it is actually a cleverly designed tool that works very well. The internal mechanism does a good job of scrubbing your chain, while the curved metal ‘tail’ hooks over your rear derailleur’s jockey wheel to allow for hands-free operation.

£23.99 - Silverfish

Mini Hornit

Cycling is often portrayed as a tough sport, with suffering an integral part of the appeal, but why not allow yourself to indulge in its fun side occasionally? This nifty gadget packs in a pair of 12-lumen lights (one white, one green) a horn that plays 25 different sound effects, and a remote control trigger. OK, yes, it’s for kids, but we love it too!

£14.99 - Totally Funky

Ted Baker repair kit

Ted Baker might be a name you associate more with fashion and toiletries but inside this can you’ll find everything you need to quickly repair a puncture on the road, including a 15-piece multi-tool with tyre levers, plus a complete puncture repair kit and handy storage pouch.

£19.99 - Getting Personal

Endurance Conspiracy T-shirts

Casual but stylish, these cycling-themed T-shirts from American brand Endurance Conspiracy are perfect off-the-bike wear for any cycling nut. Their witty prints show a real sense of humour – our favourite is the ‘Campy Van’ design (left) – while the T-shirt itself is a ‘ridiculously soft’ cotton number.

From £20 - Cycle Surgery

Knog Oi Bell

Bells on road bikes – the height of naffness, right? Not the Oi – those clever Aussies at Knog have come up with an item that would grace even the poshest handlebars. Available in four finishes (including copper, shown right) and two sizes, the Oi not only looks great, it sounds – in Knog’s own words – ‘like an angel playing a glockenspiel’.

£15.99 - Silverfish

Black Bicycle Bookends

If you’re stocking up your bookshelf with our top reading picks from page 8, you’ll want something to keep them tidy. Made in metal with a black painted finish, these are the perfect accompaniment to your cycling library – at least until a lightweight carbon version with drop handlebars comes along.

£13.95 - Melody Maison

Park Tool PZT-2 pizza cutter

If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly. And that means using the right high-quality, precision-engineered tool – even if the job in question is the apparently simple task of slicing pizza. So let us be thankful that those perfectionists at Park Tool have made this workshop-quality kitchen gadget.

£17.99 - Cycle Surgery

Vintage Print

A writer named James E Starrs apparently came up with the quote that graces this print and it’s a sentiment we’re totally on board with. Stick this up on your office/bathroom wall and when work/domestic life is getting you down, look at it and remind yourself of the simple pleasure that awaits on two wheels. 

£14.50 - Of Life and Lemons

Pedro's Pro Brush Kit

Keeping your bike in pristine condition is essential to ensuring perfect performance, so do the job properly with these pro-quality scrubbers. The set includes a frame and wheel brush, a ‘toothbrush’ (for cogs and derailleurs), a cone brush for hard to reach spots, and a parts cleaning brush for applying degreaser.

£19.99 - Silverfish

Demon Frameworks jacket

Made in collaboration with premium clothing brand Private White VC, the Demon Cycling Jacket is a product aimed at those after nothing less than the best in quality. 'Whether you are cycling to work, going on a long tour, walking the dog or just heading out to the pub, this jacket will keep you dry and looking great no matter what the weather does,' say Demon Frameworks - who, as the name suggests, are more known for their hand built custom frames. With a retractable back flap, reflective strips and extra long arms, there are just enough features on the Cycling Jacket to remind us as such.  

£495, demonframeworks.com

Fat Chance Slim Chance 2.0

You’ve already decided if you like this bike or not. It’s the paint. It’s garish, it’s lairy and it wouldn’t look out of place on the set of Saved by the Bell. And once upon a time it could have been, for this an identikit reissue of the Slim Chance, a bike that first debuted in 1991 from legendary framebuilder Chris Chance.

Chance set up Fat City Cycles in 1982, and pioneered TIG welded bike frames in an age where everything was brazed lugs. Fat Chance branded bikes quickly gained cult status, and 25 years on here’s you chance to own a piece of history. And if that’s not enough, it’s made from highly revered, but latterly defunct, True Temper steel, making in not just a classic in the making, but a bicycling rarity straight out the jig. We suggest you ride it though, because this thing looks sick bro! Read more...

fatchance.bike

Massif Central personalised illustrations

Massif Central provide the very original service of creating graphics that illustrate the statistics of a physical achievement. In the past for Massif Central this has meant producing beautiful representations of pro races, sportives and such like, but it's now launched a new concept on Kickstarter that will allow anybody to upload a ride on 'The Massifier' and create a graphic to act as a memento for one of their own rides. 

themassifcentral.co.uk

 

Met Manta

Met claims that at a wind speed of 50kmh, the Manta saves 10 watts over other semi-aero competitors. We can't confirm that, but it certainly looks as sleek and slippery as the sea creature its named after. It has hardly any vents, but the few there are have been placed for best effect so cooling shouldn't be an issue, and at 218g there won't be any problems with weight either.

met-helmets.com

 

Whyte Wessex

whyte.bike

Every week there's a batch of new product releases for us to get excited about in the bike industry. This is our roundup of the most interesting of the lot, with the Extreme H2o jacket from Northwave, the EcoHelmet paper helmet, Velopac's Ridepac, a brand new light range from Fabric and Catlike's new Olula helmet. 

There's a new - if only temporary - cycling shop that's opened up in London, and its full of cool stuff that you'll almost definitely not find anywhere else. 

Located at The Factory in Elephant and Castle, the shop has been launched in a collaborative effort between Omnium, who specialise in independent performance apparel brands, and The Cycling Store, who cater for the style-concious commuters and leisure riders among us. As a result the pop-up features quite the spectrum of kit and accessories, designed to appeal to everyone from the 'Richmond roadie' to the 'Dalston dasher'.

Image 6 of 10

Image 6 of 10

There's free gift wrapping available if your purchases are intended for a certain holiday event on the horizon, and you can also pick up in store anything that you order online. Artisan bikes by the likes of Hartley, Quirk, Saffron, Field and Rossin will be on display throughout, and the Omnium X The Cycling Store team are even hosting an event with speakers and drinks on the 30th November. 

The shop is open until 13th December, and can be found at The Factory, 120 London Road, London SE1 6LF between 11am and 7pm Monday to Friday. 

weareomnium.cc

thecyclingstore.cc

the-factory-london.org